Bluetooth headphones are becoming popular with every passing day. This is partly because we like to live life cable free and hence, tangle-free. The other part of this story is that smartphone makers have begun a campaign against the good o’ 3.5mm headphone socket. Apple was the first major smartphone maker to do this. Motorola followed suite and now we expect every new phone to not have that socket. In light of this, we have the Sennheiser HD 4.40BT Wireless headphones. They cost a cool Rs 10,990. But are they worth that much money. Let’s find out in this Sennheiser HD 4.40BT Wireless headphones’ review.

Sennheiser HD 4.40BT Wireless headphones review

Design

The Sennheiser HD 4.40BT Wireless headphones feature a slim headband and highly-padded cups. The headband has a thin cushion for comfort. While the cups create a good air lock around your ears, the headband becomes uncomfortable after an hour or two of usage. They start biting into the head or perhaps my head’s shape was not suited to them. On the right side, there are controls for power, track forward/rewind/pause/play and volume. Then there is a port to plug in a wire and turn these headphones into a wired pair. Next up is a USB port to charge these headphones.

I really like the design of these headphones, even if they are uncomfortable. Their seal around the ears is quite good and makes the music come alive. The fact that you can fold these headphones to carry them is great too. However, that thin headband lends them a feel of fragility. I may be wrong, but I could not even think of keeping them with anything else. Who knows I am walking down to my office and upon reaching, I pull out my headphones from under the stuff, only to find them in more than one piece.

In conclusion, these headphones have a great design. However, while they look good, using them is a different matter altogether.

Also Read: Sennheiser HD 2.20S Headphone Review

Features

The Sennheiser HD 4.40BT Wireless headphones can be used both as wireless and wired headphones. Let’s talk about the wireless bit first. To use them as wireless headphones, you need to pair them with your smartphone. This is a fuss-free process which is nice. However, you can then also use NFC to pair your smartphone with the headphones. However, do note that upon using NFC, Bluetooth will turn on again for the wireless pairing. Since NFC works in close proximity, it is understandable that Bluetooth is switched on.

Let’s come to the wired bit. In the box, you will find a cable with a 3.5mm jack on one end. The other end goes into Sennheiser HD 4.40BT Wireless headphones. You have to insert the other end of this cable into the headphone and twist it to the right to lock it. Sounds easy? Well, it is not as easy as that on Audio-Technica ATH M50X. How? The Audio-Technica pair has a cable big enough for you to see the grooves and align them. Not so easy on the small cable of Sennheiser HD 4.40BT Wireless headphones. This is the reason I used them almost entirely as a wireless pair.

Sound Quality

The Sennheiser HD 4.40BT Wireless headphones have good sound reproduction. They are no studio monitors in sound reproduction, so don’t expect that. Also, they favour mid-tones the most. The next up in the pecking order is bass and last comes treble. So, a lot of your bass-related issues are somewhat covered by a good mid-range, treble still falls behind. If it is better than regular sound reproduction you are looking for, these headphones do the trick. However, if you are looking for balanced sound reproduction throughout, these should not be on your list.

Also Read: Sony Launches EXTRABASS Headphones

What I do like about these headphones is the ear pad cushioning and the seal they create. Due to this, a number of sound quality-related issues are masked. Only upon using them again and again alongside another pair will you realise how good or bad they are. Even then, this issue is not that big a deal-breaker. In the end, while they sound good, they lack the bass-punch that most of us are hungry for. They lack the treble notes that help you notice a few things in the song you rarely do. All this because of that mid-range. Ah, well. They come from Sennheiser’s portable entertainment series. So, why complain?

Battery Life

Sennheiser claims that HD 4.40BT Wireless headphones have 25 hours of battery life on a single full charge. Let me tell you how it went with me. Barring the problem with the headband, I used these headphones for an entire week on a single full charge. Sometimes, I used them for four-five hours at a stretch. I was left quite amazed by this pair’s battery life. In fact, once a friend wished to use them. He did not know how to though. I thought the battery had finally ran out. When I reached home and tried to turn them on, they fired right up.

If there is an issue with wireless headphones, it is of their battery life. However, these headphones have that department covered. This is, in essence, a great thing. You can use them days and days without bothering about charging them. When the charge is over, use them as wired headphones. This flexibility is what makes them nice.

Sennheiser HD 4.40BT Wireless headphones Review – Conclusion

If there is one issue that may stop me from recommend these headphones, it is their comfort level over long duration use. The headband certainly bit my head every time my usage went near the two-hour mark. I can listen to music for hours at end and they did not make it easy on me. However, looking at the features they come with and their sound reproduction, my opinion sways a little. My opinion completely changes when I talk about their battery life. I cannot say enough good things about this pair even when their comfort was not up to my acceptable levels. Like I said, you may find them more comfortable than I did.

In the end, if I have to recommend these headphones to a friend, I definitely will. The question is will he/she be willing to fork out Rs 10,990 for them? Were these headphones more comfortable for me, I surely would fork out that much money.