Sennheiser Accentum TW vs MTW4 Review - Just Speechless... 🤦🏻‍♂️
Just like the Accentum headphones, the Accentum TWS earbuds are Sennheiser’s new budget alternative to their flagship Momentum True Wireless 4. They include nearly all the features of the Momentums, with only a few key differences.
Features, Specs and Fit vs MTW4
The most notable differences are the Accentums have 2 microphones per earbud, whereas the MTW4 has 3. The Accentum does not support aptX Lossless or aptX Adaptive as it isn’t Snapdragpon Sound certified, meaning you cannot stream at the higher 24-bit/96 kHz bandwidth on Android devices. The best you’ll get is aptX.
Its transparency mode has only 3 levels, compared to the more granular adjustments available on the MTW4. Its design is very different from the Momentums as well.
Another key difference is the Accentum TW’s Sound Check feature which gets the app to recommend an EQ setting for you whereas the MTW4 has Sound Personalization. This feature tweaks the MTW4s to your ears’ sensitivity as well as recommend an EQ setting. I find it to be superior to the Accentum’s Sound Check because it requires less further finetuning.
The Accentum is more longish with a smaller touchpad and very short nozzles, so the tips don’t plug all the way in which makes it fit somewhat differently from the Momentums. I was able to acquire a nice, snug fit since it felt more ergonomic in some way. Its much smaller case compared to the Momentums, which is another benefit in terms of portability.
Other than that, they both have the exact same features in the app. Their controls and settings are equally customisable, they share the same battery protection settings, and if your phone supports it, both can receive Auracast streams. If you're not familiar with Auracast, watch this demo.
But how do they perform in terms of noise cancelling, call quality, and sound? And, what’s the point of it?
Microphone Comparison
Its microphone pickup performs admirably in quiet situations, but it struggles to cut background and wind noise effectively in noisy environments. I definitely prefer the mic pickup of the MTW4.
👉 Have a listen to the microphone comparison
(Microphone pickup comparison in quiet and noisy conditions, including loud cafe and wind noise.)
Active Noise Canceling Comparison
In terms of active noise canceling, the Accentums are generally effective at dumbing down low frequencies, but they are slightly less effective than the Momentums at canceling human voices.
👉 Have a listen to the ANC difference samples.
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Transparency Mode Comparison
When it comes to transparency, even at the same settings, the Accentum amplifies ambient sounds louder than the Momentum. However, the quality of transparency is the same for both. They emphasise mid-range frequencies and both have a background hiss.
Sound Quality Comparison
In terms of sound quality, frequency sweeps show that the Accentums are tuned to emphasise mid-range frequencies, so it sounds louder to the average listener. In contrast, the Momentums have a more V-shaped signature, with a heavier sub bass frequencies. Even when activating Bass boost mode on the Accentums slightly lift the sub-bass by a couple of dBs, but it doesn’t deliver as much LFE in music, movies or games as the Momentums. However, it is flatter in the mid-range, so vocal tonality is going to sound fuller, while the Momentums sounds more laid back in the upper mids. Its presence frequencies are also more receded. Listen to the samples.
👉 Have a listen to the sound quality samples.
In general, both earbuds share a warmer sound signature. Some individuals, like me, need to boost the treble a little bit more to give the soundstage some bite and crispness, while others who could be very sensitive to high frequencies would find this to be more pleasing.
(PRO TIP: You can improve the Accentum TW’s bass response by using Comply Foam Tips. Get 15% off here when you use promo code LOUDNWIRELESS )
This adjustment can be manually done in the Sennheiser Sound Connect app. But it is important to go easy on it, because the low Q-factor causes tweaking one band to affect other frequencies, making these earbuds somewhat challenging to tune. Alternatively, you can use Sound Check and let the app recommend EQ settings for you. Although creating an account is required for this feature, but it’s worth the hassle because to my ears, this recommended setting did improve the Accentum’s sound.
Conclusion
Overall, should you buy the Accentum TW? Apart from its noise cancelling being a little less effective, as was its mic pickup in noisy conditions, it is comparable to the MTW4 in many other ways such as its battery life and features being somewhat similar. There are some sacrifices as to its sound quality compared to the MTW4 because I do feel thay the MTW4s sound better out of the box. Audiophiles will also miss out on Lossless audio if they choose the Accentums.
In short, consider how much you are willing to pay for better sound and mic pickup? If it isn’t worth stretching your dollar that much, just go for the Accentum. Plus, its case is smaller, and more pocket-sized.
If you’d like to check the latest prices of the earbuds, click on the Amazon links below.
Check latest price:
Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless - https://amzn.to/3KaItBE
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 - https://amzn.to/3ItesMI
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