Sennheiser got the sound quality right, but it didn’t make a headset with large ear cups that would be comfortable for a wide range of listeners. This pair of noise-canceling headphones does a good job of reducing background noise, but not nearly as well as its big brother, the Sennheiser PXC 550-II. If you don’t have to have USB-C charging, you should save up for the PXC 550-II.
The Sennheiser HD 450BT headphones don’t look like much. They look a lot like the Sennheiser HD 4.50BTNC, but their ear cups don’t have a silver ring around them. You can also get them in white if you want a different look.
Specifications
- Frequency response (Microphone): 80 Hz to 6,000 Hz (-3 dB)
- Transducer principle (Microphone): MEMS
- Bluetooth Version: 5.0
- Supported Profiles: HSP, HFP, AVRCP, A2DP
- Frequency response: 18 Hz to 22,000 Hz (-10 dB)
- Sound pressure level (SPL): 108 dB (1 kHz/0 dBFS)
- Ear coupling: Around Ear
- WeightApprox.: 238 g
Where to buy Sennheiser HD 450BT Headphones?
The controls on the Sennheiser HD 450BT are all right. They aren’t the easiest to use, and there aren’t many voice prompts to tell you which controls you’re changing. There is a button for the voice assistant, a rocker for managing calls and music, and a switch for the volume. There is also a button that can turn ANC, power, and pairing on and off.
The fit of the Sennheiser HD 450BT is comfortable enough. Even though they feel pretty light, some people may find them a bit tight because they have a high clamping force. The headband doesn’t have a lot of padding either, which can make it uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time.
The holes in the ear cups are also not very big, which can make it hard to put your ears in, especially if you have bigger ears. The fake leather padding feels good against the skin, which is a plus. If you want a pair of headphones that are even more comfortable, you might want to look into the Sony WH-CH710N Wireless.
For the price, the HD 450BT headphones do a good job of blocking out noise. They add as much hiss as most cheap ANC headphones, and they get rid of a big chunk of low-frequency rumble. This means that loud noises on planes and trains will be greatly reduced. High frequencies are less well controlled.
The earpads themselves do some passive noise isolation, but you’ll still hear loud typing and nearby chatter. If someone is playing loud music nearby, the bass frequencies will be turned down a lot, but you’ll still be able to hear the higher frequencies and most of the midrange frequencies.
With 30 hours of battery life (with active noise cancellation on), the Sennheiser HD 450BTs can compete with the Sony WH-1000XM3 and beat the Bose Noise-Canceling Headphones 700 by a significant 10 hours. It’s also much better than the Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless, which costs more but only lasts for 17 hours.