Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless

SENNHEISER MOMENTUM​

The case is fabric and feels like home


I took a stroll to the TWS market. And I came back with 2 new buddies. The first, which I hope you’ve made yourselves familiar with already; the Galaxy Buds Pro. This, the Sennheiser Momentum version 1, is the 2nd. I shall use this article to gently critique between the 2. Although the Sennheiser has been superseded by a version 2, it remains popular and is still being sold at most good stores everywhere. That being said… your intrepid adventurer took a chance and bought these on eBay for the bargain price of £49. The Buds Pro cost was £50, so we have a fair contest in my opinion.


Pretty much what you get + cable +manual

About TWS
TWS stands for truly wireless. It’s a relatively new design for portable audio. A clever person found a niche in the market. Lots and lots are being sold, or given away with new smartphones. A bluetooth headset has a cable going between the left and right driver, often with a small weight in the middle. This goes in the middle of the shoulders and keeps the whole thing more stable. TWS still uses bluetooth but needs no cable. The controls on the cable of the bluetooth headset are contained within one of the TWS Buds. This Bud sends the info to the other bud to create a stereo signal. One bud can be used on it’s own, as long as it’s the master and not the slave.


A hint at the ergonomic shape of the driver

No wires means no cable snag, no sweat on your skin from the cable, no fear of the cable pulling out the bud, no microphonics from the cable, a more discrete look and, hopefully, a little more comfort. All functionality is accessed via a series of gestures, or taps on either left or right bud, as opposed to finding them on your cable. It also means less codecs are available, because there is no wire to bung any extra electronics on. This means, in most cases, lossy codecs only are available. The Momentum supports aptX, a reasonable codec which will give a near CD quality frequency response.


The drivers unveiled

The Sennheiser Momentum look nice, feel nice, work well and sound nice. The current retail price of £100+ I’d fight shy of – I am not sure whether they’re that good. Let me tell you a little more on what I found. The gesture controls – volume up/down/play/pause/next/previous track/receive/end call/ambient sound on/off/voice control, are plentiful, but fairly easy to learn and responded well to my command. The ambient sound function -whereby you can hear outside noises by using the external mics, was good, but not as clever at the Galaxy Buds Pro.


I suspect the version 2 Momentum has better ambience, but I have not heard them to qualify this statement. The look of both case and the bud has met with some success. The box is a fabric design and a little different from the standard affair. The Buds have a brushed stainless steel faceplate which doesn’t show up smudges from your fingers. Yes, the drivers are larger than the norm. They are an older design and have squashed in enough tech to deal with the aptX codec. But they have got the shape just right. These feel substantial, and heavier than normal, in the inner ear. 95% of the fit problem has already been resolved by this alone; the shape is that good. The tips are a good quality and probably won’t reap much better results from being changed to aftermarket ones.


The charging points on the buds are gold

The sound quality is more linear than the Buds Pro. There is slightly less bass, but enough to hear even when on a run. There is a clarity in the mids and highs that makes vocals easier to follow without there being any harshness present. Obviously, these are not the last words in sonics, yes, you’ll find a wired equivalent will edge these, but on the run, doing a workout, commuting on a noisy bus, walking the streets; this is where the TWS comes into it’s own.
Brushed stainless steel faceplate

Conclusion
I have had several hours of use with the Momentum now. That means getting on for 100 miles of running. They have lasted me well, the bluetooth 5.0 keeps a decent signal, the aptX codec delivers a quality frequency response; the fit and the drivers output a decent sound. When in ambient mode, any wind becomes hard to deal with and this safety feature ends up being switched off. I have done some research and it seems there isn’t a huge difference in SQ between version 1 and 2; my most important criteria was for value for money. This is why I went for version 1. For £49 I am pleased with my purchase. Given a head to head with the Buds Pro, they’d lose out on sound quality, but win on features. All in all, a well fought contest with no real loser.

Hi, Folks: These are concluding excerpts from my comprehensive review of the SENNHEISER MOMENTUM TW 2 Bluetooth IEM's. Note that this is the revised, version 2, which addresses the weaknesses (such as battery life) of the original version. I don't see any reviews of the newer version here, so I wanted to share this.

If you'd like to read the full review, its on my blog, Steve's Audio Blog. Enjoy!



PERFORMANCE:


I’ll get to the sound of the Momentum TW 2’s in a moment, but first let’s cover a few general performance parameters.


FIT — As for fit and other ergonomic considerations, I am quite pleased with the comfort of the Momentum TW 2’s. Fit is a very personal thing (unlike me, my wife finds her AirPod Pro’s super comfortable), so I’d always recommend purchasing any IEM’s or even full-size headphones from a dealer with a generous return policy. I find the Sennheiser’s to be almost forget-you’re-wearing-them comfortable, with a smooth inner surface devoid of sharp edges that might irritate the ear. Furthermore, at a mere 6 gm per side, the TW 2’s are among the lighter IEM’s out there.


BATTERY LIFE — The TW 2’s are currently my daily, go-to earbuds, and I don’t think I’ve ever received a low battery warning. Sennheiser claims 7 hours of continuous battery life, extendable to 28 hours with the battery case’s reserves. Additionally, the USB-C charging port on the case makes quick work of topping off the battery.


BLUETOOTH RANGE is excellent. I can leave my Bluetooth source in one room and and walk all over our two-story house (and even out onto the front porch) and rarely will the sound drop out or stutter. This is very impressive.


PHONE CALLS — I’ve found the Momentum TW 2’s to function reliably for making and receiving telephone calls, and I’ve never had a caller complain that my voice wasn’t coming through clearly on their end of the conversation. That said, I haven’t usually enjoyed taking calls on most wired or wireless earbuds or headphones because of the “stuffy head” sensation that makes it difficult to hear your own voice while you speak. The TW 2’s are supposed to alleviate this sensation through a feature Sennheiser calls Side Tone, which mixes the microphone input into the earbuds’ output. Unfortunately, unless I’m doing something wrong, I haven’t found Side Tone to create that open, natural sounding phone call experience. If my aural memory serves, the AirPod Pro’s did the best job of making phone calls sound relaxed and natural.


BLUETOOTH LATENCY, that is, the time lag inherent in Bluetooth transmission, is largely dependent on the codec (compression/decompression scheme) and hardware implementation of the transmitting and receiving devices. It’s not an issue with music files alone, but when video is involved, as in smart phone and computer games or movies and streaming videos, too much latency will result in a very irritating lack of synchronization between audio and video, causing sound effects and dialogue to lag behind the on-screen action. In the case of the Momentum TW 2, whether watching YouTube videos or playing a video game, I have found Bluetooth latency to be so minuscule as to be nearly imperceptible.


ACTIVE NOISE CANCELLATION is, frankly, slightly disappointing. Right now the Momentum TW 2’s are in my ears. I can hear the sound of my keyboard clicking as I type, but the “whooshing” of the central heat in my room is almost entirely deadened. I was also able to listen to music with our Roomba robot sweeper grinding away in the kitchen while doing the dishes with much of the noise of the Roomba muffled. On the other hand, the masking of other people’s conversations in line at Starbucks or construction noises in my neighborhood while I’m walking is only so-so. I fortunately did have the chance to use my TW 2’s on a commercial flight (yes, I was properly masked and socially distanced from other passengers) some months ago. Again, they did a decent job subduing jet engine and other noises during the flight, so that I didn’t have to crank the volume dangerously loud in order to hear my music over the drone of the engines, but you’re not going to get the kind of isolation that you’d experience with a pair of full-size, noise-cancelling headphones like my Sony WH 1000XM3.


THE SOUND


This is where the Sennheiser Momentum TW 2’s really shine. I am regularly startled by just how refined, lively and resolving they are. Listening, for example, to dense vocal harmonies, whether it’s Crosby Stills and Nash’s Helplessly Hoping or Billie Eilish’s Party Favor, nothing is smeared or obscured; pick out any vocal line you choose and it’s easy to follow. Indeed, well-recorded voices in general sound completely fleshed out and human.


Billie Eilish’s debut EP, “Don’t Smile at Me.”

The upper midrange and treble, too, are sweet and clear. By “sweet” I don’t mean rolled off or muffled, but rather that the Momentum TW 2’s don’t add any obnoxious emphasis (masquerading as “detail”) to the upper mids and highs. Cymbals and vocalists’ “s” sounds don’t feel like torture, unless the track was recorded with a synthetic, hard, vocal emphasis. (Lamentably, this is now par for the course in too many pop recordings, but at least the TW 2’s won’t add their own ugly edge to that bright, thin, studio equalization.)


The low end is pretty close to my ideal. The TW 2’s will dig very deep when that’s called for (the bass lines in the opening bars of Donald Fagen’s Morph The Cat come to mind) but the low end is well controlled and the default sound signature overall isn’t “dark” or “veiled” by the omnipresent mid-bass “hump” that plagues too many consumer oriented headphones and IEM’s. So yes, the TW 2’s will do justice to EDM and other genres that showcase fat synth bass lines.


Finally, the imaging and soundstage width and layering of the Momentum TW 2’s is shockingly good. Live albums like James Taylor’s classic Live 2-CD set put you in the theater, surrounded by happy, whooping JT fans. Well recorded pop albums like Sade’s Promise will thrill you with a nearly surround sound presentation, as in the organ/synth chords near the beginning of War of the Hearts.



SUMMING UP


As noted earlier, the Sennheiser Momentum TW 2 Bluetoot IEM’s aren’t perfect: noise cancellation could be better, phone calls still have a somewhat “congested” feel, and they’re not the prettiest earbuds ever created, but for sheer musical pleasure, they’re a great pair of in-ear monitors. Sennheiser is a long-established, serious provider of professional and consumer microphones and headphones, and that lineage is amply manifested in the Momentum TW 2 IEM’s. Highly recommended.

That’s it for this post, everyone. See you next time… and in the meantime, be kind to others, stay safe, mask up, and enjoy your music!

Steve

Greetings!

Today we're checking out Sennheiser's entry into the burgeoning truly wireless earphone market, the Momentum True Wireless.

Anyone who knows anything about audio, portable or otherwise, will be familiar with the name Sennheiser. Whether you're talking consumer headphones, earphones, or professional microphones, Sennheiser is a name that oft crops up when talking about the best of the best. Their products can be found everywhere from recording studios to a student's backpack.

Is Sennheiser's first entry into the truly wireless market a success or will the Momentum True Wireless (MTW) be forgotten in short order? Let's find out.

Disclaimer:

A big thanks to Everett with Sennheiser for reaching out to see if I would be interested in reviewing the Momentum True Wireless, and for arranging a loaner unit for the purposes of review. The thoughts within this review are my own subjective opinions based on over a month using the MTW and do not represent Sennheiser or any other entity. At the time of writing the MTW retailed for 299.95 USD.

Product page: https://en-us.sennheiser.com/truewireless-details

Manual: https://assets.sennheiser.com/global-downloads/file/11230/M3IETW_Manual_EN.pdf

Personal Preference:

I listen primarily to various EDM sub-genres (liquid drum and bass, breakbeat, drumstep, etc.), hip hop, and classic rock. My preferences for earphone tuning are quite relaxed and as such their is no one signature I look for. The HiFiMAN RE800, Brainwavz B400, and Massdrop x MeeAudio Planamic are examples of earphones with wildly varied signatures that are enjoyable for different reasons. I generally listen at very low volumes, so keep this in mind when perusing my thoughts on how an earphone sounds.



Specifications:

• Dimensions: 78.6 x 45 x 35 mm (charging case)
• Microphone: MEMS
• Bluetooth Version: Bluetooth 5.0 compliant, class 1
• Supported Profiles: A2DP, AVRCP, HSP, HFP
• THD, total harmonic distortion: <0,08% (1kHz / 94dB)
• Ear coupling: Ear Canal
• Weight: 69.8 g (earbuds and charging case), 13.2 g (both earbuds), 56.6 g (charging case)
• Charging time: Approx. 1.5 hrs
• Microphone sensitivity: 94 dB SPL at 1 kHz
• Operating temperature: 0 to +40°C
• Power supply: 5 V, 650 mA: USB charging via USB-C socket at charging case
• Battery Specification: Built-in Lithium rechargeable battery
• Frequency range: 5 Hz to 21 kHz (earbuds)
  100 Hz to 10 kHz (microphone)
• Sensitivity: 107 dB SPL (1 kHz / 1 mW)
• Speaker type: 7mm Dynamic
• Operating relative humidity: 10 to 80%, non condensing
• Battery time: Up to 4 hrs (A2DP) with rechargeable batteries of the earbuds, Up to 12 hrs with rechargeable battery of the charging case
• Water Protection Code: IPX4, splash resistant (earbuds)
• Type of Codec: SBC, aptX™, aptX™ Low Latency, AAC

Packaging and Accessories:

The MTW's packaging has a very eye-pleasing looking with a combination of the soft blues and whites familiar to the brand. On the front of the lid is a high quality image of the MTW's earpieces and the charge case, along with some highlighted features, like the ability to play music and take calls, touch controls, access to your phone's voice assistant, and battery life. Around the rest of the package you find some other handy tidbits, like support for aptX and aptX Low Latency codecs, as well as Bluetooth 5.0 support.

Lifting off the lid you find the earpieces and charge case nestled safely within laser-cut foam inserts. Lift out the foam insert and you find a smaller cardboard box containing the usual documentation (quick start guide and safety information) and the accessories. In all you get:

• Momentum True Wireless earphones
• Charging case
• Single flange silicone tips (xs/s/m/l)
• USB-C cable

Overall a pretty unremarkable, surprise-free unboxing experience. Given the MTW's price, I would have liked to see Sennheiser provide a wider variety of tips options, like bi-flange and foam, even though the stock medium tips were perfect for me and used for all of my testing.

Build and Comfort:

The MTW's earpieces are primarily plastic save for the logo-emblazoned metal touch pad, or “spin ring” as it's called on Sennheiser's product page. And the gold-plated charging pins. The plastics are of a very high quality with a matte finish that feels good to the touch, though I wish it was more grippy. It's not uncommon for them to slip out of my fingers when removing them from the charge case. The powerful magnets that snap them into place are also partly to blame. I can't tell you how many times I've dropped them because of this. On the plus side, this unexpectedly tested the plastic's toughness, showing off how resilient it is to scratches and marks; i.e. very. Build quality of the earpieces overall is quite good, though there are some things I would like to see addressed in a future revision. First, the nozzles are open with a simple piece of foam preventing dust and gunk from getting inside. There is no screen leaving the foam open to removal, either on purpose or by accident. At least stick a basic screen on there. Second, while fit and finish is excellent, there is a deep, tapered seam that runs the length of the base of the body of each earpiece. It is clear that this was intentional since this design element is present on the charge case too. While it looks nice and provides a consistent design across all aspects of the product, unfortunately it tends to collect skin, wax, dust, etc. and requires semi-frequent cleaning. The edge is also just a bit too sharp and after 45 minutes or so causes some mild discomfort. Users would benefit from it being smoothed out a bit, if not removed entirely. While the consistency in design looks nice, it's not quite worth the negatives, as mild as they are.

The charge case is a stylish piece of equipment with a grey cloth exterior dominating the design. A rubberized Sennheiser logo can be found on the top, while the bottom contains a plastic plate with relevant disposal and compliance logos, in addition to the model number and an address for Sennheiser. Out back is a USB-C port with an LED to the left and a small button to the right. Without the earpieces inserted into the case, this button will indicate the case's remaining battery life. With the earpieces inserted, you get their battery life. Lift the lid and you find a plastic base with inserts for the earpieces. They are perfectly formed to the shape of each earpiece so you don't have to worry about carefully lining up the charge pins. Just match the each earpiece to it's respective insert (left to left, right to right) and drop them in. Strong magnets do the rest, pulling and holding them securely in place for charging and/or storage. The plastics used on the case are just as high a quality as found elsewhere, and the cloth exterior is grippy and seems to do a good job of resisting dirt and stains. Continuing the design of the earpieces, around the edge of the lid and base is a tapered ridge which breaks up what would end up being a monotonous design were it all grey cloth. About the only aspect of the case I'm not fond of is the hinge. The design is fine and I like the way it snaps the lid shut, mimicking the feel of using magnets, it's the materials I'm worried about. It's all plastic and there is A LOT of flex when pushing on it. This might be fine in warm weather where if dropped the lid will flex to absorb the impact, but in colder climates plastic gets brittle and brittle things break.

As is the hot topic with truly wireless products right now, how accommodating is the charge case of various ear tips during charging? I'm going to have to eat my earlier words about the HIFIMAN TWS 600 being the best I've tried to date, because that title goes to the MTW. Let me just cut in an except from the TWS 600 review addressing this, edited to accommodate the MTW.

“Let's compare cases and tip compatibility with the Nuforce BeFREE8, SoundPEATS TrueFree+ and Q26, Astrotec S60 and S60 5.0, and the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless (MTW). Most of these are designed to accommodate at most the preinstalled medium sized single flange tips. Few can take the stock large. None but the MTW can accommodate the chunky Xiaomi tips that work fine with the HIFIMAN case. None but the MTW can take standard medium foams (Comply or otherwise) without compressing them first. None work with the insanely long double or triple flange tips HIFIMAN provides with the TWS 600, will nor do other third party options fit, though the MTW will accept some shorter bi-flange options. HIFIMAN comes out way ahead of all but the MTW with a case that is much more flexible when it comes to charging the ear pieces with a variety of different tips attached. Also in Sennheiser's favour, their case has a hollow lid allowing you to carry your detached tips with the earphones, should they not fit ”

When it comes to comfort, the MTW is quite good, though there are a couple knocks against it. First is that aforementioned edge that runs around the rim of each earpiece. It's a tad sharp in places and for me reduces the MTW from being an all-day wear to a 45 minute wear with short breaks. The earpieces are also quite large in circumference, ~23mm at their widest point. They fit similarly to an earbud, but with a short nozzle added to accommodate some ear tips. I prefer earphones with a shallow fit and love how most earbuds slot into place so I'm cool with the MTW. However, if you're not so lucky and have issues getting earbuds to fit, you might want to find somewhere you can try these on first. Those with small ears may also want to keep the size of these in mind when considering them. I'll say they're comfortable, but with an asterisks (*).


Isolation:

Normally I fold this into the previous section, but MTW has a 'Transparent Hearing' feature accessed through the Smart Control app. This feature allows you to use the onboard microphones in each earpiece to pipe in the environment around you, thereby overriding any passive isolation.

Passive isolation is about average for a dynamic based earphone, maybe slightly above. There are plenty of places for noises to bleed through, so the clacking of keyboards, cars driving by, people chatting, etc. all come through, it's just dulled and mostly incomprehensible. I found it quite suitable in noisy areas, like the local Tim Hortons coffee shop, on my evening walks through the city, and when grocery shopping.

Hopping into the app and turning on 'Transparent Hearing' changes everything. Gone is that decent isolation replaced by the environment around you coming through loud and clear. People, cars, whatever. You hear it all. The only other product I've used that features similar tech is the Radsone ES100, and there is no comparison. The ES100 provided nowhere near the same amount of information, and without the same level of immediacy. There is very little delay between the noises around you and what the MTW pipes through, something I find extremely important when using this feature. If you need to react, you're not reacting to a significantly delayed sound. And if you work in an office, the MTW should definitely be on your shortlist. You can listen to your music while working without having to worry about missing, a phone call, someone call your name, etc. And if you need to pause your music to chat with someone, simply remove one earpiece which stops the music. Awesome.

Sources and Connection:

The Momentum True Wireless was tested with a number of devices; LG G5, LG G6, Shanling M0, Shanling M1 and an ASUS FX53V laptop. Connecting for the first time is as straightforward as it is with most products. Once you take the earphones out of the case, press your finger against the touch sensitive pads for 5 seconds and the earphones will announce they've entered pairing mode. Find the MTW on your device (it shows up as MOMENTUM TW), select it, and you're done. The pairing will be remembered in the future and auto-connect whenever possible.

One thing I'm not fond of is that the MTW can only be paired to one device at a time, or at least that's how it has been in practice. Switching from one device to the other always requires forgetting the original connection, and pairing again. Not a huge deal, but for those used to having their earphones connected to 2+ devices at a time and swapping between them, as I do with my laptop and wireless device of the moment, it gets tiring having to repair constantly.

One connected, how is the connection quality? Pretty good. Every once in a while the left earpiece will briefly disconnect from the right, but it's fairly rare. On one, occasion after removing an earpiece to pause the track and talk to my wife, music would play intermittently upon unpausing. I've experienced this with another product, requiring a fresh pairing of the devices to fix. Other than that, the connection quality is very reliable, even over fairly long distances and with obstacles in the way. Paired to my LG G6, I can leave the phone in my office and step just outside my apartment before the connection begins to falter. The front door is through three rooms and two hallways, around a90 degree corner and with a bathroom separating it all. That's nuts. Some of my other TWS earphones will allow me to walk around the entirety of the apartment while retaining a solid connection, but none can do what the MTW can. It is truly impressive.


Battery Performance:

Less impressive is the battery life. Four hours of listening with two additional charges via the case totalling 12 hours of total use. That's not terrible by any means, and has been good enough for my use cases, but it's not good either. The MUCH smaller and more compact Astrotec S60 5.0 manages 16 hours of combined listening time. The sub-50 CAD SoundPEATS TrueFree+ provides 30 hours of combined listening time. The HIFIMAN TWS 600 provides a combined total of 38.5 hours. I'd be okay with 12 hours if the Momentum True Wireless was very compact, but it's not. The case is reasonably small and easily pocketed, but the earpieces are quite large.

On the other hand, this battery life makes sense given the features and technology within, but most people won't be taking that into consideration. They'll just read a spec sheet, see 12 hours, and think it's not enough when X brand gives you double the battery life. I really hope Sennheiser looks into bumping up the battery life considerably with their next release, if only to please spec-heads.

Firmware Update:

Updates seem to be automatically applied via the Smart Control app. There's not much to say here beyond the process being painless, and wow, does it take a long time. They warn you though, and since you can use them while the update is occurring, it's not a big deal. You only need to stop listening right at the end of the update process to drop the earpieces into the case to finalize the installation. Easy peazy.

Smart Control App:

The app is a free download and pretty basic in it's functionality. I appreciate that to be honest. While something like the Earstudio app Radsone created to accommodate the ES100 is amazing in the features and added functionality it brings to the device, for the average user it's a lot to take in. The Smart Control app keeps things simple. On the home page you see the remaining battery life and two options: Transparent Hearing and Equalizer. Under 'Transparent Hearing' you have the option to turn it on, and decide whether or not you want music playing in the background while it is on. Simple and self explanatory. The Equalizer is a bit more interesting.

Instead of the usual multi-band sliders used by everyone else, you are greeted by a unique interface. Up North is a plus sign, South a minus sign, East covers bass, West is your treble, and dead centre sits a white dot. The idea is that you move that little dot around the screen and tailor your sound. It's not as flexible as a traditional equalizer, but it's undoubtedly more fun to use and for someone that is not familiar with frequencies and/or is easily overwhelmed by dials and sliders, this is going to be a great tool to help them customize the sound of their MTW.

That said, I don't use the equalizer. I prefer more control over each frequency, but also, for whatever reason half the time I try to move the dot, when I let go to leave it in the area with a sound I like, it jumps to the top left corner ruining my selection.

Controls:

The MTW eschews traditional buttons for touch sensitive pads on each earpiece. I'm kinda old school and prefer things that are packed to the brim with buttons, dials, etc. Tactile feedback all the way. That said, the touch controls here worked well enough to be plenty usable.

Each earpiece has it's own suite of controls. The left handles music functions with a single tap to play/pause, a double tap to skip a track, and a triple tap to go back. A single long press will also reduce volume. The right handles call functions with a single tap accepting and ending a call, and a double tap rejecting a call. A single long press will increase volume. Lastly, a a double tap will turn on/off the 'Transparent Hearing' feature.

Overall the controls are quite standard and fairly intuitive. Though, actually using them is made a bit more difficult thanks to the use of touch sensitive pads. Placement of the finger and the speed at which you complete multiple presses all affect how successful you will be in achieving the desired function. You need to be fairly precise and methodical. It would have been neat to see Sennheiser do something a little more unique, such as moving your finger around the ridge of the pad to adjust volume. While I still prefer more tactile controls, the touch sensitive route Sennheiser used works decently well and probably helped them more easily achieve the IPX4 splash resistance rating the MTW has, so that's a plus.


Sound Quality:

The Momentum True Wireless has what I consider a pretty typical signature for truly wireless products. That being a v-shaped sound with plenty of bass to cut through and maintain presence regardless of outside noise, and sparkly treble to add excitement and keep your blood pumping. While this style of tune isn't necessarily anything special, Sennheiser keeps it refined resulting in a very pleasant sounding earphone.

The treble presentation is a highlight in my opinion. It is detailed and crisp with a slightly lean note weight, yet it comes across extremely light and airy without any harshness or grain. It's lively and sprightly, and simply a joy to experience. Even tracks with nasty, overly aggressive treble like The Crystal Method's “Grace feat LeAnn Rimes” work with the Momentum True Wireless. Decay is reasonably quick letting the MTW handle heavy-handed cymbals fairly naturally. This is a truly wireless product that ends up being quite enjoyable with metal, like Havok's album 'Time Is Up'.

The mid-range, while slightly recessed, is in no way overshadowed by the bass or treble. Vocals are naturally weighted and sibilance free, blending in well with the rest of the presentation. Female vocals come across especially sweet with a warmth and emotion to them that is lacking in a lot of other products, such as on Celine Dion's “Ashes”. Through the MTW, her performance is every bit the powerhouse you expect from such an accomplished vocalist. This is actually one of the few earphones that gave me goosebumps with that track, particularly at 1:10 when the bass kicks in and Celine's vocals swell. So good.

Speaking of so good, the MTW's low end is fantastic. Depth is phenomenal for a wireless product with deep basslines rocking you with a slow rumble, such as that aforementioned moment in “Ashes”, and the opening section of Kavinski's “Solli”. EDM and hip hop fans are very unlikely to find themselves wanting extra low end from the MTW, unless they are true bassheads. Depth is good, but so is texture. It's not among the most information rich earphones I've tested, but all the relevant detail in each note is there meaning the grimy basslines inherent to The Prodigy and Tobacco are every bit as crunchy as they need to be.

The Momentum True Wireless' sound stage is also quite satisfying for a truly wireless product. While stage depth isn't anything special, width is fantastic with notes flying off into the distance giving the impression of a fairly open and spacious listening experience. Imaging is good, right in line with the best truly wireless products I've heard. There are no vague spots off centre, or odd channel to channel transitions. I think these would work fine for mobile gaming. Layering is also good but the previously mentioned lack of depth does show on congested tracks, such as the closing minutes of King Crimson's “Starless and Bible Black”. Thankfully separation is good, so you rarely have to worry about instruments colliding and smearing into each other.

Overall I find the MTW to be a very satisfying earphone. The selected tune is perfect for mobile use, good because that is likely where this product will see most of it's time. I would love micro detail to be a bit more prevalent through the mids. Good stuff in general though.

Final Thoughts:

At nearly 300 USD, the Momentum True Wireless are not a cheap, throwaway pair of wireless earphones. Do they sound like a 300 USD product? When compared to top performing wired earphones in that price range, no, not entirely. However, when you buy a wireless earphone, you're not buying just an earphone. You're also buying into the tech and features that make them sing. Reviewing any truly wireless product based on sound quality alone is of little value. That is just one small part of the overall picture and the overall picture with the MTW is one of competence and versatility.

The v-shaped tune Sennheiser went with works perfectly in the wild where there is noise and chaos, things that ruin bass and block out the mid-range. It's passive isolation is good enough to let you enjoy your music without too much interference. And when you need that interference to be a part of your life once again, such as when you're out jogging, you have that option thanks to 'Transparent Hearing'. I can't emphasize enough how well it works, and how useful it is. You don't need to to turn down your music, or roll with only one bud. You get the best of everything. It's a game changing feature in my world. Add to that the best wireless range, with obstacles, I've experienced to date and things are looking up.

That's not to say all is good and true in the world of the Momentum True Wireless. The battery life at 12 hours combined is overshadowed by, well, most modern products and could definitely benefit from an upgrade. The earpieces themselves are quite large and the ridge that runs around the bass of each hinders comfort slightly. I also worry about the long term durability of the cases' hinge, especially in cold weather. As I said before, plastic gets brittle in cold weather and brittle things tend to break. The touch controls also take a bit of getting used to, but work fairly well overall.

Those qualms aside, I love this product. As someone that spends most of their time listening to high value, budget friendly products from niche brands you have to buy through sometimes questionable sites, I'm always skeptical of mainstream brands and what they'll bring to the table. I was not expecting to enjoy the Momentum True Wireless as much as I have and while it could certainly be improved upon, what it does well it does really well.

If you're in the market for a premium, truly wireless product with some features that are both interesting and useful, the Momentum True Wireless is definitely worth checking out.

Thanks for reading!

- B9Scrambler

*If you enjoyed this review, visit The Contraptionist for more just like it.*

***** ***** ***** ***** *****

Some Test Tunes:

Aesop Rock – The Impossible Kid (Album)
Hail Mary Mallon – Are You Going to Eat That? (Album)
King Crimson – Lark’s Tongues in Aspic (Album)
King Crimson – Starless and Bible Black (Track)
Supertramp – Crime of the Century (Album)
Infected Mushroom – Legend of the Black Shawarma (Album)
Gorillaz – Plastic Beach (Album)
Massive Attack – Mezzanine (Album)
Fleetwood Mac – Rumors (Album)
Run the Jewels – Run the Jewels (Album)
The Prodigy – The Day is My Enemy (Album)
Tobacco – screw*d Up Friends (Album)
Felt – Felt 2 (A Tribute to Lisa Bonet) (Album)
Michael Jackson – Thriller (Album)
The Crystal Method – Grace (feat. LeAnn Rimes) (Track)
Jidenna – Long Live the Chief (Track)
Skrillex – Ragga Bomb (Track)
Big Grams – Run for Your Life (Track)
Funkadelic – Maggot Brain (Track)
Aesop Rock – Fishtales (Track)

Recently, I went on a quest to update my audio equipment to 2019 standards. My last purchase was my Astell & Kern T8ie MKII back in 2016 and so far I have been satisfied and still wowed by what it can do. There has been a lot of buzz about true wireless earphones (TWE) and how much Bluetooth technology and codecs have improved to the point where it is virtually indistinguishable to wired sound quality. Curious, I started my research two months back and I've read hundreds of threads, forums, reviews and tried as many earphone samples I could in nearby stores.

I received my pair of Momentum True Wireless (MTW) at an authorised Sennheiser store yesterday and so far the MTW has been great! My use case is as a walk-around IEM to work, on the subway, at the mall, at lunch/dinner. If and when the batteries run out or I'm sitting still at a desk, my A&K T8ie MK II are ready to take over. I am a fan of German headphones/IEMs sound tuning and previously used Beyerdynamic and Astell & Kern equipment.

This is meant to be a short comparison and not a full-hand-on-sit-down-with-10-headphones-10-DAC-AMPS review. I purchased it recently and went on a journey to find the best true wireless earphone in the market as of June 2019 and I'm here to share it with you.

Table of Contents:
MTW First Impressions
MTW Bluetooth
MTW Sound Quality
MTW Smart Control App
MTW Headphone Comparables
MTW Conclusions

Momentum True Wireless First Impressions
I gave it 4.5/5 and kept the last 0.5 because the Bluetooth connection and touch controls still needs work. I frequently need to restart pairing instead of the MTW automatically reconnecting to the phone after a charge.

Touch control for previous track (3 tap on left earbud) is not yet perfect. Instead it will go Next Track (2 taps) and Pause (1 tap). Super annoying. But these are teething issues to me and I can overlook them for now and instead choose the next track or restart pairing with my phone.

I only care about SQ and so far it has exceeded expectations. To be fair, I am not comparing it against $300 full sized headphones or wired IEMs. I think value wise, $150 is for the IEM SQ, $50 for the Sennheiser brand and $100 for the portability, Bluetooth technology, Smart Control app etc.

No problems with batteries thus far. 4 hours is about right. Case takes 1.5hrs to charge and all working as advertised. One thing I learnt is to carry a spare case and keep the IEM in the spare case if the battery is not yet <20% (or just keep it in your pocket if you don't mind some scratches). This way, you don't waste the charge in the Charging Case until you absolutely need to recharge the IEMs and you can get the advertised 12 hours battery life.

Trying to get a good fit can be challenging but the MTWs come with 4 pairs of earbuds (XS/S/M/L) and you should be able to get a decent fit. Otherwise, consider getting Comply foam tips to fit your ears. Oh, you also have to learn how to twist the MTW every time you wear it. This is something that I miss coming from my dear AKT8ie where FIT was one of the key selling points of the IEM. You could go the whole day wearing the IEM and not feel fatigue. With the MTW, it is bearable but it does get a bit painful after 4 hours of continuous listening.

Oh yes, you also get 2 years worldwide warranty from Sennheiser.

Momentum True Wireless Bluetooth
I am playing it on AptX codec on BT 4.2 and firmware version 1.25.00 via my S7Edge using Spotify or Foobar2K with FLAC. Volume is loud enough once the correct settings are picked. Note though that I prefer to listen on the louder side so I constantly max out the volume on the MTW. Best to test at a store if it's loud enough for your preference.

MTW supports SBC, AAC, AptX, AptX Low Latency. AFAIK, most phones don't have AptX-LL (see Qualcomm's website) so I wouldn't count on it much. Some complain about the lack of AptX HD or LDAC but AptX is plenty good enough for my portable needs. Maybe for the DSD/PCM folks, they need to consider something else.

You can watch movies/play games with these but it depends whether you can stand the slight lag. Using AptX, it seems the codec knows how to resync the video and audio for Youtube videos. For games however, it depends if your game has a bluetooth delay feature. I got my game to time perfectly with a 500ms delay although the AptX is reported to only have a 200ms delay. I suppose 300ms was for the game to render the graphics, but don't quote me on this.

Some people complain about drop outs here and there which they said is unacceptable. For me, as long as its infrequent (once or twice an hour) and is short (< 1 or 2 secs) and can be fixed with pressing play on the phone, I don't mind it too much.

Momentum True Wireless Sound Quality
For me, the MTW has a balanced sound profile with a small bass boost towards the mid and sub bass thus giving a slight U/V- sound signature. By no means is it a basshead IEM but it carries good mid-bass and good sub-bass rumble when called for. Bass quantity is just enough, without being muddy (Sony XB series) or being bass-shy (like ER4 series) while bass quantity it makes up in bass quality, with fast bass decay and good precision. However, if you like to be enveloped by world-class IEM bass like in the AKT8ieMKII or Xelentos, these still fall a bit short but it can be improved using the Smart Control EQ.

The mids are smooth and transitions well from the upper bass. Vocals are well represented. Female and male vocals sound natural with good realism without coming across as sibilant or shrill. It is important to note here that the midtones are smooth without discernible peaks which would lead to unnatural audio.

Treble extends well and you won't be disappointed with the detail revival, especially at lower volumes.

The background of the MTW is quite dark (not noisy) and thus there is good L/R stereo instrumental separation as what I'd expect for a closed back high-grade Sennheiser 7mm TWE IEM.

However, I do note that in terms of 3D staging, it is rather narrow, especially at high volumes, leading to a very intimate sound system rather than a laid-back sound. Most of the bass and sound seems to come within the skull and doesn't extend further outward unlike in the AKT8ie / IE800 / Katana / K10 / ER4 (disregard if you find the comparison not meaningful) or full sized headphones or stereo systems. This would be one of the few drawbacks for the MTW.

In general I agree with the rtings.com frequency response chart and the MTW represents a balanced natural sound well with a rather intimate sound.

For reference, I'd consider the IE800 to be balanced with bass de-emphasis and treble emphasis (can be a bit piercing and sibilant sometimes). The Xelentos/AKT8ie to be balanced with bass emphasis (can be muddy sometimes) and slight treble roll-off. The Noble Katana's will get 10/10 for being balanced with excellent frequency response, detail revival and instrument separation albeit at twice the cost.

I typically listen to Korean pop, Spotify Global Top 50, some Ariana Grande, Lana Del Rey, and then some rock/heavy metal (Rammstein/Linkin Park/Metallica). MTW is versatile enough to do all these genres though with rock you can find it a bit claustrophobic. I believe for most people, they would find the MTW's SQ to be acceptable, if not excellent. Otherwise, you can tune it with the Smart Control App's EQ.

Momentum True Wireless Smart Control App
Interestingly, the MTW comes with a free app called Smart Control, developed by Sennheiser. In it, you can update the firmware over the air (OTA). The latest FW as of June is 1.25.00.

The app allows you several more options but I only cared for Transparent Hearing (which allows you listen to your surroundings using real-time audio recorded from the mic) and the EQ. The Smart Control EQ is aesthetically pleasing but a bit confusing to use at first. I've laid out what it means in general here.

Upper left quadrant: ++ bass - mids + treble (basshead preference but warning: it get's boxy/boomy!)
Lower left quadrant: -- bass + mids - treble (unnatural to me, sounds thin)
Upper right quadrant: + bass - mids ++ treble. (my preference for slight U/V signature)
Lower right quadrant: - bass + mids -- treble. (unnatural to me, sounds thin)

In general, I'd advice against moving more than 3 cm away from the the center (neutral/balanced/default) because it quickly gets out of hand and the frequency response deviates from balanced. Because of the slight U/V signature of the IEM, using the upper quadrants enhances its signature, while using the lower quadrants makes the sound signature too thin/flat/analytical for my preference. Of course, your mileage may vary but I prefer leaving the EQ at default or just 1cm 45 degree in the upper right quadrant.

For me, this EQ is worth a lot and is a unique selling point for the MTW as it allows different customers to personalise their MTW sound. I am not sure what happens behind the scenes but I like the flexibility it gives us and how much it truly affects the resulting sound from the MTW.

Momentum True Wireless Headphones Comparables
I think of true wireless headphones (TWE) SQ not as a direct comparable to wired headphones/IEMs because there's a lot of scale with wired IEMs (think IE800, Xelento, Noble Katana, etc.) Rather, can you accept 10% SQ loss for the portability, the hands-free, the lack of need to worry about DACs, AMPs, SPC/OCC/OFC cables, bla bla bla. If you can, then, TWEs are a good enough solution.

VS Bose SoundSport Free: SSF has a larger package and sticks out of the ear more. Granted, it has twice the battery life (5hrs +20hrs from case). SQ wise, since these are designed for sports, they are open-back and wouldn't be suitable for commutes or flights. Consequently, they have a wider, airier sound stage amid a softer bass response. Mids and treble are OK but nothing special. There is treble rolloff IIRC. My takeaway was that the sound was OK but not amazing. It was a form over SQ sort of design. No ANC though which is disappointing since Bose is well known for ANC. So I ruled it out as SQ was the main focus for me.

VS Sony 1000XM3: A bit unfair, I know, but at the same price point, I think the full sized XM3 is a fair competitor. First off, it has a whopping 30 hours of battery life which makes the MTW's battery life look like a joke. Then it comes with ANC and adaptive modes. It is also frequently on discount and is constantly being updated (3rd version now). But what bothers me is the SQ on the XM3. While many reviews shout about the SQ, I personally find the sound to be.. "boxy". What I mean is that the sound is not smooth. There is a clear bass segment and a clear mid segment but the trebles are strongly rolled off. And then there is a disconnect between the bass and mids segment. Even so, there is a strong mid/upper bass emphasis and little sub-bass rumble. Strong vocal tracks are distorted by strong uneven bass making it a disappointment for the discerning audiophile. Soundstaging is narrow and instruments sound claustrophic. Weirdly, the frequency response charts do not reflect what I hear. Be that as it may, the XM3 is aimed at the typical consumer requiring good battery life and portability, above average SQ and a reasonable price and that's the reason it is a successful Sony product. Still a good choice for those who don't mind bluetooth headphones.

VS Sony WF-1000x: A bit dated, but I tried this TWE for a while and it sounds great. It has the typical Sony bass-boost sound quality with rolled off treble. Sounds quite muddy in the bass/lower mids area. What it misses in sound, it makes for with ANC, a small package and half the price of the MTW. I would say skip this just because I suspect the Gen 2 is coming out soon as they have started going on a 20% sale in my location. Good for people looking for TWEs on a budget and who appreciates good ANC.

VS Sony WI-1000x: More recent than the WF-1000x, the WI's price range is comparable to the MTW; has 10 hours battery life and ANC. It really intrigued me and the sound quality was nearer to Hi-Res balanced. It boasts plenty of detail and has good sound staging and separation. There is a slight mid bass boost as expected but overall it sounds very pleasing. However, I ruled it out because I thought, for that price I might as well get a true wireless such as the MTW. See, I am lazy and prefer to keep the IEMs in a case instead of having a perma-neckband.

VS Sony WI-C600N: This is a Dec 2018 model and it actually was a solid contender at $120 and costs less than half the price of the MTW. It sounded more like the WF-1000x with a strong bass emphasis, shallow sound stage etc. Typical easy-to-like modern consumer sound. 1/2 price, 6 hrs battery life, flexible band etc made it a strong contender to the MTW but in the end I chose to go fully wireless instead of having a neckband. But worth a serious consideration for anyone frequenting gyms or planning to use these for a workout. Between these and the WI-1000x, which you choose depends on your budget and your sound signature preference. WI-1000x is overall technically a better headphone, but you have to pay double the price and you can't fold it and keep it in your jeans pocket.

VS XiaoMi Neckband: They retail for $80 and offer great value for those of us who can accept good enough SQ. It boasts 8hrs of battery life and has a flexible neckband. But I didn't care much for the SQ as the mids and vocals were quite harsh and treble was all over the place. For the price, I'd recommend saving up for the WI-C600N unless you're really on a tight budget.

VS Master & Dynamic MW07, RHA TrueConnect, Beoplay E8: Sorry, the stores in my location didn't allow me to try these.

Others have suggested to consider keeping my current IEM and use the Shanling M0 and ES100 as portable bluetooth DAC/AMPs but I personally dislike the idea because I might as well keep using my phone or a portable DAP. I don't see much of an upgrade in terms of portability which was the whole point of this quest anyway.

Alternatively, I also considered the Shure RMCE-BT2 and Sony MUC-M2BT1 wireless neckbands with MMCX connectors. The RMCE is reported to have excellent sound but I never saw it in any of the stores I've visited. However, I can personally vouch for the M2BT1. The M2BT1 with my AKT8ieMKII sounded phenomenal and to my ears, rivalled the wire. It has LDAC and AptX codec, features about 7hrs of battery life.

However, for the price of $185, you have to start wondering if getting a new set of TWE IEMs might be the better option. Just top up another $100 and you have another top-tier product from Sennheiser.

I only had a chance to test these few before the time I gave myself to decide ran out and I decided what the heck, let's get the MTW. Overall, from the few wireless options I've tried, the MTW indeed has the best sound quality and let's be honest, it's expected from Sennheiser. No dealbreakers that made me regret the purchase or wish I could return it.


Momentum True Wireless Conclusion
Great value for money if you care most about SQ and are looking for a premium SQ in a true wireless form factor. I bought it knowing Id have to be patient with the bluetooth/touch control issues and I wanted portability and a completely wireless package for an excellent sound, and that's exactly what I got with the Momentum True Wireless.

Ask me anything and I'll try to respond. Appreciate all the help from headfi, reddit and other reviews I've seen so far; thought I'd return the favor.

P.S. I asked the Sennheiser sales rep and he said there isn't going to be a product update (MTW 2.0) soon. Apparently MTW is Momentum 3.0 and people are waiting for the full line up to be released first. So MTW 2.0 will be Momentum 4.0 and I guess it will come in 2021.

P.S. Photos available upon request but I think others have covered it pretty well. You get a 2 earbuds, 1 charging case, 4 pairs of tips (XS, S, M, L) and a short (25cm?) USB-A to USB-C cable and 2 years Sennheiser international warranty.

2 Weeks Update:
So, a quick update:

Negatives
1. You can't wear these to sleep. If you sleep on the right side, it goes "VOLUME MAX" on repeat. On the left side, the volume is decreased and it goes "VOLUME MIN" on repeat.

2. The bluetooth on these are questionable. Maybe it's my S7 Edge being a bit old, but when I am on the go, walking around the city or on the way to the commute, there is quite significant disruptions to the point it annoys me. Of course this problem is situational and you can't replicate it to a sales rep; so consider if you can accept this should it occur.


Positives
1. Despite that, the bluetooth pairing is instantaneous. The trick is to turn on BT on your phone before removing the right earpiece from the case. Or if you leave the BT permanently on, then that's better (but worse for your phone's battery life). Phone battery also doesn't seem to take a big hit. I also make it a habit to turn off the BT so that the MTWs go to sleep mode after 15 minutes. Otherwise they will wait up to 60 minutes before going to sleep. Otherwise, place both buds back into the case for trickle charging.

2. Loving the sound from these MTW bad boys more and more, using my preferred 1cm 45 degrees upper right quadrant on the internal EQ, I appreciate how the bass is present with excellent clarity and weight, while treble is crisper than the average IEM. It is no IE800, but plenty of treble detail to keep you satisfied that unless you do an A/B I won't miss the extra detail.

3. Battery has been a non-issue. Ran dead on the pair once after 4hrs of use as advertised. Never had the battery case dying on me, knock on wood. But my habit is to charge it every single night.

4. Good build quality. Dropped one earpiece when I was at the checkout, and my heart stopped. Luckily when I picked it up, there were no visible markings on the unit.

5. Volume has been very good. All my Spotify Extreme Quality songs, FLACs and 320kpbs MP3s have more than enough volume. This was a primary concern for me when purchasing the IEMs.

5.Overall, pretty happy with the purchase. They have dominated my music use on the go and I rarely miss my T8ieMKII since the SQ is about 80% although the sound stage is a bit compressed (it is left-right wide not front-back deep). The only time was during a 6 hr drive where I decided to go with a wired IEM.

Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless



Momentum True Wireless (MTW)

Sennheiser MTW- Sennheiser Direct link

Amazon Purchase

A Little Technical Stuff:

• Dimensions 78.6 x 45 x 35 mm (charging case)
• Microphone MEMS
• Bluetooth Version Bluetooth 5.0 compliant, class 1
• Supported Profiles A2DP, AVRCP, HSP, HFP
• THD, total harmonic distortion <0,08% (1kHz / 94dB)
• Ear coupling Ear Canal
• Weight 69.8 g (earbuds and charging case), 13.2 g (both earbuds), 56.6 g (charging case)
• Charging time Approx. 1.5 hrs
• Microphone sensitivity 94 dB SPL at 1 kHz
• Operating temperature 0 to +40°C
• Power supply 5 V, 650 mA: USB charging via USB-C socket at charging case
• Battery Specification Built-in Lithium rechargeable battery
• Frequency range 5 Hz to 21 kHz (earbuds)
• 100 Hz to 10 kHz (microphone)
• Sensitivity 107 dB SPL (1 kHz / 1 mW)
• Speaker type Dynamic
• Operating relative humidity 10 to 80%, non-condensing
• Battery time Up to 4 hrs (A2DP) with rechargeable batteries of the earbuds, Up to 12 hrs with rechargeable battery of the charging case
• Water Protection Code IPX4, splash resistant (earbuds)
• Type of Codec SBC, aptX™, aptX™ Low Latency, AAC

-MRSP: Universal fit/BT Wireless USD 299



The Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless, henceforth dubbed MTW, hit my doorstep around a month ago. I have dabbled in the wireless arena with V-Moda and the Forza Metallo and the Crossfade 2 Wireless and the Senn Momentum 2 Wireless. The Metallo is a neckband type earphone, and the Crossfade 2 and Momentum 2 Wireless are over-ear headphones. It is my first foray into a True Wireless solution. I have read about a few True Wireless offerings in the market, and many other options give the listener the same features as the MTW, but an array of different results in connectivity and battery life. The one recurring theme with the MTW was that it had the best sound quality available in the True Wireless market when listening to your music. I wasted zero time in going straight to the top of the True Wireless royalty. Thus, I am reviewing the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless.

I have owned quite a few Sennheiser products over the years. I enjoy their products from the stylistic design to the sound quality they offer. Sennheiser has been able to cross between the audiophile market and general consumer market successfully. I have recommended the Momentum 2 Wireless headphones to many people looking for a full over-ear wireless solution. The M2W was my go-to wireless headphone for quite a while. Since the MTW and the M2W have the name Momentum in common, I was interested to know if there were any other parallels.

One other point is that these are currently the TOTL in the True Wireless realm at USD 300. I know that many of my readers are just starting down the rabbit hole and have tried neckband wireless monitors or AirPods and that at the $300 asking price these constitute a significant investment. In the end, you have to decide what direction you want to go with your gear. In my time with the MTW, they have endured many dog walks and much time at the gym. I found them to be a superb on the go option. One difference between you and I may be the fact that most of my listening is in short sessions. My career does not allow me to listen at a desk, nor do I have a long commute that doesn’t involve me driving my car, in which I can’t use earphones while operating a motor vehicle. The reason I point this out is that I always have the luxury of a charger nearby. The MTW would quickly become my standard hit the road gear, along with my keys, eyeglasses, and wallet, if my lifestyle were more commute oriented. Unfortunately, I didn’t have any vacation or air travel planned during my time with the MTW, but I can undoubtedly say these would be a must-have travel companion. On the go, top tier wireless sound quality, what’s not to like.

A Little Marketing Hype:

MOMENTUM True Wireless

A new dimension in wearable sound
Uncompromised sound performance, state-of-the-art technology, and refined design all come together in Sennheiser’s True Wireless premium earbuds.

Discover a new way of listening

Make the music you love sound even better, whenever you want, wherever you are. These attractive earbuds, with Sennheiser’s audiophile driver technology, guarantee superior stereo sound performance at all times. Thanks to advanced Qualcomm apt-X Low Latency compatibility, you can experience media with perfectly lip-synced audio, whilst 2-mic noise cancellation beamforming technology and Transparent Hearing allows you to always be aware of your surroundings, with or without your music playing.

Experience long lasting comfort

Comfortably carry your music with you all day. These lightweight, splash resistant ear adapter come in 4 different ear tip sizes, ergonomically designed for the perfect fit. Just connect them and use the intuitive touch interface to control your music, answer phone calls or access your voice assistant with a single tap or swipe.

Appreciate timeless elegance

Enjoy excellent craftsmanship. Attention to detail and a strong sense of aesthetic make these small, shiny, lightweight earbuds one part listening instrument, one-part ready-to-wear accessory. With premium black housing, polished metallic spin ring and gold-plated charging pins, function meets fashion in iconic design. A handy and compact charging case allows you to extend 4 hours of battery life to 12, so you can enjoy all day use, for years to come.

Personalize your experience

Listen to your music the way you want with Sennheiser Smart Control, the next generation companion app. This free dedicated app for iOS and Android provides an effortless way to control, personalize, update and configure your headphone, headset or soundbar.




WHAT’S IN THE BOX:

• MOMENTUM True Wireless earbuds
• Silicone ear adapter sets (in size (XS/S/M/L)
• Charging case
• USB-C charging cable 20 cm
• Manuals (Safety Guide & Quick Guide)

Unboxing and Accessories:




The MTW comes in a small box with only a top and a bottom. No fancy sleeves, no 21-gun salute. The box top has the Sennheiser name and logo in black font, with the logo in the upper left corner and the brand name in the upper right corner. Immediately below that is the word Momentum (in silver), and the words True Wireless below that in a light blue. There is a photo of the charging case and the earbuds below the wording. At the bottom of the front, there are four icons, representing music and calls, touch control, voice assistant access, and battery life and charging case. On the right side of the box, top shows the Sennheiser original label and QPR, to verify they are genuine, as well as the words Bluetooth, AAC, Qualcomm apt X, and Qualcomm apt-X low latency. The left side of the box top shows you where you can download the Sennheiser Smart Control App. The bottom box shows the four previous icons, plus displays that they are Bluetooth 5.0 compliant.





Upon removing the box top, you are staring at the charging case and both the L and R earbuds cradled in a foam cutout. There is also a tiny information sheet that explains you need to plug in the USB-C cable to wake up and charge the earbuds. Under the foam cutout is a white box which includes all of the accessories and paperwork that comes as a pack-in with your purchase. I will include some photos of what you receive as a pack-in since my description of the box top was exhausting.



Build and Design:



The design is top notch, as I have grown to expect from Sennheiser. There is nothing flashy about the design itself, but if you are familiar with Sennheiser, I would say it falls in line with the brand in general. The shells of the monitors are all black plastic with a silver faceplate emblazoned with the Sennheiser logo.

With regards to the build quality, the earbuds are plastic, and while they do not feel fragile nor does the plastic feel low-grade, I was cautious with the $300 earbud. In my mind, you cannot be sure how many drops the plastic shell could withstand. I am super careful with all of my stuff, but as we all know accidents do happen.



The stem(nozzle) of the earbud is very short and has a tiny catch lip for the ear tips to stay in place. I was fortunate that the large stock ear tips fit me perfectly, so I didn’t try any of my usual go-to tips. The fact that the tips seem proprietary is an issue that Sennheiser should overcome. I have many ear tips in my collection and some that I swear by when using my IEM’s. I would have liked to use my go-to tips, but I could imagine that the shallow nozzle would be a challenge. It does appear that Comply tips would work as they can grip a nozzle, but I wouldn't say I like using foam ear tips, not to mention that the overall signature of the MTW is warm and foam tips exacerbate the warmth and can detract from some of the treble extension.

It is nice to have only the earbud in your ear and nothing more around your neck, thus True Wireless. After using a neckband type of wireless headset, I was pleased with the design of the MTW. They are super lightweight and just a quick insertion in your ear and a little twist, locks them in place reasonably well. Again, your ear shape and finding the correct seal will have everything to do with the level of comfort that you achieve and how well they stay put once inserted.



Sennheiser has added sweat and water resistance, IPX 4, to protect the buds from your workout sessions at the gym or any water you may come in contact. They are not waterproof; they are merely resistant, but I found that they stood up to the test at workouts at the gym. I would say swimming and showering, no, but for the gym they are excellent.

The charging case also has a beautiful design, and I like the aesthetics of the cloth covering on the case, reminiscent of some cellphone cases I have used in the past. I think it is a fresh design. The case is not substantial, in size, when sitting on a desk or tabletop, but I felt its bulk when it is in my shorts or pant pockets. It would be fine in a backpack or a jacket pocket, but it was a bit too much in my pant pockets. Size has to be a consideration since you will need and want to carry the charging case with you. There is a small LED light on the rear of the charging case that indicates the level of charge in the case, green for over 50 percent, yellow for less than 50 percent and red for empty. It is a nice touch to let you know where you stand with your charge at a glance of the case.



The MTW has a quoted battery life of 12 hours (including case charges), and as previously stated I am never that far from a charging cable. I ran them out of charge one time, and it appeared to be around 3:30-3:45 hours of use, but I always find myself almost maxing out the volume when listening to the MTW, so I am confident that has an impact on how much battery life I received. You can use your charging case to give you two extra charges so I would assume you would have 10-11 hours of total charge at your disposal.



One design key is the fact the there is no on/off switch on the earbuds and waking them up is achieved by removing them from the charging case, then they are ready to function. Powering down is accomplished by cradling them in the charger. I am not sure there is a need for a formal on/off switch, but it could be an added feature on future models. Once you remove one, or both, from your ear, the music stops automatically, but I always immediately trickle charged them in the case, upon removal from my ear, because I was never quite sure if pulling them out of my ears and setting them on a table would slowly discharge them.

Connection

The MTW utilizes Bluetooth 5.0, which works for me fortunately since every handset I have is Bluetooth 5.0 compliant. I had zero issues pairing and connecting with any of the handsets I own. The connections were quick and stable. I also found that using the Sennheiser Smart Control app helped with the pairing and as well you could verify the remaining battery in the app. The app also updates the firmware of the MTW. I received a firmware update during my review time and am now on 1.25.0; I like the changes it brought. More on the app later.

I found the wireless range to be exceptional. I could leave my phone charging on my desk in the office and walk anywhere around my apartment without a cutout or hitch. I cannot complain about this at all, as in the past with my wireless gear would start to fade from my office to the kitchen, and how inconvenient that is when you need to refresh your adult beverage. These easily allowed for 30 feet, which was the Bluetooth 4.2 standard, and then some.

The call quality is outstanding. On my calls I never once had the person on the receiving end ask if I was using a headset. The sound of the calls is full and not tinny or robotic sounding in the least. The microphones did an excellent job of cutting noise, including wind. I don’t recall ever using them in a strong wind, which can challenge even the most adept wireless mics, but in breezy conditions, no problem.

The MTW supports apt-X, and if I am not mistaken, they are the first to support low-latency apt-X as well. Low-latency reduces delay and improves the end-to-end speed of the audio transmission, resulting in high quality, synchronized user experience. This enhancement is incredibly useful for watching movies and sporting events without lag or synchronization issues in the audio. Bear in mind, that the apt-X and apt-X low-latency are codecs found in Android not iPhone and you iPhone users will have to utilize AAC or SBC.

Controls

One area I am just lukewarm with on the MTW is the touch controls. It took me quite a while to master the controls as I felt they are really sensitive to the touch. Sometimes I thought I was doing the right thing and would end up pausing the music or performing some other unwanted function. The good news is, with time, I became proficient in controlling the MTW.

The MTW operates as the Left side Master and the Right-side Slave. The left side will perform most of the controls for your music. One tap on the Left side will play and or pause. Two taps move forward to the next track, and three taps move backward in the tracks.

Touching the Left and the Right together for 5 seconds will enter pairing mode although I found it easier to use the Smart Control App for pairing.

The Right side controls your phone calls. The Right side will also allow you to access Siri or Google if you want to access your Digital Assistant. If a call is incoming one tap will answer, and if you're going to end the call, one tap will do that as well. If you would like to reject an incoming call, two taps will complete that task.

Volume control is another area that I had a difficult time mastering out of the box. Again, with time, I had zero issues. The Left earbud lowers the volume with a long press, and the Right earbud raises the volume with a long press. I would have to make a conscious effort to think about what function I wished to perform. One tap, two taps, long press, Left side, and Right side can be difficult for someone that struggles with walking and chewing gum at the same time.

There are a few voice prompts that you may hear such as when you hold the Left and Right for 5 seconds to enter pairing mode, you will listen to a soft female voice state “Pairing,” and when you remove your buds and put them in your ear you will hear “Power On-Connected.”

Sennheiser Smart Control App



I chose to pair the MTW through the Smart Control App. I also utilized it for the firmware update and to check battery status. Before the 1.25.0 firmware update, you could see the battery remaining for the Left and Right buds independently. After the update, it only shows one battery remaining notification. The new display makes more sense to me; I was never sure why it would show both sides independently because you are going to charge both when they need a charge.







If you are a person that likes to EQ their music, EQ’ing is completed through the app. There are not any presets to choose, and there is no ten channel EQ. Instead, Sennheiser decided to have a “dot” that you can touch and slide anywhere you would like to adjust the sound. I preferred the flat sound, in the dead center of the EQ.




From the app, you can also control the Transparency Mode which allows you to hear ambient sounds without interfering with the sound quality that you are enjoying. I found the feature to work very well, but it is not a feature I needed for my daily usage. The isolation for me is very good so I could understand that the practical use of the Transparency Mode in many commuter situations and I am confident the majority of folks will leave it on.

Review Setup:

My review was written utilizing the Samsung S10 +, streaming Tidal Hi-Fi and Masters as well as Qobuz Hi-Rez.

Moving on to the sound section….

I have to preface the sound section by saying that this is a really good sound for a wireless earbud. Those of you that follow my reviews know that I review many mid-tier and TOTL IEM wired offerings. I am not comparing the MTW to any level of wired IEM’s at the $300 price point or otherwise; I am strictly reviewing these on their sound merit. One other point as mentioned above is that I am listening to these with a flat EQ. That would enable me to evaluate these without any lift in treble or drop in the bass.

To my ears, it is pretty amazing that the MTW has a similar house wireless sound, as I recall, from my extended time with the Momentum 2 Wireless. The smoothness of the Senn mids and bass is ever present in the MTW. It is Deja vu for me, and I feel right at home with the Sennheiser MTW and its sound. I have, for the most part, always loved the silky tone of the Sennheiser offerings, I have tried, wired or wireless.

The bass is solid and deep with a proper seal. Powering the bass are 7mm drivers which are tuned to assist in creating isolation from the outside. The bass isn’t the most transparent and detailed that I have heard, but it is awe-inspiring for a wireless earbud. The depth is impressive, and to my ears, the bass and lower mids create a full rich and deep signature. It is not bloomy and muffled but does not have transient bass layers; it is more the type of bass that is warm, inviting and mood setting and provides a thump to the bass frequencies. Impressive for a wireless earbud and very reminiscent in the bass of the full sized M2W headphones from Sennheiser.

The mids are smooth and flowing and again are set on flat EQ. With the EQ you could easily create a “U” shape, or you could push the mids front and center. The lower mids support the bass frequencies to round out the fullness of the signature. On some of the vocal tracks, I found the vocals to be a bit far back for my taste, but again you may be able to adjust this to your liking. The upper register of the mids has clarity and detail but in that creamy Sennheiser way of reproducing mid-range. Many times, I have found that on graphs the Senns will have a dip in the upper mids, and while I hear a slight pullback, it is what creates that smooth, silky Sennheiser mid-range tone. I am not bothered by anything I hear in the bass or the mids, but of course YMMV.

The treble has an average extension. There is never a time that I have felt that the treble was harsh or abusive. The lower treble shows detail, but the upper treble is what creates the hint of liveliness. I will say that in my brief exposure to wireless headsets I have been impressed at both ends of the spectrum with the MTW. If the treble had just a touch more sparkle in the mid to upper ranges, it would probably allow for more details to shine through and thus minimizing the overall bassy feel that can be apparent. All in all the treble has enough air to almost create balance in the MTW. I think it is important to note that warm, bassier signatures generate a level of isolation that works so well for a daily commute or for environments that you are more than likely going to use a True Wireless earbud.

The soundstage is average and rectangular with there being more width than depth. In some of my music, I was impressed with the level of stereo separation.



You might want to own this IEM if:

+ You want a true wireless solution

+ You prefer a smooth, balanced, non-offensive signature

+ Top tier sound amongst other wireless options

+ You crave a comfortable fit and the best on the go sound available

+ Price is not a consideration

In Closing

The $300 price tag can be a bit imposing. One must put this into perspective. I have a feeling in the true wireless realm the consumer could buy and return many items before finding the proper blend of features and sound quality. I went straight to the top of the food chain in True Wireless with the MTW.

It is a sound quality that is reminiscent of the Sennheiser Momentum 2 Wireless full-sized headphones I owned and adored for many years. Impressive indeed! The call quality is reliable as is the connectivity to the Bluetooth 5.0.

The Smart Control app assists in pairing the earbuds as well as allowing you to turn off/on the Transparency mode. Transparency Mode works incredibly well and will enable you to enjoy your tunes and still hear the ambient noises of your world.

For my use, the battery was sufficient, but you will need to asses your daily use and your individual needs. I am always close to a charging cable.

With apt-X Low latency, I observed zero issues with synchronization. iPhone users will need to use AAC and SBC. It is enjoyable not to be plagued with lag and synchronization issues. Watch your events and not be reminded of the Godzilla movies in days gone by, where lips and words don’t sync.

I do wish the controls were more straightforward and designed more for folks, such as myself, who would rather tap and not think about how many taps or which side I am tapping.

Without hesitation, these are at the top of a very short list of True Wireless gear in which I have an interest. Personally, If it required me to save my money a bit longer, for top-tier sound quality I would make that sacrifice for the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless.

Please see updated information at the end of review regarding charging and connecting issues.

Prologue: (skip down to the review proper if you don't want to read my wandering thoughts )

Over the past few years the lure of Wireless connectivity has grown as phone makers start to drop the classic earphone jack and ear/headphone makers improved Bluetooth audio going from being OK to very good to great in regards to audio quality. Today you can buy LDAC or APTx-HD fullsize headphones or devices like the Radsone ES100 that allow you use any wired headphone or earphone with almost flawless fidelity, sometime even trumping the built in headphone jack of many phones.

Coming in to this fray is True Wireless IEM's. The draw being ZERO cables of any kind without needing to use a headphone. The catch being how do you make them sound good and offer good enough battery life, and have good enough connectivity.

I almost pulled the trigger on the Sony WF1000X but held off because I had multiple disconnects in the store while demoing them. They sounded good but the disconnects were just unacceptable for a $300CAD+ device. Later on Sony released the WF700N and the disconnect issues seemed to be addressed. So after reading some favorable reviews I bought some on sale for $180CAD. For the most part I enjoyed the IEM except it had a very short battery life of about 2.5hrs. Frustrating because they would die in the middle of e session far to often sucking all enjoyment from them.

So when some of the other big players started to offer true wireless options I started to keep my eyes open. Several seemed promising such as Master and Dynamic MW07 or the B&O E8, or the upcoming Audio Technica offerings. But they all had drawbacks. The MW07 seemed to suffer from battery issues, the E8 from lag and connectivity issues, AT offerings had big delays and when they did arrive seemed to lack bass.

So when Sennheiser entered the fray with the Momentum True Wireless I was intrigued. The offering of APTx or AAC seemed to be as good as it was going to get for True Wireless and a few APTx only devices I had tried recently gave me hope that when paired with a good driver and proper tuning, these 2 codecs would be good enough.

So after wavering on the fence for a few weeks and waiting for them to be available in Canada, I finally decided to take the $400CAD plunge and try a pair direct from Sennheiser. With a 30 day satisfaction guarantee I figured what the heck! Then waiting 3 weeks for them to REALLY have them in stock I darn near cancelled my order several times...

When Sennheiser finally had stock my earphones arrived the very same day I received an email from Sennheiser so kudo for fast shipping!

Now I want to be clear. I was feeling like I over spent this year as I bought 2 other head/earphones while I was waiting for these to come in. So I was half convinced I was just not going to like the MTW enough to want to keep them. More to the POINT I REALLY WANTED to NOT LIKE THEM so I could send them back..

Review:

Packaging and accessories: 4/5
This packaging for the Momentum True Wireless is concise and professional bordering on sparse. Gone are the days when Sennheiser felt the need to over engineer their packaging to justify the product. Inside the box I found a nice fabric covered case and the IEM's in a separate foam housing. Underneath all the foam was a neat little box containing the extra tips, USB cable, and manuals. The included tips were 4 sets ranging from extra small to large. I switched to the large tips to get a proper seal. The USB cable is short and tips just enough to get started. A starter set of foam tips would have been nice but since they are always disposable the included are acceptable. I find the cloth covered charge case quite nice with a posh feel to it. The IEM's mount easily inside the case for hassle free charging.


Bass: 4/5
Just before getting the MTW I had just bought a pair of AKG N200 and KEF Space One Wired ANC headphones. Both offering a balanced to bright signature. So upon initial listen of the MTW I was overwhelmed with it's BIG BASS. Fortunately the bass actually settled down after a couple hours of use. But the MTW is not a neutral IEM by any stretch. The bass is nice though offering a full sound that compliments most music, without overwhelming the midrange or treble. It lacks a bit of detail and texture compared to a great wired headphone but seems very much in line with all but the absolute best Bluetooth headphones.

Midrange: 4.5/5
The midrange is slightly on the warm side but manages to have more detail than the Sony WF700N equaling the AKG N200 for detail while offering a more natural sound to my ears than the N200. The midrange conveys just enough detail and emotion to capture singers like Patricia Barber's slight sibilance on their S enunciation and the rasp of singers like Bruce Springsteen.

Treble: 4.5/5
The treble region offers plenty of detail without crossing line into being strident, being a smidge to safe. After using the Space One and N200 I started to appreciate having that slight extra treble presence so did notice it missing on the MTW. On the flip side I have had zero ear fatigue with the MTW which I had using both KEF and AKG offerings. So if you suffer from treble ear fatigue the MTW will suite you better.

Soundstage / 3D Presentation: 4/5
As a lover of a big three dimensional sound stage I always hope to get some of this quality even from IEM's. In this regard to MTW is actually pretty solid, offering a higher than average sense of width, depth, and height. In comparison the N200 sounds much more 2 dimensional. But I do not think it rivals old classic products that offer the best 3D experience. But considering this is a wireless device that has to make compromises to achieve it's goal the MTW is still impressive in this regard.

Bluetooth Connectivity: 4.5/5
Lets face it, if you keep losing signal your music is going to sound awful no matter how good the driver is in your head/earphone... In this area the MTW is rock solid in my opinion and experience. I have tested walking away from my phone and was able to go to another room in my house where I normally start to lose signal. The MTW did start to lose signal but it was much more tolerable than several other BT products I own and was just about as reliable as my best BT devices. It bested the AKG N200, Radsone ES100, and NAD HP70 for example and was only beat by the Sony MDR1000XM3. When out and about I had two split second dropouts at one train stop that normally causes BT issues often to the point of 5-10 dropouts with some products.

Isolation: 4/5
Isolation is very good on the MTW rivaling the WF700N which actually has ANC and besting the AKG N200 by quite a bit. These are not super isolators like most bean shaped headphones from Shure/Westone/Fender and others, but they do offer decent isolation. To the point that Sennheiser offers a transparency mode to allow you to hear the outside world when needed.

IEM functionality and software: 4.5/5
One of the challenges of BT products this size and shape is how to make them functional. In this regard Sennheiser has chosen to use a touch pad on each earbud. This touchpad does not have swiping and instead relies on quick touches, double taps, long pause touches, and the like to manage things. It actually uses BOTH buds in this process. a slow touch on the left ear turns the volume down for example or a slow touch on the right ear to turn up the volume. This means you need to READ the manual and practice to get good at using the buds. I personally find they work pretty well and fully anticipate I will be able to master using them.

The software these use is equally excellent. Allowing for customization of the EQ which is the saved on the IEM and then will follow to other devices without the software. YES, the IEM remembers your EQ! The EQ is more organic in nature versus technical but I found it intuitive and easy to use and appreciated NOT being overwhelmed by to many options.

Battery Life: 3.5/5
Battery life is the biggest Achilles heel of the true wireless IEM market. In this regard the MTW also suffers like it's competitors. But it at least achieves what it advertises as I was able to comfortably get 4hrs of use on every charge so far listening at around 50% volume. The WF700N on the other hand has never achieved it's 3hr battery life claim and my N200 has failed to reach it's 8 hour battery life claim (wired IEM's generally get double the battery life of true wireless models). So because some TW models have achieved around a 5 to 5.5hr battery life I will give these an appropriate middle range score in this area.

Final Thoughts:
So in the end I could not dislike this IEM enough to send it back! They just offer to much musical goodness along with technical proficiency. Are they perfect? No, nobody has managed that yet... But they are good enough to justify their price in my opinion and when (not if) they go on sale they will be well worth their price for most people who want to truly cut ALL OF THE CABLES!


It appears I may been to eager to post my review. Since then I have had 2 separate instances where the case was drained even though it was just plugged in a showing green, both instances the IEMs were also drained. I have also had a couple instances where I have needed to reset the IEM to get it to turn on and connect to my phone. Looking in the forum others have had similar issues. I have knocked a full point off my review score and may adjust lower depending on Sennheisers response to the issue. Stayed tuned...

OK, the more I think about the 2 instances I had major issues with the MTW and case seeming to be dead. Both times I used the MTW in bed and then put in the case in the middle of the night and both times the case was unceremoniously lowered/dropped onto the floor with no attention to position or being bumped. Last night I just took an extra couple seconds to place it properly on the floor and no issues today at all. I also make sure it is place right side up in my pocket as well.

I have adjusted the score back up to a 4. If after a few days the problem never reappears I will decide of I will increase the score back to 4.5.

To recap, the case appears to be susceptible to being bumped or getting placed in a position other than flat and lid facing upwards or the IEMs can cause the case to drain and they get mixed up as well.