The Sennheiser Momentum Wireless is one of the best premium noise-cancelling headphones you can spend your fortune on. Classy design, pristine audio clarity and super noise isolation- what else is there to ask?
HIGHLIGHTS
- The Sennheiser Momentum Wireless costs Rs 34,990 in India.
- The Momentum Wireless flaunts a classy design with folding earcups.
- The Active Noise Cancellation works quite well in suppressing muffled ambient sound.
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he Sony WH-1000XM3 and Bose QC-35 2 have been the benchmark in the premium noise-cancelling headphones category for over a year now. If you love music, then you got to have either one of these in your audio accessories collection. As expected, other brands have been consistently trying to come with premium noise-cancelling headphones of their own to eat into the market share of these two cans. One of them is Sennheiser and it has come up with the new Momentum Wireless which is one of the best headphones the German outfit makes, at least on paper.
Sennheiser came up with the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless earbuds a few months ago and those impressed me highly, especially for a pair of completely wireless earbuds. The audio quality from them was pristine with a slight bend towards bass. Hence, when I got my hands on Sennheiser Momentum Wireless, my expectations have been only higher, given that these are pro-grade headphones. A new set will set you back by Rs 34,990 (ouch!), which means you need to be quite serious about music to spend a fortune on this.
So I carried a new pair with me for two weeks (Sennheiser loaned me a review unit for a short time) and by the time of writing this piece, I am finding it hard to part with the Momentum Wireless- these have proven to be heavenly to my ears.
- The Sennheiser Momentum Wireless costs Rs 34,990 in India.
- The Momentum Wireless flaunts a classy design with folding earcups.
- The Active Noise Cancellation works quite well in suppressing muffled ambient sound.
he Sony WH-1000XM3 and Bose QC-35 2 have been the benchmark in the premium noise-cancelling headphones category for over a year now. If you love music, then you got to have either one of these in your audio accessories collection. As expected, other brands have been consistently trying to come with premium noise-cancelling headphones of their own to eat into the market share of these two cans. One of them is Sennheiser and it has come up with the new Momentum Wireless which is one of the best headphones the German outfit makes, at least on paper.
Sennheiser came up with the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless earbuds a few months ago and those impressed me highly, especially for a pair of completely wireless earbuds. The audio quality from them was pristine with a slight bend towards bass. Hence, when I got my hands on Sennheiser Momentum Wireless, my expectations have been only higher, given that these are pro-grade headphones. A new set will set you back by Rs 34,990 (ouch!), which means you need to be quite serious about music to spend a fortune on this.
So I carried a new pair with me for two weeks (Sennheiser loaned me a review unit for a short time) and by the time of writing this piece, I am finding it hard to part with the Momentum Wireless- these have proven to be heavenly to my ears.
Design: Classy meets modern meets comfortable
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To my eyes, all over-the-ear headphones practically look the same- there's only a little you can do with the design. Sennheiser is usually known for classy and understated designs for its products, and with the Momentum Wireless, you get to see the most modern iteration of that philosophy.
To the layman's eyes, it will look like just another headphone with a cushy headband. However, if you have a keen eye for detail, you will obsess over the silver metallic frame with the brushed metal finish. Lime me, you will fall in love staring at the adjustable stalk of each earpiece with the chrome-gradient that defines the Sennheiser design on all of its products. Like me, you will love the leather surface on the headband and earcups which are so soft that they pamper your ear unlike any other headphone in the market. You, like me, will also fall in love with the premium-feel of the plastic surfaces and the matte finish on the metal frame. And even when you fold-in the earcups, there's a satisfying feel to it. The exposed wire connection to the earcups seem like the cherry on top of this beautiful design.
On the whole, the Sennheiser Momentum Wireless feels like it has been designed by someone who knows how to pamper your senses materialistically. I could have gone on and on about the immaculate build and design but what seems to be the only odd feature to the design are the button-based controls. These feel outdated and take some time getting used to. On the Sony WH-1000XM3, the touch controls feel more natural and easy to use, and Sennheiser could have adopted the touch-based control for the Momentum Wireless, especially when it is charging Rs 35,000 for a pair. Nonetheless, the buttons work fine and once you are used to them, they won't bother. There's a USB-C port for charging and a 3.5mm port for plugging in the provided cable when you want to go all wired.
To my eyes, all over-the-ear headphones practically look the same- there's only a little you can do with the design. Sennheiser is usually known for classy and understated designs for its products, and with the Momentum Wireless, you get to see the most modern iteration of that philosophy.
To the layman's eyes, it will look like just another headphone with a cushy headband. However, if you have a keen eye for detail, you will obsess over the silver metallic frame with the brushed metal finish. Lime me, you will fall in love staring at the adjustable stalk of each earpiece with the chrome-gradient that defines the Sennheiser design on all of its products. Like me, you will love the leather surface on the headband and earcups which are so soft that they pamper your ear unlike any other headphone in the market. You, like me, will also fall in love with the premium-feel of the plastic surfaces and the matte finish on the metal frame. And even when you fold-in the earcups, there's a satisfying feel to it. The exposed wire connection to the earcups seem like the cherry on top of this beautiful design.
On the whole, the Sennheiser Momentum Wireless feels like it has been designed by someone who knows how to pamper your senses materialistically. I could have gone on and on about the immaculate build and design but what seems to be the only odd feature to the design are the button-based controls. These feel outdated and take some time getting used to. On the Sony WH-1000XM3, the touch controls feel more natural and easy to use, and Sennheiser could have adopted the touch-based control for the Momentum Wireless, especially when it is charging Rs 35,000 for a pair. Nonetheless, the buttons work fine and once you are used to them, they won't bother. There's a USB-C port for charging and a 3.5mm port for plugging in the provided cable when you want to go all wired.
Performance: Sounds lovely, comfortable to wear
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The design of the Sennheiser Momentum Wireless can go down as one of the all-time favourites in the history of headphones. But the Momentum Wireless is meant for those who love music and this is a pair of headphones that will make you fall in love with it even if you don't care about music.
How should I begin- the Momentum Wireless sounds pristine. Whether you are listening to an Ed Sheeran number or swaying your emotions with an Arijit Singh track, the Momentum Wireless makes them lively. The mid-frequencies are strong across all genres whereas the low-end is clear with just the right amount of bass added. The highs are clear too and I did not witness any form of distortion. The vocals are sharp as well.
I frequently listened to the album Gully Boy and the Momentum Wireless did an exceptional job with all the tracks. I was enjoying the sharp and clear vocals in the 'Asli Hip Hop' rap, and the meaty low-end in 'Apna Time Aaayega'. Camilla Cabello's 'Living Proof' was also rendered with utmost clarity across all the frequencies and the high-pitched vocals were kept free of any distortion.
I should point that this audio testing was mostly done on Amazon Prime Music and hence, if you have downloaded AAC tracks, the quality should only improve. The Momentum Wireless supports AAC, AptX, and AptX LL codecs, which means the audio transmission from your iPhone or a premium Android phone should be clear and lossless. The Sennheiser Momentum Wireless supports Bluetooth 5.0 and that helps with strong connections even in densely congested wireless network areas.
Noise Cancellation cuts off the world
Noise cancellation is an important selling point for the Momentum Wireless and I was quite impressed with the way it kept me aloof from the world. The passive noise isolation in itself is great with filtering out most of the ambient noise and chatter. However, when you switch on the Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), the slightly muddy noises that somehow make it through the padded earcups are kicked out. Only if you pay a lot of attention, you can maybe faintly hear someone chatting just behind you but if you bump up the volume slightly, you can bid goodbye to that as well.
While travelling in a car, the headphone was keeping the road and wind noise at bay. Sadly, I didn't travel anywhere this month but the Momentum Wireless should make the world silent on an airplane as well. There's also a Transparent Hearing mode that lets in the ambient noise but you have to keep holding the ambient slider on the headphones to use that mode. Using the Smart Connect app on your phone, you can change the profile of the ANC. The app offers three ANC profiles- Max, Anti-wind and Anti Pressure. I initially felt the default Max profile was building up pressure in my ears and I switched to the Anti Pressure profile that reduced the pressure by letting in a bit of ambient noise. Happily, that did the job for me and the ANC was no more heavy on my ears.
While the audio quality is easily among the best the headphone industry has to offer, the Momentum Wireless also offers utmost comfort while wearing. The leather-wrapped earcups are extremely soft and have memory foam inside, which means they can adjust to the contours of your ear. The cups fit around the ear completely and they don't burden the ear in any way. The weight distribution is also done greatly and most of the time, I forgot I was wearing a pair of professional-grade headphones. The padding on the headband also helps with the overall cushy feel.
The design of the Sennheiser Momentum Wireless can go down as one of the all-time favourites in the history of headphones. But the Momentum Wireless is meant for those who love music and this is a pair of headphones that will make you fall in love with it even if you don't care about music.
How should I begin- the Momentum Wireless sounds pristine. Whether you are listening to an Ed Sheeran number or swaying your emotions with an Arijit Singh track, the Momentum Wireless makes them lively. The mid-frequencies are strong across all genres whereas the low-end is clear with just the right amount of bass added. The highs are clear too and I did not witness any form of distortion. The vocals are sharp as well.
I frequently listened to the album Gully Boy and the Momentum Wireless did an exceptional job with all the tracks. I was enjoying the sharp and clear vocals in the 'Asli Hip Hop' rap, and the meaty low-end in 'Apna Time Aaayega'. Camilla Cabello's 'Living Proof' was also rendered with utmost clarity across all the frequencies and the high-pitched vocals were kept free of any distortion.
I should point that this audio testing was mostly done on Amazon Prime Music and hence, if you have downloaded AAC tracks, the quality should only improve. The Momentum Wireless supports AAC, AptX, and AptX LL codecs, which means the audio transmission from your iPhone or a premium Android phone should be clear and lossless. The Sennheiser Momentum Wireless supports Bluetooth 5.0 and that helps with strong connections even in densely congested wireless network areas.
Noise Cancellation cuts off the world
Noise cancellation is an important selling point for the Momentum Wireless and I was quite impressed with the way it kept me aloof from the world. The passive noise isolation in itself is great with filtering out most of the ambient noise and chatter. However, when you switch on the Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), the slightly muddy noises that somehow make it through the padded earcups are kicked out. Only if you pay a lot of attention, you can maybe faintly hear someone chatting just behind you but if you bump up the volume slightly, you can bid goodbye to that as well.
While travelling in a car, the headphone was keeping the road and wind noise at bay. Sadly, I didn't travel anywhere this month but the Momentum Wireless should make the world silent on an airplane as well. There's also a Transparent Hearing mode that lets in the ambient noise but you have to keep holding the ambient slider on the headphones to use that mode. Using the Smart Connect app on your phone, you can change the profile of the ANC. The app offers three ANC profiles- Max, Anti-wind and Anti Pressure. I initially felt the default Max profile was building up pressure in my ears and I switched to the Anti Pressure profile that reduced the pressure by letting in a bit of ambient noise. Happily, that did the job for me and the ANC was no more heavy on my ears.
While the audio quality is easily among the best the headphone industry has to offer, the Momentum Wireless also offers utmost comfort while wearing. The leather-wrapped earcups are extremely soft and have memory foam inside, which means they can adjust to the contours of your ear. The cups fit around the ear completely and they don't burden the ear in any way. The weight distribution is also done greatly and most of the time, I forgot I was wearing a pair of professional-grade headphones. The padding on the headband also helps with the overall cushy feel.
Battery: You can keep your charging cable at your home
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Since this is wireless headphone, battery life is important and Sennheiser has done great on this part. With ANC switched on at a stretch, I was able to carry on an entire week without charging- my per day usage at maximum amounts to 2-3 hours per day. With ANC switched off, the battery life extends even further and Sennheiser claims up to 17 hours of battery life on a single charge. Topping up the headphone to 100 per cent from dead takes up to 3 hours but a short 10-minute refill could make you go for 1.5 hours easily.
Since this is wireless headphone, battery life is important and Sennheiser has done great on this part. With ANC switched on at a stretch, I was able to carry on an entire week without charging- my per day usage at maximum amounts to 2-3 hours per day. With ANC switched off, the battery life extends even further and Sennheiser claims up to 17 hours of battery life on a single charge. Topping up the headphone to 100 per cent from dead takes up to 3 hours but a short 10-minute refill could make you go for 1.5 hours easily.
Conclusion
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As I stated, the market is currently exposed to the Sony WH-1000MX3 and Bose QC-35 2 as the benchmark in premium audio accessories and the Sennheiser Momentum Wireless for me is an addition to this list. It is expensive but the experience that you get from a pair of these is simply outstanding. The Momentum Wireless offers a sublime audio performance and you will have to try it out yourself to fully agree with the point I am trying to make. Whichever genre you pick up, the Momentum Wireless will make it lively with its rich audio quality.
And despite being big, the Sennheiser Momentum Wireless is extremely comfortable to wear with no fatigue over long hours. Moreover, the design is classy and those exposed metal brackets simply spruce up the looks. I wish Sennheiser could have gone for touch-sensitive controls but given how great the rest of the package is, I can live with it.
The Sennheiser Momentum Wireless is a great pick for a pair of pro-grade headphones and you should definitely have one if you want a mix of sublime audio and stylish design from your premium cans.
As I stated, the market is currently exposed to the Sony WH-1000MX3 and Bose QC-35 2 as the benchmark in premium audio accessories and the Sennheiser Momentum Wireless for me is an addition to this list. It is expensive but the experience that you get from a pair of these is simply outstanding. The Momentum Wireless offers a sublime audio performance and you will have to try it out yourself to fully agree with the point I am trying to make. Whichever genre you pick up, the Momentum Wireless will make it lively with its rich audio quality.
And despite being big, the Sennheiser Momentum Wireless is extremely comfortable to wear with no fatigue over long hours. Moreover, the design is classy and those exposed metal brackets simply spruce up the looks. I wish Sennheiser could have gone for touch-sensitive controls but given how great the rest of the package is, I can live with it.
The Sennheiser Momentum Wireless is a great pick for a pair of pro-grade headphones and you should definitely have one if you want a mix of sublime audio and stylish design from your premium cans.
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