After Experiencing Sennheiser’s Momentum 5, Its Legendary Edge Is Undeniable

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Still, Sennheiser is back with its latest flagship model, and the Momentum 5 arrives at just the right moment, featuring timely upgrades that allow it to keep pace with the competition. The Momentum 5 preserves the series’ signature minimalist, elegant aesthetic, 42mm drivers, and extended battery performance, while adding Dolby Atmos compatibility, stronger noise cancellation, and personalized sound customization options.

How do they sound?

Sennheiser has always excelled at delivering studio-grade audio at a reasonable price point in its consumer headphones, and the Momentum 5 continues this tradition. The soundstage feels broader than what Sony, Apple, and Bose offer, with clear separation between instruments and vocals, lively highs, and well-defined mid-to-low frequencies.

Like most consumer headphones, Sennheiser adds a subtle bass boost, though not as aggressively as Bose, which can sound muddy at higher volumes. Sennheiser’s low end is punchy and controlled, while the lower mids provide a satisfying rumble you can feel in your ears. The high-frequency response isn’t as bright as Sony’s, but it’s crisper and more detailed, reducing listener fatigue over long sessions.

The deep, head-rattling bass in trap tracks like Future’s “March Madness” doesn’t drown out the artist’s vocals and ad-libs. Meanwhile, the shimmering piano melody in Bruce Hornsby & The Range’s classic rock ballad “The Way It Is” remains smooth with just a hint of sparkle.

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If you like heavier bass, you can tweak the EQ settings in the companion app. I enabled the Bass Boost option since the Momentum 5 leans toward a balanced sound signature. Overall, I think listeners who prefer a less “mainstream” audio profile will enjoy the Momentum 5—very little sonic detail gets lost.

The Momentum 5 supports both wired listening via USB-C and 3.5mm jack, and offers a range of AptX codecs for superior wireless audio quality, including AptX Adaptive, HD, and Lossless.

Let’s talk audio features

The Momentum 5 launches with Dolby Atmos support, much like the Sonos Ace. If you subscribe to a music service that offers Atmos content, it will technically work with any headphones, as the audio processing happens on your playback device.

It appears Sennheiser licensed Dolby Atmos specifically for headphones to incorporate a Dolby-certified virtual 3D upmixing engine for stereo audio, rather than developing its own proprietary solution like JBL and Bose.

So, I believe Sennheiser’s Dolby Atmos licensing allows users to virtually upmix any stereo content and access head-tracking functionality. According to Sennheiser, head-tracking will be delivered via a “day one update,” and since I received these headphones before launch, I wasn’t able to try it out.

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Dolby Atmos in headphones is already hit-or-miss, though I suspect head-tracking would make a noticeable improvement. Sennheiser also teases a future Bluetooth 6.0 firmware update, possibly enabling better device tracking and LE Audio support, though there’s no timeline yet. I wish these features had been available at launch.

Better noise cancellation than before

Sennheiser has made significant progress in enhancing its noise-canceling performance, partly by increasing the number of microphones used for noise processing. The Momentum 5 uses four microphones per ear cup, doubling the count from the Momentum 4’s two.

The noise cancellation on the Momentum 5 is notably more powerful than its predecessor, especially in blocking mid- and low-frequency sounds. Plus, the transparency mode sounds far more natural than on the Momentum 4.

I particularly like that you can fine-tune the noise cancellation intensity on a continuous slider instead of fixed presets. This kind of granular control makes it easier to tailor ambient noise filtering to your preference. There’s also a reliable adaptive ANC mode if you’d rather let the headphones adjust automatically based on your surroundings.

I tested the Momentum 5 at the gym and in a bustling grocery store on a Saturday afternoon. They performed well in the moderately crowded gym, but had more difficulty in the lively store. While these headphones don’t match Sony or Bose in noise cancellation, they’re on par with Sonos—which is still commendable.

Sennheiser continues to lead in battery life, as the Momentum 4 offered an impressive 60 hours of playback. The Momentum 5 reduces that by 3 hours, offering 57 hours with ANC enabled—still outstanding. I’m not bothered by this minor drop; even at 57 hours, Sennheiser delivers 27 more hours than Sony’s WH-1000XM6, 37 more than Apple’s AirPods Max 2, and 27 more than Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra 2.

I suspect the shorter battery life stems from Sennheiser’s enhanced noise-canceling algorithm and upgraded digital signal processor.

This means these headphones draw more energy to support their enhanced technology and capabilities.

App Features & Design

The Sennheiser Smart Control Plus app is a reliable and helpful tool. The interface is straightforward and practical. Within the app, you can fine-tune your noise cancellation settings, switch between audio modes, customize an improved eight-band equalizer, check the last location your headphones were paired to, and set up personalized sound zones—a feature much like Sony’s Adaptive Sound Control.

Sennheiser largely stuck to the Momentum 4’s appearance when designing the new model. The Momentum 5 boasts clean lines and a subtle, understated style. Compared to the previous generation, the only noticeable differences are a few added metallic details—overall, the look is almost the same.

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Instead of physical buttons, the right ear cup on the Momentum 5 offers touch controls. These are easy to learn and use, though they can be overly sensitive. I sometimes found that moving my hair or slightly adjusting the ear cup would mistakenly activate commands. Because of this, I chose to disable the touch controls and manage playback directly from my phone.

In terms of comfort, the Momentum 5 features soft, well-cushioned ear pads that I could wear for long periods without discomfort. These flagship headphones have a looser clamp compared to Sennheiser’s mid-range Accentum series. However, the ear cups are somewhat compact—if you have a larger head or bigger ears, this may pose an issue for you.

ZDNET’s Buying Recommendation

The Sennheiser Momentum 5 arrives with several worthwhile improvements, such as superior audio processing for enhanced sound and active noise cancellation, along with subtle design updates that help it compete with leading models from other brands.

Priced at $400, the Momentum 5 is more affordable than top offerings from Sony and Bose. Still, I believe the $50–$60 price difference between them aligns with the slight gap in noise cancellation performance. If you’re seeking a refined audio experience and can compromise just a bit on smart features and noise cancellation strength, the Sennheiser Momentum 5 is an excellent choice that’s sure to stand out this summer.