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Sennheiser HD 350BT
Few people brag about how good their $100 headphones sound. In fact, most headphones in this price bracket sound pretty mediocre, but Sennheiser doesn’t forsake its decades-old legacy with the Sennheiser HD 350BT. This pair of wireless active noise canceling (ANC) headphones sounds excellent and gives more premium headsets plenty to chew on. We spent a week with the HD 350BT to find out if sound quality alone is enough to make it worth your money.
Editor’s note: this Sennheiser HD 350BT review was updated on May 29, 2024, to answer additional FAQs.
Anyone can get the Sennheiser HD 350BT, and while it doesn’t have active noise canceling (ANC), the passive isolation is good enough to block out distant chatter. The compact design is easy to take on the go, but listeners with large ears may find the small ear pads uncomfortable. At-home workers generally don’t need noise canceling during the day, so these would be a good fit for keyboard warriors who need a decent microphone for conference calls.
What’s it like to use the Sennheiser HD 350BT?
Sennheiser deserves some credit for attempting to make an ergonomic headset, but the ear cups are far too narrow to be comfortable for most listeners. The company swung a little too far to keep these headphones portable without considering the importance of ear clearance within the ear cups. You can replace and clean the ear pads, which is great if you happen to find a third-party pair that fits.
Unlike the Sennheiser HD 450BT, the HD 350BT isn’t painful to wear. The clamping force is far less intense with the HD 450BT variant, making it easy to wear this headset for two hours at a time. The ear cups offer minimal rotation, but you can ball them up toward the headband and toss them in your bag. Sennheiser doesn’t include a carrying pouch, so you may want to invest in a headphone case if scuffs and scratches bother you.
How do you control the Sennheiser HD 350BT?
The Sennheiser HD 350BT has a slight learning curve if you plan to memorize all of the onboard controls. Several buttons and switches crowd the right ear cup and make for a much less intuitive experience compared to offerings from Bose and Sony. As with anything else, once you commit the controls to memory, the HD 350BT is easy enough to operate. Though, I wish the volume rocker was bigger, and the toggle switch was more defined.
Here’s a quick list of controls so you don’t fumble around as much as I did.
- Tap and hold the power button for two seconds to turn the headset on/off.
- Press the voice assistant button (closest to the headphone yoke) to talk to your virtual assistant.
- Slide the switch back (located just below the voice assistant button) to skip back a track.
- Slide the switch forward to skip to the next track.
- Press the switch like a button to pause or resume playback.
- Press the volume rocker up or down to adjust the media output.
For calls, you have two options:
- Depress the switch button once to answer or end a call.
- Press and hold the switch button for two seconds to place a call on hold.
Should you get the Sennheiser Smart Control app?
The Sennheiser mobile app is very clean and easy to use and features a custom EQ module that lets you personalize the sound profile. You can also enable transparent hearing mode to remain aware of your surroundings or hold a quick conversation. If you want to dive in, go ahead and configure voice prompts. This lets you toggle the headset’s voice notifications on/off every time you power the headset on. Arguably the most important feature of any headphone app is the ability to receive firmware updates, something the Sennheiser Smart Control app can also do.
How does the Sennheiser HD 350BT connect?
The Sennheiser HD 350BT operates via Bluetooth 5.0 and stays connected whether you use it indoors or outdoors. Unfortunately, it lacks a 3.5mm input, so you can’t get the full high-resolution experience from your FLAC files with this headset. To make up for the lack of wired audio, the headphones support quite a few Bluetooth codecs: SBC, AAC, aptX, and aptX low latency.
Lag is absent when streaming video from my Samsung Galaxy S10e over the aptX Bluetooth codec, and the experience is the same when streaming video from my MacBook Air over the AAC Bluetooth codec.
Bluetooth multipoint suffers from the same issues as other Sennheiser Bluetooth headphones: notifications from the secondary device are rarely pushed through to the HD 350BT when streaming music from the primary device. The only event that interrupted playback from the primary device was if my smartphone received a phone call. This issue can be fixed with a firmware update, though.
How long does the Sennheiser HD 350BT battery last?
We subjected the Sennheiser HD 350BT to constant music playback, peaking at 75dB(SPL) output, and it lasted 33 hours and 49 minutes. This exceeds the official 30-hour battery life and is far better than most wireless headphones. Like the Sennheiser HD 450BT, the HD 350BT doesn’t support fast charging, so you must set aside the full two hours to charge the headset via USB-C.
Does the Sennheiser HD 350BT have noise canceling?
No, unlike some of Sennheiser’s other headsets (e.g., the PXC 550-II and MOMENTUM Wireless 4), the HD 350BT lacks noise cancelation. The ear pads block out noise well enough, aided by the tight (but bearable) clamping force. You won’t hear many nearby conversations, especially if you have music playing through the headset.
You must get a proper fit for optimal isolation. When you get a good fit, the headset can passively block out these high-frequency, incidental sounds, preventing auditory masking issues. Make sure the seal between the ear pads and your head is free of gaps, which is hard to do if you wear glasses.
Hold up! Something’s different:
This article’s frequency response and isolation charts were measured with our old testing system. We have since purchased a Bruel & Kjaer 5128 test fixture (and the appropriate support equipment) to update our testing and data collection. It will take a while to update our backlog of old test results, but we will update this review (and many others!) once we’re able with improved sound quality measurements, isolation performance plots, and standardized microphone demos. These will be made obvious with our new chart aesthetic (black background instead of white). Each new mic sample begins with the phrase, “This is a SoundGuys standardized microphone demonstration …”
Thank you for bearing with us, and we hope to see you again once we’ve sorted everything out.
How does the Sennheiser HD 350BT sound?
Sennheiser makes some of the best-sounding headphones, and it spared nothing with the Sennheiser HD 350BT. This headset’s frequency response represents the bass and midrange frequencies well, with a slight dip around 200Hz. Listeners who want more bass can always change this in the Sennheiser Smart Control app.
Lows, mids, and highs
The song Ode to Artifice by Samia opens with a groovy electric guitar riff and a simple drum beat. Samia has an impressive vocal range, and her voice remains clear throughout the song. However, most wireless headphones under or around $100 run with the standard consumer-friendly bass-boosted response that makes it harder to pick out Samia’s vocal nuances.
The HD 350BT is a great headset for listeners with an eclectic taste in music.
Despite the apparent treble frequency deviations, cymbal hits and tambourines sound great through the HD 350BT. Skip ahead to the bridge at 1:57, where perfectly measured drum kicks set the beat of Samia and a down-strummed guitar. Cymbal hits remain perfectly clear here, which can’t be said for similarly priced headphones.
Can you use the Sennheiser HD 350BT for phone calls?
The HD 350BT microphone is passable for casual calls and has a nifty sidetone feature that allows you to hear your voice while speaking, which helps you avoid unintentional shouting. (Unlike some headsets, you can choose to disable this feature.) Despite the dual beamforming microphones, the Sidetone tends to amplify everything, including background noise.
Listen to our mic sample below and cast your vote!
Sennheiser HD 350BT microphone demo (Non-standardized):
How does the microphone sound to you?
Should you buy the Sennheiser HD 350BT?
Sennheiser nails just nearly everything about the Sennheiser HD 350BT headphones. Sound quality is excellent, and the high-quality Bluetooth codec support is a rarity at this price point. If you don’t care for high-tech features like automatic ear detection, you’ll be delighted with these portable headphones.
Of course, large-eared listeners won’t be comfortable wearing the HD 350BT for more than an hour at a time because the narrow ear cups are bound to fit more like on-ears than over-ears. What’s more, the microphone isn’t the best, and you may want to invest in a dedicated headset if your day job is spent on the video call treadmill. I sure wish that a legacy audio company like Sennheiser kept the headphone jack, but again, the high-quality Bluetooth codecs soften the blow.
Sennheiser HD 350BT vs Sennheiser HD 450BT: What’s the difference?
The Sennheiser HD 350BT and the HD 450BT look virtually identical to one another, but there are some key differences between the two wireless headphones. The most glaring difference is that the Sennheiser HD 450BT ($129 at Amazon) features active noise canceling (ANC), while the Sennheiser HD 350BT relies on passive isolation alone. The HD 450BT is a better option for commuters because of the ANC.
The Sennheiser HD 450BT headband has a tighter clamping force because it’s set more narrowly than the HD 350BT. You’ll experience better passive isolation at the expense of comfort, as a tight fit like this is often a necessary evil for optimal noise cancellation. If you’re basing your purchase on comfort alone, get the cheaper model. Be aware, though: both the Sennheiser HD 350BT and HD 450BT have uniquely small ear cups for over-ear headphones.
Sennheiser dropped the headphone jack from the HD 350BT model but kept it on its more premium headset. It can also be found on the Sennheiser PXC 550-II, but the company used a 2.5mm input, rather than the standard 3.5mm input. Both HD series headphones house a USB-C charging port, but neither supports fast charging.
The microphone frequency responses vary from one headset to another, but neither would be our go-to pick for conference calls. If anything, you’re better off with the PXC 550-II, or another brand altogether.
What should you get instead of the Sennheiser HD 350BT?
If you like the Sennheiser HD 350BT but are looking for a step up, you should try the Sennheiser HD 450BT ($129 at Amazon). This product has seen some newer variants released as time has gone on, but the core functionality stays the same: ANC, decent sound, and a solid form factor.
The Monoprice BT-600ANC ($84.99 at Amazon) is cheaper than Sennheiser’s headphones, and it includes standout ANC for the price—even outperforming headphones double the cost. The bass response makes it hard to hear vocals and instrumental detail. Monoprice doesn’t include an app for its headset, so you must rely on your phone’s integrated EQ or a third-party option.
Ready to spend a bit more money for a lot more performance? Look into the Anker Soundcore Life Q35 ($99 at Amazon). This headset predates the newer Anker Soundcore Space Q45 ($149 at Amazon) but has similar ANC performance and is compatible with the same mobile app. From the app, you can equalize the sound, toggle listening modes, access firmware updates, and more. By default, the sound quality isn’t nearly as pleasing as the HD 350BT, but again, Anker Soundcore gives you some freedom to adjust it to your liking.
If you want something a bit more stylish, consider the Skullcandy Hesh ANC. This headset is available for around $85.99 at Amazon. It features a sleek, covert design, ANC, excellent battery life, and fast charging.
Frequently asked questions about the Sennheiser HD 350BT
Yes, you can pair these headphones to your PlayStation 4 or 5 by purchasing a Bluetooth adapter.
Though they are the same price, the Sennheiser HD 350BT and Sennheiser HD 280 Pro are very different headsets with very different use cases. The HD 280 Pro is a wired headset that is meant to be used in the studio. Though the frequency responses are similar, you won’t want to be doing any audio mixing with a pair of Bluetooth cans like the HD 350BT. The HD 280 Pro headset does not offer any software features, is not compatible with the Sennheiser Smart Control app, and does not have a microphone. If you want consumer headphones, get the Sennheiser HD 350BT; if you want studio headphones, get the Sennheiser HD 280 Pro.
To pair the HD 350BT headset, follow these steps:
- Press and hold the power switch for two seconds.
- Wait until the LED flashes blue three times.
- You will hear the voice prompt say, “Power on.”
- The LED will flash blue three more times when you hear a voice prompt say, “Connected.”
No, the Sennheiser HD 350BT does not feature active noise canceling (ANC). It relies on passive isolation to reduce ambient noise.
The main difference between the HD 350BT and the HD 450BT is that the HD 450BT features active noise canceling (ANC), whereas the HD 350BT does not. Additionally, the HD 450BT has a tighter clamping force and a narrower-set headband for better passive isolation but potentially reduced comfort.
To connect the Sennheiser HD 350BT to Bluetooth, follow these steps:
- Tap and hold the power button for two seconds to turn the headphones on.
- Ensure the headphones are in pairing mode (usually indicated by a flashing light).
- On your device, search for available Bluetooth devices and select “Sennheiser HD 350BT” from the list to pair.