Sennheiser Sennheiser MOMENTUM 4 Noise-Canceling Wireless Review
The Sennheiser Momentum 4 offers incredible battery life and comfortable sound, but does its noise cancellation hold up against giants like Sony? We break down who should buy it.
The 30-Second Version
Buy the Sennheiser Momentum 4 for its unbeatable battery life and comfortable, balanced sound. Skip it if you need the absolute strongest noise cancellation on the market.
Overview
The Sennheiser Momentum 4 is the headphone you buy when you want to feel like an audiophile, but you're not actually going to nitpick every frequency. It's a solid, comfortable all-rounder that nails the basics—great sound, epic battery life, and decent noise cancellation—without trying to be the absolute best at any one thing. If you're looking for a pair of wireless over-ears that just work and won't die on you mid-flight, this is a strong contender.
Performance
The battery life is the real star here. Sennheiser claims 60 hours, and from our testing and user data, it actually gets close. That's double what you'll get from most competitors like the Sony XM5 or AirPods Max. You can forget to charge these for a week and still be fine. The sound quality is good, landing right in the middle of the pack in our database, but it's the endurance that makes you stop worrying about your headphones altogether.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Strong mic (96th percentile) 96th
- Strong sound (95th percentile) 95th
- Strong battery (93th percentile) 93th
- Strong connectivity (91th percentile) 91th
Cons
The Word on the Street
Specifications
Full Specifications
Design
| Form Factor | Over-Ear |
| Open/Closed | Closed |
| Weight | 0.3 kg / 0.6 lbs |
Audio
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Driver Size | 42 |
| Drivers | 1 |
| Freq Min | 50 |
| Freq Max | 10000 |
| Impedance | 470 |
| Sensitivity | 106 |
| Max SPL | 106 |
| Hi-Res Audio | Yes |
| Codecs | AAC, aptX, aptX Adaptive, SBC |
Noise Control
| ANC | Yes |
Connectivity
| Wireless | Yes |
| Bluetooth | 5.2 |
| Profiles | HFP, AVRCP, A2DP |
| Multipoint | Yes |
| Wired Connector | 3.5mm |
| Cable Length | 1.2 |
Battery
| Battery Life | 60 |
| Charge Time | 2 |
| Fast Charging | 5min=4hrs |
| Charging | USB-C |
| Capacity | 700 |
Microphone
| Microphone | Yes |
| Mic Count | 4 |
| NC Mic | Yes |
| Mic Pattern | Omnidirectional |
Features
| Touch Controls | No |
| App | iOS, Android |
| Volume Limiting | No |
Value & Pricing
At around $300, it's priced right in the thick of the premium ANC headphone war. You're not getting the absolute best ANC or the flashiest design, but you are getting arguably the most practical package: stellar battery life, great comfort, and reliable sound. For the person who hates charging gadgets, this is worth every penny.
vs Competition
This is a three-way fight. The Sony WH-1000XM5 has slightly better noise cancellation and a more polished app, but its battery life is nearly 30 hours shorter. The Apple AirPods Max offers better build quality and seamless Apple ecosystem integration, but it's heavier, more expensive, and its battery life is a joke in comparison. The Momentum 4 carves its niche by being the marathon runner of the group—less flashy, but it'll outlast them all on a single charge.
| Spec | Sennheiser Sennheiser MOMENTUM 4 Noise-Canceling Wireless | Sony Sony WH-1000XM6 Noise-Canceling Wireless Over-Ear | Apple AirPods Max Apple AirPods Max Wireless Over-Ear Closed-Back | Sennheiser Sennheiser ACCENTUM Plus Wireless Active | JBL JBL Tune 770NC Noise-Cancelling Over-Ear | Bang & Olufsen Bang & Olufsen Beoplay HX Noise-Canceling Wireless |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Form Factor | Over-Ear | Over-Ear | Over-Ear | Over-Ear | Over-Ear | Over-Ear |
| Driver Type | Dynamic | Dynamic | Dynamic | Dynamic | Dynamic | Dynamic |
| Driver Size (mm) | 42 | 30 | 40 | 37 | 40 | 40 |
| Impedance Ohms | 470 | 48 | 16 | - | 32 | 24 |
| Wireless | true | true | true | true | true | true |
| Active Noise Cancellation | true | true | true | true | true | true |
| Open Closed Back | Closed | Closed | Closed | Closed | Closed | Closed |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 | 5.3 | 5.0 | 5.2 | 5.3 | 5.1 |
| Battery Life Hours | 60 | 30 | 20 | 50 | 70 | 35 |
Common Questions
Q: Can I use the microphone for calls when plugged in with the cable?
Yes. If you use the included 3.5mm cable, the built-in mics will still work for calls, so you're not just getting audio.
Q: What are the ear cups made of? Is it real leather?
Sennheiser doesn't specify, but they feel like a high-quality synthetic leather. They're very soft and don't seem to heat up too much.
Q: How's the noise cancellation compared to Sony or Bose?
It's good, but not the best. It'll handle an office or airplane hum fine, but for the loudest environments, Sony's XM5 still has a slight edge.
Who Should Skip This
If you're an Apple die-hard who lives in the ecosystem and values seamless switching above all else, just get the AirPods Max (and a portable charger). If you're a competitive gamer who needs a mic that makes you sound like a studio broadcaster, this isn't it—look at dedicated gaming headsets instead.
Verdict
We recommend the Sennheiser Momentum 4 if your top priorities are battery life and all-day comfort, and you're okay with noise cancellation that's 'very good' instead of 'best-in-class.' It's the workhorse of the premium wireless headphone world. If you need the absolute strongest noise block for a loud commute or flight, you might still want the Sony. But for everyone else, the Momentum 4's practicality is incredibly compelling.