Sennheiser Momentum 4 headphones review: less cool, more comfortable

It is fair to say that this is not what I expected. Sennheiser’s new Momentum 4 Wireless headphones mark a dramatic turn away from the retro styles of previous models. The genuine leather headband and stainless steel ear cups that represented the Momentum line are now history. Instead, the $349.95 fourth-generation headphones take an undeniable design turn into Sony and Bose territory, with a lightweight construction that puts more emphasis on comfort.

In addition, almost all physical buttons have been removed in favor of tap and swipe gestures. And while some fans of the company will loathe what I can only describe as a dull, uninspired look, there are at least some reasons to be excited about the latest cans from Sennheiser. At the top of that list are improved noise cancellation and a remarkable 60 hours of promised battery life.

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You won’t hear me claim that the previous Momentum 3s are perfect headphones. The folding point of the metal hinge can sometimes catch hairs or pinch a finger if you’re not careful. The headphones turn on automatically when unfolded, a shortcut that seems smart in concept but proves frustrating when paired unexpectedly to your phone or laptop after being pushed onto a desk or into the too-soft carrying case. But the Momentum 3s sound great, have easy-to-use controls and exude character and panache.

The Momentum 4s still do well on the sound aspect (as I would expect from Sennheiser), and they are objectively more pleasant to wear. But aside from some cloth material on top of the headband, these headphones have stripped of any character. The Momentum 3s look good next to vintage stereo equipment, while the Momentum 4s feel soulless in comparison. They come across as generic, which is a shocking change of direction for this product line. And it’s all intentional. “We understand from our feedback that most people prefer a headphone design that blends in rather than stands out,” Sennheiser product manager Christian Ern told me.

There’s plastic everywhere – Sennheiser says there’s still metal reinforcing the headband – and they look like a mix of the company’s cheaper cans and something like the Microsoft Surface Headphones 2. With outer ear cups that quickly collect smudges and finger oil, these don’t look like premium, flagship noise-cancelling headphones in the same way as their direct predecessors.

But at least they feel good on your head. Sennheiser has rivaled Sony’s WH-1000XM5 in this area, which is no small feat. The Momentum 4s use artificial PU leather for the replaceable ear pads and headband padding, and both have plenty of cushioning. There’s not much clamping force to speak of, so they should stay comfortable on long flights or when you’re using them all day in the office.

And they still sound fantastic. Sennheiser hasn’t tinkered much with the audio signature, so if you liked the Momentum 3s, you’ll be just as happy with this one. They’re a little less bassy out of the box – something you can override with EQ – and the drivers are now angled towards your ears to provide an enhanced soundstage. (Apple’s AirPods Max perform a similar trick.) The Momentum 4s stay warm, smooth, and detailed in whatever genre you explore with them. In fact, the Momentum 4s leak less sound to nearby colleagues or coffee shop patrons than their predecessors.

The previous model consistently won my ears, even over pricier competition like Apple’s AirPods Max, and the Momentum 4s are on par. I’m having a much harder time choosing between these and the Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S2 as the best-sounding noise-cancelling headphones on the market in 2022. The Momentum 4s support a range of Bluetooth codecs, including SBC, AAC, aptX, and aptX Adaptive. If you prefer to go wired, a 2.5mm to 3.5mm cable is included in the case, or you can just use a USB-C cable.

Speaking of noise reduction, Sennheiser has also made an appearance there. It still doesn’t compare to Sony or Bose, but the active noise cancellation in the Momentum 4s is noticeably more effective than what the Momentum 3s was capable of, which was barely acceptable. The transparency mode is perfectly adequate and gives a good view of what’s going on around you – although it doesn’t match the “it’s like wearing no headphones at all” sensation of the AirPods Max.

Unfortunately, I’m not thrilled with the controls on the Momentum 4, and for me they’re the biggest drawback, aside from the mundane design. Sennheiser has removed the volume and multifunction buttons that were present on the 3s – and the same goes for the slider that toggled between ANC and ambient sound modes. The only physical button on these headphones is for both power and Bluetooth pairing, depending on how long you press them. Track controls, volume adjustment and ANC are all handled with taps and swipes on the earcups. Some of these are easy to remove because they make some sense: tap the right earcup once to play/pause, swipe forward or back to change tracks, or drag your finger up or down the surface for volume control. You can double tap to quickly switch between noise reduction and transparency.

Sennheiser wasn’t happy to stop there and decided it was necessary to get a squeeze gesture that can be used for more granular control over the balance between noise reduction and ambient noise.

A squeeze gesture? On headphones? I think we may be taking this a little too far.

Now, in the heat of summer, I’ve had no real problems with these controls, other than having to remember them. But winter is always the real test of potential problems. “We tested the touchpad functions extensively under many climate conditions,” said Ern. “Of course there can be some extreme cases where touchpad sensitivity is affected.” The company says that if your cold-weather gloves are phone-friendly, they should work just fine with the Momentum 4s.

Despite the fact that the gestures don’t seem to be bothersome yet, I still miss the traditional buttons. They were foolproof and required less thought.

I’ve also noticed that these headphones have a tendency to turn on while in the case. The case itself is much improved this time around: it’s a real hardshell design – in the shape of a Goomba from Super Mario Bros. – which offers better protection than the very soft, foldable cover that came with the Momentum 3s. So that’s not the problem. Maybe the power button rubs against the dividing wall of the ear cup or maybe they just wake up from sleep when I move the cover. But anyway, my phone is constantly connecting to them at times when it wasn’t my intention. And that gets annoying.

Sennheiser claims the Momentum 4s will last up to 60 hours on a single charge. That’s a ridiculous number and handily outperforms Sony, Bose, Apple, and practically every other competitor. Some of that staying power is achieved with power-saving features; the headphones go into sleep mode after 15 minutes of non-use, and they also include on-the-head sensing to save juice.

With a battery that lasts this long, I haven’t been able to clock total run time or drain the battery more than once or twice in my time testing them. Even if they don’t hit that 60 hour mark or at louder volume levels in all cases, I can attest to them having more stamina than anyone could ever need for travel or high-traffic cases. I can’t imagine anyone would do that require this kind of marathon battery life, but it means you can go longer than ever before without worrying about plugging in the Momentum 4s.

Voice call performance is superior to the Momentum 3s, but still nothing to write home about. The newer headphones are better at recording and separating speech, and everything sounds great when you’re on a call at home. But in noisy environments, it’s still obvious that you’re talking to people through headphones. Sennheiser continues to support multipoint Bluetooth and the Momentum 4s easily juggle two simultaneous connections and reliably play audio from the device you’re actively using.

To top it all off, Sennheiser’s Smart Control app for Android and iOS lets you personalize the EQ, adjust settings like wind reduction and sidetone (allowing you to hear your own voice more naturally during conversations), or set “sound zones” where sound settings are automatically made. customized based on your frequent locations. Sony has long offered a similar feature with its headphones, and Sennheiser’s works just as well – although it does require setting up an account, which I’m never a fan of in headphone apps.

The Sennheiser Momentum 4s are definitely not bad headphones. They still deliver top quality sound and now do so in a design that is significantly more comfortable than previous models. It’s a shame the company has gone in such a boring direction with the style.

Between the new aesthetic and revamped buttonless controls, Sennheiser is clearly playing the lead with Sony. It undoubtedly outperforms the WH-1000XM5s in terms of audio, and the 60-hour battery sets a new bar for the field. But the Momentum 4s still follow the noise-canceling powers of Sony and Bose, and I’m not convinced Sennheiser made the right decision by using touch gestures just like everyone else.

Aside from the improved comfort, there’s little reason to upgrade if you own a pair of Momentum 3s: the sound is similar, both headphones have useful features like multipoint, and there are elements of the older headphones I prefer – build quality for sure though. . But I suspect that, even if the company’s regulars see this as a sudden, unforeseen shift, Sennheiser’s rearranged priorities could lead to the fourth-generation Momentums becoming the most successful pair ever.

Photography by Chris Welch / The Verge