The Sennheiser Momentum 5 sets the standard for its mix of longevity, price, and great sound

I’ve reviewed a lot of “mainstream” consumer headphones and some boutique offerings over the years, but Sennheiser’s wired headphones continue to be one of my “go-tos” for reference sound. Recently, I had the opportunity to bask in the sound of their HDB 630 “wireless audiophile-grade” headphones and was impressed by the new parametric EQ in the Sennheiser Smart Control Plus app.

Out of the box, they sounded better than the Momentum 4, so when I heard that, after four years, Sennheiser was updating the Momentum line with a new pair of wireless headphones, I was definitely intrigued!

Did my excitement wane once I got my hands on them? Not at all, but there are some things you’ll need to consider if you’re looking to buy. Let’s talk about my week with the new Sennheiser Momentum 5 wireless headphones.

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Unboxing: What’s new?

When I unboxed them, I was quite taken aback. At first glance, the case looked significantly smaller than the last pair of over-ear Sennheiser headphones I spent time with, the HDB 630. The case is, in fact, much smaller than the 630’s case and is definitely an improvement over the previous-generation Momentum 4. I’ve included some comparison shots between all three in the gallery below.

You open the case, and inside, the Momentum 5 looks pretty much like the previous generation, except for some microphone placement and a grille redesign. They do, however, have visibly smaller earcups than the HDB 630 headphones. I’ve seen some complaints on the interwebs about alleged “creaking” from the Momentum 4’s earcup yokes, but in my time, I have yet to experience that with the Momentum 5.

Like the previous generation Momentum 4, the included hard case contains a 3.5mm aux cable and a USB-C cable that supports charging and audio. You get the mesh pocket to store small accessories like a BTD 700 dongle for your sources that don’t support aptX Adaptive and Lossless codecs. An accessory you should definitely consider!

A week with the Momentum 5

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Compared to the size of the previous-generation Momentum 4 and the gargantuan HDB 630, the Momentum 5’s case feels svelte in my backpack, taking up much less space and allowing me to place it comfortably stacked vertically behind my accessories kit. This is something not even the Sony WH-1000XM6 and Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2nd Gen can do, both of which have released updates with smaller cases.

Easy carry means regular use, and I certainly have that. I used the Momentum 5 with a Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, a FiiO M21 DAP, and an iPhone 16 Pro Max, both on its own and with Sennheiser’s BTD 700 dongle.

I’ve been enjoying the look of the Momentum 5, with its cloth, twill-like headband, though I have the black colorway and would’ve been more partial to one of the more flamboyant colors offered, as it is also available in a gorgeous denim and in white.

Compared to the Momentum 4, HDB 630, and the Sony WH-1000XM6, the Momentum 5 is more comfortable. It has the perfect amount of clamping force on my head, making it easy to wear for long stretches. Around 45 minutes into a listening session on one day, my ears did get warm, but not uncomfortably so.

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The Smart Control Plus app makes daily use easy by letting you control much of the sound experience. You can use Adaptive or Custom ANC. You can customize how phone calls will sound. And new for 2026 and the Momentum line: you have greater control over your sonic preferences with an eight-band EQ, compared to the previous generation's five-band EQ.

I have to admit I’m disappointed that the Momentum 5 doesn’t have the parametric EQ the HDB 630 has, but I enjoy the out-of-the-box sound so much that an eight-band graphic EQ has been enough to meet my needs so far.

While the audio from phone callers sounds excellent and the microphones are great indoors in controlled environments, they may have some issues with clarity in noisy urban soundscapes. This is due to the headphones' processing of background noise; the louder the background noise, the more obvious the processing becomes.

While we’re on the subject of processing, the ANC is better this time around, thanks to the addition of four more mics, bringing the total to eight. You get more hushing of sounds in the mid-range frequencies; voice chatter in a cafe, for example. Having tested market-leading ANC headphones from Sony and Bose, Sennheiser’s offering is more of a dampening of background sound than a cancellation of it altogether.

With your music at volume, though, the ANC you get will ease the drone of sounds that may break your immersion. As an avid gym-goer, I can say that, while voices were hushed, I could clearly hear the clanking of metal plates in the background. Even with my music playing.

When I was out and about on the streets, the Transparency mode was very natural-sounding and easily accessible via one of the best companion apps on the market or the capable touch controls. Whether controlling playback or phone calls, the touch controls on the Momentum 5 are responsive, and the earcups have ample surface area for easy use.

As the name implies, Momentum 5 is about being highly mobile without sacrificing a good, enlightening listen. In my time, I could easily stay on the move because the 57-hour estimate, with ANC on, stands up to scrutiny.

Connected to the FiiO M21 (it runs Android 13), streaming audio via aptX HD at 70% of max volume with a bass-forward playlist, I averaged around 18% battery drain over 10 hours of playback with ANC enabled and on-head detection deactivated. That’s roughly 55 hours of playback, using settings and music genres that are heavy battery drains. This places Sennheiser ahead of many wireless ANC headphones on the market!

And if you do, by chance, discharge that battery through too many cycles, you can replace the 700mAh cell with relative ease by removing the left earpad and using a Phillips-head screwdriver to access the speaker assembly, then removing it to get at that battery. That makes the $400 price tag much more palatable since that feature will greatly extend the life of the Momentum 5 headphones. For comparison, Sony’s WH-1000XM6 is $450 unless you catch a sale.

When the beat drops!

For many, headphones tuned to the “Harman Curve” are considered the “one size fits all” sound signature. While the HDB 630 may match that more closely out of the box, the same can’t be said for the Momentum 5, and that is very far from a bad thing. To me. We’ll come back to that comparison in a moment.

I did some A/B testing with Sony, which are my current favorite all-around headphones, and the differences in a few key areas were immediately apparent. Only two areas where Sony is stronger than Sennheiser will come as no surprise: active noise canceling and “smart” features. That strength, though, is the result of a conscious choice on Sennheiser’s part. Sound quality is prioritized over noise-canceling strength.

First things first, I’d characterize the Sennheiser Momentum 5 as warm and detail-revealing, with smooth treble and sub-bass that’s a bit hyped, but not at the expense of mid-range frequencies.

“Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes” by Paul Simon had a bigger soundstage and was more immersive, with richer, more impactful mids. The Roots' “Do You Want More?!!!?” is where you’ll really feel a more haptic sub-bass extension than Sony delivers, and Charles Mingus’ “Moanin’” is probably the de facto differentiator between the two!

The Momentum flat-out handles the dynamics of that frenetic Jazz romp much better! In its most sonically dense sections, the Momentum 5 maintains a distinct sense of instrument separation where the WH-1000XM6 jumbles the busy mix, losing fidelity.

Using the Sennheiser BTD 700 or connecting via 3.5mm aux or USB-C audio, the sound only gets better. Better detail retrieval. Soundstage expanded. All my notes about the sound, literally amplified.

Coming back to the HDB 630, it has a more neutral tuning, with slightly less sub-bass hype than the Momentum 5. The HDB 630 also feels noticeably heavier on the head, though not uncomfortable.

My biggest gripe with the Momentum 5 is that the parametric EQ (PEQ) wasn’t carried over from the HDB 630. I like the Momentum’s out-of-the-box tuning more, but with the parametric EQ, one can really get in there and shape the sound. At $100 less, I’d say the Momentum 5 is for listeners who are more casual than full-fledged audiophiles, or for frequent travelers who want a smaller footprint.

Final Thoughts

The Momentum 5 has a lot of competition in 2026. There’s Sony, Bose, the Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3, Dali IO-8, and the Sennheiser HDB 630, but the Momentum 5 undercuts most of those in price, while sounding better than some and competitive with others. The sound is a delight, and for those who find the sub-bass too much, the new eight-band EQ handily resolves that.

If you prize sound quality over ANC, the Sennheiser Momentum 5 is an easy option to recommend over the ANC leaders, but it gets a bit more complicated when going head-to-head with the Px7 S3 and Dali IO-8. They all have different strengths, but all sound great, and only your ears can decide which is the better option.