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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 11, 2024·
Go for the Audio Technica ATH M40X if you are on a tighter budget and need very good sound for music listening in a studio-like setting; they have a lower midrange price and are noted for their good sound quality and comfort. However, they don't come with wireless capabilities and active noise cancelling, and their built-in microphone quality is poor, which might not be suitable for calls or interactive gaming. In contrast, choose the Sennheiser Accentum Plus if your priority is excellent call quality, the flexibility of both wired and wireless use, and effective noise cancellation for a variety of environments including air travel. They also support low latency codecs like AptX Adaptive, which is great for gaming and TV. Keep in mind you'll pay a premium price for these added features. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Audio Technica ATH M40X
- Very good for music
Advantages of the Sennheiser Accentum Plus
- Excellent for phone calls
- Excellent for gaming
- Very good for exercise
- Excellent for air travel
- Excellent for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Music
8.1
7.5
The Audio Technica ATH M40X is very good for music, while the Sennheiser Accentum Plus is good.
Gaming
7.0
9.1
The Sennheiser Accentum Plus is excellent for gaming, while the Audio Technica ATH M40X is good.
Phone Calls
3.3
9.2
The Sennheiser Accentum Plus is excellent for phone calls, while the Audio Technica ATH M40X is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.1
9.3
The Sennheiser Accentum Plus is excellent for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Audio Technica ATH M40X is poor.
Noise Reduction
5.3
8.3
The Sennheiser Accentum Plus is very good for noise reduction, while the Audio Technica ATH M40X is poor.
Battery
N/A
50.0 Hours
The Audio Technica ATH M40X does not have a battery. The Sennheiser Accentum Plus has 50 hours of battery life.
Cost
$99
$230
$50
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
The Audio Technica ATH M40X has a price of $99 and the Sennheiser Accentum Plus costs $230.
Build Quality
8.2
8.9
The Sennheiser Accentum Plus and Audio Technica ATH M40X both have very good build quality, though the Sennheiser Accentum Plus has somewhat better build quality.
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Key similarities
TV and Video
8.7
8.8
The Sennheiser Accentum Plus and Audio Technica ATH M40X are both very good for TV and video.
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How the Audio Technica ATH M40X and the Sennheiser Accentum Plus compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Audio Technica ATH M40X | Sennheiser Accentum Plus |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$99 | $230 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Audio Technica | Sennheiser | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | January 1, 2014 | February 1, 2024 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired | Wired + Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 8.1/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 3.3/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 7.1/10 | 9.1/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 8.8/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 4.3/10 | 8/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | N/A | 50 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | N/A | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | N/A | 2 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | N/A | 5.2 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | No | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 5.3/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | No | |
Android App | |||
Android App | N/A | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | N/A | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | N/A | 8.5/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8.2/10 | 8.9/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7.6/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 245 Grams | 227 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | N/A | Integrated | |
Waterproof Rating | |||
Waterproof Rating | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Audio Technica ATH M40X
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Dig into reviews and images
Soundguys
Lily Katz | August 2023
"If you were to pick one headset to fill all of your needs, the ATH-M40x is a great buy with its sub-$100 price tag, pleasant sound quality, and accessories. Whether you need to use it for live monitoring, a midnight editing session, or to underscore a campus walk, the Audio-Technica ATH-M40x is a great companion."
Get a great deal on the Audio Technica ATH M40X or the Sennheiser Accentum Plus
About Audio Technica
Audio Technica is a 60-year-old, Japan-based, professional audio equipment manufacturer. They started off making phonograph cartridges and have expanded their scope of products ever since to include extremely popular models of microphones and headphones. They have been the official audio equipment supplier of several editions of the Summer and Winter Olympics and every edition of the Grammy Awards since 1998.
About Sennheiser
A family-owned company, Sennheiser is a German, high fidelity, audio equipment manufacturer founded in 1945. Their consumer audio division is now owned by the Swiss hearing aid and cochlear implant manufacturer Sonova. Sennheiser offers a wide variety of, very high quality, audio equipment solutions, from headphones to earbuds, full sets of monitoring speakers, amplifiers and microphones. They also make what is widely regarded as the best, and most expensive, headphones in existence, the HE-1 Orpheus, costing a whopping $59,000 dollars.
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