Sennheiser recently announced its new open-ear earbuds, the Accentum Clip, which are Hi-Res Audio Wireless certified and include a dynamic EQ to compensate for tonal shifts to maintain a balanced audio experience.
Open-ear clip-on earbuds have been popular lately, with many manufacturers offering them as part of their lineup, including Bose, now Sennheiser, and the open-ear stalwarts, Shokz.
Sennheiser is well known for its high sound quality, so I was interested to hear what they would bring to the open-ear earbud market, which is known for less-than-premium audio quality.
I’ve been using the Sennheiser Accentum Clip for the past couple of weeks, and I’ve definitely got some thoughts, most of them good.
The Accentum Clip has a stiffer arm between the front and back sections compared to the Shokz OpenDots 2 and are slightly less comfortable as a result. Now, they are not uncomfortable, just not as comfortable as the newest open-ear earbuds from Shokz.
They still clip onto the ear easily and sit in a comfortable position, but you do know they are there – not a big issue, considering the advantages they offer.
The rear section of the earbuds is more substantial than that on the Shokz. This is where the battery and computing power live, and given this size increase, it’s not difficult to see where the difference in sound quality comes from.
Like other open-ear earbuds, the Accentum Clip earbuds are IP54 splash-resistant, meaning you can comfortably wear them while exercising in any conditions (as long as you aren’t swimming) without worrying about damaging them.
The app is relatively basic compared to the functionality it offers in Sennheiser’s more traditional headphones but it has everything you may want. EQ, Find Headphones and setting the touch controls are about it, but for earbuds like these, do you really need more?
You operate the touch controls by tapping the sides of the rear section of the earbud. Both left and right earbuds can control media playback with a tap, double-tap, triple-tap, or tap-and-hold.
The left earbud controls can also be different from the right earbud, making the control possibilities varied – although how many media controls do you really need?
Sennheiser’s open-ear earbuds sound different from the other open-ear earbuds I have on hand. Where the other earbuds offer a fairly bass-less sound, they provide a lot of range across the upper end of the register. Sennheiser not so much.
The Sennheiser earbuds deliver a more traditional earbud sound. They provide a ‘tighter’ sound, with a lot more bass than the other open-ear earbuds I used.
The Sennheisers were less loose at the upper end, with a more accurate sound reminiscent of what you would hear from more traditional headphones and earbuds. There was one set of open-ear earbuds that offered close to the quality of sound in the mids and upper notes, but although brighter, the sound was looser. The Sennheiser bass was exceptional, especially for this style of earbud.
If you want open-ear earbuds that actually sound good, then these are for you. Unfortunately, the whole idea of open-ear earbuds is to keep you aware of your surroundings – there were times that the sound was so good that I was unable to hear others around me talking, although that might be because I had them up so loud.
Sennheiser states that the earbuds have 36 hours of total battery life, including the charging case, which charges via its USB-C port.
The case also supports fast charging, with a ten-minute charge giving another two hours of playback.
After a couple of weeks of use, I haven’t had to recharge them, so I can say they have a true battery life approaching the stated 36 hours.
There was always a tradeoff when it came to open=ear earbuds. They have always offered the ability to listen to your media while remaining aware of your environment, but their audio quality has never been great. Not any more.
The Sennheiser Accentum Clip offers sound quality I have not heard before in open-ear earbuds. Sure, it’s not up there with high-end traditional earbuds but it’s far ahead of other open-ear earbuds. Sennheiser may have traded some comfort for better audio quality, but I like this trade-off decision because, although you do know they are on your ear, they are far from uncomfortable.
The Sennheiser Accentum Clip is now available at select retailers in Black and Cream colourways for RRP AU9.
Scott is our resident open technology expert. If you can mod it, or want to use it your way, Scott has probably done it. From Laptops to phones, headphones and game consoles, he’s played with it and wants to see the next generation.
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