Barring something like the AirPods Max (and that too only with an iPhone), audio quality is not the forte of ANC headphones, whether budget or premium. Sennheiser is looking to change that with the Momentum 4 Wireless.
Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless Review: More plastic, less compact, very comfortable
The Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless are a very different kettle of design fish as compared to the Momentum 3 Wireless. Whereas the Momentum 3 Wireless had a very prominent metallic band running between the ear cups and even beyond them, the Momentum 4 Wireless are mainly plastic. The ear cups are totally plastic, and the hinges attaching them to the band are plastic as well. There is supposed to be some metal in the band which is covered by the sort of canvas cloth that we saw on the Momentum TWS, and the whole setup seems very solidly built. However, in terms of the overall design, the Momentum 4 Wireless do not stand out from the headphone crowd the way in which their predecessors did. The cups also do not fold inwards so, which limits their portability. Sennheiser has included a very good carrying case in the package, but because the headphones do not fold up, the case is pretty bulky too. This is something we had noticed in the case of the Sony WH-1000XM5 as well, and we do hope brands work out a way to make these headphones more portable. In terms of fit and comfort, the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless are on par with the Sony WH-1000XM5. The pads on the cups are comfortable, and the band did not fit too tightly across our heads. The right and left cups are clearly marked on the inside of the pads, and on the right earcups are a USB Type C port, battery indicator lights, and a multi-purpose button.
Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless audio quality: They sound fantastic
Such is their audio quality that we would recommend the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless even if they came with no ANC. They have the classic Sennheiser clarity, striking just the right balance between different frequencies, with the 42 mm transducer drivers delivering impressive volumes without distortion. The bass, which often gets accented in ANC headphones (a little in the case of Bose, a fair bit in the case of Sony), is present and can be clearly detected without your ear cups rumbling. The treble makes those cymbals and strings twang clearly without ever being piercing, and well, this is a Sennheiser, so mids are just outstanding – vocals come through crystal clear. A huge surprise is a soundstage. We normally have a very limited expectation in this regard from closed-back headphones and even fewer ones from ANC headphones, but the Momentum 4 Wireless actually give you a sense of music coming from different parts of your head.
We believe that Sennheiser took a page out of Apple’s AirPods Max book in this regard by tilting the drivers slightly – whatever it is, it certainly works. No, it is nothing like what you get on open-back headphones, but it is simply the best we have heard on Bluetooth headphones, which generally tend to have narrower soundstages because of their fit. Thanks to this, the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless slot perfectly into any audio experience. They are great when you are playing Call of Duty as you can hear not just clearly the footsteps of an opponent but get a better sense of where they are coming from. They are wonderful for watching films and shows as you feel the sound envelop you and dialogues come through ever so clearly. Their handling of voices makes them great for podcasts and even following live sports. And when it comes to music, they are at home with every genre and especially excel at handling jazz, classics, rock, and opera. Only a basshead looking for a loud thumping sound (the kind you get from Skullcandy Crushers or Sony’s Extra Bass range) would feel disappointed with them, and even they would have to acknowledge the excellent quality of sound they are otherwise getting. You get an equalizer on the Smart Control app so that you can tweak the sound and frequencies as per your preference, but we found ourselves very content with the defaults.
And as these are third-party headphones and not tied into any ecosystem, you get support for major high-quality Bluetooth codecs, including SBC, AAC, aptX, and aptX adaptive. There’s no LDAC support, but we think aptX adaptive should suffice for most people’s high-quality wireless music needs.
Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless ANC: Very good ANC too
The Momentum 4 Wireless are very good in the ANC department as well. They are not going to give the Sony WH-1000XM5 sleepless nights in that department, but if what you are looking for is high-quality ANC that can drown out a lot of traffic noise and give you your own silent space in a crowded cafeteria, the Momentum 4 Wireless will deliver that in spades. The headphones also come with adaptive ANC, so ANC levels can change as per the sound conditions around you, should you choose to opt for it. There is also the option to change ANC levels as per different sound zones. We kept it simple and had it maxed out, as it was very effective in that zone – we have sat near a coffee grinding machine in a cafe and did not realize when it was being used to grind beans. As we said, it is not in the zone of the WH-1000XM5, but it is definitely very good.
You can also keep the ANC going on the Momentum 4 Wireless without fear of draining battery life. These headphones comfortably rack up 50-60 hours on a single charge (they charge through a USB Type C port) with ANC very much on. That’s almost as much as the Sony WH-1000XM5 and Bose QC45 combined! Call quality is very good as well (a huge step ahead from the Momentum 3 Wireless), and you get multipoint connectivity, allowing you to switch between different connected devices.
Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless Interface and controls: Not the greatest ‘touch’
Where the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless slip-up just a bit is in the controls department. Setting them up is as easy as hitting the multi-function button and then using the Smart Control app on your phone or tablet, but the brand has stumbled a little by opting for touch controls (ditching the buttons that were there on the Momentum 3 Wireless), and also by trying to add some smart functions that do not always quite work out. On the surface, the controls seem simple enough and are on the outside of the right ear cup – slide your finger upwards to increase volume and downwards to decrease it, slide it forward to move a track ahead, and slide it back to move a to the previous track and tap to play or pause. However, the tap twice quickly to move between ANC mode and transparency mode method does not quite work very cleanly. There is also the tendency of audio to be paused by any accidental touch.
The touch interface gets really confusing in call mode. Taking a call involves swiping forward while swinging back to hang up a call. Double tapping puts the call on hold, while a long press rejects the call. On top of this, you can mute the microphone by pressing the multifunction button. It looks pretty cool when it works smoothly, but unfortunately, things get a little mixed up all too often, and even the smallest error can be a little irritating. Sennheiser has rather boldly tried to even given you control over ANC and transparency levels by pinching to zoom in and out on the right ear cup, but we found it working a little erratically and preferred using the Smart Control app for changing ANC and transparency. The headphones are also supposed to pause audio when you take them off and resume when you put them back on, and also to switch off when you don’t use them, and power up when you put them on, but this is a little hit-and-miss. We preferred using the multi-function button to switch the headphones off just to make sure, as they sometimes remained on even when placed on the table for a while. The Smart Control app could also have been a little better designed – those who are using it for the first time might find it a little confusing.
Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless Price: Expensive but in an audio zone of their own
At Rs 34,990, the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless are on the expensive side. Also, unlike their main competitors, the Bose QC 45 and the Sony WH-1000XM5, which have prices in the same region but are often available at lower prices, the Momentum 4 Wireless generally do not get heavy discounts. That makes an expensive offering, but on the flip side, they do come with easily the best sound we have heard on a pair of third-party ANC headphones and the best battery life as well. The AirPods Max are the only ones that better them in audio quality, but they are really designed for iOS devices. The Sony WH-1000XM5 might have better ANC, and those who prefer a warmer sound night prefer the Bose, but if you want close to pure sound with ANC, the Momentum 4 Wireless are the way to go. Buy Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless (USA) Buy Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless (India)
