Back in August, Sennheiser took the wraps off its new open-ear TWS. The Accentum Open is currently priced at Rs 7,989, which makes it significantly cheaper than its two major rivals – Sony Linkbuds Open (Rs 18,989) and Nothing Ear (Open) (Rs 12,999). If you don’t like the passive noise cancellation that comes with traditional earbuds, you will like what this TWS has to offer. We used it for a week to find out how it holds up against its rivals. Here is our review of the Sennheiser Accentum Open.
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In This Article
Sennheiser Accentum Open TWS Review: Design
Here’s what you get inside the Accentum Open’s retail box:
- Charging case with earbuds inside
- USB Type-A to Type-C charging cable
- Quick guide
- Safety guide
- Compliance sheet
Sennheiser’s take on the open ear design does not stray too far from the in-ear form factor. It does not have silicone eartips at its ends, which reduces passive noise cancellation. However, the earbuds still rest in the concha, instead of hovering over it in true ‘open’ fashion. This results in a more immersive sound, but folks with sensitive ear linings that get easily abraded by in-ear earbuds may want to avoid it. Another downside to this form factor is that it doesn’t suit users with small ears.
The earbuds are compact and lightweight. We wore them for multiple hours on end and did not feel the slightest ear fatigue. The matte finish keeps them from sliding out when things get sweaty. There’s IPX4 protection against exposure to water. The performance remains unbothered by light rain, sweat, and water splashes. The upper part of the stem is touch-sensitive and can be used to control media playback. These touch panels are tuned pretty well to avoid accidental triggers.
The compact charging case has a matte finish, but it is kind of a smudge and fingerprint magnet. After a week of stashing it in pockets with keys and loose change, we noticed that the case registered a couple of minor scuffs. The hinge on this case is pretty strong and snappy. The lid can be opened with just one finger and snaps back with one swift motion. The Sennheiser logo is engraved on the front panel, right below the lid. The USB-C port and notification light are positioned at the bottom.
Sennheiser Accentum Open TWS Review: Performance
The Accentum Open earbuds are equipped with 11mm dynamic drivers. There are 2 codecs on offer – SBC and AAC. Being an open-ear TWS, the Accentum does not offer any lossless audio codecs. It misses out on Google Fast Pair as well. This isn’t too big a loss in our books, as the pairing process for this TWS is very straightforward. You can pair it with up to 2 devices at once. Long-pressing both earbuds simultaneously puts them in pairing mode.
The soundstage offered by these earbuds is warm and rich. The lower frequency range is undeniably boosted, resulting in a thick layer of bass covering the mix. It tends to shroud the mids and the highs at times, but if you like your music with a generous serving of bass, you will enjoy the audio output on offer here. The focus on low-end frequencies is certainly by design, as most open-ear TWS in the market have flat soundstages. With the Accentum Open, Sennheiser is trying to get the bassheads on their side.
We wore these earbuds while hiking and working out. Despite their in-ear form factor, they were able to give passage to surrounding sounds. This was very beneficial while walking on busy roads, as we remained conscious of the traffic around us at all times. However, pushing the volume past the 70% mark drowns out the environmental sounds.
Another strong asset of this TWS is its call quality. It uses dual beamforming mics to curb the surrounding noise and expertly pick up the voice of the speaker. The voice is then relayed to the listener without any major losses. The output isn’t boxy or dull. Its preservation of essential details was one of the reasons why we relied upon this TWS for WhatsApp calls and virtual meetings throughout the review period.
Due to the nature of the open-ear TWS genre, the Accentum Open does not feature Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) and spatial audio. It does offer multi-point connectivity. Once it is paired with 2 devices, the audio handoff is quite seamless. We would have liked compatibility with Sennheiser’s ‘Smart Control’ companion app, even if it was solely for customising the touch controls.
Each earbud is packed with a 35mAh battery, with an additional 400mAh in the case. Sennheiser claims a 6-hour battery life for the earbuds alone, extending up to 28 hours with the case. We found these numbers to be consistent with our tests. We used the Accentum Open for 3-4 hours each day during the week-long review period. At the end of the week, we were left with ~10% charge in the tank. It takes up to 1 hour to fully charge the device. A quick 10-minute charge gives it enough juice to go on for 1 hour.
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Verdict
The Sennheiser Accentum Open is the ideal TWS for users who want an open-ear design without sacrificing the bass in the mix. Its soundstage pays special attention to the low-end frequencies. The output is warm and fun. You can wear these earbuds when you go out for a walk in the city and not get completely cut off from your surroundings. The ergonomic design does not cause any ear fatigue, even when the earbuds are worn for multiple hours. However, the in-ear form factor does not suit smaller ear sizes. Other open-ear TWS get around this issue by hovering over the concha, but they also demand a substantial premium. As far as midrange open-ear TWS go, the Sennheiser Accentum Open is as good as it gets.
Pros
- Minimal fatigue
- No passive noise cancellation
- Warm and bass-centric audio output
Cons
- In-ear design may not be for everyone
