Today, Louis reviews the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 4, which is a new Bluetooth 5.4-equipped dynamic driver TWS with ANC and aptX Lossless decoding. It is priced at $299.95 SRP.
Disclaimer: This unit was sent to me as a sample in exchange for our honest opinion. Headfonics is an independent website with no affiliate links or services. We thank Sennheiser and Sonova for this opportunity.
Click here to learn more about the Sennheiser products we have previously featured on Headfonics.
Note, that this article follows our latest scoring guidelines which you can read in more detail here.
When Sennheiser changed hands over to Sonova, I wondered if the company would stay the same, improve, or go another route.
Well, it seems they’re doing just fine. Anyone who has read Marcus’s take on the HD 660S2 full-sized headphones knows they seem to have embraced the improvement route.
A more recent example is the new Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 4 which retails for $299.95. A few reviews have hit the web at a very fast pace and they’re all saying good things.
We’re going to raise the scrutiny level here, as always, and talk about all our observations of this new and feature-rich fourth-generation TWS model.
Tech Highlights
Bluetooth 5.4
The Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 4 TWS has gone through some time to evolve and the new version kicks into the modern age by employing the latest Bluetooth 5.4 radio that is capable of producing music from an aptX Lossless transmission.
Driver
Inside each MOMENTUM True Wireless 4 TWS earbud lies a custom single dynamic 7mm driver with TrueResponse technology.
This driver seems to be a similar driver to the one used inside the IE 200 and IE 300 which borrowed this same tech from the IE 900 and seems identical in specs to one used in the previous MOMENTUM model.
This TrueResponse exclusive technology according to Sennheiser promises a balanced sound signature and improves SPL, lowers distortion, and produces what Sennheiser calls true phase coherency.
Sennheiser lists the basic specifications of this driver. The frequency response is listed as 5Hz to 21kHz, with a sensitivity of 107 dB, and a speaker distortion level of 0.08% at 94 dB. These specifications sound like they belong to a decent wired IEM.
Decoding
The MOMENTUM True Wireless 4 TWS is capable of decoding SBC, AAC, and even LC3 capability, plus every aptX variant known to man including the latest high bit rate aptX Lossless codec.
However, it is missing LDAC which is a consistent theme with the MOMENTUM True Wireless TWS range since the first edition.
This means that if you don’t own any of the handful of mobile devices that are capable of playing music on a BT 5.4 radio and are capable of aptX Lossless then you’ll be dropped down to aptX HD or lower. The counterbalance is the future-proofing by the use of the 5.4 radio itself.
The lack of LDAC is the only aspect I dislike about the MOMENTUM 4 TWS but that can change any day with a firmware update. I’m keeping my fingers crossed. I’m also hoping that aptX lossless catches up and becomes mainstream with a higher level of availability, eventually.
Another plus that counterbalances the lack of LDAC is the available LC3 compatibility on the MOMENTUM True Wireless 4 TWS which is a low-power consumption codec that on its own adds a bunch of features unavailable on other models.
Auracast
The MOMENTUM True Wireless 4 TWS also has the recently developed Auracast technology.
The feature’s main attractions are the ability to share a BT signal or allow you to join another transmission. It’s been implemented and so far you can walk into 6.1 million establishments and join their transmission as of today.
The technology allows you to walk into a political event, a public speaking, a church, or even a concert, and receive a direct transmission. Those occupying the rear seats will surely appreciate this feature.
This feature also allows you to receive a separate PA transmission. Let’s say, you’re in a doctor’s office, or a public office, and an announcer can tap into your set and let you know that your turn is up for example. The future is here folks.
Design
Earbuds
I found the MOMENTUM True Wireless 4 TWS earbuds to be very comfortable.
One of the reasons is their shape but they go further by implementing a replaceable rubber fin around the rim of the front part of the earbud. This allows you to customize the outer shape and you can choose from three sizes that Sennheiser includes with each set.
This fin system is a winner because it allows the user to modify the size that touches the inner ear and that in itself allows you to customize the comfort level. I’m surprised this hasn’t been implemented more often.
The MOMENTUM True Wireless 4 TWS body is composed of a composite design and an all-polymer body. The output stems are short and stubby with a lip around the tip to hang onto the ear tips.
However, be careful with using aftermarket tips because they tend to slip off easily and could prevent the earbuds from seating themselves in the charging case correctly.
The newer ear tip is also designed to reduce clogging, so it is easier to clean if necessary, and also comes with an XS size ear tip set.
The MOMENTUM True Wireless 4 TWS earbuds are IP54 rated and have a couple of built-in features including a sensor that detects when you have them on, along with left and right indicators plus a status or pairing LED.
Cradle
The MOMENTUM True Wireless 4 TWS cradle seems to have the same weight as the previous model. The cradle weighs 66g and is made mostly from polymer materials with a cloth wrap on the top and bottom portion of the cradle.
The cradle has the charging port upfront whereas I would have preferred a rear-mounted one. The port is a USB-C type and a power LED sits left alongside the charging port.
I do have one issue with this design overall. The position of the status LED on the MOMENTUM True Wireless 4 TWS earbuds lies underneath the body and is hidden when inserted into the cradle cavity, and there’s no visual cue if each earbud is charging itself or not.
You can, however, check levels via the Smart Control App which will show which earbud is charging with a little lightning symbol.
That’s just nitpicking I guess because the MOMENTUM True Wireless 4 TWS earbuds do sit within the cradle comfortably unlike some models in that you have to fiddle with their positioning to get the charging cycle going.
It is a sturdy case and it uses magnets to keep the lid closed and the earbuds in place as well.
Features
ANC
The MOMENTUM True Wireless 4 TWS has an effective ANC. It uses adaptive noise canceling and it worked well for most of the situations I encountered or put this set through.
It seems to work on a wide band of frequencies but when someone talks to you from up close, the person’s voice is still heard but they tend to sound robotic or metallic.
There’s also a slight amount of hiss when the ANC is in the off position and on the anti-wind feature. I rarely use the anti-wind feature anyway and just use ANC on occasion which works well for me.
On top of ANC, you can activate the transparency mode which is also adjustable but anything above the medium setting seems to produce lots of hiss. Below that, it works as intended and operates silently.
Microphone System
The MOMENTUM True Wireless 4 TWS uses a MEMS three-microphone setup with beamforming technology.
There are three small openings on the earbuds where the microphones reside. Two of them are on the backplate and there’s another inside right above the top part of the output stem.
I tested the MOMENTUM True Wireless 4 TWS‘s microphone system with my late-model Google Pixel and another late-model phone and the pickup ability was good.
Sennheiser posted some specifications for this mic system. The frequency response, for example, is listed at 100Hz to 10kHz.
The high frequencies seem limited on this set when it comes to mic vocal quality and if I remember well, some of Sennheiser’s previous TWS models such as the CX Plus True Wireless crisper-sounding microphones.
Touch Controls
The touch controls are very stable, intuitive, and responsive, and work as expected on the MOMENTUM True Wireless 4 TWS.
This is not the first Sennheiser TWs that I’ve reviewed that has a good set of touch controls that operate with no finicky issues. I find that most others do.
The total amount of commands while listening to music is eight in total that are activated by a, one, two, or three-tap action plus a hold. While using the phone, there’s a total of six. They’re also customizable from within the Sennheiser Smart Control app.
Sennheiser Smart Control APP
This app is full-featured and includes an equalizer, an earbud ear seal and fit test, and touch control customization. But some of the best features are locked up until you do a full register with a valid email plus you have to hand over additional information which I found to be a bit forward.
On the plus side, with an account, you can carry forward mobile-device-dependent settings (such as location) and apply them faster if you change your mobile device, such as upgrading a phone or changing from iOS to Android.
EQ settings, on the other hand, are stored on the earbud chipsets themselves, so they do not require an account.
Those locked-up features include a sound zone feature where you can store custom sound profiles and a sound personalization feature that tunes the set to your audible preference.
At least you can use the EQ and the fit test along with all the other options available without having to register your information. It is a nice app that includes lots of features and functions to enhance your set so go for it if you got a pair, literally.
Battery life
The internal batteries on each MOMENTUM True Wireless 4 TWS earbud spec out at 75mAh and the cradle’s internal battery at 820mAh which is rather generous and seems to have a higher capacity over many competitors.
This is the one subject that is hard to describe to me because battery life depends on volume levels, how far your source is, and even the type of music you listen to could affect battery life. Battery life also decreases considerably if you use the microphone. I don’t want to spend a day on this subject.
So, all I will do is to try and simplify. I got over 5 hours per MOMENTUM True Wireless 4 TWS bud, close to 6 with heavy music riffs and the volume at 75%. That’s good enough to get you over half a workday or most domestic flights.
If you do run out of power the MOMENTUM True Wireless 4 TWS also has quick charging capabilities in that an 8-minute charge will yield you an hour of playback time at half volume.
This works only when you use a quick charger of over 100mAh. You can also charge this set on a compliant wireless station.
This is a new battery system that was designed to last more charge cycles, with a battery protection mode that prevents charging to 100%, which is, overall, a good practice for battery longevity.
Packaging & Accessories
The first thing you should know is that although the manual that’s in the box is good enough to get you by, the online manual is better, more thorough, and is an excellent source of info on the MOMENTUM True Wireless 4 TWS. There’s also a support pamphlet and a regulation code pamphlet.
Alongside, you get an 18-inch type A USB to type C cable, three additional tips besides the preinstalled one for a total of four sets, plus 2 more sets of ear fins for a total of three sets.
The box itself is a puzzle that folds itself inward to create pockets inside itself to keep all the goodies inside safe while they travel to their destination.
Click on page 2 below for my sound impressions and selected comparisons.
