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Tom’s Guide

Technology

Alex Bracetti

Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless review

Sennheiser Accentum Google Sony

Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless Earbuds on a white wall outside.

Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless: Specifications

Price: $199 / £156 / AU$298
Colors: Black, blue, white
Battery life (rated): 6 hours (ANC on); 8 hours (ANC off), 28 hours (charging case)
Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.3 with SBC, AAC, aptX, LC3
Size: 1.9 x 2.0 x 1.1 inches (earbuds and charging case)
Weight: 0.19 ounces (per bud), 1.8 ounces (charging case)
Durability: IP54 rated

The Accentum True Wireless are essentially the true wireless version of Sennheiser’s well-received Accentum and Accentum Plus headphones. These buds replace the critically acclaimed CX Plus as the brand’s top mid-range model.

Several series staples are present, including active noise cancelation, multi-device pairing, and proprietary sound features. Companion app support comes part of the package, too. However, these buds aren’t as well rounded as their over-ear counterparts, exhibiting declines in bass response, battery life, and control input.

Are the pros enough to outweigh the cons or should you consider looking elsewhere? Read our full Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless review to find out.

Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless review: Price and availability

On sale now at $199 / £169 / AU$349
Three color options

The Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless are listed at $199 / £169 / AU$349, sharing a similar MSRP to the Cambridge Audio Melomania M100. Sennheiser's latest buds are priced lower than their Momentum True Wireless 4 sibling ($299), and category leaders such as the AirPods Pro 2 ($249), Bose QC Ultra Earbuds ($299), and Sony WF-1000XM5 ($299). They’re also more expensive than the Sony WF-C700N ($119), which ranks top for value in our best noise-canceling earbuds.

You can purchase the Accentum TW in black, blue, or white color options directly from the Sennheiser website or online retailers like Amazon.

Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless review: Design

Look like generic hearing aids
Odd shape contributes to discomfort
Conveniently portable charging case

One might confuse these buds for over the counter hearing aids due to their large, bland design. The prolonged chassis sticks out like a sore thumb and presses into the ear for an unpleasant wear. I experienced some soreness after 2 hours of use. Sennheiser’s minimal detailing lacks flair. None of the colorways upgrade the Accentum TW’s appearance either. At least you get IP54 certification for dust, sweat, and water resistance.

Thankfully, the charging case is attractive and keeps the buds secured when not in use. It’s about the size of an engagement ring box and won’t weigh down your pockets or everyday carrying bag. There is no pairing button, which is an odd omission, and the USB-C port is located on the front instead of the back. Neither of these design choices diminish the case’s value.

Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless review: Features

Compatible with the Sennheiser Smart Control app
Upscaled features galore

Only a handful of features differentiate the Accentum True Wireless from the company's flagship Momentum True Wireless 4 earbuds, the main one being the lack of aptX Adaptive/Lossless codec support for high-quality audio playback with minimal latency. Everything else seems to line up: ANC, Auto-Accept Call, customizable controls, EQ, firmware updates, Sound Check, Sound Zones, Transparency Level, wear detection, and three battery-saving modes (auto power off, Battery ECO, Battery Protection Mode).

All major features are accessible on the Sennheiser Smart Control app’s homepage. Basic functions like Auto-Accept Call to answer a call when taking out one bud from the case and Battery ECO to deactivate aptX for power preservation can be toggled in the Settings page.

Outside of the app is Bluetooth multipoint to pair the buds to two devices simultaneously.

Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless review: Controls

Wide range of media controls
Reliable digital assistance
Poor touch accuracy

Sennheiser programmed the Accentum TW with a lot of functions that can be activated directly on the buds. The list includes ANC, call management, digital assistant, playback, transparency level, and volume. These can be assigned in the app and enabled via the single-/double-/triple-tap or long-hold gesture. Unfortunately, the touch panels barely register input. Trying to execute double and triple-tap functions was futile. I discovered that slide gestures worked better, but that didn’t drastically improve performance.

This made me rely on the digital assistant more, which performed well, thanks to Sennheiser’s two-mic array that demonstrated outstanding speech recognition. Google Assistant and Siri voice commands were captured and executed with precision. Voice activation would have been nice to fire up the function when saying the “Hey Google” or “Hey Siri” wake-word phrase.

Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless review: Sound quality

Energetic sound that can be personalized
Bass is hit or miss
No aptX Adaptive/Lossless or spatial audio support

Music and movies are mostly satisfying on the Accentum True Wireless. You must have a taste for warm sound, which is often aggressive and overpowers the high end. Adjusting the EQ helps balance frequency range. Some presets cater to select music genres (Classical, Pop) and some ruin the soundstage, specifically the Bass Boost preset that ramps up the low end for the worse.

The Accentum did a standup job reproducing the infectious drum snaps, melodic vocal layering, and serene trumpet play on Victoria Monet’s “Cruisin’.” Rock records like Green Day’s “Warning” maintained their emphatic presentation; the harmonically raspy vocals and impactful drums were well-balanced. Orchestral gems like Louis Armstrong’s “What A Wonderful World” also sounded great. The musician’s gravelly coloration took centerstage over a symphonic backdrop featuring crisp double bass and strings (e.g., harpsichord, violin).

Not everything was sonically resonant. For instance, hip-hop tracks with commanding low-end presence decreased sound quality. You’ll notice a drop in mids and highs when listening to bass-transcending albums like Dr. Dre’s The Chronic or A Tribe Called Quest’s The Low End Theory. Even melodic selections like Rapsody’s “God’s Light” weren’t treated well. The distorted guitar bass and hi-hats muddied up the rapper’s vocals. Turning on Bass Boost created a bigger mess.

The Podcast EQ is well engineered for boosting vocal clarity on dialogue-heavy content and live performances. Speeches sounded crisp and the articulation on news clips was on point.

Sennheiser added standard aptX support for better audio handling over Bluetooth. The technology produced adequate streaming on Android devices. AAC (iOS/macOS) and SBC (Android) were reliable for enjoying playlists on the best music streaming services. Objectively, the Accentum TW should have come with aptX Adaptive/Lossless when factoring in price.

Spatial audio is the other big sound feature that’s missing. The popular 3D audio format is available on many of the best wireless earbuds and similarly priced rivals like the Beats Fit Pro and Jabra Elite 8 Active.

Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless review: Active noise cancelation

Impressive noise reduction
Doesn’t handle high frequency sounds well
Excellent transparency and wind-resistant modes

Sennheiser’s true wireless noise cancelation has been solid across the board, and that doesn’t change on the Accentum True Wireless. Enabling the feature blocks out 85% of incidental sounds, the majority falling within the low and mid-frequency spectrums. Common household fracas (e.g., family chatter, kitchen appliances, loud TVs) went unnoticed during work hours. I couldn’t avoid high-frequency sounds like my toddler’s screams or the noises from his electronic basketball hoop. Results were identical when using the buds outdoors. Walking past construction sites (jackhammers were audible from a block away) was disruptive. Squeaky sounds like bird chirps and traffic whistles caught my attention as well.

ANC was arguably at its best when dealing with strong winds. The Anti-Wind mode kept harmful whooshing effects from entering the soundstage. I could still hear some noises, but they didn’t compromise sound quality.

The three-level transparency mode was terrific for increasing situational awareness. There’s no need for the Low or Mid setting since High pulls in more ambient noise and does so at a high volume. Conversations were clear from several feet away. I was able to chat with my wife from across the room without having to remove the buds. Using the mode outside was even rewarding as it kept me aware of oncoming cars and street runners.

Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless review: Call quality and connectivity

Good voice calling quality
Dependable wireless performance
No Google Fast Pair

The Accentum TW is one of the better calling headsets out there. Many people praised how loud and clear I sounded in high traffic environments. Sennheiser’s noise-canceling technology eliminated most unwanted sounds. Wind resistance wasn’t as serviceable during calls.

Bluetooth 5.3 operated smoothly. The buds would instantly connect to recognized devices across all platforms (Android/iOS/macOS). Range extended up to 50 feet before dropout occurred. Multipoint technology held up well when paired to my MacBook Pro and OnePlus 11 at the same time, never scrambling transmissions when switching between devices. The only thing missing is one-tap Google Fast Pair.

Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless review: Battery life

Playtimes don't match claims
Middling quick charging
Qi-enabled wireless charging

Sennheiser rates battery life between 6 to 8 hours, depending how you use the buds. My testing saw different numbers. These buds lasted about 5 hours with ANC on and 6.5 hours with ANC off. The drop in playtime could likely have been due to high volume (up to 70%) and multipoint use, but the point remains that Sennheiser’s ratings don’t hold up. The wireless charging case gets you an extra 28 hours, which is slightly lower than the AirPods Pro 2’s case (up to 30 hours). Quick charging is also weaker than most competitors: a 10-minute charge gives 1.5 hours of use.

Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless review: Verdict

The Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless are a respectable addition to the mid-priced headphone the series. You get effective ANC, appealing sound with most music genres, and several personalization tools that enhance usability on multiple levels. They also adopt a more generic and unflattering appearance than their headphone counterparts and fail to deliver their monstrous playtime.

It is these shortcomings that make the Accentum True Wireless a questionable purchase at $199. A $50 markdown would make them more enticing, though the market has plenty of luxury and mid-range options that get you more well-rounded performance for the price.