After four iterations that tweaked things slightly in the past, you can say the new Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 5 earphones are a pretty big redesign for the German audio company.
That’s obvious from your first impression of these new true wireless earphones. Instead of the squarish charger box wrapped in fabric in previous versions, the new one comes in a slimmer, upright design in plastic.
Yes, it does look like rivals such as Sony’s true wireless offerings but this design is certainly more practical in that it fits into your jeans pocket easily when you bring the earphones out.
The earbuds themselves have also undergone a makeover, at least in terms of the way they look. The metallic look at the top is clearly fashioned from a plastic part, unlike before, though they do seem a little more aerodynamic. Handy for a jog, perhaps.
Surprisingly, though, the new earbuds weight a feather heavier. They now tip the scales at 7g each, compared to the 6.2g on the Momentum True Wireless 4. The new charging case is lighter, though, at 55g instead of the 66.4g from before.
Perhaps the design does matter. Being more streamlined means the earbuds may feel less heavy on your ears.
As an owner of the older Momentum True Wireless 4, I’m still happy with what I bought; though the new earphones do feel slightly more weightless, despite being actually heavier.
They certainly are comfy, whether at the desk or on the go in a park. The fit is snug yet the earphones do not press too hard against your ears, so wearing them for a few hours is not an issue.
Under the surface, Sennheiser has retained its solid 7mm drivers that are used across many of its earphones, from wired audiophile models to wireless ones like the Momentum True Wireless 5.
That’s a good thing for me since I’ve always liked Sennheiser’s sound (I also own the over-ear Momentum Wireless 4). Fellow Sennheiser users will feel right at home with the audio signature of the company’s new true wireless earphones as well.
The presentation is airy and effortless, showcasing a large soundstage that is wide and open, without ever feeling compressed or boxed in. Each instrument is clearly represented in a music track, with good separation apparent across different genres.
Listening to Nova’s live performance of some bossa nova classics (from the Live from Seahorse Sound album), you can clearly make out the strings and percussions while the singer vocalises the familiar lyrics.
Playing Ryo Fukui’s Trio at the Slowboat 2004 recording at his famed Sapporo jazz club, you find yourself tapping your feet and nodding your head to the beat. The “liveness” and 3D imaging impress again here.
I like Sennheiser’s typically less bass-heavy approach so the Momentum True Wireless 5 sound great out of the box, without me having to fix anything in the equaliser in the app.
That said, the earphones aren’t lightweights when it comes to showing off the low notes. I fire up Way Down Deep by Jennifer Warnes and the deep resonating bass reaches low and demonstrates great extension.
I also like the timing and dynamism of the earphones, something which Sennheiser is known for. Playing Slow Train by Hans Theessink, for example, I like the focused bass hitting hard but not dwelling around to create a muddy impression.
Playing busier, “larger” tracks like those on The Odyssey’s movie soundtrack, the Sennheiser earphones seem just at home with showcasing their range.
From fast to slow, loud to soft, and high to low, they keep pace with the tracks without any lag. I like it that the earphones work well with tracks that have various elements in play at the same time. They don’t seem to miss a beat.
Throughout my tests, I notice a good amount of detail extraction, like with other Sennheiser audio gear, as well. Uyama Hiroto’s jazz album Breath of Love, for example, showcases the resolution that the German company’s compact single drivers have been able to achieve over the years.
The audio quality is what you’d expect from Sennheiser’s top-range wireless earphones. What’s new this time also is the inclusion of Dolby Atmos immersive audio.
So, even if you’re not listening to tracks encoded in the surround sound format, you get a little more immersion in the music, in the sense of being enveloped by it.
There is also a cool little trick where you can fix an audio source such that when you turn your head, the source remains and you’re hearing the audio as if it’s now on the side of your head. I still prefer listening to music centred to my head, though.
Another big improvement in the new earphones is the active noise cancelling – something that Sennheiser has been adversely compared to rival Sony, for example.
I’ve not had much issues with my older Momentrum True Wireless 4, but the new new ANC is said to be more effective without having a minimum noise floor (in other worse, not adding any background noise).
It certainly works well. One time in the living room, my wife had to raise her voice at me to get my attention because I was totally insulated from external sounds!
For folks who like their gadgets to stay working over the years, Sennheiser now lets you change the batteries on the Momentum True Wireless 5. You still need to get these small power packs from the company but at least you don’t have to junk the earphones once the battery starts to weaken.
Speaking of battery, Sennheiser says the earphones run for six hours with ANC turned on, and 12 hours without it. That’s good enough for flights around Asia from Singapore.
And you can juice them up for another hour of playback by placing the earphones in the charging box for eight minutes. The box, by the way, also supports Qi wireless charging, so it’s handy if you’re gone on wireless charging for your phone as well.
Do all these features justify the rather hefty S$479 price tag? That’s even higher than the launch price of the earlier Momentum True Wireless 4, which initially sold for S$449 in Singapore.
If you consider the improvements to ANC and also the redesign that makes the new earphones more comfortable, I guess you can understand why Sennheiser has raised prices.
That said, the higher price also makes the Momentum True Wireless 5 less competitive against Sony’s WF-1000XM6, which is going for well under S$400 now.
To be fair, Sennheiser’s new earphones are smartly designed and deliver the top-notch audio quality you’ve come to expect from the Germany company. If you like its audio signature, it’s hard to go wrong.
So, if you can get them during a sale or at a lower street price, they should be high on your list of true wireless earphones for travel, everyday commute or desk-side listening. Definitely, go listen to them at the stores if you’re looking for a pair of earphones.
