Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wi-fi: two-minute evaluation
The Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wi-fi are the most recent wi-fi over-ear headphones from Sennheiser and if Sony is not anxious, it will have to be. Those cans have an unbelievable battery lifestyles, a likeable app, an intensive function set, clean on-ear controls, gifted adaptive noise cancellation and a zealous sound that’ll have you ever nodding your head fortunately anyplace you cross.
Will the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wi-fi head instantly to the highest of our very best over-ear headphones purchasing information? You betcha they’re going to. And whilst the moderately quirky anchored aluminium scarf aesthetic of the third-generation Sennheiser Momentum Wi-fi cans has long past in want of a extra business-like (are we able to say ‘dull’? I guess we simply have) black plastic and upholstery aesthetic, once you set them on you can forgive it – the sound is that excellent, we would put on them even supposing they simply got here in slime inexperienced and had a large shaky trojan horse eye on each and every ear cup.
The Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wi-fi are an evolution of the November 2019-issue Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wi-fi – even supposing the familial resemblance has been scrapped. We rated the older cans, commending them for his or her very good sound, function set, integrated Tile monitoring (so you need not lose them) and energetic noise-cancellation (ANC) however we had been disillusioned by way of the 17-hour battery lifestyles.
Neatly, that has for sure modified – and no longer simply because two years and 9 months is a very very long time in audio tech. The Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wi-fi now boast a whopping 60-hour battery lifestyles even with ANC deployed, and to avoid wasting you the trouble of checking, we will inform you at this time that you just handiest get 30 hours from the Sony WH-1000XM5, which introduced in Might 2022.
If you are no longer dispose of by way of the moderately common design (and we do pass over the moderately extra rock ‘n’ roll Momentum 3 Wi-fi aesthetic) the sound high quality for the cash here’s unbeatable. On best of this, the tweakable ANC works a deal with (you’ll be able to in fact keep an eye on it by way of ‘pinching’ the proper ear cup in the similar method you can to pan out and in of pictures for your smartphone), the app sports activities a transparent and intuitive interface, the auto-off works constantly, calls are dramatically progressed by way of Sennheiser’s distinctive and delightfully-named Sidetone (which sounds as though you can be dialling up the sarcasm, however in fact is helping you listen your individual voice all over telephone calls) and the immersive element right here will remaining exact, entire days.
Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wi-fi evaluation: worth and liberate date
- Launched on August 9, 2022
- $349.95 / £300 / AU$549.95
Sennheiser’s fourth era cans are to be had now, priced $349.95 / £300 / AU$549.95.
The keen-eyed will be aware that Sennheiser has priced its latest over-ear wi-fi noise-cancelling headphones at $50 (or £80) inexpensive than the class-leading Sony WH-1000XM5 cans, which retail for $399 / £380 / AU$550.
And taking into account the Sennheiser over-ears boast double the stamina of the Sony proposition, issues begin to get in point of fact attention-grabbing…
Even if $350 is infrequently affordable for a suite of headphones, the Momentum 4 Wi-fi in fact introduced at a extra palatable worth than their 2019-issue predecessors. Sennheiser is obviously glad to compete in opposition to the likes of Bose (the Bose QC 45 introduced September 23, 2021 and price $329 / £329 / AU$499.95) and Sony in a price competition, and it is protected to mention that the gamble has paid off after which some.
Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wi-fi evaluation: options
- Superb, fully-featured app
- Easy, unswerving on-ear controls
- Helpful sound zones and EQ presets
Sennheiser has packed the whole thing and the kitchen sink into the Momentum 4 Wi-fi’s spec sheet. Apart from that outstanding 60-hour battery lifestyles (which, ahead of you ask, is at customary quantity ranges and with energetic noise cancellation engaged) that is two times the stamina of many opponents, together with the Sony WH-1000XM4 and XM5, which each be offering 30 hours, and the Bose QC 45 and Bose Noise Cancelling 700 which give between 24 and 30 hours.
Infrequently have we handiest needed to juice up our cans as soon as and as soon as handiest all over checking out, however right here the Sennheiser simply went on and on… and on, aided by way of wearer-detection to pause playback in the event you take away them and an automated serve as which powers them off if they have been inactive for quarter-hour, to be roused by way of any other contact. However in the event you do in finding your self low on juice, stressed out listening may be an possibility, both the usage of the bundled 2.5mm to a few.5mm audio cable or a USB-C to USB-C one (no longer provided, even supposing you do get a flight adapter and a USB-C to USB-A charging cable within the trendy hardshell material case).
The Momentum 4 Wi-fi come bearing Bluetooth 5.2, which means that they are able to concurrently hook up with a couple of Bluetooth units and turn between them extra simply – there is a great connection control tab within the app to peer your units. There’s additionally improve for aptX Adaptive in addition to aptX, aka one of the vital latest and very best Bluetooth formats round.
The Sennheiser Good Keep watch over app is your helpful, blank, easy-to-use gateway to EQ tweaks and presets (Sennheiser can information you thru a ‘Sound Take a look at’, which comes to taking note of your favourite track to create customized presets), in addition to Adaptive ANC, which incorporates a slider to tweak how a lot extraneous noise you need to do away with all of the method into Transparency, which we could ambient sounds in to stay you conscious about site visitors, say.
One of the vital novel inclusions here’s ‘Sound Zones’. You’ll be able to create as much as 20 profiles (suppose house, the place of business, the health club, the teach station) that includes particular EQ and noise isolation ranges – which can magically turn on or deactivate whilst you input or depart a selected ‘zone’ dressed in the Momentum 4 Wi-fi. Need most ANC and a thumping bass to kick in once you get inside of throwing distance of the place of business? Sound Zones will make it occur.
And any other likeable Sennheiser function is again right here: Sidetone. It makes call-handling a lot more straightforward as a result of you’ll be able to in fact make a selection to listen to a bit of (or so much) of your individual voice. As such, you will not in finding your self shouting over even the enviable ranges of passive noise isolation right here, to the recipient of your calls.
Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wi-fi evaluation: design
- Giant oval ear cups
- One bodily button, very good on-ear controls
- Ear cups lie flat however don’t fold into the headscarf
What the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wi-fi design lacks in bodily aptitude, it atones for in capability. As an example, the truth that the ear cups are not anchored within the heart, to the headscarf, method at the beginning that adjusting them is a silent enjoy, and secondly that everything of the proper ear cup’s best floor is now a touchpad.
This may also be tapped as soon as for playback/pause, swiped from close to your cheek in opposition to your crown or vice versa for monitor skipping, swiped up/down for quantity adjustment or ‘pinched’ (in the similar method as chances are you’ll zoom in for your telephone when taking a look at pictures) for expanding or minimizing ANC. This touchpad is correct and refreshingly unswerving, to the purpose that we incessantly forego our telephone completely when cueing up track on our travel.
Bodily buttons are restricted to at least one: the mixed energy and pairing button, additionally at the proper earcup, along a USB-C charging port and 5 battery LED signs. The ear cups can swivel flat to slot in their case or sit down flush round your neck, and even supposing they echo the present pattern for ear cups that rotate to lie flat however don’t fold up – simply see the Sony WH-1000XM5 and Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S2 over the older, foldable Sony WH-1000XM4 for reference – the design is easily conceived.
With regards to convenience, this new design does not to start with glance that neatly padded, however what cushioning there may be is greater than enough since the somewhat large scarf does a really perfect process of distributing power throughout your crown in order that not anything wears closely or pinches, even after a number of hours of damage. And the clamping drive is excellent, however no longer aggressively so.
The one actual design thrives listed below are the material at the exterior side of the headscarf (to be had in two colorways) and Sennheiser’s trademark S-in-a-rectangle branding on the base of the headscarf. It is demure to a fault, particularly when the ones ear cups are devoid of any accessory by any means – and it is the reason why we got rid of part a celeb from the ranking right here. But when you can handiest look on the general star-rating we awarded those very good Sennheiser noise-cancelling over-ears, you can see we forgave all of it…
Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wi-fi evaluation: sound high quality
- Superb adaptive ANC
- Stepped forward neutrality, crispness and element
- Complete-bodied, zealous, expansive sound
First off: the noise cancellation within the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wi-fi is superb certainly. Taking to the streets, we discover vehicles, barking canines and the overall thrum of on a regular basis lifestyles in large part absent from our now unimpeded track. Every now and then, we discover Sony’s XM5 proposition in a position to nix only a tiny bit extra in relation to consistent low-level noise (a bus engine as we sit down at the best deck; the AC unit within the place of business) however it is a very carefully run race and, until you might be switching temporarily between each and every set of headphones it is not possible to name. Even now we hesitate to provide this judgement, since each units of over-ears be offering nice ranges of ANC – however it’s our process to take action and we stated what we stated.
Now, the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wi-fi sound. Oh, what a legitimate! Cueing up Somos Nada by way of Christina Aguilera, we listen the entire texture and emotion in Aguilera’s extra mature, thought to be and but nonetheless easy belt. The keys additionally really feel three-d in an expressive and dynamically agile combine that is able to intense and supremely musical upward thrust and fall – the type that creates area for us to listen to musical tools enjoying and intakes of breath between vocal licks. The album continues to Santo and the position of informal diners in a restaurant and a cushy shaker ahead of the monitor begins correct are all delicately treated and expertly relayed.
The foreboding guttural vocal stylings along whispered close-up utterances right through Mudvayne’s Dig are one of the crucial maximum difficult tactics to check those cans’ sense of timing during the low finish, and the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wi-fi by no means shy clear of the duty.
In reality, no matter style we throw on the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wi-fi, we discover ourselves remarking on the open, detailed, expansive, impartial and crisp efficiency. By no means is it overly heat; by no means is it congested or muddied during the bass. The intro to FKA Twigs’ Two Weeks hasn’t ever sounded so deep and uninhibited during the low-end, and as her bell-like vocal begins, we realize inflections inside of it and right through the attractive treble different headphones merely can’t unearth.
Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wi-fi evaluation: price
- Prime-end sound for a color beneath top rate costs
- ANC is bang on for the extent
- Improbable battery lifestyles provides price
Even if those costs can infrequently be thought to be budget-friendly and we admire that, given their ability, (consider, the Bowers & Wilkins PX7 S2 value $399 / £379 / approx. AU$575 – aka a $50 top rate) we would nonetheless have awarded them 5 stars for price at $50 costlier.
Why? The adaptive noise cancellation is robust, the function set is as exhaustive as you can in finding on the point, the design is minimalist however in moderation thought to be, and the sound is supremely gifted. Merely put, the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wi-fi are a very good pair of headphones – actually one of the crucial very best noise cancelling headphones you’ll be able to purchase.
Must you purchase them Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wi-fi?
| Attributes | Notes | Ranking |
|---|---|---|
| Options | A collection of novel but helpful perks and stress-free app improve | 5/5 |
| Design | Purposeful relatively than flamboyant, however neatly completed | 4.5/5 |
| Sound high quality | Detailed, vigorous; a pleasure to hear | 5/5 |
| Price | Forgive the moderately underwhelming aesthetic and the Momentum 4 Wi-fi constitute very good price as a sonic proposition | 5/5 |
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If our Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wi-fi evaluation has you taking into account whether or not to shop for them or to scope out different wi-fi over-ear headphones, take a look at those 3 competing cans on the point.
