If your wondering what pair of ANC Headphones to buy you have come to the right place as we have been lucky to review the Sennheiser HD 450BT which are above the £200 mark sitting at £219.99 via Amazon.
Sennheiser is a brand we have review extensively and they never disappoint on the whole so when these arrived I was excited to try them out. When you think of the price you do question will they cut the mustard. Especially with the likes of Bose ANC 700 that are currently double the cost Sennheiser position the HD 450BT.
So let’s take a closer look!
On first impressions, the HD 450BT comes with a decent ANC Performance and excellent audio which is expected from a brand like this. Other benefits include a comfortable fit, easy to use controls.
Design
The HD 450BT come in two colour choices black or white Sennheiseher keeping things simple. Comfort-wise you get a cushioned memory foam earpads that add to the fit but it’s the headband that is lacking in the comfort department it could do with just a tad extra bit of cushioning but that just my view.
The headphones have a matte finish to the surface and look uncluttered with subtle branding on the headband as well as the Sennheiser logo. All the controls are positioned around the right cup you get the following:
- Power/pairing/ ANC Mode
- Playback
- Track navigation
- Volume control
- Alexa smart assistant button
Inside the headphones, they are powered by a 32mm dynamic driver offering a frequency up to 22Khz. You also get Bluetooth 5.0 and supports the following codecs:
- AAC
- AptX
- SBC
Finally, Sennheiser also provides you with a fabric case for when not in use as well we a 3.5mm jack for when you want a wired connection or when you have run out of battery life and when its charge time you get a USB-A to USB-C cable which is now becoming the standard in most products I review which is a nice relief.
The Battery life on the HD 450BT offers 30 hours of battery life if you are not to the extreme with the volume but remember with ANC switched on that battery life will decrease faster and when needed charging time is 2 hours. Last but not least these headphones are lightweight at 238g meaning long periods of use will not be an issue.
The HD 450BT also work on Sennheiser Smart control which can be downloaded on both iOS or Andriod devices. The app allows you to adjust the EQ and also provides updates for the headphones when available. When changing the EQ it’s actually like the Cleer+ app where you drag dots up or down to change the level of the bass, highs or mids. The Smart controls also allow you to save presets.
Features/Audio Quality
When testing these headphones over the last 10 days I have to say I was impressed with the ANC. I found they got rid completely of any unwanted lower-frequency noises you might expect on my daily train journey to London.
This is not the case on unwanted high frequencies such as some nearby talking but the fit of the earcups does reduce that sound quite a bit but it’s still noticeable. When ANC is switched off you will slightly notice a difference but only slightly to the point if you listen to the same track with ANC on and then switch it off and the track feels a little more bright with ANC switch on its like the whole sound profile got a left.
The HD 450BT allows you to receive and make calls and the sound quality was very clear with very little Bluetooth distortion and the built-in mics also allow you to monitor your own voice so you can speak at a more natural level instead of what might seem to others as if you are raising your voice.
Moving to the audio quality of these headphones you get powerful bass and even when the volume increased to max the level of the bass is unaffected and still sounds robust. With a track that is a little less focused on the bass, you get a more of an overall sense of the sound signature. Something like Knocking on heavens door by GunsNRoses. The drums sound wonderfully round and the vocals are rich and when you hear the acoustic strums are bright and crisp.
When listening to something a bit more classical like the Lord of the Rings classic May It be by Enya and this is where the HD 450BT excel. The Lower-register instrumentation is pushed forward and adds to the richness of the track and also delivers crisp, clear presence of the strings and Enya vocals.
Overall, these headphones provide that experience you come to expect from Sennheiser in terms of an audio experience. You get a sound signature that is sculpted and offers balance and a good level of bass. You do have the EQ adjustment in the app but the average listener should be more than with the current settings.
Verdict
When I took the Sennheiser HD450BT out of the box and saw how simple the design was I expected Sennheiser was going to delight me with the audio quality and I was not disappointed they sound fantastic.
When you compare to other headphones at the same price the ANC performs better and the audio quality rocks compared to what something Sony has at this price point. The ANC is really effective but if your looking for stronger ANC the Bose 700 should be something to consider but if you don’t want to spend the extra money and let’s face it why would you when the HD 450BT provide the listener with everything you could want it’s hard to find fault in these headphones.
If I had to be really picky you might find the control layout a little busy but as mentioned that is being picky. My other slight negative is I would have preferred the headband to have had a bit more cushioning as it was slightly lacking in my view.
Product Rating:
- Design: 5.0 out of 5.0 stars5.0
- Comfort : 4.0 out of 5.0 stars
- Audio Performance: 5.0 out of 5.0 stars5.0
- Value for Money : 5.0 out of 5.0 stars5.0
Overall Rating: 4.7 out of 5.0 stars – 4.7 Stars
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