Sennheiser Momentum 5 review: Excellent sound with a few everyday quirks

The Sennheiser Momentum 5 combines detailed sound with long battery life, strong ANC and multipoint connectivity, while its fit, touch controls and sweat resistance leave a few things to consider

I have used and tested quite a few over-ear headphones, and sound quality is usually the first thing I pay attention to. The Sennheiser Momentum 5 caught my attention for the same reason, but there was more to test. The company claims that the Momentum 5 comes with improved noise cancellation. The headphones also support Dolby Atmos, aptX Lossless codec for Hi-Fi over wireless, and features a user replaceable battery unit.

 

I have been using the Momentum 5 for the past couple of weeks with my phone and laptop, listening to music, watching movies, attending calls, and carrying them around with me. The headphones also went through a few long listening sessions, commutes and some outdoor use.

 

 

The first thing that stood out was the sound. In fact, the Momentum 5 is among the best-sounding wireless headphones I have used so far. But spending this much time with them also brought out a few things that are not as obvious when you first put them on.

 

So how does the Momentum 5 hold up as an everyday pair of headphones? Here is what I found.

It takes a little time to get used to the design

The Momentum 5 is not a small pair of headphones. The large oval ear cups and broad headband give it a substantial look, although the overall design is still restrained.

 

My review unit was the white version, and I liked how it looked when it was clean. The fabric finish on the headband is a nice change from the usual plastic and faux-leather combinations found on many wireless headphones. The problem is that the white finish does not stay clean for very long.

The touch controls on the ear cups also pick up fingerprints and smudges quite easily. I found myself wiping them down more often than I expected, particularly after using them outside.

 

The headphones weigh around 290g, so they are not among the lightest options in this category. Still, I did not find the weight troublesome during longer listening sessions. The ear cups have enough room around the ears and the padding does a good job of keeping the headphones comfortable.

 

I did notice some warmth around the ears after wearing them for a long stretch, but that is common with over-ear headphones.

 

The Momentum 5 does not fold completely either. The ear cups swivel, but the headphones retain a large footprint when packed away. The carrying case is slim, though, so it does not take up as much space in a bag as the size of the headphones might suggest.

Then the music starts

This is where the Momentum 5 really changed my impression of the headphones. It is among the best-sounding wireless headphones I have used so far, and the difference is noticeable across the kind of music I normally listen to.

 

The first thing that stands out is the level of detail. There is a good sense of separation between instruments, so busy tracks do not turn into a wall of sound. Guitars, percussion and vocals occupy their own space, while smaller details in the background remain audible without being pushed forward.

 

Vocals are particularly good. Voices sound natural and have enough presence to stay clear even when there is a lot happening around them. On tracks with layered vocals, I could pick out individual parts without having to increase the volume.

 

The bass has plenty of depth, but it is not the kind that takes over a song. There is a clear difference between a deep bass section in a track and the mid-bass punch of a kick drum, and the Momentum 5 manages to reproduce both without making the low end feel bloated. This works particularly well with electronic music, hip-hop and tracks with heavier percussion.

What I liked more was how the headphones handled instruments higher up the range. Strings and guitar notes have enough texture without becoming sharp or tiring. There is a sense of detail here that made me want to go back to some of my familiar tracks and listen to them again.

 

The soundstage is also quite good for a closed-back wireless headphone. It does not feel like the music is being played inside the ear cups. There is some space between instruments, and recordings with a wider mix benefit from that separation.

 

Sennheiser also gives an eight-band EQ through the Smart Control Plus app, along with sound personalisation. I mostly stayed with the default tuning because I liked what I was hearing, but the EQ gives enough control for people who want to change the balance.

 

The headphones also support Dolby Atmos, which I found more useful for movies and compatible spatial audio content than for regular music. It creates a wider presentation and can make soundtracks feel more expansive, although I preferred the standard setting for most of my music listening.

 

There is also support for aptX Adaptive and aptX Lossless when used with compatible devices. The latter can deliver higher-resolution audio over Bluetooth, although the benefit depends on the source, device and track being played.

 

For me, though, the important part was that the Momentum 5 sounded good regardless of whether I was using a high-quality source or just streaming music normally. I did not have to spend time adjusting the EQ to make them enjoyable. I could put them on, start playing music and immediately notice the level of detail and separation.

 

There is also USB-C and 3.5mm wired connectivity, so the Momentum 5 does not have to remain a Bluetooth-only pair of headphones.

The noise cancellation is good enough for daily use

The Momentum 5 uses eight microphones for its adaptive ANC system. Sennheiser says the new system is designed to improve suppression of midrange sounds compared with the previous generation.

 

In practice, I found the ANC useful during commutes and while working in noisy environments. Traffic, air-conditioner noise and general background chatter are reduced enough to make listening more comfortable.

 

It does not make the outside world disappear completely. Sudden sounds and sharper noises can still get through, but that did not bother me during normal use.

 

I also liked the amount of control available through the app. Rather than treating ANC as a basic on or off switch, the Momentum 5 lets you adjust the level. There is also an anti-wind mode, which is useful when using the headphones outdoors.

Calls were less of a compromise than I expected

I used the Momentum 5 for several calls during the review period, both indoors and outdoors.

 

The microphones do a good job of keeping my voice clear, and people on the other end of the call did not have much trouble hearing me even when there was some background noise around me.

 

This is an area where over-ear headphones can sometimes feel like they were designed primarily for listening to music, with calls treated as an extra feature. I did not get that feeling with the Momentum 5.

 

It is also useful that multipoint connectivity lets the headphones remain connected to two devices. I could have them connected to my phone and laptop and switch between them without having to disconnect one device first.

The gym is where I stopped taking them

The Momentum 5 is not a pair of headphones I would use for workouts. There is no IP rating, although Sennheiser told me that the headphones can handle sweat and a few splashes. The bigger issue during my use was the fit once there was enough sweat around the ears. The ear cups started slipping a little, which made me adjust the headphones more often.

 

The fabric on the top of the headband also tends to pick up sweat. That is less of a problem if the headphones are mostly being used indoors, but it is something to keep in mind if they are going to be used for runs or regular gym sessions.

 

The touch controls can also become a little awkward when the ear cups or fingers are wet.

 

For walking, commuting and general outdoor use, I did not have the same problem. The headphones stayed in place and the clamping force was comfortable enough without putting too much pressure around the head.

The battery makes the charger almost an afterthought

Battery life was one of the easier parts of the Momentum 5 to live with. Sennheiser rates the headphones for up to 57 hours with ANC enabled, and I did not find myself reaching for the charger very often during my testing.

 

I could use them for several days without having to make charging part of my routine.

 

The 10-minute quick charge is also useful when the battery does eventually run low. Sennheiser says that a 10-minute charge can provide up to seven hours of playback.

 

The more interesting part, though, is the battery itself. It can be replaced by the user, which means battery degradation does not necessarily mean the headphones have to be replaced. The ear pads are also replaceable.

What I think of the Momentum 5

After two weeks with the Momentum 5, the sound remains the biggest reason I would keep reaching for them. I liked the way it sounded with different kinds of music, offering good detail, separation and a bass response that adds weight without overwhelming the rest of the track.

 

The battery life is another part of the experience that worked well for me. I could use the headphones for several days without having to think about charging them, while the ANC and multipoint connectivity made them easy to use with both my phone and laptop.

 

There are a few things I would have liked to see handled differently. The white finish on my review unit picks up smudges easily, the fabric headband can get dirty with sweat and the ear cups can start slipping during workouts. The lack of an IP rating also means these are not headphones I would choose for regular gym use.

 

At Rs 39,990, the Momentum 5 is not an inexpensive pair of headphones. But after using them for music, movies, calls, commuting and work, the sound quality is what stands out most to me. The rest of the package is strong enough to make them a pair I would be comfortable using every day.

Momentum 5 unboxing

 

 

 

 

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