Sennheiser Momentum 5 review: scored in 10 categories

THE SCORECARD

Sennheiser Momentum 5

• Build quality

  8/10

  Same overall build as Momentum 4/HDB 630 with a cleaner flush ear cup and thinner hard case; doesn’t fold but feels durable.

• Fit

  8/10

  Slightly more comfortable than Momentum 4 with lighter clamping; not the most spacious pads and not very breathable, but all‑day wearable.

• Battery life

  10/10

  Rated 57 hours with ANC on, 10‑minute charge for ~7 hours, user‑replaceable battery and a battery protection mode.

• Controls

  9/10

  Full touch controls with slight lag and beep feedback; dual wear sensors now require fully removing the headphones; no mic mute.

• Connectivity

  9.5/10

  Bluetooth 5.4 with AAC, aptX Adaptive and aptX Lossless; no bundled dongle; USB‑C and aux supported, but aux won’t play when powered off.

• Call quality

  7.5/10

  Very good in quiet rooms; struggles in crowd noise and only slightly better in wind than before.

• App customization and extra features

  8.5/10

  Solid app with Dolby Audio (head tracking), 8‑band EQ, sound personalization, Sound Zones, codec display; no parametric EQ; Comfort Call adds reverb.

• Noise canceling

  8.25/10

  Noticeably stronger than Momentum 4 and close to HDB 630; adjustable by percent, low hiss/pressure; wind-reduction cuts strength ~30%.

• Transparency mode

  9.75/10

  Huge leap—natural, clear, low occlusion and minimal hiss; wind pickup is low–moderate and there’s no adaptive blend mode.

• Sound quality

  9.75/10

  Warm, refined tuning with slightly deeper bass, a touch more forward mids and smoother treble than Momentum 4; realistic vocals, slightly closed stage.

The Pros and Cons

What changed from Momentum 4?

Design is basically the same but cleaner: the outer ear cup now sits flush and the case is much thinner. Build still doesn’t fold, but it feels durable and the mesh headband returns. The logo treatment is different, and I actually preferred the more minimal look on Momentum 4/630, but overall the Momentum 5 looks tidy and is built to last.

How comfortable is the fit?

I rated fit 8/10. Clamp is a bit lighter than Momentum 4/630, which helps comfort but means hard, quick movements can shift the headphones. The pads aren’t the most spacious and they’re not very breathable, yet I can wear them all day without discomfort. Weight is 290 g but they feel light on head.

Battery and charging details

Battery scored a 10/10: 57 hours with ANC on, plus a fast charge that gives about 7 hours from 10 minutes. You can replace the battery yourself with a few screws—huge for longevity. There’s also a battery protection mode that limits and slows charging; I just leave it on. You can listen while charging.

Controls and wearing detection

Controls scored 9/10. You get full touch controls including skip forward/back with the familiar slight lag and beep feedback. There are now two wear sensors (one per cup), so you need to fully remove the headphones to pause—less chance of accidental triggers. Still no mic mute on calls, though you can switch between calls easily.

Connectivity and codecs

Connectivity scored 9.5/10. You get Bluetooth 5.4 with AAC, aptX Adaptive and aptX Lossless. Most phones don’t support Lossless, which is where Sennheiser’s dongle would help—there isn’t one in the box here (the HDB 630 includes it), though you can buy it separately. Wired via USB‑C or aux is supported, but you can’t play over aux with the headphones powered off; USB‑C should still work. Multipoint doesn’t use takeover—you pause one device and play on the other to switch.

Call quality: quiet is good, noise is tougher

Calls scored 7.5/10. In a quiet room they sound better than most headphones I’ve tested. In simulated crowd noise they struggled, and in simulated wind/city noise they were slightly better than before, but still not great.

App features and EQ

The app/extra features scored 8.5/10. Highlights: Dolby Audio with head tracking (for Dolby Atmos content), an 8‑band EQ (up from five on Momentum 4), Sound Personalization, Find My, Sound Zones tied to locations, codec selection/readout, and toggles for wear detection, auto‑answer, and auto power‑off. No parametric EQ here (the HDB 630 has it). Comfort Call is meant to make voices more realistic, but it added reverb for me, so I turned it off.

How strong is the ANC?

ANC scored 8.25/10—noticeably stronger than Momentum 4, and close to HDB 630, especially for voices, but still behind the very best. You can set ANC strength by single‑percent steps, cabin pressure is low even at max, and hiss is minimal. There’s an automatic wind‑reduction mode, but enabling it reduces ANC strength by about 30%. Expect an audible EQ shift: switching from ANC to transparency raises treble/upper mids ~5%; turning ANC off drops sub‑bass ~10% and raises upper mids ~10%.

Transparency mode: finally excellent

Transparency scored 9.75/10—a massive upgrade over Momentum 4 and HDB 630. It’s natural and clear with very low occlusion and minimal hiss. Wind pickup is low to moderate and there’s no adaptive blend mode. You can adjust strength, and 100% sounded fine to me. It’s almost on par with the AirPods Max 2, which I’ve scored 10/10.

Sound quality and tuning

Sound scored 9.75/10. Max volume measured 98.8 dB in my test—middle of the pack and plenty loud. Versus Momentum 4, bass digs a little deeper, mids sit slightly more forward, and treble is smoother. Changes are subtle, but the overall presentation is more relaxed and still refined—bass stays punchy without bloat. Vocals are a Sennheiser strength here: realistic and unforced. The only knock is a slightly closed‑in stage, which I’m happy to trade for the cleanliness and realism. If you like a neutral stock tuning and a touch more definition/separation, the HDB 630 still has the edge; you can EQ the Momentum 5 toward that, but you won’t make them identical.

Should you upgrade from Momentum 4?

Upgrade for the transparency mode—that’s the big win. Sound is a small refinement, not a leap. Compared to the highest‑scored all‑rounders, Momentum 5 still trails in ANC strength and call performance, but the sound and transparency carry them.

Momentum 5 vs HDB 630

They’re basically cut from the same cloth. Momentum 5 gives you the replaceable battery, a much better transparency mode, a thinner case, and a lower price. HDB 630 includes the dongle, has parametric EQ, and remains the pick if you want a more neutral stock tuning with slightly better clarity.

Questions I keep getting