Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 3 Earbuds Review: Fine Tuned for Music

Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 3 Earbuds Review

I have now evaluated dozens of earbuds. Frankly, it’s hard to keep track of all the variants. (I feel a bit like Kang the Conqueror). The Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 3 Earbuds make an immediate impact with their beautiful tweed case, solid build, and outstanding sound. These earbuds aren’t perfect, but they are probably the best earbuds in my arsenal for listening to music.

Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 3 Earbuds Specifications

• Frequency response (speaker): 5 Hz to 21 kHz
• Transducer: 7 mm, TrueResponse™, dynamic, closed-back
• Sound pressure level (SPL): 107 dB SPL (1 kHz / 1 mW)
• Total harmonic distortion (THD): <0.08% (1 kHz / 94 dB SPL)
• Frequency response (microphone): 100 Hz to 10 kHz
• Microphones: 3 MEMs mics per earbud, beamforming for noise reduction
• Earbud battery supply: built-in 77 mAh Lithium-Ion rechargeable batteries
• Operating time: (earbuds) 7 hrs, 28 hrs with charging case
• Charging time: approx. 1.5 hrs for full charge, after 10 min charging 1 hrs music playtime
• Bluetooth®: 5.2 
• Bluetooth® profiles: A2DP, AVRCP, HFP
• Bluetooth® Audio Codecs: SBC, AAC, aptX™, aptX adaptive™
• Active Noise Cancellation (ANC): Hybrid Adaptive ANC
• IPX rating: IPX4, splash resistant (earbuds only)
• Weight (earbuds): 5.8 g
• Weight (charging case): 66.4 g

What we like

Pros

• Solid, balanced sound supported by the right set of codecs
• Great noise-canceling
• Sophisticated design, especially the case
• Good controls for fine-tuning the listening experience on the earbuds and via the accompanying app
• Qi charging
• Smaller, and less expensive than the previous version
• Multi-point support for up to two devices

The $249 Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 3 earbuds are a premium offering from the German audio manufacturer that aims to deliver a high-quality listening experience. The MOMENTUM earbuds offer superior sound quality, active noise cancellation, touch controls, and a robust build.

The Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 3 earbuds ad campaign uses the tagline: Inspired by music. And the MOMENTUM True Wireless 3 earbuds sound quality does not disappoint. The 7mm dynamic drivers and support for aptX™, aptX adaptive™, AAC, and SBC codecs deliver sound optimized to the music coding and the delivery device. aptX adaptive™ aims at video watchers and gaming enthusiasts looking to eliminate audio latency. Of course, aptX does not apply to Apple-driven experiences that all run via AAC.

Sound

The earbuds produce clear, detailed, and balanced sound across all frequencies. The bass is punchy but not overwhelming, while the mids and highs shine with crispness and clarity. The soundstage is impressive for earbuds, offering a comprehensive and immersive listening experience that doesn’t crowd out any artistic intentions. Vocals are luxuriously rich.

On David Guetta’s Titanium (Feat Sia), the earbuds clearly capture fingers running across the guitar strings on the opening riff and the depth of Sia’s vocals in the chorus. They also keep up with the intermittent thump of the bulletproof dance tune. 

The Piano Guys version of A Thousand Years comes across with all its serenity, with the rosin flakes almost noticeably falling from the bow as its swoons across the violin strings. 

On Dido’s White Flag, one of my go-to stereo testing openings, the opening cords pull from ear to ear like an acoustic string vibrating through my auditory cortex.

Some of the bass may not have the punch desired by those with deep rock or dance proclivities, but earbuds aren’t for groups, so within the confines of my head, at least, I found the bass more than adequate.

Features

Another key feature of the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 3 is active noise cancellation (ANC). The earbuds do a good job of blocking out ambient noise, making them ideal for use in noisy environments or during travel. The ANC can be customized through the Sennheiser Smart Control app, which allows you to adjust the level of noise cancellation and transparency mode.

As with all capacitive touch-control earbuds, controlling the MOMENTUM True Wireless 3 earbuds isn’t complicated; it’s just different. They don’t support a tap-and-hold feature, so every function requires between one and three taps, except volume, which is a hold on the left for volume down and on the right for volume up. Taps control playback, volume, and ANC. 

More subtle adjustments, including anti-wind, the equalizer, and the level of pass-through audio require the iPhone or Android app. Most importantly to the previous paragraph’s observations, they also support remapping touch controls.

The app also includes the ability to create sound zones, such as the office or the kitchen, which implement presets for those physical areas to match typical listening patterns in those rooms. This feature requires granting location awareness to the app and a Sennheiser account.

The earbuds include an auto-pause feature that halts playback when removing them from the wearer’s ears.

The earbuds run for up to 7 hours on their own, and the case offers another 28 hours. The case charges via Qi wireless or fast-charge with the included USB-C cable. The earbuds, and not the case, rate IPX4 for splash resistance.

I found the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 3 earbuds comfortable for long listening sessions and didn’t feel like I had to keep touching them to assure myself they weren’t falling out on walks around the house or the grocery store. Extra-small, small, medium and large ear-tips accompany a variety of wings to create a personalized secure fit.

The microphone quality was fine for calls. I found no complaints about hearing me during phone calls. We experienced relatively calm winds during the evaluation period, so I wasn’t able to test the wind-noise reduction feature, but research on other reviews suggests it works well.

Transparency mode, which dampens down streams so those wearing earbuds can hear the outside world, be it a pharmacist, a flight attendant, or a friend encountered during a walk, works just fine. Access comes via a tap. Audible acknowledgment of mode changes would be nice, but the subtle hiss gives away the departure of ANC.

The Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 3s do support multi-point support now (earlier shipping versions required a firmware update) to connect them to two devices. Connections can be managed via the app.

Sennheiser offers three colors for the MOMENTUM True Wireless 3 earbuds—black, white, and graphite—all delivered in mostly sustainable packaging.

What could be improved

Cons

• Charging port on the front of the case
• Wings
• Some features require a Sennheiser account

I’m not a big fan of the case charging port on the front. It’s a nit, but if the case is charging and I want access to the earbuds it’s awkward. I’m sure some circuitry issue constrained designers from supporting Qi and rear-wired charging, but hey, try harder.

I am also not a fan of wings, even if they do offer better physical sound isolation. Practically, I find them an unnecessary complication that requires one more thing to worry about before first use and one more thing to lose.

At $249 list, I would like to see all of the features available to buyers without needing a Sennheiser account.

Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 3 Earbuds: The bottom line

At $249 the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 3 Earbuds run in the same crowd as Apple AirPods Pro; unfortunately, they don’t include the Apple magic associated with Apple AirPods Pro—so the often-discounted price at around $199 seems more fitting—though it can be argued the MOMENTUMs offer better sound as a trade-off against the Apple ecosystem integration. The two-year warranty is also a plus.

Are Sennheiser Momentum 3s better than 2s? Compared to the previous MOMENTUM True Wireless 2 earbuds, the 3s with wireless charging, a smaller footprint, and improved ANC make them superior to their predecessor.

For those seeking a premium listening experience, one not tied to expectations of handoff and other Apple magic, the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 3 earbuds offer outstanding sound and perhaps the most beautiful charging case on the market.

Sennheiser provided the MOMENTUM True Wireless 3 earbuds for review. Images courtesy of Sennheiser.

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