Sennheiser Sport True Wireless review

I remember a conversation from a few years back with someone who complained how wearing AirPods in the gym wasn’t the most comfortable experience. He, in fact, lost the AirPods twice while running for a few marathons. Although I never lost my AirPods, they do fall out while running. Last week, when I heard that Sennheiser will be sending the new Sport True Wireless for review, I was excited. Ever since I incorporated running as part of my switch toward a healthier lifestyle, I deeply care about the earbuds I wear. The perfect size, form and factor, and audio quality matter so much now. And this is why I had to try the Sennheiser Sport True Wireless earbuds. Here’s my experience.
The Fit 
I know people like wearing AirPods, but mine constantly fall out, especially when I go out jogging in the morning. No matter what position I put them in, they don’t really stay.
With the Sport True Wireless, I finally got the perfect fit I was looking for. Although they are a little chunky, they feel more secure in my ears. Rubberised fins keep the buds securely in the ear while still offering a comfortable fit. I tested these earbuds during intense workouts and they held up nicely. I might have adjusted them a couple of times but otherwise, I don’t see them falling off.
The good thing about these earbuds is that they will appeal to people who like both open and closed earbuds. The buds come with six sets of ear adapters, including three sets of blue-rimmed “open” (small, medium, and large), and three sets of “closed”, sporting a black cross in the silicone. The “open” and “closed” ear adapters actually work together with the Smart Control App (more on that later), which has a “focus” mode and an “aware” mode. The closed-ear adapters work with the Focus EQ that filters outside noise when you are in the gym and doing an intense workout. The Aware EQ, meanwhile, will allow some background noise so you are aware of your surroundings. At first, I could not make out any difference between the Focus and Aware models. Later I realised that when the Focus mode was enabled, the music had more bass.

You also get four different sets of “ear fins”. The default medium-size fin worked best for me but you can try the large fin. In case you don’t like the fin, just go with the ‘no fin’ option. They are IP54 rated, making them dust, sweat, and splash resant. The build quality of the buds is excellent, although each earbud weighs in at 6.8g. They have a dinctive cube shape, with the Sennheiser logo embossed in gold on the top of the case and on each earbud.
They have a dinctive cube shape, with the Sennheiser logo embossed in gold on the top of the case and on each earbud. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
Bulky charging case 
Like every modern truly wireless earbud, these too come with a case. The case is great but has a larger footprint, making it difficult to keep in your jeans pocket. The charging case is magnetic and the buds slip in with a satisfying click, and you won’t lose them if you turn the case upside-down. The case also comes with a quick-release lanyard, which is an odd design choice at best. Nevertheless, the case charges with a speedy USB C and the cable is supplied in the box. Once they’re in, they fit snugly and charge consently. It notably lacks Qi wireless charging, however. Sennheiser says you should get nine hours of charge from the buds themselves, with 18 extra hours from their charging case. So a total of 27 hours of battery life. The results will depend on your volume levels.
The case is great but has a larger footprint, making it difficult to keep in your jeans pocket. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
Easy to set up and operate 
I connected the Sport True Wireless to my iPhone 13 mini, and it was an easy process. The Smart Control App (available on iOS and Android) comes in handy. The app not only updates the firmware and changes basic settings it also offers adjustable EQ, letting you customize the sound to your own preferences. The EQ section is more simplified in nature, as you only get three bands labelled Bass, Mid, and Treble in addition to a special EQ preset for lening to podcasts.
The capacitive outer panels of each earpiece work fine, though I feel it takes some time to get used to it. A single tap on either ear controls playback and answers incoming calls, tap twice on the right earbud to skip to the next track or tap either side thrice to summon the voice assant. Holding the left or right earbuds does adjust volume, but I find it convenient to use the phone to change the volume. I am someone who likes physical buttons.
They are IP54 rated, making them dust, sweat, and splash resant. (Image credit: Anuj Bhatia/Indian Express)
Terrific audio quality 
Okay…so what is it like to len to music and podcasts with these buds? Tracks like “Come out and play” Billie Eilish and “Tum itna jo muskura rahe ho” Jagjit Singh show what the Sport True Wireless are capable of. It’s so pleasant to len to Billie Eilish’s voice when you want to cut off from the world and be on your own. They offer depth, with clear vocals and natural mids. In fact, they work well with all types of music genres.
They sound incredible, thanks to 7 mm dynamic drivers, delivering deep bass, and clear detailed treble. The earbuds deliver powerful bass, a wide soundstage, and rich sound. I also used the earbuds to len to podcasts. The sound coming from these earbuds feel natural and there’s more clarity.

Calls were also pretty clear, and I could hear the voice coming from the other side in both ears. There are two microphones on each earbud and while they cancel the background noise, the lack of active noise cancellation (ANC) is a big omission. In terms of tech specs, the earbuds support Bluetooth 5.2, and supported codecs include SBC, AAC, and aptX.
The EQ section is more simplified in nature, as you only get three bands labelled Bass, Mid, and Treble in addition to a special EQ preset for lening to podcasts.
Should you buy the Sport True Wireless or skip them?
At Rs 10,990, the Sport True Wireless will appeal to a gym devotee. If you want premium sound quality and comfortable, ergonomic earbuds that don’t fall while running, I would suggest considering the Sennheiser Sport True Wireless. Although the competition is rather tight in the truly wireless earbuds category, I see the Sport True Wireless catering to a specific audience similar to Garmin smartwatches. If you are on a tight budget, Sennheiser’s first truly wireless earbuds with sport fins and better durability aren’t for you.