Sennheiser is the type of audio company the world needs more of. It produces everything from microphones to soundbars, but one product category the brand is perhaps best known for is its on-ear and in-ear audio. Today’s focus is on the on-ear variety. And even if you’re usually not a big fan of headphones, we bet there’s a pair of Sennheiser cans that could change your mind.
Beyond the basic headset deliverables, like amazing sound from top to bottom, Sennheiser brings other exceptional features to the table, such as powerful noise cancellation, long-lasting battery life, and a companion app that will let you customize your audio and headphone settings.
If you’re looking for a great pair of headphones, it’s hard to go wrong with Sennheiser, and this list features all the best models.
Top Sennheiser headphones
Sennheiser Accentum Headphones
Ideal for most users
Sennheiser’s new Accentum wireless headphones strike an appealing balance between performance, features, and cost. They deliver high-quality sound, good ANC, excellent comfort and long battery life. The Sennheiser app allows a wide range of customization to suit your needs and preferences. For most users, they’re a great choice and earn our pick for best overall.
- Rich bass and clear highs
- Good ANC
- Comfortable and stylish
- Possibly tight on larger heads
- Case not included
- Bluetooth only, no TRS audio
Out of the box, the Accentum sound great, albeit with fairly heavy bass emphasis. That said, you can use Sennheiser’s app to tweak the EQ. In terms of call quality, the dual microphone array picks up voices clearly, though background noise can occasionally intrude. Their active noise cancellation is effective for both calls and music, but it falls just a bit short of what you’d get with, say, a premium set of Bose. Rated at 50 hours, the battery life is excellent, and fast charging provides 5 hours of playback after just 10 minutes of juicing up.
Audio connectivity is via Bluetooth with support for AAC, AptX, AptX HD, and SBC codecs. The Accentum include multipoint pairing, a convenient feature that lets you avoid switching between source devices. Unfortunately, you’ll have to step up to our premium pick, the Momentum 4, to get a 3.5 mm TRS audio jack. At only 7.8 ounces, the Accentum headphones fit comfortably and firmly, keeping you fatigue-free even during extended listening sessions. The circumaural earpieces are generously padded and have a nice velvety feeling. However, if your head is bigger than average, you may find the pressure to be a little bit excessive.
Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless
High-end performance and features
The Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless headphones leverage 42mm drivers to deliver exceptional clarity and pro-level dynamics. They include next-generation Sennheiser Adaptive Noise Cancellation and offer a comfortable, lightweight fit with a padded headband and padded circumaural ear pads. A remarkable 60 hours of battery life with ANC on, and versatile wireless and wired connectivity options help make the Momentum 4 a great choice. What’s more, they cost less than many premium headphones.
- Great sound
- Good ANC
- Remarkable battery life
- Mic noise rejection so-so
- Not fully foldable
- Updated look underwhelms
In terms of performance, the Momentum 4 headphones do not disappoint. Their audio performance is faithful, with clear highs, tight bass, and a wide soundstage with great dynamics. Sennheiser’s next-gen ANC is on hand to block out unwanted background noise, while transparency modes also allow letting in outside sound when you want to be aware of your surroundings. The ANC does a decent job of blocking noise when you’re listening to tunes, but the mics tend to pick up some during calls.
Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless review: Awesome audio, average ANC
The Momentum 4’s Achilles heel could be a deal-breaker
The battery life is excellent at 60 hours with ANC on. In addition to Bluetooth, you can also connect audio via the 3.5 mm jack or USB port. The Sennheiser Smart Control app is better than most and gives access to customization features such as graphic EQ, ANC, and transparency modes. The Momentum 4 Wireless headphones mark a significant design departure from their predecessor, the Momentum 3. In our opinion, the Momentum 3 looked cooler and more premium, but that’s a matter of personal taste. On the plus side, the Momentum 4 headphones are comfortable thanks to an adjustable fit with a leatherette-padded headband and ear pads.
Sennheiser HD 350BT
Great sound, great price
An older model released in 2020, the Sennheiser HD 350BT headphones present a compelling value proposition for budget-conscious buyers who prioritize music performance and can do without ANC. They include Bluetooth connectivity with AAC and aptX support and a formidable battery life of 30 hours on a single charge. Their balanced, detailed sound quality is sure to please and, while their build quality is only middling, it’s sufficient.
- Great music performance
- aptX support
- Lower cost
- No ANC
- Mediocre call performance
- Plasticy build
The HD 350BT headphones produce exceptional sound quality, especially at their price point. Their tone is hallmarked by tight, controlled bass, detailed yet smooth mid-range, and shimmery but smooth treble. The depth of the soundstage is excellent, and music has a lively, engaging quality. It’s important to emphasize that these do not include active noise cancellation, and while the microphone is okay for calls, some noise intrusion is likely.
Audio connectivity is via Bluetooth with support for AAC and aptX to help you get the best sound and performance. USB-C provides charging and app support such as EQ customizations and firmware updates. Battery life lags behind premium models but still clocks in at 30 hours per charge. Understandably, at this price point, Sennheiser has opted not to include a 3.5 mm wired audio port. The plastic-y build is unremarkable, and the earpads are somewhat narrow, but the HD 350BT are foldable, do not apply excessive clamping pressure to the head, and are well padded.
Sennheiser Accentum Plus Bluetooth Headphones
Everything we loved about the Accentum and more
The Accentum Plus are another brilliant addition to the Sennheiser lineup. Expect breathtaking sound quality, a comfortable fit, and some of the best ANC you’ve ever experienced from a set of cans. Some additional bonuses include aptX Adaptive support and a carrying case.
- Awesome sound quality
- Phenomenal ANC
- Strong battery life
- Uncomfortable for long wear sessions
- Mediocre call quality
The newest kid in the club is the Sennheiser Accentum Plus. A revamp of the classic Accentum headphones, this isn’t your average next-gen model. The Accentum Plus builds on the strong sound quality of the original by focusing on features like ANC and supported audio codecs. Noise cancellation is probably the biggest win to write home about, thanks to the Accentum Plus’ adaptive removal of unwanted sound based on your listening environment.
That’s not all though. These midrange Sennheiser cans add aptX Adaptive (via Bluetooth 5.2) to their codec collection along with old favorites like AAC and SBC. aptX Adaptive is one of the best ways to hear your favorite artists and albums with a wireless pair of headphones; and when you factor in the Accentum Plus’ warm, robust sound profile, streaming tunes won’t get much better.
Sennheiser Accentum Plus review: Hard to complain
Not Sennheiser’s best, but still very good
Sennheiser’s latest also has an auxiliary cable for optional wired listening and a convenient carrying case.
Sennheiser HD 660S2
Great for spoken-word content
The HD 660S2 wired headphones feature an open-back design and are built in Ireland. With strong audio performance, they’re a worthy addition to the venerable HD 600 series, and well worth considering for audiophile-level music reproduction, home theater, and even podcasting applications.
- Breakaway cable with 1/4-inch connector
- Enveloping soundstage
- High-end design and build
- Bass performance isn’t perfect
- No wireless
- No ANC
The HD 660S2 achieves premium comfort with a lightweight design, reasonable clamping pressure, and soft velour ear pads. The open drivers allow some airflow to the ears, making these less sweaty than closed-back designs can be. While you will not find Bluetooth or ANC here, the HD 660S2 headphones are ready to get down to some serious business.
Sennheiser HD 600 Open-Back Headphones
Reference grade for the win
Reference-grade audio can get rather pricey, so if you’re spending money, it should be on the best of the best. That’s why we’re shining a light on the Sennheiser HD 600, open-back wired headphones that sound incredible. Add an amp or soundcard for even more decibel propulsion.
- Unbeatable sound quality
- Immersive soundstaging
- Unique open-back design
- No wireless connectivity
- No ANC
Audiophiles flock to Sennheiser products for the company’s dedication to pure sound, and if you’re all about polished audio, consider a pair of the Sennheiser HD 600 headphones. These open-back headphones are designed for listeners who want to sink into their favorite recliner while appreciating the finer nuances of beloved music.
Renowned for its reference-grade Hi-Fi audio, the HD 600 may not be the cans of choice for the average music fan, but they’re a thing of beauty for connoisseurs and audio analytics experts. The open-back design presents some limitations, though. You’ll be hard-pressed to get the HD 600 sounding good on a busy city street (no noise cancellation and lots of ambient sound leak in). There’s also quite a bit of bass missing.
Fans of these types of cans will likely know these things ahead of time, along with the fact that an amp or soundcard can be added for extra drive.
Sennheiser RS 175 RF Headphones
Excellent for TV and movies
The RS 175 RF headphones are narrowly targeted at the home theater market. Their dedicated RF transmitter connects to your AV receiver or other device and helps achieve low latency so that audio and video always feel in sync. While their sound profile isn’t optimized for music listening, they do offer a comfortable fit for binge Netflix sessions.
- Optimized for home theater
- Wireless
- Low latency
- Not optimized for music
- Not very versatile
- Bass mode can get sloppy
Sennheiser claims a more than 300-foot range for the RS 175RF. Within the confines of a living room, the transmission is virtually free of lag and dropouts. Although they’re not the most natural-sounding headphones, the sound is good, especially for home theater. There are two notable modes: a bass boost, which is effective but can distort with loud music, and a 3D mode that broadens the depth and width of the soundstage. The 18-hour battery life between charges isn’t jaw-dropping compared to models focused on portable audio, but that’s quite a lot of Netflix viewing in any case. Input is via stereo RCA or optical digital from your AV receiver.
Thanks to a padded headband and earpieces, most users will find the RS 175RF headphones comfortable for extended home theater sessions. The RS 175RF’s closed-back design provides good isolation to prevent external noises from interfering with your media consumption. On the outside of the right earpiece, you’ll find convenient volume controls as well as buttons to switch bass boost and surround modes on and off.
Sennheiser quality spans price points
Sennheiser headphones are loved for many reasons, and unbelievable sound quality is just one of their strengths. Comfort, noise cancellation, and large battery life are other accolades that shouldn’t go unnoticed. Overall, the Sennheiser Accentum is the best representation of these features.
The Sennheiser Accentum have pulse-pounding bass, crisp mids and highs, and exemplary ANC are all on tap. They are also very comfortable and deliver up to 50 hours of battery life on a full charge. Not to mention that just 10 minutes of recharging nets you an extra 5 hours of listening. If you want to take things a step further, consider the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless.
The Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless have killer sound quality, killer ANC, and killer battery life. They also achieve up to 60 hours of playtime with ANC enabled. And thanks to auxiliary and USB connectivity, wireless listening can even be enjoyed. For those of us trying to scrimp and save, Sennheiser is still a viable option, and we’d suggest going with the HD 350BT.
The HD 350BT headphones cost less than $150 and deliver the warm, detailed sound Sennheiser is known for. You’ll also get aptX support, but do be prepared for the complete absence of ANC.
Sennheiser Accentum Headphones
Ideal for most people
The Sennheiser Accentum Bluetooth Headphones deliver an exceptional audio experience. We’re talking warm bass tones, crystalline treble, and some of the best ANC in the business.
