Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless Review | vs. Sony XM5

Sennheiser’s latest Momentum Wireless headphones look nothing like precocious versions. And they work better as well. But how about that Sennheiser sound? Is it still around? Because with the right recipe, Sennheiser could take Sony and it’s XM series headphones down a peg. Let’s find out.

00:00 Introduction
02:07 Design
03:22 Controls
04:08 Specs
04:57 App
05:35 Compared to Sony XM5
06:37 Price
06:54 Noise Cancelling
07:46 Call Quality
08:37 Sound Quality
10:00 Final Verdict

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[sennheiser]

Sound quality is our North Star and it’s nice to see that point emphasized in the review 🤘🏻

[simonwei]

I was reading the manual of Momentum 4 and found a very interesting feature: You can connect this headphone with your PC via a USB-C cable instead of the 3.5mm audio cable. This function can be very useful for laptop users, since most laptops do not come with a good DAC, and connecting the headphone with USB-C should allow people to bypass this issue, and you don't have to worry about battery running out.

[RickPaquin]

I want to thank you for the time you spent comparing these products. Excellent detail. I returned the Sony XM4's and picked up the Momentum 4 for actually a little less cost. The momentum got it right. Excellent audio fidelity! Excellent comfort. Everything you said about them was accurate.

Also, I normally don't use over the ear headphones for phone calls. None of them have ever worked well for the other person. Well, they were already connected when a relative called so I thought, "what the heck, let's try it." I put them on and she said the audio at her end was crystal clear. We talked for an hour and it was wonderful. These are a winner!!

[bvzweig]

Glad to see Sennheiser bringing out a real challenger to Sony in this space. Really nice review Caleb!

[sambaran]

Thanks for the review, already pre-ordered these pair of headphones. I never had a premium consumer headphone before so probably not be able to compare with others, but I think these will be great pair of headphones for music and some meetings.

[MatthijsVanDijck]

Accidentally watched a video of yours of 3 years ago. You lost so much weight since then.
Looking great, man. Keep up the good work!

[Tobi-cins]

Would have loved to hear more about direct USB-C connection and low latency audio with aptX adaptive, both of these features are extremely important to me.

[bigjig]

This is a very honest review, totally agree on the sound quality\reproduction being better on Sennheiser. I own MTW3 and it's brilliant, I am sure the next version is even better.

[aaronmoore]

I’m not an audiophile at all, but your summary of the sound quality difference was spot on. Bought a the Momentum 4’s yesterday and love the quality of sound. Great review as always.

[WillieBloom]

Thank you for your review. Yours was the first one I hit up and you covered all the bases. I've had the Sony XM series (1 & 4) and the Senns Momentum 2. I also have the Airpods Max. I work mostly from home and participate in a lot of meetings. A lot. So many that sometimes I need to do "walking meetings" where I participate while I'm out for a walk, otherwise I may not get out of the house for 10 hours. I prefer to wear my Sony XM4's whenever I am out walking but not in a meeting. If I am going to do a walking meeting I always use the Airpods Max. The difference between the Sony XM4's and the Airpods Max is night and day. The wind noise when using the XM4's is bothersome for both me and the people on the other end. When using the Airpods Max even in very windy conditions, the Airpods Max completely deaden wind sound for both me and the people on the other end. The problem with the Airpods Max is their weight and the earpads tend to get warm. For my Sony XM4's I purchased Dekoni aftermarket earpads which are softer and deeper than the stock pads but they make Sony's ANC a little less effective. This does not however impact the XM4's poorer performance taking calls in windy or loud conditions.

I think that after this review I am going to give the Senn's a shot. I have been prioritizing ANC over everything else for quite some time but now I think it's time to shift gears and go back to audio performance. Before I do that I need to find out more about the new Focal wireless ANC headphones. As a head-fi snob with a rack full of high-end headphones (Sennheiser, Beyerdynamic, Sony, Dan Clark, Audeze, Hifiman, Fostex) I am really curious about Focal's entry into the wireless ANC market.

Thanks again for the review!

[gephetto]

Thanks for this. I just ordered some momentum 4s. I had some sennheiser’s a long time ago but haven’t had any in recent years. Even though it’s been a long time no other headphones have scratched the itch that the Sennheisers left.

[AdryHuaw]

Gracias por la gran aportación, aquí en España aún no han hecho la comparación, y con tu review, decido comprarme los Momentum 4.

Saludos

Thanks for the great contribution, here in Spain they have not yet made the comparison, and with your review, I decide to buy the Momentum 4.

Greetings

[TheDreadEmpire]

Quality review. Appreciate the depth and comparison to both models. My research has been satisfied with this video!
I currently have the XM4 and they're brilliant. Sennheiser looks like my next move when I retire these puppies.

[woodyssoundup]

I gotta watch this later! I had the monentum 1 and 3’s, always enjoyed their sound but I’m interested to hear how the new ones compare! I’ve been using the Edifier STAX Spirit S3’s for a couple months now and really enjoying them!

[DenisasPupkevicius]

Thank you for review. I just received XM5 to compare with Momentum 4, when I'll receive them (preorded) to decide which may suit me better. Meanwhile I tested them with my current M3. M3 for me lack of comfort, battery life and don't like fisical buttons and was looking for upgrade. XM5 very comfy and nice design, plenty of extra futures, but I was surprised how dull they sound compared to M3, which was released by the end of 2019. There's no need to wait till M4 arrive, XM5 will be send back. In my opinion Bowers & Wilkins PX7 also sound better than XM5, which I had a chance to own.

[TheGlibster]

I really enjoyed this review.. concise and informative..

[ktjrox]

I can understand why these are considered successors to the Momentum 3, but in my opinion the Momentum 4 wireless actually acts as the successor to the sennheiser pxc 550-ii. The design and use-case for both these headphones are similar, rather than those of momentum 3, which wasn't as travel friendly. Senheiser is basically using the momentum brand name for its flagship wireless stuff.

[_DSTNE_]

For the money I think these will be hard to beat. Definitely gonna grab a pair.

[josephgrimes]

I always enjoy your videos. You are very informative and I would definitely go with the Sennheiser M4

[senseisprotege]

Thanks Caleb 🎧.

I have the Sennheiser GSP 600 wired headphones. The sound is ultra clear without being too bright. The lows could be better, but aren’t lacking. I’m just used to my home setup with a 10” subwoofer.

60 hours!? 🤩