Sennheiser MOMENTUM 5 Review: Is This Your Next Headphone?

This is an upgrade everyone has been waiting for. The Sennheiser MOMENTUM 5 has reached Audio46, and we've gotten the chance to test it out and review all its features. Being an owner of the MOMENTUM 4 myself, I was very excited to see what this new headphone had to offer. Sennheiser advertises the strongest ANC to date, with more sensitive microphones and optimization for spatial audio with Dolby Atmos. What really changed from MOMENTUM 4 to MOMENTUM 5? Is this upgrade worth $100 more? In this review, we'll be diving deep into all the details that make this headphone the talk of the audiophile town. 

Sennheiser doesn't shy away from providing some premium features on its headphones. On the MOMENTUM 4, you get features like customizable EQ, active noise cancellation, and 60 hours of battery life. The MOMENTUM 5 transfers all of these same features to the new headphone, but makes some minor adjustments. The battery life stays strong at 57 hours, and the noise cancelling is still effective and able to be adjusted as you wish. The MOMENTUM 5 has the same EQ personalization features, giving you multiple bands of frequencies to adjust. It may not have the same precise adjustment as the HDB 630, but the adjustments are sensitive and noticeable, so you have control over your sound. 

Active noise cancellation is another feature that carries over from one MOMENTUM to the next. Sennheiser isn't known for strong noise cancellation like the Sony WH-1000XM6, but the MOMENTUM 5 does make strides to have you be more immersed in your listening. The MOMENTUM 5 has 4 microphones on each side, which translates to some pretty good noise cancellation for travel. I found it to be a nice improvement from the MOMENTUM 4, but still not quite up to the strength of the infamous Sony. 

One new feature in the MOMENTUM 5 is the optimization for spatial audio with Dolby Atmos. This feature is a nice way to get more immersive listening in your mixes, especially if you are someone who likes to be right in the center of their listening. The Dolby Atmos mix isn't super popular in regular music tracks, but you can find it more in movies and TV shows that are mixed for theaters. If you're a big movie buff and looking for that immersive theater sound, you can definitely utilize the spatial audio of the MOMENTUM 5 and become super immersed in whatever media you choose. 

• Wearing style: Headband stereo headphones
• Ear coupling: Around-the-ear, circum-aural
• Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.4 compliant, class 1, 10 mW (max)
• Transmission frequency/modulation: 2,402 MHz to 2,480 MHz; GFSK, π/4 DQPSK / 8 DPSK
• Supported profiles: A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP, GATT
• Supported codecs: SBC, AAC, aptX™, aptX™ HD, aptX lossless™, aptX adaptive™, Snapdragon Sound™
• Speaker principle: Dynamic
• Speaker type/size: 42 mm diameter
• Speaker frequency range: USB & Bluetooth: 6 Hz to 40 kHz, Analog Line-In: 6 Hz to 22 kHz
• Speaker sensitivity: 108 dB SPL (1 kHz / 0 dB FS)
• Speaker THD: <0,2% (1 kHz / 100 dB SPL)
• Speaker impedance: Active 520 ohms
• Active Noise Cancellation: Hybrid Adaptive ANC
• Mic principle: MEMS
• Mic frequency range: 20 Hz to 15 kHz
• Mic pick-up pattern: 4 mics per side, beamforming for noise reduction
• Battery lifespan: Up to 57 hrs music playtime via Bluetooth and with ANC (test condition: iPhone, mid volume level)
• Charging time: Approx. 2 hrs for full charge; 10 min charging for up to 7 hrs playtime; Remark: Ambient temperatures >30°C may lead to extended charging times
• Battery type: Exchangeable Lithium-Ion rechargeable batteries 700 mAh
• Power supply: 5 V⎓, 800 mA max, USB charging via USB-C socket
• Temperature range: Operation: 0°C to +40°C Charging: +10°C to 40°C Storage: -20°C to 60°C
• Relative humidity (non-condensing): Operation: 10 to 80% Storage: 10 to 90%
• Magnetic strength field: 6.3 mT
• Product weight: Ca. 290 g (10 oz)
• Product dimension (folded flat): 180 x 197 x 47 mm (7.08 x 7.75 x 1.85 in)
• App support: Sennheiser Smart Control Plus app for iOS™ and Android™
• Country of origin: Designed in Germany, Made in China

SOUNDSTAGE & IMAGING

In terms of the sound quality, Sennheiser has always impressed. Be it open-back flagships or in-ear noise-cancelling, Sennheiser produces some excellent sound that is great for soundtracking your everyday life. Coming from the MOMENTUM 4, I can say that the MOMENTUM 5 was familiar and recognizable. Sennheiser's signature balanced sound profile was very prominent, but this time with a more accentuated low end. The bass felt fuller, and the highs were still airy and bright to balance evenly. Despite the bass being a bit heavier, the MOMENTUM 5 didn't feel too bassy or low-end heavy to be something like the Sony WH-1000XM6 or the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3. The overall soundstage was very wide and immersive, which is thanks to the spatial audio optimization. The imaging on the MOMENTUM 5 was fairly accurate, as I could place the instruments in the stereo field with ease for many tracks. Listening to classical on the MOMENTUM 5 really opened up the entire signature to show the width, depth, and height that come with such a three-dimensional profile.

As dynamic as the sound signature is, the sound reproduction is rather natural and stays on the honest and realistic side. Instruments are accurate in their timbres and have pretty decent separation, so you can clearly tell which instruments are which with ease. I could see the MOMENTUM 5 being a good option for casual listeners who want a decent travel headphone, but also for people who may want something that can double for analytical listening. The balanced sound with impressive detail makes this a contender for people who want their headphones to do it all. The MOMENTUM 5 is an excellent choice because of its versatility, both as a wired headset and a wireless one.  

BASS FREQUENCIES

Now we step into the individual frequency ranges. Starting with the bass, you can definitely hear the signature Sennheiser sound in the low end. The MOMENTUM 5 keeps the bass more subtle and lets the treble and midrange take the foreground. Compared to the MOMENTUM 4, the MOMENTUM 5 has a stronger and thicker bass response, but it is still well-controlled, so you can appreciate detail over anything. The strong noise cancellation aids the fullness of the bass, but it is never overwhelming or all-consuming in a track. You can hear the tonal details of bass guitars or EDM 808 hits, and the sub-bass extension makes the entire signature have another layer of depth. In the Sennheiser Smart Control Plus app, you can adjust the bass to be stronger with a simple "Bass Boost" switch, or you can tune the bass to be as strong or taken back as you'd like. 

MIDRANGE FREQUENCIES

The midrange is where Sennheiser shines the most. The MOMENTUM 5 has a very precise midrange that spares no detail, making melodies and harmonies come right to the front. The midrange does come slightly forward, but it isn't so jarring to make the entire signature V-shaped. I liked how the midrange had a lot of textural and timbral detail. When you pair that with the natural sound reproduction, it makes the professional use-case more definitive. Vocals came right to the front and center, becoming the focal point of any track. Voices were natural and very realistic, and I could practically see the singer right in front of me in numerous tracks. The layering of the midrange showed off the depth of the soundstage. Elements were still quite separate, but there was a natural flow between frequencies that made the entire picture cohesive.

TREBLE FREQUENCIES

Treble is something that Sennheiser recreates very well, especially in their open-back models like the HD 600 or the HD 800S. In their Bluetooth headphones, the same quality exists. The top end of the MOMENTUM 5 is light and airy, opening up a lot of space in the ultra-high frequency zone for instruments to ring out naturally. The treble being open and bright makes the low end less heavy and more balanced. The warmth of the low end could have been overwhelming if not balanced by a treble range that produced as much power as the low. The color produced in the treble carries through the entire headphone, so the MOMENTUM 5 sounds dynamic and detailed in every range. The treble ties everything together very smoothly and finishes off the sound profile with signature Sennheiser flair that previous listeners will be familiar with. 

Being an owner of the MOMENTUM 4, the MOMENTUM 5 is a familiar and easy transition. The two are very similar, so what really makes them different? I listened to both side by side, and found a lot of their difference were very subtle. The wear style and comfort were very familiar from MOMENTUM 4 to MOMENTUM 5, and I was a fan of the slightly larger earcup for improved comfort. I know the lighter weight made the MOMENTUM 5 easy to wear for longer periods of time, and the included USB-C to USB-C cable makes wired listening even easier for newer iPhones. 

Sonically, you may not find too many differences. Upon a first listen, I was immediately reminded of the familiar sound of my MOMENTUM 4, but after some careful analysis, you could hear the subtle improvements made in the MOMENTUM 5. The entire signature is more dynamic, though not overly so. The bass punches a bit harder, and you have a brighter and sharper treble. The sound is still very natural in the MOMENTUM 5, so you can use it analytically the same way you can with the MOMENTUM 4. The punchier detail is a nice upgrade in the sound signature to bring new life to a classic. 

The Sennheiser MOMENTUM 5 will definitely be turning a lot of heads. The MOMENTUM 4 continues to be an impressive piece of technology, and now Sennheiser has made slight adjustments to really cater to the everyday listener. The lightweight design and compact case are perfect for travel, and you can appreciate the stronger noise cancellation with the additional microphones. Users of the MOMENTUM 4 may not find any immediate differences, but the MOMENTUM 5 offers premium value for a Bluetooth headphone under $500. I highly recommend trying the difference for yourself and seeing if the MOMENTUM 5 is the headphone upgrade for you. 

You can get the Sennheiser MOMENTUM 5 at Audio46.