Sennheiser HD 450BT Review
Sennheiser’s HD 450BT noise-canceling headphones provide above-average ANC and great Bluetooth audio for a fraction of the cost of some competitors. These noise-canceling headphones are an Editors’ Choice because of their simple controls, adjustable EQ, and comfortable fit. The battery life is sufficient to get you through many roundtrip journeys, and ANC is no small feat when it comes to ANC.
Design:
The Bose HD 450BT headphones have a comfortable fit and generously cushioned memory foam earpads. Each enclosure is equipped with a 32mm dynamic driver with a frequency range of 18Hz to 22kHz. The headphones support AAC, AptX, and SBC codecs and are Bluetooth 5.0 compliant. Depending on how long you push the power button, it becomes the ANC button (two seconds for power, quick press for ANC on or off). Click the links below to read our Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 Review, Sony WH-1000XM3 Review, Apple AirPods Pro Review, AKG N700 NCM2 Wireless Review, and Bowers & Wilkins PX7 Review.
Comfort:
The earpads clamp snugly over your ears to provide isolation and prevent undesired movement, and the Sennheiser HD 450BT headphones are light and strong on your head. The minimalist design, which is strong and smartly finished in black or white, initially disappoints us. While you shouldn’t expect an inexpensive set of headphones to adopt a sophisticated (and expensive) system, you also shouldn’t have to blindly navigate such a cluttered button arrangement.
Noise Canceling:
When ANC is switched on, the Sennheiser HD 450BT is a mid-tier active noise canceling headset that decreases low-frequency noises by 50% compared to when it is turned off. Wind and noise from passing cars were less pronounced when using the headset outside, although both sounds were discernible. This is because ANC has a hard time blocking out unpredictable noises like speech and everyday clangs and pains.
Build:
The HD 450BT wireless noise-canceling earphones from Sennheiser are on par with the more expensive premium rivals.
Connection:
SBC, AAC, aptX, and aptX Low Latency are among the Bluetooth codecs supported by the Sennheiser HD 450BT. When streaming videos from my Samsung Galaxy S10e or MacBook Pro, there is never any lag. You’ll be able to stream consistent audio to the headphones if you have an iPhone or Android device.
Sound Quality:
Sennheiser’s HD 450BT headphones have a smooth, rich balance that makes them delightful to listen to. Warm piano keys and sizzling synths will be presented amiably in this full-bodied and rounded, yet still vibrant, performance. Their tone is a little tilted towards the bottom end, thus they lack the middle clarity that more neutral competitors like the AKG N60NCs may provide. The mild bias will appeal to those who enjoy heavy electric guitars and beefy basslines.
Performance:
The HD 450BT headphones have the same amount of hiss as most budget ANC headphones. They eliminate a large swath of lower-frequency rumble, considerably reducing noise levels on flights and trains. Although high frequencies are less well-controlled, you may still hear noisy typing and surrounding chatter. We could easily comprehend every phrase we recorded thanks to the MEMS mic array’s exceptional intelligibility. The sound signature of the HD 450BT headphones is beautifully balanced.
Instrumentation in the lower register is pushed forward in the mix, but only slightly. Although EQ is included in the app, it is unlikely to be used by most users. These are a rare pair of headphones that raise bass gently while maintaining a perfect balance.
Microphone:
The twin beamforming microphones on the Sennheiser HD 450BT enhance bass sounds differently than traditional headset microphones. When a speaker goes too close to the microphone, the proximity effect occurs, which causes bass notes to be magnified and distorted. 2,188 readers have given the above mic sample a rating of “okay” to “good” as of December 3, 2021.
Battery:
The battery lasted 27 hours and 2 minutes with Bluetooth and noise cancellation enabled and the headset was subjected to a steady 75dB(SPL) output. Although this falls short of the advertised 30-hour battery life, it is still remarkable and more than sufficient for the average listener. They’re straightforward to recharge with the provided USB-C connector once the battery is depleted. Because fast charging isn’t available, it’ll take two hours to fully charge the headphones.
Pros:
- For the price, you get a lot of noise cancellations.
- Excellent audio quality.
- It can be utilized in passive mode with a cable or wired mode with ANC.
- EQ that can be tweaked by the user.
Cons:
- The quality of the microphone.
- Uncomfortably tight fit.
- No quick charging due to a poor button layout.
Conclusion:
The HD 450BT headphones from Sennheiser are simple to use and comfortable to wear. The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 are still the best ANC headphones on the market, but they’re twice the price.
