Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 review: Stellar sound, future-proof features

Companies don’t have to make massive updates to their wireless headphones across generations. Sometimes making a great piece of kit more reliable and adding features that extend their life are upgrades enough. This is what Sennheiser did for the Momentum True Wireless 4 ($300). The company’s fourth-generation headphones retain the excellent sound quality I’ve come to expect from Sennheiser, along with redesigned Bluetooth technology, higher-resolution audio, Bluetooth LE Audio support, and a battery life tool. But not everyone will take advantage of all the benefits I encountered during my review of the Momentum True Wireless 4.

Momentum True Wireless 4: Design

The Momentum True Wireless 4 is identical in appearance to the Momentum True Wireless 3, with the only difference being a new copper/black color option alongside the existing silver/black and silver/white versions. You’ll also now get a fourth, extra-small set of ear tips, and the company still includes three sizes of stabilizing arches to help you achieve the perfect fit. Sennheiser’s Smart Control app also has a fit test, so you’ve got help there. The company has also improved the dust and moisture protection here with an IP54 rating, so they can now withstand fine debris in addition to water splashes.

Sennheiser

Sennheiser’s latest flagship headphones retain the excellent sound quality the company is known for and add some quality-of-life updates that are improvements over the previous model.

Professionals

• Excellent sound quality
• Support for higher resolution audio on Android
• Good battery life
• Customization options

cons

• $50 more than the previous model
• No design refresh
• No spatial audio

$300 at Amazon

However, there are some important changes in the Momentum True Wireless 4. This includes an update to Qualcomm’s S5 Sound Gen 2 platform with Snapdragon Sound. Part of the Bluetooth overhaul I mentioned is a redesigned antenna that makes this set of fourth-generation wireless headphones more reliable. Users have reported issues with drops and the companion app failing to recognize the Momentum True Wireless 3, so Sennheiser is obviously addressing those issues here.

Software and Features

Like Sennheiser’s recent audio gear, the company’s Sound Control app is where you access all of the Momentum True Wireless 4’s settings and customization options. The main interface gives you quick access to battery percentages, Bluetooth connections, custom sound, ANC settings, transparency level, reconfiguring touch controls, fit test and sound zones. This last feature allows you to automate changes to audio settings such as ANC and transparency to your location. You can set up to 20 of these ‘zones’ for places like home, work and the gym. Of course, you have to give permission for the app to track your location to use this.

Sennheiser has taken steps to future-proof these flagship headphones – ensuring they last for at least the next few years. First, they support Bluetooth 5.4, which is LE Audio and Auracast ready. Those items aren’t yet available in the Momentum True Wireless 4, but Sennheiser is planning an update this spring that will bring features like audio streaming, audio sharing, and assisted listening.

If you have a recent premium Android phone, turning on Snapdragon Sound will be useful for enhanced sound quality. The Qualcomm processor in these devices can muster what Sennheiser calls “flawless” lossless audio when streaming from a compatible music service. There are two settings here: high resolution at 24-bit/96kHz with aptX Adaptive and lossless at 16-bit/44.1kHz with aptX Lossless.

The last quality of life update concerns the battery. To maintain better performance over time, Sennheiser has added a battery protection mode that stops the headphones from charging above 80 percent. This is important because headset batteries are almost never replaceable and preventing them from being recharged will extend their life. It’s good to see the company making a product that lasts longer that will also have an impact on the environment.

Momentum True Wireless 4: Sound quality

Sennheiser has a long-standing reputation for great sound quality, and the Momentum True Wireless 4 continues that tradition. However, I couldn’t detect a huge difference between the Momentum True Wireless 4 and its predecessor, although the company said this year’s model has an “evolved setup” that includes things like “smoother high-frequency response, expansive bass and seamless midrange “. And that’s good, because the Momentum True Wireless 3 already sounded amazing.

There’s still great detail and clarity here, combined with a warm, inviting sound profile that’s enjoyable for hours on end. Although the bass is boomy and punchy when a track like Incendiary’s “Lie of Liberty” calls for it, the low end never overpowers. And you can easily hear the texture of the distorted guitars, the strumming of the ride cymbal and other subtleties of this bombastic hardcore track. Switch to something softer like Charles Wesley Godwin’s Apple Music Sessions and the level of detail envelops you even more. These tracks are also available in Dolby Atmos, so they really let the Momentum True Wireless 4 shine.

If the basic setting is not to your liking, you can set up a 5-band EQ and save all custom settings. The app also offers sound customization, which adjusts the audio to your listening preferences via a quick test. The Momentum True Wireless 4 sounded great out of the box and I left the setup untouched except for a little due care.

Android users can benefit from the increased sound quality I mentioned earlier. There is a noticeable difference in sound, especially in the finer details, but whether it’s “better” depends on your preference. Of course, this higher-resolution playback will affect battery life, and you’ll need a specific streaming plan (like Tidal’s Hi-Fi or Hi-Fi Plus options) or locally stored files to use what Snapdragon Sound delivers first.

iPhone owners shouldn’t feel left out, as Apple’s AAC streaming also sounds great on the Momentum True Wireless 4. This is helped by the fact that Apple Music’s sound quality is better than other services, especially if the tunes are available in Dolby Atmos.

Implementation of ANC

Like its predecessor, the Momentum True Wireless 4 has an adaptive ANC setting that automatically adjusts to changes in your environment for a more “immersive” listening experience. Sennheiser didn’t point out any differences in their noise canceling setup on this new model, and I didn’t notice a noticeable improvement or drop. ANC works well in most settings, but like most earbuds and headphones it struggles with sounds like human voices. I also found it wasn’t as robust as the best headphones from Bose and Sony with some constant noise sources like white noise machines and noisy fans.

Call quality

Sennheiser uses six microphones to handle calls on the Momentum True Wireless 4. Overall, the quality is good, but not flawless, as long as you’re in a quiet place. A constant noise like a noisy fan seems like a dull hum, but it’s still noticeable. Transparency mode helps a bit during calls, if only to keep you aware of your surroundings. It has a natural sound compared to other headphones, but it doesn’t sound like your voice, so the end result is not as good as Apple’s AirPods Pro.

Momentum True Wireless 4: Battery life

The Momentum True Wireless 4’s battery is rated to last seven hours with ANC on, but you can extend that 30 minutes by disabling it. During my tests, which consisted mostly of listening to ANC at about 70 percent volume with a few calls using transparency mode, I easily hit the seven-hour mark. Considering the case supports wireless charging, you can expect up to 30 hours of playback on the go. There’s also a wireless fast charging feature with battery protection mode that gives you an hour of use in just eight minutes.

The competition

The leader of the pack is still Sony’s WF-1000XM5. While the Momentum True Wireless 4 has the upper hand in terms of sound quality, Sony’s headphones offer better noise cancellation and a host of convenient features. Tools like Speak-to-Chat auto-pause and DSEE Extreme audio upscaling cannot be overlooked. Sony also provides the ability to automatically change sound settings based on your location, as does Sennheiser, so you don’t have to sacrifice this feature. The WF-1000XM5 debuted last July, which means you can find them on sale often. They’re currently going for $278, $22 less than the Momentum True Wireless 4.

Summary

No new design? No problem. Sennheiser has made enough upgrades to the Momentum True Wireless 4 to make it a compelling fixture in a growing line of stellar-sounding headphones. The sound quality is great as always and that’s the biggest selling point for me. Combine that with Android’s higher-resolution audio, forward-facing features, and solid battery life, and this model checks a lot of boxes for a flagship set of headphones. Sure, the ANC could be better and some people will yearn for spatial audio, but just because the Momentum True Wireless 4 excels in some areas doesn’t mean it’s perfect.