Sennheiser HD 4.50 BTNC Active Noise Cancelling Wireless Headphones - REVIEWED 

Is there a simple way to test the ANC on these? Because I'm convinced mine is broken because my experiences don't match that of every review I read/watch.

Great Headphones. Just bough it and im impressed with the quality.

Hey, just wondering why I can't use the mic and the headphones at the same time?

@Tachenkoalto spy mode?

Also how do I test the Active Noise Canceling? I don't think it works.

Het DreamTeam me too

@@pawasdixit6011 same

same here

Me too bruh

You guys are all weird.

Thanks. Makes me wonder if the other reviewers realized you needed to actually turn the ANC on when in Bluetooth mode :-)

@@AskDaveTaylor How do you know noise cancelling is on versus off? A light blinks three times either way.

If you can't hear the difference then you're in a weirdly quiet space. That's probably the easiest way to tell!

They make it more difficult than it really is. You can literally turn it on and off with one finger by pressing the button down completely in the middle. The diagram on the instructions is misleading.

Yes I have a hard time telling if they’re on or not. The other thing is I wish I could disable the beeping noise on adjustments volume, next track etc.

@Im here because im bored me too

lol me too

you know when you get the box with your headphones there is an instruction showing you how to do it right?

Qizot - I couldn’t figure it out from the instructions. Just learned how to turn it on. Still don’t know how to select the three profiles. 🤷‍♂️

Glad I could help. And yeah, tiny lights are useful for feedback! :-)

Great. You like 'em?

Very much. Will try them out in-flight shortly and post an update here.

Yeah! Same here. The 4.50BT SE came in a different packaging as well. Awesome sound by the way! Does this SE version have 3 levels of NoiseGard as well?

I am having problems when plugging my headphones 😭😭😭😭😭

I feel like in my version (the normal 4.5 BTNC) the NG is turned on by default as well.

Thanks. Appreciate the feedback! :-)

Is there anyway to have it NOT turn on automatically?

Because you never turned it off..

same

Thanks! I appreciate the kudos!

Hi. What can you say about sound quality after two months of usage?

what about 3 months later ^_^ ?

just ordered mine as a warranty replacement for broken Sennheiser game zero, add me on steam or comment here in about a week and I would tell you my opinion! steamcommunity.com/id/Delinx/ So far I used: Sennheiser GAME ZERO + M-Audio Super DAC Steelseries Siberiea 650 Roccat Kave Xtd 5.1 Digital Premium 5.1 headset (real 5.1 not virtual) Planning to use them mainly with M-Audio Super DAC on PC but would defently try bluetooth too.

Shubham Majmudar bhai kaisa hai abhi bhi mil raha 6000 me

Ravi Tiwari pata nahi but headphones kuch zyada hi ache hain

Shubham Majmudar bass kaisa hai iska

Abhi amazon pe maine check kiya 6500 me mil raha

Ravi Tiwari le le bhai bass well balanced hai Sony jaisa nahi hai but clarity acchi hai

you mean, Sen high ser

It's Sen highser

There's always debate regardless of whether I pronounce it "sign-high-zer" or "sen-high-zer". People who work for the company pronounce it "sen-high-zer", so that's the pronunciation I use, but here's the secret: It doesn't really matter. 😀

@@eoinparkinson4224 Yes I do! I was making fun of the way he said it!

@@AskDaveTaylor I heard that these arnt comfy is that true? (Because if not I'll just get the 4.4)

I bet you can get battery % from your phone or bluetooth audio source status screen. On an iPhone, for example, the shortcuts screen can show the % battery for bluetooth devices...

Thanks!

You'll always hear a slight static noise when it's on. I can only hear it when it's dead quiet in my house. But while in an environment with continuous noise, I really don't hear it. Also, it's fantastic for airplanes and train rides.

@@HybridGhost0 Does it remove all noise from an airplane. Can you describe what you hear when on a plane. Thanks

@@eoinparkinson4224 Havent been on a plane in a while. But if you imagine the constant noise from the airplane, that gets kindoff removed. Depending on volume you might hear faint voices etc.

@@HybridGhost0 Ah yes. Well to maybe measure volume, the last plane I was on (standard airplane) was so loud I had to talk very loud to hear the person beside me. Say the entire plane had noise cancelling like these headphones, could I whisper to the person beside me or normal talk. Do you get me? :P

@@eoinparkinson4224 hmm probably normal talk. But the planes I've been on arent that loud

If you can't hear the difference there might be an issue with your headphones. Sit next to your fridge in the kitchen and try again: The ambient noise of the fridge compressor is exactly the kind of thing the ANC should eliminate. The one that's on should be the one after the slight pause...

Check with Sennheiser, but be aware that even the best ANC in the world doesn't eliminate all background noise. Still, it should be quite noticeable when it's working...

Thanks. Appreciate the feedback!

A solid deal!

Haven't had a chance to audition or review the ATH-ANC700BT as of yet, but AT has some pretty solid ANC technology too...

Dave Taylor thanks!!!

Sounds like a bunch of questions best asked of Sennheiser customer support. :-)

If it’s using a hands free mode it’s probably issues sharing bandwidth between the mic and audio. Try disabling the hands free profile

Which app? Can't find any of that in Cap Tune. It's embarrassing how hard they have made this!

@@claeslundgren1 Absolutely agree. CapTune is baffling and not very useful. Noise Cancelling is not explained anywhere. Agonisingly frustrating!

Only difference I can tell is they're red, I believe that's what the R stands for? definitely worth picking up if you're on the fence as so many people have the silver and it's nice to stand out.

Thanks. Much appreciated!

Because I have more fun with the production that way. Why do you ask?

Dave Taylor just interested in green screen technology and how/when to use it. :)

Once you have it turned on, it should power up and be on again next time!

Listen with with on 👍

ANC always works better at some frequencies than others. I notice that if I'm sitting under a speaker, I end up hearing it more clearly with ANC on (generally, not just with the Sennheiser). Until I turn on my own music, that is :-)

Check with Sennheiser customer service, they might have some specific things you can try before you start disassembling it!

thanks!

If you don't power them up while plugged in with a wire, you can use them, but the ANC won't be engaged.

ssssen-High-Zer*

Good mic, u can speak good if u do not have background noice

Some manufacturers are now designing their devices to have always-on ANC. Don't recall if Sennheiser is one of 'em, but that might be what you're experiencing. I'd reach out to their customer service...

Please reach out to Sennheiser customer service to have them help you out!

@@AskDaveTaylor okay thanks!

Not sure, I'd check with Sennheiser for exact details...

Well, you could feel it. ANC works by countering the noise outside of your headphones using mic arrays. There's that weird feeling when you use it. You won't be able to tell if you're inside of your room, but going to somewhere a bit noisy will definitely make you feel it.

It is off by default

Pairing is easy and it's a one time thing. What's to say? "I paired 'em. They're paired". :-) And the alert voice, that's become so common I don't remember to mention it in each review. Fair dinkum, mate!

I complained to youtube about your reply to me, which is condescending and offensive. They removemd it. And oh,, by the way, I'm not your "mate".

Not sure what's condescending and offensive in my answer. Do you know what "fair dinkum" means? And why it makes sense paired with the word 'mate'? But, hey, if complaining makes you feel better, well, so be it. In any case, I hope you have a nice day, Bill.

@@AskDaveTaylor Is it your custom to assume that everyone drinks? Maybe in your crowd, they do.

Still have no idea what you're talking about, Bill. Do a Google search. Fair dinkum means "used to emphasize or seek confirmation of the genuineness or truth of something". Where does alcohol come into it?

What? It's clearly documented in the brochure that comes with the headphones. You can also push and hold down on the bluetooth button until it goes into pairing mode (if I recall correctly. Don't have these headphones any more)

@@AskDaveTaylorthanks for your reply. Wasn't clear at all to me. Pressing just powered off the unit rather than put it in pairing mode. I found another video that showed you can hold down the power button for 5 seconds when powering on the unit and it will pair.

Good to know. I don't much enjoy EDM so I don't audition with that sort of bass-first music!

@@AskDaveTaylor Would be interesting to know if others experience this aswell or i'm the only one

Haven't tried them, but see no reason they wouldn't work, and sound great. But... if you're working with a PS4 I would suggest you look for more gamer-style headphones as they're design for the 3D sound modern games use to make the experience more immersive. Check out the Massdrop from Sennheiser, for example...

@@AskDaveTaylor i bought 3 days ago the RIG 800 HS Plantronics but i'am not so happy with thath.i would like some headset for gaming but without a kabel.do you have anny idee what cann i buying? Around 200€ 250$.thx

Maftei Bogdan did you manage to use them for PS4??

thanks!!!!!!

Thanks! :-)

Seems like a green screen:/

Well, it WAS a green screen until I replaced it with a recording studio image :-) :-)

Pretty sure it's not a hoax, but you're right, there should be some sort of subtle feedback light or something to affirm that it's engaged when you're using it.

Totally agree. I can't tell whether I'm turning NG on or off but recently figured that NG is turned on by default when I power on my headphones.

Overall, what do you think of the sound?

@@AskDaveTaylor overall I really like it. Played around with a few eq settings and kept returning to the default.

I wonder if these sound different than hd4.40

Thanks!

Dave Taylor Pair arriving tomorrow. Looking forward to them. Most expensive headphones I'll have ever owned.

Same here

That's a great question. I just re-checked the manual and it does not appear that there is any sort of mute button or feature through the multifunction button, so you'd have to mute on your source device as needed.

Dave Taylor thanks for the speedy reply, shame then not really intended for gaming.

What music source device are you using? And what is the impedance of your headphones? If you're pushing a full amp into a 32 Ohm pair, for example, you have a mismatch and it's going to go from loud to too darn loud without soft at the beginning. If you're using a smartphone or similar, however, try adjusting the volume on the source device as well as that on the headphones.

Dave Taylor what is impendance?

Dave Taylor its to loud on all the sources Spotify, youtube... When i use them with the cable they’re perfect, i have the feeling because it’s Bluetooth it’s a different sort of volume bar or so. Btw I’m swiss so don’t judge my engisch😂

it I use them with Bluetooth on the lowest option and then plug in the cable it’s automatically like on the 5th volume step!! Pls help

Good question! Impedance is the "efficiency" of the headphones and it pairs with your source. If you're using a smartphone, you want 32 Ohm headphones. If you have a pro mixing board or high end audiophile stereo, you want 250 Ohms or higher for the best, richest and sweetest sound.

Sounds like you should be reaching out to Sennheiser customer service. Good luck.

Cool, thanks!

Can you please clarify on whether the ANC is good or not? People have me skeptical as hell.

They should show up as a bluetooth device in your Control Panel on your Win10 computer if they're in pairing mode. Are you having problems?

overall sound qualitynya gmn gan?

@@arieffajargumilar kl menurut ku masih lebih bagus sennheiser lama ku px200...tp ini ga jelek kok 7 lah 1-10. Kl dpkae lama suka panas soalnya lubangnya ga terlalu gede

@@milfardonutaarsada7083 ANC gmn bro? Kalo naik kereta ato pesawat udah cukup bagus kah buat reduce suara nya? Ato masih kurang?

@@andresetiadi370 ANC nya bagus. Kedap suara dr luar, sy selalu bawa kl naek pesawat..dan bagusnya suara informasi dr bandara masih kedengeran jd ga takut ketinggalan pesawat pas diruang tunggu

Not sure what to suggest. There are some really inexpensive knock-off headphones with ANC, but it's not easy to implement good ANC and have good sound, so ya kinda get what you pay for...

Dave Taylor the only thing I'm worried about with 4.5btnc is I heard the noise cancel is the best and the cord they use can't be replaced with any regular 3.5mm cord

Sony 900 is recommended I have heard

They dont fall

Doesn't sound like a "lot of false info" to me, and I did have to turn on noise control when I first powered up the headphones...

Interesting. What do you mean by "thin" and are you sure you were driving them with an amp that had enough power for their impedance? Good to get your detailed review, tho, appreciate the comment!

I use AUDIOTRAK PRODIGY CUBE USB DAC. But other sources (wired connection) gave me the same results. For example Pioneer VSX-407RDS headphones output. Even internal opAmp was not able to do the magic when I paired HD 4.50 to BT 4.1 aptX source. In the comparison (only wired connection because no BT installed inside HP151): SoundMagic HP 151 vs Sennheiser HD 4.50BTNC, the SoundMagic is so much winner. Sennheiser is better than most of the communication headphones on the market but for music enthusiasts I do not recommend it. I didn't get them back to the store because as I wrote (in my first post) there are places where I can use it. Last my idea is to wear hd 4.50btnc on ice rink to reduce audience and other skaters noises. Thin sound means for me like FM radio sound with no space, no air with narrow scene. Frequency bandwidth between 60 Hz-12 KHz. Sennheiser claims that bandwidth is from 18 Hz up to 22KHz but we don't know how they measured this and what is acceptable drop in dB inside the the band. 18-22000Hz seems to be marketing catch.

After many and many hours of listening I got used to the sound they reproduce. My conclusion is that they aren't comfortable because warming up, and the sound on cable is different for NC on and NC off. When NC is OFF they are passive like common headphones. When NC is ON then they are amplified by op-amp. The whole sound-band is like a V shape equalized. When I use high quality audio output I don't like to v-shaping it. The most strange thing is that BT aptX sources sound possibly the best for me compared to both previous variation of cable connections (NC off/ NC on).The differences are not so subtle but all depends on our taste. These headphones are budget and sound more or less like budget device. I suspect that Sennheiser did a tone shaping/compensation in BT connection mode therefor the BT listening is quite good. I will appreciate if some technician from Sennheiser can confirm or reject this theory. On Bluetooth with NC ON the sound seems to be a bit dry. It looks like NC is cutting most of vibrations and harmonics which appears because of mechanical resonance in low band. In silent environment you can use NC like brightness feature. If NC is ON in bluetooth connection it can reduces too bassy audio and if listening classical or jazz you can off NC and enjoy more natural sound.

Well, my experience was quite different and I have, um, non-small ears too. As always, consumers should make up their own mind about a product after collecting information and reviews, both positive and negative. However accurate they might or might not be :-)

Ah, I see why you think other commenters are shills. Sounds like you got a bad pair or they just really didn't work for you, which is too bad. What are you listening to nowadays?

​@@AskDaveTaylor The headband they gave me was extremely stiff and very uncomfortable because it put so much pressure over my ears that they were turning red. I also didn't know that this microphone was practically incompatible with computers because it's designed for a 1-time phone call and not a skype call. turning on the microphone lowers the quality of the music that I was listening to even when I was not using the mic. it had something to do with there being no proper drivers designed for the hands-free audio device on the pc hence why it's said to be made for a phone that was designed for Bluetooth from the get-go. This is not just an issue with just mine I saw a plentiful amount of reviews with these same issues that you conveniently didn't cover in your video. This was not something that was wrong with just my pair This was a design flaw that many pointed out however you decided you wanted to give a biased review and not cover any of the actual flaws. The price of these headphones went from 200$-180$ and then to 80 dollars once it got enough shotty reviews. I'm not saying these headphones are bad however you didn't cover really any of it's bad sides and didn't even mention how its noise-canceling is completely 2nd rate and only actually covers high-pitched sounds. I expected a real review like from everyone else, not a completely biased video that didn't even come close to covering the whole product.

LED changes color (or possibly just turns off, don't recall exactly how this unit works :-)

The led turns off. Also, you can check on your phone, if it's paired, the percentage of battery left.

Let us know what you think after a day or two!

Ayup. Realized that after I recorded the video.

@@AskDaveTaylor Good video though.

If that's all you got out of my review, I'm pretty disappointed.

@@AskDaveTaylor I did tell you it was a great review! Just trying to help out :)

Fair enough. I almost always get the pronunciation right w/ Sen-hai-zer, but not 100% of the time :-)