Sennheiser's Momentum 5 headphones are all about the audio and ANC upgrades

Nearly four years after Sennheiser debuted its Momentum 4 headphones, the company is back with their successor. The new Momentum 5 Wireless carries a very similar design to its predecessor, which means nearly all of the changes are on the inside. The company is promising big upgrades to both sound and active noise cancellation (ANC), but there are a few caveats on the spec sheet. The main one being the Momentum 5 is $50 more than the Momentum 4.

The Momentum 5 uses the same 42mm transducers that are in the Momentum 4, which were inspired by Sennheiser's iconic HD 600 series headphones, tuned for "full-bodied sound" and "dynamic bass." What's new on the fifth-generation model is a Hi-Res Audio certification and Snapdragon Sound, the latter of which offers Bluetooth codec support up to aptX Lossless. Sennheiser's Smart Control Plus app now has an 8-band EQ alongside audio presets and sound personalization. The Momentum 5 is also compatible with the company's BTD 700 lossless Bluetooth dongle that debuted with the HDB 630 headphones. 

To further bolster audio quality, digital signal processing (DSP) Bluetooth updates are already planned. With a "day one update," Sennheiser will add Dolby Atmos support with head tracking when listening to or watching compatible Atmos content. Right now, the headphones only support Dolby Atmos without the more immersive head tracking feature. And while the Momentum 5 will ship with Bluetooth 5.4, the headphones were designed for the upcoming Bluetooth 6.0 release, another upgrade that will arrive via firmware update. 

To improve the ANC performance, Sennheiser added two additional microphones per side (now four on each ear cup) for what it calls "across-the-board improvements." The company promises the upgrades offer up to three times more effective noise cancellation of human voices. What's more, the additional mics should provide "more natural voice quality on calls," according to the company.

Another difference between the Momentum 4 and the new Momentum 5 is battery life. The previous model lasted up to 60 hours on a charge with ANC enabled, but the new version is rated for 57 hours. That's not a huge loss, and it's still a long time, but this is one place the two models vary. The Momentum 5 has a quick charge feature that will give you up to three hours of use in just five minutes. Additionally, the 700mAh battery is user-replaceable, and you only need a small Phillips-head screwdriver to make the swap. 

The Momentum 5 Wireless headphones will be available June 16 for $400. Sennheiser will offer the new model in black, white and blue colors.