@@Scott_Bishell I think the sony was more shallow, while the momentum 4 is really harsh with default eq. To me the mid and the treble is to much by default, with EQ i could make it sound how i like. I like the momentum 3s sound better, but people who are "audiophile" listeners will like the momentum 4 better, because the M3 has a lot of high bass and can be rumbly. I tested the M3 and M4 with at least 10 people, and only 2 said that the M4 sounds better, most of them said the M3 sounds is more clear and is more dynamic. But the 2 people who said the M4 is better are kind of audiophiles. I dont know if this helps. Also the Sony had that high bass, there wasnt strong rumbling sounds in it, but the Momentum 4 can do really strong deep bass, but there is almost no high bass. It is hard to express the feeling, it is like when you see a lighning and waiting for it but the sound doesnt come? That is what i feel when i am waiting for the Momentum 4s bass in tracks i listened to with my Momentum 3s. To me the Momentum 3 is the best. I dont know about the Bose tough. The ANC and ambient on the Sony is a lot better, in my car the Sony fully nullifies the wind noise etc. The M4 is strugling with it, it is really good, but Sony does the ANC in a way you dont notice the pressure. The M4 ambient is good if the other person is sitting next to you but from 3 meters it is hard to listen to others, it doesnt let sound in that good. Battery life is great i am charging once a week. I charged the sony on every third day maybe.
I spent two weeks on my own doing testing between the XM5 and the Momentum 4's, I ended up going with the Momentums b/c of the sound stage despite thinking the ANC was stronger with the XM5's.
@@MarkEllisReviews Me! :) They added recently Multipoint connectivity/access, trough Firmware update, for the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 and I love it ^°!
Excellent call on Sledgehammer. In my days as a live sound engineer before systems became computers Sledgehammer was a first choice track to tune a System.
Awesome review. I bought these and the XM4's recently. I totally understand the love for XM4's, they are a fantastic pair of headphones. That said, I personally consider the Momentum 4's to be a full class above in terms of sound quality. I have found the XM4's to have an annoying on-head external sound profile, they are 'noisy' cans when moving the head. And the Momentum 4's just have much more shape and character in the bass frequencies. These Sennheiser cans are the best consumer headphones I have owned, in my humble opinion. I would equate the first time I listened to my music through these cans to the first time I walked into the main room at Ministry of Sound and got hit by the Martin Audio W8 Stack. For reference my listening preferences are Trance, House, Techno, and electronic pop.
When you (at 7:30) talked about the sensitive touch control and that you by mistake turn the music on, its probably has nothing to do with that. You have the auto music feature on which turn the music on automatically. I think you can disable that in the setting. My personal opinion is that the touch control work great and Sennheiser has the perfect "sensetivity balance" for the touch. Cheers!
Really great review - and thank you for Unfinished Sympathy mention - it was THE song to realize how good these sound comparing to Bose and Sony's similar offering. I don't care that much about ANC, but it's there and does the right job for me. The Quality and comfort on these are top notch... love it. You totally won a subscriber with this review! :)
Well done Mark. You’re on the money with this one. I never liked the ‘mushy peas’ sound of the XM4, the XM5 is better but still behind the Apple AirPods Max and definitely behind these. If you get a chance try the B&O beoplay HX (or H95) and the Beyerdynamic Amiron’s as they are pretty good as well. The sennheiser’s are definitely the best value at the minute and deserve to sell really well. Good honest review as always.
Bought this pair because of your review and they are spot on! Mixed reviews from different sources but for me SQ, comfort, multipoint pairing is far superior vs the XM5. ANC is quite comparable not an issue at all.
I remember the original momentum, with the ivory and brown. I ended up selling them off because my ears were a touch too large... but man, those were among the most beautiful headphones i've ever owned. I wished they'd kept the design language.
@@comba06 I am definitely with you on that front. I’ve had my momentum 4s for a couple of months now and they are a very worthy upgrade. The originals were very uncomfortable after about an hour of wearing, but the sound was just amazing. I have to admit though, the 4s are a monstrous upgrade in every aspect.
I miss my 2s!😢 i damaged the cup sliding mechanism. I sent it back for repait and they advjsed jt coulsnt be fixed and would.not send them back!!! It was around the time the 3s were being released. I havent forgiven sennheiser for that yet
I am still using my Momentum 2.0….. Well, technically it is a replacement of the original. The slider became loose so had to be replaced. The ivory and brown leather design can’t be best. But might be time to move on….
I always enjoy your reviews, and many times I have based my purchases on them. If I may request, I would love to see a review on the bowers and Wilkins PX7S2, that would be amazing! thank you
Hey Hiroshi, I own the XM3s. And I'm thinking of upgrading to the XM5 or the Momentum 4. May I know what you did not like with the XM5? I appreciate your time.
@@bamdadmedia hey, i guess the design really put me off, i know it's a subjective thing, i prefer the sleek design of Momentum 4 more. and my biggest disappointment is the new carry case, as Mark also pointed out in the review, it's just too bulky for someone who travels a lot. i've been using M4 for 2 months now and i'm loving it. the ANC is not as good as my Airpod Max, but the sound quality is absolutely amazing
@@hiroshi6421 Thank you! Yes, I'm surprised as to why they did away with the foldable design. I think they nailed that with the XM3 and XM4. The Momentum 4 look so promising too and I've known the Sennheiser to be industry leading in sound quality. Enjoy listening 🎧
I bought a refurbished pair of Momentum 4s, so maybe there's something wrong with them - but I found their ANC to be so lacking that I decided to pay full price for the Sony XM5s for comparison. Where ANC is concerned, between these two the difference is pretty stark. I do wonder how much 'head shape' enters into it and the seal the headphones are able to create. I find that if I'm laying back on a pillow and it pushes the earcups forward (on either model) that can noticeably change the perceived ANC performance. I've decided to keep the Sony's (which I don't think are as comfortable and which have half the battery life) and returning the Momentum 4s. I also don't think enough is said about EQ options when comparing and contrasting sound quality. I find with the Sony's I can use the app's 5 band EQ, DSEE toggle, and clear bass slider to really dial in a sound I like much more easily than I can with the Senns. I appreciate that flexibility, and I'm curious what EQ settings you use for these evals. Great music choices, by the way! Sledgehammer was one of the most influential songs of my childhood, and Steely Dan is a long time fav.
Hey Mark, would you recommend these over the AirPods Max for an apple user? I LOVE sennheiser and their sound but wonder if the APM is better. My biggest items are sound quality > functionality/apple integration > battery life
I just got these and loving them, they are my first premium headphones and the sound is so crisp. I got them brand new for cheap from marketplace (AUD 200). If anyone is guess whether they should get these; go for them.
Sounds interesting! Headphone videos are really difficult to make! You did really well! Did you ever try the Beyerdynamic Amiron Wireless? I think you'd have a lot of fun with this sound! 😀🍀
Thank you so much for your incredible review. This made the decision easy for me and I went with the Momentum 4’s because of this very video. It is important to note that with the most recent updates to the app, even when the headphones are straight out of the box, the sound quality and customizability is through the roof! If anyone else is getting these headphones please don’t simply use it in its stock form. You’re getting about 66% of the full potential!
i think the reason for the look change is that the momentum 4 are also supposed to replace the pcx550's, so their look resembles the look they had. i just went from a pcx 550-II to momentum 4, man the momentum's are great.
@@NaveenVenkataraman at this point i have about 2 weeks with the momentums, there are many things i like about them over the pxc, they soudn better, the bass seems to go lower down, they maintain the really low bass better even when you are listening at a lower volume, i like the feel of them better, they are bigger and heavier, but they seem to sit better on my head. the bluetooth is much better, i live in a house on 2 levels and with the pxc's i could walk around about half the house, with the momentums i can literally go anywhere around the house with out a hick up. the battery is way better, i've charged them once in the 2 weeks and they have more than 60% left when this i ritten. my pxc's never reached the claimed 20hours. only thing i dont like is that on the pxc's you could deactivate the anc with a button, on the momentums you have to go in to the smart app.
@@ivarmarkusson382 how is the anc between the pxc 550s and the m4? I found the pxc 550s anc would give me fatigue after a while so I would often turn it off
@@brosa1212 compared to other anc headphones i've had the pxc's anc felt really soft, when i turned the anc on in my jbl elites it felt like vacum in my head, In comparison í did not feel the pcc's anc so much unless i was outside The momentums to me seem to work on the same principals, but with nrxt gen techology, I dont notice it much at all, but there is noticable difference in how little it affects the overall sound whilen listening to music.
@@ivarmarkusson382 i m a big fan of the momentum 4 (as well) despite one little thing. clamping force with my pair is too much. hope to get rid of that "force" buy wearing them a lot at home plus giving them some good "stretching". did u experience anything similar?
I chose the Momentum 4 over all the others (and believe me, I tried nearly every pair o' head cans on the market, through the course of about 2 months). I've very happy with my choice. The sound IS top notch! It made sense too, as I have the Senn AMBEO Soundbar & the Sennheiser AMBEO Smart headset (for field recording). A few minor issues though (one you touched on in the intro)...the 'is it on or is it off' thing can be a bit annoying. And I've found that is 'very eager' to connct to whatever Bluetooth device is transmitting. For example- listening on my phone, then take them off & set them down...they'll steal the to Mac audio! (bluetooth always on for KB & mouse.) A bit annoying. And yeah-the transparency mode is pretty weak, very muffled. One thing though, that you didn't mention is the 3.5 mm wired connection, which works even WITHOUT the 'phones powered up. THAT to me, is important. It sort of 'future proofs' them. Great review!
@@nikkosr888 I love them! I don’t have anything other than my airpod pros to compare them to but I’d say they blow them out of the park audio wise. Songs and phone calls are extremely clear and sometimes the bass plays so hard it vibrates my ears lol feels like a hair tickling my ears. I was a little disappointed with the noise cancelling but if you have something playing it’s harder to notice background noises, but I still think it’s cool the noise cancelling will kick up a notch if you’re in a noisy environment. And the touch controls are very very sensitive. I would say put them on after you get comfortable, cause my shoulder triggers the play/pause touch function. But I really don’t regret my purchase at all, especially since the battery life lasts so long. I can go the whole week without charging them using them for about 5 hrs a day, 7 days a week. I’d say take all you see with a grain of salt!
@P Kennedy thank you for the review, mate. I don't really care about the noise canceling feature. In fact, I hate the cabin pressure sensation, so a normal NC is fine with me.
@@eriliatrisyia1109 i haven’t noticed them disconnecting! They are not seamless to pair again with an iPhone after they’ve been off tho. Have to manually do it in the settings after turning them on. But I’ve had no issues wearing them for 8 hours straight just fine. Even falling asleep in them with my head flat on my pillow.
Loved this review definitely going to subscribe now. I really want to get the Sennheiser M4s but I can't seem to find a straight answer on whether or not one can switch the ANC off completely.
Other reviewers have mentioned you can only slide it between full ANC and transparency mode... leaving it in the middle isn't quite "off" but as close as you're gonna get. Yeah, I wish you could just turn both off
I have some QC45's at the moment but I'm toying with handing them down. My question in your considered opinion @MarkEllisReviews is; do I get the PX7 S2e, Momentum 4 or stick with the QC45's?
Got them today in the denim colour. Sledgehammer is one of the best damn songs ever anytime. I always crank it in my car. I am very impressed by these. I know it’s good headphone when I have to listen a variety of the best recorded songs to see how amazing those songs sound on them. I’ve been using the momentum earbuds since wired. Get the denim colour people it’s very nice.
Great review as usual, I loved my M3’s pity about the battery life,just the sound is fantastic,the M4’s imho probably aren’t as loud and the bass doesn’t quite resonate as much as the M3’s,a good tester track I find for my new headphones is The Hump by Underworld,lots going on there for sure 😊
I bought them on Friday and returned them today, Sunday. They were not loud enough for me and the automatic turn off when you removed them never worked. And i used them wired, (2.5 to 3.5, and USB C) the volume was fixed and could not be raised or lowered. That was it for me. Looking to get the Focal Elelia wired headphones.
My minor contribution to the debate I was able to test the B&W PX7 S2, the Sennheiser Momentum 4 and the B&W PX7 S2e, To start with the B&W PX7 S2, good build quality. Neutral reproduction, precise soundstage, but all a little congested. Then the Momentum 4, deep bass, but it makes mush in the mids as soon as there are a lot of elements. Not a huge fan of touch controls but I must admit that it works well. Deplorable manufacturing quality however (all plastic). I even ordered it twice to really make sure it didn't work with me :-) Then the B&W PX7 S2e: like the B&W PX7 S2 but with an opening of the soundstage. It's perfect, i kept it ! I could have had even better with the PX8 but it's out of the budget...
I just picked these up today and was torn between them and the xm4s and they do sound great, there's a customizable eq too that helps dial them in some
I have the 3’s which I love. I just look like the look of these, they seem to have gone with the Apple, Sony look. I also use the Sony mx3’s which are great, so while I always crave a decent sound, these don’t make me want to upgrade
Really struggling to choose between momentum 4s and Bose QC and QC ultra. On paper it’s the momentum’s for sound quality and battery and proce but I feel the QCs will be that more comfy for travel and don’t have annoying touch controls!
I have just bought the Bose Quietcomfort Ultra, but thinking of returning them. I really wanted a "wow effect" for the sound quality but haven't had that. Are the Sennheiser Momentum 4 better? I really am interested in sound quality above all. Thank you!!
Enjoyable review, informative and easy to watch. And I agree about Sledgehammer! I've ended up going dowm more of an iem route though still very happily using my Bose nc700 (and my Sony whmx3 had a bit of a reprieve when I listened to them on my LG v60, LDAC, with Apple music's hires lossless. They did a great job, and much better than the same track played from Spotify. The Bose nc700 buttons are brilliant, how buttons should be done. And the Sony has NFC pairing which is so handy. I also have some Edifier stax spirit s3 headphones but have been deeply disappointed with them due to the terrible app and also finding the buttons a pain - having to press several seconds sometime to get them to switch on (and no transparency mode and call quality only managing really when it's indoors).
Yes, headphones and sound are very individual (as you said in this video). For my taste I wouldn't use any ANC headphones for home use! There I have my Beyerdynamic DT 880 which I prefer over tha Sennheiser Momentum 4 (even with ANC turned off)! I'm a little old-fashioned and I prefer cables using headphones. When travelling those semi-open DT 880 were not the right headphones that's where the Sennheiser Momentum 4 shines! I've chosen the Momentum 4 because of the sound! You wondered about the change from Momentum 3 to 4. In the meantime Sennheiser was sold to the Swiss company Sonova Holding (AG)! That's probably why the design changed ... (Sonova is known for their ear correction products which fits quiet nice with headphones and microphones of Sennheiser.)
Love your work and its unique from your to accept your mistakes, its big in this word.yes i got them they are nothing close to Bose or maxpods,their amc not good, for my expectations ,for me it was waste of money, you keep doing your work we love it
Hi and thx for your videos MARK! I ve tested my A** off latley and got the Momentum 4. Best sound performance by far! Even thinking of selling my PX8 which still fits most comfortable on my head (+ leather) but hands down just performce mediocre plus...
You could look into the Audio-Technica ATH-m50x BT2. They have a pretty flat curve in comparison to other headphones, but still have a slight bass bump. They have like 50hrs of playback and pretty decent passive isolation, but your ears can get warmer. But they have a pretty wide variety of accessories due to the longevity of their m50x lineup. And those headphones are sturdy as well!
Hi! I just get a pair of Momentum 4 and I noticed that I hear louder from the right ear than the left :( like all the bass sound are in the right side and the sharp sounds in the other. I’m worried about it , is there a way to listen like equal in both? :( I really appreciate if you help me! 🙁 please.. 🥺
Sledgehammer is great! i am from 98, but i have gotten a lot of my moms music style, so i listen to a lot of 80's music quite often, and this one is on my playlist, i love it, also quite like Life's what you make it by Talk Talk and Save a prayer by the legendry Duran Duran, fantastic songs
Hello I am looking at getting new headphones but I am tied between the momentum 4, bower. And Wilkins 7se, or Beats Studio pro. I listen to hard techno and deep house mainly, with a little bit of alternative rock. Need some help ….
Ok then, a question as a Sennheiser sound signature "liker" (PXC 550-II user as wireless among other wired) looking for upgrade . .. M4 Wireless or PX7 S2 - sound quality, stage and vocals with crisp/fast bass? P.S. Sony XM4/5 are muddy bass for me and not close to neutral at all.
I was in Aw as well at 1st but there are a few bugs that really disrupt my listening experience. When they work, they sound exactly as I want them to be and even the app had an upgrade BUT - You cannot fully turn off the ANC. For some just like me that is a bug - They turn on as soon as you take them out of the travel box. Very convenient at 1st but if you have them in you backpack, they might switch on - another bug as well - Sometimes the audio has interruptions. No matter if I disconnect and reconnect, still the same and for me major issue. I got the XM5s and none of the above mentioned issues appeared so I guess I am going with the XM5s then and since I have an Android phone even better. To those who do not run into such issues, you luck sons of............ 😁
So I know this isn’t the topic but I have AirPods Max but looking for another spare pair of headphones should I wait for 2nd gen air pod max or Sony xm5 or sennheiser want something great music Audio quality 😊
anc is weird in M4. with anc set high, the high speed ceiling fan wind hitting ear cups gives annoying indirect noise. and when enable wind reduction setting to max, the anc effects goes away. In other words, wind reduction feature simply turns on transparency mode. This turns out that I have to keep on transparency to avoid noise of fan wind hitting ear cups. that defeats purpose of ANC. This was not case with xm5 unfortunately they broke just after 1 year of use.
I had an opportunity to try these out briefly at my Local BestBuy. They sounded good but I found the volume level to be low, not sure if it was as a result of the demo limiting the volume. Can anyone confirm volume levels and question #2....are we able to connect these to a DAC and listen to them over wire with full control of volume via the DAC?
What is good and has buttons? Not a Sennheiser Momentum 4 headphones. Any words of inspiration/advice? Loved that someone else likes ....Buttons on personal electronics.
I've got the sennheiser 350's and I mean they great but the head band is horrible for wearing for a long time like I do, they do have physical buttons which the sennheiser 4's don't. But I just got my first part time job at 16 and money is stacking up. 😎 Battery is a must as I can get through a week with my use, so I guess the 4's will be even better. I'm looking at the sony's but it sounds like you don't think they are as good as these, Thoughts?
One BIG gripe with the momentum 4's... They are not loud enough. Using my Samsung S22 phone, 50% volume on my Sony XM4's is pretty damn loud. Connect the Momentum 4's at 50% and I can barely hear the music! Had to crank it up to 100% and even then it's not sufficiently loud. Thought perhaps it was my phone, nope. Same thing when connected to my laptop, had to max out the volume. Big let down for me, I like my music LOUD.
Mark….honest opinion..do you think the Sennheisers are better than the Apple Airpods Max…i want the Sennys but only if i sell the Airpods…i love the Airpods Max but its easy to get bored with someting when something new hits the shelves ??
So I just picked up the xm4 and am returning them because they are so uncomfortable on the head as I wear glasses. I was thinking about picking up the regular 2023 bose qc. Would these be better or which should i consider next
Does he not know about the app.? you can adjust the bass, mids,& highs...the bass and volume are said to be stronger on the momentum 3....but sadly, I haven't heard either one...cheers...😅
Who's up for these new Momentums, then?
How do they compare to Sony, bose et al?
@@Scott_Bishell Big topic, that, which I'm sure I'll dig into at some point. They're right at the top though, given the price and performance.
@@Scott_Bishell I think the sony was more shallow, while the momentum 4 is really harsh with default eq. To me the mid and the treble is to much by default, with EQ i could make it sound how i like. I like the momentum 3s sound better, but people who are "audiophile" listeners will like the momentum 4 better, because the M3 has a lot of high bass and can be rumbly. I tested the M3 and M4 with at least 10 people, and only 2 said that the M4 sounds better, most of them said the M3 sounds is more clear and is more dynamic. But the 2 people who said the M4 is better are kind of audiophiles. I dont know if this helps.
Also the Sony had that high bass, there wasnt strong rumbling sounds in it, but the Momentum 4 can do really strong deep bass, but there is almost no high bass. It is hard to express the feeling, it is like when you see a lighning and waiting for it but the sound doesnt come? That is what i feel when i am waiting for the Momentum 4s bass in tracks i listened to with my Momentum 3s.
To me the Momentum 3 is the best. I dont know about the Bose tough.
The ANC and ambient on the Sony is a lot better, in my car the Sony fully nullifies the wind noise etc. The M4 is strugling with it, it is really good, but Sony does the ANC in a way you dont notice the pressure. The M4 ambient is good if the other person is sitting next to you but from 3 meters it is hard to listen to others, it doesnt let sound in that good. Battery life is great i am charging once a week. I charged the sony on every third day maybe.
I spent two weeks on my own doing testing between the XM5 and the Momentum 4's, I ended up going with the Momentums b/c of the sound stage despite thinking the ANC was stronger with the XM5's.
@@MarkEllisReviews Me! :) They added recently Multipoint connectivity/access, trough Firmware update, for the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 and I love it ^°!
Excellent call on Sledgehammer. In my days as a live sound engineer before systems became computers Sledgehammer was a first choice track to tune a System.
I tried them, and only one thing Wow. The sound stage is wide, the bass is punching and clean, this highs are clear, amazing amazing headphones
I have never heard such a wide soundstage with closed back headphones
Awesome review. I bought these and the XM4's recently. I totally understand the love for XM4's, they are a fantastic pair of headphones. That said, I personally consider the Momentum 4's to be a full class above in terms of sound quality. I have found the XM4's to have an annoying on-head external sound profile, they are 'noisy' cans when moving the head. And the Momentum 4's just have much more shape and character in the bass frequencies. These Sennheiser cans are the best consumer headphones I have owned, in my humble opinion. I would equate the first time I listened to my music through these cans to the first time I walked into the main room at Ministry of Sound and got hit by the Martin Audio W8 Stack. For reference my listening preferences are Trance, House, Techno, and electronic pop.
When you (at 7:30) talked about the sensitive touch control and that you by mistake turn the music on, its probably has nothing to do with that. You have the auto music feature on which turn the music on automatically. I think you can disable that in the setting. My personal opinion is that the touch control work great and Sennheiser has the perfect "sensetivity balance" for the touch.
Cheers!
Will there be a video comparing the Momentum 4's against the XM4/5's? And a great video by the way, love to see what's coming next.
Excellent review video once again. No waffle, spoken in layman terms, straight to the point with a non bias approach. Thank you Mark 👍
Really great review - and thank you for Unfinished Sympathy mention - it was THE song to realize how good these sound comparing to Bose and Sony's similar offering. I don't care that much about ANC, but it's there and does the right job for me. The Quality and comfort on these are top notch... love it. You totally won a subscriber with this review! :)
Well done Mark. You’re on the money with this one. I never liked the ‘mushy peas’ sound of the XM4, the XM5 is better but still behind the Apple AirPods Max and definitely behind these. If you get a chance try the B&O beoplay HX (or H95) and the Beyerdynamic Amiron’s as they are pretty good as well. The sennheiser’s are definitely the best value at the minute and deserve to sell really well. Good honest review as always.
Bought this pair because of your review and they are spot on! Mixed reviews from different sources but for me SQ, comfort, multipoint pairing is far superior vs the XM5. ANC is quite comparable not an issue at all.
Mind elaborating on the multipoint pairing vs the xm5?
I remember the original momentum, with the ivory and brown. I ended up selling them off because my ears were a touch too large... but man, those were among the most beautiful headphones i've ever owned. I wished they'd kept the design language.
I’m just now upgrading from my original momentum’s. Going to be hard to get rid of those!
I hear you but have you tried to wear the original design for hours? Your ears and head get very sore due to the 'heavier' design..
@@comba06 I am definitely with you on that front. I’ve had my momentum 4s for a couple of months now and they are a very worthy upgrade. The originals were very uncomfortable after about an hour of wearing, but the sound was just amazing. I have to admit though, the 4s are a monstrous upgrade in every aspect.
I miss my 2s!😢 i damaged the cup sliding mechanism. I sent it back for repait and they advjsed jt coulsnt be fixed and would.not send them back!!! It was around the time the 3s were being released. I havent forgiven sennheiser for that yet
I am still using my Momentum 2.0….. Well, technically it is a replacement of the original. The slider became loose so had to be replaced. The ivory and brown leather design can’t be best. But might be time to move on….
I already got the Xm4´s and after watch this video I'm thinking about trying these another ones, thanks pal for your accurate analysis...
Never heard of Pop Evil, but damn, that Breathe Again is awesome! thanks for the rec 👍
I always enjoy your reviews, and many times I have based my purchases on them. If I may request, I would love to see a review on the bowers and Wilkins PX7S2, that would be amazing! thank you
Nice review! In the end I just love the Momentum 3 classical looks, would be my option! Currently using HD25 Light and HD250BT.
Added a pair of Sennheiser CX True Wireless (non ANC) and love them!
I was not satisfied with XM5 and happy to hear that Momentum 4 is a decent upgrade. Personally, I love the new look, especially the white one
Hey Hiroshi, I own the XM3s. And I'm thinking of upgrading to the XM5 or the Momentum 4. May I know what you did not like with the XM5? I appreciate your time.
@@bamdadmedia hey, i guess the design really put me off, i know it's a subjective thing, i prefer the sleek design of Momentum 4 more. and my biggest disappointment is the new carry case, as Mark also pointed out in the review, it's just too bulky for someone who travels a lot. i've been using M4 for 2 months now and i'm loving it. the ANC is not as good as my Airpod Max, but the sound quality is absolutely amazing
@@hiroshi6421 Thank you! Yes, I'm surprised as to why they did away with the foldable design. I think they nailed that with the XM3 and XM4. The Momentum 4 look so promising too and I've known the Sennheiser to be industry leading in sound quality. Enjoy listening 🎧
@@bamdadmedia thanks! hope you'll make your decision soon!
How are they ?
I bought a refurbished pair of Momentum 4s, so maybe there's something wrong with them - but I found their ANC to be so lacking that I decided to pay full price for the Sony XM5s for comparison. Where ANC is concerned, between these two the difference is pretty stark. I do wonder how much 'head shape' enters into it and the seal the headphones are able to create. I find that if I'm laying back on a pillow and it pushes the earcups forward (on either model) that can noticeably change the perceived ANC performance. I've decided to keep the Sony's (which I don't think are as comfortable and which have half the battery life) and returning the Momentum 4s.
I also don't think enough is said about EQ options when comparing and contrasting sound quality. I find with the Sony's I can use the app's 5 band EQ, DSEE toggle, and clear bass slider to really dial in a sound I like much more easily than I can with the Senns. I appreciate that flexibility, and I'm curious what EQ settings you use for these evals.
Great music choices, by the way! Sledgehammer was one of the most influential songs of my childhood, and Steely Dan is a long time fav.
Thank you, now i feel confident i made the right choice. Cant wait to test them out
Hey Mark, would you recommend these over the AirPods Max for an apple user? I LOVE sennheiser and their sound but wonder if the APM is better. My biggest items are sound quality > functionality/apple integration > battery life
I just got these and loving them, they are my first premium headphones and the sound is so crisp. I got them brand new for cheap from marketplace (AUD 200). If anyone is guess whether they should get these; go for them.
Sounds interesting! Headphone videos are really difficult to make! You did really well! Did you ever try the Beyerdynamic Amiron Wireless? I think you'd have a lot of fun with this sound! 😀🍀
Thank you! And no, I haven't yet!
Thank you so much for your incredible review. This made the decision easy for me and I went with the Momentum 4’s because of this very video.
It is important to note that with the most recent updates to the app, even when the headphones are straight out of the box, the sound quality and customizability is through the roof!
If anyone else is getting these headphones please don’t simply use it in its stock form. You’re getting about 66% of the full potential!
i think the reason for the look change is that the momentum 4 are also supposed to replace the pcx550's, so their look resembles the look they had.
i just went from a pcx 550-II to momentum 4, man the momentum's are great.
What made the Momentum 4 better than the PXC 550 ii, for you?
@@NaveenVenkataraman at this point i have about 2 weeks with the momentums, there are many things i like about them over the pxc, they soudn better, the bass seems to go lower down, they maintain the really low bass better even when you are listening at a lower volume,
i like the feel of them better, they are bigger and heavier, but they seem to sit better on my head.
the bluetooth is much better, i live in a house on 2 levels and with the pxc's i could walk around about half the house, with the momentums i can literally go anywhere around the house with out a hick up.
the battery is way better, i've charged them once in the 2 weeks and they have more than 60% left when this i ritten. my pxc's never reached the claimed 20hours.
only thing i dont like is that on the pxc's you could deactivate the anc with a button, on the momentums you have to go in to the smart app.
@@ivarmarkusson382 how is the anc between the pxc 550s and the m4? I found the pxc 550s anc would give me fatigue after a while so I would often turn it off
@@brosa1212 compared to other anc headphones i've had the pxc's anc felt really soft, when i turned the anc on in my jbl elites it felt like vacum in my head,
In comparison í did not feel the pcc's anc so much unless i was outside
The momentums to me seem to work on the same principals, but with nrxt gen techology, I dont notice it much at all, but there is noticable difference in how little it affects the overall sound whilen listening to music.
@@ivarmarkusson382 i m a big fan of the momentum 4 (as well) despite one little thing. clamping force with my pair is too much. hope to get rid of that "force" buy wearing them a lot at home plus giving them some good "stretching". did u experience anything similar?
I chose the Momentum 4 over all the others (and believe me, I tried nearly every pair o' head cans on the market, through the course of about 2 months). I've very happy with my choice. The sound IS top notch! It made sense too, as I have the Senn AMBEO Soundbar & the Sennheiser AMBEO Smart headset (for field recording). A few minor issues though (one you touched on in the intro)...the 'is it on or is it off' thing can be a bit annoying. And I've found that is 'very eager' to connct to whatever Bluetooth device is transmitting. For example- listening on my phone, then take them off & set them down...they'll steal the to Mac audio! (bluetooth always on for KB & mouse.) A bit annoying. And yeah-the transparency mode is pretty weak, very muffled. One thing though, that you didn't mention is the 3.5 mm wired connection, which works even WITHOUT the 'phones powered up. THAT to me, is important. It sort of 'future proofs' them. Great review!
Amazing choice of music by the way!
Great for headphones tests: Rush “ Camera Eye” off the Moving Pictures album. Especially Alex’s solo.
Momentum 4 vs Bose QC45 wich one is better and why? 🧐
I’ve bought these after listening to this review 😊
Nice! Enjoy 👍
Thank you, that was pretty soon.
I agreeeee!! I turned it on for the first time today and said the same! Wow! why is it so clear!
Mitch Murder - Glass Cities Mark! That drop exactly @ the 2 min mark should be your new flagship testing track :)
Mine were delivered today and I’m so ready to experience how audio is supposed to be heard! I am still at work and I cannot wait!
How's your experience with momentum 4? I am thinking about getting one.
@@nikkosr888 I love them! I don’t have anything other than my airpod pros to compare them to but I’d say they blow them out of the park audio wise. Songs and phone calls are extremely clear and sometimes the bass plays so hard it vibrates my ears lol feels like a hair tickling my ears. I was a little disappointed with the noise cancelling but if you have something playing it’s harder to notice background noises, but I still think it’s cool the noise cancelling will kick up a notch if you’re in a noisy environment. And the touch controls are very very sensitive. I would say put them on after you get comfortable, cause my shoulder triggers the play/pause touch function. But I really don’t regret my purchase at all, especially since the battery life lasts so long. I can go the whole week without charging them using them for about 5 hrs a day, 7 days a week. I’d say take all you see with a grain of salt!
@P Kennedy thank you for the review, mate. I don't really care about the noise canceling feature. In fact, I hate the cabin pressure sensation, so a normal NC is fine with me.
Hey did u have any connectivity issue with it so far? Like it suddenly or randomly disconnecting and connecting
@@eriliatrisyia1109 i haven’t noticed them disconnecting! They are not seamless to pair again with an iPhone after they’ve been off tho. Have to manually do it in the settings after turning them on. But I’ve had no issues wearing them for 8 hours straight just fine. Even falling asleep in them with my head flat on my pillow.
Thanks Mark I am looking for new phones and these are under consideration still undecided
Loved this review definitely going to subscribe now. I really want to get the Sennheiser M4s but I can't seem to find a straight answer on whether or not one can switch the ANC off completely.
Welcome onboard!
Other reviewers have mentioned you can only slide it between full ANC and transparency mode... leaving it in the middle isn't quite "off" but as close as you're gonna get. Yeah, I wish you could just turn both off
Nice review 👍
I’m thinking 🤔 to buy these or B&O HX . Which do you recommend please ? THX 🙏
I have some QC45's at the moment but I'm toying with handing them down. My question in your considered opinion @MarkEllisReviews is; do I get the PX7 S2e, Momentum 4 or stick with the QC45's?
Got them today in the denim colour. Sledgehammer is one of the best damn songs ever anytime. I always crank it in my car. I am very impressed by these. I know it’s good headphone when I have to listen a variety of the best recorded songs to see how amazing those songs sound on them. I’ve been using the momentum earbuds since wired.
Get the denim colour people it’s very nice.
I know I got them too late but I was still pleased with momentum 2! but the 4 are from another world!
Great review as usual, I loved my M3’s pity about the battery life,just the sound is fantastic,the M4’s imho probably aren’t as loud and the bass doesn’t quite resonate as much as the M3’s,a good tester track I find for my new headphones is The Hump by Underworld,lots going on there for sure 😊
I bought them on Friday and returned them today, Sunday. They were not loud enough for me and the automatic turn off when you removed them never worked. And i used them wired, (2.5 to 3.5, and USB C) the volume was fixed and could not be raised or lowered. That was it for me. Looking to get the Focal Elelia wired headphones.
My minor contribution to the debate
I was able to test the B&W PX7 S2, the Sennheiser Momentum 4 and the B&W PX7 S2e,
To start with the B&W PX7 S2, good build quality. Neutral reproduction, precise soundstage, but all a little congested.
Then the Momentum 4, deep bass, but it makes mush in the mids as soon as there are a lot of elements. Not a huge fan of touch controls but I must admit that it works well. Deplorable manufacturing quality however (all plastic). I even ordered it twice to really make sure it didn't work with me :-)
Then the B&W PX7 S2e: like the B&W PX7 S2 but with an opening of the soundstage. It's perfect, i kept it !
I could have had even better with the PX8 but it's out of the budget...
I’m undecided between these and the PX7 S2 as now both around the same price, in your opinion which of the 2 have the better sound?
Any luck buying any?
@@emilioesteban7355 not yet, the B&W been massively reduced and hard to get so thinking a S3 maybe on the way
I just picked these up today and was torn between them and the xm4s and they do sound great, there's a customizable eq too that helps dial them in some
I loved these headphones BUT the hinges creek like mad! Totally ruins them! Tried 2 pairs and returned them both due to shockingly bad creeking
Wow never experienced that with mine at all!
NOOOOO!
I wanted to replace my old Sennheisers with these. I will try one out and if the build is awful, then I'll go to another brand.
I haven't experienced that at all! I'd have a word with Sennheiser.
Me too 😢
Lube up the hinges
I have the 3’s which I love. I just look like the look of these, they seem to have gone with the Apple, Sony look. I also use the Sony mx3’s which are great, so while I always crave a decent sound, these don’t make me want to upgrade
In your opinion what are the most comfortable headphones while wearing glasses? These? XM4/XM5? Soundcore q45? or any other?
Do you prefer the Momentum 4s or QC45 in terms of sound quality?
Really struggling to choose between momentum 4s and Bose QC and QC ultra. On paper it’s the momentum’s for sound quality and battery and proce but I feel the QCs will be that more comfy for travel and don’t have annoying touch controls!
can you review the bowers&wilkins Px8?
Im really not sure if I should buy them considering the pricetag
I have just bought the Bose Quietcomfort Ultra, but thinking of returning them. I really wanted a "wow effect" for the sound quality but haven't had that. Are the Sennheiser Momentum 4 better? I really am interested in sound quality above all. Thank you!!
Nice they seem great how do you think they are compared to the bt450 as they are half the price what are your thoughts mate ?
Enjoyable review, informative and easy to watch. And I agree about Sledgehammer!
I've ended up going dowm more of an iem route though still very happily using my Bose nc700 (and my Sony whmx3 had a bit of a reprieve when I listened to them on my LG v60, LDAC, with Apple music's hires lossless. They did a great job, and much better than the same track played from Spotify. The Bose nc700 buttons are brilliant, how buttons should be done. And the Sony has NFC pairing which is so handy. I also have some Edifier stax spirit s3 headphones but have been deeply disappointed with them due to the terrible app and also finding the buttons a pain - having to press several seconds sometime to get them to switch on (and no transparency mode and call quality only managing really when it's indoors).
Yes, headphones and sound are very individual (as you said in this video). For my taste I wouldn't use any ANC headphones for home use! There I have my Beyerdynamic DT 880 which I prefer over tha Sennheiser Momentum 4 (even with ANC turned off)! I'm a little old-fashioned and I prefer cables using headphones. When travelling those semi-open DT 880 were not the right headphones that's where the Sennheiser Momentum 4 shines! I've chosen the Momentum 4 because of the sound!
You wondered about the change from Momentum 3 to 4. In the meantime Sennheiser was sold to the Swiss company Sonova Holding (AG)! That's probably why the design changed ... (Sonova is known for their ear correction products which fits quiet nice with headphones and microphones of Sennheiser.)
Just broke my beats so im 100% getting these, great vid!
Should I get these or air pod pro max? I like both.
I'm late to the party, but do to you i own the PX8 from bowers and wilkins, but i got the momentum 4 for a good price on sale. And love em as well!! ❤
Just purchased a pair. I found ways to deliver more in my iPhone so they don’t sound so nerfed. With these changes, they shine.
What'd you do to get more from your phone?
Love your work and its unique from your to accept your mistakes, its big in this word.yes i got them they are nothing close to Bose or maxpods,their amc not good, for my expectations ,for me it was waste of money, you keep doing your work we love it
Hi and thx for your videos MARK! I ve tested my A** off latley and got the Momentum 4.
Best sound performance by far!
Even thinking of selling my PX8 which still fits most comfortable on my head (+ leather) but hands down just performce mediocre plus...
I have these and to say l am completely underwhelmed is an understatement!
Hi Mark! Great review! Are there any bluetooth headphones which sound just as good but don't have ANC?
You could look into the Audio-Technica ATH-m50x BT2. They have a pretty flat curve in comparison to other headphones, but still have a slight bass bump. They have like 50hrs of playback and pretty decent passive isolation, but your ears can get warmer. But they have a pretty wide variety of accessories due to the longevity of their m50x lineup. And those headphones are sturdy as well!
My ultimate speaker / headphone test track since ages: Dire Straits - Calling Elvis.
They are on the way.
Hi! I just get a pair of Momentum 4 and I noticed that I hear louder from the right ear than the left :( like all the bass sound are in the right side and the sharp sounds in the other. I’m worried about it , is there a way to listen like equal in both? :( I really appreciate if you help me! 🙁 please.. 🥺
Sledgehammer is also my "go to" when testing headphones. Thank you for another great review!
Your reviews are top notch.👍🏻
Thank you!
Sledgehammer is great! i am from 98, but i have gotten a lot of my moms music style, so i listen to a lot of 80's music quite often, and this one is on my playlist, i love it, also quite like Life's what you make it by Talk Talk and Save a prayer by the legendry Duran Duran, fantastic songs
Hello I am looking at getting new headphones but I am tied between the momentum 4, bower. And Wilkins 7se, or Beats Studio pro. I listen to hard techno and deep house mainly, with a little bit of alternative rock. Need some help ….
Is it okay to use these while working out?
It's True There is Issue the Sennheiser Momentum 4 headphones Automatically On Inside the Case Inside in the bag while traveling/walking?
Ok then, a question as a Sennheiser sound signature "liker" (PXC 550-II user as wireless among other wired) looking for upgrade .
.. M4 Wireless or PX7 S2 - sound quality, stage and vocals with crisp/fast bass?
P.S. Sony XM4/5 are muddy bass for me and not close to neutral at all.
I was in Aw as well at 1st but there are a few bugs that really disrupt my listening experience. When they work, they sound exactly as I want them to be and even the app had an upgrade BUT
- You cannot fully turn off the ANC. For some just like me that is a bug
- They turn on as soon as you take them out of the travel box. Very convenient at 1st but if you have them in you backpack, they might switch on - another bug as well
- Sometimes the audio has interruptions. No matter if I disconnect and reconnect, still the same and for me major issue.
I got the XM5s and none of the above mentioned issues appeared so I guess I am going with the XM5s then and since I have an Android phone even better.
To those who do not run into such issues, you luck sons of............ 😁
So I know this isn’t the topic but I have AirPods Max but looking for another spare pair of headphones should I wait for 2nd gen air pod max or Sony xm5 or sennheiser want something great music Audio quality 😊
Hey there,
What do you think overall between these and the Bose QC Ultras?
Trying to figure out too
Just got these, why are they so low? Turned everything up through the app, phone and turned them up on the headset... they just dont go loud enough.
right? and no one is talking about it. also, I have an impression that the sound comes from the underwater. So unsatisfying(
Mark Ellis ReviewsThanks Much !
What about the construction, namely how they are connected to the headband? Looks fragile, not classic shape. How's the mic?
Just ordered a pair today. Can you suggest a playlist of good headphone testing songs? Or an album for that matter.
Which one you pick momentum 4, mx5 or mx4? Price is not a issue …
anc is weird in M4. with anc set high, the high speed ceiling fan wind hitting ear cups gives annoying indirect noise. and when enable wind reduction setting to max, the anc effects goes away. In other words, wind reduction feature simply turns on transparency mode. This turns out that I have to keep on transparency to avoid noise of fan wind hitting ear cups. that defeats purpose of ANC. This was not case with xm5 unfortunately they broke just after 1 year of use.
I had an opportunity to try these out briefly at my Local BestBuy. They sounded good but I found the volume level to be low, not sure if it was as a result of the demo limiting the volume. Can anyone confirm volume levels and question #2....are we able to connect these to a DAC and listen to them over wire with full control of volume via the DAC?
Do you still have these headphones? I was thinking about getting them.
What is good and has buttons? Not a Sennheiser Momentum 4 headphones. Any words of inspiration/advice? Loved that someone else likes ....Buttons on personal electronics.
6:17 Sennheiser has to double tap to hear the battery 🔋 percentage. The XM5’s you just press the power button and they tell you.
I've got the sennheiser 350's and I mean they great but the head band is horrible for wearing for a long time like I do, they do have physical buttons which the sennheiser 4's don't. But I just got my first part time job at 16 and money is stacking up. 😎 Battery is a must as I can get through a week with my use, so I guess the 4's will be even better. I'm looking at the sony's but it sounds like you don't think they are as good as these, Thoughts?
Great video. How does the sound compare to the airpod max headphones?
One BIG gripe with the momentum 4's... They are not loud enough. Using my Samsung S22 phone, 50% volume on my Sony XM4's is pretty damn loud. Connect the Momentum 4's at 50% and I can barely hear the music! Had to crank it up to 100% and even then it's not sufficiently loud.
Thought perhaps it was my phone, nope. Same thing when connected to my laptop, had to max out the volume.
Big let down for me, I like my music LOUD.
Good alternative to this
Mark….honest opinion..do you think the Sennheisers are better than the Apple Airpods Max…i want the Sennys but only if i sell the Airpods…i love the Airpods Max but its easy to get bored with someting when something new hits the shelves ??
I love mine! had them for almost a year - but apparently I have a small head... They slip a little when leaning forward. ! :)
So I just picked up the xm4 and am returning them because they are so uncomfortable on the head as I wear glasses. I was thinking about picking up the regular 2023 bose qc. Would these be better or which should i consider next
Good call on Sledgehammer, that track has really good range and it’s REALLY crisp. One of my big time testers is Roger Waters - Amused to Death.
Great choice!
these over the S2e?
Strange Pleasures by Still Corners is the best song to test sound with.
I totally agree with your comments
regarding headphone controls. No swipes or taps. Please give us buttons!
So do the momentum for headphones have an I p rating?
Can you make calls on them? I mean do they come with a built-in mic?
Does he not know about the app.? you can adjust the bass, mids,& highs...the bass and volume are said to be stronger on the momentum 3....but sadly, I haven't heard either one...cheers...😅
Is the Bass feedback better on the Momentum 3's or 4?
I like ur reviews is there a pair that u recommend that’s not 400$ thanks
How does it sound wired?