Sennheiser 4.40 vs 4.50 Which is the Better Version?

Is there a clear winner when you compare these wireless headphones side-by-side? What are the main differences? Do they share any similarities? Chances are, you have quite a few questions that you need to be answered! Our goal is to highlight which one is a better fit for you… and why!

Since we’ve already reviewed each headphone individually, you can trust that we did our research! If you’re anything like us, you probably agree that it’s much easier to see all the facts in one place. This is exactly why we did our best to point out the most important features and differences to consider! 

You can read this entire page from top to bottom, or use the links provided throughout to read a full review for each model separately! If you want to see which one is better, keep reading our final showdown featuring the Sennheiser 4.40 vs 4.50!

Sennheiser 4.40 vs 4.50

Before you move on, take a quick look at the links below that you can use to navigate our comparison. Each section will cover the most important features, similarities, and differences in detail.  

Here are the 5 main sections we’ll be covering for the final showdown: 

1. The HD 4.40 Wireless
2. The HD 4.50 Wireless w/ANC
3. Do They Share Any Similarities?
4. Major Differences To Consider!
5. Which Version Is More Highly-Rated?

If you’re ready to get started, let’s take a look at the first version!

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The HD 4.40 Wireless 

Technical Specs:

• Circumaural (over ear) wearing design
• Connectivity: Wireless
• Battery Life: Up to 25 hours on a single charge
• NFC Pairing: Yes
• Noise Cancelling: No
• Driver Type: Dynamic
• Frequency Response: 18 – 22,000 Hz
• Impedance: 18 Ohms
• Dimensions: 7.08 x 3.94 x 10.25 inches
• Weight: 7.84 ounces

Build Quality & Wearing Design

As you can see in the picture above, these feature a pretty minimal all-plastic build. The ear cups and headband are both black with a darker gray trim at the joints where they fold. They fold down into a fairly compact shape that makes them easy to bring with you for the day. 

You will also receive a small cloth drawstring carry pouch for easy storage. Keep in mind, it’s not reinforced so it’s the main purpose is to keep dust and other debris away from your cans. 

Unfortunately, they do not have 90° rotating ear cups, which may be a slight downside if you like to let one of your ears breathe from time to time. That being said, each ear cup has soft leatherette-covered cushions that provide a decent amount of ventilation. 

Bluetooth 4.0 & Ear Cup Controls

They also have ear-cup mounted controls and a built-in microphone. Adjusting the volume, powering them on/off, answering calls, and pairing them via Bluetooth is all done using these controls. For the most part, they are easy to use and you’ll probably have them figured out after playing around with them for an hour or less. 

While the built-in Bluetooth 4.0 isn’t the most up-to-date wireless technology, your music will sound significantly better than earlier versions. They also have aptX codec support which improves wireless performance and helps minimize any latency issues.

It’s also important to keep in mind that when you’re using the Bluetooth connection, you may have some issues with volume. By ‘issues’ we mean that on certain tracks (at full volume), it doesn’t go quite loud enough. 

Battery Life & Passive Noise Isolation

Compared to other similar headphones, 25 hours on a single charge is usually more than enough battery life for everyday use. They do not have a quick charge feature, but a full charge only takes about 2 hours. 

To avoid running out of battery mid-song, you can use the standard wired connection instead. Listening to this way will not drain the battery at all. Since they fit around (and over) both ears, they will naturally block some outside noise. While their passive noise isolation can’t compete with Active Noise Cancellation, turning your music up louder tends to drown most outside noise regardless. 

Sonic Performance – What Do They Sound Like?

They have a surprisingly dynamic bass response across a pretty wide range of genres which makes them ideal for anyone who enjoys more than one style of music. This is offset by the fairly well-balanced mid-to-upper range. 

One slight downside is some minor audible distortion (when using the wired connection) with your paired device set to the highest volume. It’s especially noticeable when they’re paired with a portable amp like the Audioquest Dragonfly Red. In most cases, you can avoid any distortion by simply listening at a slightly lower volume.  

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The HD 4.50 Wireless w/ANC Overview

Technical Specs:

• Circumaural (over-ear) wearing design
• Connectivity: Wireless
• Battery Life: Up to 19 hours on a single charge
• NFC Pairing: Yes
• Noise Cancelling: Yes
• Driver Type: Dynamic
• Frequency Response: 18 – 22,000 Hz
• Impedance: 18 Ohms
• Dimensions: 7.08 x 3.94 x 10.25 inches
• Weight: 8.4 ounces

Build Quality & Wearing Design

As you can see in the picture above, these look almost identical to the non-noise cancelling version. They have the same all-plastic build and leatherette-covered ear cushions. The main difference is that they have silver trim at the joints where the ear cups fold in. 

Just like the ‘phones above, these do not have 90° rotating ear cups. They instead feature a side-swivel design. They side-swivel feature improves their overall fit since they automatically adjust to the contour of your head.

They also include a canvas carrying case with a zipper enclosure. There is plenty of room inside the case for your cans and the micro USB or headphone cable. Unfortunately, it isn’t a hard shell or reinforced. The canvas cloth has the same texture as many travel or toiletry bags.

Much like the drawstring pouch included with the other pair, the case is meant to provide some baseline protection. That being said, it’s definitely more robust than the drawstring pouch mentioned above. 

Bluetooth 4.0 & Ear Cup Controls

They also have ear-cup mounted controls and a built-in microphone on the right side. They share a similar button layout but with a few different functions. The combination of Bluetooth 4.0 and aptX provides a stable wireless connection with minimal interruptions. 

When you’re using them to talk on the phone, they have a sidetone feature that allows you to hear yourself as you talk. The sidetone feature isn’t offered on very many (if any) other headphones at this price point. It’s especially convenient for monitoring the volume of your voice to avoid yelling at the person on the other end. 

Battery Life & Active Noise Cancellation

If you’re using the Bluetooth connection and have ANC powered on – you can expect to get around 19 hours of continuous use. If you decide to use the wired connection, you will usually get closer to 25 hours of noise-cancelling playback time. 

The NoiseGard Active Noise Cancelling feature performs very well, especially considering these are priced much lower than many other noise-cancelling over-ears. When ANC is activated, there is a very faint hiss that’s only noticeable when you’re not listening to anything. Once you press play on your paired device, the hiss is completely nonexistent. 

To activate this feature (when you’re in Bluetooth mode) you’ll hold the up and down button at the same time. The NoiseGard ANC blocks most outside noise, which makes it a much more budget-friendly competitor to the Sony WH1000XM2. 

Sonic Performance – What Do They Sound Like?

No matter what style of music you prefer, you can expect fairly neutral playback. Although the bass response isn’t bloated, it does have a somewhat punchy and powerful presence. Even at higher volumes, there isn’t any audible distortion to be heard. 

Much like the model above, you may run into some minor volume concerns. That being said, it’s significantly improved compared to the previous version. Instead of having to keep the volume at 100%, you can dial it back a few notches at letting it sit at closer to 80 or 85%. 

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Do They Share Any Similarities?

If you read both of the overviews above, you probably have a pretty good idea about most of the major differences between these two. Here they are in more detail (whether you skipped ahead or just want a quick recap). 

Wearing Design & Headphone Cable

Both headphones were built with the same exact materials and also share an almost identical wearing design. After wearing both pairs for at least a few hours, there isn’t any noticeable difference in terms of comfort. Both have a comfortable amount of headphone clamp and ear cushion. 

Each version also allows for the option to use the proprietary 3.5 mm headphone cable, or a Bluetooth 4.0 connection. Keep in mind that the 3.5 mm port (for both) is featured on the bottom of the right ear cup.

Do They Have The Same Battery Life?

They also have a nearly identical battery life. Of course, there are a few pretty major differences which we’ll cover in more detail below. Aside from using the ANC, both pairs can be used in wired mode without relying on the internal battery. 

Bluetooth Audio Quality

When you’re streaming music (or videos) using the Bluetooth connection, neither one really stands out over the other in terms of audio quality. On the flip side, both sound noticeably better using the wired connection. 

Tech Specs & Playback Response

If you compare their tech specs side-by-side, you’ll notice that they have an identical frequency response, impedance, and Bluetooth version. As we also mentioned, both pairs have a similar sonic performance and playback response. (Then again, you could argue that the 4.50 sound better when you activate the ANC feature.)

Also, you won’t need an external amp for either version (although it never hurts to give your music an extra boost). Now that you’ve seen the major similarities, take a look at a few differences below to see which version you’d prefer! 

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Major Differences To Consider!

Aside from the obvious fact that one has ANC, the other does not – there aren’t very many major differences between these two. They are both only available in the color schemes pictured above. The first model with darker gray trim, and the second with light silver detailing.

It makes no difference in terms of overall performance, but if you prefer silver over gray (or vice versa) you may want to keep that in mind. Despite their nearly identical build, there is a slight weight difference to consider!

Which Pair Is Heavier?

The 4.50 are slightly heavier, weighing about 1/5 an ounce more. The inner components used to build the ANC technology is most likely to blame for the extra weight. Does the extra 0.5 ounces make a big difference comfort-wise? 

Not really, since they both have similar headband padding and ear cushions. If you wore each pair for 1 – 2 hours (and compared comfort) you probably wouldn’t notice any major difference at all. 

Battery Life w/ANC & Compact Storage

The ANC version also includes a more robust carrying case which may or may not factor into your final decision. The final major difference in this area is that the ANC version has a shorter battery life when you activate noise cancelling. 

Which Version Is More Expensive?

Although the ANC version is more expensive, they usually cost a fraction of what most other ANC cans retail for. What’s the bottom line? If you don’t absolutely need noise cancelling, you might be better off trying the cheaper model. Take a look at the final section below to see which version is more highly-rated!

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Which Version Is More Highly-Rated?

Without a doubt, both versions have a fairly even amount of good, bad, and neutral features. Their nearly identical build and wearing design makes them surprisingly evenly-matched. Which one should you get? 

Well, since the ANC feature is the most glaring difference, that would be the most obvious deciding factor in our minds. If you’re still not sure which one is the clear winner, you’ll want to take a look at our full reviews for both using the buttons below!

We’ve reviewed each headphone separately and ended up rating the noise-cancelling version slightly higher than the version without ANC. Keep in mind, the less-expensive HD 4.40 is more highly-rated on Amazon.

Use the buttons here to learn more about the model that’s more highly-rated on Amazon!

Use the buttons here to learn more about our favorite model!

What do you think? Is there a clear winner in your mind? Ultimately, we think it boils down to how and where you plan on using them. Let us know what you think by leaving a comment below!

Did we do a good job of highlighting the most important features for both models? Did we answer all your questions? If not, feel free to ask your question below! 

We hope you enjoyed our final showdown featuring the Sennheiser 4.40 vs 4.50! Thanks for stopping by, we hope to see you here again!

Sonic Elevation: Ride The Waves.