Sennheiser just entered the armband headphone space like a wrecking ball, but I think the company is trying to solve a problem that no longer exists.

Sennheiser presents Accentum Clip headphones
They are the brand’s first ‘true’ open headphones
Strong focus on audio quality…that rivals have provided

Everyone, and I mean all – and their mothers seem to have their sights set on our list of the best open-back headphones these days. And now (not before time), audio heavyweight Sennheiser has joined the bracelet style trend.

The product is the new Sennheiser Accentum Clip, launched as part of the brand’s more affordable Accentum line. Believe it or not, these are the brand’s first truly open earbuds, not counting the Accentum Open, which were wireless earbuds similar to the AirPods without tips (hence an “open fit” option, rather than truly open). in design).

Clip-on headphones are designed to hang around the bottom of your ear (yes, like a bracelet), keeping the driver close to your ear canal but not entering it and therefore blocking out some background sounds. They are great for biking on busy roads or running in populated areas, while still being aware of your surroundings. The first major iteration of the form factor? The splendid Bose Ultra Open headphones, launched in February 2024.

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Naturally, if you can hear traffic and crowds, the audio quality often suffers. Added to this the lack of sealing between the ear canal and the driver, historically people like me have criticized the clarity of the bass and the impact that such a design can offer. But times have changed, technology has improved and you can trust the company behind the HDB 630 to solve this problem. In its announcement for the Clip, the brand says it’s addressing the “sonic compromises” of the open form factor.

That’s definitely an issue I’ve historically faced with open-back sports headphones with hooks and bone conduction options, but I found that the clip-on model reliably delivers solid sound, thanks to the drivers being much closer to the ear canals. Products like the Shokz OpenDots One and Soundpeats Clip1 have impressed me in the past, so I can’t help but feel like Sennheiser is solving a problem that was fixed relatively long ago.

Accentuate the positive

Sennheiser has equipped the Accentum Clip with 12mm drivers, which are larger for this style of kit. This is combined with its own audio tuning and Dynamic EQ, which it says adapts its EQ based on volume, to ensure natural sound and avoid distortion no matter how loud you’re listening.

Thanks to Bluetooth 6.0 support, the headphones can support LDAC, as well as AAC and SBC, and the brand’s app offers a 5-band equalizer and presets.

As for practicality, the headphones weigh 6.8g and last 9 hours of playback on a single charge. The small carrying case increases that duration to 36 hours.

Bad news for some potential buyers: The Accentum Clip won’t be sold in the US, at least when they first go on sale on July 23. You can buy them elsewhere for £149 / AU$289 (around $120), but at the time of writing it’s unclear if they’ll ever be sold in the US or not.