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Sennheiser CX 400BT TW review: The MOMENTUM TW for bargain hunters

Sennheiser CX 400BT TW contribution picture
Picture: TechnikNews
(Post picture: © 2020 TechnikNews)

The Sennheiser MOMENTUM TW 2 are all well and good, but also expensive. Now Sennheiser presented the Sennheiser CX 400BT TW. But why are they so interesting?

I was very satisfied with the MOMENTUM True Wireless 2 in my test. I was particularly impressed by the sound. The premium in-ears aren't cheap though, and a lot of people don't want to spend that much money on audio equipment. For many, however, the sound quality has to be top-notch. Because of these two needs, the CX 400BT TW was created. But Sennheiser had to save on some corners in order to achieve the lowest possible price. With these in-ear headphones, for example, there are losses in terms of battery life and materials. In addition, no active noise cancellation has been integrated. Can I still recommend the CX 400BT TW?

Unboxing and initial setup

As soon as you look at the packaging, you can tell that you are dealing with Sennheiser. The box is white with the blue accents and some logos and Product images as we know it from the manufacturer. If you remove the case and open the box, you can immediately see the in-ears and the charging case. Below you will find the USB-C cable for charging, various instructions and different sized ear tips. At the beginning you should definitely take the time to find the right size here. If you don't do this, it can affect the sound quality, among other things.

Sennheiser CX400BT TW unboxing

Here's a quick look inside the packaging. (Image: TechnikNews)

The pairing of the headphones is lightning-fast. You put the earbuds in the charging case and plug them into the electricity. You can then couple the CX 400BT TW in the settings of the end device. Alternatively, you can get help with connecting in the Smart Control app - more details are given in the further course of the test report.

Design and workmanship

Sennheiser offers the Sennheiser CX 400BT TW in two different colors - black and white. The earplugs themselves are a little more angular compared to the MOMENTUM TW 2, although the material used was exclusively plastic. The in-ears can still be operated using the touchpad on the side. It is also still possible to use the Sennheiser app to assign these gestures as you wish.

The case is also made entirely of plastic. It is charged via the USB-C connector on the back. Thanks to the magnet, the in-ears remain bomb-proof in this. My only gripe is the size and shape. Even with the MOMENTUM True Wireless 2, the height of the case bothered me, and with the CX 400BT TW, the case is or higher.

Despite the choice of material, the workmanship is by no means bad. The earbuds don't feel unstable and not a single component creaks or wobbles, not even the charging case. Nevertheless, protection against the ingress of water would have been desirable. The CX 400BT TW are therefore less suitable for workouts.

And that, although the in-ears stay in the ears even with the jerkiest head movements. The prerequisite for this is that you have found the right silicone attachments. Then you can use the CX 400BT TW for several hours without it pressing uncomfortably in the ear.

sound quality

Now let's talk about the most important point about headphones, the sound quality. Sennheiser integrated the same 400-millimeter drivers in the CX 7BT TW as in the MOMENTUM TW 2. But do the in-ears sound the same as the top model?

I would say so. In my test proI tried out the in-ear headphones with various genres and never missed a pitch. As I expected from the drivers, there were again a lot of small details. I have already described in the past that you can hear details with the headphones that you would not hear with other models. This is particularly evident in podcasts.

The lack of active noise cancellation isn't too bad now. If you choose the right earpiece, most outside noise will be passively shielded anyway. The sound does not change noticeably as a result.

Sennheiser SmartControl

The Sennheiser Smart Control app can also be used on the CX 400BT TW for additional settings on the headphones. They are available for free from the Play Store and the App Store.

Sennheiser SmartControl
Price: Free of charge
Sennheiser Smart Control
Price: Free of charge

The app is very tidy (as I know it from previous tests), you can find the most important functionalities at a glance on the start page. There are two menu items here, one for the equalizer and one for an overview of the paired devices. The touch gestures can be changed by tapping once Product image types.

Sennheiser CX 400BT TW app

Screenshots: TechnikNews

The equalizer comes with the same user interface that I praised several times in my last Sennheiser test reports. As already mentioned, the connections list the devices with which the headphones have already been connected. And the point with the touch gestures is self-explanatory in my eyes.

Battery life and remaining specifications

Sennheiser claims that the battery life of the Sennheiser CX 400BT TW should be 20 hours. You should get by with one charge in the case for about seven hours. In my test, however, it usually ended after six hours and I had to recharge. The entire package is fully charged again after 1,5 hours.

The codecs SBC, AAC and aptX are also supported again. In short, these improve the connection via Bluetooth. And while we're on the subject: Sennheiser integrated Bluetooth 5.1 in these in-ears.

Prices and availability

The Sennheiser CX 400BT TW is available directly from Sennheiser or from Amazon in the above-mentioned colors. The RRP is 199 euros, making this model 100 euros cheaper than the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 2.

Sennheiser CX 400BT TW: Conclusion

The CX 400BT TW are an interesting one Product. You get a top sound, and yet these things only cost 199 euros.

Sennheiser didn't leave out any essentials in order to be able to offer the CX 400BT TW at this price. The lack of ANC and the somewhat poorer battery life are hardly noticeable in everyday life. Especially not if you've never had the more expensive Sennheiser MOMENTUM TW 2 in your ears. You can get REALLY good in-ears for a whole lot less money.

My only real gripe (if you keep the price in mind) is the shape of the charging case. Even with the MOMENTUM it wasn't particularly compact, and here the whole thing only got worse.

The bottom line is that you can't go wrong with the CX 400BT TW if you are looking for low-cost in-ear headphones.

Thank you for providing the Sennheiser CX 400BT TW.

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David Haydl

David lives in Graz and has been there for around half a decade TechnikNews, also editor-in-chief for some time. He regularly provides the site with news, test reports and the like TechnikNews Weekly, which was his idea to launch. He likes to spend his free time outdoors, listening to a lot of music (and clearly too loud) and some podcasts on all kinds of topics, and also likes to go running. He enjoys the time that remains with his charming girlfriend or in front of the TV.

David has already written 1245 articles and left 116 comments.

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