Sennheiser’s flagship earbuds are back, and this time it’s quite a redesign instead of a spec bump. The Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 5 retails at S$479 which puts it in the flagship prices against the likes of Sony, Apple, and Bose. There are quite some meaningful changes and addition to this fifth edition of Sennheiser’s flagship.
Build quality and features
Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 5 comes in five colourways – Lavender, Graphite, Cream, Copper, and Denim. The unit I have is the Denim variant, which is a deep and nice shade of navy. The biggest change you’d notice on the MOMENTUM True Wireless 5 is the design of the earbuds. The whole shell has been shrunk and reshaped to sit lower and more snug in the ear, a departure from the chunkier stems on the last two generations. The earbuds have a matte finish to them and the material also feels rather premium as well. Being more rounded in shape means the earbuds can be slightly slippery to get it out of the case if your hands are wet.
The charging case has also been slimmed down, and it genuinely makes a difference. It is able to slip into pockets in jeans and shorts here without creating a discomforting bulge. The case also sports a matte finish and has a unique sparkle-like texture to it. Build quality is top notch here – the case snaps satisfyingly and the mechanism feels sturdy and well made.
User replaceable batteries & Battery life
What’s new this edition is the ability to swap out batteries of both the case and earbuds yourself with a small screwdriver, a tool that’s included in the box. It was easy to access the battery of the case, but it was a little tricky doing the same for the earbuds due it the small size of it. I usually get a new pair of earbuds because the battery life got unsustainable for long-use so having the ability to revive your earbuds from a dead battery rather than binning the whole set in few years is a genuinely rare and understated feature.
As for battery life, Sennheiser rates the buds for 12 hours with ANC off, or 6 hours with ANC on, and up to 40 hours total with the case, a solid jump from the last generation. In my own use with ANC on most of the day, I comfortably made it through a full working day without needing a top-up, only reaching for the case overnight. Quick charging is handy too as 8 minutes in the case buys you about an hour of playback, enough to save you on a morning you forgot to charge overnight.
Fit and comfort
Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 5 offers a contoured glove-like fit in your ears that is not typically seen in earbuds these days. Most earbuds rely most on the ear tips and the angle of the nozzle to create a secure fit in your ears. The contoured shape of the MOMENTUM True Wireless 5 allows the earbuds to rest naturally along the curvatures of my ears with the ear tips creating a gentle yet secure fit.
Comfort of wearing the MOMENTUM True Wireless 5 is generally great. But the earbuds are still considered large-sized compare to other stem-styled earbuds. So if you have smaller ears, the MOMENTUM True Wireless 5 may be slightly bulky and given its intention to rest along your ear shape, there might be some contact with your ears. Always try on the earbuds if you have the chance before making a purchase.
Sound quality
Sennheiser’s 7mm TrueResponse dynamic driver produces a warm and full-bodied sound signature which is reminiscent of their headphone sibling the Momentum 5. Bass delivers an impactful amount of weight and does give that gratifying rumble when the song calls for it. Midrange offers a clean presentation with plenty of detail and texture from instruments. Treble has great clarity and does have some pop at the upper-end which some might find a tad sibilant, but I found a quick EQ adjustment helped to smoothen out the highs.
Overall, the MOMENTUM True Wireless 5 still offers a subjectively neutral sound and if you will slight emphasis at both ends to keep the sound more exciting out of the box. It still gives a good to base for your to adjust the EQ to your liking. Soundstage and imaging are also very capable on the MOMENTUM True Wireless 5, giving an immersive audio experience. While there is Dolby Atmos support, I didn’t really find much of a difference in the overall sound – perhaps the default soundstage was already good to begin with.
ANC performance
The ANC on the MOMENTUM True Wireless 5 does knock down a good chunk of ambient noise, and as long they are constant low-end hums like bus engines or aircon fan, the ANC handles it effectively. High pitched noises such think MRT train announcements or sound alerts will still leak through. Having said that, the ANC is very capable and I don’t see much instances where the ANC struggles. In fact, I do find them very comparable to my AirPods Pro 3.
Microphone quality
In a controlled environment, the microphones do a pretty good job of picking up voice and keeping it forward in the output. My voice sounds natural, though clarity and warmth could be better. Once background noise is introduced, the microphones filter it out well, isolating voice as the main output almost entirely. But that isolation comes at a cost: my voice breaks up at certain points, which makes the output slightly less desirable overall. Overall, still a decent option to use for meetings at most places as long as the background noise isn’t too loud.
Controls and App
MOMENTUM True Wireless 5 uses touch controls and the round touch surface does offer enough surface area to register my inputs. You get light sound as well as haptic feedback from the earbuds to let you know that the earbuds have registered an input. The double and triple taps also work well. If single taps aren’t really your preference due to odds of mistouches, the app allows you to customize it however you like.
The Smart Control Plus app is where most of the MOMENTUM True Wireless 5‘s extra features live: touch control remapping, customizable EQ and Sound Personalization. I generally use touch control remapping and customisable EQ to be most useful features to me. It’s a genuinely useful and well-designed app rather than a box-ticking one.
Conclusion
At S$479, the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 5 is playing at the flagship leagues, and what you’re paying for is excellent and detailed sound, with a more refined fit. The strong battery life, and its repairability angle is something to note given this is one that no other brands are currently matching.