Short answer: the Sennheiser ACCENTUM Plus. It ranks #140 of 216 over-ear headphones by sound quality, rated 3.4/5, at $129.95; the HIFIMAN Sundara Closed-Back ranks #147, rated 3.3/5, at $129. With prices this close, go by the sound-quality ranking rather than the cost.
Why pick the Sennheiser ACCENTUM Plus: A 50 hour battery, active noise cancelling and a light 0.5 lbs (227 g) body make this an easy all day travel headphone. The tradeoff: The bass boost runs about 7.4 dB in the sub-bass and 3.8 dB in the upper bass, which can thicken vocals and mask detail.
The case for the HIFIMAN Sundara Closed-Back: A planar magnetic closed-back at 20 ohms and 98 dB, so a phone can drive it. The catch: Presence from 3 to 6 kHz is about 4.8 dB low, with a 9.5 dB dip near 4 kHz, so vocals and snare attack sound recessed.
Buy the Sennheiser ACCENTUM Plus. It is rated higher for sound quality, and the $0.95 saving on the HIFIMAN Sundara Closed-Back is not enough to make up the difference.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Headphones rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Sennheiser ACCENTUM Plus | HIFIMAN Sundara Closed-Back | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $129.95 | $129.00 |
| Ranked | #140 of 216 in Over-Ear Headphones | #147 of 216 in Over-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | Over-ear | Over-ear |
| Harman Preference Score | 68 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) | 66 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 2.36 dB standard deviation | 2.77 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -1.07 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.87 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+6.9 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-2.4 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wireless and wired | Wired |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Driver Type | Dynamic | Planar magnetic |
| Drivers | 1 x 37mm dynamic | 1 x 50mm planar magnetic |
| Sensitivity | 106 dB SPL | 98 dB |
| Weight | 0.5 lbs (227 g) | 0.9 lbs (426 g) |
| Frequency Response | 10Hz - 22kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 6Hz - 50kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Active Noise Cancelling | Yes | - |
| Battery Life | 50 hours (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 | - |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX Adaptive | - |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes | - |
| IP Rating | None | - |
| Impedance | - | 20 ohms |
Related Headphone Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for Sennheiser ACCENTUM Plus:
- RODE NTH-100 vs Sennheiser ACCENTUM Plus
- AKG K361 vs Sennheiser ACCENTUM Plus
- Sennheiser ACCENTUM Plus vs Austrian Audio Hi-X15
- HIFIMAN Sundara Closed-Back vs Razer BlackShark V2 Pro
- AKG K361 vs HIFIMAN Sundara Closed-Back
Prices on this page were last checked October 11, 2026 at 4:59 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Headphones In Full
Sennheiser ACCENTUM Plus: $129.95 Wireless Amazon eBay
Pros: A 50 hour battery, active noise cancelling and a light 227 g body make this an easy all day travel headphone. Bluetooth 5.2 with SBC, AAC, aptX and aptX Adaptive covers most phones, and a built-in microphone handles calls. Bass is strong, with sub-bass about 7.4 dB above target, so electronic and pop tracks have plenty of weight.
Cons: The bass boost runs about 7.4 dB in the sub-bass and 3.8 dB in the upper bass, which can thicken vocals and mask detail. A 4.1 dB peak near 11.4 kHz adds some treble sizzle, and a 6.5 dB dip near 4.4 kHz pulls back vocal clarity. It has no weather rating, and the AKG K361 has a higher rating for less money if wireless is not needed.
Full Sennheiser ACCENTUM Plus review and specifications →
| Released | Feb 2024 (2 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Active Noise Cancelling | Yes |
| Back | Closed |
| Battery Life | 50 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX Adaptive |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Connection | Wireless and wired |
| Deviation From Target | 2.36 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 37mm dynamic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 10Hz - 22kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 68 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| IP Rating | None |
| Sensitivity | 106 dB SPL |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+6.9 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -1.07 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0.5 lbs (227 g) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -4.3 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | -6.0 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 245 Hz | -1.8 dB | 1.27 |
| Peak | 1,884 Hz | +3.4 dB | 1.83 |
| Peak | 4,135 Hz | +4.7 dB | 4.12 |
| Peak | 2,934 Hz | -3.2 dB | 3.46 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -4.5 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 87 Hz | +2.3 dB | 2.24 |
| Peak | 146 Hz | -1.2 dB | 2.10 |
| Peak | 817 Hz | +0.8 dB | 3.06 |
| Peak | 5,714 Hz | -1.3 dB | 5.18 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
HIFIMAN Sundara Closed-Back: $129.00 Amazon eBay
Pros: A planar magnetic closed-back at 20 ohms and 98 dB, so a phone can drive it. Bass from 60 Hz to 3 kHz is within about 0.5 dB of target, giving a natural foundation for vocals. The closed back isolates.
Cons: Presence from 3 to 6 kHz is about 4.8 dB low, with a 9.5 dB dip near 4 kHz, so vocals and snare attack sound recessed. Treble from 6 to 10 kHz is another 3.3 dB under, adding dullness, and sub-bass is about 2.6 dB light. At 426 g it is heavy, and it is wired only, with no wireless or noise cancelling.
Full HIFIMAN Sundara Closed-Back review and specifications →
| Released | Aug 2022 (4 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Closed |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 2.77 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Planar magnetic |
| Drivers | 1 x 50mm planar magnetic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 6Hz - 50kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 66 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 20 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 98 dB |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-2.4 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.87 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0.9 lbs (426 g) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -6.3 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | +2.7 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 3,877 Hz | +6.3 dB | 2.27 |
| Peak | 1,315 Hz | -3.9 dB | 2.53 |
| Peak | 302 Hz | -4.1 dB | 3.68 |
| Peak | 110 Hz | -3.0 dB | 0.74 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -2.7 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 9,405 Hz | +4.2 dB | 2.95 |
| Peak | 549 Hz | +3.8 dB | 2.49 |
| Peak | 362 Hz | -1.7 dB | 4.10 |
| Peak | 1,015 Hz | -1.6 dB | 4.84 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons