SENNHEISER

HD 350BT WIRELESS OVER-EAR HEADPHONES

Earbuds are having a moment (name a brand that isn’t bringing out a pair), but sometimes only over-ear headphones will do, especially for audiophiles.

Available in black and white, Sennheiser’s HD 350BT over-ear headphones are one of the most affordable options from the German audio brand. But better-priced doesn’t necessarily mean the best – we found these to be a bit of a mixed bag. While the ear cups are comfortable, their narrow shape and smaller size won’t work for everyone. The 350BT is, however, lightweight and foldable, making it easy to transport. There’s Bluetooth 5.0, allowing for connection to more than one device at the same time. As expected, the sound quality is good (especially voice reproduction), and the free Sennheiser Smart Control app lets you customise your listening experience to a degree as well as update firmware.

While you can expect a 30-hour battery life, there’s no way to see how much power is left unless you use the app. We found the headphones would sometimes disconnect from a device or turn off for no reason. There’s no audio jack or fast-charge option, and they don’t come with a carrying case. The

350BT powers up with a USB-C cable; the port sits at the bottom of the right ear cup, along with all the other control buttons, which are small, close together and quite finicky to use. If you’re after decent sound that comes at a good price point, these headphones are a decent option, but for better touch controls (and the option of noise-cancellation), it might be worthwhile investing in a pair of earbuds instead.

RRP R2 499 sennheiser.co.za/dealers.php