[Sennheiser]

Thanks for sharing, @AxelCloris! I'll share the links and full press releases below:
 
http://www.sennheiser.com/ces-2017
http://www.sennheiser.com/momentum-in-ear-wireless
http://www.sennheiser.com/hd-1-in-ear-wireless
http://www.sennheiser.com/hd-4-40
http://www.sennheiser.com/hd-4-50
 
 

SENNHEISER’S EVERYDAY AUDIO HEROES ARE NOW WIRELESS

At CES 2017, Sennheiser is launching the HD 4.50BTNC and HD 4.40BT – two new wireless headsets for brilliant, everyday listening pleasure. The first Bluetooth models in the audio specialist’s popular HD 4 series combine high-quality Sennheiser sound with the freedom of wireless listening in a robust, affordable headphone. The HD 4.50BTNC additionally features Sennheiser’s NoiseGard™ active noise cancellation for a listening experience free from any distractions.
 
The closed back, around-ear headphones have been created to be perfect everyday companions for wireless listening on the move. “The HD 4.50BTNC and HD 4.40BT are designed for always-on, always-connected customers for whom the enjoyment of media and music can be part of every day and every hour,” explains Ivan Kuan, Head of Portfolio Management Lifestyle at Sennheiser.
 
Thanks to Sennheiser’s NoiseGardTM active noise cancellation technology, users can enjoy music without any distractions with the HD 4.50BTNC: By intelligently filtering out ambient noise, this system lets the detailed acoustic response of the proprietary Sennheiser 32mm drivers shine.
 
Both HD 4.50BTNC and HD 4.40BT employ the advanced wireless technology and audio codec of Bluetooth 4.0 and aptX to deliver true wireless Hi-Fi sound. Alongside great performance, the new headsets offer ease of use, comfort and convenience. They feature NFC for simple pairing with compatible devices and intuitive ear-cup mounted controls for changing tracks and for making calls via the integrated microphone. Wearing comfort is assured by their ergonomically designed ear pads.
 
HD 4.50BTNC and HD 4.40BT feature excellent battery life, letting listeners enjoy wireless sound for up to 25 hours. With ANC enabled, the HD 4.50BTNC still allows for up to 19 hours of wireless, distraction-free listening. A battery-free listening mode is also possible via a supplied detachable cable. Elegant and minimalistic, the new wireless headphones have been crafted from durable materials that make them tough enough to be everyday audio companions. With their collapsible design, the HD 4.50BTNC and HD 4.40BT fold away compactly. For easy storage, the HD 4.50BTNC comes with a protective case, while the HD 4.40BT can be stored in the supplied soft pouch.
 
The new HD 4.40BT will be available from January 2017, while the HD 4.50BTNC will be available from February.
 
CES 2017 is held in Las Vegas from January 5-8. To experience and learn more about HD 4.50BTNC, HD 4.40BT and other new products, visit Sennheiser in South Hall 1, Booth 20606.
 

  ​

HD 4.50BTNC (left) and HD 4.40BT (right)​

 

[Sennheiser]

SENNHEISER DEBUTS MOMENTUM IN-EAR WIRELESS AT CES

 
Sennheiser’s MOMENTUM headphone range represents the perfect fusion of sound and style: Uncompromised sound performance meets minimalist design and carefully selected materials. At CES 2017, held in Las Vegas from January 5 to 8, the audio specialist goes one step further by unveiling the new MOMENTUM In-Ear Wireless. Combining a leading-edge acoustic design with Bluetooth 4.1, AAC codec support and Qualcomm® apt-X™, the new neckband headphone has been designed to enhance the experience of listening to music on mobile devices – for the ultimate portable MOMENTUM experience.
 
 
Uncompromising sound quality, progressive technology and high-quality materials in a minimalist design: Sennheiser redefined the world of headphones with its MOMENTUM range. In the creation of these iconic headphones, the audio specialist was inspired by people who follow their vision, striving for the new and pushing the world ahead. With the MOMENTUM In-Ear Wireless, Sennheiser now adds ear-canal headphones with Bluetooth connectivity to the acclaimed range.
 
“MOMENTUM headphones are inspired by people that push boundaries and refuse to compromise in fulfilling their ambition,” said Dr. Christian Ern, Head of Portfolio Management Audiophile at Sennheiser. “With the new MOMENTUM In-Ear Wireless, we are bringing this ethos to a compact Bluetooth neckband headphone.”
 
Elegant in every detail, the MOMENTUM In-Ear Wireless has been designed for an uncompromised experience. Its stainless steel in-ear sound tunnels have been custom machined to deliver superior acoustic precision: This high quality dynamic speaker system brings the signature MOMENTUM sound to a compact in-ear headphone, with a powerful bass response, detailed vocal projection and a great sound stage. Thanks to Bluetooth 4.1, AAC codec support, and Qualcomm® apt-X™ compatibility, this true hi-fi sound is delivered with crystal-clear wireless transmission.
 

AN ELEGANT COMPANION TO MOBILE DEVICES

With a great 10-hour battery life, the MOMENTUM In-Ear Wireless can be enjoyed throughout the day. An integrated three-button remote and high-quality microphone are incorporated into the neckband, making it easy to stay connected and make phone calls and control music on the go. MOMENTUM In-Ear Wireless supports convenient multi-connection with up to 2 devices at once, with 3-way calling support. Ease of use is further enhanced by NFC one-touch Bluetooth pairing with smart devices, an intuitive system of voice prompts to notify of pairing status and to provide battery life warnings, a vibration alert for incoming calls and support of USB audio with USB charging.
 
Like all MOMENTUM headphones, the MOMENTUM In-Ear Wireless represents a perfect marriage of style and substance, with high-quality materials, superb comfort and lasting durability. The ergonomic around-the-neck design and soft sheepskin nappa leather stitched onto the neckband offer all-day listening comfort. Ear adapters in four different sizes are provided for optimized fit in the ear canals to allow excellent attenuation of ambient noise. Meanwhile, premium materials such as stainless steel, the mirrored chrome finish, and tough, impact-resistant polycarbonate give the MOMENTUM In Ear Wireless the strength for a life on the move.
 
Sennheiser’s MOMENTUM In-Ear Wireless will be available from January 2017.
 

​

 

[Sennheiser]

CAPTURE YOUR WORLD IN 3D

At CES 2017, held in Las Vegas from January 5 to 8, Sennheiser is showcasing for the first time the new AMBEO® Smart Surround – a compact earphone for immersive 3D audio recording. This breakthrough product lets consumers capture and listen to binaural audio recordings on their smartphones with unprecedented simplicity. Following the unveiling of Sennheiser’s AMBEO 3D audio technology program and the introduction of the AMBEO VR Mic at CES 2016, the Smart Surround will be the audio specialist’s first AMBEO consumer product.
 
Binaural audio delivers an incredibly immersive 3D experience, placing the listener inside the soundscape and replicating the direction of sounds and spatial characteristics of a given environment. Whether it is a concert hall, a rainforest or a buzzling city – binaural sound makes you feel like you are there. With the creation of the AMBEO Smart Surround, Sennheiser will bring this sophisticated recording technology to an intuitive pair of consumer earphones for the first time. This easy-to-use product creates immersive, binaural audio that complements the high-quality video that is available from a wide range of consumer devices such as smartphones.
 
“Today’s consumers are accustomed to capturing incredibly realistic video, producing 4K and 360° videos. Yet as mainstream technology makes immersive visual experiences ever more accessible, the power and emotion of this footage is too often let down by the quality of sound that these devices can capture. AMBEO Smart Surround is an innovative solution that closes this gap,” explains Dr. Andreas Sennheiser, co-CEO of Sennheiser. “With AMBEO Smart Surround we are taking the next step into the future of audio. We are inviting consumers to experience immersive sound by adding a recording earphone into our AMBEO technology program,” adds Co-CEO Daniel Sennheiser.
 

SIMPLE AND SPONTANEOUS

The new AMBEO Smart Surround features a compact in-ear design that makes it ultra-portable and ideal for use with mobile devices. It also shares the convenience and simplicity of the smartphone experience: The intuitive handling makes the spontaneous capture of brilliant binaural sound as easy as shooting a high-definition video, and the 3D sound files recorded with the AMBEO Smart Surround can be enjoyed through any pair of stereo headphones.
 
For the binaural audio recordings, the earhooks of the AMBEO Smart Surround are fitted with two quality microphones. The incredibly realistic, immersive effect is made possible by reproducing the subtle differences in timing, volume and timbre that occur as sounds from different directions reach each ear.
 

BRINGING BINAURAL AUDIO TO THE SMARTPHONE GENERATION

With AMBEO Smart Surround, Sennheiser has reimagined binaural audio for a new generation. Previously, such recordings were made using dedicated professional solutions such as dummy heads. However, the new earphones apply today’s leading-edge technology, including the introduction of digital connectors such as Apple Lightning and USB-C, to offer this capability in a consumer device.
 
Daniel Sennheiser explains that the product draws on the company’s 70-year heritage of innovation and its vision to shape the future of audio: “Perhaps more than any other company, Sennheiser can claim to have started the very first wave of binaural audio in the 1960s, with the creation of the first open headphone model – the HD 414.”
 
“This same passion for innovation in audio will inspire a new wave of binaural sound for the digital age. We are very excited to see how consumers will embrace the creative possibilities that are opened up by this exciting technology,” Andreas Sennheiser says.
 

EXPERIENCE SMART SURROUND

At CES, visitors will be given the opportunity to try the new prototypes for themselves in Sennheiser’s 3D Audio Experience Room. Inside, they will be surrounded by acoustical and visual impulses – an immersive experience that they are invited to explore and record with a pair of AMBEO Smart Surround and a smartphone. At the end of the demo, they can watch and listen again, and even share their videos online – all enhanced with stunning binaural sound.
 
To learn more about the AMBEO Smart Surround and other new product highlights, visit Sennheiser in South Hall 1, Booth 20606.
 
The AMBEO Smart Surround will be available in the second half of 2017.
 

  ​

AMBEO Smart Surround In-Ear​

 

[LajostheHun]

BT 5.0 is around the corner and APTX HD already in units. I think Aptx HD should have been implemented since CES is tech exhibit of new stuff at least that's the idea behind it. Still Sennheiser pushing BT is a good thing.
I'm also interested on their take on of binaural hopefully they bring a wireless version of that too on the market at a not too distant future?

 

[beowulf]

  What about IE800s or IE900?

 
Indeed, I was hoping for a new IEM.

 

[vrln]

Solid new products, but I hope someone from the Head-Fi.org staff does an interview with Axel Grell at CES if he is attending. For example what happened to the black HDVD820 that was supposed to be released last October?

 

[larryblock]

I've spent months trying to stuff down several BT earphones that won't fit into my ears. I'd try to perhaps lift my ear upwards, outwards, sideways for insertion, and try every angle, and still they keep popping out. I don't think the ER4 was ever this difficult. After a while some kind of fatigue or soreness would invariably set in, and leave me to wonder why none of those products could pop in and just sit there and disappear -- and you know what, my reference point for a satisfying fit has been my Momentum IE.
 
So perhaps I am exactly the target audience for this new MIE Wireless thing. But I wonder about the size of that collar, and whether I can tuck it under my T-shirts as I prefer. Or perhaps buy black duct tape to cover the sennheiser logo and lettering. Until I can check one out in person, though, no amount of brain-picking would resolve my doubts. Sennheiser prices also tend to be a little inflated where I live.
 
So you know what I'll do for a few weeks: wear a lanyard around my neck, use a BT receiver and wrap my Momentum IE around that setup. Sounds like a sizable rig, but the setup goes under my T-shirt pretty well. 

 

 

[Levanter]

  Thanks for sharing, @AxelCloris! I'll share the links and full press releases below:
 
http://www.sennheiser.com/ces-2017
http://www.sennheiser.com/momentum-in-ear-wireless
http://www.sennheiser.com/hd-1-in-ear-wireless
http://www.sennheiser.com/hd-4-40
http://www.sennheiser.com/hd-4-50
 
 

SENNHEISER’S EVERYDAY AUDIO HEROES ARE NOW WIRELESS

At CES 2017, Sennheiser is launching the HD 4.50BTNC and HD 4.40BT – two new wireless headsets for brilliant, everyday listening pleasure. The first Bluetooth models in the audio specialist’s popular HD 4 series combine high-quality Sennheiser sound with the freedom of wireless listening in a robust, affordable headphone. The HD 4.50BTNC additionally features Sennheiser’s NoiseGard™ active noise cancellation for a listening experience free from any distractions.
 
The closed back, around-ear headphones have been created to be perfect everyday companions for wireless listening on the move. “The HD 4.50BTNC and HD 4.40BT are designed for always-on, always-connected customers for whom the enjoyment of media and music can be part of every day and every hour,” explains Ivan Kuan, Head of Portfolio Management Lifestyle at Sennheiser.
 
Thanks to Sennheiser’s NoiseGardTM active noise cancellation technology, users can enjoy music without any distractions with the HD 4.50BTNC: By intelligently filtering out ambient noise, this system lets the detailed acoustic response of the proprietary Sennheiser 32mm drivers shine.
 
Both HD 4.50BTNC and HD 4.40BT employ the advanced wireless technology and audio codec of Bluetooth 4.0 and aptX to deliver true wireless Hi-Fi sound. Alongside great performance, the new headsets offer ease of use, comfort and convenience. They feature NFC for simple pairing with compatible devices and intuitive ear-cup mounted controls for changing tracks and for making calls via the integrated microphone. Wearing comfort is assured by their ergonomically designed ear pads.
 
HD 4.50BTNC and HD 4.40BT feature excellent battery life, letting listeners enjoy wireless sound for up to 25 hours. With ANC enabled, the HD 4.50BTNC still allows for up to 19 hours of wireless, distraction-free listening. A battery-free listening mode is also possible via a supplied detachable cable. Elegant and minimalistic, the new wireless headphones have been crafted from durable materials that make them tough enough to be everyday audio companions. With their collapsible design, the HD 4.50BTNC and HD 4.40BT fold away compactly. For easy storage, the HD 4.50BTNC comes with a protective case, while the HD 4.40BT can be stored in the supplied soft pouch.
 
The new HD 4.40BT will be available from January 2017, while the HD 4.50BTNC will be available from February.
 
CES 2017 is held in Las Vegas from January 5-8. To experience and learn more about HD 4.50BTNC, HD 4.40BT and other new products, visit Sennheiser in South Hall 1, Booth 20606.
 

 
 
For only $200, this would really make me pissed if the only difference between HD 4.50BTNC and PXC-550 is only on the features where else the SQ and NC capability is the same.
Care to elaborate on why the PXC-550 cost 2x more?

 

[Rafique Adzam]

I am so excited for the Momentum In Ear Wireless.It seems promising.I have been waiting for a wireless earphone by a quality company for some time now.Glad that Sennheiser could do this.I will surely buy these.I hope they improve the sound as I am not impressed with the sound of the original momentum in ear.The originals lack bass and the treble is too high.

 

[dweaver]

Just took a read through the 4.50 manual and it appears this headphone is missing several features that the 550 has so do feel there is quite a bit of difference on that front alone. Build wise the 4.50 also appears to be a lot more plastic as compared to the 550 so again this leans in favour for the 550. I can not find what the driver size is of the 550 but do see there is a difference in the frequency response between the 550 and 4.50 with the 550 going deeper and higher than the 4.50 so feel it's safe to assume the 4.50 will have a different driver.

I was intrigued by the 4.30 when it was released so these new models really fascinate me. It would be be very cool to see how the 4.50 stacks up against the 550, to see what the differences are sonically speaking. My suspicion is the 4.50 will have a more V shaped consumer oriented signature but that's just a guess on my part.

 

[Random Lunatic]

  What about IE800s or IE900?

The IE800 already sort of sounds like an "s" version, but an IE900 with proper cables would be nice

 

[cellarbro]

I second this! Could use a new IE800 with better cables

 

[Dragonfly cobalt user]

Ha ha , i would be very angry then)))

 

[dweaver]

Well I just picked up a pair of the HD 4.50 BTNC after a quick listen at the store. I really like how they sound. Unfortunately the I no longer have the 550 to compare them to so will not be able to do a proper A/B comparison sonically speaking. They don't have as many bells and whistles as the 550 and are a bit tighter on the head so not quite as comfy but they also have thicker pads so won't have the issue of people ears touching the drivers. My son has bigger ears than me and thry stick out on his head more than mine. He said his ears touch the sides a bit but not the drivers. He will try them for a couple hours later and let me know if they start to bother his ears.

I am surprised the 4.50 doesn't have it own thread or at least one combined withe 4.40BT as these sound very good and offer one heck of a bang for the buck compared to the Bose and Sony NC BT headphones and even the 550.

Will report back after I have more time with these.

 

[asphirosis]

I've been using the new Hooke Verse product from Hooke Audio - they're bluetooth headphones with binaural mics built right in the ears! It integrates with iPhone and Android, and the sound quality is astounding! They're less than $250, and they can record wired to a field recorder or wireless via bluetooth to store the tracks on the phone to share right away. I've tried the "ears on a stick" thing too, but this style is the way to go. Sennheiser still haven't release this Smart Surround, and I guarantee that it's going to be a butt load more than $250. I highly recommend the Hooke Verse, for sure!