This review is for the Sennheiser Momentum On-Ear Wireless (Black) before I start to tell you my time spent with the Momentum's let me introduce my self. My name is Adam I have been into audio equipment since I was in high school. Audiophile I am not but more of a headphone and ear bud lover that likes to listen to music the best it can be heard. Working in a machine shop I am required to wear hearing protection all day long, so looking for my first good pair of in ears brought me to Head-Fi and haven't missed a day being on it since then. Being a member and a reviewer on Head-Fi has taught me a lot about they way I hear my music, every day I keep learning more from this tight knit family community. Back to wearing hearing protection at work, I am not supposed to be wearing headphones or ear buds while working my boss actually threatened to write me up. I told him go ahead do what you have to do and then told him do you see how much work I put out compared to every one else. Listening to music I want to hear instead of what ever crap there blasting over the shop speakers, listening to what I want to hear motivates me and makes my day go a lot faster. In the end my boss gave up and saw my point so now I try to listen to a different ear bud or headphone every week at work.
That's enough about me Sennheiser has been around for a long time and needs know introduction, they have had wireless headphones for awhile but where more for home use. So it's know shock for them to put out headphones for portable use, due to the popularity of music on the go with apps like Tidal, Spotify, just to name a few. There at home use wireless headphones have been well received by many and are known for there quality sound, so let's see if there Momentum's On-Ear can match up for portable use. I would like to say thank you to Brian from Sennheiser for sending me out a demo unit to write this review. I am not an employee or am I being compensated in any way for writing this review and this review is based on my honest opinion.The Momentum's can be fond here on Sennheiser's web site for $399.95
http://en-us.sennheiser.com/momentum-on-ear-wireless-headphones-with-mic
SPECIFICATIONS
Frequency Response: 16-22,000Hz
Impedance: Active 28ohm /Passive480ohm
Sound Pressure Level: 111db (Passive: 1kHz/1Vrms)
Total Harmonic Distortion <0.5% (1kHz, 100dB)
Pick-up pattern (speech audio) Dual Omni directional microphone
Total Noise Attenuation Up to 20dB
Battery Type Built-in Lithium ion Polymer
Sennheisser Momentum On-Ear Wireless Is a wireless Bluetooth Ver. 4.0 technology for pairing to other Bluetooth compatible sources. It also supports NFC connection, APT X and NoiseGard hybrid. I am not going to get into what all this means since there's other forums and threads covering these. But all you need to know it's wireless and is leaps and bounds of old Bluetooth technology, and you get near CD quality audio. These are also a noise canceling headphone that uses NoiseGard hybrid using 4 microphones to pick up outside noise and cancels it. The battery is rated for up to 22 hrs of use, I didn't test the actual time but it lasts a long time and it probably has one of the best battery hours before it needs to be charged then any other wireless headset that I have used.
PACKAGING
The Momentum's come in a very thick box with a nice hi-res photo on front, with just about every major language spoken for the specifications and other information. Upon opening the lid off you are greeted to the Momentum's carrying case set in a precut foam insert for safety for transportation. The headphones are packaged inside the carrying case lifting the case out you will find the user manual and warranty information. Packaging really isn't a big deal to me as long as there safely packaged so they don't get damaged going from point A to B. Sennheiser does a very nice job though, and the box is nice enough to keep for storage if not in use for long periods, I keep all my boxes anyway for just about all my gadgets and electronics, I must have a whole shed full of them.
ACCESSORIES
1 Momentum On-Ear wireless headphone
1.4m Audio cable / 3.5 mm Low-profile angles plug
USB Charging cable
Inflight adaptor
Manuals
Carrying case
Sennheisser includes every accessories you would expect, the carrying case is a very soft plush case with gold stitching with 2 zippers that is semi rigid. I would feel safe to throw it into a book bag but wouldn't want to pile heavy stuff on top. This has to be one of the nicest carrying cases that I have ever seen, they also include a soft satin draw string bag. They didn't stop there unlike most cases there is a mesh pocket in the middle of the case for all your accessories that fit perfectly in. Just about every other company leaves an accessory pouch out only to leave you having to find another pouch or case for your accessories. Thank you Sennheisser for the well design case, I know it's not a big deal to many but for the price we pay for stuff the little extras add up.
You also get a inflight adaptor, usb charging cable, and wired cable for non-wireless use. They seem to forgot the wall part for the usb cable for charging, a lot of companies seem to leave these out since every one has them already. I would like to see these included since my kids always walk off with mine and lose them. They could leave out the inflight adapter and include a wall part, that's just my opinion how many people actually use the inflight adaptor anyway. But they make up for it with there nice carrying case.
BUILD AND FIT
Sennheiser Momentum's On-Ear are made from some premium materials, the housing is a durable plastic attached to a stainless steel headband. The headband is very flexible and can be contorted to form to your head. The stainless steel band has a nice time saved finish to it. A time saved finish is a process where the material is sent threw a machine to round over all the rough edges and to put a nice finish on it. The only reason I know this is from working with stainless steel all day, you would be amazed on how some things are manufactured if you don't know and it would make some realize why some things cost as much as they do. The ear cups are wrapped in a breathable Alcantara material with a soft 2 layer foam underneath. The headband is wrapped in the same material, it feels almost like a suede. The under side of the band is some kind of hard foam that rests against the top of your head. I have never heard of this kind of material before now, and I have to say it is very comfortable against your skin and seems to be more breathable then any other material that I have seen on headphones. Other materials seem to create sweat and with this material I had no problems. The Momentum's isolate about average for an On-Ear design they don't seal as much as a headphone with leather or faux leather do. But your ears also won't sweat from the materials they use.
The ear cups are attached to the headband with a 360degree ball joint for perfect positioning on your ears. They also adjust up and down from a friction mounted slide, for portability both sides are hinged to fold in and can be collapsed for a more compact profile, the hinges were built very sturdy and nicely and is very low profile unlike some other companies using plastic hinges. The one side of the headband near the hinge has 3 brail like dots for identifying left and right side there are also markings on the inside of the band for left and right.
The Momentums also come with a 3.5 plug to use if you don't want to use wireless, the end that plugs into the ear cup and has a notch in it that turns and locks so it doesn't come out. The plug is very low profile and has very good strain relief. The cable is coated in a black nonstick rubber that is very resistant to tangling witch is a big plus since most cables tangle very easy. The USB charging cable is just a standard cable, seems to be well built.
On the right ear cup you will find all your controls for music and making phone calls, and for pairing with devices. The on off button has a led light above it to show what mode the headset is in, the volume button can be pushed in and also slides up and down for all it's functions. Each ear cup has a grills on them for the microphone and NoiseGard.
Overall the Momentums are built with premium materials and it shows, they are some of the best looking headphones that I have seen they are very clean and classy with nice eye appeal. The fit of Momentums sat perfectly on top of my big head with just the right amount of clamping pressure they were not to tight and not to lose. Since they are on ear headphones the headband seems to stick pretty far away from my head, it could just be the funny shape of my head. I usually wear contacts through the day but at night time I wear my glasses, I always run into comfort issues wearing glasses using headphones. With the Momentums band sticking out further, wearing glasses was not a problem at all and felt very comfortable. Other headphones just about every 3 minutes I have to push my glasses to one side or the other or readjust the headphones, not with these they are very friendly for people that wear corrective lenses. The finish on the ear cups is very friendly and is NOT prone to finger prints, the stainless steel is also resistant to finger prints also. So you won't be worrying about having to wipe them down after every use.
HOW DO THEY SOUND
Listening to the Momentum's I used the following wireless and wired Lenovo Ultrabook, Samsung Alpha, Astell & Kern AK100II, Fiio X1, all my music files were either WAV or FLAC Momentum's are very easy to drive in active or passive mode. My first impressions were less the stellar, using them with my Samsung Alpha the volume at max was very low. I couldn't believe how low the volume was but come to find out my daughter made a custom EQ setting and all the bands were lowered. So after turning the EQ off it sounded a lot louder but the max volume still wasn't very loud. The volume is just my opinion I tend to listen to my music loud, it's probably loud enough for every one else. I guess all the years working in a machine shop without hearing protection has taken a toll on my hearing.
Ok so how do they sound that's enough about me listening to loud music, they sound fantastic for something in such a small package. To my ears the overall sound signature would be V shaped, there is definitely an emphasis in the lower end. Listening to mainly Hip-Hop and music form the 1990's the bass is well controlled having more mid bass then sub bass with out being overly to bass heavy. Changing over to todays music playing Taylor Swift the mid ranges clarity is not what you would expect from a Bluetooth device. You can pick up fine details in the pitch of her voice and pick up every little note form high to low. The midrange can sound a little recessed at times putting the singer in the middle of the band and not front and center adding to the V shape sound, giving it a smaller then average sound stage but the clarity and tone makes up for this slightly. The higher frequencies are slightly lifted with good extension, reproducing instruments with out coloration. Playing other types off music you will get the same sound signature, but listening to Electronica, EDM, Hip-Hop, and Rap really makes these headphones shine having there V shape sound.
The only other headphone I had to compare them to in the same price range was the Beats Studio Wireless. Compared to the Beats the Momentums mids, highs, and lows are more detailed and better controlled. The Beats were more balanced with the Momentums mids being slightly recessed but make up for this with better clarity and smoothness. Making phone calls was better then any other headphone I have used, they incorporate what they call Voice Max (Crystal Clear Speech technology). Hearing the person on the other end was so good I would use these just for a hands free device for making phone calls. On the other end the person I was talking to didn't no I was using a hands free device. A lot of wireless phone calls can sound very tinny or have an echo sounding voice, or it's sounds like your in a small bathroom talking. Sennheisser did a really good job for the hands free phone calls, they are also rated for up to 25 feet of distance before you lose your Bluetooth signal. I probably got up to 23 feet before it started to break up, but I have a lot of other electronics that can interfere. Using them with the cable I really didn't hear a big change in the overall sound. But after burning them in for more then 150 hours the mids came forward more and the bass had better extension but still having there V sound signature. Burning them in really opened these up, so if you plan on purchasing these make sure you put them threw the burn in period.
The ANC works pretty good for cancelling noise, I have only used 4 other headphones with ANC so I won't get to in depth. The Momentums use microphones on the ear cups to pick up ambient sound then processes it to cancel it out. Compared to the Beats Studio they didn't cancel noise out as much as the Beat's but the plus side is you don't constantly hear the white noise you do with the Beat's. But they work fine if your not in a really noisy environment like a machine shop.
OVERALL
I would have know problem recommending these to anyone, the price might be off putting but there right inline with other Wireless headphones. For wireless headphones your going to pay more for the technology that has to go in them, and Bluetooth has come along way on how it compresses music. Your not going to be doing critical listening with these but they are made for portability and wireless use. One off the best uses I have used these for was for watching movies when the kids are in bed, there so compact I could rest my head down on a pillow flat. There built with premium materials and there very stylish and to top it off you won't be finding yourself having to charge them all the time. Thanks for reading I hope this helped anyone looking to buy these.
