Introducing MOMENTUM 4 Wireless

[RoninChaos]

Hey, terribly sorry for the late response.

For the lube, there are 3 areas on each side. I added a picture and circled them. The main area you want to do are the two areas where the yoke meets the earcup. Make sure to apply with a thin brush and move the cups back and forth as you do so. The creaking will instantly go away. Wipe off any excess (tbh it's best not to put too much excess either way, start with a very very very tiny amount, literally just enough to be on the tip of a thin brush) with a cleaning cloth. If the mark is stubborn (which 99.99% it won't be) just use some water and 70% isopropyl alcohol in a 50/50 diluted solution.

If you want to be extra safe, maybe try doing it around the area it swivels (also circled in the picture). Put some lube, work it in, twist the cups, work in more, twist again, etc. Wipe excess at the end.

There is a 4th area I tried which is the sliding mechanism. I would not recommend this, however, as it does not do anything. I thought it would make the sliding on mine have an equal tightness on both sides. It did not. The only thing that happened was that they felt (and looked) greasier. Same goes for the swivel being loose on right vs left. I tried getting a replacement but that one was worse in every regard. I ended up returning them altogether. I just do not have the time to keep reordering and returning until I get lucky.

Such a shame honestly. These were my first set of headphones (or any wireless audio device for that matter) and I really wanted to keep them. I lucked out with not having any issues like unbalanced driver, faulty wear sensor, etc). I especially loved the convenience features they had like pausing audio on transparency mode, powering on/off with the case, long battery life, etc. Honestly the plastic isn't what turned me off. It was the poor quality control. I would hope that with any product, they would at least make it so that symmetry is maintained (i.e. if the left cup swivels and slides loose, the right side should too, if the left side is tight, the left should be tight too, etc). Things like that are a really big turn off for me and many others. FWIW the plastic and overall build quality is 100000x better than Sony's WH1000XM5.

That said I hope they really pull things together and make it so the next line is better built and free of such defects.

Thank you. I really appreciate the reply. I’m going to attempt to put some grease on them this weekend.

I need to find an old paint brush or something. It’s absolutely ridiculous we even have to do this.

Thanks again for the reply. I really appreciate it.

 

[DecayableRadiologist]

Thank you. I really appreciate the reply. I’m going to attempt to put some grease on them this weekend.

I need to find an old paint brush or something. It’s absolutely ridiculous we even have to do this.

Thanks again for the reply. I really appreciate it.

Yeah don't worry about it. Try something very thin. I had ordered a set of gpl205 g0 which came with two thin brushes that were perfect for application (perfect for me as I plan to lube my keyboard in the future when needed). Just make sure whatever grease you use is compatible with plastics. A silicone grease or the lube I mentioned will work best.

Also, I agree that this is atrocious. It's one thing to use cheap materials, it's another to have such obvious flaws pass quality control. I really hope something is done about their build quality and quality control in the next round.

 

[Knightsfan11]

Purchased these today, have been using Sony XM3 the past few years - Initial impressions from about 60 minutes of listening, the sound is clearer, bass response so much crisper. Comfort over long periods of listening may be an issue, they only just cover my ears at the moment & clamping force is a little stronger compared to my Sony's, so hope they work out OK.

Are replacement pads possible, with a larger opening? I've used Dekoni pads for my Sony's which I've loved.

 

[ericpalonen]

I really hope something is done about their build quality and quality control in the next round.

Thank you for your purchase and feedback. We send along the reports, reviews, and impressions to our development team and look into the constructive criticisms.

 

[GungJoe]

I ended up selling my Momentum 4's and buying the Focal Bathys.

I did like the momentum 4's but the earcup comfort got to me, the Bathy's are more comfortable and sound quite a bit better (as they should at nearly double the price. But they have worse ANC.

The Bathy's do have much better build feel though, so in theory they might last longer. I can't say anything about build quality since the Momentum 4's were fine when I had them, but the less plastic and more metal you use the more likely they'll last. Bathy's uses plastic construction too but all of the hinging is metal and the headband is also part metal.

 

[nioh]

I ended up selling my Momentum 4's and buying the Focal Bathys.

I did like the momentum 4's but the earcup comfort got to me, the Bathy's are more comfortable and sound quite a bit better (as they should at nearly double the price. But they have worse ANC.

The Bathy's do have much better build feel though, so in theory they might last longer. I can't say anything about build quality since the Momentum 4's were fine when I had them, but the less plastic and more metal you use the more likely they'll last. Bathy's uses plastic construction too but all of the hinging is metal and the headband is also part metal.

The more metal, the heavier it becomes which makes it even more uncomfortable for longer use.

 

[nioh]

@ericpalonen Any update on the possibility to completely turn off ANC ?
Apart from this, the Momentum 4 Wireless is perfect for my home office use.

 

[GungJoe]

The more metal, the heavier it becomes which makes it even more uncomfortable for longer use.

I find the Bathy's resolve all the comfort issues I had with long-term wear on the Momentum 4, so the small amount of extra weight doesn't feel as though it matters. I don't think that weight under a 400g treshhold is the most important factor in determining the comfort of a headphone for me. Specifically I think that headband padding, earcup size, earcup depth and earcup padding and clamp force are the most important factors when we're dealing with headphones under that treshhold.

The Bathys have more comfortable earcups with larger earcups, deeper earcups and better earcup padding. They also have better headband padding which I suppose helps compensate for the extra weight (but I do not feel the weight on the headband anyway). With that said, everyone's milage will vary with their own head size and whatnot.

The Momentum 4's sound as though they're worth £350 in terms of sound quality. I think they sound good, whereas I think headphones like the XM5 sound less than their price point. The XM5s sound muddy and lack detail, the Momentum 4's don't have so much of that problem, at least not in their price bracket. Meanwhile I think the Bathy's really do sound like a £700 pair of closed back headphones that you might use for home use. I think that, side by side against the Focal Celestee the Bathy's sound better, and they start to approach the Focal Radiance (Focal's £1400 headphone). I also think the Bathys sound better than the Mark Levinson, so I really think you're getting good value from them.

I'm not knocking the Momentum 4's here, they sound good in their price bracket and they have better ANC so I can see why people would be happy with them. But I think for people that are happy to spend the extra £350 you'd find a better headphone in the Bathy's, by no small margin.

 

[nioh]

I find the Bathy's resolve all the comfort issues I had with long-term wear on the Momentum 4, so the small amount of extra weight doesn't feel as though it matters. I don't think that weight under a 400g treshhold is the most important factor in determining the comfort of a headphone. Specifically I think that headband padding, earcup size, earcup depth and earcup padding and clamp force are the most important factors when we're dealing with headphones under that treshhold.

The Bathys have more comfortable earcups with larger earcups, deeper earcups and better earcup padding. They also have better headband padding which I suppose helps compensate for the extra weight (but I do not feel the weight on the headband anyway). With that said, everyone's milage will vary with their own head size and whatnot.

The Momentum 4's sound as though they're worth £300 in terms of sound quality. I think they sound good, whereas I think headphones like the XM5 sound less than their price point. The XM5s sound muddy and lack detail, the Momentum 4's don't have so much of that problem, at least not in their price bracket. Meanwhile I think the Bathy's really do sound like a £700 pair of closed back headphones that you might use for home use. I think that, side by side against the Focal Celestee the Bathy's sound better, and they start to approach the Focal Radiance (Focal's £1400 headphone).

I'm not knocking the Momentum 4's here, they sound good in their price bracket and they have better ANC so I can see why people would be happy with them. But I think for people that are happy to spend the extra £350 you'd find a better headphone in the Bathy's, by no small margin.

A headset like the Momentum 4 wireless for me is a different use-case. My requirements are crystal clear voice, both in and out, good battery life, comfort for long-term wearing (as sometimes I’m on calls at work the whole day) and ANC when needed. Everything else are either add-ons or gimmicks imo.

Momentum satisfies all of that for me. It also fits me perfectly, ears do not touch the inside. Its so lightweight and has soft ear cups and headband that I barely realise it’s there while being on calls for hours. As mentioned before my only complaint is the lack of an option to completely turn off ANC. I also have a Shure Aonic 50 which does it all, in a more old fashioned way with physical switches rather than touch controls. I love em both. Shure is always at the office. Momentum stays at home for home office as these days for me it’s 50/50. Nothing beats the battery life of the Momentum at the moment.

I agree, properly designed under 400g is not a problem at all. My Sony MDR-Z1R that I use for music and gaming is a good example. It’s super comfortable and I’m not even going to talk about sound quality. I’ve tried all kinds of wireless and gaming headphones. In the end anything that says Bluetooth and high quality sound is just marketing and snake oil. I ended up returning them all. Nothing sounds like an IFI Zen DAC hooked up to a PS5 with the Z1R and Tempest 3D Audio ! For multiplayer, I have the Antlion Modmic Wireless attached to the headphones.

 

[Knightsfan11]

I really really like the sound out of these headphones, but fearing I may have to sell them, due to comfort. The earcups are marginally too small for my ears, while I've only had a few 60 minute listening sessions, I can feel the pressure on the ears coming on - I miss the comfort of my Sony's.

I'm guessing the pads won't be changeable either?

 

[monousa]

I’m feeling good listening to the Momentum 4. The sound is definitely detailed and the bass is really nice. I’m sorry to you people that are having nagging problems. Because these headphones are special in my experiences.

 

[Knightsfan11]

I’m feeling good listening to the Momentum 4. The sound is definitely detailed and the bass is really nice. I’m sorry to you people that are having nagging problems. Because these headphones are special in my experiences.

100% agree on sound. I've also had no issue in terms of build quality or the software, though the app isn't as nice/well performing as the Sony app, it still does the job.

 

[monousa]

100% agree on sound. I've also had no issue in terms of build quality or the software, though the app isn't as nice/well performing as the Sony app, it still does the job.

The M4 to me, is about the sound. I am fascinated by its abilities to sound as good as wired Sennheiser headphones.

 

[nioh]

100% agree on sound. I've also had no issue in terms of build quality or the software, though the app isn't as nice/well performing as the Sony app, it still does the job.

Same for me. No complaints about the sound quality (for its intended purpose) but the pressure build up gives me a headache after long hours on call. I believe this is caused by the ANC. I wish they would give us an option to turn off the ANC. If not I’ll have to buy another Shure Aonic 50 or similar that has a simple switch to turn these settings on/off.

 

[Golfhacker27]

I just purchased these to replace my old QC35.
Very happy with the sound quality and the ANC. Also with the multiple swipe functions.
Quality of materials and build is good, with none of the creaking noises or concerns expressed by others.

Much less happy with the comfort and fit. Clamping force is relatively high, and headset is heavy (compared to the QC35). The cushions get sweaty quite quickly. Headband size (fully extended) only just allows earcups to fit fully over my ears, and means that top of headband has to be slightly pushing into my head (to avoid the bottom of the cups pulling up on my earlobes). And the earcups are are on the small size, with tips of my ears in contact with the interior (but not such that it causes discomfort).

The app is terrible. My ipad connected instantly, whereas getting my iphone to connect was long and difficult. Once connected... doesn’t offer any real functions of any use (that aren’t available via swipe control) other than ability to update firmware. I certainly wouldn’t classify the three-channel (!) equaliser as ‘useful’. And for all this, the app requires 0.25 Gb of memory space installed…. :-o

Overall, I would not purchase these again.