I've owned many Sennheiser gaming and audio headphones, from HD599, PC350, GameOne, H6 Pro. Also owned a few Sony 1XM3, 1XM4, 1XM5. I can't wait for my Momentum 4 to arrive next week and see how it stacks with the rest of them.
I was reading the manual of Momentum 4 and found a very interesting feature: You can connect this headphone with your PC via a USB-C cable instead of the 3.5mm audio cable. This function can be very useful for laptop users, since most laptops do not come with a good DAC, and connecting the headphone with USB-C should allow people to bypass this issue, and you don't have to worry about battery running out.
In case of owning a MacBook that lacks usb A port, do I need to purchase additional c to c cable to have the lossless audio? Since I heard Momentum 4 comes along with only c to a cable. What exactly would the difference be between connecting Momentum 4 to my MacBook via usb c and 3.5 mm?
@@serrael-182 I disagree, Sony has just as mediocre of a sound as Bose, the Bose 700 is a nicer looking, so it would just be up to which one you like the looks of better.
@@mikecast20 I disagree with this but I think this is a thing you can easily disagree with without having a big problem. ;) But i think youre right with one thing: The Bose 700 look better indeed!
@@jody024 I forgot about Sonova buying their consumer audio division, but it looks like they have a long term licensing deal to keep using the Sennheiser name.
I want to thank you for the time you spent comparing these products. Excellent detail. I returned the Sony XM4's and picked up the Momentum 4 for actually a little less cost. The momentum got it right. Excellent audio fidelity! Excellent comfort. Everything you said about them was accurate. Also, I normally don't use over the ear headphones for phone calls. None of them have ever worked well for the other person. Well, they were already connected when a relative called so I thought, "what the heck, let's try it." I put them on and she said the audio at her end was crystal clear. We talked for an hour and it was wonderful. These are a winner!!
I can understand why these are considered successors to the Momentum 3, but in my opinion the Momentum 4 wireless actually acts as the successor to the sennheiser pxc 550-ii. The design and use-case for both these headphones are similar, rather than those of momentum 3, which wasn't as travel friendly. Senheiser is basically using the momentum brand name for its flagship wireless stuff.
Just looked these headsets up, yeah I think you are right. Seems like they are bringing everything they have learned into the Momentum 4. I suspect the pxc 550-ii for factor was just better then the Momentum 3 as well.
@@Swarm509 I totally agree with you, didn't really like the momentum 3 but love the pxc 550 II and I use them everyday, the momentum 4 might be a good option to me when the price drop a bit
M4 are definitely not a successor to the M3.M4 have better battery life but that’s it. M3 sound, look, feel so much better. The quality of the M3 is miles ahead of M4
I just got them, as a replacement for my beloved but broken PXC 550 (power switch issue). I loved the PXC 550's comfort and usability, also their sound which was always better than any Sony or Bose. But now that I have the M4, the PXC sound like Bose to me. Only now I can hear their peaky, uneven upper mids/treble. Everything sounds better on the M4: deeper, more exact bass, clear mids, even and airy treble, incredible soundstage and imaging! ANC is also on another level. Only the comfort was better on the PXC because of their light weight and deeper earcups. I felt right at home in terms of usability, but I won't miss "Phone 1" and "Phone 2" ;)
I’m not an audiophile at all, but your summary of the sound quality difference was spot on. Bought a the Momentum 4’s yesterday and love the quality of sound. Great review as always.
Thank you for your review. Yours was the first one I hit up and you covered all the bases. I've had the Sony XM series (1 & 4) and the Senns Momentum 2. I also have the Airpods Max. I work mostly from home and participate in a lot of meetings. A lot. So many that sometimes I need to do "walking meetings" where I participate while I'm out for a walk, otherwise I may not get out of the house for 10 hours. I prefer to wear my Sony XM4's whenever I am out walking but not in a meeting. If I am going to do a walking meeting I always use the Airpods Max. The difference between the Sony XM4's and the Airpods Max is night and day. The wind noise when using the XM4's is bothersome for both me and the people on the other end. When using the Airpods Max even in very windy conditions, the Airpods Max completely deaden wind sound for both me and the people on the other end. The problem with the Airpods Max is their weight and the earpads tend to get warm. For my Sony XM4's I purchased Dekoni aftermarket earpads which are softer and deeper than the stock pads but they make Sony's ANC a little less effective. This does not however impact the XM4's poorer performance taking calls in windy or loud conditions. I think that after this review I am going to give the Senn's a shot. I have been prioritizing ANC over everything else for quite some time but now I think it's time to shift gears and go back to audio performance. Before I do that I need to find out more about the new Focal wireless ANC headphones. As a head-fi snob with a rack full of high-end headphones (Sennheiser, Beyerdynamic, Sony, Dan Clark, Audeze, Hifiman, Fostex) I am really curious about Focal's entry into the wireless ANC market. Thanks again for the review!
@@moh7286 the Sennheiser Momentum II’s sound like 💩now but I didn’t think so at the time. I like the Sony XM4’s for both sound quality and comfort. The Dekoni earpads for the XM4’s add further to the comfort but at a trade-off. The stock earpads, which really do not require an “upgrade”, keep the headphone profile low and are better for ANC performance. The AirPods Max are too heavy for long-term enjoyment. They’re great for watching TV and movies with spacial audio but they’re only so-so sonically for regular music. I don’t even enjoy Apple’s spacial audio or Dolby surround audio tracks all that much on headphones. On my 11.2 home theater, yes. Otherwise, no. The AirPods Max are damn good at ANC and at negating wind sound if you’re out walking and talking. Considering the weight, it should be no surprise. Unlike Bose, Sony, Sennheiser and others who have tried to improve ANC while keeping the weight low, Apple just said “f^^k it, ours is going to be the best ANC on the market”. I would say so, but what good is it if the headphones are too heavy for long-term use? And the earpads get warm and sweaty. Easy to throw in the wash, but still. I was recently in a store and compared the Sony XM5 with the XM4. I noticed only the slightest improvement in ANC in that particular environment. Sonically it was impossible for me to do a proper A-B test. The XM5’s don’t fold like the XM4’s either and I felt as if the XM4’s have a lower profile on my head. I haven’t heard the Momentum IV’s yet so I can’t say anything about them. I’ve always enjoyed my Sony’s and can easily recommend them. And I will admit a bias against Bose just because everyone was wearing them and Bose was lauded as the best ANC headphones evah! Then along came Sony and said “we’ll see about that”. Sennheiser is no slouch either.
@@gauze.65 AirPods Max if you prioritize movies with Apple TV. Everything else goes to Sony. I have both the MX4 and the MX5. The MX5 have slightly better already awesome ANC and are a bit lighter. The MX4 folds and works better when switching between devices like iPhone and iPad. Originally the XM5 couldn’t do this but Sony has improved it with a firmware update. The handoff is still better with the XM4. The sound profile is to my ears basically the same. If there is a big price jump or you prefer folding headphones then get the XM5. No need to worry about missing out on the XM5’s. If your priority is weight and getting that last percentage of performance the go for the XM5’s. I haven’t tried the latest Sanns but I am happy with Sony. Their ANC is the best. About AirPods Max: good for surround sound if coupled with Apple TV. They also have really good ANC and where they beat everyone is audio quality for calls and if you’re out walking and talking. They deaden all wind noise which is great for both you and the person or people on the other end. What I don’t like: they’re heavy as f… and my ears get sweaty after a while. I will be selling mine once I get the Audeze Maxwell. What I would buy right now if I was on the market is the Focal Bathys. They’re expensive, they look cool and all reviews about sound quality and ANC have been good. I got my hands on a mint condition second hand Focal Utopia 2022. Still bloody expensive but they rendered most of my other headphones useless. They’re not perfect but they’re really really good. Happy hunting. And don’t forget to use the equalizer in the Sony app if you go that route. It’s better to equalize there and keep the settings flat in your music app such as Spotify. IMHO of course. Personally I prefer a bit more base, a lot more midrange and reduced treble.
Would have loved to hear more about direct USB-C connection and low latency audio with aptX adaptive, both of these features are extremely important to me.
I tried the XM5s and wasn't impressed enough to upgrade from my XM4. The XM4 is still a masterpiece. I think it's the full bass that the XM4 produces that's hard to let go of.
I'm still on my XM3 and I'm not impressed with the XM4 and XM5. Both have way weaker bass that can't even be fixed with the equalizer to measure up to XM3 bass level. And XM3 is no slouch in sound quality either.
@@Roboto82 Not a substantial upgrade TBH, considering how expensive they are. And you'll miss the bass. But the soundstage is a lil' wider on the XM4 and XM5 but very negligible. It's the soundstage that's lacking on the XM3,XM4,XM5. At this price, this is not acceptable. Even the TWS WF-XM4 has a substantially wider soundstage than these 3 big ass over-the-ear headphones.
I bought the xm5's on release day and they just sit on a hook gathering dust, I still use my old qc 35 II's over them. The band is oppressively uncomfortable. Just another 400 dollar set of headphones I dont use :(
My Sony Xm3 broke last week after 3 years of rigorous use, I was planning to upgrade to xm5 but now I'm interested in the momentums. I usually watch shows and listen to podcasts and music so I'm more inclined towards the Momentums after this review
@@0rbsterez I went for Bose QC45 because it was on sale and was like $180 cheaper than the sony xm5. I wanted to buy Sennheiser but I heard there are lots of quality issues and Sony was a little bit expensive for me. I'm happy with bose it has the good audio quality and good battery life so I can't complain.
@@gunngator588 I heard that Bose QC45 leaked music or sounds sometimes if the volume is too loud, it may bothers people around, have you tried yet? I want a BOSE QC45 but I dont like bothering people with sounds leaking from my headphone. thank you!
One Year later: The softwre comes now with a 5 Band equilizer and the price dropped under 300€. The sound is still unsurpassed and the quality of workmanship is still very high...
I think a lot of people don't tinker with the Sony EQ in the app. That's where they truly shine and beat any competition. I recommend setting it to "Bright" and adding in Clear Bass +2.
I agree with you own that point. The e q set on bright sounds awesome. I returned the Bose 700 because the stage sounded artificial. Haven’t tried the Senns yet.
Yeah the Bose are amazing for phone calls, I was on a mountain and driving a diesel forklift, it was loud as hell, and people could hear me but nothing else. The 700s for calls is the best.
@@pappadappacarhauler757 I totally agree on the eq "bright" setting on my XM4s. As a semi-professional musician and an audiophile that primarily consumes smooth jazz. I find that setting to be very accurate in reproducing the music!
I agree that changing the XM4s to Bright makes them a lot better than the default EQ, but this shouldn't be necessary and is a deal breaker for me since they don't retain custom EQ while wired (which is needed when playing on a PS5 for instance). The default EQ on the Sony XM4s really bothers me
The fact that the main plus the sonys have is call quality is fantastic because I've never used headphone for a phone in my entire life. Definitely getting the Momentum 4s. The ANC is nice but I don't live in a noisy city or work in a loud office, the most I need to cut out is a large ventilation fan and some talking I work in electronic board production, it's a clean quiet environment. Sound quality on the Momentum 4s being better sold me immediately
@@MaticTheProto yes I agree as well. The little I have talked on them they have been good. I ask my wife or mom or whoever I'm talking to if I sound ok and nobody has said anything negative. I don't live in downtown Chicago so traffic noise isn't really even a big deal for me either
@@MRFLAPPYTREEhi I’m considering either getting these, or Sony xm5. I’m leaning towards these as sennheiser is an audio focused company, but since I see you have one can I have your opinion on them after so long?
The biggest reason I want to get these is the usb connection so not killing the battery all the time. Also, I like having the ability to hear outside noise, too much ANC is not comfortable to me, so if the M4's aren't as good as Sony's, that fine with me. I want mostly for music and movies and occasionally for vdo/calls. As for airplanes... I don't know, I might try using earplugs and the M4 and see what happens. I hate flying.
Timing must be everything. Only today, did I listen to the Momentum Wireless 4. They were absolutely amazing. Super comfy with a flawless sound quality. Definitely on my purchase list.
Could you please tell me how they compare to the bose 700 ? It may be irrelevant to ask this since it is considered to be less good than the xm4 but I still prefer the overall sound.
Everybody always talking about how great the XM series are, but the sound is in comparison with Sennheiser just not the sound you'd expect from such an expensive headphone in my opinion. They are all great headphones, but that's just something I noticed throughout the years. Sennheiser's sound is just so clear and alive. Their way of tuning it is just amazing!
Finally. It’s nice to hear someone else say this, because man I feel crazy sometimes. I bought the xm4’s and was expecting something superb, and honestly I think they sound not great at all. It’s night and day for me. The momentum’s are very clear and tight. Highs are sparkly, lows are rumbly and punchy without being muddy. Very alive sounding where the Sony’s sound big, but very sterile.
@@robbynaumann439 Exactly! Sennheiser's ANC may not be as good as Sony's but at least the sound is way better! If you really love music, quality sound is just so much more important, especially for those prices. Sony definitely needs to come up with improvement on their sound stage, and Sennheiser needs to come up with improvement for their ANC!
@@GSNLYT Yes. I tried to replicate the same audio frequency curve of both Sonys and Sennys and the latter sounded way way better. So even without trying them, I found who's the best bet for sound.
I felt the same way until I played with the EQ settings, I was going to return them but I love them now. I haven’t listened to the Sennheiser set yet but I’m going to. Update...I tried the Sennheiser and the sound is incredible, the XM5 has better ANC and phone call quality...I'm keeping both. I fly a lot and will wear the XM5 on flights but my everyday headphone will be the Sennheiser.
@@GSNLYT it’s funny people try to talk about the senn anc though like it’s bad. It’s honestly comparable to the xm4, which was stellar for everyone last year and now we make out like it ain’t enough. Idk what people are doing to need such intense anc, but my xm4’s would get me killed with how silent everything is - almost a turn off for me most of the time. So i think Senn have hit the sweet spot, of course year on year it will get better, but really who cares.
There is no typical sound signature per brand. And especially with the Momentum series that are Sennheiser's bassy series whereas in most other options they aim to provide listeners a more neutral sound (meaning there is no signature at all).
I dont get why people need such intense anc… these would be comparable to the XM4’s, which were fine for everyone last year, now all of a sudden the anc aint enough. I find headphones without anc that have a good seal when music is playing, almost no sounds gets in. So all these products with anc, it’s just a bonus
There is one hidden awesome function in the Momentum 4 which is it can play audio via usb. Imagine you need to make a conference call and your desktop doesn't have bluetooth, some desktop separate the mic and sound 3.5mm so the includes audio cable does work either. It's just eaiser to have usb audio, and you can charge the headphone while listenting. This is perfect for me. Usb on Sony, Bose, or Surface headphones are just for charging only, and no audio while charging.
I have been a Sennheiser user (currently have the momentum 2 truly wireless) and wanted to get a good pair of over-ear headset. I got a good deal on the XM5's and decided to buy them instead. I don't care for features, my main concern has always been the sound quality, and comparing the XM5's with my momentum 2 Truly Wireless earbuds... I was honestly shocked to realize my momentum 2's had better sound quality compared to the Sony XM5's. The XM5's come with a lot of features, especially the very high-end quality ANC, but I personally could care less about all the 'gimmicks.' I think I will return the XM5's and go for the Momentum 4's.
Momentum 2 headphones also sound way better than the the Sony XM4. In fact, I never thought the Sonys sounded that great. Not bad but also not excellent.
the new Sennheiser Momentum 4 look like the Jabra Evolve2 75, but with bigger earcups. The previous Sennheiser Momentum 3 looked so much better and distinctive
loved the momentum 3’s aesthetically, but i hated them in every other aspect. i had them for less than 24h and returned them right away. too buggy, sound was weak + metallicy (even for $250 headphones, which is the price i found them at), and omg the pinch when opening them…
These look like Sennheiser is finally building actual spiritual successors to the PXC550 line which was a great product that I loved before getting the XM3s. I'm really excited about the possibilities.
A "Spare parts / maintenance" section would be great to have in reviews for expensive wearable tech like this. Especially when buying a very expensive pair of headphones, you want to know if replacement parts (especially ear pads) are affordable or even obtainable.
Also would be nice to have these compared to the best $150-200'ish headphones and if the improvements in sound quality, comfort, ANC etc. are worth double the price. I'm lucky enough that I could easily afford these cans, but I think cheaper ones would have better QoL in the sense of peace of mind while travelling, due to not being as expensive to replace if lost, stolen etc.
The spare parts for the Momentum 4s aren't on the Sennheiser site yet, but there's spareparts for all previous models and the cups for the Momentum 3s are about $39.
This is a very honest review, totally agree on the sound quality eproduction being better on Sennheiser. I own MTW3 and it's brilliant, I am sure the next version is even better.
As a college student it's the xm5's for obvious reasons, the ANC is such a deal breaker, although in my opinion i would definitely choose the Sennheisers over the airpod maxes and Bose 700, I had the Bose for half a year and then they just burned themselves while i was asleep in my bed, potentially threatening my life as the bedsheets covers also were burned through when i woke up...
Thank you for review. I just received XM5 to compare with Momentum 4, when I'll receive them (preorded) to decide which may suit me better. Meanwhile I tested them with my current M3. M3 for me lack of comfort, battery life and don't like fisical buttons and was looking for upgrade. XM5 very comfy and nice design, plenty of extra futures, but I was surprised how dull they sound compared to M3, which was released by the end of 2019. There's no need to wait till M4 arrive, XM5 will be send back. In my opinion Bowers & Wilkins PX7 also sound better than XM5, which I had a chance to own.
Great Review. The Momentum 4 will be my new headphone. One thing on 60 hours of battery - Is that the rating when noise cancellation is NOT engaged? Seems to be a competitive coup at first look, but I am skeptical. Still, a great headphone with outstanding sonic performance.
I have a Momentum 3 and an XM5, and to be honest even though the Momentum 3 is 3 years old now, it sounds better overall. Just like you explained in the video, it feels more open and detailed, and the bass is deeper. However, i am using the XM5 for calls, because, i have a lot of meetings, and it is really a good thing that people doesnt hear the distractive noises on my side. When the background noise is loud then i am still using my XM5-s, because of the ANC. I am eager to try the Momentum 4, the XM5 is big for my head, the Momentum 3 fits good. If the 4 will be comfortable, then i will buy them :) After the video i feel like it will be like the Momentum 3 with better ANC and touch controls, which i really like on the XM5.
Just out of curiosity, does Momentum perform better even with more acoustic songs? I've heard some places that Momentum would be better for electronic and Pop and Sony for alt-rock and folk since its more detailed.
@@TheFilipeAraujo I think yes, when i put on the XM5 after the Momentum 3, it sounded muffled to me. I cant explain why, but somehow the momentum 3 feels better in every genre. I bought a momentum 4 , and the sound is more clear compared to the xm5. The anc is good, but the touch control is inferior compared to the xm5. The ambient mode is also not as good. And it is my taste, but I really like the bass heavy sound of the momentum 3, it is loud, it can physically hurt if I turn it to 80%, of course i am not hurting my self, but there is a big headroom. The momentum 4 on the other hand is quiet... there is bass but even with bass boost I dont feel the bass. It is flat compared to the momentum 3, and a comsumer headphone should be fun to listen to, I dont want to listen to audiophile music while I am working... but this is my opinion, it may change I am only using is for an hour or so.
@@zoltankurucsai1296 Zoltán how is the call quality between the momentum 4 and the mx5 ? I'm really interested in it, since the xm5, you've tested cancels outside noise so well. How big is the difference in mic-anc quality ?
@@Ematuresco in my opinion, the XM5 is much better. It cancells out more background noise. And my voice is much louder. The M4 is muffled compared to it. The only thing the M4 does better is the multipoint, the switch between phone music and laptop meeting call is very good.
Yeah, I just bough a Momentum 4 because the 3 I had was worn out. The 4 sounds like its so high-pitched or something its anoying to listen to songs I like. They sound cheap now :/ I should have bough another Momentum 3 again, that one was just fine... No more Senheiser for me in the future. So many points the 4 is actually so much worse than the 3 0.o What a waste of money...
Quality review. Appreciate the depth and comparison to both models. My research has been satisfied with this video! I currently have the XM4 and they're brilliant. Sennheiser looks like my next move when I retire these puppies.
For anyone wondering,pondering..i had a pair of sennheisers when i was a child/teenager and i used them in every weather..from -30c to +30 and i took care of them like a boxer takes care of it's punching bag..still they lasted about half a decade and sound quality was great/amazing..about to buy those sennheiser momentums since i don't have headphones at all right now..just came here to give sennheisers thumbs up..
Thanks for the review, already pre-ordered these pair of headphones. I never had a premium consumer headphone before so probably not be able to compare with others, but I think these will be great pair of headphones for music and some meetings.
I gotta watch this later! I had the monentum 1 and 3’s, always enjoyed their sound but I’m interested to hear how the new ones compare! I’ve been using the Edifier STAX Spirit S3’s for a couple months now and really enjoying them!
How does the S3 compare to the M3 ones I'm wondering because since the S3 has planar drivers which produces detailed sounds, M3 has dynamic drivers which has that natural punchy bass
Didn't even realise Edifier made headphones and these look decent. I have the same question as Alex because planars are known to be chrystal in the mids and highs but not so good in the bass. These might be ok though because they are closed back.
Thanks for this. I just ordered some momentum 4s. I had some sennheiser’s a long time ago but haven’t had any in recent years. Even though it’s been a long time no other headphones have scratched the itch that the Sennheisers left.
Ok so i had both and i can confidently say that Mr Caleb is absolutely right in the video. You're gonna want the XM5 only for the better noise cancelling and better microphones. Momentum's ANC is on the level of the XM4 tho which is absolutely enough for day-to-day use. You will not hear anything even in a loud train once you play your music. It's 9/10. Other than that - i encourage you to get the Momentums. Better design and built quality, earcups swivel both ways, better comfort, better case, MUCH more detailed sound, better price. USB audio (a VERY underrated feature) and a killer batery life. Once you get these, you WILL be charmed. It's just the thing that the sonys are worldly considered the best headphones in the world and that is a narcisistic factor (get the best or nothing). Overall once you get the momentums you will gladly forget the Sony's!
You're absolutely right. I've had the XM5s for a year or so and yesterday the swivel hinge to the earcup broke despite very, very careful use. So now it just dangles loosely around the ear. Due to that, I bought a Momentum 4 after a bit of research. I was truly blown by the sound and the quality of the bass. Exceptional. All I need now is some really good settings for the equalizer.
@@eddiek8179 Thank you for your comment, my old PX7 just broke and I had to inform about current over-ear headphones. Right now I am between the XM5 and the Momentum 4, and since I only care about sound quality, I think I will go with them for now.
i was in Store to Test the Sony and was really disapointed about the Sound Quality. I really locking forward to the Sennheiser to be my next Headphone Thanks for this Review!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sennheiser has been better sounding than Sony for a couple of generations now (I've had the XM1, XM3, and tried the XM4) - especially over a USB connection (Sennheiser is the only high end brand that lets you hear sound over USB). I recently fell into the world of audiophile headphones. After trying a bunch of them, I came back to the ANC headphones because my work environment is too noisy for anything else. The Momentum 3 is a bit bassy compared to many wired audiophile grade headphones (even with the bass all the way down in eq), but they hold up well against them overall. They're definitely in a league of their own for sound quality among ANC headphones. I'm really interested in what the M4 will sound like. I'm also looking forward to not carrying around the M3's bulky carrying case too.
My Jabra Evolve 75 died on me at work and I got to order a replacement. The Sennheiser seemed more suited for my work today since I don't call as much as I listen to music while trying to fix 2nd-line tickets. This video made me more certain that I'd like the Sennheisers. Excited to see when they arrive at the office, thanks for a very informative video!
Just purchased the fives but will likely look very closely at the Sennheiser four. I do think Sony Five gives excellent noise cancelling but I also think the sound, while excellent just isn't brilliant. They give you everything but it seems flat sometimes. Not complaining overly, but you just know there's more to the (music) story while you're listening. But really, I bought them for the noise cancelling and wow, do they ever deliver there. Fantastic! ALso, I'm totally impressed with the fit. I walk very long (5hours +) regularly and my Sony Three never let me down, but the Five seem to lift me up. Btw, good sharp review 🙂
Another reviewer stated the treble on the Momentum 4 is rolled off. He also stated the bass tends to bleed into the midrange. That was a deal breaker until I watched your review. The way you described the sound signature is what I am looking for. I'll have to watch more reviews to see where this goes.
Some say this is the best detailed headphones out there going against AKG, Grados, Bose, Sony's although In that list weren't the B&O, Master and Dynamic I don't remember honestly. What Hifi? A audiophile most trusted for me put the XM5 number one in wireless sound quality
@@PSYCHOV3N0M yep, i agree everyone has sound preferences although the majority tends to seek fantastic low end I'm one of them, although the majority of headphones i had was flat, neutral, even bright or Harman headphones to the point of ear fatigue (AKG, B&O) so i enjoyed the XM4 ones when i tried them from a sibling. Can't wait to test the Sennheiser Momentum 4 it's about time.
Good review. I'm a bit late checking this out . But I'm recieving a Amazon special edition sennheiser momentum 4 tomorrow. And price gone down to £215. Iv been checking these out plus the Sony's. Plus soundcore q45, & space . Bose QC. Etc . I only have a mint soundcore q30 so far. So hoping these senn are going to be a keeper. I can return if not. Also while waiting for delivery. Iv now won the senn accentum plus. For £105. New. Which is a bonus if also good.
I was suffering at the store today because Sennheiser doesn’t have show item for proof only Sony. Then I was amazed with its ACN. I really thought I would go for Sony because I couldn’t sound proof the Sennheiser but I had an spark of faith because I used to have one cheap model when I was at high school and they sound so good. The seller said that they both worked on Apple fine (because I said I want to use them properly with my iPhone and laptop Mac and windows). He suggested I could go for air pro max but I was stucked in my teens with that gorgeous sound with my discman… I went for Sennheisser’s. It’s ANC is not that good indeed, quite meh imo (I have an old pair of beats for comparing) but heeeeey ❤ the orchestra! The metal and symphonic metal Therion’s make! 😭💕 Yes Sennheisser, your sound fits my ears so well.
Great review. I was curious if you were going to mention a comparison between them when it comes to watching movies, channel separation, Dolby Atmos effect etc. what about the latest from Bose? How do they compare? Thanks!
Its cool when you realize that everything nowdays are good products, I mean, to XM5's sound is just perfect, but the one from the other brand that I dont know how to spell make it even better than the perfect. Technology is just soo advanced right now.
Its a german brand (but i think they sold the consumer department last year) and they may not be the most modern brand but still they offer real superb audioquality since decades.
Returned my XM4s for the Momentum 4s. They sound twice as good and I like the new design, much more comfortable. They actually sound like they cost $350 unlike the Sonys.
@@allbaugh04 no question xm4s have better ANC by about 30-40%. But the momentum’s sound quality is probably 70% better. The trade off was worth it for me.
Thanks a lot for this review. I was thinking a lot about which one to buy but Momentum is my final choice indeed. Just like you said, I'm not a businessman and I don't travel very much so the Momentum wins again. I've been a Sony fan for so long but this time I will say no to Sony. BTW, if I buy the white version, will they age badly? I'm tired of this endless black color. And I love how beautiful they look in white.
I got my xm5 just today. The only reason i bought it, because it's cost less $56 than momentum 4. Yes, it's irony when the momentum 4 should be $50 cheaper than xm5, but after 1 year, sony made it cheaper than momentum 4, while the momentum 4 still hold the same price 😵
Let's put it this way I tried Bose 700 Sony xm4 and the new whxm5 but once I tried the Sennheiser I purchased them on the spot. Absolutely no second thoughts
Im not sure what to go for, because my top priority is sound quality, I can careless about anc and call quality, but the Sonys look sexy. I might end up getting both lol, just gotta wait and hope their prices come down more for me to buy them. Great headphones!
I’ve been really enjoying the XM5s besides how shallow the earcups are. Might consider trying these out once they go on sale at some point. The earcups look deeper
Was it not an option to go for the XM4's? Cheaper and deeper earcups. I wish Sony made the XM5 in the same design as the XM4s and for what they brought to market now, just came up with a different name. Kinda like what Bose did. They had the NC700, but also the QC35II next to that for people who valuesld comfort and practical use over design.
@@djoetma personally I don’t like the way the XM4s look, and I need something with a good mic for work, so the XM4 was out. When the XM5 was announced and it took care of my dislikes of the XM4 they seemed like a no brainer, and I would be thrilled with them if my right ear didn’t start getting irritated after 45 minutes or so.
Gracias por la gran aportación, aquí en España aún no han hecho la comparación, y con tu review, decido comprarme los Momentum 4. Saludos Thanks for the great contribution, here in Spain they have not yet made the comparison, and with your review, I decide to buy the Momentum 4. Greetings
These headphones are fantastic, but I did have to send it back for a couple of reasons. Let me list some pros and cons: Pros: -Sound quality is amazing and noticably better compared to other headphones even if you're not an audiophile. -Surprisingly, the touch controls and smart features work flawlessly now. Auto pause, auto turn off/on. I love the double tap to pause and enter transparency (might even be better than Sony quick attention). -You can use the headphones wired or bluetooth while it charges. -Of course, battery life. Cons: While it is comfortable for most, it is fatiguing to wear. Personally, I have large ears and head so I found the ear cups slightly small and the thick padding generated a lot of heat in my ears. If you have small ears, this will be amazing. I just wish clamping force was slightly lower. -ANC is good but lacks behind Sony and Bose. The transparency mode, especially, has loud static. I say if you have smaller ears and you will use music with ANC, get these headphones. It's phenomenal in almost every category, but ultimately as someone who needs those roomier earcups and ANC to study, I will have to go with something like the QC45.
@@seanyboss9441 I think it's an excellent choice. I was on the fence, and frankly still am, with the Bose and Sony XM5. Just note that Bose has some white noise (and some cabin pressure, but you get used to it) while the Sony doesn't. Only reason that's keeping me away from it are the shallow earcups and adjusting the volume can be a pain on the Sony. Also, if you have a smaller head, the clamping force will be loose which can add unwanted pressure on the top of the head, but it wasn't an issue for me. Other than that, go for it! You won't be disappointed!
Just bought the momentum 4 and oh boy the sound quality blew my mind. Was using a Skullcandy Riff 2 and this already felt like a huge upgrade. The wired mode sounds more clean and I could still use the ANC in wired mode.
Thanks Caleb 🎧. I have the Sennheiser GSP 600 wired headphones. The sound is ultra clear without being too bright. The lows could be better, but aren’t lacking. I’m just used to my home setup with a 10” subwoofer. 60 hours!? 🤩
I bought the Bose qc45, Sony mx5 and these momentum 4 to test. I found the Bose qc45 the most comfortable easily followed by the momentum 4 and then the mx5. The anc is the best on the qc45/mx5 pretty close together BUT the anc on the momentum 4 are really behind in anc. I could still hear sounds a bit.
Such a great video and I TOTALLY agree the Sennheiser's are the better buy and better sound quality.. Here in Chicago when it gets cold the circuits in the Sony (XM3'S I previously owned) start to malfunction and the headphones disconnected from Bluetooth so I went with the momentum 4's and never looked back.. They actually WORK in cold weather
I live further up north and my Sennheiser PXC-550 have now officially made it through five winters. Nowadays, it's a rare occurence for electronics to last that long but I ended up swapping the battery and earpads instead of buying a new pair because they're still going on strong!
No replacement ear pads for the Sony headphones from the manufacturer. After a year or two your ear pads are shot and you are compelled to replace them with second-rate ear pads from a third-party vendor. Not so with the Sennheiser. That's why I will be replacing my WH-1000XM3 headphones with the Sennheiser Momentum 4s. Not happy about the less effective noise-cancelling, though. However, the better sound quality is a big plus. I love the Sennheiser sound on my wired headphones and really look forward to listening to all my ripped albums on these. I mainly listen to classical, jazz and the Great American Songbook.
I just got them, as a replacement for my beloved but broken PXC 550 (power switch issue). I loved the PXC 550's comfort and usability, also their sound which was always better than any Sony or Bose. But now that I have the M4, the PXC sound like Bose to me. Only now I can hear their peaky, uneven upper mids/treble. Everything sounds better on the M4: deeper, more exact bass, clear mids, even and airy treble, incredible soundstage and imaging! ANC is also on another level. Only the comfort was better on the PXC because of their light weight and deeper earcups. I felt right at home in terms of usability, but I won't miss "Phone 1" and "Phone 2" ;)
I fully agree with the sound description, even though, to certain extent it will always be subjective - I'm not an audiophile ;) Nevertheless, I must say this, with Momentum 4 for me it's love-hate relationship, really. Just as much pleasure I get from using them on daily basis, to listen to favourite music, or just wearing them, as much I hate them for bugs, irritating actions etc. Period. I hope that there are some patches, upgrades on the way Sennheiser. Regardless.... I would never trade them for Sony :)
Design-wise, I like the Sennheiser more. They look sleeker somehow. It would be nice to be able to use these wireless headphones with a wire. You can do that on the Sony (not sure on the Sennheiser), but the wired mode doesn't work with the microphones.
From another review, yes, you can use them with a 3.5mm headphone jack, which can be even used when they are off (ANC obviously won't work), and they can be used in wired mode with a USB-C cable on phones/computers (both these features were already present on the Momentum 3s)
@@alexworm1707 That's subjective not to mention that what matters most is sound quality and comfort along with noise cancellation quality. Aesthetic design comes last.
@@PSYCHOV3N0M liking it or not is subjective, it was factually more unique, this new one looks too much like xm5. I agree that sound and comfort matter the most.
I saw the Momentum 4 is quite heavy at 293g. The XM5 is much lighter at 250g, but you mentioned that the Momentum is more comfortable than the XM5. Is the weight difference noticeable when you wear them? Especially after long hours of wear?
Good question. Personally I don't like the XM5's fit anyway. The headband is too narrow and there is no recognizable point in the middle. It's very light, but that doesn't make it more comfortable then heavier options. 50 g isn't too much. If the headband is able to sprwd the wight properly, the extra weight shouldn't be a factor.
I just got the Momentum 4 and am very pleased. The price was good on Amazon at $300. I am no expert but these sound better than anything I have heard. Some songs sound completely new and expanded. The battery lasts forever.
Just bought xm4 and love them. Still in the return window. These are only $50 more. Is it worth returning and upgrading? XM4 sound quality wasnt as crazy good as i imagined.
I have the momentum 4. Good isolation and sound quality, but what bugs me is that they are not as loud as I'd like them to be and not as bassy as I'd want them to be. To me they always feel like they could use a tad more bass and volume.
You've got to be a little deaf at this point or stuck with a defective set. Not screwing with you, because connected to my pc I rarely go over 70%. 100 is deafening. And the bass is actually something I'm actively turning down as it has much to much. Just take a look at the measurements. Should be obvious.
@@PKAWA it might be a bit of both. After 1 or 2 months of burn in they sound a bit clearer. I still find myself taking them to 100 on PC and they're still not as loud as I'd want them to be, craving a few more decibels.
Guys, if you don't care much about a perfect ANC, don't search any more reviews! Momentum 4 are by far a class apart in comfort and sound quality! Just by far the best value purchase in my life time!
Quite surprised to see that Sennheiser is coming cheaper than other competitors.. Usually they are Expensive maybe The New Owner of the Sennheiser brand wants more popularity with lower prices... Hope they keep the Sennheiser Quality to its future products ..
There is no new owner. The joint venture with Epos was always temporary and now they split again. Also, it's more that Sony is opportunistic with their higher prices and also know that their price will drop. Right now they are in sale quite often and in my country are around the same price as these Sennheisers. And the XM4s are out there as well which apart from the mic don't really perform mich worse (and they are foldable and are more comfortable for most).
If the Sony's actually stayed connected to the bluetooth device for longer than a few minutes they would be brilliant. One of the best reviews around, a well balanced review.
The XM5 audio quality hugely benefits from adjustment of the equalizer. Just opens the sound right up its extraordinary. Out of the box, it's a bit disappointing to be honest.
Yeah I tested it and said I wont spend money this much for a headphones that sound like this. A good pair should blow me away out of the box, no EQ. ANC is just secondary to me
@@amanasd26 Correct, my experience and opinion. I have a $10k amp and 2 speaker setup. It can make you weep. Headphones are the McDonald's of audio. Convenient, always there, and adequate at best. Cable or not. It simply cannot touch what a 4 driver heavy wood speaker can do.
Man for the price these are going for on Amazon rn I had to get these over any of the other headphones I’m this range. Def best bang for your buck for wireless headphones.
I found the instruction manual for the Momentum 4 Wireless at one of Sennheiser's web pages. In that manual (which is a PDF file) it says the headphones have: (7) _Input for analog audio cable, 2.5 mm; - when a cable is connected, flight mode is activated and Bluetooth is deactivated_ (8) _USB-C socket for charging, calling, streaming via PC/Mac_ Later on in the instruction manual it says: _You can listen to music when the headphones and your audio source are connected via Bluetooth, the audio cable, or via USB._
I've never been a fan of Sony's headphones because of their poor sound quality. Their ANC is stellar but I still chose the PXC-550 back then and I'll probably go with the Momentum 4 when I'll need a new pair because it's unlikely that I'll get the budget for some B&W or B&O anytime soon. Still love my PXC-550 though and they're still going strong after more than 4 years of daily use, just had to swap the earpads and battery!
The Sony XM5 need lots of fiddling around with its EQ, with the right setting these sound rather great for closed back headphones (comparing to Sennheiser HD25 and Beyerdynamic DT250 here). Treble and mids sound great but bass definitely misses the lower punch below 50hz, but that has been an issue on any Sony XM headphone before, at least this time bass isn't mushy anymore. These are my settings: SBC or LDAC codec AAC is garbage, no frequencies over 15KHz, lots of artefacts, no detail. I really wish these had APTX so I could use them without artefacts on my Macbook Pro, since I cannot force SBC since MacOS 11. 400Hz: -4 (takes away the boomyness) 1K: -1 (less hollow) 2.5K: +2 (more presence) 6.3K: +2 (more treble) 16K: +9 (air) Clear Bass: -3 (makes bass more refined and less overpowering and less wooden)
@@DennisSchmitz momentum 3 and Airpod Max by far, haven’t tried the new Bowers and Wilkins or B&O but I would assume they sound very good. I actually thought the JBL660nc sounded decent for a bass heavy headphone.
@@DennisSchmitz I only rank the APM so high because it’s sub bass is so much better than any Bluetooth headphone, but if I take electronic music out, i find its sound is not much better than the Sony or Bose. If the momentum 4 can have the same level of sound as the 3 and equal the sub bass of the APM we have the best sounding AnC headphones on the market. I believe you on the eq as my main issues with the xm5 is that it just can’t match the cleaner and more detailed bass of the APM or even the M3. The XM5 I believe has pretty clean mid and treble.
They need to make a wireless headset as comfortable as the HD 600. A lot of people use over the ear wireless headsets at home at the computer - not while jogging. The HD 600 have a super soft cushion the breathes so you dont' feel hot and are comfy even when wearing glasses.
He mentioned in passing that there's an "Automatic switch-on" feature, but did not describe it. Apparently the headphones will automatically turn on if you pick them up and put them on your head. My guess is that the only reason you'd use the manual On/Off switch is if you already have them on your head but you want to turn them off and then back on again.
It's a bit sad that Senny have gone with the super safe design to no doubt get more sales and try to sway some die-hard Sony fans, the back of the cups just look so generic and boring. Maybe they're not so bad in person but it's a shame they haven't kept the new Momentum as unique looking as the past cans. All is mostly forgiven if they sound great and the features work well though of course.
The design peaked with the second generation ones in my opinion. It was nice that the cable wasn't in the hinge, as that's nearly always the first thing to break.
Sennheizer seems great for my usage when it comes to music! Have hou ever tried out wireless headphones with surround sound support? I own a pair of JVC:s EXT-1 headphones that I use when watching Bluray movies and UHD movies. Supports both ATMOS and DTS X. Please review if you can and compare if you find others for home cinema use. There are lots for PC gamers but not so many with HDMI that are available it seems. Thanks for a great show! Cheers!
While I don't LOVE the design of the Momentum 3 like most diehard Sennheiser fans do, it sure as hell looks miles better than the Momentum 4 because of that silver aluminum piece which gives it a more premium look.
Also sad that they went with touch controls, I use the momentum 3s at the shop, pressing the buttons to lower or raise the volume doesn't get them too dirty. With the touch controls the cups would just be a greasy mess and the oil residue will probably make the touch controls all wonky. I would rather replace my momentum 3s in a few years with a brand new one, or wait until Sennheiser realizes that their classic retro design was a better seller and revert back to the design. Kind of like how some cars went from all touch controls and now some are changing back to having a physical volume and climate control knobs/buttons
Tough decision for me I love listening to my music at its highest possible quality sound and I love my big bass but I also use headphones for business calls and would like not to feel like the other person question where I'm calling them from and why I didn't pick a quieter place for a business call. After weighing both options a few weeks ago I went with the Sennheiser Momentum 4's .. best decision ever the noise canceling is good enough in my opinion as long as your not in a super loud area most of the time the the other person can hear you clearly . Get these headphones if you love superior sound they are truly incredible headphones
![Best Premium Headphones 2024 [Tested & Compared!] - AirPods Max vs Bose vs Sony vs Sennheiser..](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/l5qootmFQx0/mqdefault.jpg)
Sound quality is our North Star and it’s nice to see that point emphasized in the review 🤘🏻
Oh hey sennheiser
I've bought every momentum over ear and will be giving my 3's to my gf. Is it possible to get a pair to test?
I've owned many Sennheiser gaming and audio headphones, from HD599, PC350, GameOne, H6 Pro. Also owned a few Sony 1XM3, 1XM4, 1XM5. I can't wait for my Momentum 4 to arrive next week and see how it stacks with the rest of them.
I sent my Momentum 1s in for repair and was sent a pair of on ears instead. Sennheiser Canada sells these abs they sell chose to not repair my item.
@@letsgetdoing How good are the 3's? I had the 1's for years and they only recently broke down on me.
I was reading the manual of Momentum 4 and found a very interesting feature: You can connect this headphone with your PC via a USB-C cable instead of the 3.5mm audio cable. This function can be very useful for laptop users, since most laptops do not come with a good DAC, and connecting the headphone with USB-C should allow people to bypass this issue, and you don't have to worry about battery running out.
good take, in that case the M4 runs on its own DAC which reduce jitter from the source. Is this a publicly announced feature on M4?
Huh, nice one
My 6 year old Momentum 2's can do that only with micro usb instead of usb-c so not really a new feature
Yeah, momentum 3 can do that as well
In case of owning a MacBook that lacks usb A port, do I need to purchase additional c to c cable to have the lossless audio? Since I heard Momentum 4 comes along with only c to a cable. What exactly would the difference be between connecting Momentum 4 to my MacBook via usb c and 3.5 mm?
Glad to see Sennheiser bringing out a real challenger to Sony in this space. Really nice review Caleb!
Now bose has a real problem here. You really need to a fan to buy their headphones now.
@@serrael-182 I disagree, Sony has just as mediocre of a sound as Bose, the Bose 700 is a nicer looking, so it would just be up to which one you like the looks of better.
@@mikecast20 I disagree with this but I think this is a thing you can easily disagree with without having a big problem. ;) But i think youre right with one thing: The Bose 700 look better indeed!
They sold the Headphone devision.
@@jody024 I forgot about Sonova buying their consumer audio division, but it looks like they have a long term licensing deal to keep using the Sennheiser name.
I want to thank you for the time you spent comparing these products. Excellent detail. I returned the Sony XM4's and picked up the Momentum 4 for actually a little less cost. The momentum got it right. Excellent audio fidelity! Excellent comfort. Everything you said about them was accurate.
Also, I normally don't use over the ear headphones for phone calls. None of them have ever worked well for the other person. Well, they were already connected when a relative called so I thought, "what the heck, let's try it." I put them on and she said the audio at her end was crystal clear. We talked for an hour and it was wonderful. These are a winner!!
I can understand why these are considered successors to the Momentum 3, but in my opinion the Momentum 4 wireless actually acts as the successor to the sennheiser pxc 550-ii. The design and use-case for both these headphones are similar, rather than those of momentum 3, which wasn't as travel friendly. Senheiser is basically using the momentum brand name for its flagship wireless stuff.
Just looked these headsets up, yeah I think you are right. Seems like they are bringing everything they have learned into the Momentum 4. I suspect the pxc 550-ii for factor was just better then the Momentum 3 as well.
@@Swarm509 I totally agree with you, didn't really like the momentum 3 but love the pxc 550 II and I use them everyday, the momentum 4 might be a good option to me when the price drop a bit
M4 are definitely not a successor to the M3.M4 have better battery life but that’s it. M3 sound, look, feel so much better. The quality of the M3 is miles ahead of M4
Well senheiser is owned by another company now so things will be a little different
I just got them, as a replacement for my beloved but broken PXC 550 (power switch issue). I loved the PXC 550's comfort and usability, also their sound which was always better than any Sony or Bose. But now that I have the M4, the PXC sound like Bose to me. Only now I can hear their peaky, uneven upper mids/treble. Everything sounds better on the M4: deeper, more exact bass, clear mids, even and airy treble, incredible soundstage and imaging! ANC is also on another level. Only the comfort was better on the PXC because of their light weight and deeper earcups. I felt right at home in terms of usability, but I won't miss "Phone 1" and "Phone 2" ;)
Accidentally watched a video of yours of 3 years ago. You lost so much weight since then.
Looking great, man. Keep up the good work!
I’m not an audiophile at all, but your summary of the sound quality difference was spot on. Bought a the Momentum 4’s yesterday and love the quality of sound. Great review as always.
Thank you for your review. Yours was the first one I hit up and you covered all the bases. I've had the Sony XM series (1 & 4) and the Senns Momentum 2. I also have the Airpods Max. I work mostly from home and participate in a lot of meetings. A lot. So many that sometimes I need to do "walking meetings" where I participate while I'm out for a walk, otherwise I may not get out of the house for 10 hours. I prefer to wear my Sony XM4's whenever I am out walking but not in a meeting. If I am going to do a walking meeting I always use the Airpods Max. The difference between the Sony XM4's and the Airpods Max is night and day. The wind noise when using the XM4's is bothersome for both me and the people on the other end. When using the Airpods Max even in very windy conditions, the Airpods Max completely deaden wind sound for both me and the people on the other end. The problem with the Airpods Max is their weight and the earpads tend to get warm. For my Sony XM4's I purchased Dekoni aftermarket earpads which are softer and deeper than the stock pads but they make Sony's ANC a little less effective. This does not however impact the XM4's poorer performance taking calls in windy or loud conditions.
I think that after this review I am going to give the Senn's a shot. I have been prioritizing ANC over everything else for quite some time but now I think it's time to shift gears and go back to audio performance. Before I do that I need to find out more about the new Focal wireless ANC headphones. As a head-fi snob with a rack full of high-end headphones (Sennheiser, Beyerdynamic, Sony, Dan Clark, Audeze, Hifiman, Fostex) I am really curious about Focal's entry into the wireless ANC market.
Thanks again for the review!
In your opinion what has the best sound quality between your headphones?
@@moh7286 the Sennheiser Momentum II’s sound like 💩now but I didn’t think so at the time. I like the Sony XM4’s for both sound quality and comfort. The Dekoni earpads for the XM4’s add further to the comfort but at a trade-off. The stock earpads, which really do not require an “upgrade”, keep the headphone profile low and are better for ANC performance. The AirPods Max are too heavy for long-term enjoyment. They’re great for watching TV and movies with spacial audio but they’re only so-so sonically for regular music. I don’t even enjoy Apple’s spacial audio or Dolby surround audio tracks all that much on headphones. On my 11.2 home theater, yes. Otherwise, no. The AirPods Max are damn good at ANC and at negating wind sound if you’re out walking and talking. Considering the weight, it should be no surprise. Unlike Bose, Sony, Sennheiser and others who have tried to improve ANC while keeping the weight low, Apple just said “f^^k it, ours is going to be the best ANC on the market”. I would say so, but what good is it if the headphones are too heavy for long-term use? And the earpads get warm and sweaty. Easy to throw in the wash, but still. I was recently in a store and compared the Sony XM5 with the XM4. I noticed only the slightest improvement in ANC in that particular environment. Sonically it was impossible for me to do a proper A-B test. The XM5’s don’t fold like the XM4’s either and I felt as if the XM4’s have a lower profile on my head. I haven’t heard the Momentum IV’s yet so I can’t say anything about them. I’ve always enjoyed my Sony’s and can easily recommend them. And I will admit a bias against Bose just because everyone was wearing them and Bose was lauded as the best ANC headphones evah! Then along came Sony and said “we’ll see about that”. Sennheiser is no slouch either.
@@WillieBloomhave you tried the momentum 4’s yet by any chance? I am debating between the Air Pod Maxes, XM4/XM5 and momentums. Which do you think?
@@gauze.65 AirPods Max if you prioritize movies with Apple TV. Everything else goes to Sony. I have both the MX4 and the MX5. The MX5 have slightly better already awesome ANC and are a bit lighter. The MX4 folds and works better when switching between devices like iPhone and iPad. Originally the XM5 couldn’t do this but Sony has improved it with a firmware update. The handoff is still better with the XM4. The sound profile is to my ears basically the same. If there is a big price jump or you prefer folding headphones then get the XM5. No need to worry about missing out on the XM5’s. If your priority is weight and getting that last percentage of performance the go for the XM5’s.
I haven’t tried the latest Sanns but I am happy with Sony. Their ANC is the best.
About AirPods Max: good for surround sound if coupled with Apple TV. They also have really good ANC and where they beat everyone is audio quality for calls and if you’re out walking and talking. They deaden all wind noise which is great for both you and the person or people on the other end. What I don’t like: they’re heavy as f… and my ears get sweaty after a while. I will be selling mine once I get the Audeze Maxwell.
What I would buy right now if I was on the market is the Focal Bathys. They’re expensive, they look cool and all reviews about sound quality and ANC have been good. I got my hands on a mint condition second hand Focal Utopia 2022. Still bloody expensive but they rendered most of my other headphones useless. They’re not perfect but they’re really really good.
Happy hunting.
And don’t forget to use the equalizer in the Sony app if you go that route. It’s better to equalize there and keep the settings flat in your music app such as Spotify. IMHO of course. Personally I prefer a bit more base, a lot more midrange and reduced treble.
@@WillieBloom You are a headphones review god. Thank you!
For the money I think these will be hard to beat. Definitely gonna grab a pair.
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Would have loved to hear more about direct USB-C connection and low latency audio with aptX adaptive, both of these features are extremely important to me.
Yup, me too. No reviewers ever discuss wired modes nowadays!
You need to get the Sennheiser dongle to take advantage of that
I tried the XM5s and wasn't impressed enough to upgrade from my XM4. The XM4 is still a masterpiece. I think it's the full bass that the XM4 produces that's hard to let go of.
I'm still on my XM3 and I'm not impressed with the XM4 and XM5. Both have way weaker bass that can't even be fixed with the equalizer to measure up to XM3 bass level. And XM3 is no slouch in sound quality either.
@@robinyumnam2646 Oh? That's interesting 🤔 I love my XM3's but I have been looking at the XM4/5's with envious eyes, you've made me rethink.
@@Roboto82 Not a substantial upgrade TBH, considering how expensive they are. And you'll miss the bass. But the soundstage is a lil' wider on the XM4 and XM5 but very negligible. It's the soundstage that's lacking on the XM3,XM4,XM5. At this price, this is not acceptable. Even the TWS WF-XM4 has a substantially wider soundstage than these 3 big ass over-the-ear headphones.
I bought the xm5's on release day and they just sit on a hook gathering dust, I still use my old qc 35 II's over them. The band is oppressively uncomfortable. Just another 400 dollar set of headphones I dont use :(
@@Gimpo925 you should resell them as fast as you can...
My Sony Xm3 broke last week after 3 years of rigorous use, I was planning to upgrade to xm5 but now I'm interested in the momentums. I usually watch shows and listen to podcasts and music so I'm more inclined towards the Momentums after this review
Just an FYI the M4 feel and look cheap. I have the M3 and the M4 are a big downgrade in quality and sound compared to M3.If you can get the M3 do it
I'm in the exact same situation, did you upgrade to the xm5 or m4?
@@0rbsterez I went for Bose QC45 because it was on sale and was like $180 cheaper than the sony xm5. I wanted to buy Sennheiser but I heard there are lots of quality issues and Sony was a little bit expensive for me. I'm happy with bose it has the good audio quality and good battery life so I can't complain.
@@gunngator588 I heard that Bose QC45 leaked music or sounds sometimes if the volume is too loud, it may bothers people around, have you tried yet? I want a BOSE QC45 but I dont like bothering people with sounds leaking from my headphone. thank you!
@@gunngator588 is the bose QC45 better than XM3 though?
One Year later: The softwre comes now with a 5 Band equilizer and the price dropped under 300€. The sound is still unsurpassed and the quality of workmanship is still very high...
Is the noise cancelling improved? I mostly used during flights… so
I think a lot of people don't tinker with the Sony EQ in the app. That's where they truly shine and beat any competition. I recommend setting it to "Bright" and adding in Clear Bass +2.
I agree with you own that point. The e q set on bright sounds awesome. I returned the Bose 700 because the stage sounded artificial. Haven’t tried the Senns yet.
Yeah the Bose are amazing for phone calls, I was on a mountain and driving a diesel forklift, it was loud as hell, and people could hear me but nothing else. The 700s for calls is the best.
Even EQing for a while, the Sonys don’t sound as good as the momentum’s out of the box.
@@pappadappacarhauler757 I totally agree on the eq "bright" setting on my XM4s. As a semi-professional musician and an audiophile that primarily consumes smooth jazz. I find that setting to be very accurate in reproducing the music!
I agree that changing the XM4s to Bright makes them a lot better than the default EQ, but this shouldn't be necessary and is a deal breaker for me since they don't retain custom EQ while wired (which is needed when playing on a PS5 for instance). The default EQ on the Sony XM4s really bothers me
The fact that the main plus the sonys have is call quality is fantastic because I've never used headphone for a phone in my entire life. Definitely getting the Momentum 4s. The ANC is nice but I don't live in a noisy city or work in a loud office, the most I need to cut out is a large ventilation fan and some talking I work in electronic board production, it's a clean quiet environment. Sound quality on the Momentum 4s being better sold me immediately
The momentums also have great microphones. I was in a call with a friend while walking along a busy road and he said he didn’t hear the cars at all!
@@MaticTheProto yes I agree as well. The little I have talked on them they have been good. I ask my wife or mom or whoever I'm talking to if I sound ok and nobody has said anything negative. I don't live in downtown Chicago so traffic noise isn't really even a big deal for me either
@@MRFLAPPYTREEhi I’m considering either getting these, or Sony xm5. I’m leaning towards these as sennheiser is an audio focused company, but since I see you have one can I have your opinion on them after so long?
The biggest reason I want to get these is the usb connection so not killing the battery all the time. Also, I like having the ability to hear outside noise, too much ANC is not comfortable to me, so if the M4's aren't as good as Sony's, that fine with me. I want mostly for music and movies and occasionally for vdo/calls. As for airplanes... I don't know, I might try using earplugs and the M4 and see what happens. I hate flying.
@@MRFLAPPYTREEdo your headphones still work? I read that many people get a white noise/crackling sound after a few months that makes them unusable
Timing must be everything. Only today, did I listen to the Momentum Wireless 4. They were absolutely amazing. Super comfy with a flawless sound quality. Definitely on my purchase list.
Could you please tell me how they compare to the bose 700 ? It may be irrelevant to ask this since it is considered to be less good than the xm4 but I still prefer the overall sound.
Everybody always talking about how great the XM series are, but the sound is in comparison with Sennheiser just not the sound you'd expect from such an expensive headphone in my opinion. They are all great headphones, but that's just something I noticed throughout the years.
Sennheiser's sound is just so clear and alive. Their way of tuning it is just amazing!
Finally. It’s nice to hear someone else say this, because man I feel crazy sometimes. I bought the xm4’s and was expecting something superb, and honestly I think they sound not great at all. It’s night and day for me. The momentum’s are very clear and tight. Highs are sparkly, lows are rumbly and punchy without being muddy. Very alive sounding where the Sony’s sound big, but very sterile.
@@robbynaumann439 Exactly! Sennheiser's ANC may not be as good as Sony's but at least the sound is way better! If you really love music, quality sound is just so much more important, especially for those prices. Sony definitely needs to come up with improvement on their sound stage, and Sennheiser needs to come up with improvement for their ANC!
@@GSNLYT Yes. I tried to replicate the same audio frequency curve of both Sonys and Sennys and the latter sounded way way better. So even without trying them, I found who's the best bet for sound.
I felt the same way until I played with the EQ settings, I was going to return them but I love them now. I haven’t listened to the Sennheiser set yet but I’m going to.
Update...I tried the Sennheiser and the sound is incredible, the XM5 has better ANC and phone call quality...I'm keeping both. I fly a lot and will wear the XM5 on flights but my everyday headphone will be the Sennheiser.
@@GSNLYT it’s funny people try to talk about the senn anc though like it’s bad. It’s honestly comparable to the xm4, which was stellar for everyone last year and now we make out like it ain’t enough. Idk what people are doing to need such intense anc, but my xm4’s would get me killed with how silent everything is - almost a turn off for me most of the time.
So i think Senn have hit the sweet spot, of course year on year it will get better, but really who cares.
I prefer the Sennheiser sound signature over the Sony sound signature typically..but the Sony noise cancelling is another level.
There is no typical sound signature per brand. And especially with the Momentum series that are Sennheiser's bassy series whereas in most other options they aim to provide listeners a more neutral sound (meaning there is no signature at all).
@@djoetma although the momentum has more bass than a typical hifi product it by no means was a baddy headphone 😂😂.
ends up where you started
I'm curious how much the difference in ANC between the headphones in an airplane. I love Sony ANC in an airplane.
I dont get why people need such intense anc… these would be comparable to the XM4’s, which were fine for everyone last year, now all of a sudden the anc aint enough. I find headphones without anc that have a good seal when music is playing, almost no sounds gets in. So all these products with anc, it’s just a bonus
There is one hidden awesome function in the Momentum 4 which is it can play audio via usb. Imagine you need to make a conference call and your desktop doesn't have bluetooth, some desktop separate the mic and sound 3.5mm so the includes audio cable does work either. It's just eaiser to have usb audio, and you can charge the headphone while listenting. This is perfect for me. Usb on Sony, Bose, or Surface headphones are just for charging only, and no audio while charging.
I think Sony and Bose are losing a lot of business because of that.
I have been a Sennheiser user (currently have the momentum 2 truly wireless) and wanted to get a good pair of over-ear headset. I got a good deal on the XM5's and decided to buy them instead. I don't care for features, my main concern has always been the sound quality, and comparing the XM5's with my momentum 2 Truly Wireless earbuds... I was honestly shocked to realize my momentum 2's had better sound quality compared to the Sony XM5's. The XM5's come with a lot of features, especially the very high-end quality ANC, but I personally could care less about all the 'gimmicks.' I think I will return the XM5's and go for the Momentum 4's.
Momentum 2 headphones also sound way better than the the Sony XM4. In fact, I never thought the Sonys sounded that great. Not bad but also not excellent.
the new Sennheiser Momentum 4 look like the Jabra Evolve2 75, but with bigger earcups. The previous Sennheiser Momentum 3 looked so much better and distinctive
It’s like the jabras and surface headphones had a baby
😂😂😂😂😂😂
Look better but those exposed wires were delicate for me to wear
The Momentum 3 was ugly AF
loved the momentum 3’s aesthetically, but i hated them in every other aspect. i had them for less than 24h and returned them right away. too buggy, sound was weak + metallicy (even for $250 headphones, which is the price i found them at), and omg the pinch when opening them…
These look like Sennheiser is finally building actual spiritual successors to the PXC550 line which was a great product that I loved before getting the XM3s. I'm really excited about the possibilities.
Right? It's been soooooo long since they've released an updated pair of ANC headphones despite having had great features introduced before
100%!!! Still using my 550 ii but I think I may finally upgrade to 4!
A "Spare parts / maintenance" section would be great to have in reviews for expensive wearable tech like this. Especially when buying a very expensive pair of headphones, you want to know if replacement parts (especially ear pads) are affordable or even obtainable.
Also would be nice to have these compared to the best $150-200'ish headphones and if the improvements in sound quality, comfort, ANC etc. are worth double the price.
I'm lucky enough that I could easily afford these cans, but I think cheaper ones would have better QoL in the sense of peace of mind while travelling, due to not being as expensive to replace if lost, stolen etc.
The spare parts for the Momentum 4s aren't on the Sennheiser site yet, but there's spareparts for all previous models and the cups for the Momentum 3s are about $39.
It has some new features
I never bought service for Easter earlier 😕 😐 earbuds
I love my Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless! The best I´ve ever had! Congrats to Sennheiser!
This is a very honest review, totally agree on the sound quality
eproduction being better on Sennheiser. I own MTW3 and it's brilliant, I am sure the next version is even better.
I disagree about "honest" And it makes no sens for the reviewer to say "to be honest: the software is just something extra".
the twist test caught me off guard!!! i got scared ajajajaj. great review, will consider buying thi,! thanks!!!
As a college student it's the xm5's for obvious reasons, the ANC is such a deal breaker, although in my opinion i would definitely choose the Sennheisers over the airpod maxes and Bose 700, I had the Bose for half a year and then they just burned themselves while i was asleep in my bed, potentially threatening my life as the bedsheets covers also were burned through when i woke up...
Haven't tried yet but if Momentum 4 can deliver similar anc as xm4, I'm happy with that
Thank you for review. I just received XM5 to compare with Momentum 4, when I'll receive them (preorded) to decide which may suit me better. Meanwhile I tested them with my current M3. M3 for me lack of comfort, battery life and don't like fisical buttons and was looking for upgrade. XM5 very comfy and nice design, plenty of extra futures, but I was surprised how dull they sound compared to M3, which was released by the end of 2019. There's no need to wait till M4 arrive, XM5 will be send back. In my opinion Bowers & Wilkins PX7 also sound better than XM5, which I had a chance to own.
Great Review. The Momentum 4 will be my new headphone. One thing on 60 hours of battery - Is that the rating when noise cancellation is NOT engaged? Seems to be a competitive coup at first look, but I am skeptical. Still, a great headphone with outstanding sonic performance.
60 hours can be achieved at 50% volume while ANC is active.
Yep they also mentioned ANC with iPhone @ 50%vol
I have a Momentum 3 and an XM5, and to be honest even though the Momentum 3 is 3 years old now, it sounds better overall. Just like you explained in the video, it feels more open and detailed, and the bass is deeper.
However, i am using the XM5 for calls, because, i have a lot of meetings, and it is really a good thing that people doesnt hear the distractive noises on my side. When the background noise is loud then i am still using my XM5-s, because of the ANC.
I am eager to try the Momentum 4, the XM5 is big for my head, the Momentum 3 fits good. If the 4 will be comfortable, then i will buy them :) After the video i feel like it will be like the Momentum 3 with better ANC and touch controls, which i really like on the XM5.
Just out of curiosity, does Momentum perform better even with more acoustic songs? I've heard some places that Momentum would be better for electronic and Pop and Sony for alt-rock and folk since its more detailed.
@@TheFilipeAraujo I think yes, when i put on the XM5 after the Momentum 3, it sounded muffled to me. I cant explain why, but somehow the momentum 3 feels better in every genre. I bought a momentum 4 , and the sound is more clear compared to the xm5. The anc is good, but the touch control is inferior compared to the xm5. The ambient mode is also not as good. And it is my taste, but I really like the bass heavy sound of the momentum 3, it is loud, it can physically hurt if I turn it to 80%, of course i am not hurting my self, but there is a big headroom. The momentum 4 on the other hand is quiet... there is bass but even with bass boost I dont feel the bass. It is flat compared to the momentum 3, and a comsumer headphone should be fun to listen to, I dont want to listen to audiophile music while I am working... but this is my opinion, it may change I am only using is for an hour or so.
@@zoltankurucsai1296 Zoltán how is the call quality between the momentum 4 and the mx5 ? I'm really interested in it, since the xm5, you've tested cancels outside noise so well. How big is the difference in mic-anc quality ?
@@Ematuresco in my opinion, the XM5 is much better. It cancells out more background noise. And my voice is much louder. The M4 is muffled compared to it. The only thing the M4 does better is the multipoint, the switch between phone music and laptop meeting call is very good.
Yeah, I just bough a Momentum 4 because the 3 I had was worn out. The 4 sounds like its so high-pitched or something its anoying to listen to songs I like. They sound cheap now :/
I should have bough another Momentum 3 again, that one was just fine... No more Senheiser for me in the future. So many points the 4 is actually so much worse than the 3 0.o
What a waste of money...
Quality review. Appreciate the depth and comparison to both models. My research has been satisfied with this video!
I currently have the XM4 and they're brilliant. Sennheiser looks like my next move when I retire these puppies.
For anyone wondering,pondering..i had a pair of sennheisers when i was a child/teenager and i used them in every weather..from -30c to +30 and i took care of them like a boxer takes care of it's punching bag..still they lasted about half a decade and sound quality was great/amazing..about to buy those sennheiser momentums since i don't have headphones at all right now..just came here to give sennheisers thumbs up..
Thanks for the review, already pre-ordered these pair of headphones. I never had a premium consumer headphone before so probably not be able to compare with others, but I think these will be great pair of headphones for music and some meetings.
I just got mine on prime day for $250 and I absolutely love them! Quickest I've fallen in love with a pair of headphones.
I gotta watch this later! I had the monentum 1 and 3’s, always enjoyed their sound but I’m interested to hear how the new ones compare! I’ve been using the Edifier STAX Spirit S3’s for a couple months now and really enjoying them!
How does the S3 compare to the M3 ones I'm wondering because since the S3 has planar drivers which produces detailed sounds, M3 has dynamic drivers which has that natural punchy bass
Didn't even realise Edifier made headphones and these look decent. I have the same question as Alex because planars are known to be chrystal in the mids and highs but not so good in the bass. These might be ok though because they are closed back.
Thanks for this. I just ordered some momentum 4s. I had some sennheiser’s a long time ago but haven’t had any in recent years. Even though it’s been a long time no other headphones have scratched the itch that the Sennheisers left.
Ok so i had both and i can confidently say that Mr Caleb is absolutely right in the video. You're gonna want the XM5 only for the better noise cancelling and better microphones. Momentum's ANC is on the level of the XM4 tho which is absolutely enough for day-to-day use. You will not hear anything even in a loud train once you play your music. It's 9/10. Other than that - i encourage you to get the Momentums. Better design and built quality, earcups swivel both ways, better comfort, better case, MUCH more detailed sound, better price. USB audio (a VERY underrated feature) and a killer batery life. Once you get these, you WILL be charmed. It's just the thing that the sonys are worldly considered the best headphones in the world and that is a narcisistic factor (get the best or nothing). Overall once you get the momentums you will gladly forget the Sony's!
You're absolutely right. I've had the XM5s for a year or so and yesterday the swivel hinge to the earcup broke despite very, very careful use. So now it just dangles loosely around the ear. Due to that, I bought a Momentum 4 after a bit of research. I was truly blown by the sound and the quality of the bass. Exceptional. All I need now is some really good settings for the equalizer.
@@eddiek8179 Thank you for your comment, my old PX7 just broke and I had to inform about current over-ear headphones. Right now I am between the XM5 and the Momentum 4, and since I only care about sound quality, I think I will go with them for now.
i was in Store to Test the Sony and was really disapointed about the Sound Quality. I really locking forward to the Sennheiser to be my next Headphone Thanks for this Review!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sennheiser has been better sounding than Sony for a couple of generations now (I've had the XM1, XM3, and tried the XM4) - especially over a USB connection (Sennheiser is the only high end brand that lets you hear sound over USB). I recently fell into the world of audiophile headphones. After trying a bunch of them, I came back to the ANC headphones because my work environment is too noisy for anything else. The Momentum 3 is a bit bassy compared to many wired audiophile grade headphones (even with the bass all the way down in eq), but they hold up well against them overall. They're definitely in a league of their own for sound quality among ANC headphones. I'm really interested in what the M4 will sound like. I'm also looking forward to not carrying around the M3's bulky carrying case too.
My Jabra Evolve 75 died on me at work and I got to order a replacement. The Sennheiser seemed more suited for my work today since I don't call as much as I listen to music while trying to fix 2nd-line tickets.
This video made me more certain that I'd like the Sennheisers.
Excited to see when they arrive at the office, thanks for a very informative video!
Just purchased the fives but will likely look very closely at the Sennheiser four. I do think Sony Five gives excellent noise cancelling but I also think the sound, while excellent just isn't brilliant. They give you everything but it seems flat sometimes. Not complaining overly, but you just know there's more to the (music) story while you're listening. But really, I bought them for the noise cancelling and wow, do they ever deliver there. Fantastic! ALso, I'm totally impressed with the fit. I walk very long (5hours +) regularly and my Sony Three never let me down, but the Five seem to lift me up. Btw, good sharp review 🙂
let us know if u ever try these 4's and how they both compare
Tried these today from my work colleague...
They blew my mind, I need them!
Another reviewer stated the treble on the Momentum 4 is rolled off. He also stated the bass tends to bleed into the midrange. That was a deal breaker until I watched your review. The way you described the sound signature is what I am looking for. I'll have to watch more reviews to see where this goes.
Some say this is the best detailed headphones out there going against AKG, Grados, Bose, Sony's although In that list weren't the B&O, Master and Dynamic I don't remember honestly. What Hifi? A audiophile most trusted for me put the XM5 number one in wireless sound quality
@@alexsmith1207 So you're saying XM5 is the wireless sound quality King?? If so, is that because of LDAC??
The only way you'll know what these sound like is for you to buy them and try them yourself and then return them if you don't like it.
@@PSYCHOV3N0M yep, i agree everyone has sound preferences although the majority tends to seek fantastic low end I'm one of them, although the majority of headphones i had was flat, neutral, even bright or Harman headphones to the point of ear fatigue (AKG, B&O) so i enjoyed the XM4 ones when i tried them from a sibling. Can't wait to test the Sennheiser Momentum 4 it's about time.
Wait for rtings to put up the frequency response so you can compare tuning between headphones
Good review. I'm a bit late checking this out . But I'm recieving a Amazon special edition sennheiser momentum 4 tomorrow. And price gone down to £215. Iv been checking these out plus the Sony's. Plus soundcore q45, & space . Bose QC. Etc . I only have a mint soundcore q30 so far. So hoping these senn are going to be a keeper. I can return if not. Also while waiting for delivery. Iv now won the senn accentum plus. For £105. New. Which is a bonus if also good.
that twist test😭
I was suffering at the store today because Sennheiser doesn’t have show item for proof only Sony. Then I was amazed with its ACN. I really thought I would go for Sony because I couldn’t sound proof the Sennheiser but I had an spark of faith because I used to have one cheap model when I was at high school and they sound so good.
The seller said that they both worked on Apple fine (because I said I want to use them properly with my iPhone and laptop Mac and windows). He suggested I could go for air pro max but I was stucked in my teens with that gorgeous sound with my discman…
I went for Sennheisser’s. It’s ANC is not that good indeed, quite meh imo (I have an old pair of beats for comparing) but heeeeey ❤ the orchestra! The metal and symphonic metal Therion’s make! 😭💕
Yes Sennheisser, your sound fits my ears so well.
Great review. I was curious if you were going to mention a comparison between them when it comes to watching movies, channel separation, Dolby Atmos effect etc. what about the latest from Bose? How do they compare? Thanks!
⬆️⬆️⬆️Hurray you are chosen as one of our
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Its cool when you realize that everything nowdays are good products, I mean, to XM5's sound is just perfect, but the one from the other brand that I dont know how to spell make it even better than the perfect. Technology is just soo advanced right now.
Ew
Its a german brand (but i think they sold the consumer department last year) and they may not be the most modern brand but still they offer real superb audioquality since decades.
Returned my XM4s for the Momentum 4s. They sound twice as good and I like the new design, much more comfortable. They actually sound like they cost $350 unlike the Sonys.
You sure its sound quality TWICE as good?
@@jokast8861 to my ears, yea.
Can you compare anc of both?
@@allbaugh04 no question xm4s have better ANC by about 30-40%. But the momentum’s sound quality is probably 70% better. The trade off was worth it for me.
Thanks a lot for this review. I was thinking a lot about which one to buy but Momentum is my final choice indeed. Just like you said, I'm not a businessman and I don't travel very much so the Momentum wins again. I've been a Sony fan for so long but this time I will say no to Sony. BTW, if I buy the white version, will they age badly? I'm tired of this endless black color. And I love how beautiful they look in white.
How are the headphones treating you do you like them or do you regret your purchase?
@Isaac depue until now, everything is amazing. Call quality is very good and the battery life seems to last forever. I have no complaints so far.
@@MrFloryn88bro which one is better as compared 1000xm4 and momentum4
Btw i prefer sound quality and descent bass 👍
I got my xm5 just today. The only reason i bought it, because it's cost less $56 than momentum 4. Yes, it's irony when the momentum 4 should be $50 cheaper than xm5, but after 1 year, sony made it cheaper than momentum 4, while the momentum 4 still hold the same price 😵
Let's put it this way I tried Bose 700 Sony xm4 and the new whxm5 but once I tried the Sennheiser I purchased them on the spot. Absolutely no second thoughts
love my XM5's. Far and away my favorite headphones i have ever owned.
Im not sure what to go for, because my top priority is sound quality, I can careless about anc and call quality, but the Sonys look sexy. I might end up getting both lol, just gotta wait and hope their prices come down more for me to buy them. Great headphones!
I'm in the same situation 😂
I’ve been really enjoying the XM5s besides how shallow the earcups are. Might consider trying these out once they go on sale at some point. The earcups look deeper
Was it not an option to go for the XM4's? Cheaper and deeper earcups. I wish Sony made the XM5 in the same design as the XM4s and for what they brought to market now, just came up with a different name. Kinda like what Bose did. They had the NC700, but also the QC35II next to that for people who valuesld comfort and practical use over design.
@@djoetma personally I don’t like the way the XM4s look, and I need something with a good mic for work, so the XM4 was out. When the XM5 was announced and it took care of my dislikes of the XM4 they seemed like a no brainer, and I would be thrilled with them if my right ear didn’t start getting irritated after 45 minutes or so.
@@bfife22 XM4's are king. You're missing out.
Gracias por la gran aportación, aquí en España aún no han hecho la comparación, y con tu review, decido comprarme los Momentum 4.
Saludos
Thanks for the great contribution, here in Spain they have not yet made the comparison, and with your review, I decide to buy the Momentum 4.
Greetings
These headphones are fantastic, but I did have to send it back for a couple of reasons. Let me list some pros and cons:
Pros:
-Sound quality is amazing and noticably better compared to other headphones even if you're not an audiophile.
-Surprisingly, the touch controls and smart features work flawlessly now. Auto pause, auto turn off/on. I love the double tap to pause and enter transparency (might even be better than Sony quick attention).
-You can use the headphones wired or bluetooth while it charges.
-Of course, battery life.
Cons:
While it is comfortable for most, it is fatiguing to wear. Personally, I have large ears and head so I found the ear cups slightly small and the thick padding generated a lot of heat in my ears. If you have small ears, this will be amazing. I just wish clamping force was slightly lower.
-ANC is good but lacks behind Sony and Bose. The transparency mode, especially, has loud static.
I say if you have smaller ears and you will use music with ANC, get these headphones. It's phenomenal in almost every category, but ultimately as someone who needs those roomier earcups and ANC to study, I will have to go with something like the QC45.
Thanks this was helpful, if my main purpose is to study, do you think the XM5 is a good choice? Thanks
@@seanyboss9441 I think it's an excellent choice. I was on the fence, and frankly still am, with the Bose and Sony XM5. Just note that Bose has some white noise (and some cabin pressure, but you get used to it) while the Sony doesn't. Only reason that's keeping me away from it are the shallow earcups and adjusting the volume can be a pain on the Sony. Also, if you have a smaller head, the clamping force will be loose which can add unwanted pressure on the top of the head, but it wasn't an issue for me. Other than that, go for it! You won't be disappointed!
Wow, cool to see a proper twist test! xD I was sceptical about the durability of the plastic, but these look surprisingly elastic!
Just bought the momentum 4 and oh boy the sound quality blew my mind. Was using a Skullcandy Riff 2 and this already felt like a huge upgrade. The wired mode sounds more clean and I could still use the ANC in wired mode.
Thanks Caleb 🎧.
I have the Sennheiser GSP 600 wired headphones. The sound is ultra clear without being too bright. The lows could be better, but aren’t lacking. I’m just used to my home setup with a 10” subwoofer.
60 hours!? 🤩
I bought the Bose qc45, Sony mx5 and these momentum 4 to test. I found the Bose qc45 the most comfortable easily followed by the momentum 4 and then the mx5. The anc is the best on the qc45/mx5 pretty close together BUT the anc on the momentum 4 are really behind in anc. I could still hear sounds a bit.
I bought Sennheiser MOMENTUM 4 first time and WOW i love it, great bass, comfortable and has EQ etc. I recommend it!
I really enjoyed this review.. concise and informative..
Such a great video and I TOTALLY agree the Sennheiser's are the better buy and better sound quality.. Here in Chicago when it gets cold the circuits in the Sony (XM3'S I previously owned) start to malfunction and the headphones disconnected from Bluetooth so I went with the momentum 4's and never looked back.. They actually WORK in cold weather
I live further up north and my Sennheiser PXC-550 have now officially made it through five winters. Nowadays, it's a rare occurence for electronics to last that long but I ended up swapping the battery and earpads instead of buying a new pair because they're still going on strong!
that’s good for someone who lives in england
just got mine just now, loving it!!!
No replacement ear pads for the Sony headphones from the manufacturer. After a year or two your ear pads are shot and you are compelled to replace them with second-rate ear pads from a third-party vendor. Not so with the Sennheiser. That's why I will be replacing my WH-1000XM3 headphones with the Sennheiser Momentum 4s. Not happy about the less effective noise-cancelling, though. However, the better sound quality is a big plus. I love the Sennheiser sound on my wired headphones and really look forward to listening to all my ripped albums on these. I mainly listen to classical, jazz and the Great American Songbook.
Need to compare them to my PXC 550-II and see if it's worth/better as an upgrade!
Would be an awesome comparison
I just got them, as a replacement for my beloved but broken PXC 550 (power switch issue). I loved the PXC 550's comfort and usability, also their sound which was always better than any Sony or Bose. But now that I have the M4, the PXC sound like Bose to me. Only now I can hear their peaky, uneven upper mids/treble. Everything sounds better on the M4: deeper, more exact bass, clear mids, even and airy treble, incredible soundstage and imaging! ANC is also on another level. Only the comfort was better on the PXC because of their light weight and deeper earcups. I felt right at home in terms of usability, but I won't miss "Phone 1" and "Phone 2" ;)
Glad I went with the M4s over XM5s for my upgrade. Had the XM3s. The M4s are amazing. Sound quality,battery life is amazing.
I'm in the same boat But I'm si curious to try the XM5s but the M4s are tempting
@@Kinobambino you won’t have any regrets with the M4s.
I fully agree with the sound description, even though, to certain extent it will always be subjective - I'm not an audiophile ;) Nevertheless, I must say this, with Momentum 4 for me it's love-hate relationship, really. Just as much pleasure I get from using them on daily basis, to listen to favourite music, or just wearing them, as much I hate them for bugs, irritating actions etc. Period. I hope that there are some patches, upgrades on the way Sennheiser. Regardless.... I would never trade them for Sony :)
I have a wired sennheiser noise canceling headset I love but would like to get a BT newer set. This helps a lot. Thanks!
Design-wise, I like the Sennheiser more. They look sleeker somehow. It would be nice to be able to use these wireless headphones with a wire. You can do that on the Sony (not sure on the Sennheiser), but the wired mode doesn't work with the microphones.
Momentum 3 looked way better and unique.
@@alexworm1707 😂😂😂😂
From another review, yes, you can use them with a 3.5mm headphone jack, which can be even used when they are off (ANC obviously won't work), and they can be used in wired mode with a USB-C cable on phones/computers (both these features were already present on the Momentum 3s)
@@alexworm1707 That's subjective not to mention that what matters most is sound quality and comfort along with noise cancellation quality.
Aesthetic design comes last.
@@PSYCHOV3N0M liking it or not is subjective, it was factually more unique, this new one looks too much like xm5. I agree that sound and comfort matter the most.
Thank you for comparing these to the XM5's. In my research I have been hit with wall after wall of Sony xm5 and Bose.
I saw the Momentum 4 is quite heavy at 293g. The XM5 is much lighter at 250g, but you mentioned that the Momentum is more comfortable than the XM5. Is the weight difference noticeable when you wear them? Especially after long hours of wear?
Good question. Personally I don't like the XM5's fit anyway. The headband is too narrow and there is no recognizable point in the middle. It's very light, but that doesn't make it more comfortable then heavier options. 50 g isn't too much. If the headband is able to sprwd the wight properly, the extra weight shouldn't be a factor.
I just got the Momentum 4 and am very pleased. The price was good on Amazon at $300. I am no expert but these sound better than anything I have heard. Some songs sound completely new and expanded. The battery lasts forever.
Which one goes louder??
Just bought xm4 and love them. Still in the return window. These are only $50 more. Is it worth returning and upgrading? XM4 sound quality wasnt as crazy good as i imagined.
I have the momentum 4. Good isolation and sound quality, but what bugs me is that they are not as loud as I'd like them to be and not as bassy as I'd want them to be. To me they always feel like they could use a tad more bass and volume.
Same. I use an extra App for higher volume
You've got to be a little deaf at this point or stuck with a defective set. Not screwing with you, because connected to my pc I rarely go over 70%. 100 is deafening. And the bass is actually something I'm actively turning down as it has much to much. Just take a look at the measurements. Should be obvious.
@@PKAWA it might be a bit of both. After 1 or 2 months of burn in they sound a bit clearer. I still find myself taking them to 100 on PC and they're still not as loud as I'd want them to be, craving a few more decibels.
Guys, if you don't care much about a perfect ANC, don't search any more reviews! Momentum 4 are by far a class apart in comfort and sound quality! Just by far the best value purchase in my life time!
Quite surprised to see that Sennheiser is coming cheaper than other competitors..
Usually they are Expensive maybe The New Owner of the Sennheiser brand wants more popularity with lower prices...
Hope they keep the Sennheiser Quality to its future products ..
There is no new owner. The joint venture with Epos was always temporary and now they split again. Also, it's more that Sony is opportunistic with their higher prices and also know that their price will drop. Right now they are in sale quite often and in my country are around the same price as these Sennheisers. And the XM4s are out there as well which apart from the mic don't really perform mich worse (and they are foldable and are more comfortable for most).
@@djoetma ,
Sennheiser Sold their consumer audio department last year to a Swiss company....
That's what I heard . .
I bought the new Beats Studio pro and a month later they stated having crazy issues returned them and picked up momentum 4 and so far love them
If the Sony's actually stayed connected to the bluetooth device for longer than a few minutes they would be brilliant. One of the best reviews around, a well balanced review.
That sounds more on your side, rather than the headphones (or you got a bad pair)
The review helped me to decide between Sennheiser and Sony XM5. Thanks for the help 👏🏻
What did you choose? Even I’m confused between these two. 😢
Dude, your videos are awesome man!
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i go for sennheiser, they have really good products and i really like the design of the momentum 4. Thank you for your review 🤝
So glad I got the Momentum 3 when I did. Much better build with real buttons. The new 4 looks like every other brand and cheap.
Touch controls shoud die in hell
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Im sticking with my old XM4 for now.
But considering Yamaha and Sennheiser for my next headphones.
The XM5 audio quality hugely benefits from adjustment of the equalizer. Just opens the sound right up its extraordinary. Out of the box, it's a bit disappointing to be honest.
Yeah I tested it and said I wont spend money this much for a headphones that sound like this. A good pair should blow me away out of the box, no EQ. ANC is just secondary to me
@@vnegundo I have never known headphones to blow me away. Impressive perhaps, but floorstanding speakers is the starting point.
@@vnegundo just EQ once in the app and it's saved that way on the headphone forever. I've never had a headphone that I liked right out of the box.
@@xiaoabrose never? wireless i understand, but a good pair of wired headphones with a decent amp/dac should leave an impression.
@@amanasd26 Correct, my experience and opinion. I have a $10k amp and 2 speaker setup. It can make you weep. Headphones are the McDonald's of audio. Convenient, always there, and adequate at best. Cable or not. It simply cannot touch what a 4 driver heavy wood speaker can do.
Man for the price these are going for on Amazon rn I had to get these over any of the other headphones I’m this range. Def best bang for your buck for wireless headphones.
Same as Suhre Aonic 50, can Momentum 4 listen to music through USB-C connection?
If possible, is there a difference in sound quality?
I found the instruction manual for the Momentum 4 Wireless at one of Sennheiser's web pages. In that manual (which is a PDF file) it says the headphones have:
(7) _Input for analog audio cable, 2.5 mm; - when a cable is connected, flight mode is activated and Bluetooth is deactivated_
(8) _USB-C socket for charging, calling, streaming via PC/Mac_
Later on in the instruction manual it says: _You can listen to music when the headphones and your audio source are connected via Bluetooth, the audio cable, or via USB._
I've never been a fan of Sony's headphones because of their poor sound quality. Their ANC is stellar but I still chose the PXC-550 back then and I'll probably go with the Momentum 4 when I'll need a new pair because it's unlikely that I'll get the budget for some B&W or B&O anytime soon. Still love my PXC-550 though and they're still going strong after more than 4 years of daily use, just had to swap the earpads and battery!
The Sony XM5 need lots of fiddling around with its EQ, with the right setting these sound rather great for closed back headphones (comparing to Sennheiser HD25 and Beyerdynamic DT250 here). Treble and mids sound great but bass definitely misses the lower punch below 50hz, but that has been an issue on any Sony XM headphone before, at least this time bass isn't mushy anymore.
These are my settings:
SBC or LDAC codec
AAC is garbage, no frequencies over 15KHz, lots of artefacts, no detail. I really wish these had APTX so I could use them without artefacts on my Macbook Pro, since I cannot force SBC since MacOS 11.
400Hz: -4 (takes away the boomyness)
1K: -1 (less hollow)
2.5K: +2 (more presence)
6.3K: +2 (more treble)
16K: +9 (air)
Clear Bass: -3 (makes bass more refined and less overpowering and less wooden)
I could never make the xm5 sound good, returned them after a week.
@@mikecast20 what do you prefer?
@@DennisSchmitz momentum 3 and Airpod Max by far, haven’t tried the new Bowers and Wilkins or B&O but I would assume they sound very good. I actually thought the JBL660nc sounded decent for a bass heavy headphone.
@@mikecast20 Only know the Airpod Max which I think sound great besides their dip at 6KHz.
My EQ isn't that far off from these :)
@@DennisSchmitz I only rank the APM so high because it’s sub bass is so much better than any Bluetooth headphone, but if I take electronic music out, i find its sound is not much better than the Sony or Bose. If the momentum 4 can have the same level of sound as the 3 and equal the sub bass of the APM we have the best sounding AnC headphones on the market.
I believe you on the eq as my main issues with the xm5 is that it just can’t match the cleaner and more detailed bass of the APM or even the M3. The XM5 I believe has pretty clean mid and treble.
They need to make a wireless headset as comfortable as the HD 600. A lot of people use over the ear wireless headsets at home at the computer - not while jogging. The HD 600 have a super soft cushion the breathes so you dont' feel hot and are comfy even when wearing glasses.
3 seconds to turn on? I thought Sony’s 2 second turn on is already annoying.
He mentioned in passing that there's an "Automatic switch-on" feature, but did not describe it. Apparently the headphones will automatically turn on if you pick them up and put them on your head. My guess is that the only reason you'd use the manual On/Off switch is if you already have them on your head but you want to turn them off and then back on again.
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I think sennheiser momentums are replacing the PXC line because I think sennheiser is working with a new higher end flagship wireless headphone.
It's a bit sad that Senny have gone with the super safe design to no doubt get more sales and try to sway some die-hard Sony fans, the back of the cups just look so generic and boring. Maybe they're not so bad in person but it's a shame they haven't kept the new Momentum as unique looking as the past cans. All is mostly forgiven if they sound great and the features work well though of course.
Didn't their lead designer leave the company or something like that?
The design peaked with the second generation ones in my opinion. It was nice that the cable wasn't in the hinge, as that's nearly always the first thing to break.
Sennheizer seems great for my usage when it comes to music!
Have hou ever tried out wireless headphones with surround sound support?
I own a pair of JVC:s EXT-1 headphones that I use when watching Bluray movies and UHD movies. Supports both ATMOS and DTS X.
Please review if you can and compare if you find others for home cinema use. There are lots for PC gamers but not so many with HDMI that are available it seems.
Thanks for a great show!
Cheers!
First Ever 😁🙌🏼. Love your channel Caleb!
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Thanks so much I am going to finish the check out now
Being an owner of Momentum 1-3, I’m sad to see the new generic and cheap-looking design. Guess I’ll sit this one out.
While I don't LOVE the design of the Momentum 3 like most diehard Sennheiser fans do, it sure as hell looks miles better than the Momentum 4 because of that silver aluminum piece which gives it a more premium look.
Also sad that they went with touch controls, I use the momentum 3s at the shop, pressing the buttons to lower or raise the volume doesn't get them too dirty. With the touch controls the cups would just be a greasy mess and the oil residue will probably make the touch controls all wonky. I would rather replace my momentum 3s in a few years with a brand new one, or wait until Sennheiser realizes that their classic retro design was a better seller and revert back to the design. Kind of like how some cars went from all touch controls and now some are changing back to having a physical volume and climate control knobs/buttons
Tough decision for me I love listening to my music at its highest possible quality sound and I love my big bass but I also use headphones for business calls and would like not to feel like the other person question where I'm calling them from and why I didn't pick a quieter place for a business call. After weighing both options a few weeks ago I went with the Sennheiser Momentum 4's .. best decision ever the noise canceling is good enough in my opinion as long as your not in a super loud area most of the time the the other person can hear you clearly . Get these headphones if you love superior sound they are truly incredible headphones