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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If you primarily listen to music and value sound quality and comfort, the Philips SHP9500 would be the better choice. These headphones have an open enclosure which can offer a more natural soundstage but they don't isolate noise well, making them less suited for noisy environments or commuting. On the other hand, the Sennheiser 450BT with a closed enclosure and active noise cancelling are more versatile. They perform better for calls and meetings, have a decent microphone, and are suitable for air travel and commuting due to good noise isolation. The 450BT is also wireless with a strong battery life, making them convenient for on-the-go use, but if wireless isn't a priority for you, the SHP9500’s wired connection ensures zero latency, suitable for TV and gaming. 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 Philips SHP9500
- Excellent for music
- Excellent for TV and video
- Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the Sennheiser 450BT
- Very good for gaming
- Excellent for air travel
Key differences
Music
9.2
6.2
The Philips SHP9500 is excellent for music, while the Sennheiser 450BT is only fair.
Gaming
7.2
8.8
The Sennheiser 450BT is very good for gaming, while the Philips SHP9500 is good.
Phone Calls
4.9
6.9
The Sennheiser 450BT is only fair for phone calls, while the Philips SHP9500 is poor.
TV and Video
9.0
8.1
The Philips SHP9500 is excellent for TV and video, while the Sennheiser 450BT is very good.
Noise Reduction
2.5
9.1
The Sennheiser 450BT is excellent for noise reduction, while the Philips SHP9500 is poor.
Battery
N/A
27.5 Hours
The Philips SHP9500 does not have a battery. The Sennheiser 450BT has 27.5 hours of battery life.
Cost
$48
$139
$0
$50
$100
$150
$200
The Philips SHP9500 has a price of $48 and the Sennheiser 450BT costs $139.
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Key similarities
Podcasts and Audiobooks
8.0
7.9
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Philips SHP9500 to be very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Sennheiser 450BT is good.
Build Quality
8.5
8.0
The Philips SHP9500 and Sennheiser 450BT both have very good build quality.
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How the Philips SHP9500 and the Sennheiser 450BT compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Philips SHP9500 | Sennheiser 450BT |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$48 | $139 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Philips | Sennheiser | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | August 1, 2013 | February 1, 2020 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired | Wired + Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 9.3/10 | 6.2/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5/10 | 7/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 7.3/10 | 8.9/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 9.1/10 | 8.1/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 4.4/10 | 6.1/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | N/A | 27.5 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | N/A | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | N/A | 2.3 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | N/A | 5 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | No | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 2.5/10 | 9.1/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | N/A | 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 | 8.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 10/10 | 7/10 | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 294.8 Grams | 240.4 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | N/A | Integrated | |
Waterproof Rating | |||
Waterproof Rating | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Philips SHP9500
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Dig into reviews and images
Headphones Lab
Brian Stone | April 2020
"You can’t go wrong with the Philips SHP9500 for their price. Their audio quality is superb, and the fact that you can use them for just about anything you can think of makes them well worth your money"
Sennheiser 450BT
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Dig into reviews and images
Sound Guys
Lily Katz | March 2022
"The Sennheiser HD 450BT is a very good pair of headphones for the price, noise canceling is good and sound quality is great—quite rare at this price point. Like any product, this headset isn’t without its faults."
Get a great deal on the Philips SHP9500 or the Sennheiser 450BT
About Philips
Philips is a Dutch conglomerate and electronics manufacturer with over 130 years of history. Philips makes the Fidelio audio line which includes several models of full-sized wired and wireless headphones, true wireless earbuds. soundbars and wireless speakers.
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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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec earbuds & headphones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest earbuds or headphones information and makes it digestible for you.
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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