Unfortunately, their ANC system only offers an okay noise isolation performance, and it may not be enough to block out the low rumble of bus and plane engines.
Sennheiser Headphone Reviews
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Best Sennheiser headphones: brilliant headphones for every style and budget
It can comfortably claim to make some of the best headphones, so it’s well worth looking out for a Sennheiser deal in the Black Friday sales. Specifications Connector: N/A Cable length: N/A In-line remote and mic: N/A OS support: Android/iOS Bluetooth: Yes Noise-cancelling: Yes Battery life: 7 hours (28 hours with charging case) TODAY’S BEST DEALS Prime £175 View at Amazon £175 View at Richer Sounds £179 View at Sevenoaks Reasons to buy + Refined sound + Lightweight, comfortable + User friendly Reasons to avoid – Pretty pricey – Bettered for timing
The earpieces are slightly slimmer, so they protrude less from your ears, and, more importantly, they’re more comfortable to have in place for long listening sessions. Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless Superb noise-cancellers that enhance Sennheiser’s reputation Specifications Bluetooth: Yes Noise-cancelling: Yes Battery life: 17hr Charging: USB-C Built-in mic and controls: Yes TODAY’S BEST DEALS Prime £250.07 View at Amazon £279 View at Currys £349.99 View at Selfridges Reasons to buy + Energetic, rhythmic presentation + Convenient usability features + Effective noise cancellation Reasons to avoid – Uncompetitive battery life
Their thick leather earpads make these headphones incredibly comfortable and even provide a good dose of noise isolation – handy if you don’t have enough juice left to power the noise-cancelling feature. It gives them a superb tonal balance alongside their depth of bass, which will reward listeners of all stripes.
Specifications Connector: 3.5mm, 2.5mm, 4.4mm Cable length: 1.2m In-line remote and mic: No Bluetooth: No Noise-cancelling: No Sensitivity: 123dB Weight: 4g (each) TODAY’S BEST DEALS £1,099 View at Richer Sounds Low Stock £1,099 View at Audio Visual Online Check Amazon Reasons to buy + Detailed, articulate sound + Refined yet entertaining presentation + Clever engineering Reasons to avoid – Cable transmits noise – No in-line remote The premium in-ears come with six ear tip options and three cables with a choice of normal 3.5mm and balanced 2.5mm and 4.4mm connectors. Sennheiser’s engineers have chosen to go with a single driver rather than the more fashionable multiple unit approach that many rivals take and it’s made with rigidity and low resonance in mind. The IE 900 sound clear, open, confident and insightful, revealing layers of detail and organising every track into a structured and cohesive whole.
Partner these high-end Sennheiser headphones with a high-quality outboard DAC, such as the Chord Mojo and use good quality files and you’ll hear just why the IE 900 justify their punchy price tag. There are actually two variants of the Momentum in-ears: the M2 IEis have the relevant in-line mic and controls for Apple phones, while the IEGs work with Android handsets.
But they both share the same excellent sound quality – it’s smooth and balanced, with plenty of drive and a good sense of musicality. They may not be the newest earbuds around (they won our Product of the Year award way back in 2017), but they still remain up there in the competition – especially now they can be picked up for a lot less.
While they may lack the outright transparency and simplicity of the very best noise-cancelling pairs out there, there really is plenty to like in the HD 450BTs – not least in the way of top-notch features, such as excellent, 30-hour battery life and aptX Low Latency support, which are far from given in headphones of this price. You have to make do without any bells and whistles like noise cancelling or an in-line remote, but sound quality is decent, with highlights being insight and balance.
Specifications Type: Over-ear Wireless: Yes In-line mic/remote: Yes 3.5mm connector: Yes Weight: 227g TODAY’S BEST DEALS Prime Low Stock £329.99 View at Amazon 4 Amazon customer reviews ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ Reasons to buy + Clear sound + Excellent timing + Impressive dynamics Reasons to avoid – Bass might be too rich for some – Plenty of competition If you fly a lot and want a pair of wireless noise-cancellers, these should be on your shortlist alongside those made by Sony and Bose. Specifications Type: In-ear Wireless: Yes In-line mic/remote: Yes 3.5mm connector: No Weight: 15g TODAY’S BEST DEALS £79.90 View at Amazon 437 Amazon customer reviews ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ Reasons to buy + Clear and detailed sound + Punchy, powerful delivery + Full-bodied bass Reasons to avoid – Rivals more rythmically adept But there’s much more to these than just an eye-catching colour scheme: they’re wireless, so you won’t get tangled while working out, and they’re splash- and sweat-resistant, so should last a while. Specifications Type: On-ear Wireless: No In-line mic/remote: Yes 3.5mm connector: Yes Weight: 262g TODAY’S BEST DEALS Check Amazon Reasons to buy + Chunky sound + Minimalist look Reasons to avoid – Boxy mids – Slightly limited bass depth – Could be comfier
Sennheiser HD 450BT review
Good noise cancelling headphones can cost a small fortune, but the Sennheiser HD 450BT disrupts that model. These headphones afford active noise cancelling (ANC) and great sound quality for just $150. The battery life is enough to power you through plenty of roundtrip commutes, which is no small feat when ANC is involved.
When I first wore the headset, I thought the fit was borderline painful because of the clamping force and how a hotspot formed at the top of my head.
Ear cup rotation is minimal, which doesn’t affect comfort but does limit transport options. While this change is audible, you can absolutely get better performance with other headsets that cost just a bit more like the Sennheiser PXC 550-II.
Passive isolation performance does a great deal of heavy lifting as far as blocking the midrange and treble frequencies. This is because it’s very hard for ANC to block out unpredictable sounds like speech and your run-of-the-mill clangs and pangs, which often fall above 1kHz. To get the most out of the noise cancelling technology, you should make sure the headphones are snug and don’t leave any gaps between your head and the ear pads. Both my laptop and smartphone were connected to the HD 450BT, but text and email notifications weren’t pushed from the secondary source device to my headset.
If you subscribe to a streaming service like Tidal or Amazon Music HD and want to take advantage of FLAC files, you can always use the included 2.5mm to 3.5mm cable. We enabled Bluetooth and noise cancelling while subjecting the headset to a constant 75dB(SPL) output, and the battery lasted 27 hours, 2 minutes.
In Domic Fike’s song Babydoll, the electric guitar riff repeats throughout the intro until 0:32. Clarity is unchanged when the drums kick in at 0:11, which is good news for anyone who values instrumental detail beyond percussive sounds.
It sounds a little quieter than I’m accustomed to hearing, especially when Fike is singing concurrently, but that was only noticeable because of my great familiarity with the song.
Most all listeners will enjoy how the headphones sound, and if you want to make minor adjustments, you can within the Sennheiser app.
You can use this headset for phone calls in the same way you can use a spoon to dig holes: it gets the job done, but most would grab a shovel if given the chance. Even then, the extra $50 affords superior noise cancelling, a great microphone array, and more comfortable, spacious ear cups.
It doesn’t support fast charging, so you’ll need to set aside a couple of hours for a complete top up. Like any product, this headset isn’t without its faults and may even be hard to justify when the Sennheiser PXC 550-II cost just a bit more. Battery life, while shorter than the Sennheiser HD 450BT, is very good and fast charging is supported. There may be fewer Bluetooth codecs supported by Sony’s headset, but it has LDAC which, when consistent, streams at a higher rate than aptX. Check out the Monoprice BT-600ANC, which has very good noise cancelling, Bluetooth 5.0 with aptX, AAC, and SBC support, and great battery life all for less than $100 USD. These headsets look very similar to one another, with the Plus variant offering active noise cancelling and supporting more high-quality Bluetooth codecs.
Best Sennheiser headphones
Sennheiser is one of a handful of audio monoliths and picking from its wide array of headsets can be an overwhelming process. Despite not having the sexiest of model names, Sennheiser headphones are reliable and consistently perform above their price bracket when compared.
This set of active noise cancelling (ANC) headphones is a great option for frequent flyers and daily commuters.
Listeners are get up to 30 hours of playback on a single charge and the microphone effectively isolates your voice from background noises, ensuring clear call quality. Anyone who wants a verstile, portable headset with plenty of features to accommodate a modern lifestyle will grow to love the Sennhe While that doesn’t preclude every option from being a worthy consumer headset, it does mean Sennheiser headphones are a bit more niche than something like Beats.
If that’s the case, the Sennheiser MOMENTUM Wireless 3 is for you: this ANC headset features a timeless design and clean lines that bode well for any style. Unlike most Sennheiser headphones, you’re paying a lot for the aesthetic design of the MOMENTUM Wireless 3, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Drop teamed up with Sennheiser to release the HD 58X Jubilee, which is a modern version of a limited edition pair from the past. Now, it may seem odd that a high-end audio company produces gaming headsets, but it actually makes a fair amount of sense.
Additionally, the open-back design aids in a more realistic perception of 3D sound and keeps the head cool during gameplay. This set of dynamic, closed-back cans is ideal for studio use and is comfortable to wear for extended periods of time.
Considering studio headphones is a category that can get quite expensive, this budget pair does its job pretty darn well. The headband cushions may look silly but they promote even weight distribution and the earpads are breathable, preventing your ears from overheating.
The 3.3-meter-long coiled cable offers plenty of leeway for navigating a studio environment; it’s also replaceable, which is a nice touch. When it comes to Sennheiser headphones, we know that most interested consumers are looking for the best sound quality they can afford, which is what we kept in mind when picking out each awardee per category.
Sennheiser CX True Wireless: These blocky earphones have an IPX4 rating, great isolation, and retail for $129 USD. Sennheiser HD 350BT: For only $100, these Bluetooth 5.0 headphones have amazing sound quality and are very portable, though not the most comfortable headset in the world. Its sound profile is similar to the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 2 earbuds, but it has ear hooks and an easily replaceable cable. Sennheiser IE 900: This is the cream of the crop when it comes to IEMs, with its detachable MMCX earbud housings, premium construction, and low distortion. Unlike the HD 800 model, these are closed-back and feature a glass transducer that mitigates chamber resonances. That transparent design bleeds into the sound quality as things resonate crystal clear through this headset. Although shifting from an open to closed-back design may seem a curious choice, Sennheiser claims that this is more effective as the same vast soundscape is achieved while simultaneously attenuating external noise. Each writer at SoundGuys has accumulated years of experience reporting on the consumer audio market, and our staff adheres to a strict ethics policy.
We pride ourselves on transparently outlining objective facts, while accounting for the subjective experience to contextualize an audio product’s performance.
Best Sennheiser Headphones 2021 – Buyers Guide
I want to list 2 of their best audiophile headphones in this section, but we should give a special mention to the incredible Sennheiser Orpheus. Still, the good news is that a couple of years ago, Sennheiser made the next generation Orpheus and if you have a spare $50,000 burning a hole in your pocket, then why not have a look.
The soundstage is massive, and to be honest, these sound far closer to speakers than most of the other audiophile headphones I tested over the past year. They look good on the head, and they are equally comfortable with their spacious earcup design allowing the air to circulate freely.
Honestly, the 650 are still amazing headphones and didn’t really need upgrading, but I think the market felt that their aesthetic was a little long in the tooth. You can hook them up to your source device via a standard 3.5mm cable or balanced outputs, and the HD660s are extremely to drive due to their low impedance rating.
Musicians trust Sennheiser headphones because of their impeccable track record for producing high-quality gear that lasts forever. The bonus is that Sennheiser provides many after-sales services for their professional headphones, with pads and other parts being readily available direct from the manufacturer.
The HD-25 is a staple of the professional music industry and at one point were (and in many cases still are) on the heads of all the world’s top DJs.
After a set of no-frills cheap headphones for music production or monitoring, then the HD200 PRO is one of the most reliable and well-known models. The original HD200 was around forever, but the pro model adds a few much-needed touches to modernize them while still having great balanced sound. Sennheiser has worked very hard on this aspect and the Bluetooth chip inside produces next to zero delays in audio.
The super-wide and highly adjustable headband means that the weight of the headset is evenly dispersed across the top of your head leading to greater long-term comfort. The microphone is big and chunky and Sennheiser worked their magic to ensure it is one of the clearest sounding gaming headsets on the market with state-of-the-art noise cancelation. Sennheiser knows they needed to be competitive with Shure’s Aonic 3 and Westone’s UM Pro 10 in-ear monitors. These buyers want a set of IEM’s that can be used on and off stage, in-studio, and in daily life that has neutral sound and excellent reliability.
The high-impact resin shell, single driver, and detachable cable are desirable traits when talking about earphones’ longevity. The original flagship IE800s have been out for a few years, but this new model takes the excellent Extra Wide Band (XWB) drivers and refines them to a ridiculously high level.
Low distortion and zero bleeds between the frequencies are a real highlight of the IE900; there is the bass which is big and impactful yet at the same time detailed and fast. To achieve this amazing level of fidelity the company has taken great care with the internal channeling of the sound tubes inside the housing. Bose and Sony still own the noise-canceling headphone market, and for a good reason, but if you want something with a more premium build and excellent materials, then Momentum starts to make its case.
Feature-wise they are stacked with Bluetooth 5.0, touch controls, NFC for immediate pairing, and something we really love; they are foldable, so great to travel with. Again setting its sights on the premium end of the market, the Momentum 2 Wireless stands head and shoulder above its competition to build quality and material. A neckband set or earbuds, the HD1 is designed to have the connecting cable sit behind the neck, and to do this, Sennheiser wrapped it in black leather with red stitching.
The sound is very similar to the momentum earbuds are slightly warm and tuned with an extra bump in the bass and smoothed out the treble.
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 review: The best-sounding true wireless earbuds get better
The second-generation Momentum True Wireless 2, available now for preorder and shipping in April, still have that elevated $300 (£279; 300 euros) price. That makes them arguably the best true wireless earbuds on the market today and earns them a CNET Editors’ Choice Award. Aside from the fact that they’re expensive — $50 more than the AirPods Pro — they’re heavier, not quite as comfortable to wear and lack the hands-free Siri found on those Apple models. And, while Sennheiser shrank the new earbuds by 2mm, the Momentum True Wireless 2 are still on the bigger side and may not be a perfect match for some people’s ears.
In the settings menu, it says, “Single-mic ANC reduces low-frequency ambient noise,” adding that activating the feature does have an “impact on battery life.” The same gesture on the left earbud activates a transparency mode that allows ambient sound in so you can have a conversation while wearing them.
And I didn’t have any problems with audio syncing correctly when watching video apps like Netflix, YouTube and Vudu. If there are some slight gains in sound quality, it’s more likely due to better digital processing as a result of chip and software upgrades.
On well-recorded tracks you can really hear each instrument; they don’t blend in with each like with a lot of Bluetooth headphones. Other high-end models like the Master & Dynamic MW07 Plus ($300) also have smooth, nicely detailed sound with good bass definition, as well as some noise cancellation, but the True Wireless 2 have better design and headset performance along with slightly better sound and more effective noise cancellation.
The AirPods Pro certainly have an appealing design and feature set with strong performance, but they’re simply not in the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2’s league for sound quality. And now that Sennheiser has added active noise canceling and fixed some of the original Momentum True Wireless’ small flaws, these are the earbuds to get if you value sound quality over everything else.
Sennheiser HD 4.50 BTNC review
The Sennheiser HD 4.50 BTNCs are ideal noise-canceling headphones for the long-haul traveller, coming in significantly cheaper than competing models from Bose and Sony. The Sennheiser HD 4.50 BTNCs are ideal noise-canceling headphones for the long-haul traveller, coming in significantly cheaper than competing models from Bose and Sony. But once agin, that’s a positive; those bulky cases are incredibly off-putting for anyone who likes to travel light, and the pouch adds just 47g to the headphones’ total weight. To get the best from the Sennheiser HD 4.50 BTNCs you need to use them in noisy environments, so we wore them in busy city streets, on a commuter train, and on a short flight.
With a detailed, well-rounded stereo sound when connected to a smartphone wirelessly via Bluetooth, they proved more rounded with music than the Bose QC35s, but perhaps not as crisp as the Sony MDR-1000X. Good noise-canceling earphones are the Holy Grail for travellers, and it’s hard to argue with the travel-friendly design of the Sennheiser HD 4.50 BTNCs.
That may be so, but the NoiseGuard activation button needs some work, and the headband could do with a little more padding, as could the ventilation; hot ears were an issue during our tests, which could make sleeping on warm planes a problem. With noise-cancelling tech just as effective as that in headphones from rival Bose, and with a more musical sonic ability, the Sennheiser HD 4.50 BTNC are a definite contender. Whether you’re after noise canceling for long-haul ravel, for the commute, or just to stay more productive in a noisy office, the Sennheiser HD 4.50 BTNCs are worth considering.
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