Lower than 4 months after debuting its mid-range Accentum headphones, Sennheiser revealed one other model at CES that continues to be extra inexpensive than its flagship Momentum set. Dubbed the Accentum Plus, this more-expensive mannequin swaps the bodily buttons for contact controls whereas providing revised lively noise cancellation (ANC), wear-detection and different conveniences the primary model didn’t. The entire additions come at a worth, although, because the Plus ($230) prices $50 greater than the common Accentum. For a set of headphones that principally appears the identical, are inner updates sufficient to justify a much bigger funding?
Design
It’s tough to inform the Accentum Plus and Accentum aside at first look. That lack of bodily controls on the older mannequin is what primarily distinguishes the 2. The Plus model nonetheless has one button which manages energy, pairing and voice assistants, however the entire audio and name controls are touch-based and positioned on the surface of the correct ear cup. They work effectively, from faucets for playback to swipes for quantity, however relying in your preferences, ditching the bodily controls for contact could also be a flip off. The opposite distinction is that the Plus has a 3.5mm aux jack together with a USB-C connection whereas the primary Accentum solely has the latter.
Sennheiser
Regardless of adjustments to ANC and some new options, the Accentum Plus isn’t a big improve over the common Accentum that debuted final 12 months.
- Higher-than-expected battery life
- Trademark Sennheiser sound at louder volumes
- Multipoint Bluetooth
- Put on detection
- Low cost-looking design
- Adaptive ANC isn’t an enormous distinction
- Sound suffers at decrease volumes
An almost equivalent design means Sennheiser didn’t tackle my key criticism of the primary Accentum. The headphones stay virtually fully made out of plastic, which provides them an affordable feel and appear. Plus, it doesn’t encourage a variety of confidence within the construct high quality for a set of $230 headphones. The corporate launched its new design type on the Momentum 4 in 2022, which it continued with the general look on the Accentum line. However, the newest Momentums are a bit extra polished than these two more moderen fashions.
Software program and options
For probably the most half, the Sennheiser Good Management App gives the identical options for the Accentum Plus because it does for the Accentum. Virtually every thing you’d want is on the principle display, with battery share on the high. Beneath that sit connection administration for multipoint Bluetooth and My Sound audio customization. There, you’ll be able to modify a five-band EQ, choose a prebuilt sound preset or make your individual. The corporate additionally gives Sound Personalization that calibrates the audio primarily based in your responses to some samples within the app.
Sennheiser’s Sound Zones are right here as effectively, providing you with the power to configure particular audio settings primarily based in your location. You may create as much as 20 of those for locations like dwelling, work, gymnasium and extra. After all, it’s important to give the app permission to trace your location, which could possibly be a nonstarter for some customers.
The final merchandise on the principle interface of the app is ANC management. Right here, you’ll be able to disable the automated “adaptive” adjustment to the Accentum Plus’ noise cancellation and depart “common” noise cancellation on. There’s a slider to mix of ANC and transparency as you see match. You may cycle between ANC and transparency mode with a double faucet on the correct ear cup, however that motion doesn’t mean you can activate any most popular blends. As a substitute, it solely activates full ANC or full transparency.
Sound high quality
Sennheiser’s flagship earbuds and headphones have constantly supplied the very best sound high quality amongst the entire merchandise I’ve examined. The corporate has a knack for a well-tuned audio profile that is dynamic, however not overbearing, and that gives loads of advantageous element because of glorious readability throughout the EQ. That trademark crispness returns on the Accentum Plus, however it’s at its finest at round 65-75 % quantity. Knock that stage right down to round 50 % and sound high quality begins to undergo.
There’s a pleasing ethereal, atmospheric high quality to tracks on Fever Ray’s Radical Romantics on the Accentum Plus, enveloping you the way in which the sound on costlier headphones would. Nonetheless, once you lower the amount to about 50 %, bass begins to overpower a number of the particulars and the audio profile begins to muddy. The readability that makes Sennheiser’s headphones so good is gone at this level, which is a bummer for these of us who do not all the time want louder listening.
Whereas there’s ample bass that’s offset by crisp highs all through most genres, extra chaotic kinds like steel generally is a combined bag. Boomy bass continues to be there on Texas In July’s With out Motive and Higher Lovers’ God Made Me An Animal, however finer particulars in guitars and drum textures begin to get misplaced. The general efficiency is a bit flat with the entire devices coming throughout compressed in comparison with different units. Swap over to one thing extra mellow like Charles Wesley Godwin’s Stay From Echo Mountain and it’s such as you placed on completely different headphones. It feels way more such as you’re within the room the place this was recorded.
ANC efficiency
Sennheiser says the Accentum Plus has hybrid adaptive ANC the place the Accentum simply has hybrid ANC. Which means that the Plus mannequin adjusts to adjustments in environmental noise whereas the common mannequin has only one stage of blocking potential. Throughout my checks, I struggled to inform an enormous distinction between the 2, even when switching shortly from one set to the opposite. The general ANC efficiency is strong in most circumstances, however it’s removed from what you’d get on the very best that Bose, Sony and even Sennheiser have to supply. And for the reason that Plus model is costlier, I anticipated an apparent enchancment.
Name high quality
Like most over-ear headphones, the Accentum Plus is simply advantageous for calls. The audio high quality isn’t pristine, however it’s definitely satisfactory for many makes use of. That features work calls, though I’d recommend one thing with a greater mic if you happen to’re really main the presentation. General, the voice high quality comes throughout compressed and a bit tinny. It’s not the worst, however it’s additionally in all probability not what you need when the way you sound actually issues. You may select to have the headphones mechanically change to transparency mode once you take a name. Nonetheless, the Accentum Plus doesn’t pipe in your voice, so the general audio isn’t as pure as more-expensive choices just like the AirPods Max.
Battery life
The Plus’ battery life stays unchanged from the common Accentum at 50 hours. That’s undoubtedly not a nasty factor. The truth is, I exceeded that determine throughout my checks, notching 57 hours of use with ANC enabled. This included a mixture of listening and calls, and in the course of the latter I switched to transparency mode as an alternative of noise cancellation. There have been additionally a number of days in between periods the place the headphones sat unused. Whenever you do end up out of juice, you will get 5 hours of listening time after plugging in for under 10 minutes.
The competitors
Provided that the upgrades on the Plus are marginal, it’s arduous to suggest them over the cheaper Accentum. Each carry Sennheiser’s crisp, clear sound that performs effectively more often than not. The ANC enhancements aren’t sufficient to justify spending extra and the one factor chances are you’ll really profit from is automated pausing that wear-detection brings. The corporate’s Momentum 4 would undoubtedly be an improve over both Accentum, however that prices round $300. Plus, Sennheiser’s flagship headphones nonetheless have its newer, more-boring design – albeit with a number of refinements.
In case you’re out there for inexpensive noise-canceling headphones that don’t lower too many corners, contemplate the Sony’s WH-CH720N. At present out there for $105, this finances choice gained’t win any design awards because it’s additionally all-plastic, however it’s extra comfy and has nice audio for the worth. Noise cancellation is simply okay, although Adaptive Sound Management permits you to automate audio settings primarily based on exercise or location and there’s help for Sony’s 360 Actuality Audio.
Wrap-up
Sennheiser’s try to enhance on its preliminary mid-range Accentum providing is a combined bag. For all of its updates, the Accentum Plus isn’t the huge enchancment you’d anticipate with its greater worth. Positive, the sound is nice at occasions and the ANC will get the job completed, however the very best factor about this Plus model is the better-than-expected battery life. Nonetheless, you will get that very same play time on the common Accentum for $50 much less. Some small design refinements and a more-obvious step up by way of audio high quality and ANC efficiency would’ve made a bigger affect. However, because it stands, the Accentum Plus is not a big improve over final 12 months’s mannequin.
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