Sennheiser MOMENTUM On-Ear Headphone

d1554573r

New Head-Fier
Pros: soundstage!, overall frequency response, dynamics, price, the entire package! 32 ohm - You can feed them directly from DAC
Cons: they should be labeled as a open headphone, it's true that they leak a lot.
I've recentlty bougth them for office. All i wanted was a pair of fairly decent cans within the budget ive prepaired for this occasion.

Unboxing was a surprise, in the package we get a nice pair of switchable cabels, one for "iPod" with a mic and volume control , and the regular straight one.
Theres a sachel for headphones and ... A case made from eco leather for both headphones and cables. NICE!

Build quality: aluminium alloy, leather, italian proprietary eco leather on the ear pads... They made my AKG K701 look bad in direct comparison. They got THE LOOKS.

Sound quality: first things first, those cans need 30-50 hrs to burn in. Bass was another unexpected thing from those headphones, I've never heared do well controled, thight and intense bass ever! And its not dominating, bass exactly knows his place here. In reviews above You can read that they are bass heavy - thats not true, bass is clear and objective hits just hard enough, but if Your source is bass heavy better get a nice DAC that doesnt colour the lower parts :wink:

Soundstage ... Compared to K701 they create a scene thats closer to the observer but separation is nearly flawless.
Highs - perfect, period.
Mids - with neutral and good dac same as above, but if something feeds bass too much mids get muddy.

Price: in europe they can be bought for 85€ (1st revision) atm and I dont know any headphones that can compete in this budget or even doubled.

Summary: if the on ear is the thing You are looking for, with those its hard not to satisfy even demanding headphone enthusiast.
  • Like
Reactions: trellus

Audioholic123

500+ Head-Fier
Pros: Full spectrum sound. Analytic yet fun tonality
Cons: Earpads are an awkward fit at times.
The Momentum On-Ears are very impressive headphones. They have incredibly accurate tonality like the kind you get with analytical headphones, yet somehow sound fun at the same time. As stated in the Pros bar above - they have full spectrum sound ( no frequencies masked or missing). This means your going to hear the lowest bass notes, the highest tones of the snare drum and every sound inbetween! There is no bleeding of low's to mid's or mid's to high's...it's all seamless.
 
That brings me to the only negative...the earpads! Everytime i use my Momentum on ears i have to literally move them around until i'm sure they wont slip off my ears...
 
Don't be put off by that though because they are worth every penny for the sound they give. 

InternHeadphone

New Head-Fier
Pros: Rich, exciting bassy sound. Elegant looks. Removable ear-cups and wire.
Cons: Very poor isolation. Ear-cups could be slightly more comfortable.
This review will be split into a number of sections, namely
-Short Summary
-On Ears, Yay or Nay?
-Build Quality
-Sound Quality
-Conc
 
 
1. Short Summary
There are a few reasons why I thoroughly enjoy Sennheiser's products. The company is known for having a meticulous attention to detail and for their strong line-up of products such as the HD280/HD380, HD 598 and most recently a couple of wireless models in the Urbanite/Momentum series. They also have very good customer support for claiming warranties and for enquiries. These are a couple of simple reasons why I would pick Sennheiser and their reliable products over a one-hit wonder product. Sure, other products can be cheaper and have great sound but when the precious piece of equipment breaks down, I still want to have peace of mind getting a replacement. 
 
2. On Ears, Yay or Nay?
The more serious audiophiles may bash the smaller form factor of on-ears. Smaller drivers, poor seal and isolation, diminished sound quality. Those are all valid concerns. But for those reading this and are more casual listeners like myself, audiophile headphones are poor choices due to their lack of portability and impedance. They are also not a very convenient choice, as some full-sized headphones are open back type and are virtually unlistenable in any location that isn't a sealed room in the comfort of your home. I use the Momentum On-ear in the office plugged into a MacBook, at home in bed from a HTC Desire 820 or on the commute to school/work with the same phone. I don't use an amp because it's bulky and requires charging. 
 
I live in a hot country, and can be easily put off by headphones that cause my ears to sweat and make the overall listening experience terrible. On-ears are a good compromise between the full-sized headphone and the IEM. I personally do not enjoy IEM's for anything other than a run or hitting the gym due to the intrusive nature of shoving something inside my ear. And it has been much harder for me to find a good IEM within the same cost bracket of the on-ear. Same price, but the audio quality you pay for IEM's more often than not, cannot match the on-ear. Case in point: The On-ear Momentum goes for around SGD $180 whereas the Shure SE215 goes for around $199 and the Audio Technica IM-02 goes for around $288. It's not an apples to apples comparison per se, but in my own listening I've compared the three products together for their audio quality and I prefer the On-ear overall. 
 
With a small on-ear, the inside of the ear cup doesn't get as toasty as there isn't a full seal around the ears, just a earcup resting on the ear. It can take a bit of getting used to, particularly if you have more sensitive ears. They are slightly more cooling and the sweat that gets soaked into the earcup of the on-ear can be removed and washed, then reattached. Tah-dahhh. 
 
3. Build Quality
The build quality on the Momentum on-ear is superb. The band is made of stainless steel and can be bent almost into a straight line. It's light and flexible and doesn't loose its shape. The clamping force is also rather tender, I don't feel like I'm wear a pair of vernier calipers which is a plus. 
 
The package contains a nice carrying case and a little carry bag. The plus side of this case is I don't have to re-adjust the headband to the smallest size before putting it in, I just plop it in, wires and all and shove it in my bookbag. I own the V-Moda M80 True Blood headphone and while the case on the V-Moda is slightly more compact and packs a nice carbiner for convenience, I don't like taking off and wrapping the wire up again. 
 
Between the V-Moda M80 and the Sennheiser Momentum on-ear, I would say the build quality is comparable. The similarities between the two are quite stark, the size of the ear-cups is around the same, the clamping force on both headphones is also very tender. They also both come with hard carrying cases and 2 sets of wires each. Both also favor a bassy sound. However, the Momentum on-ear has a slightly better treble. 
 
The Sennheiser can take drops pretty well. In my opinion nothing short of sitting on them with your full weight or physically stomping on the ear cups will damage them. Anything else like drops from your head or throwing them across the room against a wall wouldn't faze the pair. 
 
4. Sound Quality
For anyone reading this, I will use the V-Moda M80, Sennheiser Urbanite On-ear and ATH-IM02 as benchmarks. Those audio products are the ones I am familiar with. I also own the Creative Aurvana Live 2 but will leave it out as it is a full sized headphone in a different price bracket.
 
The Sennheiser Momentum On-ear definitely has a very v-shaped, bass focused sound. The bass also happens to be my favourite part about it. For tracks like Tech N9ne's 'Loud', 'Sut Mig', the bass tones have a very addictive, rhythmic sound to them which had me bumping my head to them. The sound is also clear without any audible muddying or distortion. It's a clear sound, not the absolute clearest or airiest, but definitely a very balanced mix with heavy emphasis on bass and sub-bass.
 
For something like The Click Five, Chris Brown, Tech N9ne, Eminem or even Michael Buble, the Sennheiser sounds superb and fun! It's obviously been tuned for modern music so if your playlist has rich bass like EDM music or electronic type sounds in hip hop or pop, these are a perfect fit. Vocals are good, but occasionally take a step back compared to that deep bass. Treble is definitely present which is a plus. Think of it as a completely balanced sound with the treble turned up slightly and the bass turned up substantially. 
 
Against the Sennheiser Urbanite On-ear, I felt the Urbanite was bland sounding and had a foggier bass. The vocals on the Urbanite were also not as clear. In all, the Urbanite is a slightly amped headphone with supposedly better bass, but it just doesn't translate to a balanced sound or even better bass than the Sennheiser Momentum. The bass is there, there's more of it, but it just doesn't sound rich or sharp. Just fat and bloated. 
 
Against the V-Moda M80, I thoroughly enjoyed both headphones. The Momentum has slightly more sss type sounds due to the strong treble, sounds a little more metallic and lighter than the M80. It is clearer with certain tracks as well, mildly so, I do not think it would affect the buying decision. The true distinction comes in the treble differences. The M80 downplays the vocals and the higher frequencies but its bass is just slightly richer and more "chocolatey" if that makes sense. 
 
One thing to add, between the M80 and Sennheiser Momentum, I feel the M80 is slightly more comfortable for commutes, the leather takes sweat more comfortably. 
 
5. Conclusion
The Sennheiser is a very nice sound for those who listen to modern music. The little things like the extra wire, the carrying case all sweeten the deal but the main focus of sound and comfort are met well. It's very very close to a perfect headphone, and I prefer the First Gen over the Second. A folding mechanism can get loose over time, and I am okay with the size of the First. Definitely recommend to the more casual audience as it can be easily powered by a phone or PC. 
Tuneslover
Tuneslover
Nice review and I can attest that on ear headphones are terrific for on the go portable listening. I own the Beyerdynamics DT1350. I haven't heard the Momentums yet but your review has me interested in comparing them to my phones.
Sennheiser
Sennheiser
Awesome review, InternHeadphone! Nice to find a fellow Singaporean here in Head-Fi!
Voxel-1
Voxel-1
Nice review! I was just wondering: are the Sennheiser Amperiors good headphones? Are they good for 99 bucks?

goodyfresh

Headphoneus Supremus
Pros: Good sound (soundstage for a closed on-ear is good, nice FR and detail), decent comfort, looks awesome, sturdy build
Cons: Faulty wiring was a problem with my pair
I got a pair of these new on Amazon about a month and a half ago.  I thought they sounded great for a pair of closed on-ears, and were pretty decently comfortable to the point that listening to tehm for two hours straight, I had no real issues.  The isolation is also pretty good for closed on-ears, considering the lack of extreme clamping force (which is good for comfort, of course).  Good frequency-response and detail, and they have a nice soundstage for headphoens in their class.




Unfortunately, however, I think the manufacturing quality-control on these may not be up to Sennheiser's usual standards!  You see, after just two hours of normal use from the heaadphone jack on my laptop (was using WASAPI, of course) which certainly is not powerful enough to over-drive them, the right driver completely stopped working!  I suspect it was due to faulty wiring to the right side coming from the left-driver where the input jack is located.  Anyway, this obviously ruined teh headphones for me, and I returned them to Amazon for a refund.  Not wanting a repeat of the same experience, I bought a pair of V-Moda M-80s Crossfades insteaad, which I can honestly say are quite superior to the Momentum on-ears in almost every way except isolation. . .soundstage better, detail a tad better, about equally comfortable for me, better looking in my opinion, slightly nicer frequency-response (slightly flatter, but still nice punchy bass, although the treble on the M-80s might actually be a TAD bit inferior to the the Momentum on-ear), superior build-quality and, clearly better quality-conrol with the manufacturing.  I'm honestly GLAD that my Momentum on-ears turned out to have faulty wiring, because it's as a result of that, that I now have the M-80s instead.  However, the M-80s are, depending on the COLOR of the Momentums (strangely enough the price varies WIDELY between the different color options, weird) a tad bit more expensive, but I'd say totally worth it.  Did I mention the M-80s also come with much higher quality cables?  It's true that the Momentum on-ears come with one extra cable, but both cables seemed quite typically flimsy to me.


 


In conclusion, these are certainly good sounding and comfortable, and even reasonably well-isolating headphones, for their class and price-point, but there are others available in the same general price-range (such as the V-Moda M-80) which are better, and I'd be quite wary of the wiring quality in these based on the experience I had with the right driver failing.
Pros: Bass, its rotund and articulate. Mids have excellent breadth.
Cons: Bass wants to come out and play constantly.
Sennheiser Momentum 1.0 On-Ears Quick Review
 
Full review here http://www.head-fi.org/t/760881/sennheiser-momentum-1-0-on-ears-review-by-mark2410
 
Brief:  Sennheiser’s style range On Ear.
 
Price:  Today on the Rainforest sites its £106 or US$100
 
Specification:  Impedance 18 Ω, Frequency response 16–22,000 Hz, Sound pressure level (SPL) 112 dB (1 kHz/1 Vrms), THD, total harmonic distortion < 0.5% (1 kHz, 100 dB SPL), Contact pressure approx. 3.2 N, Ear coupling Supra-aural, Jack plug Cable 1: 3.5 mm low profile angled plug, Jack plug Cable 2: 3.5 mm straight plug, Cable length Cable 1: 1.4 m iPod®/iPhone® cable with integrated smart remote and microphone, Cable length Cable 2: 1.4 m cable for computers, phones, music players and any device with a headphone output, Transducer principle Dynamic, closed, Weight 160 g (including remote), Load rating 200 mW
 
Accessories:  A sizable case, a little baggy thing and two sets of cables, one with a mic and phone controls, the other without.
 
Build Quality:  As you would expect from Sennheiser, excellent.
 
Isolation:  Meh.  There really isn’t very much.
 
Comfort/Fit:  Great at first, I did find after a couple hours where my ear was squished onto my glasses got a little sore.
 
Aesthetics:  Just take a look at them, tre fancy.  They come is various colours too so I’d be surprised if you couldn’t find one to your tastes.
 
Sound:  Excellent.  I get the impression that Senn has targeting the Momentum range to have a specific sound.  A slight deviation from their normal sound to more closely emulate Sony or B&W.  A rich full bodied warm low end.  Mids comparatively broad and open.  The highs, a little flared spike but on the whole delicate and smooth.  It sounds really very much like the In-Ear version and I’d be willing to bet the On-Ears do too.  I’m half temped to just copy paste what I wrote before, lol.  The bass is big and rich, rotund with a good level of depth but more what I’d think of as rounded.  It does climb up a little towards the mids before dropping into a bit of a valley.  The bass does move quite a bit of air over the ear.  The mids are very broad sounding, so open and naturally airy. Slightly warm but still so much air it just flows beautifully.  The highs are really well refined and mostly delicate. There is a little spike that cuts right through and makes quite an apparent treble flair.  It really bolsters the V shape and makes them rather more detail hurling.  It does well to act as a counter to that huge bass.  It makes them quite instantly and noticeably attention grabbing without being ear savaging.  It’s a really mainstream bit of V shaped drama and a healthy dose of smooth too.  Oh and they sound huge too, very broad and as though they have oodles of power.  Personally I’d like a little more mids though. 
 
Notably though my Nexus 5 the bass and treble somewhat lessened so a beefy source has a quite an effect.  Proportionally more even handed and smooth the more power you threw their way which suited my tastes exceedingly well.
 
Value:  Price seems a bit in flux but they are a considerably quality product.
 
Pro’s:   Bass, its rotund and articulate.  Mids have excellent breadth.
 
Con’s:  Bass wants to come out and play constantly.

JuanLuis91
JuanLuis91
How it sound compared with Urbanite?

juiceppe

New Head-Fier
Pros: Good bass
Cons: With glasses, after a few hours they start to hurt
Before this I had only cheap 20$ in-ears, so I can't compare them to other headphones. But I'm happy with them. At the beginning the bass seemed so cool that I listened to some hardcore, now I got used to it. Love that they keep the ears warm in winter. After around 3 hours they start to hurt when I wear my glasses.

jh20001

New Head-Fier
I was in a deep search for some good headphones First I thought, maybe the beats, but then I didn’t want to look like one of the poser kids walking around with headphones on that are more about design than they are function. I started to read some reviews, and the Bose sounded like a good option but I know they are known for being over-priced and not always worth it. Then I saw these and read some reviews. Not only did they claim they sound really nice, but they look exquisite (fancy and not in the trendy kind of way). Reviews (like: http://pocinc.net/blog/product-reviews/review-sennheiser-momentum-on-ear-headphones/ ) painted them as being better than your normal pair of headphones and I needed to see for myself. What does “better than normal” sound like? I have to admit, my ears are liking these! They sound super expensive hah. 
 
Over-the-ears would have been better since you would be more secluded from the world, but the price was a little steep for me to justify them. 

Napilopez

1000+ Head-Fier
Pros: Great soundstage, realistic bass impact and extension with little bloat, build quality, comfort, timbre and texture, great looks
Cons: Leak more and isolate less compared to the over-ears, don't fold for storage, need substantial burn-in to mellow bass bloat
At the price these guys are currently going at, I think there are few better values around. I did a lot of research before buying, and going by the impressions many folk have posted, one would think these sound massively different to the original Momentums. This is not the case at all - I owned both at the same time, and unlike most who have posted comparisons, I had the on-ears first. Compared to anything else, you can tell these come from the same family - indeed they should share an essentially identical 40mm driver that's simply tuned differently.

I find the on ear as comfortable as the over-ears, if not more so. The alcantara pads are super soft, and only get softer with use. Clamping force is a little high out of the box, but that's a super easy fix with a little stretching or simple breaking-in. The pads on the over-ears are often too small for users, something you don't have to worry about with the on-ears. I have no issues wearing them for hours on end, and their small size even makes it easy to lie in bed while listening to some music with them. They're also very easy to wear around the neck and the lighter weight makes them less likely to mess up your hair.
 
Isolation is subpar on these though. I don't generally want too much isolation because I like being somewhat aware of my surroundings, but you can hardly tell there's any difference when you have them on - isolation is very subtle. That said, once you have some music playing, even at low volumes, it's not that bad. A bigger concern for me is that these seem to leak more than your average closed headphone - not ideal for listening at moderate volumes in quiet places.
 
As for sound - they captivated me right away, but the bass definitely sounded bloated and slow. It's worth noting that I bought mine used. Like new, but still used, so I don't know how much they'd already been burned in. That said, it still took several days of listening to music to get them to sound their best - there was a noticeable difference in the quality of the bass after extended use. I'd assume this is because of a combination of the usual dynamic driver burn in, as well as breaking in the pad and metal band to achieve a proper level of clamping force. Definitely don't allow first impressions to sway you if you don't like them immediately. 
 
Once broken in the bass is quite wonderful. I find low end response on the original momentums to be a bit boring.This is not for a lack of quantity - the VSONIC GR07 Classic has less bass but is more engaging. It just feels a little soft, and slow. Too gentle. This is not the case with the on ear. The bass hits hard and fast, and extends easily into the sub-bass. 
 
The mids came as a huge surprise to me. I expected them to sound distanced and recessed and bloated by the bass, but didn't find this to be true at all. Listening to the over ear and on ear back and forth with the same tracks, there is hardly a difference between the two. The originals are a tiny bit more forward, but that's it. I actually think I prefer the texture on these too - cellos sound better with the on-ears to me.
 
The highs are the one area the on-ear noticeably lose to the over ear. Overall treble amounts are very, very similar between the two, but the over ear seems to eek out just a little more detail. Cymbals sound more realistic on the over-ears, for instance.
 
As for soundstage and presentation, the on-ears excel here too. Soundstage width is just as good as on the over-ears, perhaps even a little better. They lack a little depth and height compared to the over ears, but then compensate for this by having clearer positioning and separation. Instruments blend into one another more on the over ears than on-ears, where I feel I'm able to tell where everything is just a little more easily, particularly in congested tracks. This is made all the more impressive by the fact that the on-ears are, well, on-ears. I suspect this has to do a bit with the sound leakage and weak isolation.
 
The on ears have often been described as only really being good for bass heavy modern music, but I completely disagree. There isn't a single genre of music I've listened to that sounds bad with the on-ears, whereas I find myself a bit bored with EDM and some hip hop tunes on the originals. I get surprising enjoyment out of classical with these. Perhaps that's because I'm partial to making cellos sound good, something I find these do superbly well. But it's also because of their great instrument separation and texture.

On sensitivity and amping, both of these need a little more power than you'd think from 18ohms headphones to get particularly loud. When I'm on the go, I find myself often having to crank both Momentums to max volume - something worsened by the lack of isolation on the smaller model. As for amping, I thought the larger Momentum would take a clear lead when they were powered up, but I found the opposite to be true - the bass becomes tighter and more textured, and the treble improved to a point where it became difficult to tell if the over-ears were actually performing better than the on ears 

One final note: both of these sound better when you use the cable without the microphone. I've never been much of a believer in the power of cables... but it was noticeable here. It's not a huge difference, and it's less pronounced on the over-ear, but notes are more defined, with better instrument separation and overall clarity improvements. That said, the microphones themselves sound clear on a call.

I've spent two weeks with both the on-ear and over-ear, and I still can't decide which one I want to keep. Truth is, I'd probably keep the on-ear for sure if it weren't for the fact the over-ears isolate better and leak less. But on sound alone, there isn't a clear victor. What is clear, however, is that the on-ear are the better value, especially now that they can be purchased refurbished for about $100. 
djmuzi
djmuzi
So you guys would recommend me to burn them in?
I'm about to return them... The bass is too much and treble is sharp in one region but on closer look treble is badly rolled off, when I equalize them with Accudio iPhone app.
So burning in or returning?
My first impression is that the UE4000 and the CAL! put them to shame...
I just wanted to have some decent looking headphones which sound descend too. The UE4000 is OK but has too few treble for my taste. And something like Beats Solo 2 or the Momentum are lot more stylish and well known by people. Logitech for most people makes compute stuff, it's not hip
djmuzi
djmuzi
... Sorry but cant geht the positive reviews here, it just sounds awful... Putting a Creative Aurvana Live! On my ears right after the MOE shows how bad this cans are... Beautiful looking but they have to sound at least ok..
senorx12562
senorx12562
Napilopez,
If yours don't fold, i think that means they are the first gen of the on ears, i think the 2nd gen does fold for transport. I like my gen 1 on ears, but i guess they are no creative aurvana lives. Who knew?

ballbarn

New Head-Fier
Pros: Comfortable.
Cons: Muffled sound, minimal highs and almost no midrange.
I purchased these online thinking they were the Momentum over-ears that I'd previously demoed. They are not, nor are they comparable in any way. Much lower build quality, and the sound is not even remotely similar. Where the Momentum over-ears are relatively well balanced for closed ear phones and sound clean, these are boomy in the bass and completely unbalanced, leaving just warm mush in the mid. Classical music, while clearly not the intended type of recording for these, sounds absolutely terrible. My years old, maybe 10 years old Sennheiser 280pros sound far better than these, are more isolating, and cheaper. I'll be returning them as soon as possible, they're junk for kids.
Eutility
Eutility
What vendor did you buy from? Sounds really strange.

lofoscopico

New Head-Fier
Pros: Detail, bass
Cons: Nothing, so far
I read several (a lot of) opinions about these headphones here on head-fi and also in other web forums. To be honest, after that i was pretty unsure about them.
Nevertheless i ordered them, as they we´re at a very good price (145€). When they arrived, i plugged them to my ipod and the first impression was somewhat dull. After that, i introduced the Fiio E11 on the equation and they came alive, with very good detail and punchy bass.
Now, with 5 hours of listening, they continue to make me smile when listening to music on the subway, when i go to work.
I don´t really agree with the criticism about being a bass head unit, i believe the bass is very well controlled and the impression about being a bass head can be caused by low quality files (?)
I also own a pair of HD650 and a pair of AKG K550, and i believe the mids of MOE are placed in the middle of those, the HD650 are more veiled and the K550 are brighter.
I think these are pretty good to use in the street and with the adequate source, they become a blast. Very pleased to own a unit.

Klonatans

100+ Head-Fier
Pros: Nice design, sturdy build, replacable cables
Cons: Overblown and intrusive bass, veiled mids, too much clamping force
These Senns are not proper Hi-Fi headphones. I can recommend them only if you're a basshead and don't care about SQ.
  • Like
Reactions: So Far
YingTK
YingTK
Agreed with this review and the above comments. Bought one after reading the reviews, but these on ears are a big disappointment. Booming bass, harsh treble, and incredibly high clamping while not isolating noise that well. It does perform better than beats at similar price range, but I think some over ears from beats with $200~$300 price tag are actually more bearably than these, unfortunately (I know comparing over ears to on ears are like comparing apples to oranges, but this is from the "beats" to "momentum on ears" point of view). If you like similar sound character, I think you can do better with Martin Logan Mikros 90 at lower street price.
 
I'm not an experienced headphone audiophile, and I've never tried HPs with over $450 msrp, but I've been a 2 channel audio addictive for a few years, and I've been using my system as reference when I try out headphones.
Jeff Y
Jeff Y
I'm love my NAD Viso HP50s atm!
Dexter22
Dexter22
This is a V shaped signature, which some 'flat' loving people like me would hate. Once in a month or 2, (I am in Germany) these comes on some offfer in amazon for around 90 Euros which makes them a bargain, if you are basshead. When I tried this with my FiiO X3, and Xduoo X3 they sounded really harsh, but with an iPhone 5 which this is meant to be really paired with, they sound not bad. iPhone has an emphasis on mids and rolled of high's compared to my players. Also low end is not tight as the players. Apart from this, I have noticed, iPhone has a recessed midbass region. Now when these 'Senn's are paired with an iPhone I think it make sense. Also built quality is very good, but not portable as they dont fold. 
 
Now, the main reason this can be avoided is the clamping force. If you wear a glass, this is medivial torture! I own the Martin Logan Mikros 90, which sounds better, (infact they sound really good, detailed and balanced) but both these cans are examples of extreme clamping force. which makes them 'passable'

Tom22

Headphoneus Supremus
Pros: flashy design, lots of fun colours, class leading comfort, fun sound (very deep bass, clear mids amazing treble, very wide soundstage), stable on head
Cons: lacks isolation(good for situational awareness, but doesn't block out noise), a bit too much bass (a bit loose), mids more recessed than i like.
For a condensed video review see the link below:
0.jpg

 
 
After the much acclaimed success of the Momentum (over ear) headphones, sennheiser wanted to recapture that magic and scale it down into a smaller, more portable, more affordable package. Here the Sennheiser Momentum On- Ear or MOE for short is born. 
P1020106.jpg
 
P1020107.jpg
 
P1020108.jpg
 
P1020109.jpg
 
Accessories/ Features
The MOE comes with both a soft carrying case and a fabric bag (with a drawstring) to protect these headphones. In terms of size they are about the same size as their older sibling (the momentum over ear) which is about half the size of my 13inch macbook pro. Inside you will found a pouch to hold your cables. I also liked that I didn’t have to take out the cable when putting into the carrying case. Also, I’d like to note I didn’t have to retract the earcups when storing them away each time (something I had to do with their older brother).
The headphone come with 2 detachable cables both are 1.4 m in length, both utilizing a twist and lock mechanism in the left earcup. The side entering the earcup is 2.5mm while the side entering the music player is 3.5mm.  One cable is a stock audio cable that ends with a straight jack. The other cable is a 3 button IOS remote and mic, (for play/pause/rewind/fastforward and Siri) made of a combination of metal and plastic) and ends in a L shape jack.
 
P1020111.jpg
 
P1020112.jpg
 
P1020113.jpg
 
P1020149.jpg
 
P1020137.jpg
 
P1020150.jpg
Overall: 8/10 (I wish it came with a hard shell carrying case, to better protect the headphones from impact)
 
Design and build quality
In sort they look exactly like a baby version of the Momentum over ear. I find they are more eye catching and flashier than their older brothers which are more sleek and classy looking.They come in a wide variety of different colours (see picture below), so you will definitely find 1 (or 2 ) that will suit your tastes.
One notable differences in terms of materials is the use of Alcantara, which is a synthetic suede like material on the headband and the earpads (compared to the leather used on the older siblings). I will note in the comfort section below my findings on this change.
The headband made of a stainless steel band, that is split in the middle allowing for better ventilation and to prevent any hotspots while aiding in stability while on the head.
The earcups are much smaller than the over ears, and are swivels on a ball joint to fit different head shapes. Also the earcups are instead made of a glossy plastic (on the black and ivory versions at least), compare to the more matte like finish on the black momentums.
The headphones adjust based on friction and slide up and down depending on your head size. Again they don’t slide out of place unless force is applied.
The cables are well-made and replacable with good strain reliefs and thickness.
 
P1020136.jpg P1020152.jpg
 
 
 
P1020138.jpg P1020153.jpg
 
 
 
 
P1020139.jpg
 
P1020140.jpg
P1020141.jpg
P1020146.jpg
 
P1020147.jpg
 
P1020148.jpg
Overall: 8.5/10 (the glossy black does pick up fingerprints and again as stated on the my review on the over ear momentums, I’m not the biggest fan of the friction adjusting mechanism)
 
Comfort/weight
In terms of comfort the MOE I think hit it out of the park! Portable on ear headphones are normally not the most comfortable based on the fact that they have to press against your ear to remain secure).  The clamping force is higher than the older brothers but I felt the combination of the  earpads being so soft (so much padding too) allows them to feel very comfortable while being one of the most secure headphones I’ve ever tried (seriously, you can run and jump around without worrying about them falling off).
The alcantara used is really remarkable, the MOE while having very soft earpads and pressing against your ears are also very breathable. The surface of my ear barely accumulated any sweat even after 2-3 hour listening sessions. 
 
P1020142.jpg
 
P1020143.jpg
 
P1020144.jpg
 
P1020145.jpg
 
Similar to the older brothers theres not much padding on the headband, but its not needed because at 160g, the MOE is as light as feather on my head.
 
Overall:In terms on on ear standard= 10/10
 
Isolation
This is an area I feel the MOE suffered. For being advertised as a closed back headphone, they really don’t isolate all that much at all. Even walking around quiet neighbourhoods, I could hear basically everything around me. This is a good option for those that want  to hear whats going around them, say when walking around downtown or when cycling or if you need to listen for the telephone in the office. But I wouldn’t be able to recommend them for buses, trains, or air travel.
 
Overall: 6/10- I suspect the alcantara material being so breathable, is the reason while it doesn’t isolate more (it’s a completely sealed design)
 
Sound quality: I want say this first, the Sennheiser had taken a different approach when tuning for the MOE aiming for a more exciting V-shape sound for the youth to young adult market, and the types of music many of them listen to (I suspect, anyway) which is geared more towards rap, hip &hop, pop, and more electronic music.
From now on I will just evaluate the momentums on their on merits. (I will write a separate review comparing both momentums.
 
Bass: Normally portable (on ear) headphones suffer from bass, and its extension due to the size of the housing. The MOE doesn’t suffer from this problem, the bass reaches very low and is very prominent. I will note that the bass oddly has a very different characteristic from when outside (in my relatively quiet neighbourhood for example) compare to home.
At home: The bass has boomy, slight looseness quality, I find the bass on some tracks to be a bit “droney” (tends to linger a bit) and distracting at times, losing out on some definition and a bit of texture.
Outside: the looseness of the bass is less noticeable (contending with the ambient noise) and it still reaches very low. And seems to be less “droney” as well. The bass is also less emphasized when outside, making it more balance sounding, but still with plenty of punch and rumble. Though still not netural by any means.
 
But for  those that want bass impact from an on ear headphone the MOE should easily top your list!
 
Midrange: i find the midrange very clear actually with a hint of veiling. Despite the massive bass response it steers clear of it, a very common problem with bass heavy headphones. However, it is more recessed than my liking, it feels like the singer 2 rows back compare to the bass. Female vocals felt a bit more emphasized more so than male vocals on the MOE but that said female vocals never being unbearable or “too much”.  That said it’s a very small margin. A very competent midrange in a V shaped headphone.
 
Treble: the treble is actually very nice. I felt it was emphasized very tastefully, imaging is good for an on ear headphone. It has a bit more sparkle and is quite detailed but is stays away from sounding harsh or overly aggressive.  It extends well for an on ear (very surprising) and easily my favorite part of the sound.  Theres no spikes or dips in the treble, very impressed!
 
Soundstage: another part are portable on ears usually suffer. But the MOE is the exception. The MOE easily has one of the widest soundstages you can find for a portable on ear. Its quite expansive. Though this causes everything to be a bit more diffuse sounding, so the bass, mids and treble stay separate from one and another, but this makes the overall sound a bit less integrated as whole (affecting the sonic imaging).
 
Overall:7/10 Portable headphones always suffer in more ways than one, and I felt the MOE fared pretty well. If sennheiser makes a revision doing some nip and tucks to the sound (bringing forth the mids a bit more, tightening up the bass), I’m sure it will amazing.
 
Portability factor
They fit easily around the neck when not in use, I don’t think anyone will have a problem with that, they can also easily slip into a messenger bag with little issues and are made to withstand everyday wear and tear.
 
Overall 9/10- again this is because they don’t fold up or flat
 
Conclusion:
Overall I think the addition of the MOE to be a very good one to the momentum series. They can easily cater to different audiences and both sound very competent. Their small size and unique styling will easily make them stand out in the crowd (in an amazing way), along with a wide range of colours, you can find one that suits your personality! You’ll be hard pressed to find a more complete package if your in the market for a portable on ear headphone.
  • Like
Reactions: Nek8888
MarcadoStalker7
MarcadoStalker7
AKA The SennBeats :p
ruthieandjohn
ruthieandjohn
...and it is only the MOE, not the Momentums, that Sennheiser chose to render in a yellow-and-green Samba edition for the FIFA World Cup!  Just ordered a pair, post-World Cup, at a very reasonable price!
Bansaku
Bansaku
Great review! In total agreement. 
 
MarcadoStalker7: Not even close, even bass wise. Please don't insult the memory of Mr. Sennheiser. :p

Wyd4

Headphoneus Supremus
Pros: Good bass extension, easy to listen to for most music
Cons: Bass can get boomy, bleeds into the mids on bass heavy tracks, , lacks extension in the highs
Review to come when i have some time.

Bottom line is, if you can pick these up on sale, they are a good buy for what they are.
 
They are fairly comfortable, have ample bass which sadly lacks a little control.
 
Overall it is a pleasant enough listen for a portable pair of cans.
With some EQ they can sound much better.

heavyarms

New Head-Fier
Pros: punchy and deep bass, good mids and highs, outstanding looks, good carrying case, low impedance 18 ohm means can be easily driven by smartphones etc
Cons: volume control works only on apple
Got it at a bargain price for 129 AUD.  

Kviabol-Iceland

New Head-Fier
Pros: Powerful kicking bass which does NOT overwhealm or drain away any other sounds. Portable. Very clean sound.
Cons: Can be uncomfortable after listening for some hours. Do not fold up. Exposed wires. Gets a incredibly tiny distortion when volume turned to MAX
Remember this review comes completely from my experience of the Momentum on-ear headphones.
 
Build Quality
The Sennheiser Momentum on-ears really are built like a tank. The headband is all trusty aluminum/metal which is gonna take a long, hard time to break I'm not sure if the cups are aluminum or plastic (they feel a lil' plastic) but I haven't found 1 problem with the durabilty of them. The color of the headphones (black, blue, green, pink, red, brown and ivory) are not painted with those colors they're washed so they won't scratch off or anything like that which is a real plus. I've had the Momentum on-ear for 6 months right now and they look exactly the same as when I bought them so I think these will durate for quite a while. 
 
 
Comfort
To be honest the luxurious alcantara is not very comfortable after like 1.5-3 hours of listening but under that time I must say it's pretty damn comfortable. Even though I'd like leather more than alcantara for COMFORT I'd prefer having the alcantara cause it just looks so damn good! On the other hand the headband on the Momentums could be A LOT more comfortable if Sennheiser would try. It's not thick and the only plush it has is barely plush it's rather hard and stiff (lol) and doesn't deliver any comfort at all but because the headphones are so light (160g) the headband doesn't bother a lot. 
 
Isolation
Noise isolation isn’t great, so they’re not well-suited to noisy environments. If you raise the volume to a high volume it isolates pretty good but others could hear your music cause MOE don't have good noise cancelling.
 
Sound
This is what everyone's been waiting for. The MOE sound amazing, these headphones are worth every single penny. This sound suits literally everyone it's good for rock, metal, everything instrumental, electronic music, house and thousands of other genres. MOEs have a punchy, rich bass which does not at all overwhealm or drain away any other sound that you need to hear but fits perfectly in the bass-head's collection. They sound incredibly clear but if you raise the volume to complete max you might hear a slight hissing disortion but otherwise these headphones have an amazing rich, kinda deep, aggressive sound which fits everyone.
  • Like
Reactions: RoboKaren

TripBitShooter

500+ Head-Fier
Pros: Greatly balanced mids and highs with rich detail, nice design, extremely enjoyable emphasised bass
Cons: Might not fit everyone's ears, slightly boomy bass on occasion
The Sennheiser Momentum On Ear is bursting with goodness. Nice looks, sound, and great value to go with it. Now, Let's go straight into it!
 
These look so phenomenal, with all that alcantara leather and the premium stitching. The earcups are so nicely and subtly styled and to finish it all up, at the bottom of each side of the leather padded headband is a Momentum word laser engraved on a piece of metal to finish up that premium feel.
 
The soumd is great, with detailed, smooth and balanced mids and highs. In the short listen I took, I did not hear any particular emphasis on any frequency range within the mids and highs. The bass is tight but deliciously slightly emphasised, with all the subtlety I need enough to betray the audiophile/purist inside of me. Once in a while, I always like a fun sounding listen. I do not hear any bass reverberation within the earcups, probably due to the solid metal earcups, but the bass can get slightly boomy, loose and flabby on occasion, esecially when taxed hard on heavy bass tracks.
 
Alas, to ruin the package, the Earcups do not swivel back and forth, so people may find unecessary pressure on the back of their ears and too light a pressure on the front of the ears, causing an inconsistent seal and ruining the sound quality a little as outside noise leaks in. This is also not for use in a library, as sound leakage is strangely quite high too.
 
This is a disappointing drawback, but overall, these are extremely nice sounding if you like balanced and detailed mids and highs and great, delicious punchy bass. even audiophiles out there, sometimes you should be a bit more adventurous with what headphoens you listen to, like what I did. You may find a wholly different but maybe an even more enjoyable sound. Advice to potential buyers though; You should try these out if possible at a store before purchasing them, so as to ensure that they can fit on your ears well without putting too much pressure on the backs of your ears, especially if you are wearing glasses.
 
Great job Sennheiser, especially on balancing the precarious value between sound and design, but maybe a slight tweak to include earcups being able to tilt on the slider with the Sennheiser logo will be greatly appreciated.
  • Like
Reactions: RoboKaren

dweaver

Headphoneus Supremus
Pros: solid sub-bass, enjoyable well rounded signature.
Cons: on ear design can be slightly uncomfortable - mediocre isolation
Sennheiser Momentum On Ear

I bought the Momentum On Ear (MOE) on a bit of a whim and mistaken thought I could return them if not satisfied. So not really an auspicious start to a headphone aside from getting them at a good price compared to retail. I honestly thought I was just going to end up returning them.
Buy upon initial listen I have to admit I have been surprised by them. Bit before I get into their sound let's talk about the headphones physical attributes first.
Build quality of the MOE is absolutely top notch. The headphones exudes quality construction and design and every color looks good in my opinion. Being traditionalist I bought the black/red model for myself but was tempted by the red and white models I'm the store as well. The cables are a but thin but non micro phonic and the button are easily distinguished and feel good on the microphone cable. I also love the fact the microphone cable works with my android phone minus the volume controls. I also love the case and bag that come with the kit buy have to admit o will likely use the cloth bag alone more often than not.

I find the headphone very comfortable worn around the neck when not being used as I walk around. When being used the comfort is good but not perfect as I do find my ears getting sore after an hour or so. But these are one of the more comfortable on ear headphones I have tried or owned as I can wear them for several hours with only a minimal level of discomfort. The added comfort does come at the cost of isolation though. Walking around the mall, I found these woefully inadequate at keeping the noise at bay. So if isolation is important you will want a different headphone. In comparison the Keff M500 these feel more secure on head and slightly more isolating. In comparison to the Mikros 90 they are less clamping but due to the M90 fit similar in comfort overall but they have significantly less isolation.

So how do they sound? In a sentence, they are rich and full sounding with a small dip in the midrange. I find I can listen to them for hours with pretty much any genre I listen to.

Bass - This is the strongest part of the sound signature but not in an obnoxious or over bearing fashion. They have excellent sub bass and only a very modest mid-bass hump. The bass is not loose bit also is not to punchy. It has a smidge of boominess to it that can be overwhelming with some songs. In my testing I have only a couple of tracks that have bothered me though.

Midrange - The midrange is a bit recessed in comparison to the bass and the lower treble but not enough that I felt cheated. It is clear and mostly unaffected by the mid-bass with a slightly warm tilt to it.

Treble - is strongest in the lower treble and gently rolled off in the upper treble. This has a tendency to make these occasionally sound hot/ harsh for some cymbal crash heavy music but generally speaking very easy to listen to for your extended sessions.

The overall detail of this headphone is not as resolving or transparent as some other head phones like the Mikros 90 or Kefff M500 but it is more detailed than most of the Monster brand headphones I have heard in the same price range. I find the detail is good enough that I only miss it when doing direct A/B comparisons to a detailed headphone.

The sound stage is of a decent size and better than average compared to other on ear headphones. Due to the slightly recessed midrange the sound stage is middle row of a small venue in regards to placement.

Overall I find these to be an excellent consumer oriented headphone that will please most people. The bass may be over powering for head-fi members who have grown accustomed to more controlled bass though, if you prefer tight bass or a neutral sound and more detail then you should look into something like the Mikros 90
  • Like
Reactions: Sennheiser
Sennheiser
Sennheiser
Thanks for this review, dweaver! 

AJ-Boffin

New Head-Fier
Pros: Great sound quality, rich yet controlled bass, balanced mids, well tuned treble, aesthetics, lots of accessories, high standard of build quality
Cons: On-ear design may grow uncomfortable after an hour or so
These have become my favourite headphones. In summary they are just like beats however better in every aspect of quality. The sound quality is, in the eyes of someone who is new to decent equipment, off this world.

  • The bass is very rich, however controlled. I find Beats Solos have an uncontrolled bass, which makes them sound echoey. The Senheisers however produce a much better sound.
  • The mids are great too - vocals that fit into this category come up really well.
  • The treble is open and gives a great sound as well.

The design is very 70s, which in a way looks 'cool'. Perhaps retro is in fashion now? The headphones are very adjustable, and the detachable cable may be useful someday :D. I will say though that after an hour or so of listening with these on, because they sit on your ear (hence 'on-ear'), your ears may start to hurt. Easily fixed, just take the headphones off for a few seconds and let your ears rest. The build is of the highest standard, as you'd expect from Senheiser.

When you open the box, it immediately whispers 'premium'. This is because of the packaging quality and what you get with the headphones. There are two cables, one with a 90° jack and a remote, the other with neither; two cases, one stronger giving more bump protection, one soft and silky for dust and scratches; 7 manuals for all the languages you don't speak; and of course the headphones.

May I point out that these offer very little noise isolation, so if traveling on typically noisy public transport, these may not be your best bet.

As I said these are the best set of headphones I have ever owned. I listen to them through an old iPod Nano, so I'm waiting for the next generation of hi def DAPs to come from Fiio and iBasso in order to get the most out of these great phones.
Jeff Y
Jeff Y
well I would say do not compare these to beats but I listened to these from my iBasso which sounded awful. Really turned me down ; I love 650s but the bass on these were loose, lacks in quantity, etc. Soundstage was weird too.

FancyDan

Head-Fier
Pros: Bass is articulate and solid, tons of punch, very detailed highs and mids (even if the mids are a bit recessed), great build quality, beautiful
Cons: Too bassy for audiophiles, ear pads could be softer (hurts ears after too much use), limited soundstage
This is a really fun headphone, especially for on the go use from day to day. The bass is really nice and punchy, but it isn't that annoying "Beats Solo HD" rumbling bass that gets in the way and muddies the sound. It almost has a slightly held back, but warm round-ness to it. It makes rocky music and a lot of tight indie music (see Grizzly Bear, Arcade Fire, Morning Benders) and some hip hop sound great (see Earl Sweatshirt, Nujabes, DJ Cam, Blackstar), but they don't have the thumping sub bass of something like a Beats, Sol, or even ATH-M50 can that allow you to hear the raw bass energy of music like Trap or Dubstep, both genres literally designed around that sound. You probably won't want to listen to classical music or jazz on these either to be honest. The level of bass that IS present is still to much for very highly detailed music that would be better listened to on a home audiophile setup. 
 
These are headphones that can also go straight into a cell phone and be properly powered as well, making them a very odd device. They're for portable use, and sport a solid bass emphasis, but don't feel right for dubstep, trap, or even more bass heavy and/or aggressive house music. Who are these headphones for? I'll tell you who, me. They have a perfect sound signature for listening to indie music, or more experimental electronica (Aphex Twin, Burial, etc.) on the go or at a school, which happens to be EXACTLY what I bought them for. I'm a huge indie music head, and being able to listen to the chill but uplifting jams of The Shins, or the crashy rocking energy of Tame Impala on the go is just a treat, and the fact that you get that premium look and feel that Sennheiser have done so well is an incredible bonus. I guarantee that people will compliment you on them everywhere you go. 
 
In short, they're a classy, but not quite audiophile Hi-Fi level headphone that is perfectly suited to rock, indie, and some hip hop and electronic music on the go. 

bala

100+ Head-Fier
Pros: Great design, solid build quality!
Cons: Bassy sound.
  If you have already seen the Momentum over-ear model, you know what to expect. A very tastefully done design, goes great with casual and formal wardrobe
icon_wink.gif
. The sliding earpieces are nice but I always have the nagging feeling that they tend to move from their optimal position during the regular handling of the headphone. General disclaimer : I have never had a good experience with On-ear headphones!
The Momentum on-ear comes with a plush earpads made of Alcantara – a soft breathable material. The stainless steel headband running across the drivers provide the frame with good grip and a nice look as well. The cable is detachable (a comfort for portable headphones) and  remote for the microphone seems to be made of metal as well. There is an additional regular headphone cable with no microphone provided as well. The amount of detail that has gone into the design is once again reflected in the audio jacks as well, though they are not the wonderful self adjusting Momentum circumaural type, these look like works of art. The colorful hologram on the jack is an eyecandy in itself
icon_wink.gif
– this is the best designed headphone in my opinion – “drool-worthy”.
 
 This isn’t anything like it’s elder brother, the full size Momentum.The Momentum on-ear is a departure from Sennheiser’s house sound and is definitely aimed at audience who would otherwise be gravitating towards say, the Vmoda M100, Beyer Custom one Pro, Bose, Beats, AKG Tiesto and so on. All competitors of the On-ear Momentum pay special attention to the needs of the “bass minded” and genres such as Hip-hop, electronic, pop & EDM (Electronic Dance Music) and good looks ofcourse. I believe this introduction is necessary to put in perspective the tonality of the On-ear Momentums.I have to start with the BASS! of the On-ear Momentum, which is the most prominent aspect of it’s presentation. The lower frequencies are very strong (and overwhelming!) for such a small driver unit. The bass is actually quite good in tracks where it is reigned in, everywhere else there is bass”plosion” – highly unlike Sennheiser! The closed architecture tends to add to the bass tuned driver to push out more than required low end punch with some loss in musicality and fidelity in other parts of the presentation. As a HD650 fan, I can immediately realize the speed of the bass, its fast!  makes this good accompaniment to pacey, fast and bassy music.The mids are the least prominent part of the presentation, recessed and without much say in the overall musicality of the headphone.The highs are well extended and don’t appear too shiny, though pushed forward in the soundstage. The details that the treble presents is really overwhelmed by the pulsing strong low end, so there is nothing to complain about the higher frequencies here. Overall the Momentum On-ear carries good resolution in its presentation, the details are nice and clear, only distraction is the bass.
 
My full review is available on my blog.
Back
Top