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We've recently released our Test Bench 1.6 update for Headphones! Read the Latency R&D Article to learn more.

Sennheiser HD 4.40 BT Wireless Headphones Review

Tested using Methodology v1.5
Reviewed Mar 22, 2019 at 10:26 am
Latest change: Test bench update Nov 19, 2021 at 03:01 pm
Sennheiser HD 4.40 BT Wireless Picture
7.3
Neutral Sound
6.7
Commute/Travel
7.1
Sports/Fitness
6.6
Office
5.2
Wireless Gaming
6.9
Wired Gaming
6.1
Phone Calls

The Sennheiser HD 4.40 are okay mixed usage over-ear headphones that can be used for a variety of use cases. They don’t excel in any usage but can be very versatile. Their sound is decent, and you also have a great EQ that lets you customize it to your liking. Unfortunately, they lack an ANC feature to be a good option for commuting, unlike the Sennheiser HD 4.50 BTNC. On the upside, they have low latency for Bluetooth headphones, so most people might not notice the delay when watching video content. They're a good option if you’re looking for headphones that can do a bit of everything without breaking the bank.

Our Verdict

7.3 Neutral Sound

Decent for neutral listening. The Sennheiser 4.40 have a good, powerful, and extended bass, a well-balanced and accurate mid-range, but an underemphasized treble range that lacks in detail. Also, their bass is slightly thumpy, which some may like, but is also inconsistent across different users. Overall, these headphones will be suitable for a wide variety of music genres, but they have a slightly darker sound overall, and vocals and cymbals will sound a bit bland. On the upside, they have a good EQ, which lets you customize their sound to your preference.

Pros
  • Fairly comfortable and durable design.
  • Low latency for Bluetooth headphones.
  • Great battery life.
Cons
  • Sub-par isolation performance.
  • Bass is prone to inconsistencies across users. Sensitive to glasses.
6.7 Commute/Travel

Passable for commuting. The Sennheiser HD 4.40 aren’t the most portable headphones and they lack an ANC feature like similar Sennheiser models. They don’t isolate at all against lower frequency noises like engine rumbles. On the upside, you’ll be able to use them during the longest flights, as they have a great 29-hour battery life.

Pros
  • Fairly comfortable and durable design.
  • Low latency for Bluetooth headphones.
  • Great battery life.
Cons
  • Sub-par isolation performance.
  • Bass is prone to inconsistencies across users. Sensitive to glasses.
7.1 Sports/Fitness

Okay for sports. The headphones feel secure and stable on the head for jogging, but they are noticeably less tight than the Sennheiser HD 4.50. Also, their bulky over-ear design won’t be ideal, as it traps heat under the ear cups, and they aren’t very portable. Their control scheme also isn’t the best, and might be hard to use during exercising.

Pros
  • Fairly comfortable and durable design.
  • Low latency for Bluetooth headphones.
  • Great battery life.
Cons
  • Sub-par isolation performance.
  • Bass is prone to inconsistencies across users. Sensitive to glasses.
6.6 Office

Okay for the office. These headphones passively isolate well against A/C noise and do a decent job against ambient chatter, especially if you're playing a bit of music. They also don’t leak too much, so you’ll be able to block more noise by raising your volume without disturbing your surrounding colleagues. Additionally, their great battery life will last you longer than a full workday, but some might need to take a break because their headband lacks padding.

Pros
  • Fairly comfortable and durable design.
  • Low latency for Bluetooth headphones.
  • Great battery life.
Cons
  • Sub-par isolation performance.
  • Bass is prone to inconsistencies across users. Sensitive to glasses.
5.2 Wireless Gaming

Mediocre at best for gaming. Playing video games over Bluetooth is not ideal, even with latency that is lower than most Bluetooth headphones. Also, their microphone is mediocre and won’t be suited for talking with friends and teammates online.

6.9 Wired Gaming

Pros
  • Fairly comfortable and durable design.
  • Low latency for Bluetooth headphones.
  • Great battery life.
Cons
  • Sub-par isolation performance.
  • Bass is prone to inconsistencies across users. Sensitive to glasses.
6.1 Phone Calls

Pros
  • Fairly comfortable and durable design.
  • Low latency for Bluetooth headphones.
  • Great battery life.
Cons
  • Sub-par isolation performance.
  • Bass is prone to inconsistencies across users. Sensitive to glasses.
  • 7.3 Neutral Sound
  • 6.7 Commute/Travel
  • 7.1 Sports/Fitness
  • 6.6 Office
  • 5.2 Wireless Gaming
  • 6.9 Wired Gaming
  • 6.1 Phone Calls
  1. Updated Nov 19, 2021: Converted to Test Bench 1.5.
  2. Updated Feb 05, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.4.
  3. Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
  4. Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
  5. Updated Mar 22, 2019: Review published.
  6. Updated Mar 20, 2019: Our testers have started testing this product.
  7. Updated Mar 18, 2019: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
  8. Updated Feb 27, 2019: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

Compared To Other Headphones

The Sennheiser HD 4.40 are decent mixed-usage headphones that set themselves apart by their amazing wireless range and low latency, which makes them more suitable to watch video content than most Bluetooth headphones. However, they don’t have a great isolation performance, since they lack an ANC feature like other similar Sennheiser models. If you’re looking for ANC headphones for your commute, take a look at our recommendations for the best headphones, the best noise cancelling headphones and the best over-ear wireless headphones.

Sennheiser HD 4.50 BTNC

The Sennheiser HD 4.50 are more versatile headphones than the Sennheiser HD 4.40 BT due to their ANC feature, which makes them suitable for commuting and at the office. Other than that, these two models are practically the same and perform quite similarly. The HD 4.40 are a bit less tight on some heads, which can be more comfortable for people with bigger heads.

JBL TUNE 750BTNC Wireless

The JBL TUNE 750BTNC Wireless are slightly better headphones for mixed usage than the Sennheiser HD 4.40 BT Wireless. The JBL have a better control scheme and have a better-balanced sound profile that's more consistent among various users. They also have ANC which helps them block out a bit more background noise than the Sennheiser. On the other hand, the Sennheiser last much longer off a single charge, are more comfortable, and look and feel more durable.

JBL Live 500BT Wireless

The JBL Live 500BT have a very small edge over the Sennheiser HD 4.40 BT Wireless. They feel slightly better-built and less plasticky, and their sound quality is slightly better as it doesn’t lack as much detail in the treble range as the Sennheiser. You also get about 10 extra hours of battery life with the JBL. Their audio cable also features an in-line microphone, which the Sennheiser are lacking. However, the Sennheiser support NFC pairing and have lower latency, which is better suited for watching video content without any delay. 

JBL E55BT Wireless

The Sennheiser HD 4.40 BT Wireless might be a better option than the JBL E55BT Wireless for most users, thanks to its nice app that allows you to EQ the sound to your liking. They also have very low latency for Bluetooth headphones and have a few more hours of battery life. The JBLs are slightly more comfortable and can pair with two devices simultaneously. They also come with a cable that has an in-line microphone, which the Sennheiser lacks.

Skullcandy Hesh 3 Wireless

The Sennheiser HD 4.40 BT Wireless are better mixed-usage headphones than the Skullcandy Hesh 3 Wireless, thanks to their app that gives you access to a good EQ. The Sennheiser also have less latency, which is good for watching videos. Other than that, they are similarly performing headphones and both have a very similar look. The Skullcandy might be a better choice if you like bass-heavy genres.

Sony WH-CH700N Wireless

The Sony WH-CH700N are slightly better headphones than the Sennheiser HD 4.40 BT. They have a great audio reproduction and have over 30 hours of battery life. Their control scheme is noticeably easier to use, and they have an ANC feature, though it doesn’t seem to isolate against ambient noise that well. The Sony app is also great and offers multiple controls and customization. On the other hand, the Sennheiser headphones have low latency for Bluetooth and take noticeably less time to charge. However, they won’t be as comfortable as the WH-CH700N.

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Test Results

perceptual testing image
Design
Design
Style
Type Over-ear
Enclosure Closed-Back
Wireless Yes
Transducer Dynamic

The Sennheiser HD 4.40 BT look fairly similar to the Sennheiser HD 4.50, but they don’t have silver accents on the ear cups and headband, which makes them stand out a bit less. They are fairly low-profile over-ears and don’t have a very flashy design. The padding is decently thick on the ear cups, but there’s not much on the headband. The dark matte finish gives the headphones a high-end look but might feel a bit plasticky once in your hands.

7.0
Design
Comfort
Weight 0.5 lbs
Clamping Force
0.9 lbs

The Sennheiser HD 4.40 are decently comfortable and have good padding on the ear cups. They feel a bit softer than the Sennheiser HD 4.50, but they are noticeably less tight, which people may prefer. The headphones are lightweight and don’t apply too much pressure on the head, which is good since the headband isn’t well-padded. Also, the cups are fairly small and shallow and might not be very comfortable for people with bigger ears. These headphones might get uncomfortable for long listening sessions.

6.1
Design
Controls
OS Compatibility
Not OS specific
Ease Of Use Okay
Feedback Mediocre
Call/Music Control Yes
Volume Control Yes
Microphone Control No
Channel Mixing
No
Noise Cancelling Control No
Talk-Through
No
Additional Controls No

The HD 4.40 BT don’t have the best control scheme and have similar flaws to the Sennheiser HD 4.50. The buttons are the same, and they feel cramped and unresponsive at times. You get call/music management, track skipping, and volume controls, which are common. However, the track-skipping switch also acts as a button to play/pause, so it feels very mushy and feedback is poor. On the upside, the volume rocker is good, but you get an audio queue for each volume change, which can get annoying.

6.7
Design
Breathability
Avg.Temp.Difference 5.1 °C

The Sennheiser HD 4.40 are not very breathable. They have a tight fit and a decent seal around your ears which obstruct a good amount of airflow. They should be okay for casual listening and most use cases, but will make your ears sweat during more demanding activities like running and exercising.

6.5
Design
Portability
L 7.1" (18.0 cm)
W 4.5" (11.4 cm)
H 1.8" (4.6 cm)
Volume 58.00 in³ (950.45 cm³)
Transmitter Required No

The HD 4.40 BT are not the most portable over-ear headphones, but they can fold into a more portable format, which takes less space. However, the cups don’t swivel to lay flat, which would make them easier to slide in a bag or to wear around the neck.

5.5
Design
Case
Type Pouch
L N/A
W N/A
H N/A
Volume N/A

These headphones come with a soft pouch that protects the headphones from small scratches but won’t protect against water exposure and physical damage if they are dropped. On the upside, the pouch doesn’t add bulk to the design.

7.0
Design
Build Quality

The HD 4.40 and 4.50 are built the same way. They are lightweight but feel fairly durable. The cups feel dense and should survive a few accidental drops. However, the headband isn’t reinforced by a metal sheet like the higher-end Sennheiser PXC 550 Wireless. Overall, they feel a bit plasticky, but they don’t feel too cheaply made.

7.0
Design
Stability

The Sennheiser HD 4.40 are stable enough for you to run with, but they still won’t be the best option for exercising or intense sports due to their bulky over-ear design. They aren’t as tight as the HD 4.50 and fall off your head more easily. On the upside, the wireless design also ensures that the headphones won't be yanked off your head, as there's no cable to get hooked on anything.

Design
Headshots 1
Design
Headshots 2
Design
Top
Design
In The Box

  • Sennheiser HD 4.40 BT headphones
  • 1/8” TRS audio cable
  • Micro-USB charging cable
  • Carrying pouch
  • Manuals

Sound
Sound
Sound Profile
Bass Amount
1.12 dB
Treble Amount
-2.79 dB
6.3
Sound
Frequency Response Consistency
Avg. Std. Deviation
0.81 dB

The HD 4.40 BT have a mediocre frequency response consistency performance. These headphones are prone to consistency issues, especially in the bass range. The maximum variance measured across our five human subjects was about 8dB at 20Hz, which is noticeable. We also noticed that certain types of glasses could break the seal on these headphones and cause a drop in bass. In the treble range, they delivered fairly consistently but might be a bit sensitive to positioning. Try the Samson SR850 if you're looking for over-ear headphones that deliver sound more consistently.

Sound
Raw Frequency Response
8.6
Sound
Bass Accuracy
Std. Err.
1.93 dB
Low-Frequency Extension
10 Hz
Low-Bass
1.76 dB
Mid-Bass
1.55 dB
High-Bass
-1.29 dB

The Sennheiser HD 4.40 have excellent bass. LFE (low-frequency extension) is at 10Hz, which is excellent. Low-bass, responsible for thump and rumble, is overemphasized by almost 4dB, which adds a noticeable excess of thumpiness to the bass, but some may prefer this. Mid-bass, responsible for the body of bass guitars and the punch of the kick drums, is also overemphasized by more than 2dB. There’s also a small dip in high-bass, which results in a slight loss in warmth.

Also, their bass delivery varies noticeably across users, and is sensitive to the quality of fit, seal, and whether you wear glasses. The response here represents the average bass response, so your experience may vary.

8.9
Sound
Mid Accuracy
Std. Err.
1.44 dB
Low-Mid
-1.41 dB
Mid-Mid
0.33 dB
High-Mid
1.07 dB

The mid-range is great. There’s a small dip in low-mid as a continuation of the high-bass, which makes the vocals slightly thin. However, low-mid and mid-mid are well-balanced and within 1.5dB of our target. This is important for clear reproduction of vocals and lead instruments. High-mid, however, is over our target by more than 2dB, bringing a bit of excess intensity and projection to vocals/leads.

5.6
Sound
Treble Accuracy
Std. Err.
6.26 dB
Low-Treble
-4.48 dB
Mid-Treble
-3.31 dB
High-Treble
-8.19 dB

Like the Sennheiser HD 4.50, the HD 4.40 BT’s treble range is mediocre. The response throughout the range is fairly uneven and very underemphasized. The dips centered around 4.5kHz and 7.5kHz have a negative effect on the clarity and presence of vocals, leads, and cymbals.

7.3
Sound
Peaks/Dips
Peaks
1.48 dB
Dips
2.21 dB
7.8
Sound
Imaging
Weighted Group Delay
0.35
Weighted Phase Mismatch
6.3
Weighted Amplitude Mismatch
0.96
Weighted Frequency Mismatch
3.26

The Sennheiser HD 4.40 have good imaging. Weighted group delay is at 0.35, which is good. The GD graph also shows that the group delay response is entirely below the audibility threshold. This results in a tight bass and a transparent treble reproduction. Additionally, the L/R drivers of our test unit were well-matched in frequency, amplitude, and phase response, ensuring accurate placement and localization of objects (voices, instruments, and video game effects) in the stereo field. However, these results are only valid for our unit and yours may perform differently.

4.6
Sound
Passive Soundstage
PRTF Accuracy (Std. Dev.)
3.58 dB
PRTF Size (Avg.)
1.09 dB
PRTF Distance
15.3 dB
Openness
4.7
Acoustic Space Excitation
2.5

The Sennheiser HD 4.40 BT have a sub-par soundstage. The PRTF graph shows an inadequate amount of pinna activation with low accuracy, and there's no notch present in the 10kHz area either. This suggests a soundstage that will be perceived as small and located inside the listener's head as opposed to in front. Also, since they are closed-back headphones, their soundstage will be perceived as less open-sounding than that of open-back headphones.

0
Sound
Virtual Soundstage
Head Modeling
No
Speaker Modeling
No
Room Ambience
No
Head Tracking
No
Virtual Surround
No App
7.1
Sound
Weighted Harmonic Distortion
WHD @ 90
0.510
WHD @ 100
0.222
Sound
Test Settings
Firmware
Unknown
Power
On
Connection
Bluetooth 4.0
Codec
SBC, 16-bit, 48kHz
EQ
No EQ
ANC
No ANC
Tip/Pad
Default
Microphone
Integrated
Isolation
4.7
Isolation
Noise Isolation
Isolation Audio
Overall Attenuation
-13.55 dB
Noise Cancelling No
Bass
0.18 dB
Mid
-10.23 dB
Treble
-31.46 dB

Their noise isolation performance is poor. Since they don’t have an active noise cancelling system, they don’t isolate against low-frequency noises like the rumble of airplanes and bus engines. In the mid-range, important for blocking out speech, they reduce outside noise by more than 10dB, which is okay. In the treble range, occupied by sharp S and T sounds and A/C noises, they isolate by over 31dB, which is good.

7.8
Isolation
Leakage
Leakage Audio
Overall Leakage @ 1ft
34.66 dB

The leakage performance of the HD 4.40 BT is good. The significant portion of their leakage is between 450Hz and 2.5KHz, which is not too broad. However, the overall level of leakage is very low. With the music at 100dB SPL, the leakage at 1 foot away averages at about 35dB SPL and peaks at 45dB SPL, which is slightly quieter than the noise floor of an average office.

Microphone
Microphone
Microphone Style
Integrated
Yes
In-Line
No
Boom
No
Detachable Boom
No
Mic Yes
5.2
Microphone
Recording Quality
Recorded Speech
LFE
310.89 Hz
FR Std. Dev.
5.27 dB
HFE
3,272.31 Hz
Weighted THD
68.863
Gain
38.09 dB

The recording quality of the mic is sub-par. The LFE of 306Hz results in a recorded/transmitted speech that sound relatively thin. The HFE is at 3.3kHz, making speech noticeably muffled and lacking detail. The response between the LFE and HFE points is quite uneven, suggesting an unnatural speech transmission.

7.4
Microphone
Noise Handling
SpNR
19.97 dB
Noise Gate
Always On
Speech + Pink Noise Handling
8.0
Speech + Pink Noise Audio Sample
Speech + Subway Noise Handling
6.5
Speech + Subway Noise Audio Sample

The integrated microphone of the HD 4.40 is decent at noise handling. It achieved a speech-to-noise ratio of 20dB in our SpNR test. This means it will be able to fully separate speech from ambient noise in moderately loud environments but will struggle in loud places like a subway station.

Active Features
7.6
Active Features
Battery
Battery Type
Rechargable
Continuous Battery Life
28.9 hrs
Additional Charges
0.0
Total Battery Life
28.9 hrs
Charge Time
2.4 hrs
Power-Saving Feature
No
Audio While Charging
No
Passive Playback
Yes
Charging Port micro-USB

The HD 4.40 BT have a great 29-hour battery life. This will be more than enough for a normal workday, and you won’t have to charge them often. When you do, they only take about 2 hours to fully charge. Unfortunately, they don’t have a power saving feature, so be sure to turn them off when not using them. On the upside, you can use them passively with an audio cable even if the battery is dead, which is convenient. For an even longer battery life, take a look at the JBL Live 500BT.

0
Active Features
App Support
App Name No App
iOS No
Android No
macOS No
Windows No
Equalizer
No
ANC Control
No
Mic Control No
Room Effects
No
Playback Control
No
Button Mapping No
Surround Support
No

Unfortunately, the Sennheiser companion app for these headphones, known as CapTune, is no longer available. The replacement app, Sennheiser Smart Control, isn't compatible. If you still have CapTune on your phone it will continue to function, but it's no longer possible to download it.

Connectivity
7.9
Connectivity
Bluetooth
Bluetooth Version
4.0
Multi-Device Pairing
No
NFC Pairing
Yes
Line Of Sight Range
284.00 ft (86.56 m)
PC Latency (SBC)
131 ms
PC Latency (aptX)
118 ms
PC Latency (aptX HD)
N/A
PC Latency (aptX-LL)
N/A
iOS Latency
48 ms
Android Latency
27 ms

These headphones are Bluetooth compatible. While they can’t connect to two devices simultaneously, they support NFC for a quicker and easier pairing procedure. If you really care about multi-device support, then consider the Sennheiser HD 4.50 BTNC instead.

The latency of the HD 4.40 is good for Bluetooth headphones, which normally average around 200-220ms of delay. However, this will still not be optimal for watching videos and gaming. On the other hand, they support the aptX codec, which may give you an overall better performance and slightly lower latency, provided you have the right dongle/transmitter. Also, some apps and devices offer some sort of compensation, so you might not even notice the delay that much.

0
Connectivity
Non-Bluetooth Wireless
Non-BT Line Of Sight Range
N/A
Non-BT Latency
N/A
9.5
Connectivity
Wired
Analog Audio
Yes
USB Audio
No
Detachable Yes
Length 4.80 ft (1.46 m)
Connection
1/8" TRS
Analog/USB Audio Latency
0 ms

You can use the included 1/8” TRS audio cable to use these headphones passively on pretty much any platform that has a headphone jack. However, their cable does not have an in-line microphone.

Connectivity
PC Compatibility
Analog
Audio Only
Wired USB
No
Non-BT Wireless
No
Connectivity
PlayStation Compatibility
PS4 Analog
Audio Only
PS4 Wired USB
No
PS4 Non-BT Wireless
No
PS5 Analog
Audio Only
PS5 Wired USB
No
PS5 Non-BT Wireless
No
Connectivity
Xbox Compatibility
Xbox One Analog
Audio Only
Xbox One Wired USB
No
Xbox One Non-BT Wireless
No
Xbox Series X|S Analog
Audio Only
Xbox Series X|S Wired USB
No
Xbox Series X|S Non-BT Wireless
No
0
Connectivity
Base/Dock
Type
No Base/Dock
USB Input
No
Line In
No
Line Out
No
Optical Input
No
RCA Input
No
Dock Charging
No
Power Supply
No Base/Dock

These headphones do not have a dock. If you're looking for headphones with a dock for customization options, look at the Arctis Pro Wireless. If you want a charging dock, look at the Astro A50, and if you're looking for wireless headphones for watching TV, look at the Sennheiser RS 185.