Sennheiser has refreshed its flagship over-ear Bluetooth headphones with the Momentum 5, a direct successor to the 2022 Momentum 4. Priced at £329.90 (€399.90/$399.95/A$749.95), the new model keeps the German audio specialist’s celebrated sound quality while adding improved active noise cancelling, more modern connectivity, and a user-replaceable battery.
The design closely follows the previous generation, which is largely a positive. The headphones combine quality plastics, fabric, and imitation leather, and remain fairly compact for over-ear models. Plush earcups and a well-padded headband with a pressure-relieving divot make them comfortable for extended listening. Controls are split between physical buttons, ports, and a touch panel on the right earcup that handles playback, volume, and noise-cancelling modes through taps and swipes.
Connectivity is a strong point, with Bluetooth 5.4 and multipoint support for pairing two devices at once. Android and PC users can take advantage of Qualcomm’s aptX Adaptive and aptX Lossless codecs, while all devices can use standard SBC and AAC. The USB-C port serves both charging and wired listening, and a separate analogue socket is included for traditional headphone cables.
Battery life is among the best in the category: 57 hours with noise cancelling switched on, enough for weeks of daily commuting or a round-the-world trip. A full USB-C charge takes about two hours. The battery is designed to retain at least 80% of its original capacity after 25,000 hours of listening and can be replaced by the owner using instructions in the manual. Sennheiser also sells spare earcups and cables, though the headphones contain no recycled materials and parent company Sonova does not publish product environmental impact reports.
Sound quality maintains Sennheiser’s reputation for detail, with strong instrument separation, an accentuated yet balanced bass, warm mids, and sparkling highs. An equaliser and multiple sound modes are available in the Smart Control Plus app. A Dolby Atmos mode adds extra drama for TV and film, although the head-tracking feature proved inconsistent and was better disabled. Noise cancelling is improved over previous Sennheiser models, reducing office chatter and engine rumble, but it still lets through more aeroplane and motor drone than the best from Sony and Bose. Transparency and adaptive modes work well, and call quality is strong.
The Momentum 5 faces stiff competition: Sony’s WH-1000XM6 costs £349, Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra 2 costs £399.95, Sonos Ace costs £399, and Nothing’s Headphone 1 costs £249. The Sennheisers fall just short of class-leading noise cancelling and cannot be folded flat for travel, but their combination of superb sound, excellent comfort, long battery life, and a user-serviceable battery makes them a compelling, if not flawless, package.