This absolutely mustn’t be easy. German audio giant Sennheiser, building the fifth generation of its flagship headphones for consumers, has greater context of an ecosystem that has changed significantly in the four-year gap since the predecessor Momentum 4 launched in late 2022. Apple, Sonos, Sony and an increasing preference for true-wireless earbuds mean Sennheiser had to do something out of the ordinary with the Momentum 5. If anyone can do it, Sennheiser surely can, and they have done so by taking a broad-focused approach that encompasses sound as well as noise cancellation.
The audio driver dimension between the Sennheiser Momentum 5 and the Momentum 4 may retain the same 42mm footprint, but the latest flagship headphone benefits from a significantly different tuning approach—one that’s taking cues from the legendary open-back audiophile-grade headphones, the HD 630. What doesn’t seem to change is the neutral sound signature that is typical of Sennheiser headphones (Sonos gets very close, but Sony is perhaps the farthest with its bass-leaning tuning). What improves further with time is the precision of finer detailing.
Also read: AirPods Max 2 is Apple doubling down on a sharp formula of subtle refinement
Sennheiser Momentum 5 stays in tune with the needs of this era, with Dolby Atmos spatial tracking and Lossless codec support. For wireless lossless audio, you’ll need an Android phone with a Qualcomm Snapdragon chip supporting the Snapdragon Sound architecture for the aptX Lossless codec. The iPhone 18 Pro or the iPhone 17 Pro doesn’t support this natively, instead using the AAC codec. But on the Xiaomi 17 Ultra, you’ll get 16-bit/44.1kHz CD-quality lossless audio over wireless on Apple Music streaming.
The Dolby Atmos bit is tuned quite well, and adds to the experience if you’re watching a movie. Perhaps not music as much, but that’s a subjective observation. However, I’m certainly not a huge fan of the head tracking bit, for two reasons. First, the sense of the movement of the audio itself doesn’t come across as immersive on most tracks—it seems unaligned with actual head movements, though suffices to say the streaming service also has a role to play in this experience. Secondly, the sound doesn’t seem to centre back quickly enough after your head has done some elaborate manoeuvres.
Across various genres of music, there are very clear themes that stand out. The bass is well sculpted, the vocals have just the right balance of warmth and clarity, and the overall dynamism of the soundstage stems from the neutral sound signature which underpins the Sennheiser Momentum 5 experience. For the more uptempo music, lower frequencies have enough room to ramp up as needed. But anything that’s led with vocals, you’ll have a soothing delivery of the spoken word. You’d not expect anything less than perfection from flagship headphones, preferences and a consumer’s subjective bias aside.
Also read: Sonos Ace has almost aced premium headphones
This is also where the Sennheiser Smart Control Plus app (Sennheiser has different apps for their audio products on the Apple App Store; download carefully) comes in very handy. This is a very neatly laid out app (unlike Sony’s companion app) that delivers the monitoring and management bits rather well—connection settings, EQ tweaks, noise cancellation depth and sound tailoring are on the menu.
Noise cancellation is a significant step forward. There is an 8-microphone array (that’s twice as many as the Momentum 4), which theoretically should mean stronger noise cancellation across frequencies. In my experience, there are two parts to this. First, and undeniably so, is the sort of isolation from ambient noises that places the Sennheiser Momentum 5 at the very top of the elite group of flagship headphones. That’s a benchmark Sony had claimed for a while, but in my book, Sennheiser has now taken the lead by some margin.
Secondly, and this is subjective, the ANC set to adaptive in the Smart Control+ app, tends to add some amount of perceptible pressure on the ears, which can lead to discomfort after a period of usage. Dealing this down in custom mode, allows for a finer setting that balances isolation with comfort. I had the chance to test the Sennheiser Momentum 5 on long-haul flights recently, and this effectively blocks out the cabin noises and engine hum.
Also read: Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless 80th Anniversary Edition marks an audio milestone
Sennheiser has clearly done a fantastic job with the battery stamina. I have not been able to run the battery down completely in my testing phase—the company claims 57-hour battery life, and that clearly isn’t to be taken lightly. A real value addition is fast charging, if you pair this with a 20-watt or 30-watt USB-C adapter.
There is a lot to like about the Sennheiser Momentum 5’s design, though I’m slightly apprehensive about how well the cloth-draped surfaces will hold up to absent-minded rough usage. Just be careful. All said and done, the mix of really good quality plastic ear cups, the headband that has a fabric finish and the contrasting ear pads, makes for visual sophistication. These headphones aren’t at all heavy, and the ear cups are large enough to sit around, and not press inwards on the top or the bottom of the ears. That also adds to comfort, the longer you’re using the Momentum 5.
As with any new tech in this generation, we must weigh price tag inflation. The Sennheiser Momentum 5 launches at ₹39,990 which to be fair isn’t much higher than the Momentum 4’s ₹34,990 launch price all those years ago. I would say that the Sonos Ace ( ₹34,999) gets closest in terms of overall likability regarding the build, sound and the intuitiveness of the companion app. Which does make one wonder if you indeed should be paying ₹49,990 for a Sony WH-1000XM6? In my opinion, there’s absolutely no reason to.
It took a while between the Sennheiser Momentum 4 and the Momentum 5, but this isn’t an incremental update either. Sennheiser has done well to deliver significantly improved sound tuning, design refinements that include a classy, angled joint mechanism for the headband to the ear cups, and a new benchmark for noise cancellation capabilities. There are other fine details along the way that matter, including a fast-charging battery, USB-C connectivity, lossless audio via wireless and a really neat companion app for smartphones. If I really have to nitpick, I could point to a less than elaborate folding mechanism when you do want to store them in a backpack.
