The Sennheiser Accentum Over-Ear Noise Cancelling Headphones are the first in an all-new series of headphones designed to introduce Sennheiser's signature sound, powerful noise cancellation technology, and class-leading battery life into the mid-price range The new Sennheiser The new model bridges the gap between the Sennheiser HD 450BT ($139/£129) and the Editor's Choice award-winning Momentum 4 Wireless ($349/£309), and features Sennheiser's companion app Smart Control and high level of comfort, and follows a foldable, flat design

Features and accessories have been streamlined to match the price Perhaps the best thing about the new Accentum noise-canceling headphones is their 50-hour battery life and fast charging, which is said to allow up to five hours of listening on a 10-minute charge

This is nearly twice as long as Sony's WH-1000XM5 and only 10 hours less than the phenomenal Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless, which costs twice the price if Accentum's noise-canceling performance reaches Sennheiser's high standards, it could be the best Accentum's noise-canceling performance will make it a new contender for the best noise-canceling headphones Scroll down to read the full review

The new Sennheiser Accentum noise-canceling headphones are available now and are priced at $179/£159/299 AUD They are black in color and are available on the Sennheiser website, Sennheiser retailers, and online at Amazon, Best Buy, Crutchfield, and other online retailers

A white color option will be available in late November, although no release date has been set at the time of this writing; a USB-C charging cable is included, but there is no carrying case and it cannot be used with an audio cable

In these financially strained times, it is refreshing to see a well-known brand introduce a mid-range model Although $149 more expensive than Sony's WH-CH720N (discounted to $128 on Amazon), the Accentum headphones score well in overall value and are a strong alternative option in the mid-price range See our comparison of the Sennheiser Accentum and Sony WH-CH720N here

Similar in shape to the Momentum 4 Wireless, the new Accentum headphones have a compact design that folds flat, but not completely The ear cups have foam/leatherette cushions that can be replaced if damaged The cushioned headband is nicely contoured and has a slight indentation in the center While writing this hands-on, I wore the headphones for two hours straight and never had to remove them

The connection is Bluetooth 52 and aptX HD compatible There are no touch controls on the earcups, but there are four physical buttons that control volume up/down, playback/call, and power/pairing modes An optional companion app, Smart Control, lets you manage Bluetooth connectivity, adjust sound with a 5-band equalizer, and set sound preferences based on zone/location There is also a sound check mode that allows you to check your preferred sound balance There is an automatic standby mode that shuts down the headphones after a pre-set amount of time, but we could not find an on-ear detection mode

The drivers in the new Accentum are a bit smaller than the version in the Momentum 4 Wireless (37mm versus 42mm), but that does not prevent them from delivering what I love about Sennheiser's signature sound According to my listening tests, the Accentum has a "warm" sound that many will enjoy There is plenty of rich bass, and it provides the right level of energy to what you are listening to without over-emphasizing the low frequencies, as sometimes found in lower-priced models Everything is well balanced However, if you feel the need to add more boom, the app has a bass boost mode to increase the energy level

Midrange clarity is adequate for singing vocals of all kinds, with the only minor compromise being that the upper mids and high details seem to roll off in my brief listening tests However, this is where the 5-band equalizer comes in handy, lifting the 4kHz and 8kHz modes to provide more insight into the upper frequency range

As over-ear headphones with soft ear cushions, Accentum got off to a good start in terms of protecting my ears from external environmental noise; with ANC mode enabled, it is very effective at rendering ambient sounds silent, and in my home office While working, I could barely hear the Sonos system blaring in the next room, and the external microphone targeted both low and high frequencies Transparency mode was effective, but there did not seem to be an easy shortcut to activate it without going through Sennheiser's Smart Control app

For voice calls, Accentum has two built-in microphones and a dedicated wind-reduction mode; Multipoint seamlessly switches from one Bluetooth device to another without having to re-pair devices, making conversations feel natural There is an adjustable sidetone to keep

The rugged design and secure fit feel smart, and the 50-hour battery life, effective noise cancellation, and punchy sound make up for any price disadvantages as with the Momentum 4 Wireless, the new Accentum is a great choice for those who want to use their earbuds in an outlet where battery is made for life on the go, rather than being plugged into an outlet that needs to be refilled regularly The performance is a bargain at this price