Sennheiser

Momentum True Wireless 4

USD $299.95

I have a weird habit of staring at people's ears at airports. It's not that I'm into people-watching or anything, but I'm always curious about their headphone decisions. Plenty of folk use the mighty Airpods Pro or Airpods Max, but it's no surprise that flights are also often full of people wearing the latest flagship noise-cancellers from Sennheiser or Sony.

Recently, I flew to Sydney with a pair of Sennheiser's brand-new Momentum True Wireless 4. Usually, I would carry my AirPods Pro 2 in my pocket for short distances, and for longer distances, I wouldn't dare leave the house without my over-ear Momentum 4. I've spent extensive time with every True Wireless product that Sennheiser has ever released, so I was eager to try the new one. Could it be the ultimate travel partner? I took it on a cross-country journey to find out…

UP CLOSE

Those familiar with the Momentum True Wireless 3 will be at home with this new model regarding look, feel, and fit. I sadly lost my pair of True Wireless 3s at the bottle shop a few months ago, which was devastating as it was my favourite. You can imagine my feelings of lust then as I unboxed the newest iteration and felt the familiar cross-woven fabric that encapsulates the True Wireless 4. This isn't just an aesthetic or tactile choice; it helps camouflage any minor abrasions from general wear and tear. This contrasts the similarly priced option from Audio-Technica, which features a sleek-looking uniform black plastic body that looks good but is prone to surface scratches.

At 6.2 grams per bud, this IEM is less than a gram heavier than the Airpods Pro 2 and roughly the same weight as the Sony WF1000-XM5. The shape, however, leans into a wonderfully ergonomic fit that I can wear for hours without much readjustment. The medium-sized tips worked fine for me, and three other sizes are available to choose from in the box.

I've come to expect a decent level of fit and finish from the Momentum line from Sennheiser, but the True Wireless 4 reaches new heights. The exterior shell is a brushed metal-like outer casing with the Sennheiser logo embossed on the side. The white inner casing features a bright and vivid status LED indicator, which neatly flashes into the white interior of the charging case. It has been well thought out and is impressive to use.

Two other areas have been vastly improved, namely the processor and the battery system. As someone who has been using the Momentum True Wireless line since its inception in 2018, I can tell you first-hand that the processing speed on these things is incredible. The new Bluetooth system and upgraded speed make the user experience second to none. For example, it takes the same amount of time to remove the buds from their case and plug them into my ears as it takes to connect to my phone. I've used over thirty True Wireless in-ear monitors in my life, and this is the fastest-connecting pair I have ever come across.

Similarly, the change is immediate when I turn on noise cancelling or transparency mode using the customisable touch controls. There is almost no perceptible lag or latency when making software adjustments. So, in real terms, when I was listening to music on my flight, and an announcement was made, I could tap my ear and be in transparency mode, with music paused almost immediately.

Allowing two devices to be paired at the same time means I can pair the True Wireless 4 to my Steam Deck and iPhone simultaneously; the phone can adjust the noise-cancelling settings or EQ while the gaming console provides the content. So, it's a well-packaged product, comfortable, and filled with useful tech. All well and good, but it's useless if the sound is not up to scratch…

THE LISTENING

I set off at the deep end, listening to the entirety of the Rampage Open Air performance by Luude. The True Wireless 4 performed admirably, making a great effort to keep up with the dynamic liveliness that the young Queensland performer could muster. Despite putting out a clean and accurate sound, I found it exciting throughout the entire set. I also found the lower frequencies manageable, with just enough rumble to be felt but not so much to drown out any lower-mid frequencies.

There's an EQ bundled into the app, and any adjustments saved inside will be transferred to the buds. This means you can dial in with your phone, tweak the sound to your liking, then connect the buds to another device and still enjoy your adjustments no matter what. I love this feature, as it lets you assign sound profiles to dumb devices, like in-flight entertainment systems.

Bass boost is my favourite button. The toggle does what it says on the tin without making the low-end overzealous, bloated or ridiculous. My hat goes off to Sennheiser for not overcooking this adjustment; instead, it gives a wallop in the bass that I would describe as being “a whisker more than what would be considered tasteful”—just how I like it!

Added to this is the ability to adjust the resolution settings using the Sennheiser Smart Control app. If I want to listen to music, I can shift it into 24-bit/96kHz mode, but if I want to play games with the least latency possible, I can change them into gaming mode, which lowers the resolution and drops the latency. While this may not be up to wired headphones' standards yet, it is the single best latency performer I've ever heard on a Bluetooth headphone. I am more than happy to play games using the Momentum True Wireless 4, so this model joins the ranks of being one of only a small handful of such IEMs that make this possible.

But the Sennheiser can also be a delicate, accurate listening companion, as demonstrated when playing Sonatine by Sofiane Pamart and Chilla. The piano recording was reproduced faithfully, with all details intact, and the vocals didn't come across as shrill or dry. The stereo image was also wonderfully wide, with no detectable driver imbalances. Instruments and samples alike could be pinpointed in their placement, which is more akin to a proper cabled audiophile experience.

I also had a 'lightbulb moment' during my listening when I casually activated my custom shortcut for turning on transparency mode. I was immediately awe-struck by the added accuracy and reality, which answered my burning question, “What has changed since a hearing aid company purchased Sennheiser?”

It's not just the realism of this feature that makes it so impressive; it's the level of customisation available to the user who wishes to use it. You can decide exactly how much outside noise is let into the bud, with several steps to help you decide. You also get to decide if your music is paused or not when the mode is activated.

Noise cancelling is adequate but falls short of breaking any records. It was able to do a decent job of drowning out the engines during my flight to Sydney, but it didn't completely remove me from the environment as some of the other noise-cancelling flagships on the market do. But even with this in mind, I would still prefer to take the Momentum True Wireless 4 on a flight with me, purely because of how much customisation I can apply to my inflight entertainment system.

Sennheiser has also reworked the battery system. Advertising 7.5 hours with ANC switched off—7 with it on—and 30 hours of total time when you factor in the charging case, this design smashes the AirPods Pro 2 by a full hour of listening time per charge. You can also get one full hour of playback with just 8 minutes of charge time, which is very impressive.

THE VERDICT

Sennheiser's new Momentum True Wireless 4 surprised me in many ways. I expected it to pair well with a gaming device but didn't expect a new benchmark for Bluetooth audio latency. I expected a great sound but not to blow my socks off like it did. The tech inside has been refined, and it is not just a lifeless, long feature list; it's a collection of genuinely well-thought-out and valuable features. Noise cancelling could be better, but it still does a fine job of what it is meant to do. So, this new design took me on an unforgettable audio journey, proving to be the perfect travel companion for my adventures.

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