Check out the Sennheiser Momentum 5 Wireless review to know whether it is a worthy option for your next immersive audio experience.
Sennheiser recently introduced its next-generation headphones after a long pause. The Momentum 4 arrived in India in 2022, and after four years, the company introduced its Momentum 5 Wireless. The latest headphones from the brand bring an interesting set of upgrades, new features, and a promise of longer battery life than most of the competition.
Priced at Rs. 39,990 in India, the Momentum 5 Wireless offers flagship-grade specs, including 42mm dynamic drivers, adaptive hybrid ANC, Bluetooth 5.4, aptX Lossless support, multipoint connectivity, and Dolby Atmos. That said, does it make sense to buy these new headphones when the competition is so strong in 2026? I've had a chance to use the device for a while now, and here's what you need to know.
At first glance, the Momentum 5 looks like a refined version of the Momentum 4 rather than a complete design overhaul. The familiar large oval earcups remain, but Sennheiser has cleaned up the outer surfaces and added a fabric finish to the headband that gives the headphones a more distinctive appearance. The headphones are currently available in Black and Denim, and the brand has also revealed that it will soon bring White, Bronze, and Lavender to market. I got the Black colour options for review, and it sure looks minimal and decent.
The Sennheiser Momentum 5 Wireless are available in Denim and Black colour options. However, the company will soon introduce other options in the near future.
The company also includes a sleek carrying case that holds the headphones, a 2.5mm to 3.5mm cable, a charging cable, and more. The headband, as mentioned above, has fabric and a soft cushion, which provides a comfortable wearing experience. The large earcups create enough room around the ears for most users.
The headphones are comfortable to wear for long periods. I used them at home for casual listening or while drafting stories and never really felt the need to take them off. Although these aren't the lightest headphones on the market, the weight distribution is good, so you will not feel much pressure after wearing them for a long time.
The headphones come with soft-cushion earcups that make them quite comfortable to wear for a long period of time.
The only drawback is the all-plastic construction, which may feel underwhelming compared to the competition and what you might expect from a Rs. 40,000 headphone.
Moving on, the touch surface on the right earcup handles the controls. You can use different gestures to control different settings. Swiping up and down increases and decreases volume, while taps handle playback and related actions. The controls are generally responsive, and the larger touch area makes gestures easier to perform. That being said, I would still prefer a physical volume knob or button because that gives better feedback.
The headphones can be used with a 2.5mm to 3.5mm cable, USB Type-C cable, or via Bluetooth.
For connectivity, you get plenty of options. You get a 3.5mm connection as well as USB-C audio, with USB-C supporting digital lossless playback up to 24-bit/96kHz. This makes it easier for users who want to use the headphones with different devices and don't want the hassle of connecting them with Bluetooth every time.
You can customise the Sennheiser Momentum 5 Wireless using the Smart Control Plus app. The app is available on both Android and iOS, which is a good thing. The Smart Control Plus application offers a smooth interface, and you can see all the major features and settings right on the home screen.
Sennheiser Momentum 5 Wireless can be paired with both Android and iOS devices using the Sennheiser Smart Control Plus application.
The app shows battery levels, connection management where you select which device you want to stream from, ANC controls, My Sound for customising the EQ settings, and more. The app also offers an eight-band EQ, Sound Personalisation, Sound Zones, and more. Sound Zones are particularly useful if you move regularly between places such as home, office and public transport, as different profiles can be applied automatically depending on your location.
For EQ settings, you can customise them to suit your needs, or use the Sound Check feature to find the best EQ settings with a series of tests.
The touch controls on the right earcup are fairly easy to learn. A single tap plays or pauses music, while swiping forwards or backwards changes tracks. Swiping and holding fast-forwards or rewinds, while separate gestures handle calls and switching between ANC and Transparency Mode.
In terms of specs, the Sennheiser Momentum 5 Wireless features an over-ear design and 42mm dynamic drivers. The headphones support Bluetooth 5.4 and SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, and aptX Lossless codecs. It also supports Snapdragon Sound, Dolby Atmos spatial audio and USB-C digital audio. Sennheiser says a future firmware update will enable Bluetooth 6.0.
The headphones come with a 43mm dynamic driver for a flagship-grade audio experience.
The Momentum 5 Wireless is positioned as your companion for an immersive listening experience. The 42mm drivers produce a warm, full-bodied sound, with bass getting more attention than it did on some previous Sennheiser wireless models. This makes it particularly enjoyable with bass-heavy tracks like Billie Eilish's Bad Guy. While listening to this song, I noticed the bass had good depth, with clear separation between the mids and vocals. The Weeknd's Blinding Lights also had a satisfying weight without completely overpowering the vocals.
Moving on, the Momentum 5 is most convincing with vocals and acoustic music. The vocals sit naturally in the centre of the mix, and you can notice it in Marvin Gaye's Mercy Mercy Me, where the voice comes through with certain warmth, while the instruments are noticeable enough not to make it congested.
As for ANC, it looks like an improvement over its predecessor. The headphones do a good job of eliminating the background noise of air conditioners' hum, fans, or other environmental noise in indoor conditions. However, the same cannot be said for outdoor use. I used them while travelling, and they couldn't effectively cancel engine noise or car honks, as I've noticed with other premium headphones in this price segment.
Call quality is a noticeable improvement over the Momentum 4. The eight-microphone system keeps voices sounding natural indoors, while outdoor calls remain usable in moderate traffic and wind.
Battery life is also one of the Sennheiser Momentum 5 Wireless's strongest suits. The company claims up to 57 hours of music playback with ANC enabled, which is almost true. During my testing period, the headphones lasted multiple days on a single charge, which is a big plus. More importantly, the company is also offering user-replaceable batteries with the Momentum 5 Wireless.
This means that if the battery degrades, you can easily order a replacement from the company website and swap it out from the comfort of your home. The process requires a Phillips PH0 screwdriver. First, remove the left ear pad, unscrew it, replace the battery, voila, you are done!
To conclude, the Sennheiser Momentum 5 Wireless feels like a much-needed upgrade over the Momentum 4. The design is similar, but it is lighter and feels slightly more premium. The earcups are comfortable, and the padded headband makes them easier to wear for long periods. Battery life is another area where the headphones do a good job; you can easily get multi-day backup,
The sound is rich and detailed with good separation between the lows, mids, and highs. That said, it still isn't a perfect device. The construction still feels more plasticky compared to the competition. The ANC is not as effective as what Sony and Bose offer in their flagship models. The touch controls are good, but some users would still prefer physical controls. At Rs. 39,990, the Sennheiser Momentum 5 Wireless feels like a premium headphone, but it will still face stiff competition from the Sony WH-1000XM6, JBL Tour One M3, and others.
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