Sennheiser pulls Momentum Wireless headphones after Bluetooth issues
Sennheiser's Momentum headphones have been a staff favorite here at Engadget for a while. When the company announced a wireless version at CES, I was eager to get my hands on a pair for review. Unfortunately, when listening to music with the Bluetooth headphones and using an Apple Magic Mouse with my MacBook Air, I noticed regular music drop outs -- almost every time I moved my mouse. As it turns out, I wasn't the only one. After what Sennheisers says is a "small number" of customer complaints, it stopped production and shipment of the Momentum Wireless until the issue is fixed. Of course, stopping production tells me there's a big problem, but the company maintains the cases are "limited." In addition to interruptions when playing tunes, users experienced issues trying to make calls, too. Sennheiser explained the culprit could be a number of factors that prey on wireless connections, which could include anything from interference to signal strength that can't handle high-traffic areas.
The audio woes I experienced with the Momentum Wireless are limited to the Bluetooth connectivity. When I plug the headphones into my laptop or phone directly, the audio is just as pristine as what I heard back in Vegas. It's really good. However, this model is pricier than the wired cans at $500, so you're really splurging to use 'em sans cable. As you might expect, Sennheiser is hard at work on a solution and folks that think they may have a defective unit can return it. They're still under the original two-year warranty since they just recently gone on sale. The company is reviewing each complaint on a case-by-case basis to determine which environments are causing the tech to not function properly. That being said, I'll hold any detailed impressions until the set I have is swapped out for a working pair.
Think you might have an issue with yours? Contact Sennheiser to get it sorted out.
