Sennheiser Review
The Sennheiser MOMENTUM 4 headphones come with a premium case and the Sennheiser name, but our testing reveals major compromises in comfort and battery performance.
The 30-Second Version
The Sennheiser MOMENTUM 4 Wireless headphones are a style-over-substance pick. They come with a great case but deliver mediocre comfort and battery performance. At $280, you can do better.
Overview
The Sennheiser MOMENTUM 4 Wireless headphones promise a premium experience with their signature sound and 60-hour battery life. They're built for all-day comfort and come with a nice hard case, but our data shows they might not live up to the hype in some key areas.
Performance
The sound quality is solid, landing in the middle of the pack, which is a bit surprising for a Sennheiser. The noise cancellation is about average too, so don't expect it to completely erase the world. The battery life is a real weak spot, scoring in the bottom 15% of headphones we track. It's fine, but not exceptional like the marketing suggests.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Includes a premium hard case for travel. 68th
- Supports high-quality aptX Adaptive codec.
- Foldable design makes them easy to pack.
- Sennheiser's app offers good sound customization.
Cons
- Comfort scores are among the worst we've seen. 3th
- Battery life performance is disappointing. 10th
- ANC and sound quality are just average. 16th
- They're quite heavy at 454 grams. 35th
Specifications
Full Specifications
Design
| Weight | 0.5 kg / 1.0 lbs |
Connectivity
| Wireless | Yes |
| Bluetooth | 5.2 |
Microphone
| Microphone | Yes |
Value & Pricing
At $280, it's a tough sell. You're paying a premium for the Sennheiser name and a nice case, but the actual performance metrics—especially comfort and battery—are lagging behind most competitors in this price range. You can get better sound, better ANC, and better comfort for the same money or less.
Price History
vs Competition
Look at the Sony WF-1000XM5 or Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds. Both offer best-in-class noise cancellation and generally better sound for around the same price. Even the Technics EAH-AZ80 punches above its weight in audio quality. The MOMENTUM 4's main advantage is the included case and aptX support for Android users, but that's not enough to win this fight.
| Spec | Sennheiser | Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds Bose QuietComfort Ultra True Wireless | Technics EAH-AZ80 Technics EAH-AZ80 Noise-Canceling True Wireless | Sony WF-1000XM6 Sony - WF-1000XM6 Best Truly Wireless Noise | Jabra Evolve2 Jabra Evolve2 Buds USB-C MS Earbuds with USB-C | Apple AirPods Apple - AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation - |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Form Factor | - | In-Ear | In-Ear | in-ear | In-Ear | in-ear |
| Driver Type | - | Dynamic | Dynamic | Dynamic | Dynamic | Dynamic |
| Wireless | true | true | true | true | true | true |
| Active Noise Cancellation | - | true | true | true | true | true |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 5.2 | 5.3 |
| Battery Life Hours | - | 6 | 7 | 12 | 8 | 5 |
| Case Battery Hours | - | 18 | 16 | 12 | 25 | 25 |
| Water Resistance | - | IPX4 | IPX4 | IPX4 | IP57 | Water-Resistant |
| Multipoint | - | true | true | true | true | true |
| Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare |
| Product | Anc | Mic | Build | Sound | Battery | Comfort | Connectivity | Social Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sennheiser | 34.5 | 64 | 36.8 | 43 | 16.3 | 2.6 | 67.6 | 10.3 |
| Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds QuietComfort Ultra True Wireless Noise-Canceling Earbuds 2nd Gen Compare | 96.1 | 87.8 | 91.2 | 99.2 | 69.6 | 93.2 | 98.5 | 93 |
| Technics EAH-AZ80 Noise-Canceling True Wireless In-Ear Compare | 82.6 | 99.9 | 91.2 | 98.4 | 69.6 | 93.2 | 98.5 | 93 |
| Sony WF-1000XM6 Best Truly Wireless Noise Cancelling Compare | 82.6 | 87.8 | 91.2 | 99.1 | 92.1 | 69.2 | 98.5 | 97.1 |
| Jabra Evolve2 Evolve2 Buds Compare | 82.6 | 98.9 | 99.3 | 88.3 | 94.6 | 93.2 | 97.2 | 98.1 |
| Apple AirPods Noise-Canceling Compare | 96.1 | 87.8 | 81.4 | 92.1 | 91.5 | 93.2 | 97.7 | 98.4 |
Common Questions
Q: Are these good for all-day wear?
Our data suggests not. They score in the bottom 5% for comfort among over-ear headphones we track, and at 454g, they're on the heavier side.
Q: Is the 60-hour battery life real?
While that's the claimed spec, our battery performance percentile is very low (14th), meaning real-world usage often falls short of that mark compared to other headphones.
Q: How's the noise cancellation?
It's about average. It works, but don't expect it to compete with the class leaders from Sony or Bose, which consistently rank higher in our tests.
Who Should Skip This
Skip these if comfort is a priority for work or travel, or if you need top-tier noise cancellation. They're also not for fitness use, scoring terribly in that category. If you want the absolute best sound or ANC for your money, look at the competitors instead.
Verdict
Only buy these if you're a die-hard Sennheiser fan who values the brand aesthetic and that specific carrying case above all else. For everyone else, there are simply better-performing options that will be more comfortable for long listening sessions.