I must confess something first. These are my first Sennheiser headphones. I have been a Sony XM user for years. Upgrading to the newest XM felt automatic to me. But then came this, the all new Sennheiser Momentum 5. So trying out the Momentum 5 was a small leap of faith. It costs RM1999 and that is no a small amount. I had no idea how different or unique this pair of headphones were and this article is all about my thoughts and sharing on the Momentum 5. Here is how the switch felt.
First Impressions
Coming from Sony, the Momentum 5 feels different right away. This one feels more thought out. The White colour looks clean however the shade is more of a beige creamy off white. The Momentum 5 also comes in Black and Denim variations. I like how it looks and feel as the Momentum 5 stands out in plain sight in a sea of generic looking headphones. That brown textured fabric on the band just gives it that elegant touch while the soft underside silicon ensures a proper snap on to your head.
Aesthetically, the silver badges of the Sennheiser logo blends perfectly well with the brown fabric. One small note here is that white headphones show scuff marks faster. Keep that in mind if you are clumsy. Inside the box you get the headphones and a carry case. There is also a USB C cable and a 3.5mm cable for wired use. Great attention to detail is shown here as one end of the 3.5mm cable is right angled.
Design and Comfort
The Momentum 5 weighs around 290 grams. Although heavier than other competing models, It never felt heavy to cause discomfort. The padding spreads the weight out nicely. I wore it for hours with no sore spots.
The controls mixes a physical button and touch panels. The gestures took some relearning for me, and it clicked eventually. There is also on head detection where music pauses the moment you take it off.
Sound Quality
This is where the difference really shows. Sennheiser tunes this with a warmer, bassier sound. Bass has real punch here without turning muddy. Vocals sound clear. Cymbals and strings stay crisp without getting harsh. My XM6 tends to play it safer and sound more balanced.
Compared to my Sony, the Momentum 5 feels more alive. It has more character. This is especially true with bass heavy tracks and if you’re craving for extra bass, then by all means switch on the bass booster for extra oomph! If you’re paying 4 figures for a headphone, I’m sure you don’t want it to sound generic. It has to have a personality, and the Momentum 5 has such an aggressive personality at that.
There is also Dolby Atmos support. It adds a sense of space to movies and some live recordings. For daily music listening I did not reach for it often. It is a nice bonus though, not a must use feature. The Momentum 5 also supports aptX Lossless. In simple terms, Android users can get near CD quality sound over Bluetooth. No cable needed.
Noise Cancellation
This is the part I was most curious about. Sony has built its whole reputation on ANC. The Momentum 5 had a lot to stand up against, so in its case it uses eight microphones for noise cancelling. That is double the last Sennheiser generation from my research. The result genuinely holds its own.
Steady noise like aircon hum or car engine purr gets flattened well. Would I call it clearly better than Sony? Not quite. I would call it an equal rival. There is also an Anti Wind mode. This impressed me the most out of everything. Transparency Mode sounds natural too and allowed me to pay more attention to my surroundings than completely zoning out.
Calls and Microphone Quality
Calls sound clear in quiet rooms. In noisy places like a busy street, the mics still keep your voice upfront. Background chatter fades nicely into the back.
Battery Life
This is the part that spoiled me. Sennheiser rates the Momentum 5 for up to 57 hours with ANC on and it definitely lives up to that. That easily covers a full work week. A quick 10 minute charge gives you several more hours.
The bigger surprise for me was the replaceable battery. Majority of headphones have its battery sealed inside. Once it degrades after a couple years, that is it. However, with the Momentum 5 you can swap the battery yourself. No repair shop needed. This changed how I think about headphone longevity.
App and Extra Features
The Smart Control Plus app lets you tweak sound with an equaliser. There is also a sound personalisation test. The equaliser options felt a bit more detailed though than other competitors. One thing to note for gamers, low latency gaming mode needs a separate dongle. It does not work out of the box over normal Bluetooth.
Pros and Cons
What I Liked About It
- Warmer, more characterful sound
- Strong noise cancelling that rivals the category leader
- Long battery life, easily a full week
- Replaceable battery, rare in this price range
- Comfortable for long sessions, even as a first timer
What Could Be Better
- Pricing, RM1999 is hefty
- No dongle included, gaming mode needs one
- No water or sweat rating, unknown for harsh conditions
- Some learning curve on controls if switching brands
Final Verdict
I walked in ready to compare everything back to Sony. The Sennheiser Momentum 5 ended up standing on its own instead. The sound is warmer and more engaging. The noise cancelling holds its ground well. The replaceable battery made me rethink what premium should mean.
Has it fully converted me from the Sony ecosystem? Not completely, not yet. But for headphones, it’s Hell Yeah. This surely is the first headphone from another brand that made me seriously consider switching. If you are curious about trying something new, this one is worth a look.
If you’d like to purchase this, Sennheiser has their official store on Shopee, stack your vouchers and get them for a steal today!