I have tried both (I own the M4) but in my opinion, the momentum 4 eats the Bose without a doubt when it comes to the sound, but I do think the Bose are a little better for the daily use, they are more comfortable and lighter. If your priority is the sound, go for the Sennheiser
I’m on the fence. Both are on sale right now! I primarily use my headphones for hanging out in the house listening to music and podcasts while I’m cooking or doing chores. Which do you think would be better for a non-traveling lifestyle? Someone who just listens at home while they’re hanging out? I mean, I’ll travel occasionally but not super often.
@burhanlukmanjee543 - I've just released comparisons of these over the past week, if you check the channel out. But I really like My Px7 S2e's, and would also recommend them highly if you don't need a ton of ANC.
@@NorbReviews Yeah bro, sent it to warranty because of bugs and immediately they sent me a momentum 4 (which is another buggy shit) i was shocked at frequency response difference between them, It was turning on by itself in the bag and rejecting incoming calls and I couldn't stand it anymore so I sold it.
@@cenen7021 oh wow! Yeah, selling is a good idea. The case issue really has turned out to be the worst tech decision Sennheiser made with these: they tried to make it too Apple-like and completely failed there. The way I was able to patch mine has worked well enough, but honestly, it shouldn’t be an issue, period. Glad you sold it. What did you end up replacing it with?
Anyone looking for gym headphones I would say go with the Bose. I had the Momentum 4's for about 10 days before I returned them. The clamp force was way too strong for working out and my shoulders would often touch the play/pause touch controls when I was training back. They sound great though!
I had the Bose. They are definitely more comfortable, lighter and have deeper ear cups. However I returned them for the Momentum 4 and am so glad I did. The sound is night and day for me. I customization and personalized audio setting is amazing. The battery life is something I feel like people take for granted. They legit last for weeks between charges with pretty heavy use.
if you travel a lot isn't battery life more important than being compact?, yes momentum case is bulkier but not by much, but 60hrs battery vs 24hrs, with 60hrs you can travel for a week without needing to charge
Depends. You’re right, it’s important. But most people have the opportunity to charge: airports and airplanes now often have charging ports. (Don’t know about most trains, though, a very different case than I’m used to.) Space, however, especially when traveling international, is at a premium. I was just on a flight to Japan and space is definitely at a premium with carry-on luggage. (Especially if you want to minimize check-in.) The bigger case would have been a problem - inches count - but the 24 hour battery was plenty for my need. Still, a longer battery would definitely be preferable, and I’m surprised it’s still not over 30 hours at least. 60 is marvelous. So this very much depends on your travel needs.
On the moment I‘m deciding between the Bose qc ultra and the b&w px7 S2.The Bose are 269,99€ and the b&w are 159,99€ in my country.Which shut I choose.I‘m Not Planung on using them as much for travelling.I will use them with my iPhone and my windows pc for Musik ,Gaming, TH-cam and sometimes for movies. I have also a question about the snapdragon sound and aptx adaptive:dose this work with windows or do need to get an adapter?
Honestly I just returned the B&W px7 s2e they were just soo disappointing with my iphone the volume was just too low for my liking compared to my AirPods pro max
If you're using an iPhone, you should probably just get the AirPods Max, if it's available to you. For sound quality, B&W has some of the best sound quality in the ANC headphone market. If you get the Bose, the sound quality will be perfectly usable, but you're mostly paying for the best ANC and the features it comes with, not amazing sound quality. For aptx I'm not sure
@classiccj2569 - Spot on. The only thing I'll say is that I haven't had good experiences with the AirPods Max on Windows PCs. The sound takes a serious nosedive.
@chromefuture5561 - I ended up releasing videos comparing the S2e, the M4, and the QC Ultra (as well as the XM5) after posting this one, so you may want to watch those. (My apologies now: a lot of the content will be rehash since they're meant to stand alone.) I love my Px7 S2e, but I wonder if, given your use, you might like the Bose better. The Momentum 4 is definitely a good choice, though, ESPECIALLY if you use the USB-C cable for audio, which bring is head and shoulders above its competition. As for Snapdragon sound, as per Bose: "To experience Snapdragon Sound, you need a Snapdragon Sound-certified device, such as a compatible Android mobile device. Once you connect the headphones, your device will automatically stream audio using the aptX Adaptive Bluetooth codec. For a list of Snapdragon Sound compatible devices, visit aptx.com."
All of the Bose QC headphones have always had the earmuff material the same. It’s very cool, fits well and are easily replaced. I have an old set and I’m currently reviewing the ultra versus the standard QC. All three feel identical. If you wear any of them for hoursthey will begin to get warm but overall I’d recommend them for comfort as it were :-)
I wish Sennheiser would create Momentum 4s in the chassis of the HD569. Those are like putting clouds on your ears. Somehow almost more comfortable than having no headphones on at all.
I sold my sony xm5 for sennheiserM4 months ago and added bowers&wilkinspx8. Px8 has even a little better sound (in my opinion) and a punchy bass. Sennis are still great.. and for my taste more comfy then B&W
Are the momentum 4's good for studying, i.e. noise cancelling and comfort for several hours of use in a row in environments where the chatter can get quite loud at times. Currently looking at the momentum 4s vs the xm5s since the xm5s apparently have the best anc of all or close, whereas the momentum 4s have worse anc but better in pretty much everything else, Currently I'd also be able to get the momentum 4s for 230 vs 370 for the xm5s although price isn't really a big deal (although 370 is the highest I'll go)
the momentum 4’s active noise cancelling is really bad, it’s only good if the environment isn’t that loud to begin with like inside a library. you could also get airpod pros instead of the xm5 for cheaper if youre looking for good noise cancellation
Indeed they are just fine!! The nitpickers will make you believe that they are not!! I have used them many times over and the quality of audio,battery life,comfort is awesome!!! I have tried both and I believe the Bose are wonderful BUT the M4’s are quite splendid to use with amazing features to boot!!
Ignore the haters. Yes it's not Sony levels of ANC but I just sat with these for 14 hours on a flight from Japan and couldn't hear the screaming baby 5 rows away. The battery life is crazy though, almost unnecessary levels of playback as you'll definitely be at home between use of these. Not great if you planned to use them in the gym too, they don't clamp on my head as tightly but that's not what I bought them for. XM5 price is absolutely insane compared to this.
@thesongoflunch alright lol they seem to be fine for long use as well, been reading some stuff about their clamping force & the headband being quite thin, then again the XM5s seem to have the same issue at least as far as the headband goes with it being so damn narrow for some reason.
I own the momentum 4s and use it sometimes when i do homework. The ear cushions get hot and sticky and the ear room is quite cramped. But the sound quality is amazing. I went to a shop recently and get to try the bose comfort ultra and they are way more comfortable. The cushions have a wool like texture and spacious earcups and they are light. Also the active noise cancelling is nice. But i did not test its sound quality. I am thinking of getting the cooling wicked cushion earcups for momentum 4s.
I am still confused about which one to pick since my main preference is logetivity ( in sense that it will work for more than 7-8 yrs) and sound . I heard that Sennheiser quality have degraded over few years (specifically the wireless series)
Go for the QC Ultra. The big reason is because of the codecs: Bose is set up with some of the upcoming codecs like AptX Lossless. Being on BT 5.3 also helps there. Here’s my full review: th-cam.com/video/A9BbUIh6Xqs/w-d-xo.html
Thank you for the excellent review. I have he Bose QC Ultra. One major disappointment is the inability to save the EQ settings for different type of music. It's strange such a basic feature is not available in the app. With the Momentum 4 you can save your customized EQ presets. Moreover the Momentum 4 has 5 EQ sliders versus 3 on the Bose QC ultra, although this is less important than the ability to save your settings.
If you got rid of the APMs because of ear heat you’ll probably find the M4 too hot as well. In your case, I’d would either suggest the Bose QC or QC45, or if you don’t need noise canceling, then a good pair of Sennheiser plus a Qudelix5k for Bluetooth support.
I got Boose ultra at ready got 200 dollars off on amazon refund credit is there anything better I do like neutral sound with relastic noise with out artifical sound I dont mind using cable to pc to make it less lag on gaming as I am on pc and apple table?
Honestly, the Momentum 4 sounds like what you might be looking for without going into the wired-only route. If wired-only, there are a TON of options: Sennheiser HD599, Sennheiser X Drop PC38X, Grado 125x, HiFiMan Sundara, Fostex T50RP, Meze 99 Neo… and if you’re willing to go up a bit, the HiFiMan Edition XS is about $270 right now and might be the best bang for the buck overall.
Oh, I wish I knew. The Edition XS for $270 has been at that price for a while, so it’s likely to drop to that price again eventually. Also HiFiMan sells a lot of B-stock for cheap. The Sennheiser HD599 I would just look at eBay for: Sennheiser sells these refurbished for about $130, although the HD599 SE can be had new from Amazon for about the same price. (Same thing, different color). Grados, Meze, and Fostex are all at their regular prices now.
i just bought the qc ultra and they're shipping it, i fear i might have done a mistake. i don't know which ones to pick... I would use them for gaming, spotify, youtube and on my phone ( oneplus 9 pro ) and i fear they might not be the best option... ( i will play with them wired )
I think you’ll be fine. 1. Unless you get a wireless gaming headset like the Audeze Maxwell (which weighs 2x what the QCU does), no wireless headphone is all that great for gaming, but with them wired + spatial mode, this is about as good as it gets. 2. Spotify / TH-cam - these will be great. The fact that you have a OnePlus 9 Pro only matters with the codecs it can output. If it can output to aptX adaptive or better yet, aptX Lossless, you’re set. If not, you’re stuck with AAC or SBC. (Unfortunately, Bose doesn’t support aptX HD or aptX LL.) If THAT is the issue, then (1) I wouldn’t fret all that much, honestly, but (2) you can see if you can try exchanging. Honestly, I love the Bose QCU, but only you can determine if it fits your needs.
@@NorbReviews thank you for answering, my phone supports aptx adaptive thankfully, as for gaming yeah i will only use them wired, but my fear is that i listen too many genres and it might lack of bass, for example one of the songs i wanna play is phantom v1, but yeah if it doesn't fit me i'll try the sennheiser instead. also i've heard that wireless headphones when using the microphone on discord go into "call mode" and the audio quality lowers, is that true? does that also happens with the qc ultra?
I got the momentum 4 and there is a lot of sound leakage at 85 decibals on an iPhone (loudest volume). I use my airpods on the same setting with no leakage Am i doing something wrong? Which would you say fares better in terms of leakage?
Well you are just comparing grapes to watermelon. Of course there's going to be leak of audio at such decibels. It's normal of headphones. I wouldn't worry about it's, it's the nature of it.
That’s an area I don’t know a ton about because I don’t listen to music that loud. (I love music and want to keep being able to hear it for along time.) But if I was going to guess, probably the XM5, which is what I’ve recommended to friends with hearing issues (who HAVE to listen loud) before. Bit the XM4 and XM5 I believe are made of sound suppressing material, and that cuts both ways: into the headphone and out from it.
None that I’ve heard. They did the Accentum in 2023 and the True Wireless 4 in 2024, so a refresh of the Momentum is reasonable for 2025, but I won’t be surprised if it’s pushed to 2026.
This is a great review as the Momentum 4 are on sale here in Australia. I just don't like the weight, i have Soundcore Q45 which is 292 grams and inwant to give them away for something lighter like the Sony's. Would you rate the Sony xm4 on a similar level to these for sound quality?
No, the XM4 is definitely not as good here. They aren’t bad-especially after using the EQ-but the M4 are a cut above for sound. If you want better sound AND lighter, I tend to prefer the Bose QuietComfort series, specifically the QC Ultra.
I had my momentum 4 since pre ordered and Yes i had issues in the software, or hardware sometimes the only explanation is that it acts weird when there is water related environments like for example wet hands or when it's raining. The battery on this doesn't last hours now, I had to charge it everyday. It could be faulty but I still like them, and I enjoy the sound, I do hear more notes in the music than my Galaxy buds. The other thing is that I hope I could turn off ANC
Momentum 4 is a very nice headset. But sennheiser must have the worst quality control system possible on this model. Finding a headset that does not have a bad left/right driver balance is a big lottery. Additionally, when ANC is on, it makes a serious low noise no matter how low the setting is. A headset with lots of complaints on Reddit. I had to return it because of these two problems. But now I miss the sound of m4.
right. getting Momentum 4 without any issues at all is a lottery. I had a momentum 4 at first then returned it due to sound cutting off/stuttering issue and it has this loud popping static sound that randomly appears. Then I bought again another Momentum 4. This time I got very lucky and my pair has no issues at all.
I'm almost about to return my Bose Ultra's for the same reason... high noise floor. So I'm kinda glad to find out in time that the Momentum isn't much/any better in that regard. I still have a set of Sony XM5's to compare with, and the XM5's noise floor is almost undetectable.
Hi! Do you know, how both perform latency wise? Like if watching movie or videos are there any noticeable latency, while wireless? And how is the latency wired? For example can one of them used for PC Gaming wireless/wired?
The momentum build quality is very bad. I went to try them on, sound very good but cheap build quality. Do not get momentum for the gym as I had the 3 and they broke due to sweat
Why do I keep hearing this? I have a pair that has held up to being tossed around and worn in the gym five days a week. Zero issues. What are people doing?
1. The 3 and 4 have very different builds. 2. Even if they didn’t, neither is sweat resistant. These are not meant for the gym. There are gym-focused headphones for this. But if you sweat a lot, earbuds would probably be a lot better (which is what I do, BTW, a pair for QuietComforts from 2020), since most have an IP## rating. You want something with at least an IPX4 rating.
@@NorbReviews most over the ear headphones are not meant for the gym, lol. Sorry, but I’m far from a noob when it comes to headphones or audio equipment. The build quality is fine. They aren’t as rigid as the earlier models, as they use different materials. To say they have bad build quality is laughable. They hold up better than any Beats or Skullcandy cans that most young people have. And the sound quality is far superior. Bose has a muddied midrange and they kind of always have in their products. Mostly because they fill their mid to low end too heavy while leaving the upper range sharp yet still not detailed. These particularly have a sharp high end. I’m assuming to compensate for the heavy low end. But these are way exaggerated with bass. If someone is looking for a great hi res set or even a faithful reproduction of the original audio, the Bose aren’t doing it.
@ I agree. I happen to use mine the last few months bc less ppl bother you, lol. Not everyone notices you have earbuds in. Plus sound quality is better and more dynamic.
@ Bose are muddy and def not balanced. Most reviews say as much. The momentums def have stand out bass. But again, with the amazing EQ in the app, they can sound however you want.
The review by sound guys says other wise. The multi dimensional audio quality score is on par with SM4. Overall Bose is the better choice here in all departments
@ also the biggest issue I have with those who review headphones, they insist on reviewing at default settings. Yet when you first setup/connect to the Momentum’s, it takes you through an EQ setup. You’d have to ignore everything to listen to them at default. Which ignores their strength. The processing and DAC. Which is better than Bose’s. I’ve owned both pairs and favor the Momentum in every category minus ANC. The Bose does edge out. But I don’t really care about noise cancellation, I’m for listening to my music. Even at the gym, the Bose were just awkward feeling. The thin headband and huge ear space was weird for me. I read a crap load of reviews before I purchased any cans. And it was between these two and the Sony XM5. Which honestly I felt were better than the Bose. But the customization wasn’t nearly as good as the Momentum. Price was the last factor- momentum cheaper than all of them.
Well, I did the comparison to the Px7 S2e, which is close, although the Px8 has a darker tone: th-cam.com/video/1_bPTRmt5w8/w-d-xo.html I also compared it to the Bathys, and a lot of this comparison I feel holds. th-cam.com/video/9xgFyJrHeWY/w-d-xo.html I had the Px8 for a while, but it wasn’t enough of an upgrade for me from the S2e to justify the cost to keep them. The build is *really* nice, though.
Simple Choice and 3 reasons why. 1) MDAQS The Multi-Dimensional Audio Quality Score results indicates BOSE Quiet Comfort Ultra is much better than the SONY WH-1000XM5. 2) Sony XM5 release date May 2022 MSRP $399.99 and Bose QC Ultra release date October 2023 MSRP $429. aka release date (age) and original pricing. 3) 2024 Holiday sale XM5 $299 and QC Ultra $329 both dropping $100. affordability as Sony XM5 should be discounted more because it is a year older than Bose QC Ultra. On the other hand, the best audio/sounding BT headphones are the Sennheiser Momentum 4 release date August 2022 MSRP $349 and now on sale for $229 as $120 less. The Momentum 4 MDAQS rating is about equal to the Bose QC Ultra. Another thing: Momentum 4 just sounds better than Bose or Sony probably because of the 42mm dynamic drivers. The best affordable Bluetooth headphone which cost less of the 3 is Momentum 4. The quality is better than the Sony XM5 and just a small notch below the Bose QC Ultra. Sorry. Bose QC-45 are outdated but most likely provide better comfort than other BT headphones.
The best Audio sounding would be the B&W PX7 S2e for 279 after 120 bucks off, hell the PX8 is 499 after 200 dollars off. Those other headphones can't touch the sound of B&W.
If you’re happy with what you have then yeah, I agree. They seem to have 3-ish year cycles so I wouldn’t be surprised to see it in Sept 2025 or thereabouts.
I’m currently trying to assess the difference between the Bose QC headphones and the QC ultra. I own a Bose QC2 and wanted an upgrade. Firstly, the noise cancelling is amazing on both, much better than my original old QC pair. The only thing that I am struggling with is with both that there are sibibilants on the treble which are impossible to remove. This is absent on my existing old pair. The overall sound of the ultra is much clearer and crisp than the QC, but I’m struggling with justifying taking the ultra on the road where it will get knocked and whether the extra money is worth it. The review above mentions that the equaliser is customisable but it has only three buttons so you are changing the sound in very chunky ways. I listen to Spotify for music almost exclusively and it has a built-in equaliser that is much better so I’ve been using that. Nevertheless, this extra sibilants is there even if you reduce the treble significantly which then of course makes the sound muddy. The sibilance is not always there and depends on the vocals to which you’re listening. I don’t understand why this review makes the distinction between “movies“ And “music“. To me, there is no difference because both contain music, vocals, and speech any of which you would consume through Spotify and podcasts. I hope this helps.
1. To me, there’s a distinction between movies and music, which is why I added that here. If that’s not the case for you then ignore it. 2. Sounds to me like you don’t like the Bose sound anymore. Consider other options like the Px7 S2e, which has a more relaxed sound, but not great ANC. 3. If you’re afraid of spending this much money on headphones that might not do well, consider something less expensive, like the AKG 371BT or JBL 770NC. Both are cheaper and have excellent sound. (I’ll toss in the SoundCore Q45 because of the excellent EQ.) Best of luck!
You can turn them off by long-pressing the power button. But yeah, putting it in the case turning it back on is annoying as all heck. The workaround I provided has worked well for me, but this is definitely something I want fixed in the next version.
@@NorbReviews no i mean not being able to turn off both ANC and Transparency, only morons that did not use their own product would make a decision like that... Its my first Sennheiser product and i'm pretty pissed, already regret for not getting QC or MX which i know would deliver... If they dont fix it with a software update this will be my last product of theirs for sure. I can literally hear static noise from their stupid systems trying to compensate for silence in my room...
Oh, gotcha. No yeah, I’m 100% behind you on that. I really dislike that both Sennheiser and Bose have gone in this direction of not having an off option for the ANC and transparency.
I love the confidence in my ability to get sponsorships, but you overstate both my influence and profit drive. 1. I bought these with my own money. (I almost always do, and if I don’t, I state that clearly.) 2. I’ve never once communicated with anyone from any of these companies or their representatives. 3. If I had, I would be legally obligated to disclose that relationship. 4. Even if I wasn’t obligated by both TH-cam and the FTC, I would still say something if any sort of recompense had happened because, as a viewer, *I* would want to know this. No, I’m just a guy who owns these, does this as a hobby, and is sharing his honest opinions. I also just like to make the kind of reviews that I’d personally want to watch.
I have tried both (I own the M4) but in my opinion, the momentum 4 eats the Bose without a doubt when it comes to the sound, but I do think the Bose are a little better for the daily use, they are more comfortable and lighter. If your priority is the sound, go for the Sennheiser
I’m on the fence. Both are on sale right now! I primarily use my headphones for hanging out in the house listening to music and podcasts while I’m cooking or doing chores. Which do you think would be better for a non-traveling lifestyle? Someone who just listens at home while they’re hanging out? I mean, I’ll travel occasionally but not super often.
@ The Sennheiser
what about the b&w px7 S2
@sdcisaac - Probably the Sennheiser.
@burhanlukmanjee543 - I've just released comparisons of these over the past week, if you check the channel out. But I really like My Px7 S2e's, and would also recommend them highly if you don't need a ton of ANC.
Excellent reviews. i remembered your momentum 3 video.
Wow! That was my first video! Thank you for watching then and now! And thank you VERY much for commenting!
@@NorbReviews Yeah bro, sent it to warranty because of bugs and immediately they sent me a momentum 4 (which is another buggy shit) i was shocked at frequency response difference between them, It was turning on by itself in the bag and rejecting incoming calls and I couldn't stand it anymore so I sold it.
@@cenen7021 oh wow! Yeah, selling is a good idea. The case issue really has turned out to be the worst tech decision Sennheiser made with these: they tried to make it too Apple-like and completely failed there. The way I was able to patch mine has worked well enough, but honestly, it shouldn’t be an issue, period.
Glad you sold it. What did you end up replacing it with?
Great video! , very detailed 😊
Thank you!
Anyone looking for gym headphones I would say go with the Bose. I had the Momentum 4's for about 10 days before I returned them. The clamp force was way too strong for working out and my shoulders would often touch the play/pause touch controls when I was training back. They sound great though!
I had the Bose. They are definitely more comfortable, lighter and have deeper ear cups. However I returned them for the Momentum 4 and am so glad I did. The sound is night and day for me. I customization and personalized audio setting is amazing. The battery life is something I feel like people take for granted. They legit last for weeks between charges with pretty heavy use.
2 and a half times longer is crazy
THANKS!
My pleasure!
if you travel a lot isn't battery life more important than being compact?, yes momentum case is bulkier but not by much, but 60hrs battery vs 24hrs, with 60hrs you can travel for a week without needing to charge
Depends. You’re right, it’s important. But most people have the opportunity to charge: airports and airplanes now often have charging ports. (Don’t know about most trains, though, a very different case than I’m used to.) Space, however, especially when traveling international, is at a premium.
I was just on a flight to Japan and space is definitely at a premium with carry-on luggage. (Especially if you want to minimize check-in.) The bigger case would have been a problem - inches count - but the 24 hour battery was plenty for my need.
Still, a longer battery would definitely be preferable, and I’m surprised it’s still not over 30 hours at least. 60 is marvelous. So this very much depends on your travel needs.
What eq settings do you use for momentum 4?
Sorry for not getting to this earlier. I was able to respond to you in another thread.
@NorbReviews Thanks!
On the moment I‘m deciding between the Bose qc ultra and the b&w px7 S2.The Bose are 269,99€ and the b&w are 159,99€ in my country.Which shut I choose.I‘m Not Planung on using them as much for travelling.I will use them with my iPhone and my windows pc for Musik ,Gaming, TH-cam and sometimes for movies.
I have also a question about the snapdragon sound and aptx adaptive:dose this work with windows or do need to get an adapter?
You need an adapter
Honestly I just returned the B&W px7 s2e they were just soo disappointing with my iphone the volume was just too low for my liking compared to my AirPods pro max
If you're using an iPhone, you should probably just get the AirPods Max, if it's available to you. For sound quality, B&W has some of the best sound quality in the ANC headphone market. If you get the Bose, the sound quality will be perfectly usable, but you're mostly paying for the best ANC and the features it comes with, not amazing sound quality. For aptx I'm not sure
@classiccj2569 - Spot on. The only thing I'll say is that I haven't had good experiences with the AirPods Max on Windows PCs. The sound takes a serious nosedive.
@chromefuture5561 - I ended up releasing videos comparing the S2e, the M4, and the QC Ultra (as well as the XM5) after posting this one, so you may want to watch those. (My apologies now: a lot of the content will be rehash since they're meant to stand alone.)
I love my Px7 S2e, but I wonder if, given your use, you might like the Bose better. The Momentum 4 is definitely a good choice, though, ESPECIALLY if you use the USB-C cable for audio, which bring is head and shoulders above its competition.
As for Snapdragon sound, as per Bose: "To experience Snapdragon Sound, you need a Snapdragon Sound-certified device, such as a compatible Android mobile device. Once you connect the headphones, your device will automatically stream audio using the aptX Adaptive Bluetooth codec. For a list of Snapdragon Sound compatible devices, visit aptx.com."
Is the normal quietcomfort headphones hot on the ears? I returned my M4 bc they were way too hot
I haven't tried the standard QuietComfort, but if it's anything like either the QC45 or QC Ultras, ear heat won't be an issue.
All of the Bose QC headphones have always had the earmuff material the same. It’s very cool, fits well and are easily replaced. I have an old set and I’m currently reviewing the ultra versus the standard QC. All three feel identical. If you wear any of them for hoursthey will begin to get warm but overall I’d recommend them for comfort as it were :-)
I wish Sennheiser would create Momentum 4s in the chassis of the HD569. Those are like putting clouds on your ears. Somehow almost more comfortable than having no headphones on at all.
Oh, I’d love this. I have the 599’s and they feel **so good**.
I sold my sony xm5 for sennheiserM4 months ago and added bowers&wilkinspx8. Px8 has even a little better sound (in my opinion) and a punchy bass. Sennis are still great.. and for my taste more comfy then B&W
M4 + Px8 = a really great combo to have!
FYI, description mentions Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2e ;)
Fixed! Thank you!
Are the momentum 4's good for studying, i.e. noise cancelling and comfort for several hours of use in a row in environments where the chatter can get quite loud at times. Currently looking at the momentum 4s vs the xm5s since the xm5s apparently have the best anc of all or close, whereas the momentum 4s have worse anc but better in pretty much everything else, Currently I'd also be able to get the momentum 4s for 230 vs 370 for the xm5s although price isn't really a big deal (although 370 is the highest I'll go)
the momentum 4’s active noise cancelling is really bad, it’s only good if the environment isn’t that loud to begin with like inside a library.
you could also get airpod pros instead of the xm5 for cheaper if youre looking for good noise cancellation
Indeed they are just fine!! The nitpickers will make you believe that they are not!! I have used them many times over and the quality of audio,battery life,comfort is awesome!!! I have tried both and I believe the Bose are wonderful BUT the M4’s are quite splendid to use with amazing features to boot!!
Ignore the haters. Yes it's not Sony levels of ANC but I just sat with these for 14 hours on a flight from Japan and couldn't hear the screaming baby 5 rows away. The battery life is crazy though, almost unnecessary levels of playback as you'll definitely be at home between use of these.
Not great if you planned to use them in the gym too, they don't clamp on my head as tightly but that's not what I bought them for.
XM5 price is absolutely insane compared to this.
@thesongoflunch alright lol they seem to be fine for long use as well, been reading some stuff about their clamping force & the headband being quite thin, then again the XM5s seem to have the same issue at least as far as the headband goes with it being so damn narrow for some reason.
I own the momentum 4s and use it sometimes when i do homework. The ear cushions get hot and sticky and the ear room is quite cramped. But the sound quality is amazing. I went to a shop recently and get to try the bose comfort ultra and they are way more comfortable. The cushions have a wool like texture and spacious earcups and they are light. Also the active noise cancelling is nice. But i did not test its sound quality. I am thinking of getting the cooling wicked cushion earcups for momentum 4s.
I am still confused about which one to pick since my main preference is logetivity ( in sense that it will work for more than 7-8 yrs) and sound . I heard that Sennheiser quality have degraded over few years (specifically the wireless series)
Go for the QC Ultra. The big reason is because of the codecs: Bose is set up with some of the upcoming codecs like AptX Lossless. Being on BT 5.3 also helps there.
Here’s my full review: th-cam.com/video/A9BbUIh6Xqs/w-d-xo.html
Thank you for the excellent review. I have he Bose QC Ultra. One major disappointment is the inability to save the EQ settings for different type of music. It's strange such a basic feature is not available in the app. With the Momentum 4 you can save your customized EQ presets. Moreover the Momentum 4 has 5 EQ sliders versus 3 on the Bose QC ultra, although this is less important than the ability to save your settings.
Bingo. It seems like such a simple add on. I think Sennheiser has made maybe the best EQ experience out now.
How bad was the ear heat on the momentum? I had to sell my AirPods Max for this reason so it’s important to me, but so is audio quality.
If you got rid of the APMs because of ear heat you’ll probably find the M4 too hot as well.
In your case, I’d would either suggest the Bose QC or QC45, or if you don’t need noise canceling, then a good pair of Sennheiser plus a Qudelix5k for Bluetooth support.
I got Boose ultra at ready got 200 dollars off on amazon refund credit is there anything better I do like neutral sound with relastic noise with out artifical sound I dont mind using cable to pc to make it less lag on gaming as I am on pc and apple table?
Honestly, the Momentum 4 sounds like what you might be looking for without going into the wired-only route. If wired-only, there are a TON of options: Sennheiser HD599, Sennheiser X Drop PC38X, Grado 125x, HiFiMan Sundara, Fostex T50RP, Meze 99 Neo… and if you’re willing to go up a bit, the HiFiMan Edition XS is about $270 right now and might be the best bang for the buck overall.
@@NorbReviews How long are the Christmas deals gonna last as my refund may be on the 1 of next month?
Oh, I wish I knew.
The Edition XS for $270 has been at that price for a while, so it’s likely to drop to that price again eventually. Also HiFiMan sells a lot of B-stock for cheap. The Sennheiser HD599 I would just look at eBay for: Sennheiser sells these refurbished for about $130, although the HD599 SE can be had new from Amazon for about the same price. (Same thing, different color). Grados, Meze, and Fostex are all at their regular prices now.
i just bought the qc ultra and they're shipping it, i fear i might have done a mistake. i don't know which ones to pick...
I would use them for gaming, spotify, youtube and on my phone ( oneplus 9 pro ) and i fear they might not be the best option... ( i will play with them wired )
I think you’ll be fine.
1. Unless you get a wireless gaming headset like the Audeze Maxwell (which weighs 2x what the QCU does), no wireless headphone is all that great for gaming, but with them wired + spatial mode, this is about as good as it gets.
2. Spotify / TH-cam - these will be great.
The fact that you have a OnePlus 9 Pro only matters with the codecs it can output. If it can output to aptX adaptive or better yet, aptX Lossless, you’re set. If not, you’re stuck with AAC or SBC. (Unfortunately, Bose doesn’t support aptX HD or aptX LL.)
If THAT is the issue, then (1) I wouldn’t fret all that much, honestly, but (2) you can see if you can try exchanging.
Honestly, I love the Bose QCU, but only you can determine if it fits your needs.
@@NorbReviews thank you for answering, my phone supports aptx adaptive thankfully, as for gaming yeah i will only use them wired, but my fear is that i listen too many genres and it might lack of bass, for example one of the songs i wanna play is phantom v1, but yeah if it doesn't fit me i'll try the sennheiser instead. also i've heard that wireless headphones when using the microphone on discord go into "call mode" and the audio quality lowers, is that true? does that also happens with the qc ultra?
I got the momentum 4 and there is a lot of sound leakage at 85 decibals on an iPhone (loudest volume). I use my airpods on the same setting with no leakage
Am i doing something wrong? Which would you say fares better in terms of leakage?
Well you are just comparing grapes to watermelon. Of course there's going to be leak of audio at such decibels. It's normal of headphones. I wouldn't worry about it's, it's the nature of it.
That’s an area I don’t know a ton about because I don’t listen to music that loud. (I love music and want to keep being able to hear it for along time.) But if I was going to guess, probably the XM5, which is what I’ve recommended to friends with hearing issues (who HAVE to listen loud) before. Bit the XM4 and XM5 I believe are made of sound suppressing material, and that cuts both ways: into the headphone and out from it.
The sound leakage is brilliant for these, too high volume means there will obviously be leakage.
Any credible sources hinting at a Momentum 5 or update to the QC Ultra in 2025?
None that I’ve heard. They did the Accentum in 2023 and the True Wireless 4 in 2024, so a refresh of the Momentum is reasonable for 2025, but I won’t be surprised if it’s pushed to 2026.
This is a great review as the Momentum 4 are on sale here in Australia.
I just don't like the weight, i have Soundcore Q45 which is 292 grams and inwant to give them away for something lighter like the Sony's.
Would you rate the Sony xm4 on a similar level to these for sound quality?
$335 AUD on Amazon AU for the M4s is insane value.
No, the XM4 is definitely not as good here. They aren’t bad-especially after using the EQ-but the M4 are a cut above for sound. If you want better sound AND lighter, I tend to prefer the Bose QuietComfort series, specifically the QC Ultra.
I had my momentum 4 since pre ordered and Yes i had issues in the software, or hardware sometimes the only explanation is that it acts weird when there is water related environments like for example wet hands or when it's raining. The battery on this doesn't last hours now, I had to charge it everyday. It could be faulty but I still like them, and I enjoy the sound, I do hear more notes in the music than my Galaxy buds. The other thing is that I hope I could turn off ANC
Thanks for your take on these. That’s crazy about the battery! Yikes!
Momentum 4 is a very nice headset. But sennheiser must have the worst quality control system possible on this model. Finding a headset that does not have a bad left/right driver balance is a big lottery. Additionally, when ANC is on, it makes a serious low noise no matter how low the setting is. A headset with lots of complaints on Reddit. I had to return it because of these two problems. But now I miss the sound of m4.
right. getting Momentum 4 without any issues at all is a lottery. I had a momentum 4 at first then returned it due to sound cutting off/stuttering issue and it has this loud popping static sound that randomly appears. Then I bought again another Momentum 4. This time I got very lucky and my pair has no issues at all.
I'm almost about to return my Bose Ultra's for the same reason... high noise floor. So I'm kinda glad to find out in time that the Momentum isn't much/any better in that regard. I still have a set of Sony XM5's to compare with, and the XM5's noise floor is almost undetectable.
Hi!
Do you know, how both perform latency wise? Like if watching movie or videos are there any noticeable latency, while wireless? And how is the latency wired? For example can one of them used for PC Gaming wireless/wired?
I’m not much of a gamer outside of occasionally finding you my PS5, so I’m not a great person to ask about this. Sorry.
@NorbReviews thank you for your answer! :)
The momentum build quality is very bad. I went to try them on, sound very good but cheap build quality. Do not get momentum for the gym as I had the 3 and they broke due to sweat
Why do I keep hearing this? I have a pair that has held up to being tossed around and worn in the gym five days a week. Zero issues. What are people doing?
1. The 3 and 4 have very different builds.
2. Even if they didn’t, neither is sweat resistant.
These are not meant for the gym. There are gym-focused headphones for this. But if you sweat a lot, earbuds would probably be a lot better (which is what I do, BTW, a pair for QuietComforts from 2020), since most have an IP## rating. You want something with at least an IPX4 rating.
@@NorbReviews most over the ear headphones are not meant for the gym, lol. Sorry, but I’m far from a noob when it comes to headphones or audio equipment. The build quality is fine. They aren’t as rigid as the earlier models, as they use different materials. To say they have bad build quality is laughable. They hold up better than any Beats or Skullcandy cans that most young people have. And the sound quality is far superior.
Bose has a muddied midrange and they kind of always have in their products. Mostly because they fill their mid to low end too heavy while leaving the upper range sharp yet still not detailed. These particularly have a sharp high end. I’m assuming to compensate for the heavy low end. But these are way exaggerated with bass.
If someone is looking for a great hi res set or even a faithful reproduction of the original audio, the Bose aren’t doing it.
I don't get why people buy over the ear headphones to use at the gym. Like 80% of them are not meant for that, just buy earbuds.
@ I agree. I happen to use mine the last few months bc less ppl bother you, lol. Not everyone notices you have earbuds in. Plus sound quality is better and more dynamic.
the momentum 4 are bass heavy headphones. bose much more netural sounding .
if you love shit tons of bass , who am i to argue .
Absolutely the other way around. You had to have used the incorrect EQ settings for this to even be remotely true.
Ye momentum 4 is very bass heavy out of the box. But after sound personalisation its where the sound shines.
Thank you.
Thank you for watching!
The Momentum 4 sounds far better than the Bose. Add in the app and EQ customization, and they may be the best bang for your headphones on the market.
the momentum 4 are bass heavy headphones. bose much more netural sounding .
if you love shit tons of bass , who am i to argue .
@ Bose are muddy and def not balanced. Most reviews say as much. The momentums def have stand out bass. But again, with the amazing EQ in the app, they can sound however you want.
The review by sound guys says other wise. The multi dimensional audio quality score is on par with SM4. Overall Bose is the better choice here in all departments
@@Vegitobluuuuu rtings shows otherwise. And many ‘sound guys’ say the same.
@ also the biggest issue I have with those who review headphones, they insist on reviewing at default settings. Yet when you first setup/connect to the Momentum’s, it takes you through an EQ setup. You’d have to ignore everything to listen to them at default. Which ignores their strength. The processing and DAC. Which is better than Bose’s.
I’ve owned both pairs and favor the Momentum in every category minus ANC. The Bose does edge out. But I don’t really care about noise cancellation, I’m for listening to my music. Even at the gym, the Bose were just awkward feeling. The thin headband and huge ear space was weird for me.
I read a crap load of reviews before I purchased any cans. And it was between these two and the Sony XM5. Which honestly I felt were better than the Bose. But the customization wasn’t nearly as good as the Momentum. Price was the last factor- momentum cheaper than all of them.
Sennheiser's are by far better. We need comparison of them to PX8 Bowers & Wilkins
Well, I did the comparison to the Px7 S2e, which is close, although the Px8 has a darker tone: th-cam.com/video/1_bPTRmt5w8/w-d-xo.html
I also compared it to the Bathys, and a lot of this comparison I feel holds. th-cam.com/video/9xgFyJrHeWY/w-d-xo.html
I had the Px8 for a while, but it wasn’t enough of an upgrade for me from the S2e to justify the cost to keep them. The build is *really* nice, though.
@@NorbReviews if the momentums's had premium build quality like the PX8 or B&Os H95/H100 they would be the best
Got the px8 and returned the instantly 🤣 ended up with the Marshall iii and am happy
Definately 🎉❤
Bro, the tuning on the sennheiser’s are terrible. Even bassheads say how awfully overdone it is. 🤦♂️
Simple Choice and 3 reasons why.
1) MDAQS The Multi-Dimensional Audio Quality Score results indicates BOSE Quiet Comfort Ultra is much better than the SONY WH-1000XM5.
2) Sony XM5 release date May 2022 MSRP $399.99 and Bose QC Ultra release date October 2023 MSRP $429. aka release date (age) and original pricing.
3) 2024 Holiday sale XM5 $299 and QC Ultra $329 both dropping $100. affordability as Sony XM5 should be discounted more because it is a year older than Bose QC Ultra.
On the other hand, the best audio/sounding BT headphones are the Sennheiser Momentum 4 release date August 2022 MSRP $349 and now on sale for $229 as $120 less.
The Momentum 4 MDAQS rating is about equal to the Bose QC Ultra. Another thing: Momentum 4 just sounds better than Bose or Sony probably because of the 42mm dynamic drivers.
The best affordable Bluetooth headphone which cost less of the 3 is Momentum 4. The quality is better than the Sony XM5 and just a small notch below the Bose QC Ultra.
Sorry. Bose QC-45 are outdated but most likely provide better comfort than other BT headphones.
The best Audio sounding would be the B&W PX7 S2e for 279 after 120 bucks off, hell the PX8 is 499 after 200 dollars off. Those other headphones can't touch the sound of B&W.
@@MrRondonmonApparently they're very unreliable though. Many issues with them.
Might as well wait for the sennheiser momentum 5 at this point.
If you’re happy with what you have then yeah, I agree. They seem to have 3-ish year cycles so I wouldn’t be surprised to see it in Sept 2025 or thereabouts.
I’m currently trying to assess the difference between the Bose QC headphones and the QC ultra. I own a Bose QC2 and wanted an upgrade. Firstly, the noise cancelling is amazing on both, much better than my original old QC pair. The only thing that I am struggling with is with both that there are sibibilants on the treble which are impossible to remove. This is absent on my existing old pair. The overall sound of the ultra is much clearer and crisp than the QC, but I’m struggling with justifying taking the ultra on the road where it will get knocked and whether the extra money is worth it. The review above mentions that the equaliser is customisable but it has only three buttons so you are changing the sound in very chunky ways. I listen to Spotify for music almost exclusively and it has a built-in equaliser that is much better so I’ve been using that. Nevertheless, this extra sibilants is there even if you reduce the treble significantly which then of course makes the sound muddy. The sibilance is not always there and depends on the vocals to which you’re listening. I don’t understand why this review makes the distinction between “movies“ And “music“. To me, there is no difference because both contain music, vocals, and speech any of which you would consume through Spotify and podcasts. I hope this helps.
1. To me, there’s a distinction between movies and music, which is why I added that here. If that’s not the case for you then ignore it.
2. Sounds to me like you don’t like the Bose sound anymore. Consider other options like the Px7 S2e, which has a more relaxed sound, but not great ANC.
3. If you’re afraid of spending this much money on headphones that might not do well, consider something less expensive, like the AKG 371BT or JBL 770NC. Both are cheaper and have excellent sound. (I’ll toss in the SoundCore Q45 because of the excellent EQ.)
Best of luck!
DO NOT BUY M4 UNLESS THEY FIX THE NO TURN OFF STUPIDIDTY
You can turn them off by long-pressing the power button. But yeah, putting it in the case turning it back on is annoying as all heck. The workaround I provided has worked well for me, but this is definitely something I want fixed in the next version.
@@NorbReviews no i mean not being able to turn off both ANC and Transparency, only morons that did not use their own product would make a decision like that...
Its my first Sennheiser product and i'm pretty pissed, already regret for not getting QC or MX which i know would deliver...
If they dont fix it with a software update this will be my last product of theirs for sure. I can literally hear static noise from their stupid systems trying to compensate for silence in my room...
Oh, gotcha. No yeah, I’m 100% behind you on that. I really dislike that both Sennheiser and Bose have gone in this direction of not having an off option for the ANC and transparency.
@@krellinYou mean there's no normal mode? You can turn off ANC and transparency right?
@@sukhdevr3489 only one or the other, its the single most stupid thing about these headphones, if you could turn off both it would be perfect
Sounds like someone got some money for saying stuff. Most of this is not totally wrong, but the chosen language seems skewed to fit an agenda.
I love the confidence in my ability to get sponsorships, but you overstate both my influence and profit drive.
1. I bought these with my own money. (I almost always do, and if I don’t, I state that clearly.)
2. I’ve never once communicated with anyone from any of these companies or their representatives.
3. If I had, I would be legally obligated to disclose that relationship.
4. Even if I wasn’t obligated by both TH-cam and the FTC, I would still say something if any sort of recompense had happened because, as a viewer, *I* would want to know this.
No, I’m just a guy who owns these, does this as a hobby, and is sharing his honest opinions. I also just like to make the kind of reviews that I’d personally want to watch.