(Credit: Sennheiser)
Nearly four years after launching the Momentum 4, Sennheiser is back with the Momentum 5 Wireless headphones.
While the design remains largely unchanged, the new model gets several internal upgrades, including improved ANC, aptX Lossless support, and a user-replaceable battery. "We focused on refining the entire experience without straying from the formula that made its predecessor such a success," says product manager Sreenath Unnikrishnan.
The Momentum 5 carries the same 42mm transducer as its predecessor and is tuned for “full-bodied sound with dynamic bass,” the company says. The new headphones also get Hi-Res Audio certification and Snapdragon Sound technology.
The Momentum 5 also gets aptX Lossless, a Bluetooth codec from Qualcomm that delivers CD-quality 16-bit 44.1kHz lossless audio for wireless headphones. According to The Verge, it will only work for audio beaming from Qualcomm-powered phones that support the codec. That includes phones from Sony and Motorola, but not from Samsung, Google, or Apple.
Sennheiser also promises three times better active noise cancellation on the Momentum 5. It has doubled the number of microphones on each side from two to four (total 8) to reduce distracting chatter and airplane cabin noise and deliver “more natural voice quality on calls.”
(Credit: Sennheiser)The Momentum 5 will come with support for Bluetooth 5.4 out of the box, but it is engineered to support Bluetooth 6.0 through a future firmware update, Sennheiser says. With a day-one update, the headphones will also support Dolby Atmos with head-tracking.
Battery replacement is another new addition. Using a small Phillips-head screwdriver, owners can remove and replace the 700mAh battery to extend the headphones’ lifespan. The accompanying storage case or travel bag is now 20% smaller and comes with plastic-free packaging. USB Type-C charging cable and 3.5mm analog audio cable are also included.
(Credit: Sennheiser)That said, there are two areas where the Momentum 5 takes a step back. The estimated battery life drops from 60 hours to 57 hours compared with the Momentum 4, and the price increases from $350 to $400. In the US, the Momentum 5 will become available starting June 16. Color options include black, denim (blue), and white.