Review: Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless ANC Earbuds

Sennheiser seems to be trying have a pair of true wireless earbuds at target segment, and it is the mid-range market this time with the Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless priced at S$299. The ACCENTUM range sits below the premium MOMENTUM series of products, and aims to balance performance with affordability.

Unboxing

Here’s what you’ll find in the box:

• Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless
• Charging Case
• USB-C Charging Cable
• Pair of (S), (M), (L) and (XL) silicone ear tips
• Quick Start Guide

Tech specs

Build quality and features

The Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless comes in three colours: (1) white, (2), black, and (3) blue. The unit I have is the white model. The earbuds have an unique design that features natural contours in an overall oval shape. The plastic used on the Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless has a matte finish and is also rather smooth to the touch. This in combination with the contoured shape an make it slightly cumbersome to remove it from the case.

Speaking of the case, it is actually quite impressive that Sennheiser managed to design such a compact case to store a rather large sized earbuds. The overall design of the case is clean and simple, with the best part being its compact size.

Build quality wise, the earbuds feel solid and well constructed. Plastic used feels high quality as well. The earbuds have a water-resistance rating of IP54 as well.

Fit and comfort

With its contoured design and shape, the Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless fit naturally in my ears where the curves of the earbuds line nicely with the curves in my ears. I have a comfortable fit with them, though I think the taller edge of the earbuds might be a potential obstacle for those with smaller ears. Otherwise, the fit is quite seamless and does not stick out too much from my ears.

It’s nice that Sennheiser provided 4 sizes of ear tips, which come in a wide umbrella-like shape, to help you get the best fit. Despite its size, Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless manages to keep it lightweight at just 5.5g each.

Sound quality

It’s only natural to compare the sound of the Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless to its flagship Momentum True Wireless 4 (MTW4) earbuds. And if you’re expecting a similar sound signature – well, you’re not gonna get that. The MTW4 has more a v-shaped sound signature whereas the Accentum True Wireless has a brighter and open sound where midrange gets more attention.

Bass on the Accentum True Wireless is present and impactful so your kick drums sound more lively. It is satisfying, but it doesn’t extend too deep into the sub-bass frequencies for that rumble. There a “bass Boost” mode you can toggle on in the EQ app setting to lift it a little. Midrange on the Accentum True Wireless is good – vocals pop and often standout in the overall mix with nice tonality as well. Highs are boosted and are bright sounding that sparkles with intent. I feel that it is a touch too bright as it can get a little sibilant at times.

ANC & Transparency Mode

ANC performance of the Accentum True Wireless is fair at its price point. It’s very close to the levels of AirPods Pro 2, but when compared to the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4, you can start to tell the differences. Low frequency noises such as engine rumble in buses and airplanes are eliminated to a large extent, while talking chatter and other high frequencies noises are reduced enough. There is option to toggle “Anti-Wind” mode which helps deal with wind entering the mic but is reduces the overall amount of cancellation.

Transparency Mode of the Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless is good. The effect is natural enough though they do amplify the mid-range so wind in the surroundings tend to sound louder when wearing the Accentum True Wireless. The overall effect isn’t anything too overly processed.

Controls and App

The Sennheiser Smart Control is the companion app for the Accentum True Wireless. It is well designed and lets you the typical customisations on EQ, touch controls, quality-of-life settings, and manage sound modes such as ANC and Transparency Mode.

The customisable EQ offers a five-band adjustment or you can just chose from a number of ready-made presets. There is also a feature called ‘Sound Zone’ that auto applies a customised setting based on your location.

Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless uses touch controls, and the touch capacitors are located at the top so it minimizes any accidental touch when adjusting the fit. The touch controls are accurate and easy to learn the pacing of the double/triple taps. What I found weird is that activating Transparency Mode auto pauses the music. So I then have to press another time on the right earbud for the song to resume playback. I believe this can be easily remedied via a firmware update, but as of now it can get a little frustrating.

Microphone quality

Microphone performance of the Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless is average, and would probably be useable in controlled environments. Voice pickup is quite soft but they remain clear with emphasis on midrange, reminiscent of the output you’ll get with a standard phone recording. In noisy environments, the noise is dampened but you can still hear them in the background, with vocals still managing to stay ahead in the mix.

Connectivity & Battery life

Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless is equipped with Bluetooth 5.3 and I found the connection to be largely stable as I did not experience any dropouts during my time of testing. There is also no audio-video sync lag when watching videos from the YouTube app on my iPhone 11. You can use either side of the earbuds if you just want to wear one for usage.

Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless is rated to last up to 8 hours of music playback without ANC turned on. So, I’d assume you probably will get around 6 hours with ANC (I haven’t got in a plane or a place to use it for an extended duration). The small case manages to squeeze anther 20 hours of battery. You can charge the Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless wired via USB-C or wirelessly with any Qi wireless charger.

Conclusion

The Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless is a largely capable pair of true wireless earbuds though it doesn’t check all boxes. I like the build quality, and fit is good if your ears aren’t too small. Audio quality is clean and bright, while ANC is effective. At S$299, the Accentum True Wireless feels slightly pricey as there are likely more well-rounded options in this price range.