Sennheiser Momentum 4 Review: Is This Sound Quality King Worth It?

 In the high-end wireless ANC headphone world, the Sennheiser Momentum 4 has always been seen as a strong contender for the "sound quality crown." Priced at ¥2,899, with the Sony WH-1000XM5 and Bose QC45 breathing down its neck, can it really stand out with its audio chops? We spent a whole month with it. Here's the real deal.

8.8

Overall Score: 8.8 / 10

Design and Build Quality

Compared to the previous Momentum 3, the Momentum 4 looks quite different. The Momentum 3 went for that vintage luxury vibe — metal and leather all over the place. The Momentum 4? Much more modern and minimalist.

The body is mostly high-quality plastic, paired with leather ear pads and a fabric headband. The fabric on the inside of the headband feels nice to the touch, but since you can't take it off, cleaning it is a bit annoying. The ear cups rotate and lay flat, so storage is decent. They ditched the metal hinges from the Momentum 3, which makes it feel a little less premium, but it also makes it lighter — about 290 grams.

Sound Quality — This Is Where Sennheiser Shines

The Momentum 4 packs Sennheiser's custom 42mm drivers (bigger than the XM5's 30mm), with a frequency response of 6Hz to 22kHz. The best way to describe the sound? Warm, natural, and wide soundstage — that's the short version.

Bass: It's punchy but not over the top. Not like Beats where the bass just drowns everything. The Momentum 4 keeps it tight and controlled. When you're listening to EDM or pop, the rhythm hits hard but doesn't cover up the mids and highs.

Mids: This is where Sennheiser really nails it. Vocals sound incredibly natural, detailed, and full of emotion. Whether it's a deep male voice or a sweet female vocal, it all comes through just right. When you listen to Jacky Cheung or Adele live versions, it feels like the singer is right there in front of you.

Highs: Smooth and detailed without being harsh. Cymbals and violins sound clean and natural — you can listen for hours without getting tired. Compared to the XM5, the Momentum 4's treble is a bit rounder and more laid back. The Momentum 4 supports SBC, AAC, aptX, and aptX Adaptive, but not LDAC. For iPhone users this doesn't matter (iPhone uses AAC anyway). Android users get excellent wireless quality through aptX Adaptive.

Noise Cancellation

The Momentum 4's ANC sits at the "top of the second tier" in the industry. It does a solid job with low-frequency noise like airplane engines and air conditioners. But when it comes to mid-to-high frequency stuff like people talking or keyboard clacking, you can definitely tell the difference between this and the Sony XM5 or Bose QC45.

One thing worth mentioning — the Transparency Mode sounds natural. No weird "electronic ear" feeling. The adaptive ANC adjusts based on your surroundings, and the response time is decent.

Battery Life — The Biggest Surprise

The Momentum 4's battery life is honestly kind of insane. Sennheiser claims 60 hours (ANC off) / about 50 hours (ANC on). In real-world testing — connected to an iPhone via AAC, ANC on, moderate volume — we used it for 5 straight workdays (around 10 hours a day) before it finally warned us the battery was low. That's literally double the Sony XM5's 30 hours.

Charging is via USB-C fast charging. 10 minutes gets you about 5 hours of playback. Full charge takes about 2.5 hours.

Features and Experience

• Sennheiser Smart Control App: EQ tuning, firmware updates, sound zone settings. The interface is clean and simple.
• Multipoint: Connects to 2 devices at the same time. Switching between your computer and phone is smooth.
• Touch Controls: The right ear cup has a touch panel with swipe and tap gestures. Sensitivity is adjustable.
• Bluetooth: 5.2. Connection is stable, latency is acceptable — watching videos is fine, competitive FPS gaming has a tiny delay.
• USB-C Audio: You can use it as a wired USB headset. Handy.

Specs at a Glance

• Driver: 42mm dynamic
• Frequency Response: 6Hz – 22kHz
• THD: < 0.08% (1kHz, 94dB)
• Audio Codecs: SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX Adaptive
• Battery Life: ~60 hours (ANC off)
• Charging: USB-C fast charge, 10 min → 5 hours
• Weight: ~293g
• Bluetooth: 5.2
• Multipoint: Yes (2 devices)
• App: Sennheiser Smart Control

Compared to the Competition

Category	Momentum 4	Sony XM5	Bose QC45
Sound Quality	9.5/10	8.8/10	8.0/10
Noise Canceling	8.0/10	9.8/10	9.0/10
Comfort	8.5/10	8.5/10	9.8/10
Battery Life	10/10	8.0/10	7.0/10

👍 Pros

• Best-in-class sound quality
• 60-hour monster battery life
• aptX Adaptive support
• Great build, classy design
• USB-C wired audio

👎 Cons

• ANC not as good as Sony/Bose
• No LDAC support
• Pricey
• Carrying case is kinda big
• Touch controls can be accidental sometimes

Final Verdict

The Sennheiser Momentum 4 is a flagship headphone built for sound quality lovers. It's not an all-rounder, but in the areas where it excels, it absolutely crushes it.

If your priority order is sound quality > battery life > ANC, the Momentum 4 should be at the top of your list. The sound really lives up to the Sennheiser name, and that 60-hour battery means you'll barely remember charging is a thing.

But if ANC is what you care about most, or you mainly use headphones on the subway or airplanes, the Sony WH-1000XM5 or Bose QC45 are probably better picks. The trade-off is simple — do you pay more for better sound, or compromise on sound for better noise canceling.