Sennheiser is well-known and respected brand in both the pro audio and the headphone space, and for good reason. The company has long built products that have stood the test of time. When it first launched the Momentum Wireless headphones, they were well-loved by many. Eventually, however, those headphones had to evolve — and they evolved into what we now call the Sennheiser HD 1 Wireless over-ear headphones.
The Sennheiser HD 1 Wireless’ have been available for a while now, and they’ve gotten excellent reviews, with some even hailing them as the best Bluetooth headphones money can buy. Is that claim realistic? We put them to the test to find out.
Design
The Sennheiser HD 1 Wireless over-ear headphones aren’t just aimed at sounding good — they’re aimed at being stylish too, which they achieve quite well. While they’re perhaps note as unique as headphones like the Blue Satellite headphones, they’re extremely classy and nice-looking.
There are a number of reasons this is true. For starters, the headphones are built with a nice, premium leather, which is featured both on the earcups and on the headband. The headphones are held together by a large metal frame, which also makes for easy size-adjustments. Simply pull or push the earcup up or down the frame, and you’ll be able to find the right size for your use.
On the right earcup, you’ll find all the controls — the power button is placed in a nice and easy-to-reach spot, which is just above a spring-loaded switch for controlling volume. At the bottom of that right earcup, you’ll also find the 3.5mm port, for using the headphones in wired mode, and a microUSB charging cable.
In the box, you’ll find the headphones, a 3.5mm aux cable, a microUSB charging cable, a nice pouch, and a sturdy case for the headphones. It’s a nice selection of headphones, and we didn’t really feel like they were ever missing anything.
In general, the Sennheiser HD 1 Wireless over-ear headphones look excellent, are well-built, and are convenient for use. We really have no complaints in the design department, apart from perhaps the fact that it would have been nice to have adjustment markers for the earcups so that the left and right can be adjusted the same amount.
Comfort
The headphones don’t just look good — they’re reasonably comfortable too. There’s a good amount of plush foam under the ear cups, which keeps the headphones comfortable for long periods of listening time. You’ll notice that there isn’t much padding at all under the headband — and while a little there could have been useful, the headphones are light enough to ensure that the lack of padding isn’t a huge problem.
Instead, the main issue we had with comfort is the fact that it would be nice if the headphones had a slightly firmer clasp. Not only would this help seal the headphones to block out more noise, but it would also keep them on a little better at no cost to the comfort level.
In general, the headphones are comfortable — but a little padding under the headband and a firmer clasp would go a long way to making them even more comfortable.
Sound
The headphones may look fancy, but make no mistake — the real selling point is how they sound. Spoiler alert: they sound awesome. This, folks, is why the Sennheiser HD 1 Wireless over-ear headphones are considered the best Bluetooth headphones out there.
Let’s start with the bass, which is deep, powerful, and thick. Kick drums give a nice punch, while bass guitars and synths are low and rumbling. Thankfully, the headphones never get muddy or overbeaing in the low-end except in songs where a kick drum is mixed really loud.
The mid-range is extremely well-tuned. The low-mids are nice and warm, however not too loud so as to affect the clarity that these headphones have on offer. The high-mids sound good too — vocals are able to cut through a mix nice and easily, while things like guitars are nice and crunchy.
The high-end is perhaps the most overlooked frequency range for headphone makers, but Sennheiser has largely avoided that. While we could have seen a little more crispness in the high-end, it’s not a deal-breaker by any means. Cymbals manage to cut through the mix reasonably well, while lead synths have a nice bite to them.
The headphones are also noise-cancelling, and while the noise cancellation is fine, it’s not at the same standard as headphones like the Bose QuietComfort 35 headphones. We wouldn’t recommend buying these solely for the noise cancellation features, but it is a nice added bonus. It’s also important to note that you cannot turn off noise cancellation — if the headphones are in Bluetooth mode, then noise cancellation is on.
The soundstage of these headphones is relatively wide, and they don’t distort easily at all — which is expected for headphones in this price range.
Performance
The Sennheiser HD 1 Wireless over-ear headphones connect to your listening device through Bluetooth, and they feature a pretty standard Bluetooth 4.0 connection. You’ll get a range of around 10 meters, or 33 feet, however that will vary depending on things like obstacles. In general, we found that the connection was a good one, and the headphones didn’t really stutter or disconnect except at longer distances.
According to Sennheiser, the battery life on the HD 1 over-ear headphones sits in at 22 hours, which is really quite good. They may not quite reach that for some uses, and battery life largely varies depending on how loudly you listen to your music. We didn’t quite hit the 22 hour mark, but we got close.
Conclusions
Sennheiser knows what it’s doing, and that shows with the Sennheiser HD 1 Wireless over-ear headphones. They’re beautifully designed, comfortable, and they sound great — plus they offer a pretty decent battery life too.
But is there anything better? Well, that depends. If you’re looking for the best Bluetooth headphones out there, then no there isn’t. The Sennheiser HD 1 Wireless over-ear headphones, however, are pricey. If you’re looking for a pair of excellent over-ear headphones but don’t have quite the budget, then perhaps the $150 JLab Audio Flex ANC headphones are a better choice.
The Sennheiser HD 1 Wireless over-ear headphones are actually available in a few different models — one wireless and one without. We’re reviewing the HD 1 Wireless, but the wired headphones are $150 cheaper — and might offer slightly better value for money.
In any case, because of their excellent quality and supreme sound quality, the Sennheiser HD 1 Wireless headphones are one of only a few to be awarded the Headphone Review Gold Medal.
| Store | Price |
|---|---|
 |
$499 |
 |
$499.98 |
| Sennheiser | $499.95 |
| Frequency response | 16Hz – 22kHz | Active noise cancellation |
Yes |
| Driver size | Unknown | Noise attenuation | Unknown |
| Driver type |
Dynamic | On-ear controls | Yes |
| Design |
Closed | Microphone | Yes |
| Sensitivity | Unknown | Earpad material | Memory foam |
| Rated impedance |
480Ω | Magnet material | Unknown |
| Total harmonic distortion |
<0.5% | Water resistance | No |
| Rated input power |
Unknown | Battery life | 22 Hours |
| Maximum input power |
Unknown | Wireless distance | 10m (33ft) |
| Wireless connection |
Bluetooth 4.0 | Cable length | 1.4m (4.6ft) |
| Wired connection |
3.5mm | Case type | Hard case |
| Detachable cable |
Yes | In-the-box |
|
| Weight | Unknown | Colors | Black, ivory |