Review: Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4

How much is great sound worth to you? Sennheiser’s top wireless earbuds ask that question in more ways than one. The previous version, the True Wireless 3, was praised by reviewers, but some users raised issues like battery drain and connection glitches. The Momentum True Wireless 4 set out to address these complaints with an all-new battery system among “over a dozen major upgrades,” according to Sennheiser.

Within this context, the two earbud dropouts I experienced in my first few days of testing the MTW4 stood out more than the usual new bud jitters. Especially since the latest pair sports the exact same exterior design as the MTW3, which is, in 2024, looking downright chunky compared to the competition. Size aside, a firmware update seems to have fixed those connection woes, and I’ve experienced no other dropouts over multiple days of testing.

One thing that’s never been in question with Sennheiser is sound quality. Even given their superb sonic pedigree, the Momentum 4 caught me off guard with their clarity, their sensitivity, and the sheer sweetness and delicacy with which they render every tone. They pair that with competitive noise canceling and a solid app. The result is a package that’s worthy of a little faith—especially for those who put great sound first.

Not-So-Spyware

If you’re at all familiar with Sennheiser’s long-running Momentum line, you’ll be feeling dé​jà vu with the fourth-gen version. The buds arrive nestled in what looks like the same boxy case from the original 2019 Momentum. It feels downright massive when compared to cases from Apple, Sony, and others. Still, you have to admire Sennheiser's style, cloaking it with sleek fabric straight out of the James Bond Corduroy Collection.

The buds have morphed over time, but Sennheiser made no exterior changes from 2022’s MTW3 to maintain their “timeless aesthetic.” They certainly look premium with their angled, smoked-chrome housings but, timeless or not, I would have appreciated some ergonomic updates.

The buds barely wedge into my medium-size ears with the default band that flexes around the main housing, but swapping it for the smaller of two spares made them stable and relatively comfy for a few hours at a clip. They still feel bulgy and somewhat invasive, and at 6 grams per side, they don’t quite pull the disappearing trick of Apple’s AirPods Pro (9/10, WIRED Recommends) or other favorites. Four ear tip sizes let you further customize the fit, but those with smaller ears may want to try before you buy.

Plenty of Goodies

Beneath their enameled shells, the MTW4 have undergone a relatively thorough makeover, from their new battery system (and firmware to optimize it) to support for the latest Bluetooth 5.4 protocol and a new low-latency mode for gaming. They’ve also now got dust protection, with an IP54 rating.

The battery is arguably the most important upgrade, which includes a new provider to ensure improved reliability. Playback is rated at a respectable 7.5 hours per charge, and 30 hours total with the charging case. This matched my testing, with the buds keeping pace at around seven to eight hours per charge with noise canceling on.

Call quality has been upgraded, with AI optimization designed to offer advanced clarity via the buds’ new Qualcomm Snapdragon chip. I didn’t notice anything special on my end, but I also never received major complaints from others, even while talking outdoors.

Sennheiser’s latest Smart Control app unlocks a full stock of features and settings that let you tailor your experience, down to the layout of the home screen. Features range from stalwarts like a five-band EQ to premium additions like the ability to pause audio when you speak or engage aptx Lossless and Adaptive codecs for high-quality streaming from Android phones.

Virtually everything can be customized to some degree, including all touch controls. The standard layout is relatively intuitive and responsive, with volume included by default. I appreciate the ability to add preferences, like swapping out the voice assistant gesture I never use.

Unlike the previous pair, the MTW4 ship with multipoint pairing. Switching between my iPhone and Macbook worked well, though the Connection Management window sometimes seemed to lose track of source devices. The buds are also future-proofed for features like Bluetooth LE Audio and Aurocast, which will theoretically let you share your audio or connect to public devices like a TV at the gym—once those devices exist in the wild.

Trendy features not in the package include an earbuds tracker, which would be nice at this price, and any form of spatial audio. If you’re disappointed there, you may be barking up the wrong tree altogether; Sennheiser says the current 3D audio formats are distracting and has optimized these buds for stereo sound, full stop. That’s telling, considering Sennheiser has its own 3D audio format called Ambeo.

As touched on above, I experienced two instances early on in which the right earbud dropped audio and needed to be placed back in the case. Following a firmware update, the issue did not reoccur over a multiple weeks.

Solid Silence

The MTW4’s noise cancellation isn’t the kind that makes you grab the wall to make sure you’re not floating in space, but it’s still pretty potent. As companions on my daily dog walks, they effectively suppressed not only the soft city din but also the stream of cars along our busiest thoroughfare. At one point, with light music playing, I was surprised to see my wife’s lips moving with nothing coming out.

Taking them into my treated home studio, I noticed more pronounced white noise than expected, but the ANC did an excellent job with my go-to airplane drone test. You can actively hear the adaptive cancellation going to work here, holding its own even against some of the best noise-canceling models like Sony’s WF-1000XM5 (7/10, WIRED Review). Sony’s buds take the lead overall, proving quieter at rest and much more effective at squashing higher-frequency sounds like clattering dishes or keystrokes. Still, Sennheiser’s pair does enough to satisfy for most use cases.

The transparency mode isn’t quite as satisfying. It sounds natural enough but lacks the almost surreal clarity of buds like the AirPods Pro, let alone advanced functions like limiting sudden loud noises. I also heard a fair bit of what sounded like digital interference in quiet settings. That probably won’t matter much since it fades away in congested areas, where you’re most likely to use transparency, but I expected more polish at this price.

Sensational Sensitivity

It’s Sennheiser’s signature sound quality that has always made its wireless earbuds stand out, and the Momentum True Wireless 4 are a true joy on that front. Even when connected over Apple’s more basic AAC sound codec, their remarkably low noise floor facilitates immaculate clarity, vivid detail, and powerful dynamics to heighten the stakes of everything you play.

And I do mean everything. I had a lovely time letting the buds loose across my full music library, enjoying their pinpoint bass response, the golden glow of guitar strings and piano, and the buzz-saw grit of horns and synthesizers. Funny enough, it was during a podcast—a podcast commercial, actually—that I was first compelled to stop what I was doing and just listen in sheer admiration.

I suddenly found myself virtually plunked down in a vocal studio, inches away as a young woman evangelized about how much I could save on car insurance, or maybe it was Squarespace or HelloFresh? Whatever she was selling, I could barely pay attention as each minute interaction between her lips and the microphone was seemingly crafted live in front of me.

No matter the subject, the Momentum True Wireless 4 will elevate it with uncompromising clarity, definition, and precision. Only a few pairs, like Technics’ excellent AZ80 (9/10, WIRED recommends), rise to this level in the MTW4’s class, and Sennheiser has the sonic edge for my money.

Other premium buds can offer more polish, a lighter and comfier fit, and/or an extra clip of noise canceling. Sennheiser has the sound, and the Momentum True Wireless 4 once again bring it. Whether that’s worth the investment is up to you.