- Sennheiser unveils Accentum Clip headphones
- These are the brand’s first “true” open headphones
- Strong focus on audio quality…what competitors brought to the table
Everyone – and I mean everyone – and their mothers seem to have their sights set on our list of the best open-back headphones these days. And now (not before), audio heavyweight Sennheiser has joined the armband craze.
The product is the new Sennheiser Accentum Clip, launched as part of the brand’s more affordable Accentum range. Believe it or not, these are the brand’s first true open earbuds, not counting the Accentum Open which were AirPods-style wireless earbuds without tips (so an “open fit” option, rather than truly open). in design).
Clip-on earphones are designed to hang around the bottom of your ear – yes, like an cuff – keeping the driver close to your ear canal but not entering it and thus blocking out some background noise. They’re perfect for riding on busy roads or running in populated areas, while remaining aware of your surroundings. The first big iteration of the form factor? The splendid Bose Ultra Open Earbuds, launched in February 2024.
Naturally, if you hear traffic and crowds, the audio quality often suffers. Add to this the lack of seal between the ear canal and the speaker and historically people like me have been struck by the bass clarity and impact that such a design is capable of providing. But times have changed, technology has improved and you can trust the company behind HDB 630 to solve this problem. In its announcement of the Clip, the brand claims to address the “sound compromises” of the open form factor.
This is definitely an issue I’ve faced historically with sport hook-style open-back headphones and bone conduction options, but I’ve found the clip-on model delivers solid sound reliably, thanks to the drivers being much closer to your ear canals. The Shokz OpenDots One and Soundpeats Clip1 have impressed me in the past, so I can’t help but think Sennheiser is solving a problem that was solved a relatively long time ago.
Accentuate the positives
Sennheiser has equipped the Accentum Clip with 12mm drivers, which is rather large for this style of kit. This is combined with its own audio tuning and Dynamic EQ, which it says adapts your EQ based on volume, to ensure it sounds natural and avoids distortion, no matter how loud you’re listening.
Thanks to Bluetooth 6.0 compatibility, the headphones can support LDAC as well as AAC and SBC, and the brand’s app offers a 5-band EQ as well as presets.
In practical terms, the earbuds weigh 6.8g and last for 9 hours of playback on a single charge. The small carrying case brings this autonomy to 36 hours.
Bad news for some potential buyers: the Accentum Clips are not ready for sale in the United States, at least when they first go on sale on July 23. You can buy them elsewhere for £149 / AU$289 (around $120), but it’s unclear at the time of writing whether they’ll ever sell in the US or not.
The best open-back headphones for every budget
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