When it comes to the hyper-competitive market for truly wireless earbuds, there are three brands I think do it better than anyone else in the game. Sony, Jabra, and Sennheiser. All have their strengths (and weaknesses). Sony is the best when it comes to processing and noise cancelling, Jabra own it when it comes to fitness-friendly earbuds, and Sennheiser is typically the best all-rounder when it comes to sound and design.
The qualities I crudely ascribe to each of these brands has remained the same throughout the years, with each recognising where they excel at and iterating to stay ahead of the curb.
Some models take a step back, however. Sony took a big misstep with the chunky design of the WF-1000XM4s (the company atoned for that sin with excellent 5’s). Jabra has put out some lackluster earbuds over the past few years, that aren’t too different to what they’ve done before. But Sennheiser has always seemed to be moving forward.
So does that mean the Momentum True Wireless 4 earbuds are even better than the stunning 3’s? Yes. Sennheiser has clearly lifted its game here when it comes to software, fitting a lot of high-end modern tech into these buds while still managing to maintain an attractive, functional profile that is still comfortable in the ears.
Design
Blame the brand’s German heritage, but Sennheiser’s design has never been the most exciting. The brand is the most functional of three I mentioned above, where Sony and Jabra tend to play around with form more freely.
This doesn’t matter too much if aesthetics are not your concern. And that’s not to say these earbuds are ugly by any means. They are virtually indistinguishable from the Momentum True Wireless 3 buds with an oval-like shape and three stylish colours (metallic silver, black graphite, and black copper).
The biggest changes are the ones you can’t actually see. Sennheiser has put more focus on software this time, because that’s the way Sony is currently sitting on the phone. And I daresay the Korean company could be dethroned by these.
Sennheiser has redesigned the antenna inside each bud to improve Bluetooth stability and ensure a smooth connection. This is absolutely necessary these days given software is becoming more demanding, even more so than current Bluetooth standards so maintaining a solid connection at all times is getting more difficult (and more expensive).
Sennheiser is claiming one of the biggest changes is called dynamic-load shifting, which furthers the sound quality and keeps things consistent by slightly switching connection between buds to continually optimise based on the proximity between your ears and your connected device. While I have no deep insight into the technology, I do notice I find much less dropouts than I would with some alternatives.
That being said, most of the earbud connection issues I’ve experience have happened months down the track.
I find most earbuds give you tips that are hard to wash so it’s great that Sennheiser has used a new plastic guard that wraps around these tips. It’s very simple to wash off any debris and keep them clean.
Features
That signature Sennheiser sound can do no wrong, although it appears on default the bass is slightly heightened to make the buds more palatable for a younger crowd. Some may prefer a more neutral sound profile, but Sennheiser’s companion app is excellent anyway. So getting the EQ right is just a matter of a seconds.
Sennheiser has used these drivers before. The same are used in the excellent IE 600 but I would imagine these have been refined for the wireless format.
Earbuds are more complicated than most users would care to pay attention to. Consumers only really care about the sound quality, comfort and how good the noise cancelling is. But numerous smart features are becoming just as important, playing around with all these aspects to create a seamless listening environment.
As such, Sennheiser is making a big deal out of Qualcomm’s S5 Sound Gen 2 processor with Snapdragon Sound technology. Again, processing power is always Sony’s domain, so it’s nice to see Sennheiser really step up here, promising lossless streaming up to 24-bit/48kHz.
The new chip is really the base for everything the buds do, including maintaining that strong connection so sound quality is superb at all times. And it is. On my test, I’d say these are the best sounding earbuds in the market right now, edging out to Sony XM5s given I’ve been experiencing a lot of stutter in dense places with the former king.
You’ve got a solid Bluetooth 5.4 standard with aptX lossless and LE audio as well as a latency as low as 20ms, so these things are great for gamers and other media consumption beyond just listening to music.
Each bud has three microphones to help improve noise cancelling and ensure the feature is flexible enough so you can seamlessly dial in exactly the kind of noise cancellation you need at the time. The chip’s AI feature constantly tempers the noise cancelling using an algorithm; importantly, it doesn’t affect the performance one bit and after a few weeks testing it, I’ve found it work rather well.
The problem is that there is better noise cancellation out there. Sony and Apple earbuds are leading the charge in this regard, and I’d imagine Bose would reclaim the throne whenever they decide to iterate. For now, I’d say this does an excellent job at reducing background noise when it comes to those higher frequencies. That said, the Anti Wind setting works like a charm.
Sound
Again, incredible sound. I’d recommend using Sennheiser’s ear adapter fit test if you want the best results. This will help you find the best seal, which is essential for both sound quality and noise cancelling.
The sound signature is rich and full of detail, opting for a more sophisticated profile than you’d expect from more party-minded buds. Although the bass is quite full and can topple the balance at times for more intense profiles like Clipse’s “Mr Me Too”. One thing I do notice is that Sennheiser has paid more attention to the treble for the default sound profile, helping it sound incredibly forward without it overshadowing anything else in the mix. I’d say these are best for more complicated instrumentals like jazz and classical, rather than hip hop and EDM.
Battery
Sennheiser is claiming a 7.5 hour battery life per charge, with the case able to hold up to three more full charges. That’s a total of 30 hours, which isn’t mind-blowing considering that’s been the standard for the past few years. Although, it’s more than enough for the average user. You’ll just have to remember to keep these topped up regularly.
The more important part of this equation is intelligent charging. More brands are using this as a way to provide users with long-term value. Basically, the case will slow down the speed at which it charges when the battery is almost juiced up, avoiding overloading it and ruining the battery long-term. This is great because it improves the life of the earbuds. Given how expensive they are, this is absolutely crucial if you want a one-and-done pair for a few years.
Verdict & Value
I’m sold. Sennheiser has really stepped up here and introduced a bunch of smart modern features without changing with customers love about this series in the first place. I’d say Sennheiser’s new buds are the ones to beat right now. Although it is always a constant race to the top amongst these brands. That’s why it’s nice to know that Sennheiser has seriously considered future-proofing the Momentum 4’s. The battery is going to be in top-shape for longer, and the various technology inside each earbud won’t be outdated anytime soon.
Worth $500? If seriously premium earbuds mean a lot to you, then yes. A few years ago I’d laugh at such a price point, but given just how good these things are, I’d say it’s worth saving an extra $100 and going for these over the alternatives right now.
FOUR AND A HALF STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Highlights: Incredibly mature sound; solid connection at all times; premium design; very comfortable build; easy to wash tips
Lowlights: Noise cancelling isn’t as good as some alternatives
Price: $499
Review unit supplied by Sennheiser.
