Sennheiser ACCENTUM Clip launched with open-ear design, Bluetooth 6.0 and LDAC

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Sennheiser ACCENTUM Clip launched with open-ear design, Bluetooth 6.0 and LDAC

Sennheiser announced the ACCENTUM Clip, a true wireless earbud that stays in the clip-style category rather than the internal canal design used by many true wireless models. Announced from Hanover, Germany, the earbuds pair a 12 mm dynamic driver with Bluetooth 6.0, LDAC support and an IP54 rating, and are quoted for up to 36 hours of total playtime with a charging case. The set is positioned within Sennheiser’s ACCENTUM line, which sits under the flagship MOMENTUM range.

According to Friederike Menking, product manager of the ACCENTUM Clip, the aim was to increase the level of acoustic performance that open earbuds often struggle to achieve. Open ear designs leave the ear unobstructed, so the wearer can hear the surrounding sound at the same time as their music. Sennheiser says the ACCENTUM Clip achieves ambient awareness through its physical design rather than through electronics, which means there’s no microphone-fed transparency mode of the kind used by closed-back earbuds with active sound.

Design and fit

The ACCENTUM Clip uses an intra-concha wear style, meaning the driver housing sits in the outer ear cup rather than being embedded in the ear. A flexible silicone bridge connects the two parts of each earbud and holds the unit in place. Sennheiser describes the fit as secure across a wide range of ears, and lists the weight of one earbud at 6.8 g, with two earbuds and the charging case together weighing 57 g. The case itself is cited in 43 g.

Each earbud features custom touch controls for volume, calls and playback. The earbuds hold an IP54 rating, which covers protection against dust and water splashes from any direction. Sennheiser notes that the IP54 rating only applies to the earbuds and not the charging case. The company also says the speaker geometry and internal damping are designed to minimize sound leakage, so sound remains contained to the wearer, a common concern with open-ear products.

Audio and sound clarity

In the center of each earbud is a 12 mm dynamic driver. ACCENTUM Clip carries Hi-Res Audio Wireless certification, and the frequency range of the published speaker starts from 20 Hz to 40 kHz. Sennheiser lists the speaker’s sensitivity at 128 dB SPL measured at 1 kHz and 1 mW, with total harmonic distortion of less than 0.5 percent at 1 kHz and 100 dB SPL. There is no active noise cancellation, which goes with the open ear design.

The Dynamic EQ feature adjusts the tuning as the volume changes. At low volumes the system compensates for how the ear perceives bass and treble, and as the volume increases the balance curve reverses to keep the balance tight and limit distortion. Sennheiser links the repair method to its long history with open headphones.

Communication with codecs

The ACCENTUM chip works on Bluetooth 6.0 and supports SBC and AAC codecs as standard, with LDAC available on compatible devices for high bitrate streaming. Supported Bluetooth profiles are A2DP, AVRCP and HFP, and the radio operates across the 2,402 MHz to 2,483.5 MHz band. Multipoint connection allows two source devices to stay connected at the same time, and each earbud can be used independently. Google Fast Pair is included for quick pairing on Android devices, and the package carries the Auracast logo alongside Bluetooth, LDAC and Hi-Res Audio Wireless features.

It is worth being clear on what LDAC does in practice. A codec developed by Sony that can handle higher bitrates than SBC or AAC, which is the basis of the high definition claim, but depends on the source device supporting the codec. Apple devices, for example, do not support LDAC and will fall back to AAC.

Microphone and calls

Each earbud has a dual microphone system, offering two microphones on each side. The microphones use MEMS elements with a quoted frequency range of 100 Hz to 10 kHz, and Sennheiser pairs them with an AI noise reduction algorithm aimed at separating the user’s voice from background noise during calls. As with most call quality claims, the true test will come from independent measurement rather than specification alone.

Battery and charger

Sennheiser quotes up to 9 hours of play time from a single charge of the earbuds, the charging case adds three more for a total of up to 36 hours. Battery figures are measured using the iPhone over AAC at medium volume, so using LDAC may lower those numbers. A 10-minute charge with the supplied USB Type-C cable is quoted for 2 hours of playtime, and both earbuds and case take about one hour to fully charge at room temperature.

In the cells themselves, the charging case is listed at 545 mAh and each earbud is between 49 and 55 mAh, with variations coming down to the dual availability of battery components. The case charges via USB-C at 5 V, and the earbuds and case carry built-in lithium-ion batteries. The operating temperature is given as 0 to 40 degrees C, with charging supported between 5 and 35 degrees C.

Application and software

The ACCENTUM clip works with the Sennheiser Smart Control Plus app, which offers a 5-band equalizer, shared EQ presets and a guided sound check feature for audio setup. The app handles connection settings and further personalization. Software features like these are often expanded over time with firmware updates, although Sennheiser didn’t specify any update obligations for this model.

Colors, packaging and spare parts

There are a few inconsistencies in the startup stuff that should be noted. The announcement describes two colors, Black and Cream, while the technical data sheet lists three, adding an Ice Blue option. The remaining parts list also includes all three colors, suggesting that Ice Blue is part of the range even though it is not in the announcement text. Buyers should carry a maximum of three colors, pending confirmation from Sennheiser’s dealership.

Sennheiser says the ACCENTUM Clip ships in zero-plastic packaging, with one package made of 43 g of paper and cardboard and no plastic. The earbuds are designed in Germany and made in China. The replaceable parts policy is a useful detail for longevity: the earbud set and the charging case are both available as separate spare parts for each color, meaning that a lost or worn part does not require a full replacement.

Availability and pricing

The ACCENTUM hearing aid will go on sale in the UK from 23 July 2026 via uk.sennheiser-hearing.com and selected retailers. The suggested retail price is £149. For reference, Sennheiser also quotes 179 euros and $289.95 in Australian dollars in other regions. In the box, buyers get the earbuds, charging case, USB-C charging cable and documentation.