Sennheiser has just released a new version of its Accentum Wireless headphones, which it calls the Accentum Wireless SE. The two models are essentially identical save for two things: The SE has copper-colored accents, and it comes packaged with Sennheiser’s BTD 600 aptX Adaptive USB dongle. Ordinarily, the SE is priced at $200, putting it more or less between the Buy at Sennheiser ($180) and the Buy at Amazon ($230). However, during Amazon’s Prime Day sale, the SE bundle is just $125 — a 38% discount on a set of wireless headphones that were already a great value even at their regular price.
I was deeply impressed by the Accentum Wireless when I reviewed them earlier in 2024. The combination of their design, sound quality, comfort, and price helped them stand out from the sea of wireless headphones you can buy at similar prices. The Accentum Wireless SE preserve all of these qualities (plus they add that hit of copper color) and then throw in a USB Bluetooth dongle, making them an even better value. In fact, at their Prime Day discount, they’re even less expensive than the sale price on the regular Accentum Wireless.
You should absolutely jump on this deal while you can, but here’s some more info about that dongle you should know.
The BTD 600 is a USB-A Bluetooth dongle that can give any connected device (smartphone, tablet, or PC) the ability to transmit and receive Bluetooth using one of four codecs: SBC, aptX, and aptX Adaptive. It comes with a USB-A to USB-C adapter so you can plug it directly into USB-C-equipped laptops and smartphones, including the new iPhone 15.
While some PCs possess Qualcomm’s aptX codec, I’m unaware of any that have aptX Adaptive built in, and while Macs used to have a hidden aptX software switch you could turn on, modern Macs lack any native Bluetooth codec support other than SBC and AAC.
Since the dongle comes pre-paired with the Sennheiser Accentum SE, you’ll immediately get the benefit of both aptX and aptX HD. If you end up getting a set of wireless earbuds (or another set of wireless headphones) that support aptX Adaptive, the dongle will give you additional benefits like hi-res audio up to 24-bit/96kHz and a low latency mode to improve wireless gaming.
I’d prefer if the dongle was USB-C (with USB-A adapter), that way it wouldn’t stick out from the bottom of a phone as much, but I suspect Sennheiser sees the BTD 600 as a computer-first accessory.
I love that you can plug the Accentum and Accentum SE into USB-C directly for lossless hi-res audio, but if you prefer the convenience of a wireless connection, the included dongle ensures that connection provides the highest possible audio quality.
