I own the Momentum 4s (former xm4) and have tried the Sony xm5s. I find the xm5 to have better noise cancelling than the momentum 4s if you're just wearing the headphones without music, but with music the difference is negligible.The mic quality on both headphones are very similar, however it is true the xm5s have better noise isolation. As for the sound quality, I think the momentum 4s are unmatched, especially just based off the default EQ settings (which I later adjusted to my preferences). Every person that I have given the headphones to to try have all said every instrument and frequency is clear as if they are all laid out in front of you, allowing every aspect of the track to shine. I also noted that in listening to my favourite songs, the depth was mind- blowing. I was able to hear things in the track that I hadn't heard listening to the same song with a speaker. And when you consider the price, it only adds to the amazement. £/$/€100 less for better sound quality and 60. hours. of battery life (I've been using these headphones for 5/6 days and haven't charged them since I got them), only at the cost of slightly worse ANC and mic noise isolation. In my eyes, these are hands down the best headphones on the market right now, I cannot recommend them enough. I wish everyone could just hear for themselves because that's the only way you could truly do them justice. Hats off to sennheiser, I don't think I'll be looking anywhere else for headphones anytime soon.
I feel that music is still a little compressed on the Momentum 4 but sounds way better than Sony in LDAC, is about the tuning and quality drivers in the end, I enjoy the SM4s more than my XM4s, imagine the day the momentum release a HiFi certify headphones, sound will be crunchy crip.
Same for me guys :) Listen to avenged sevenfold song st-james and i was: oh my freaking lord the difference !! Bass drum is wayyyy more punchy and tight with momemtum 4 :) Instruments separation is phenomenal. With xm5, it’s good music throw to your ears and you feel music only in your head. With momemtum 4, you have voices in the middle of your eyes, each instruments at the left and right and you can hear the bass guitar at your right and the lead guitar at your left and the second guitar in the center, double bass drum in the center and you can hear a separation between the two pedal… wow it’s awesome !!! Sony can do that !!!
I was legitimately waiting just for your review. You bring up some criticisms that other reviewers haven't for some reason and you are brutally honest.
I have tried all three let me tell you my opinion. 1) XM4 are bass heavy out of the box compared to M4 and especially compared to XM5. 2) People say XM4 doesn't have a high range but you can always adject it in EQ(i was using OnePlus 8T so i was using Dolby Atmos EQ). When i tried to increase the bass in XM5, the sound started to crack. M4 has good tight bass but not as much as XM4 3) In the ANC department XM4 & XM5 destroy M4. Personally, i can't differentiate between XM4 & XM5. 4) In microphone voice quality XM5 is best. Then XM4 and at last M4. 5) XM4 feels little loss. When you move your head it feels like it can fall down. The M4 has a little bit of a tight grip. XM5 has the best feel while wearing it. 6) Believe me don't go for LDAC s**t. In real life you can't notice any difference if you are using a music subscription having 320kbps quality (personally i tried tidal also and not very very slight difference in some songs when we especially look for it). 7) M4 sound feel like it surround your ears while XM5 and especially XM4 feel like sound is through directly to your ear. 8) Battery life is as individual specifications. Final verdict: See, you are only looking for great sound quality or great battery life then go for M4. For good sound quality and great ANC go for XM5(when i increased the bass in EQ it started cracking between 20-60HZ, don't know if this was an issue with my device or universal). Finally, if you are looking for great ANC and Bass heavy sound quality go for XM4(Note: you can always increase high end in EQ but you can't increase "clean bass without distortion" in EQ without compromising mid and high). Hope it helps 🙂
Let's say that the mic of the M4 is indeed the last compared to the XM, but is it good if it's not compared to the two? Can the other person still hear our voice clearly and block noisy background noises? Cuz as long as it works, I'm prioritizing the sound quality and comfort as I primarily use it for music, but I still wanna be able to take a call with it.
Can confirm Sennheiser still hasn’t fixed the balancing issue I bought a pair of Momentum 4s and as a audio engineer I noticed immediately that audio was unbalanced and overall louder on the right side, they sounded good even with that problem but it was very annoying so I ended up returning them. I don’t care how good they sound I just can’t get down with the unbalanced audio especially if I’m paying close to $400 I expect the quality control to be better
@@TheWolod well i let a couple of my friends that are average consumers hear the headphones and they could also notice it right away. I guess u could take a risk and just hope the pair they send u isnt messed up lol but from what ive seen its almost like a 50/50 chance u get a good pair with some people returning one pair to only get another replacemnet pair thats messed up. So i just wouldnt recommend the Momentum 4s.
@@levi8781 Just received my SM4 yesterday, and I can say that the audio is balance. Maybe I was just lucky that i got a good pair? and btw the sound quality is phenomenal.
Sennheiser released a new “sound personalization” feature last year, and you can radically change the sound of the headphones using it. It has allowed me to bring the mids and trebles out in a way that the standard EQ doesn’t even come close to, and gets rid of that boomy bass-heavy sound that came with them out of the box.
Both Sony have more bass sound than Sennheiser momentum 4 that they are excellent for the movie listening.🎶🎧🥁 But, Sennheiser momentum 4 gives feeling much better for the guitar sound rhythms🎸with clearer and more natural voices like real music instruments.🎶🎧🥰 Both Sony and Sennheiser have different musical styles.
I'm sticking with my discounted XM-4s. Also, hindsight 20-20 as it were, I'm glad I went for the Sennheiser TWS Momentum 3s for the win as their noise cancelling is bloody amazing.
I had both of them and I can say for myself that the comfort and the transparency on the xm5 is the main reason to upgrade. But if you are ok with them, you don't necessarily need to upgrade.
I didn't notice the L & R balance being off with my pair, everything sounded great. Unlike the Ashdown Meters, the balance was so bad I had to return them. I was initially disappointed in the 3 band EQ, but after listening to many genres of music, I actually find it best to just leave it flat. I do wish the transparency mode gave me a little more transparency because I still can't hear anyone talking to me even if it's cranked all the way up.
Its great to see some sound signature's, but that seems somewhat moot when you have EQ. It would be great to see EQ'd results, close to flat, close to harman curve, etc. I know that is asking a lot, but looking at stock curves does not tell the full story.
This was a review for the Sennheiser M4, but it sold me on the Sony XM5. I'm a fan of Sennheiser, but, since I made the change to wireless bluetooth noise reducing headphones, I've been team Sony -- And I've tried many, many brands (many of them budget noise celling NC headphones I will admit). Including some early Sennheiser noise cancelling headphones which were just awful. (I like Senn's wired headphones though.) I've been using the Sony noise cancelling headphones since the XM3's. I'm on XM4 and will upgrade to XM5 when the opportunity presents itself.
The clarity and color of the Momentum 4 is unique. I tested the XM4 and XM5, and they have an impressive ANC and software, but the sound lacks color and the bass is very punchy. It’s true that Seenheiser was bought by Sonova, and now they are trying to innovate, which is a learning curve. I hope that the app and features evolve in the following months.
Agree, I was choosing between xm5 and sm4, after trying both. Sm4 sound quality is way better than the xm5. Finally got to choose after 2 weeks of everyday extensive research. sm4
Appreciate your in-depth analysis and sampling for various conditions/audio quality. Haven't seen other reviewers make that much effort. I was thinking of buying Sennheiser M4, but after your detailed review, and the samples on your website, I can't help but think Sony XM4 and 5 are much better - for the price Sony XM4 > Sennheiser M4, even when latter is the more recent release. Sony XM4 might have problems with making calls in a noisy environment, but that's a very minor inconvenience (and I am not planning on running around with my headphones in public anyway). Picking headphones seems to be much more difficult than buying a whole computer. Subscribed to your channel because how easy you make it for the viewers to get a good idea of what the headphones would sound like (discounting whatever headphones one uses to actually watch your videos 😅)
@@danlevyart with the right equipment. For my case, I’ve bought 2 pairs of momentum 2 over ears, and one of them was sounding off, the volume of the left side was way more dominant, and it shifted the stereo feeling towards that side. I switched them at the local Sennheiser distribution center, since then, no problems so far.
@@bazsko9600 Yo first thank you for the response. We got a new FW update to look at. Version 4.1.4 23h ago What's new in Sennheiser Smart Control 4.1.4: - Fixed Equalizer issue for MOMENTUM 4 - Performance optimization and Ul bug fixes 🙋🏻♂️🙋🏻♂️
Bought xm4 3 months ago the problem i am facing is irritating noise that comes in right ear cup after long time use (4-5 hrs) and this is a major problem there are hundreds of Post on YT and Reddit people complaining about it . and the worse thing is sony is not recognizing it. - I visited service center twice but the technician never found the problem. - emailed every costumer support with my problem in brand new product their reply was "We cannot do any service to change the performance of the product according to your expectation. We would request you to enjoy the performance of your product." Conclusion :- xm4 are Good but if it came with bugged ANC then your money is wasted you cant do anything. - Sony service (INDIA) is total joke their technician and service representative are total garbage.
As owner of two pairs from this comparison I can say: all true and issue with balance too! ANC on m4s and whxm4 is comparable. Mic is better on sennheiser. But I have one worst moment: Sennheiser is boiling on my ears, if environment not cool… But sound and stage on m4 are unbelievable, and moreover better than on px7s2 with lower price
Nice review. I picked up the Momentum 4 recently and am really liking it so far (hardware version 4.0, firmware 2.9.12). Really comfortable and great sound. I tried a balance test but couldn't perceive a difference. I thought the ANC was the best I've tried but your tests clearly show the Sony XM5 is a step up. But the $100 price difference and 60 hr battery life are good reasons to lean towards the Momentum.
I have a question, do you hear any kind of noise from the right earcup when the transparent mode is maxed out? It may be hard to hear, but I would like to try it in a quiet place and hear your opinion.
@@Shishishi-rj2xk With full transparent mode I can hear some white noise (probably from the microphone) but I'm not sure if it's solely from one ear cup.
Hey everyone, I just got the sennheiser momentum 4 today and I have to say it very good. For those of you that have the imbalance problem, I suggest going on your phone's setting, go to accessibility, the go to hearing enhancements and turn on mono audio. This made my headphone sound equal, but I noticed there is a more punchier bass when listening to music on mono audio. So I suggest going on sennheiser smart control and boosting the treble and mid on the equalizer. Lower the bass if you are not a bass head. You can also go on the accessibility, the hearing enhancements and use then left/right audio or sound balance.
No Question, XM4's are THE most well rounded can's. They have better noise cancellation, the best bass, still have VERY comparable clarity of sound, they can fold up, they have THE best case and they have the most features for customization. The clarity on the Momentum 4's are excellent, to be sure, but that's all that they have going for them. The XM4's are still very close to them, clarity wise and still have better bass.
I agree, but the bass is dull comparison to M4. You don't have any noticeable sub bass. It's big difference to deny. And overall sound quality is better on M4.
@@DenisasPupkevicius Not if you use XM4's EQ. My settings: +7 +4 +7 +4 +7. Clear bass at +10. I watched Wednesday on Netflix using them and my old Bose QC35 Mark I. The Sony blew them away. The stage is grander.
The only thing that makes me disappointed with the Sennheiser is the noise canceling is poorer than the competition, otherwise the sound profile is excellent.
Well yeah, if he’s doing just the stock tuning out of the box, the Sennheiser’s are going to sound better but the truth is the Sony’s have a better sound overall if adjusted properly. I have all three sets and I will take the XM4’s ALL DAY EVERY DAY!!
Man...you are THE ONLY person telling the complete truth on the headphones. Most people just want to overhype these things. There is no way on God's Earth I want anything to do with unbalanced drivers..
Extra reason for ppl to turn off ANC is that it can cause headaches for some ppl like myself. I have WF1000XM4 and I can't have ANC on unless its really needed. Thanks for the good videos
Been using the Momentum 4 for over a week now and tried my friend's XM4 today. I almost thought that my headphones were broken. The passive ANC on the XM4 are on another level.
How the sound quality though? How much better are they on the Momentum 4? I have XM3 and I understand the sound quality is similar to the XM4, and both are outclassed by the Momentum 4
@@FrozenAXL Addition to @TheKillerind, I am using XM5 for 3 days, there is muffled sound with 3.5mm jack and ASC off. Also I could not get the difference with ANC on/off. Because passive nc is same as active one for me. It is strange.
@@floriansteininger347I have XM3. It sounds just terrible. I don't care about app quality (it's useless anyway) and ANC, because sound is just so bad!
Amazing review, I love the Sennheiser but agree with the comment on unbalanced sound if I knew they were fixing this I would keep them over the XM4’s, such a shame.
They did not fix it can confirm lol I bought a pair of Momentum 4s last week and as a audio engineer I noticed immediately that audio was unbalanced and louder on the right side, they sounded good even with that problem but it was very annoying so I ended up returning them. I don’t care how good they sound I just can’t get down with the unbalanced audio especially if I’m paying close to $400 I expect the quality control to be better
06:44 no no no, the main reason is to stay safe and reviewer should stress this much much more. You are more willing to turn off anc when you walk in the street to be aware of your surrounding (car, bus, etc.). More prevention should be done especially for younger audience. Great review by the way. :)
I've read reports of some units having sound balance issues and others not. Some users have exchanged them and the new unit doesn't have the issue. So don't wait on a software update. Exchange them. If you get two faulty units get your money back and wait for reports that the issue has been addressed. $400 is an expensive decorative object. And if you want a decorative object for your headphones the blue PX7 S2 or if you can find a Bose NC700 in soapstone are your best bets, not these.
Went to a local store yesterday and spent a long time listening back to back, to different headphones. I was no fan off the momentum 4, yed it had a lot off detail, but they lacked a balance. On some jazz tracks the saxophone sounded overly bright and even harsh. Bass was not very good, there was to much and it was boomy, also not very transparent or defined. Also tryed de bose 700, not very impressed. Dit much better in the bass department as far ass transparency and defenition go. Not bad really, better than the momentum 4. De sony xm5 felt most natural although it was to bass heavy for me, more so than the momentum 4. But it was much easyer to listen to. Seperation was much better than the momentum 4 and bose 700. There was no harshness, yet there was a lot of detail. The xm4 was even more bass heavy and lacked the seperation of the xm5. Also tryed the jbl tour one, this was a suprice! It seemed to be the most balanced of them all! Seperation was very good, al very balanced sound, althoug still a little bit to much upperbass, but the least of them all. It was clearer then the xm5, but no where as harch ass the momentum 4. Later on in a different store i found the momentum 3 and pxc 550-ii. The latter didnt have the same testing songs, but the momentum 3 sounds much better to me than the momentum 4. Very different sound overal. The momentum 3 was much more laid back, neutral and natural than the momentum 4. What a difference. The momentum 3 are much more alike the xm5, not as big bass than de xm5, which is a good thing. But z bit too much upper bass, this was very noticable whit gregory porter and some other music, the upperbass consumed some midrange detail. Treble was nice and easy to listen to. The pxc 550-ii won the game for me. This was the most neutral and audiophile of them all. Very clear and detailed midrange, no bass boomyness, but very detailed contrabasslines and stuff like that, all the others made contrabass pluks so boomy that every detail was lost. Pxc 550-ii did this the best, for a little more bass but retaining most of the detail in this region I would recommend the jbl tour one. Both af these ar most neutral and balanced. Jbl wass a bit more treble heavy, but still whitin an eccaptable margin. Bit realy, the pcx 550-ii seemed to me to be the most audiophile and comparable to what I experienced with a good hifi se of speakers and amp!
Just got my Sennheizer M4. I also noticed this unbalanced stage thing. But I have it vice-versa: the right one is louder in many cases. First, I thought something wrong with my ears, then I had impression that this sensor, which detects whether headphones are on your head, gives more air to the ear cup and that's why it gives more "wide" sound. Waiting for the update or some information from Sennheizer. All other things - just great! Sound is more bassy, but that's what I like. It's not bassy as cheap headphones, it definitely more "wide" and detailed. I don't like headphones which has bright mids. Thanks Aaron!
Xm4 sounds the best to me. I have the wf-1000xm4 ear buds and I absolutely love them. Watching your review on them is why I bought them.. and I have zero regrets
they sound the most balanced but not very detailed in this comparison. I know that you can't really tell by listening to a recording on youtube but the sennheiser sounded clearer. However, it's tonality is quite weird. Certain treble areas are boosted, the bass is weird because they are boosting the sub-bass, yet there is not a high quantity of it. They almost sound a bit v-shaped but with a weird treble and a lack of bass in the higher bass frequencies. I guess they are doing that in order to provide a more detailed sound but it just doesn't sound natural.
Fingers crossed hoping you are right about the XM5’s having better sound quality! I will find out soon. I just got the momentum 4’s today and the xm5’s are coming any day now. The sound quality is definitely a step up from my previous Sony MDR-XB950BT’s. But I’m not super blown away. However I’m still thoroughly satisfied. I’m not a fan of the momentum 4’s bass boost toggle in the app. I don’t think it does a good job unfortunately. Seems to make the sound more muffled. This headphone testing journey is a lot of fun though. I will be testing the Bose quiet comfort and the XM5’s in a matter of days. I will be choosing only one so this will be a fun experience. I ordered the XM5’s in blue and am super stoked. So we’ll see. Time will tell. On another note, I’m curious what you think about the Beats Studio Pro. They have dropped in price by quite a bit so I wouldn’t mind picking them up as a 2nd pair. I’ll check to see if u have a video about them. Thanks.
Freaking awesome video dude. ANC and call is no contest. xm5 wins. Sound...I don't get the momentum hype based on this test. Both XMs sound better to me and the driver imbalance is just a deal breaker
I've just bought the Special Edition and the balance sounds fine. I have also got the XM5s to test and for my ears, the Momentum 4 are far superior to the XM5 testing both pairs with a flat equaliser setting.
Considering buying the Momentum 4 or the XM-5, I was so waiting for this review. Watched all other comparisons / reviews on TH-cam, but your review made things so much clearer. Thanks a lot!
@@andrey-ua2005 У меня Сони xm5. Вчера у знакомой послушал SMomentum 4. Senheiser звучит и выглядит внешне по лучше. По дизайну мне что-то xm3 больше заходит.
Most realistic + Pure Sound goes to Sennheiser. Can’t believe other reviewers are praising Sony. I am a sony fan but sennheiser deserves a lot more respect for this
Thank you Aaron, great video. On the sound sample, the Sony XM5 sounded better to me with warmer rich mid’s. The new M4 seems to sound much different of the M3 that I own.
They don’t. Sound signature of m3 vs m4 is similar. I would advice you to go and listen for yourself as none of the headphones sound the same in real life compared to TH-cam reviews.
@@dariuszwojcik1601 I own the M2, M3 and M4 plus the XM3. The M3 and M4 don't sound similar at all. The M3 imo sound much better and more detailed in the mids to the M4. I'm overall very disappointed with the M4s. The only good thing is the battery life
@@MajorAMinor me too, I was expecting better sound than the XM5s and what I got was a sound that wasn't even as good as the XM4s. The Momentum 4s are harsh sounding, both in bass and treble, but they do have really deep bass and Soundstage, perfect for movies, and games, more than music actually... Bought the XM5s and the M4s and returned the M4s, the sound on the XM5s is just very pretty, after Eq.
Interesting how the comments are so split on what is the best, i guess it all comes down to personal preference ay. I will just try them all and keep my personal favourite. I think the xm5 is gonne be the one i will pick, but we will see :)
It's strange that I'm listening to the samples through some Samsung ear-buds and can hear the difference. The Sennheisers sound more full and robust with a bit more punchy bass and clearer high end. I've played music for years and have an ear for tone quality. If I'm getting headphones, my biggest judgement will be the sound quality first followed by the various features.
I've owned the momentum V2s for years, wear them everyday at work (construction) they've been through rain, snow, dust, they fell, took hits and they still work almost flawlessly. I'd love to give the V4s a try but I'm afraid about build quality and durability. Also, how well does the "touchscreen" work when wet (wet hands, rain) ?
I am torn between xm5 and momentum 4. My top priorities are noise canceling and sound quality. Which one tops the other in. 😅. I will use it mostly for music (wide genres mainly rock, acoustic and edms) and calls at the office. What i dislike about xm5 is the music sounds fuller, translates to more noise when volume is up, while m4 has more clarity even with rock music and edm. I wish m4 had xm5 noise cancelling level then it would be perfect Something to note as well, both have the same price in my local store
Iam literally stuck in same situation as you iam currently very confused between sony xm4, xm5 and sennheiser momentum 4 i want to buy an all rounder headphones one which i can use on my ps5, ioad pro and phone. I mostly play games like rdr 2 so their is no issue of playing with mic and i heard sound is better on momentums but iam really very confused because i want to buy headphones for a long run Btw currently sony xm4s are the cheapest and xm5 and sennheiser momentum 4s are on same price after discount durability and comfort is also very important for me
Guys, if you don't care much about a perfect ANC, don't search any more reviews! Momentum 4 are by far a class apart in comfort and sound quality! Just by far the best value purchase in my life time!
I dont care much who is better in my point of view no one of this is perfect…they have the pros and cons…i bought before the XM4 then XM5 and lately the Momentum4…alternating one another as long as i have something to listen and enjoying with it….if you are happy buying one of this go for it!…
Am I crazy to think imo the WH-1000XM4's sound better, because i don't like having a very flat or well rounded sound. I like a little more basss but not too much. And the XM4's delivered IMO. Also I have tried the XM5's on, and to be honest the depth inside of ear cups seems shorter than the XM4's so my ears were touching the drivers, so if you are a big eared dude like myself and don't like the ears touching the drivers, it may be something to consider. Otherwise, the other aspects were better on the XM5's
Hi Aaron! I really enjoy your headphone reviews. I liked the sound signature of the Sennheiser better, then the XM4 and then the XM5. According to the values I prefer to buy the XM4, because the Sennheiser is the most expensive. Do you think that an upgrade could improve the sound of the XM5 to the level of the XM4, or can I buy the XM4 anyway? This is the doubt I am in. Thanks a lot!
I have the same balance sound issue with my current PXC 550 sennheiser headphones. I found that the left was always slightly louder and had lightly better ANC than the right side
weird my pxc550 ori has no such issue and been using it for more than 5-6 yrs till the headband started to wear off. don't like the pxc550 gen 2 cause the sound just doesn't seem right and was in between m4 and bathys after trying xm4, xm5, bose ultra, px7s2, px8 and ultra. End up with m4 cause bathys dune no promo so m4 price for value beats all. love the m4 sound.
I'm also deciding btwn those two - XM5s and Momentum 4s. I'm gonna buy today but think I'm leaning for M4s for my needs as i care more for sound quality than noise cancelling. everywhere i look it seems the consensus is that momentum 4 is for if you want sound quality and xm5 if you want noise cancellation. other than for calls, i don't care about superb noise cancellation as I always want to hear everything around me. Im a woman and jus feel like i need to hear who's walking behind me a lot and I think excellent noise cancellation would make me more fearful walking around and traveling alone as i usually do. secondly, I would mainly use these outdoors at the gym and want them for specifically that. third, I would wear them for walking around as a 2 in 1 ear warmer and music haha. but yeah noise cancellation I don't think i really care for. maybe the wind a lot cus i bike everywhere as transportation but i prefer to wear a helmet nowadays when biking over headphones.. jus Incase an accident. idk but I think imma bite the bullet and jus hope that these are easy to clean from sweat cus while i want them to be warm for these cold months now, i also don't wanna sweat badly in them. i mainly lift. so hopefully the heat buildup is somewhere in the middle cus i understand i want two opposing things there. i wish they were like another pair i learned about in a review where you could remove the pads for cleaning. but you can't have everything i guess.. also i mainly listen to percussion music. i dance a lot - Latin music. salsa and bachata would sound better on the M4s according to all the reviews than on the XM5s. i also wish they had the gos tracker bc I lose/misplace EVERYTHING all the time lmfao
they are great, i jus find them to be way to loose. my head is not as big as they make the fit. it could be a lot tighter to avoid falling off and i still wouldn’t complain about pain i think. that’s how loose they are. otherwise, they are perfect.
@@EckardtEdits they’re excellent except for guilt for bigger heads as they’re a bit to loose on me but don’t really fall off that easily either. i can look down sometimes and feel them slipping tho and they have fallen off as i sometimes get lazy to readjust
Hi Buddy, Thanks for the elaborative review between these three headphones, I was also searching if XM4 or XM5 can be used for Video Editing as well, XM is bassyl I guess and Sennheiser gives original sound. But still I found XM listed as a headphone that can be used for Audio Editing/ Video Editing. What is your verdict on Using a "wireless" Sony XM4 or XM5 for video editing or using Sennheiser (wired) HD300 Pro or HD400 Pro or HD599 Special Edition?
This is interesting because in @techknowbiz ‘s binaural test the sound he picks up from the XM5s sounds like what your test got from the momentum 4s. Very flat and almost muffled, or overly compressed. Which has been my experience with the Sonys as well. Ridiculous question and I’m sure the answer is no, but any chance the samples got swapped in your edit? Interesting to hear 🤔🤔🤔
Hmm...according to your frequency plots, there isn't a "dip" in the m4 response mid-low -- it has a roughly flat response in that region. The Sonys don't -- they have a "bump".
How do the temperatures in the earcups compare between the three? Particularly interested to know how they fare in a hot and humid place like Singapore.
for me the most frustrating thing was too actually realize that i could not turn of ANC/transparancy mode, It makes my ear get stuffy and it hurts and I would like to use it WHEN I NEED IT... how can no off button be possible in 2023, I dont get it. Beside of that yes, the app is buggy. Over all I like the design, the sound is good even if I would have liked more midbass precision, and battery life is obviously insane. But I am seriously thinking of returning it because of the "no off button" thing. Anyway I find you videos particularly accurate and efficient so thanks for that! By the way do you know if sennheiser update often their products? It's been 5 months now since the release and I am still hopping it will get better soon... Thanks!
The M3s sound way more detailed and better than the M4s imo, especially in the mids where it matters. They are way more exciting to listen to. I'm a Sennheiser fan and I'm very disappinted with the new M4s overall. I could easily point out 10 negative points. ANC is still pretty bad compared to my XM3s. Build quality is a joke. I've never owned a new pair of headphones with hinges that crack with every slightest of head movement. Battery life is pretty much the only highlight. They're worth no more than 80 bucks imo.
I have XM3 for gym. They are loud enough, but the sound is just terrible (they are very dull, sound like in a barrell). What about M4 in terms of sound quality and loudness comparing to XM3?
I personally own both and I actually completely prefer the xm4 over the senheiser. Especially when it comes to jamming out. But I will say when it comes to more acoustic songs I do prefer the m4 over the xm4
hey this is an amazing review and thank you for that! which one of these do you think would be more suitable for listening rock and metal? I thought Sennheiser would be the better choice.
I tried these including the Bose headphones and ended up with the Sony XM5 since I mostly will use this type of headphone with ANC. It's the best overall performance value if you can find one on sale.
Was trying to decide between these 3 but I cant find anywhere in my country that has the sennheiser's since there is no sennheiser store in Singapore, so I'll just try the XM4 and 5 and decide between the two
Hi Aron, did you get in touch with Technics EAH-A800E-K ? interesting headphones which supports LDAC. Im wondering how they are standing with competition
I do not like XM5 sound, XM4 had better to my likings. However XM4 were not as comfortable for me as XM5's are so I cannot decide. I was wondering about Sennheiser M4 but I heard they do not have good firmware and have issues with not only not balanced between right and left ear but also about bluetooth pairing and the music off/on feature when wearing the headphones. I ended up not buing anything :)
Did you change the EQ sound on the XM5s? If not, try this: If everything is in the middle (normal): First notch +4 (400) 2nd notch +6 (1k) 3rd notch +10 (2.5k) 4th notch +10 (6.3k) 5th notch +8 (16k) Clear bass do whatever you choose, but I do +3 This should help them sound both clearer and brighter, and personally they absolutely destroy the "normal" setting
Hey everyone, I just got the sennheiser momentum 4 today and I have to say it very good. For those of you that have the imbalance problem, I suggest going on your phone's setting, go to accessibility, the go to hearing enhancements and turn on mono audio. This made my headphone sound equal, but I noticed there is a more punchier bass when listening to music on mono audio. So I suggest going on sennheiser smart control and boosting the treble and mid on the equalizer. Lower the bass if you are not a bass head. There is also another were to make the headphone sound equal, there is a left/right sound balance adjustment in the same area as "mono audio" just move the dot either left or right to hear the difference.
I own the Momentum 4s (former xm4) and have tried the Sony xm5s. I find the xm5 to have better noise cancelling than the momentum 4s if you're just wearing the headphones without music, but with music the difference is negligible.The mic quality on both headphones are very similar, however it is true the xm5s have better noise isolation. As for the sound quality, I think the momentum 4s are unmatched, especially just based off the default EQ settings (which I later adjusted to my preferences). Every person that I have given the headphones to to try have all said every instrument and frequency is clear as if they are all laid out in front of you, allowing every aspect of the track to shine. I also noted that in listening to my favourite songs, the depth was mind- blowing. I was able to hear things in the track that I hadn't heard listening to the same song with a speaker. And when you consider the price, it only adds to the amazement. £/$/€100 less for better sound quality and 60. hours. of battery life (I've been using these headphones for 5/6 days and haven't charged them since I got them), only at the cost of slightly worse ANC and mic noise isolation. In my eyes, these are hands down the best headphones on the market right now, I cannot recommend them enough. I wish everyone could just hear for themselves because that's the only way you could truly do them justice. Hats off to sennheiser, I don't think I'll be looking anywhere else for headphones anytime soon.
I feel that music is still a little compressed on the Momentum 4 but sounds way better than Sony in LDAC, is about the tuning and quality drivers in the end, I enjoy the SM4s more than my XM4s, imagine the day the momentum release a HiFi certify headphones, sound will be crunchy crip.
It's the exact same reason why I returned the xm5. My xm4 is more than adequate for listening and even better than in some genres.
Same for me guys :)
Listen to avenged sevenfold song st-james and i was: oh my freaking lord the difference !! Bass drum is wayyyy more punchy and tight with momemtum 4 :)
Instruments separation is phenomenal. With xm5, it’s good music throw to your ears and you feel music only in your head.
With momemtum 4, you have voices in the middle of your eyes, each instruments at the left and right and you can hear the bass guitar at your right and the lead guitar at your left and the second guitar in the center, double bass drum in the center and you can hear a separation between the two pedal… wow it’s awesome !!! Sony can do that !!!
@@Patrickmathieu0482 you mean Sony can't do that right?
@@jcap8391 sony can’t match sennheiser in terms of sound quality
I was legitimately waiting just for your review. You bring up some criticisms that other reviewers haven't for some reason and you are brutally honest.
I have tried all three let me tell you my opinion.
1) XM4 are bass heavy out of the box compared to M4 and especially compared to XM5.
2) People say XM4 doesn't have a high range but you can always adject it in EQ(i was using OnePlus 8T so i was using Dolby Atmos EQ). When i tried to increase the bass in XM5, the sound started to crack. M4 has good tight bass but not as much as XM4
3) In the ANC department XM4 & XM5 destroy M4. Personally, i can't differentiate between XM4 & XM5.
4) In microphone voice quality XM5 is best. Then XM4 and at last M4.
5) XM4 feels little loss. When you move your head it feels like it can fall down. The M4 has a little bit of a tight grip. XM5 has the best feel while wearing it.
6) Believe me don't go for LDAC s**t. In real life you can't notice any difference if you are using a music subscription having 320kbps quality (personally i tried tidal also and not very very slight difference in some songs when we especially look for it).
7) M4 sound feel like it surround your ears while XM5 and especially XM4 feel like sound is through directly to your ear.
8) Battery life is as individual specifications.
Final verdict:
See, you are only looking for great sound quality or great battery life then go for M4. For good sound quality and great ANC go for XM5(when i increased the bass in EQ it started cracking between 20-60HZ, don't know if this was an issue with my device or universal). Finally, if you are looking for great ANC and Bass heavy sound quality go for XM4(Note: you can always increase high end in EQ but you can't increase "clean bass without distortion" in EQ without compromising mid and high).
Hope it helps 🙂
Thanks
Thanks man
Thank youu
I needed this comment!
this is how comments should be .. thanks
Let's say that the mic of the M4 is indeed the last compared to the XM, but is it good if it's not compared to the two? Can the other person still hear our voice clearly and block noisy background noises? Cuz as long as it works, I'm prioritizing the sound quality and comfort as I primarily use it for music, but I still wanna be able to take a call with it.
Can confirm Sennheiser still hasn’t fixed the balancing issue I bought a pair of Momentum 4s and as a audio engineer I noticed immediately that audio was unbalanced and overall louder on the right side, they sounded good even with that problem but it was very annoying so I ended up returning them. I don’t care how good they sound I just can’t get down with the unbalanced audio especially if I’m paying close to $400 I expect the quality control to be better
@@TheWolod well i let a couple of my friends that are average consumers hear the headphones and they could also notice it right away. I guess u could take a risk and just hope the pair they send u isnt messed up lol but from what ive seen its almost like a 50/50 chance u get a good pair with some people returning one pair to only get another replacemnet pair thats messed up. So i just wouldnt recommend the Momentum 4s.
@@levi8781 Just received my SM4 yesterday, and I can say that the audio is balance. Maybe I was just lucky that i got a good pair? and btw the sound quality is phenomenal.
That's definitely a quality control issue, not really an issue for most people unless they're unlucky..
Update?
@@Outkold-i1j idk i bought the xm5's and never looked backed. i cant recommend momentum 4s
Sennheiser released a new “sound personalization” feature last year, and you can radically change the sound of the headphones using it. It has allowed me to bring the mids and trebles out in a way that the standard EQ doesn’t even come close to, and gets rid of that boomy bass-heavy sound that came with them out of the box.
Agreed boy. This feature takes these headphones to next level. And definitely the sub bass is much clear and easy to listen on momentum4
Man! You've come a long way. The first video I watch from you was about the popping sound in xm3
Welcome back!
Both Sony have more bass sound than Sennheiser momentum 4 that they are excellent for the movie listening.🎶🎧🥁 But, Sennheiser momentum 4 gives feeling much better for the guitar sound rhythms🎸with clearer and more natural voices like real music instruments.🎶🎧🥰 Both Sony and Sennheiser have different musical styles.
So momentum not good for metal music ?
I'm sticking with my discounted XM-4s. Also, hindsight 20-20 as it were, I'm glad I went for the Sennheiser TWS Momentum 3s for the win as their noise cancelling is bloody amazing.
i just got the XM4s. is it worth the extra $$ to get the XM5s at this time and date?
I had both of them and I can say for myself that the comfort and the transparency on the xm5 is the main reason to upgrade. But if you are ok with them, you don't necessarily need to upgrade.
Its crazy how you can show that big if a difference in sound quality via a video that I'm watching on my phone
I didn't notice the L & R balance being off with my pair, everything sounded great. Unlike the Ashdown Meters, the balance was so bad I had to return them. I was initially disappointed in the 3 band EQ, but after listening to many genres of music, I actually find it best to just leave it flat. I do wish the transparency mode gave me a little more transparency because I still can't hear anyone talking to me even if it's cranked all the way up.
Its great to see some sound signature's, but that seems somewhat moot when you have EQ.
It would be great to see EQ'd results, close to flat, close to harman curve, etc. I know that is asking a lot, but looking at stock curves does not tell the full story.
I get always so excited to watch your videos reviews! Amazing! You are the best reviewer of all here! Thanks! Big hug!
This was a review for the Sennheiser M4, but it sold me on the Sony XM5. I'm a fan of Sennheiser, but, since I made the change to wireless bluetooth noise reducing headphones, I've been team Sony -- And I've tried many, many brands (many of them budget noise celling NC headphones I will admit). Including some early Sennheiser noise cancelling headphones which were just awful. (I like Senn's wired headphones though.)
I've been using the Sony noise cancelling headphones since the XM3's. I'm on XM4 and will upgrade to XM5 when the opportunity presents itself.
The clarity and color of the Momentum 4 is unique. I tested the XM4 and XM5, and they have an impressive ANC and software, but the sound lacks color and the bass is very punchy. It’s true that Seenheiser was bought by Sonova, and now they are trying to innovate, which is a learning curve. I hope that the app and features evolve in the following months.
Agree, I was choosing between xm5 and sm4, after trying both. Sm4 sound quality is way better than the xm5. Finally got to choose after 2 weeks of everyday extensive research. sm4
Appreciate your in-depth analysis and sampling for various conditions/audio quality. Haven't seen other reviewers make that much effort. I was thinking of buying Sennheiser M4, but after your detailed review, and the samples on your website, I can't help but think Sony XM4 and 5 are much better - for the price Sony XM4 > Sennheiser M4, even when latter is the more recent release. Sony XM4 might have problems with making calls in a noisy environment, but that's a very minor inconvenience (and I am not planning on running around with my headphones in public anyway).
Picking headphones seems to be much more difficult than buying a whole computer. Subscribed to your channel because how easy you make it for the viewers to get a good idea of what the headphones would sound like (discounting whatever headphones one uses to actually watch your videos 😅)
I hope to see Sennheiser comment about the unbalanced drivers. We need more cases to acknowledge that this is the case.
My original Momentum 2 Over Ears (wired) had unbalanced drivers as well. I thought it was a rare case, guess not anymore.
@@bazsko9600 how can I test if the headphones are tuned?
@@danlevyart with the right equipment. For my case, I’ve bought 2 pairs of momentum 2 over ears, and one of them was sounding off, the volume of the left side was way more dominant, and it shifted the stereo feeling towards that side. I switched them at the local Sennheiser distribution center, since then, no problems so far.
@@bazsko9600
Yo first thank you for the response.
We got a new FW update to look at.
Version 4.1.4
23h ago
What's new in Sennheiser Smart Control 4.1.4:
- Fixed Equalizer issue for MOMENTUM 4
- Performance optimization and Ul bug fixes
🙋🏻♂️🙋🏻♂️
Mine does not do that. I have no clue what he's talking about
Bought xm4 3 months ago the problem i am facing is irritating noise that comes in right ear cup after long time use (4-5 hrs) and this is a major problem there are hundreds of Post on YT and Reddit people complaining about it . and the worse thing is sony is not recognizing it.
- I visited service center twice but the technician never found the problem.
- emailed every costumer support with my problem in brand new product their reply was "We cannot do any service to change the performance of the product according to your expectation. We would request you to enjoy the performance of your product."
Conclusion :- xm4 are Good but if it came with bugged ANC then your money is wasted you cant do anything.
- Sony service (INDIA) is total joke their technician and service representative are total garbage.
As owner of two pairs from this comparison I can say: all true and issue with balance too! ANC on m4s and whxm4 is comparable. Mic is better on sennheiser. But I have one worst moment: Sennheiser is boiling on my ears, if environment not cool… But sound and stage on m4 are unbelievable, and moreover better than on px7s2 with lower price
Definitely noticed the balance issue on mine and the boiling ears, returned them, just couldn't get past the balance issue.
@Youssef Habib i’d like to know that as well
In my opinion the sound quality is alright but the sound stage is really limited, only slightly better than airpod pros
@bananaguard nah , It's wayy better than airpod maxes or any other Headphone in this price range
listening on HD660S .....much prefer the Momentum 4. Thanks. you helped me make up my mind
Nice review. I picked up the Momentum 4 recently and am really liking it so far (hardware version 4.0, firmware 2.9.12). Really comfortable and great sound. I tried a balance test but couldn't perceive a difference. I thought the ANC was the best I've tried but your tests clearly show the Sony XM5 is a step up. But the $100 price difference and 60 hr battery life are good reasons to lean towards the Momentum.
I have a question, do you hear any kind of noise from the right earcup when the transparent mode is maxed out? It may be hard to hear, but I would like to try it in a quiet place and hear your opinion.
@@Shishishi-rj2xk With full transparent mode I can hear some white noise (probably from the microphone) but I'm not sure if it's solely from one ear cup.
@@Alex-ky4cd are you having any issues with them accidentally turning on?
can you turn off the anc on mobile app? on the settings tab. i think an update came
Hey everyone, I just got the sennheiser momentum 4 today and I have to say it very good. For those of you that have the imbalance problem, I suggest going on your phone's setting, go to accessibility, the go to hearing enhancements and turn on mono audio. This made my headphone sound equal, but I noticed there is a more punchier bass when listening to music on mono audio. So I suggest going on sennheiser smart control and boosting the treble and mid on the equalizer. Lower the bass if you are not a bass head. You can also go on the accessibility, the hearing enhancements and use then left/right audio or sound balance.
Thank you so much for this valuable video. Im gonna buy momentum 4 because sound quality really attracts my ears 😅😊
No Question, XM4's are THE most well rounded can's. They have better noise cancellation, the best bass, still have VERY comparable clarity of sound, they can fold up, they have THE best case and they have the most features for customization.
The clarity on the Momentum 4's are excellent, to be sure, but that's all that they have going for them. The XM4's are still very close to them, clarity wise and still have better bass.
I agree, but the bass is dull comparison to M4. You don't have any noticeable sub bass. It's big difference to deny. And overall sound quality is better on M4.
Bass especially sub bass extends much deeper
@@DenisasPupkevicius Not if you use XM4's EQ.
My settings: +7 +4 +7 +4 +7. Clear bass at +10. I watched Wednesday on Netflix using them and my old Bose QC35 Mark I. The Sony blew them away. The stage is grander.
@@DenisasPupkevicius Upping the bass in the eq makes them go low and loud!
Great note on the fullness/body of the vocals. The comparative samples were also superb at deciphering this.
Much appreciated!
Thanks a lot.
Your vid has helped me to decide which one to buy (after 9999 comparison vids)
and what did you choose?
@@jaypalmer9183 none
the m4 sounds so clean, cant wait to receive mine this week
The only thing that makes me disappointed with the Sennheiser is the noise canceling is poorer than the competition, otherwise the sound profile is excellent.
Sennheiser has richer sound
Listening on SM4😅
Totally❤
Well yeah, if he’s doing just the stock tuning out of the box, the Sennheiser’s are going to sound better but the truth is the Sony’s have a better sound overall if adjusted properly. I have all three sets and I will take the XM4’s ALL DAY EVERY DAY!!
@@MAGA4EVA1986what do you set for the Sony 4?
@@darthkarroto2183 I use the “Excited” setting with clear bass at 8. I also slightly bring up the mid’s as well. They sound PHENOMENAL.
Man...you are THE ONLY person telling the complete truth on the headphones. Most people just want to overhype these things. There is no way on God's Earth I want anything to do with unbalanced drivers..
100000000% thank you.
I enjoy my XM5, definitely worth a buy
Extra reason for ppl to turn off ANC is that it can cause headaches for some ppl like myself. I have WF1000XM4 and I can't have ANC on unless its really needed.
Thanks for the good videos
You're welcome! Thanks for watching
I use my Momentum 3 in anti pressure mode around 90% of the time in office. ANC is useless if it causes headaces.
I agree. It's the reason I'm nervous about the M4s. You can't turn it off. How do your XM4s sound with the ANC off?
Momentum 4 has the best sound quality of all
Been using the Momentum 4 for over a week now and tried my friend's XM4 today. I almost thought that my headphones were broken. The passive ANC on the XM4 are on another level.
How the sound quality though? How much better are they on the Momentum 4? I have XM3 and I understand the sound quality is similar to the XM4, and both are outclassed by the Momentum 4
@@TheKillerind
Thanks for the detailed reply. Trying to figure if it's worth upgrading at this point.
@@FrozenAXL Addition to @TheKillerind, I am using XM5 for 3 days, there is muffled sound with 3.5mm jack and ASC off. Also I could not get the difference with ANC on/off. Because passive nc is same as active one for me. It is strange.
@@TheKillerind But the Sound quality for the XM4 is still great nonetheless, right?
@@floriansteininger347I have XM3. It sounds just terrible. I don't care about app quality (it's useless anyway) and ANC, because sound is just so bad!
Amazing review, I love the Sennheiser but agree with the comment on unbalanced sound if I knew they were fixing this I would keep them over the XM4’s, such a shame.
They did not fix it can confirm lol I bought a pair of Momentum 4s last week and as a audio engineer I noticed immediately that audio was unbalanced and louder on the right side, they sounded good even with that problem but it was very annoying so I ended up returning them. I don’t care how good they sound I just can’t get down with the unbalanced audio especially if I’m paying close to $400 I expect the quality control to be better
@@levi8781Have they made an update to fix this error?
@levi8781 they did now
06:44 no no no, the main reason is to stay safe and reviewer should stress this much much more. You are more willing to turn off anc when you walk in the street to be aware of your surrounding (car, bus, etc.). More prevention should be done especially for younger audience.
Great review by the way. :)
I've read reports of some units having sound balance issues and others not. Some users have exchanged them and the new unit doesn't have the issue.
So don't wait on a software update. Exchange them. If you get two faulty units get your money back and wait for reports that the issue has been addressed. $400 is an expensive decorative object. And if you want a decorative object for your headphones the blue PX7 S2 or if you can find a Bose NC700 in soapstone are your best bets, not these.
Aaron is Loud and Wireless Thanks Much!
The Sennheisers are superior for sound quality. And for me that's all I that really matters, plus the battery life is insane.
Went to a local store yesterday and spent a long time listening back to back, to different headphones. I was no fan off the momentum 4, yed it had a lot off detail, but they lacked a balance. On some jazz tracks the saxophone sounded overly bright and even harsh. Bass was not very good, there was to much and it was boomy, also not very transparent or defined. Also tryed de bose 700, not very impressed. Dit much better in the bass department as far ass transparency and defenition go. Not bad really, better than the momentum 4. De sony xm5 felt most natural although it was to bass heavy for me, more so than the momentum 4. But it was much easyer to listen to. Seperation was much better than the momentum 4 and bose 700. There was no harshness, yet there was a lot of detail. The xm4 was even more bass heavy and lacked the seperation of the xm5. Also tryed the jbl tour one, this was a suprice! It seemed to be the most balanced of them all! Seperation was very good, al very balanced sound, althoug still a little bit to much upperbass, but the least of them all. It was clearer then the xm5, but no where as harch ass the momentum 4. Later on in a different store i found the momentum 3 and pxc 550-ii. The latter didnt have the same testing songs, but the momentum 3 sounds much better to me than the momentum 4. Very different sound overal. The momentum 3 was much more laid back, neutral and natural than the momentum 4. What a difference. The momentum 3 are much more alike the xm5, not as big bass than de xm5, which is a good thing. But z bit too much upper bass, this was very noticable whit gregory porter and some other music, the upperbass consumed some midrange detail. Treble was nice and easy to listen to. The pxc 550-ii won the game for me. This was the most neutral and audiophile of them all. Very clear and detailed midrange, no bass boomyness, but very detailed contrabasslines and stuff like that, all the others made contrabass pluks so boomy that every detail was lost. Pxc 550-ii did this the best, for a little more bass but retaining most of the detail in this region I would recommend the jbl tour one. Both af these ar most neutral and balanced. Jbl wass a bit more treble heavy, but still whitin an eccaptable margin. Bit realy, the pcx 550-ii seemed to me to be the most audiophile and comparable to what I experienced with a good hifi se of speakers and amp!
Just got my Sennheizer M4. I also noticed this unbalanced stage thing. But I have it vice-versa: the right one is louder in many cases. First, I thought something wrong with my ears, then I had impression that this sensor, which detects whether headphones are on your head, gives more air to the ear cup and that's why it gives more "wide" sound.
Waiting for the update or some information from Sennheizer.
All other things - just great! Sound is more bassy, but that's what I like. It's not bassy as cheap headphones, it definitely more "wide" and detailed. I don't like headphones which has bright mids.
Thanks Aaron!
What a big miss and blunder. Unbalanced sound and app bugs. Did not expect that from such premium brand.
did the last firmware update fix the unbalanced sound?
@@chewingcheung They dont have as much experience with apps since its a relatively new thing for them
Seriously how bad is this unbalance thing? Is it like unbearable or is it like you can get used to it?
@@TheWolodlt’s fucking annoying
Amazing video! Super informative and useful especially to audiophiles!
The XM4 sounds really good actually
Xm4 sounds the best to me. I have the wf-1000xm4 ear buds and I absolutely love them. Watching your review on them is why I bought them.. and I have zero regrets
Fully agree!
they sound the most balanced but not very detailed in this comparison. I know that you can't really tell by listening to a recording on youtube but the sennheiser sounded clearer. However, it's tonality is quite weird. Certain treble areas are boosted, the bass is weird because they are boosting the sub-bass, yet there is not a high quantity of it. They almost sound a bit v-shaped but with a weird treble and a lack of bass in the higher bass frequencies. I guess they are doing that in order to provide a more detailed sound but it just doesn't sound natural.
Sounds terrible
Yeah.
I hope they will
continue to produce the
Momentum 3.
This is so important video for me ..Thank You..Best regards from Türkiye...💛💙
Glad it was helpful!
@@aaronloudnwireless I checked Your so many videos ...They are so helpful..Thank You so much..Best regards..
Fingers crossed hoping you are right about the XM5’s having better sound quality! I will find out soon. I just got the momentum 4’s today and the xm5’s are coming any day now. The sound quality is definitely a step up from my previous Sony MDR-XB950BT’s. But I’m not super blown away. However I’m still thoroughly satisfied. I’m not a fan of the momentum 4’s bass boost toggle in the app. I don’t think it does a good job unfortunately. Seems to make the sound more muffled. This headphone testing journey is a lot of fun though. I will be testing the Bose quiet comfort and the XM5’s in a matter of days. I will be choosing only one so this will be a fun experience. I ordered the XM5’s in blue and am super stoked. So we’ll see. Time will tell.
On another note, I’m curious what you think about the Beats Studio Pro. They have dropped in price by quite a bit so I wouldn’t mind picking them up as a 2nd pair. I’ll check to see if u have a video about them. Thanks.
Hello, any update with the comparison between M4's and XM5? I would really appreciate your feedback.
Very appreciated, wanted to leave a message so at least it may help you, hope it does! I found it very useful
Freaking awesome video dude. ANC and call is no contest. xm5 wins. Sound...I don't get the momentum hype based on this test. Both XMs sound better to me and the driver imbalance is just a deal breaker
Xm4 or m4 which should I buy
I think I still prefer the sound quality from the XM4 very rich moderate base and treble.
I’m drooling over your white sennhieser, I went black stealth. Always love the way sennhieser does base, way better and the they do the tamper I love.
The white is dope! Black looks normal
@@aaronloudnwireless they could be mixed black with gray in that version
Can anyone tell me if they fixed the unbalanced sound problem on the Momentum 4?
I've just bought the Special Edition and the balance sounds fine.
I have also got the XM5s to test and for my ears, the Momentum 4 are far superior to the XM5 testing both pairs with a flat equaliser setting.
Thank you Aaron, this is a great video!
Considering buying the Momentum 4 or the XM-5, I was so waiting for this review.
Watched all other comparisons / reviews on TH-cam, but your review made things so much clearer. Thanks a lot!
Glad I could help!
И что выбрал?
@@andrey-ua2005 У меня Сони xm5. Вчера у знакомой послушал SMomentum 4. Senheiser звучит и выглядит внешне по лучше. По дизайну мне что-то xm3 больше заходит.
Most realistic + Pure Sound goes to Sennheiser. Can’t believe other reviewers are praising Sony. I am a sony fan but sennheiser deserves a lot more respect for this
Would love to see a comparison of Momentum 4, B&O HX, XM5 and Momentum4
Such an in depth review thank you
I returned my Sony xm5 was very underwhelmed and Sony’s made my ears feel pinched and hot. Much happier with the momentum 4 that swapped them for.
wonderful video, fantastic explanation. Thanks man!
You're welcome!
Good to have the Quick Brown Fox back! 👍
😁😁😁
I enjoyed this review ☺
Thank you!!
Thank you Aaron, great video. On the sound sample, the Sony XM5 sounded better to me with warmer rich mid’s. The new M4 seems to sound much different of the M3 that I own.
They don’t. Sound signature of m3 vs m4 is similar. I would advice you to go and listen for yourself as none of the headphones sound the same in real life compared to TH-cam reviews.
@@dariuszwojcik1601 I own the M2, M3 and M4 plus the XM3. The M3 and M4 don't sound similar at all. The M3 imo sound much better and more detailed in the mids to the M4. I'm overall very disappointed with the M4s. The only good thing is the battery life
@@MajorAMinor i respectfully disagree. I guess you can always return m4 and stay with m3 if they are not to your liking. I know I love mine :)
@@MajorAMinor me too, I was expecting better sound than the XM5s and what I got was a sound that wasn't even as good as the XM4s. The Momentum 4s are harsh sounding, both in bass and treble, but they do have really deep bass and Soundstage, perfect for movies, and games, more than music actually...
Bought the XM5s and the M4s and returned the M4s, the sound on the XM5s is just very pretty, after Eq.
@@MajorAMinor the m3 and m4 do Sound the same tho i own both
Interesting how the comments are so split on what is the best, i guess it all comes down to personal preference ay. I will just try them all and keep my personal favourite. I think the xm5 is gonne be the one i will pick, but we will see :)
Nice Comparo Video!
It's strange that I'm listening to the samples through some Samsung ear-buds and can hear the difference. The Sennheisers sound more full and robust with a bit more punchy bass and clearer high end. I've played music for years and have an ear for tone quality. If I'm getting headphones, my biggest judgement will be the sound quality first followed by the various features.
I've owned the momentum V2s for years, wear them everyday at work (construction) they've been through rain, snow, dust, they fell, took hits and they still work almost flawlessly.
I'd love to give the V4s a try but I'm afraid about build quality and durability. Also, how well does the "touchscreen" work when wet (wet hands, rain) ?
Just keep the ones you got I wouldn’t risk it or go into store and try it out
dude what a great review!
Thanks!
you can really hear the bass boost in both of the Sony headphones, mush more than the momentum 4s
I am torn between xm5 and momentum 4. My top priorities are noise canceling and sound quality. Which one tops the other in. 😅. I will use it mostly for music (wide genres mainly rock, acoustic and edms) and calls at the office. What i dislike about xm5 is the music sounds fuller, translates to more noise when volume is up, while m4 has more clarity even with rock music and edm. I wish m4 had xm5 noise cancelling level then it would be perfect
Something to note as well, both have the same price in my local store
Iam literally stuck in same situation as you iam currently very confused between sony xm4, xm5 and sennheiser momentum 4 i want to buy an all rounder headphones one which i can use on my ps5, ioad pro and phone. I mostly play games like rdr 2 so their is no issue of playing with mic and i heard sound is better on momentums but iam really very confused because i want to buy headphones for a long run Btw currently sony xm4s are the cheapest and xm5 and sennheiser momentum 4s are on same price after discount durability and comfort is also very important for me
Guys, if you don't care much about a perfect ANC, don't search any more reviews! Momentum 4 are by far a class apart in comfort and sound quality! Just by far the best value purchase in my life time!
They say they are not as comfortable as the XM4, that doesn't convince me...
@@luigui8843 it's super comfortable, if you have an average head size
I like this guy
Hello from Nigeria 🇳🇬
I noticed some balance issues too with the right sounding louder but they’ve fixed it now with the latest update.
I dont care much who is better in my point of view no one of this is perfect…they have the pros and cons…i bought before the XM4 then XM5 and lately the Momentum4…alternating one another as long as i have something to listen and enjoying with it….if you are happy buying one of this go for it!…
Would be wonderful if could do a long term review after all the software updates.
Thank you for this video
Am I crazy to think imo the WH-1000XM4's sound better, because i don't like having a very flat or well rounded sound. I like a little more basss but not too much. And the XM4's delivered IMO. Also I have tried the XM5's on, and to be honest the depth inside of ear cups seems shorter than the XM4's so my ears were touching the drivers, so if you are a big eared dude like myself and don't like the ears touching the drivers, it may be something to consider. Otherwise, the other aspects were better on the XM5's
Great review, thanks!
Was the balanced driver issue ever fixed?
Hi Aaron! I really enjoy your headphone reviews. I liked the sound signature of the Sennheiser better, then the XM4 and then the XM5. According to the values I prefer to buy the XM4, because the Sennheiser is the most expensive. Do you think that an upgrade could improve the sound of the XM5 to the level of the XM4, or can I buy the XM4 anyway? This is the doubt I am in. Thanks a lot!
awesome analysis. loved it. god bless.
I have the same balance sound issue with my current PXC 550 sennheiser headphones. I found that the left was always slightly louder and had lightly better ANC than the right side
weird my pxc550 ori has no such issue and been using it for more than 5-6 yrs till the headband started to wear off.
don't like the pxc550 gen 2 cause the sound just doesn't seem right and was in between m4 and bathys after trying xm4, xm5, bose ultra, px7s2, px8 and ultra.
End up with m4 cause bathys dune no promo so m4 price for value beats all.
love the m4 sound.
I'm also deciding btwn those two - XM5s and Momentum 4s. I'm gonna buy today but think I'm leaning for M4s for my needs as i care more for sound quality than noise cancelling. everywhere i look it seems the consensus is that momentum 4 is for if you want sound quality and xm5 if you want noise cancellation. other than for calls, i don't care about superb noise cancellation as I always want to hear everything around me. Im a woman and jus feel like i need to hear who's walking behind me a lot and I think excellent noise cancellation would make me more fearful walking around and traveling alone as i usually do. secondly, I would mainly use these outdoors at the gym and want them for specifically that. third, I would wear them for walking around as a 2 in 1 ear warmer and music haha. but yeah noise cancellation I don't think i really care for. maybe the wind a lot cus i bike everywhere as transportation but i prefer to wear a helmet nowadays when biking over headphones.. jus Incase an accident. idk but I think imma bite the bullet and jus hope that these are easy to clean from sweat cus while i want them to be warm for these cold months now, i also don't wanna sweat badly in them. i mainly lift. so hopefully the heat buildup is somewhere in the middle cus i understand i want two opposing things there. i wish they were like another pair i learned about in a review where you could remove the pads for cleaning. but you can't have everything i guess.. also i mainly listen to percussion music. i dance a lot - Latin music. salsa and bachata would sound better on the M4s according to all the reviews than on the XM5s. i also wish they had the gos tracker bc I lose/misplace EVERYTHING all the time lmfao
How is it? How is sound quality and loudness (I don't like XM3s sound quality, but they are loud enough)
how did they turn out?
they are great, i jus find them to be way to loose. my head is not as big as they make the fit. it could be a lot tighter to avoid falling off and i still wouldn’t complain about pain i think. that’s how loose they are. otherwise, they are perfect.
@@EckardtEdits they’re excellent except for guilt for bigger heads as they’re a bit to loose on me but don’t really fall off that easily either. i can look down sometimes and feel them slipping tho and they have fallen off as i sometimes get lazy to readjust
@@8000860very loud. i don’t have any complaints
Just compare to Philips Fidelio L3 headphones… those are really good. When I listen even old songs with these I can hear new sounds every time...
congrats for the review!!! i have the same problem of unbalanced sound on the left side….there are no software updates yet to fix this?
My first one was right side louder than left side
Would you still suggest these today?? or what would you suggest now there are on sale and want to get some for work at home i use 990 PRO X
How is the weight of the Momentum 4 as compared to the XM5? I think there’s about a 50g difference there.
the Monument 4 are very similar in timbre to Sony XM4 but it has punchier bass and warmer midrange voices
Hi Buddy, Thanks for the elaborative review between these three headphones, I was also searching if XM4 or XM5 can be used for Video Editing as well, XM is bassyl I guess and Sennheiser gives original sound. But still I found XM listed as a headphone that can be used for Audio Editing/ Video Editing.
What is your verdict on Using a "wireless" Sony XM4 or XM5 for video editing or using Sennheiser (wired) HD300 Pro or HD400 Pro or HD599 Special Edition?
This is interesting because in @techknowbiz ‘s binaural test the sound he picks up from the XM5s sounds like what your test got from the momentum 4s. Very flat and almost muffled, or overly compressed. Which has been my experience with the Sonys as well. Ridiculous question and I’m sure the answer is no, but any chance the samples got swapped in your edit? Interesting to hear 🤔🤔🤔
Hmm...according to your frequency plots, there isn't a "dip" in the m4 response mid-low -- it has a roughly flat response in that region. The Sonys don't -- they have a "bump".
How do the temperatures in the earcups compare between the three?
Particularly interested to know how they fare in a hot and humid place like Singapore.
The Sonys somehow feel cooler in the tropics
for me the most frustrating thing was too actually realize that i could not turn of ANC/transparancy mode, It makes my ear get stuffy and it hurts and I would like to use it WHEN I NEED IT... how can no off button be possible in 2023, I dont get it. Beside of that yes, the app is buggy. Over all I like the design, the sound is good even if I would have liked more midbass precision, and battery life is obviously insane. But I am seriously thinking of returning it because of the "no off button" thing. Anyway I find you videos particularly accurate and efficient so thanks for that! By the way do you know if sennheiser update often their products? It's been 5 months now since the release and I am still hopping it will get better soon... Thanks!
b&W headphones have a similar sound signature to momentum 4s
The M3s sound way more detailed and better than the M4s imo, especially in the mids where it matters. They are way more exciting to listen to. I'm a Sennheiser fan and I'm very disappinted with the new M4s overall. I could easily point out 10 negative points. ANC is still pretty bad compared to my XM3s. Build quality is a joke. I've never owned a new pair of headphones with hinges that crack with every slightest of head movement. Battery life is pretty much the only highlight. They're worth no more than 80 bucks imo.
I have XM3 for gym. They are loud enough, but the sound is just terrible (they are very dull, sound like in a barrell). What about M4 in terms of sound quality and loudness comparing to XM3?
I personally own both and I actually completely prefer the xm4 over the senheiser. Especially when it comes to jamming out. But I will say when it comes to more acoustic songs I do prefer the m4 over the xm4
Which one should I buy?
I just purchased my pair of M4s and immediately noticed the unbalanced sound..I hope they resolved this issue ASAP
hey this is an amazing review and thank you for that! which one of these do you think would be more suitable for listening rock and metal? I thought Sennheiser would be the better choice.
I tried these including the Bose headphones and ended up with the Sony XM5 since I mostly will use this type of headphone with ANC. It's the best overall performance value if you can find one on sale.
Was trying to decide between these 3 but I cant find anywhere in my country that has the sennheiser's since there is no sennheiser store in Singapore, so I'll just try the XM4 and 5 and decide between the two
Hi Aron, did you get in touch with Technics EAH-A800E-K ? interesting headphones which supports LDAC. Im wondering how they are standing with competition
I do not like XM5 sound, XM4 had better to my likings. However XM4 were not as comfortable for me as XM5's are so I cannot decide. I was wondering about Sennheiser M4 but I heard they do not have good firmware and have issues with not only not balanced between right and left ear but also about bluetooth pairing and the music off/on feature when wearing the headphones. I ended up not buing anything :)
Did you change the EQ sound on the XM5s? If not, try this:
If everything is in the middle (normal):
First notch +4 (400)
2nd notch +6 (1k)
3rd notch +10 (2.5k)
4th notch +10 (6.3k)
5th notch +8 (16k)
Clear bass do whatever you choose, but I do +3
This should help them sound both clearer and brighter, and personally they absolutely destroy the "normal" setting
I replaced my ear pads for my xm4 and now the noise cancelling is useless. Could anyone recommend where I can purchase good ear pad for the xm4?
Hey everyone, I just got the sennheiser momentum 4 today and I have to say it very good. For those of you that have the imbalance problem, I suggest going on your phone's setting, go to accessibility, the go to hearing enhancements and turn on mono audio. This made my headphone sound equal, but I noticed there is a more punchier bass when listening to music on mono audio. So I suggest going on sennheiser smart control and boosting the treble and mid on the equalizer. Lower the bass if you are not a bass head.
There is also another were to make the headphone sound equal, there is a left/right sound balance adjustment in the same area as "mono audio" just move the dot either left or right to hear the difference.