Sennheiser Momentum 5 Wireless: a fine-tuned, long-term investment
27.8.2026
Translation: Patrik Stainbrook
Pictures: Florian Bodoky
The Momentum 5 Wireless stays true to its signature sound but offers improved battery life, usability and ANC. With a replaceable battery on top, Sennheiser is aiming for a longer service life.
Following the successful release of the Momentum 4, Sennheiser has taken on the role of observer, watching as other manufacturers followed suit year after year. Following a four-year hiatus, the fifth entry in the Momentum series is now hitting the market. I’ve tried the Momentum 5 both at home and on the go, looking to figure out if the Sennheiser engineers put those four years to good use.
Design: subtly refined, not reinvented
At first glance, the Momentum 5 looks quite similar to its predecessor: large, oval ear cups with faux leather accents, a plastic housing and a fabric-covered headband. Will it get grimy over time, for example after frequent use in the rain? Probably.
Upon closer inspection, however, I do notice a few subtle design updates. The touch panel blends seamlessly into the ear cup without a visible edge, the microphones feature bold yet attractive colour accents and the manufacturer’s logo has been redesigned too.
By and large, Sennheiser remains true to its understated, sophisticated design aesthetic, free of frills. However, there’s no «Back to the Roots» version with metal brackets extending outward.
While I enjoy the design, something else bothers me: they don’t have a folding mechanism. Sennheiser is making the same mistake as Sony. Yet unlike the Japanese conglomerate, the company hasn’t been swayed by criticism and remains committed to its course. Shame. You can only rotate the ear cups 180 degrees, say when you’re wearing the headphones around your neck.
At 290 grammes, the Momentum 5 weighs about the same as its predecessor. Sennheiser has wisely used an even softer material on the headband, so I never felt any pressure even after wearing them for a long time. Even if you wear glasses, you won’t struggle. As with all faux leather ear cups, there’s a noticeable heat build-up after a while. Unfortunately, this is almost impossible to avoid with a closed construction.
The wedge-shaped case is extremely flat and slim. According to Sennheiser, it’s about 20 per cent smaller than its predecessor. Handily, there’s a recessed area on the back that you can use as a handle. It also features a sturdy zipper and enough space for USB-C and 3.5-mm cables.
Sound: remarkably full of character
Sennheiser uses the same 42-mm driver as in the Momentum 4. So if you’re expecting a radically new sound, you’ll be disappointed. However, the Momentum 5 still delivers a well-rounded, pleasant sound across all genres. The bass is powerful and deep. But it isn’t designed for a crisp, punchy sound; instead, it comes across as rather soft. This occasionally makes it a tad undefined. For really powerful bass, it’s best to use the EQ in the app.
Traditionally, the Momentum series excels in the midrange. And that’s the case here, too: voices are rich in detail and pleasantly natural. Synthesiser riffs and electric guitars are well-balanced too, and aren’t jarring to the ears. The treble range remains clean as well and doesn’t become harsh. However, tunes don’t always reach all the way to the very top. Anyone looking for extremely detailed high-frequency reproduction probably won’t be entirely satisfied. Overall, the Momentum 5 offers a high-quality, warm, comfortable sound.
For enthusiasts, Sennheiser includes a jack cable in addition to the standard USB-C cable. In addition, the headphones support Bluetooth 5.4 (Sennheiser has already promised a 6.0 upgrade) as well as aptX Lossless on Android. Apple continues to use AAC for streaming.
Operation: one button, one touchpad – that’s it
Sennheiser offers a major advantage when it comes to operation: there’s only ONE button. It allows you to turn the headphones on and off as well as start the pairing process. Everything else is controlled via the touch-sensitive panel on the right ear cup. Swiping horizontally skips songs, swiping vertically adjusts the volume, and a single tap pauses playback. Swiping twice turns noise cancellation on or off. That way, you won’t have to blindly search for buttons or memorise 20 different touch gestures.
Sennheiser’s Smart Control Plus app offers additional controls too. But be warned: you’ll be faced with an insane array of settings there. The ANC and transparency modes can be adjusted continuously. You can also define GPS-based sound zones. A hearing test can also craft a personalised EQ profile based on you. It’s incredibly precise. No wonder: Sennheiser is owned by Sonova, a company that manufactures hearing aids.
The EQ has eight bands with a control range of plus or minus 6 dB. Sennheiser’s HDB 630 offers even greater precision here with its parametric EQ and adjustable frequency settings. But for the price, it’s a solid deal. You can also create your own presets, comparing results before and after.
For its surround sound, the Momentum 5 also supports Dolby Atmos and head tracking. This is neat for movies, but I notice a noticeable delay when I turn my head to the side and back again. Too bad.
Sennheiser catching up in the ANC space, incorporating a replaceable battery as well
Sennheiser has built eight microphones – four on each side – into the Momentum 5. The ANC effectively filters out continuously rumbling frequencies, as well as voices, fans and other typical commute and office noises. In my experience, the Sony XM6 and the AirPods Max 2 react quicker to sudden noises or particularly high-frequency sounds (such as train brakes). The Momentum 5 takes a moment longer in countering the respective frequency.
In transparency mode, however, Sennheiser holds its own against my reference models. You can let ambient sounds «in» smoothly and comfortably. I don’t hear the background noise from other models here, and I’m spared from artificially boosted frequencies too. Even wind noise remains pleasantly subdued, making for great phone calls.
And it all lasts quite a while: with noise cancellation enabled, Sennheiser claims a battery life of up to 57 hours. Charging’s fast, too: while going from 0 to 100 takes two hours, it only takes ten minutes to get up to seven hours of playback time. Sennheiser also includes a smart charging function, only filling the battery up to 80 per cent. This extends the service life.
But it’s not just this long runtime and lifespan that make the Momentum 5’s battery special. It’s also replaceable, which is neat. The 700-mAh battery pack can be removed from the case using a Phillips-head screwdriver. However, replacement batteries aren’t yet listed for individual purchase on the Sennheiser website.
In a nutshell
Well-thought-out, refined and sustainable
The Momentum 5 Wireless is a well-thought-out upgrade. Sennheiser clearly took plenty of time developing it. The signature sound remains similar to that of its predecessor. Instead, the manufacturer has made improvements in virtually every other area: the ANC is significantly better, there’s a wider variety of codecs and the battery lasts longer as well as being replaceable. In my opinion, the phone features have also been upgraded.
If you’re already a Sennheiser fan, they’re definitely worth buying. Price-wise, they haven’t quite reached Sony and Bose levels either (at launch). Only users who want a bass monster – or are die-hard ANC fans – can afford to leave the Momentum 5 Wireless off their shortlist.
Pro
- Comfortable to wear
- Clear mids
- Powerful battery
Contra
- ANC still has room for improvement at high frequencies
- Delayed head tracking
- Not foldable
Header image: Florian Bodoky
Florian Bodoky
Senior Editor
Florian.Bodoky@digitecgalaxus.chI've been tinkering with digital networks ever since I found out how to activate both telephone channels on the ISDN card for greater bandwidth. As for the analogue variety, I've been doing that since I learned to talk. Though Winterthur is my adoptive home city, my heart still bleeds red and blue.
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