[Sound Eq]

  Just received my pair and I'm extremely disappointed. Not only they don't work properly with my Z3 (don't worry, I'm already hitting myself for not googling the exact compatibility in advance, when I did discover the middle button wasn't compatible with Z3 the package was already on its way), I decided to open the package and try them because I expected the sound to be so good I could forgive the compatibility issue, but these sound awful to me. These literally sound worse than my 20€ Baldoor E100 earbud, I wish I was kidding but I am not. The sound is muddy with bloated bass and lacks in clarity, mids are also awfully recessed. With no EQ these are flat out unlistenable to me, they sound marginally better than the disgusting headset that came with my phone (Sony MH750) and costs 5€ on Amazon. Maybe they need burn in or maybe I had my expectations too high, I did expect a 100€ IEM with my favourite sound signature to blow my ears off, but so far I only blew 100€ out of my wallet into a falsely advertised product. I'm listening to the Illusions album by Thomas Bergersen in FLAC on my PC (with Asus Xonar DGX) and these sound like complete trash. There is almost no details and the vocals are BEYOND recessed. I'm in absolute disbelief.

you defintely need to find the correct ear tips i am using double flange tips i bought from ebay
 
but to me who owns the shure 846 and sony z5 the momentum iem is also a good one, try changing and experimenting with ear tips

 

[MRK1]

 
you defintely need to find the correct ear tips i am using double flange tips i bought from ebay

but to me who owns the shure 846 and sony z5 the momentum iem is also a good one, try changing and experimenting with ear tips

You own the Z5? Is it already out? Anyway, it seems that there are no means to get this headset working with the Z3, is that right? Has anyone managed to get the middle button working?

Scratch that, I thoroughly tested them tonight and these just sound bad to me, super muddy, bass out of control, I'll send them back. Funniest thing is that I actually tested them briefly some time ago and thought they were amazing, but now I think I must have been drugged or something to like this awful sound, and I don't even drink beer so I don't really know what happened.

 

[Sound Eq]

You own the Z5? Is it already out? Anyway, it seems that there are no means to get this headset working with the Z3, is that right? Has anyone managed to get the middle button working?

Scratch that, I thoroughly tested them tonight and these just sound bad to me, super muddy, bass out of control, I'll send them back. Funniest thing is that I actually tested them briefly some time ago and thought they were amazing, but now I think I must have been drugged or something to like this awful sound, and I don't even drink beer so I don't really know what happened.

i meant sony xba z5 
 
man believe me the momentum is a great sounding iem, i am sure your source either is bad, or you have problems with your tips buy other online tips like tripe flange tips and it will be a different iem that is amazing
 
i won the shure 846, sony xba z5 and momentum believe me its a great iem just change the tips honestly i am shocked its so low priced 

 

[MRK1]

I dunno guys, maybe I have bad ears, but after another listen I can't rate these any more than "absolute trash". I used them for 4 hours on and off, listened to all my favourite stuff ranging from classical to trailer music to trance to chiptune and more, so that my brain would adjust to the sound, then I put on all my other earbuds in order and listened to the same stuff over a few minutes and these are definitely worse than the Sony MH750 in my opinion, the stock, 5€ 15€ headset that came with my phone. I thought the MH750 was god awful when I first listened to it but after 4 hours of these mud beasts even the MH750 sounded good, since they actually have mids and detail. Of course that is with no EQ, same tips as the MH750, and no weird enhancements going on. Sorry to ruin your party in this thread, this is very odd but that's how I feel. I'm placing them in the box and sending them back ASAP for wrong compatibility info and awful sound quality. Also I have concerns about that L plug, aren't those supposed to bend? This one is going to snap the first time it gets some force applied to it.
 
Unfortunately now I have tuned my brain to bassy iems and my earbuds sound kinda tinny and flat now. 

 

[325xia]

Obviously, you have a bad pair. Return them. Problem solved. These Momentums are nothing like what you are experiencing. Love my Momentum's and my 846's.

 

[Sound Eq]

i am so amazed by the momentum and believe me had someone told me they cost 600 usd i would have bought them they are this good, so for only about 100 usd man this iem is mind blowing

 

[coastal1]

I like these a lot.  iPhone volume control has stopped working after just a couple months and somehwat limited use, going to test out Sennheiser's 2 year warranty at some point

 

[bobbangaman]

Sorry if I missed it but has anyone found a perfect fitting foam tip for the 'SENNHEISER MOMENTUM IN-EAR M2 IEG' I see people talking about comply but not sure if all fit or only one or if anyone really uses them? I use the large silicone ones now so I assume I need the large foam or is it different with foams? Thanks

 

[Sound Eq]

  Sorry if I missed it but has anyone found a perfect fitting foam tip for the 'SENNHEISER MOMENTUM IN-EAR M2 IEG' I see people talking about comply but not sure if all fit or only one or if anyone really uses them? I use the large silicone ones now so I assume I need the large foam or is it different with foams? Thanks

get the westone star tips they fit if you apply some pressure and turns them into something totally amazing

 

[bobbangaman]

get the westone star tips they fit if you apply some pressure and turns them into something totally amazing

Hmmm but they look like the I silicone ones I have and large fits quiet well...I guess it depends on your ears.

 

[bobbangaman]

ok nm here is the info at last I spotted it! :
"
Not happy with the silicone sleeves, I played around a bit with various tips. A pair of Comply foam-tips that fit a TDK BA100 can be made to fit just fine, even if it is a bit of a tight fit. Same goes for Shure "olives", the ones that fit the Shure E3C and others. Tight, but doable. And much more comfortable than the stock sleeves. 
 
 
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Vp1NJI1CEUA/VJnrwgP9oEI/AAAAAAAAU7c/LPPOBFGktjk/s720/20141223_152458_HDR.jpg

Edited by Voidrunner - 12/23/14 at 2:26pm
"

 

[nb1083]

After reading most of the threads out there on sub-$100 earbuds and trying several models, wanted to weigh in with a recommendation for the Sennheiser Momentum In Ears. I'm new to this site; acknowledging this post covers multiple models but in relation to these Sennheisers.

I tried the Klipsch R6i (owned for over a year), the Sennheiser CX.500, JBL S200, Shure e112m+ and Shure 215. Also used the Sony XBA-1 longer ago. Many thanks to the lovely folks at B&H Photo in NYC for their generous return policy.

A note on my sound preferences: I like a clear, large soundstage with good definition and detail. At the $100 price point or below, I find this is usually helped by a V-shaped sound signature but I'm not a bass-head per se and am sensitive to sibilant treble. I like the idea of a flat signature in theory, but the flatter phones I've listened to - at this price point - tend to lose the sound stage and detail (Shures), or lose too much bass (the Sonys). Perhaps more expensive phones with multiple drivers would do better.

I also emphasize sound and functional performance (e.g. of the cable setup) above design or accessories. Also did all test listening on Spotify tracks downloaded/synced at high quality. All the models I'm talking about below have similar sound isolation using the provided silicon/rubber tips... I haven't tried comply tips.

Klipsch: Good sound. I was happy with the amount of bass, mainly because it's balanced with high-end. Warm sound and pop, hip hop and classical were all enjoyable. Very comfortable- when they stay in your ears. But: The cable is heavy, pulling at the right earbud especially due to the extra weight of the inline remote and transmits a ton of microphonics (the worst I've ever heard). They come with a shirt clip - I only realized after losing it how essential this accessory is for reducing cable noise and keeping the darn things in your ear. Without the shirt clip, a very frustrating experience. I also had intermittent issues with quality- the right earbud would occasionally stop transmitting, though never long enough to go through with the return (Klipsch's process is a bit laborious). Verdict: Good but for the cable design, which for me was a constant annoyance.

Sennheiser CX500: Way too V-shaped. Bass crept up into the mids and was overemphasized across several genres. Listening to a Brahms trio I use for comparisons, the low piano register completely dominated what should be a balanced sound. Worse though was the harsh, sibilant treble. Felt like I was getting stabbed every time a singer sung an S or a T. String instruments had that gauzy sheen, a slight sibilance covering what should be a smooth tone. Fine on the cabling and design front though. Verdict: Could be okay for a bass-lover who didn't mind the amped up highs.

JBL: These were weird. I liked the sound at first. It's pretty detailed- rap by Run the Jewels sounded cool. But the low-mids dominate to an excessive degree. Cello and low piano in that Brahms trio overwhelmed the violin. There was also very poor separation in the soundstage. Couldn't tell which instruments were coming from where. More troubling, on a pop track ("Turn It Around" by Lucius, great band by the way) it sounded like the volume fluctuated based on different instruments coming to the fore, like some kind of dynamic adjustment; like voices would actively fade to accommodate incoming low-end. That was a deal breaker. Cabling seemed fine but the buds themselves are really chunky with no curvature to account for the shape of the ear. Sorta uncomfortable. Verdict: No strong reason to recommend and that volume adjustment weirded me out.

Shure: I tried the 215s a year ago and opted for the Klipsch at the time. Then tried the 112s this time around and ended up returning for similar reasons (and then learned the drivers are the same, so no surprise.) Basically, there is a full, warm sound there, and that the 112s deliver it at such a low price (~$60) is impressive. But no separation and to my ears, poor detail. Everything seems at the same level, which is fine from a flat signature perspective, but there isn't enough soundstage to distinguish the instruments and let each shine. Got very little enjoyment from that Lucius track or the Brahms. On the functional side... The 112s are okay, no frills and seem sturdy, though the cable is stiff and the straight plug sticks out over an inch from a smartphone. There no sleeve or liner on the part of the cable that goes over your ear, and for me the cables didn't stay put over-ear because they're so stiff, so they were always bouncing around or spiraling off to the side of my head. Wearing the cables straight down worked but put the inline mic out of convenient range for hands-free calls.  The 215s have the same sound and personally I found the ear-dominating design frustrating. Moreover, adjusting the over-ear memory sleeve that the 215s do come with led to pops and interruptions in the sound, which was very worrisome. Verdict for both 112 and 215: Insufficiently dynamic, detailed sound. Different but equally frustrating cable issues on each.

Sony: Just a quick note on these as I believe they're fairly outdated by now. I used these for a while and appreciated them. The sound is very flat - so bass lovers will be frustrated - but there is good detail and sound stage. My subsequent experiences with the Klipsch and Sennheisers cause me not to recommend these anymore, but I liked them okay and they're good for the flat signature and detail. The cable is fine if somewhat tangle-prone. The buds themselves are very small, light and comfortable. I'm guessing I would like XBA-2's or 3's but they were out of budget. Verdict: Good for flat sound fans. Will leave bass heads wanting.

Bringing us to... Sennheiser Momentums! Have been listening to the Brahms trio on these as I write this (the Complete Trios recorded by the Beaux Arts trio, a very fine album).

I love the sound stage. Close my eyes and I can picture how far apart the cellist, pianist and violinist are sitting and where.

There's great detail and clarity. From the slight grit of a bow chattering over strings, to skittering bits of synth I hadn't heard before in Austra's "Darken Her Horse", I feel I'm hearing everything the musicians put into the track, which is wonderful.

To me, the sound signature is balanced. There is bass and it comes through nicely on bass heavy tracks, like Run the Jewels' "Jeopardy", but it doesn't bleed out of its register; vocals and highs are clearly preserved above the bass. One reviewer said the mids were recessed; this might be true but there's enough separation that they come through very clearly and warmly (I guess this also depends on the specific mix of the track). Strings sound sweet, not gauzy. Vocals have the slightest bite on S and T consonants (actually heard more harshness the first couple hours of listening but now it seems to have mellowed out nicely). A good test of this overall balance - on single-driver buds-  is a track like STONEFIST by HEALTH (caps are theirs). It's a loud, wall of sound song with a lot of aggressive bass and guitar, and some intentional harshness, but fairly melodic vocals squarely in the mid range. Hard to listen to on the C.500s because of the dominating bass and harsh highs, equally difficult on the Shures because everything muddles together, it comes through as powerful but listenable on the Momentums (though a touch harsh in the highs at moments).

Cable is fine, slightly long (maybe good for the gym) but not too tangly. Microphonics are minimal. Inline mic seems to work well and controls are straightforward. I appreciate the 90-degree plug.

My one gripe is that the earbud itself is just large enough for the plastic housing to press on part of my ear, causing slight fatigue after an hour or so of listening, but I'm guessing I may be able to adjust this with a different sized plug, and the Senns come with several. The case is also a little larger and more complex than it needs to be, with a cable winder that seems more trouble than it's worth. I'm using the old Klipsch case for now instead (which is a great little case). For my priorities, these are minor issues.

Verdict for the Momentums: Great sound for my preferences, no obvious shortcomings, nearly perfect cable and bud design. My favorites overall.

Hope someone finds this helpful!

 

[325xia]

A very good review. I too feel these are an incredible bargain. I own the Shure SE 846's, and these Momentums are very close to the 9 Times more expensive Shure's. Use them both regularly.

 

[Sennheiser]

Welcome to Head-Fi, @nb1083! Nice first post and impression! Glad you like the MOMENTUM In-ears! 

 

[heatofamatch]

A very good review. I too feel these are an incredible bargain. 

 
+1 all the way! After sampling about 50 IEMs in one week on a Tokyo trip (thank you Yodobashi!), the Momentum IE was my final pick. 
 
Sure it involved several players and a number of songs, to ensure audition quality, but the tie breaker was a single song, my favorite song of the year played from my Sony A10. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6MLM-Ig3og) 
 
It came down to the RHA MA750 versus the Momentum IE - they gave the most emotional renditions of the song. The Momentum won for a long list of reasons: it's cheaper, lighter, more comfortable, more sophisticated, surprisingly isolating, great silicone tips after last generation's debacle, and finally,because I hate cable going over my ears.

 It‘s great on this song and on a good chunk of my music collection -- older, slower music -- even though it's supposed to cater to "modern" music like EDM. In there somewhere is a caliber of sensibility that goes above and beyond most of the Japanese IEMs I auditioned. Sorry, JVC FXT200.
 
The Momentum has replaced my IE8 and everything else that's not active noise-cancelling. It's opened a new door for me, and shut a few I got no business walking into anyway. No more drama, no more being dragged along by hype like a dog bone on the ground. There's a new beginning in there somewhere. The IEM to end all IEMs, at least until I find another $100 for the black chrome version. Love that color