Sennheiser Sport True Wireless review
- Anyone looking for workout earbuds should consider the Sennheiser Sport True Wireless. With a plethora of ear tips and wings, the earbuds stay locked in place during any fitness routine.
- Joggers who like to be aware of their surroundings will appreciate the open ear tip option and stay aware mode.
What is it like to use the Sennheiser Sport True Wireless?
The Sennheiser Sport True Wireless is built from the ground up with fitness enthusiasts in mind. The charging case and earbuds are both made from sturdy plastic, and the IP54 dust and water rating ensures the earbuds will survive indoor or outdoor adventures.
A plethora of ear tips and ear wings provide a snug fit for ears of different shapes and sizes. Included in the box are two different types of silicone ear tips, which Sennheiser describes as “closed” and “open.” In theory, these ear tips aim to provide a varied experience similar to that of open-back vs closed-back headphones, but in practice, the difference between the two different ear tips types is barely audible.
Along with three different sizes of both the closed and open ear tips, there are four different sizes of wings. The wings wrap around the earbuds and keep the buds locked in place in the ear during intense workouts. The wings and ear tips are easy to interchange without too much fuss.
How do you control the Sport True Wireless earbuds?
Touch panels adorn the outside of each earbud for easy control over music playback, calls, and your voice assistant of choice. You can fully adjust the controls within the Sennheiser Smart Control app, but we’ve outlined the default controls in the table below. You can also fully disable the touch controls from within the app.
Single tap | Double tap | Triple tap | Tap and hold | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Left earbud | Single tap
Play/pause, or answer/end call |
Double tap
Previous track, or reject call |
Triple tap
Voice assistant |
Tap and hold
Volume down |
Right earbud |
Single tap
Play/pause, or answer/end call |
Double tap
Next track, or reject call |
Triple tap
Voice assistant |
Tap and hold
Volume up |
No, the earbuds don’t support auto play/pause. There’s no sensor for in-ear detection on the Sennheiser Sport True Wireless, so the earbuds won’t automatically pause when you remove an earbud from your ear.
Should you download the Sennheiser Smart Control app?
Make sure to install the latest firmware updates before using the Sennheiser Sport True Wireless.
Since it’s important for athletes and joggers to hear their surroundings while working out, Sennheiser includes an “Aware” mode to maximize your ability to hear environmental noise, especially when paired with the open ear tips. Moreover, this mode adjusts the EQ of the earbuds to provide more bass, which helps to limit the common auditory masking of low frequencies from environmental noise.
How does the Sennheiser Sport True Wireless connect?
The Sennheiser Sport True Wireless connects to you device over Bluetooth 5.2 and supports the SBC, AAC, and aptX codecs. This ensures a steady connection across all devices, whether you have an Apple or Android phone. The earbuds are quick to connect to new devices, and stay connected even while we move them meters away from the source device during workouts.
How long does the battery last on the Sennheiser Sport True Wireless?
The charging case provides an additional two charging cycles. Only 10 minutes of fast charging provides 60 minutes of music playback, and it takes about 90 minutes to fully charge the case and earbuds. Wireless charging is absent, but you can use the included USB-C cable to power up the case.
How well does the Sennheiser Sport True Wireless block out noise?
The biggest drawback to the Sennheiser Sport True Wireless is the absence of active noise cancelling. ANC is increasingly becoming a standard feature we expect to see on all wireless earbuds but that doesn’t necessarily mean that every shopper wants it. Seeing how Sennheiser has other IPX4-rated earbuds with ANC, you have a range of other options. That being said, some background noise is attenuated if you achieve a tight seal with the ear tips on the Sennheiser Sport True Wireless.
Passive isolation reduces the loudness of high-frequency noise by up to 90%. This helps block out the clanging of weights at the gym and background office chatter. However, these earbuds don’t block out low-frequency noise, such as the rumble of an airplane engine. If you care about zoning out from the world around you and focusing on your music, check out some of these noise cancelling earbuds instead.
How does the Sennheiser Sport True Wireless sound?
Sennheiser rarely misses when it comes to headphone sound quality, and the Sport True Wireless is no exception. The frequency response of the earbuds closely follows our ideal curve for consumer headphones. While the earbuds slightly emphasize bass more than treble, most people will enjoy the sound of these workout buds. If not, it’s easy enough to adjust the sound from within the Smart Control app or a third-party EQ app instead.
Lows, mids, highs
The earbuds slightly emphasize low-frequencies more than studio headphones, but not beyond what most people enjoy. At 0:50 of A Moment Apart by Odesza, the droning bass line sounds slightly louder relative to the strings and piano than you would hear on headphones with a more neutral frequency response.
The entire midrange is extremely accurate all the way up to 2kHz; however, the earbuds slightly under-emphasize upper mids from 2-4kHz by a couple of decibels. This is noticeable in the snare drum in that same Odesza track, which sounds quieter than it does from studio headphones. Keep in mind we’re nitpicking here. In general, these are some of the best-sounding earbuds around.
Can you use the Sennheiser Sport True Wireless for phone calls?
The Sennheiser Sport True Wireless microphones work well enough to take calls on the go in most environments. As you can see in the chart above, the microphones don’t pick up any frequencies above 7kHz, leaving vocals to sound a bit “muffled.”
In the second microphone demonstration below, you can hear how the microphones still relay the background noise of our simulated office environment alongside the speaker’s voice. This is especially noticeable when using these earbuds at the gym, where background music, shouting, and clanging of weights make it hard for people to hear you. Still, this is better than a handful of other embedded mic systems that we’ve heard.
Sennheiser Sport True Wireless microphone demo (Ideal):
Sennheiser Sport True Wireless microphone demo (Office):
Sennheiser Sport True Wireless microphone demo (Street):
How does the microphone sound to you?
11 votes
Should you buy the Sennheiser Sport True Wireless?
If you’re a fitness enthusiast that likes to be aware of your surroundings, you should buy the Sennheiser Sport True Wireless earbuds. From the great sound, to dust and waterproofing, to a secure fit, these earbuds have everything most athletes need. Combining the open ear tips, with the “Aware” mode that amplifies background noise while increasing bass, provides the best implementation of a transparency mode we’ve seen on any earbuds.
All prices listed in USD unless otherwise specified. Prices may change over time, and vary by region. Unfortunately, we cannot list Amazon prices on the site, as they vary greatly by currency.
On the other hand, anyone that prefers to block out distractions should not buy the Sennheiser Sport True Wireless. The lack of active noise cancelling holds these earbuds back from competing with the best true wireless earbuds.
What is the difference between Sennheiser Sport True Wireless and Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 3?
Upgrading to the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 3 provides access to many more premium features. Along with active noise cancelling, you also get wireless charging, aptX Adaptive, and a unique Sound Zones feature that adjusts the earbuds depending on your location.
On the other hand, the MOMENTUM True Wireless 3 isn’t as good for adventure junkies. You only get IPX4 protection rather than IP54, and you don’t get the same level of customization with ear tips and ear wings. Most people will also prefer the sound of the Sport True Wireless, as the MOMENTUM True Wireless 3 under-emphasizes high frequencies.
What are some alternatives to the Sennheiser Sport True Wireless Earbuds?
If you’re looking for the best workout earbuds, get the Jabra Elite 7 Active. These earbuds tick pretty much every box on our checklist, including good sound, adjustable listening modes, and great durability.
If staying aware of your surroundings is your top priority, check out bone-conducting headphones such as the Shokz OpenRun. This style of headphones keeps your ear canal completely open, providing more transparency than any set of in-ear earbuds (aside from maybe the Sony LinkBuds).
Frequently asked questions about the Sennheiser Sport True Wireless
Disconnect the earbuds from any of your Bluetooth devices. Then, take one of the earbuds out of the charging case, and touch and hold the the touch panel on the earbud for ten seconds. Next, take the second earbud out of the charging case and press and hold the touch panel on the earbud for ten seconds. If the LED’s on the earbuds flash blue three times, that means the earbuds have successfully been reset and connected to each other.