Odi Productions
In this article, I’m going to share my HONEST Sennheiser Accentum review for those who are wondering whether they are WORTH IT in 2026. I’ll also be comparing the Sennheiser Accentum vs Accentum Plus, Momentum 4, Sony WH-CH720N, Beats Studio Pro, Sony ULT Wear, Soundcore Space One, and more!
I’m going to do my best to share whether these headphones are worth it, and ideally who these headphones are for. I bought these headphones with my own money, and was NOT sponsored, paid, or received a free copy for review. All thoughts are my own.
I’ll be sharing my critical opinion with 10 years of experience as a professional music producer, audio engineer, and tech journalist. I also run the RecordingNow YouTube channel with over 26,000+ subscribers and over 5 million views.
Let’s dive right in!
Sennheiser Accentum Headphones Review in Short
The Sennheiser Accentum is about 80-85% of the Sennheiser Momentum 4 experience for about half the price. The Accentum has prtty good sound quality after EQ, but below average noise cancelling performance and cheap build quality. Competes with Sennheiser Accentum Plus, Sony WH-CH720N, Beats Studio Pro, Sony ULT Wear, JBL Live 770NC, Anker Soundcore Space One, Anker Soundcore Space Q45, and Anker Soundcore Space 2.
Sennheiser Accentum Pros and Cons
- Good sound quality (after EQ)
- 50 hour battery life
- Incredible value on sale
- Very lightweight
- Slightly below average noise cancelling
- Cheap build quality
- Clamping force too strong
Order HERE for the LOWEST PRICE AVAILABLE (Do NOT pay retail):
Disclosure: These affiliate links may provide a discount and in return, give us a commission in order to keep this website 100% independent to ensure honest unfiltered reviews 🙂
Sennheiser Accentum Sound Quality
First impressions on the stock sound
The stock Sennheiser Accentum sound profile reminds me of the Momentum 4’s bass-heavy, consumer-friendly sound signature, but with less clarity and details.
It’s not offending, but is fairly muddy and boomy due to an overemphasis on the sub-bass.
I’d say the Momentum 4 needs less EQ out of the box, while the Accentum benefits more from custom EQ to tame that bass and bring out the vocal detail more.
Luckily, the Sennheiser’s 5-band EQ is pretty flexible and effective.
I hear quite a noticeable improvement from applying the custom EQ settings I’ve created below, and the rest of this review will be with these settings applied.
In my opinion, these settings get the Accentum a lot closer to the Momentum 4 in terms of sound quality.
Best Equalizer Settings for Sennheiser Accentum Headphones
- 50: -3 db
- 250: -4 db
- 800: -3 db
- 3k: +1 db
- 8k: -3 db
Result: Much more vocal-forward and detailed in the upper mids and treble. Bass is tighter and less boomy than stock, while still being the focus. Overall, more balanced while still retaining the bass-forward, “fun” sound signature. Closer to the EQ’d Momentum 4 in both sound quality and tonality.
Full Sound Quality Test AFTER applying EQ…
The most obvious comparisons I’ll be referencing here will be the flagship Sennheiser Momentum 4, which is one of the most popular reviews we’ve done on the site and on YouTube.
To my surprise, the Accentum gets uncomfortably close to the more expensive Momentum 4 in terms of its sound quality and tonality, after applying EQ.
If I had to put a number on it, I’d say 85% of the Momentum 4’s sound for maybe half the price?
For casual listeners, this number is definitely more like 90%, since the differences are in the less-noticeable audiophile technicalities.
Essentially, they share a very similar overall tonality with the sound signature and sound profile.
Now, part of that is the way I created the equalizer settings to “mimic” the EQ’d Momentum 4 and try to get it as close as possible.
That said, the Accentum handles and responds to EQ quite well, which is typically the sign of good hardware underneath the hood.
This shouldn’t be that much of a surprise, as Sennheiser probably shares many parts/technology amongst its products for cost-efficiency reasons.
So what does this leave us with?
A very competent, fun, consumer-friendly sound that focuses on its glorious sub-bass slam and quantity, but now with just enough vocal detail pushed forward to cut through that thick bass response.
So where does the Accentum fall short? What makes up that missing 10-15% from the Momentum 4?
The Momentum 4 has more resolution, separation, and clarity than the Accentum, which is moreso heard in the treble details like ad libs, echoes, and reverb tails.
There’s a more “open” soundstage and airiness to the Momentum 4 almost immediately, when A/B’d with the Accentum that is more narrow. There’s something duller about the Accentum, while the Momentum 4 has more musicality and liveliness.
Also, the timbre of vocals and instruments in the Momentum 4 is more realistic than the Accentum, which is detailed but artificial-sounding.
Another comparison is versus the Bose QuietComfort 45, which has a similar bass performance but a harsher treble that is not as smooth as the Accentum. I prefer listening to the Accentum here.
Overall, the Accentum impresses me greatly after EQ, and offers very good sound quality considering its price.
Sound Quality Comparisons
vs Sennheiser Accentum Plus
The regular Accentum and more premium Accentum Plus actually share the same 37mm drivers, but the Plus model has reworked acoustics including angled drivers and a more balanced tuning.
In addition, the Accentum Plus supports a slightly higher-quality codec of aptX Adaptive vs aptX HD on the regular model.
I find that I enjoy the sound of the stock Accentum Plus that is more neutral than the regular Accentum that is more consumer-friendly.
The regular Accentum requires more EQ to be tonally balanced, but does sound fairly close to the Plus after.
vs Sennheiser Momentum 4
Although the Accentum is pretty good after EQ considering its price, the flagship Momentum 4 is on another level.
Stock for stock, the Momentum 4 and its larger 42mm drivers has higher overall sound quality and a more tasteful neutral-ish tuning.
The 42mm drivers are able to deliver a higher level of resolution, along with supporting aptX Adaptive like the “Accentum Plus” model.
The bass response, especially in the deeper sub-bass region, is much more visceral and impactful on the Momentum 4.
Lastly, there is superior separation and soundstage on the Momentum 4, partly due to larger earcups, but mostly the higher-quality drivers.
Sound Quality Score: 8.3 out of 10
Comfort
The Sennheiser Accentum is one of the lighter over-ear wireless ANC headphones as weighed on my scale:
- JBL Tune 520BT – 158.6 grams
- Sony WH-CH720N – 186.4 grams
- Beats Solo 4 – 217.6 grams
- Sennheiser Accentum – 223.0 grams
- JBL Tune 720BT – 223.2 grams
- Sennheiser Accentum Plus – 225.8 grams
- JBL Tune 770NC – 227.1 grams
- Skullcandy Hesh ANC – 229.6 grams
- Bose QuietComfort – 236.1 grams
- Sony WH 1000XM5 – 245.9 grams
- Sony WH 1000XM4 – 251.6 grams
- Bose QuietComfort Ultra – 254.4 grams
- JBL Live 770NC – 254.5 grams
- Anker Soundcore Space One – 260.6 grams
- Anker Soundcore Space 2 – 262.8 grams
- Anker Soundcore Life Q30 – 264.6 grams
- Beats Studio Pro – 268.6 grams
- CMF Headphone Pro – 280.8 grams
- Anker Soundcore Space One Pro – 286.3 grams
- Sennheiser Momentum 4 – 292.9 grams
- Anker Soundcore Space Q45 – 297.5 grams
- Nothing Headphone (a) – 311.4 grams
- Sonos Ace – 318.1 grams
- Nothing Headphone (1) – 328.3 grams
- Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2 – 332.3 grams
- Apple AirPods Max – 387.8 grams
I find the Accentum to be pretty comfy, with minimal top-of-head pressure compared to the Momentum 4 due to being almost 70 grams lighter.
Interestingly, I prefer the headband cushion on the Accentum over the more expensive Momentum 4 as well.
However, the Accentum isn’t perfect. There is a tad strong clamping force from the factory, and the earcup interior space is on the smaller side, so my ears are slightly pressing against the fabric and cramped.
Also, the earpad cushions are cheaper and less form-fitting.
Overall, I think the light weight gives it an advantage over the Momentum 4, but it’s somewhat nullified by the small earcups and clamping force.
At least the earcups aren’t as tiny as the JBL 770NC, which is on the edge of being ON-ear instead of over-ear.
If the clamping force loosens up over time like the Momentum 4, then the Accentum could be elevated to a 4.5/5 Comfort score.
Comfort Score: 8.0 out of 10
Features / Battery Life / Build Quality / Practicality
Features
The Sennheiser Accentum was originally released in October 2023, so they’re a fairly modern headphone with most of the modern features:
- Built-in microphones for taking calls
- Active Noise Cancelling Mode
- Transparency Mode
- Smartphone app with customizable EQ
- Multi-point connection between 2 devices at once
- Bluetooth 5.2
These don’t have Spatial Audio or Dolby Atmos support, for those that care.
These don’t include any kind of case, unlike the more premium Momentum 4.
However, there are several aftermarket cases available on Amazon that can fit these easily.
Battery Life
The Accentum has 50 hours of battery life on a single charge, which is way above average and towards the top-end of the over-ear, wireless, ANC headphone category.
- Nothing Headphone (a) – 75 hours (ANC on), 135 hours (ANC off)
- Marshall Monitor III – 70 hours (ANC on), 100 hours (ANC off)
- Cambridge Audio Melomania P100 SE – 60 hours (ANC on), 100 hours (ANC off)
- Sennheiser HDB 630 – 60 hours
- Sennheiser Momentum 4 – 60 hours
- Sennheiser Momentum 5 – 57 hours
- Anker Soundcore Space 2 – 50 hours (ANC on), 70 hours (ANC off)
- Anker Soundcore Space Q45 – 50 hours (ANC on), 65 hours (ANC off)
- JBL Live 770NC – 50 hours (ANC on), 65 hours (ANC off)
- JBL Tune 520BT – 57 hours (no ANC included)
- Sennheiser Accentum Plus – 50 hours (ANC on)
- Sennheiser Accentum – 50 hours (ANC on)
- Beats Solo 4 – 50 hours (no ANC included)
- JBL Tune 770NC – 44 hours (ANC on), 70 hours (ANC off)
- Anker Soundcore Space One Pro – 40 hours (ANC on), 60 hours (ANC off)
- Anker Soundcore Space One – 40 hours (ANC on), 55 hours (ANC off)
- Nothing Headphone (1) – 35 hours (ANC on), 80 hours (ANC off)
- Sony WH-1000XM6 – 30 hours (ANC on), 40 hours (ANC off)
- Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen) – 30 hours
- Sony WH-1000XM5 and WH-1000XM4 – 30 hours
- Sonos Ace – 30 hours
- Bose QuietComfort Ultra (1st Gen) – 24 hours
- Apple AirPods Max 1 and 2 – 20 hours
The only headphones we’ve tested that are longer are the Momentum 4 with 60 hours, and the JBL Tune 770NC with 70 hours.
There is also a “Rapid Charging” feature that provides 5 hours of listening time with 10 minutes of charging.
Thankfully, these also feature the modern standard USB-C charging port.
Build Quality
The Sennheiser Accentum has fairly cheap build quality, making the Momentum 4 feel much more premium despite also being made of a lot of plastic.
The plastic on the Accentum feels less refined and less smooth to the touch, with parts of it towards the edges feeling a bit sharper and not rounded.
To put it bluntly, it kinda feels like a 3D-printed headphone.
I’d say the build quality feels more like a $50 headphone, instead of $150+.
The Bose QuietComfort 45 has much more durable and sturdy build quality in comparison.
Practicality
Features / Battery Life / Build Quality / Practicality Score: 8.0 out of 10
Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) Performance
I think the Sennheiser Accentum’s noise cancelling performance is average to below average, and easily its weakest aspect as a whole.
It’s clearly 1 tier below the Momentum 4 and Bose QuietComfort 45, which is also a tier below the class-leading Bose QC Ultra, Sony XM5, and Sonos Ace.
So, about 2 tiers below the best ANC available today.
To put it simply, there’s levels to this.
Also the ANC customization options are not as flexible as the Momentum 4, there’s no option to choose a mix of ANC + Transparency mode, or to turn it completely OFF like the Momentum 4 can now do after a recent app update.
Noise Cancelling Performance Score: 7.0 out of 10
Value
At the time of this writing, the Sennheiser Accentum retails at $149.95, but is available brand new for about $120 these days. Used prices are even cheaper, of course.
I think the Accentum punches well above its weight for its price, similar to the JBL Tune 770NC, and Sony WH-CH720N.
For less than half the price of the Momentum 4, I believe you’re getting about 80-85% of the same experience after EQ is applied.
If you’re a casual listener, that number might even be 90% as far as sound quality goes.
Where the Momentum 4 is still worth upgrading and paying the premium is in the audiophile technicalities, improved noise cancelling performance, and build quality (with hardshell case).
Still, it’s hard to critique the Accentum at its pricepoint, and presents one of the best values in the sub-$200 class.
Value Score: 8.5 out of 10
Overall Scoring Breakdown
Sound Quality (50% of score): 8.3 / 10
Comfort (10% of score): 8.0 / 10
Features / Battery Life / Build Quality / Practicality (10% of score): 8.0 / 10
Noise Cancelling (20% of score): 7.0 / 10
Value (10% of score): 8.5 / 10
Overall: 8.0 / 10
Is the Sennheiser Accentum Worth it?
At half the price of the Momentum 4, with about 80-85% of the experience, it’s hard not to recommend the Sennheiser Accentum.
I think the Accentum presents easily one of the most attractive wireless over-ear ANC headphone packages in the sub-$200 category.
Personally, I would try to upgrade to the Momentum 4 if it’s available under $300, as I think that the improvements in audiophile-level sound quality, noise cancelling performance, and build quality are worth the premium.
There are also some very competitive direct competitors in this price range, and I’d be checking out the Sony WH-CH720N, Bose QuietComfort 45, and JBL Tune 770NC as well, all of which are great in their own ways.
Some very strong alternatives in this class of noise cancelling headphones are:
- Sennheiser Accentum Plus
- Sennheiser Momentum 4
- Sony WH-CH720N
- Sony ULT Wear
- JBL Live 770NC
- Beats Studio Pro
- Anker Soundcore Space One
- Anker Soundcore Space 2
- Anker Soundcore Space One Pro
- Nothing Headphone (a)
- JBL Tune 770NC
- Anker Soundcore Space Q45
- Bose QuietComfort 45
- Bose QuietComfort (2023 model)
- Sony WH-1000XM4
- Sony WH-1000XM5
Order HERE for the LOWEST PRICE AVAILABLE (Do NOT pay retail):Â
Disclosure: These affiliate links may provide a discount and in return, give us a commission in order to keep this website 100% independent to ensure honest unfiltered reviews 🙂
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better Bose QuietComfort 45 or Sennheiser Accentum?
Having tested both, the Bose QuietComfort 45 has superior comfort, noise cancelling performance, and build quality, while the Sennheiser Accentum has better sound quality and battery life.
Is Sennheiser as good as Bose?
Yes, Sennheiser is very competitive with Bose when it comes to sound quality and battery life, but Bose typically wins for noise cancelling performance and comfort.
Does Sennheiser Accentum have noise cancelling?
Yes, Sennheiser Accentum has active noise cancelling and transparency modes, but its performance is a bit below average in our testing.
How We Tested and Our Methodology
RecordingNOW.com is a 100% independent publisher with over 10 years of experience testing and reviewing consumer electronics and headphones.
We currently purchase the products we test with our own money, and are not paid by any company or manufacturer to influence our opinions or decisions.
After purchasing the product, we conduct up to hundreds of hours of detailed hands-on testing in a controlled, acoustically-treated environment.
ODi Productions is our resident expert and author of this article, with 10 years of experience as a professional music producer, tech journalist, and audiophile.
Post Update History
- July 2026: Updated scores to “Version 2.0” of our Headphone Scoring System. Added long-term “1 Year Review” updates throughout post. Included new comparisons to previously unreviewed headphones like Sennheiser Accentum Plus. Updated to 2026 current sale prices and adjusted Value score accordingly.
- May 2025: Original publication date.
Read Next
Best Noise Cancelling Headphones under $200
Sennheiser Accentum Plus Review
Sennheiser Momentum 4 Headphone Review
Anker Soundcore Space 2 Review
Anker Soundcore Space One Pro Review
Anker Soundcore Space One Review
Bose QuietComfort Review (2023 Model)
Bose QuietComfort 45 (QC45) Review
