Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless headphones go big on specs in bid to dethrone Sony

Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless
(Image credit: Sennheiser)

Sennheiser has officially unveiled its latest premium wireless noise-cancelling over-ear headphones, and those of you who are eagle-eyed may have already seen we have a Momentum 4 Wireless review live already.

Had Sennheiser decided not to let slip the battery life of the new Momentum 4 Wireless in a teaser last month, our eyebrows would’ve impeded our hairlines upon casting our eyes over the just-released spec sheet. Instead, we are relieved the company was able to see through its promise of a 60-hour battery life, which is around twice as long as the competition typically offers. That feat is bolstered by a fast-charging feature that offers six hours of listening from just a 10-minute charge.

That’s not where the headlines for these all-new Momentums end, either. They are Bluetooth 5.2 compliant and support the high-quality aptX adaptive codec in addition to, of course, the more standard SBC and AAC ones.

Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless

(Image credit: Sennheiser)

The ‘other’ feature increasingly imperative for wireless headphones in the portable age – active noise cancellation – is also present. The Momentum 4 Wireless use the company's “next generation" ANC technology, which is accompanied by the now-common Transparency mode for temporarily letting in sound when it's practical. 

The reputable German brand has also worked hard to improve call quality through the headphones by utilising a digital beamforming microphone array and automatic wind noise suppression technology. Ticks can also be put in the checkboxes of other commonly useful functions, such as smart pause (which halts playback when the headphones are taken off and resumes when placed back on the ears); multi-device support (which lets more than one Bluetooth device connect to them simultaneously); and the ability to automatically turn themselves on (and off) when in (and not in) use.

The Momentum 4 Wireless conform to the ‘safe’, minimalist appearance and lightweight build of many premium wireless headphones these days, simply combining black or white ovular earcups (which double as control touchpads and can fold flat) with a cushioning, fabric-topped headband. 

Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless

(Image credit: Sennheiser)

Inside those earcups are 42mm transducers for delivering what Sennheiser promises is “brilliant dynamics, clarity and musicality”. That sound can be tailored via EQ adjustment, sound modes and the new Sound Personalisation feature in the Sennheiser Smart Control companion app.

Priced £300 / $349.95 / AU$549.95, the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless are available for pre-order from tomorrow (9th August), with shipping commencing on the 23rd. So, do they snatch the crown from their biggest rivals, the Sony WH-1000XM5? All is revealed in our Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless review.

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Becky Roberts

Becky is the managing editor of What Hi-Fi? and, since her recent move to Melbourne, also the editor of Australian Hi-Fi magazine. During her 10 years in the hi-fi industry, she has been fortunate enough to travel the world to report on the biggest and most exciting brands in hi-fi and consumer tech (and has had the jetlag and hangovers to remember them by). In her spare time, Becky can often be found running, watching Liverpool FC and horror movies, and hunting for gluten-free cake.