Sennheiser HD 450BT

While not class-leading performers in the competitive mid-range market, these well-featured Sennheisers are still worthy of consideration.

I was very impressed with the Sennheiser HD 450BT headphones. Everything worked as it should. The sound was, perhaps, engineered for enjoyment more than extreme accuracy, but you can tweak it with the app. The noise reduction was effective. Definitely recommended.

If you’re in a pinch and want a set of cans right now, I don’t think you’ll regret buying the 450s. But if you can bide your time, the WH-1000XM3 will likely go on sale (especially because the writing is on the wall for the M4s), which are a better choice if the price dips anywhere close to $200.

The HD 450BT aren't the flashiest pair of headphones, and if you went further up in price there are headphones with a better sense of fine detail, space and clarity. But if south of £200 is where your budget takes you, there’s not a whole lot to dislike about what the Sennheiser HD 450BT do here.

The HD 450BT from Sennheiser offer both listening pleasure with bass-driven music and a straightforward, quite natural sound, which also scores well in films and audio books thanks to its clear, fatigue-free voice reproduction. One criticism is the slight background noise and whirring on the left side when in ANC mode which can be detected when used via wireless. Otherwise, these portable over-ears convinced us with their remarkably stable Bluetooth connection, very good speech intelligibility during phone calls, and their excellent battery life.

If you have a limited budget and want an all-round great pair of over ear headphones with noise cancelling, the Sennheiser HD 450BT is a truly compelling option. There are elements of compromise, but it's a great product for its price point.

If you’re looking for a cheaper alternative to the Sony WH-1000XM3, these Sennheiser cans are a great choice. With a fantastic sound, good noise cancellation, and a comfortable (and fully-foldable) fit, they’ll suit most commuters down to a tee.