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Sennheiser HD 450BT
Buy Sennheiser HD 450BT only if it's cheap: a 2020 noise-cancelling headphone with 30 hours of battery, aptX Low Latency and cups that fold.
Product images
Sennheiser HD 450BT, from its Amazon listing.
Credit: Amazon.com (Associates Program). Amazon listing
Product image from the Amazon listing.
In short
Buy Sennheiser HD 450BT only if it's cheap: a 2020 noise-cancelling headphone with 30 hours of battery, aptX Low Latency and cups that fold. It weighs 238 grams, works over a cable as well as Bluetooth 5.0, and has a button for Siri or Google Assistant. Skip it for Sennheiser's Accentum Wireless if you want 50 hours, or for Momentum 5 if you want aptX Lossless.
Who it is for
- Budget buyers who want noise cancelling from Sennheiser. HD 450BT launched at $199 in the US, and Sennheiser still lists it.
- People who watch video on a phone that supports aptX Low Latency, the codec built to keep sound in step with the picture.
- Anyone who wants a wired option. HD 450BT plays over the 1.5 m audio cable in the box, which comes with a 3.5 mm angled adapter.
- Voice-assistant users. A dedicated button calls up Siri or Google Assistant.
Who should skip it
- Anyone who wants more battery. Sennheiser's Accentum Wireless is rated for 50 hours to HD 450BT's 30, weighs 222 grams and can play audio over USB-C.
- Buyers who don't need noise cancelling. The HD 350BT leaves it out, launched at $119 and comes without an audio cable.
- Anyone who wants aptX Lossless or a battery they can replace. Those come with Sennheiser's MOMENTUM 5 Wireless.
- Anyone who wants two devices connected at once, or to hear announcements without lifting a cup. Sennheiser lists neither multipoint nor a transparency mode for HD 450BT.
What sets it apart
- Active noise cancellation in a folding, 238-gram headphone that launched at $199.
- aptX Low Latency alongside aptX, AAC and SBC, over Bluetooth 5.0.
- 30 hours of battery, and a full USB-C charge in about 2 hours.
- Sennheiser's Smart Control app, with EQ and a podcast mode tuned for speech and audiobooks.
Caveats
- Sennheiser gives one battery figure, 30 hours of operating time, with no separate rating for noise cancelling on or off.
Key specs
In the same order on every headphones page, so you can compare pairs.
| Spec | Value | Source and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Over-ear (circumaural), closed-back, dynamic | sennheiser-hearing.com HD 450BT; Sennheiser newsroom 2020-01-06 |
| Drivers | Dynamic, closed-back; driver size not published | Sennheiser HD 450BT specifications |
| Frequency response | 18 Hz–22,000 Hz | Sennheiser HD 450BT specifications |
| Sensitivity | 108 dB (1 kHz, 0 dBFS); THD under 0.3% (1 kHz, 100 dB) | Sennheiser HD 450BT specifications |
| Noise cancelling | Active noise cancellation | Sennheiser HD 450BT specifications; Sennheiser newsroom 2020-01-06 |
| Bluetooth codecs | aptX, aptX Low Latency, AAC, SBC | Sennheiser HD 450BT specifications; Sennheiser newsroom 2020-01-06 |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.0 | Sennheiser HD 450BT specifications; Sennheiser newsroom 2020-01-06 |
| Battery life | 30 hours of operating time | Sennheiser HD 450BT specifications; Sennheiser newsroom 2020-01-06 |
| Charging | USB-C; about 2 hours to full | Sennheiser HD 450BT specifications; Sennheiser newsroom 2020-01-06 |
| Wired listening | Yes, wired mode: 1.5 m audio cable and 3.5 mm angled adapter in the box | Sennheiser HD 450BT box contents; Sennheiser newsroom 2020-01-06 |
| Weight | 238 g | Sennheiser HD 450BT specifications |
| Folding and case | Folds compactly; carry case in the box | Sennheiser newsroom 2020-01-06; sennheiser-hearing.com |
| App | Sennheiser Smart Control: EQ, podcast mode, battery status, firmware updates | sennheiser-hearing.com; Sennheiser newsroom 2020-01-06 |
| Microphones and calls | Dual beamforming microphones | Sennheiser HD 450BT specifications |
| Voice assistant | Dedicated button for Siri or Google Assistant | Sennheiser newsroom 2020-01-06 |
| Colors | Black and white (508386, 508387) | Sennheiser HD 450BT specifications; Sennheiser newsroom 2020-01-06 |
| Compatibility | Bluetooth 5.0 devices; aptX and aptX Low Latency need a compatible source | Sennheiser HD 450BT specifications |
| US launch price | $199 in the US from mid-February 2020; later Sennheiser posts list $199.95; €179 in Europe | Sennheiser newsroom 2020-01-06 (US and EU versions); later Sennheiser posts |
| Price band | Value (about $200 at launch) | Based on the $199 and $199.95 launch prices |
| Announced | 6 January 2020, for CES 2020 (7–10 January) | Sennheiser newsroom |
| Availability | In Europe and the US from mid-February 2020; still listed on sennheiser-hearing.com as of 19 September 2026 | Sennheiser newsroom 2020-01-06; sennheiser-hearing.com |
Sennheiser HD 450BT extras
Specs only this model has.
| Spec | Value | Source and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Model and article numbers | HD 450BT; 508386 (black), 508387 (white) | Sennheiser HD 450BT specifications |
| Podcast mode | Smart Control's podcast mode tunes the sound for speech and audiobooks | Sennheiser newsroom 2020-01-06 |
| Bluetooth profiles | AVRCP, A2DP, HFP, HSP | Sennheiser HD 450BT specifications |
| In the box | HD 450BT; audio cable; USB-C charging cable; carry case; quick guide; safety guide | Sennheiser HD 450BT box contents |
Where it fits now
Sennheiser announced HD 450BT on 6 January 2020, for CES 2020 (7–10 January), as its value noise-cancelling headphone, and still lists it on its site. The newer model at that end of the range is Accentum Wireless:
| Spec | HD 450BT | Accentum Wireless |
|---|---|---|
| Battery | 30 hours | 50 hours |
| Weight | 238 g | 222 g |
| Codecs | aptX, aptX Low Latency, AAC, SBC | Includes aptX HD |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 | 5.2 |
| Wired listening | 1.5 m analog cable | Audio over USB-C |
Accentum Wireless lasts longer, weighs less and runs newer Bluetooth, so HD 450BT makes sense when it costs clearly less, or if you specifically want aptX Low Latency for video. Higher up the range, MOMENTUM 5 Wireless adds aptX Lossless and a user-replaceable battery.
Sound, calls and the app
HD 450BT is a closed-back headphone with dynamic drivers and active noise cancellation; Sennheiser doesn’t give the driver size or the impedance. The response runs from 18 Hz to 22,000 Hz, sensitivity is 108 dB, and distortion stays under 0.3%. Calls go through dual beamforming microphones, and Bluetooth 5.0 covers the A2DP, AVRCP, HFP and HSP profiles.
Besides the EQ and podcast mode, the Smart Control app shows battery status and installs firmware updates.
In the box
The box holds the headphones, the audio cable, a USB-C charging cable, a carry case, a quick guide and a safety guide. HD 450BT comes in black or white (article numbers 508386 and 508387).
Price
HD 450BT went on sale in Europe and the US in mid-February 2020. Sennheiser’s US announcement priced it at $199, later Sennheiser posts list $199.95, and in Europe it launched at €179. It’s still on sennheiser-hearing.com as of 19 September 2026, so compare its current price with Accentum Wireless before you buy.
Sources
- Amazon product listing — accessed 2026-09-20
- Sennheiser — HD 450BT product page and specifications — accessed 2026-09-19
- Sennheiser newsroom — HD 450BT and HD 350BT launch, US ($199) — accessed 2026-09-19
- Sennheiser newsroom — HD 450BT and HD 350BT launch, Europe (€179) — accessed 2026-09-19
Frequently asked questions
Should I get HD 450BT or Accentum Wireless?
Accentum Wireless, unless HD 450BT costs clearly less. Accentum is rated for 50 hours to HD 450BT's 30, weighs 222 grams to 238, and adds Bluetooth 5.2 and audio over USB-C. HD 450BT has aptX Low Latency where Accentum lists aptX HD.
What does HD 450BT add over the HD 350BT?
Noise cancelling and wired listening. The HD 350BT, which launched at $119, has no noise cancelling and no audio cable in the box.
How does HD 450BT compare with the PXC 550-II?
It's the newer and cheaper one. The PXC 550-II launched in 2019 at $349.95 with battery ratings of 20 and 30 hours; HD 450BT followed in 2020 at $199.
Does HD 450BT fold?
Yes. The cups fold into a compact shape, and a carry case comes in the box.
Official product page: Sennheiser HD 450BT. Tech specs: Sennheiser HD 450BT specs.