Since Sennheiser released the well-received over-the-ear Momentum 2 Wireless headphones in 2015, they have become a headphone brand that comes close to the recognition of Bose, Beats, Bowers & Wilkins, and even Sony. In terms of quality, Sennheiser is actually a step ahead of these brands, and they continue to prove this with the HD 1 In-Ear Wireless headphones, the best wireless in-ear headphones on the market right now.
The HD 1 headphones cost $199. That’s a good buy when you compare them to the $299 Bose QuietControl 30 Wireless in-ears, which don’t sound as good, even though they are decent headphones as well. Bose headphones offer a warmer sound, with bass containing sonic feet that kick you in the ears but feel like they are covered with socks. The bass on the HD 1 headphones takes off the socks and the kick has more impact — and this is usually a good thing, especially when listening to EDM or dance music.
Speaking of sound, the HD 1s have an audiophile sound range that not only offers strong (but not overwhelming) bass, but decent mids and excellent highs. Of course, you can manipulate the sound with your graphic equalizer settings. I prefer using the HD 1s with the “Electronic” sound setting on the iPhone 7 Plus.
One might lament the fact that Sennheiser’s earbuds don’t have active noise cancellation, but the passive noise cancellation, when wearing the right-sized buds, is almost as good as the active noise cancellation that several headphone makers offer. It doesn’t completely block out noise like the BeatsX from Apple, so you don’t have to worry about being hit by a car while taking a walk with them.
In terms of design, the HD 1s look stylish, and the leather band feels nice on your neck. The buttons on the right side are easy to press, and you will never accidentally rewind or pause your song when you don’t intend to. Unfortunately, like the Bose QC30s, the band has a habit of twisting to one side or the other, especially when exercising, which these were made for.
As with other in-ear headphones, you will need to select the right buds (HD 1 comes with three pairs) in order to get the perfect fit, which will give you the perfect sound. The buds may hurt your ears during the first day of use, but your ears will certainly adjust to them.
In terms of phone quality, these Sennheiser in-ears don’t match the quality of the Bose QC30s, which offer the most clear calls out of any in-ear headphones available on the market. When using the HD 1s, people I talk to say that although I sound decent, they can definitely tell that I’m on a headset and can hear background noise. The quality for phone calls is still acceptable and shouldn’t be a deal killer if you are considering the HD 1s.
The battery life on the HD 1s is impressive and will give you at least 10 hours of use between charges, which is more than the Bose QC30s. Unfortunately, if your battery runs out, charging them takes more time than it does for other similar headphones. The HD 1s, like other in-ear wireless headphones, do not work without the battery.
When Apple announced that they were getting rid of the headphone jack in 2016, many people became angry for the right reason — Bluetooth wireless sound still isn’t as good as wired sound. But with the Sennheiser HD 1 Wireless in-ear headphones, wireless audio comes as close to perfection as it can — at least for now.