Sennheiser Momentum 5 Wireless headphones bring ANC and audio upgrades at $400

At a glance:

• Sennheiser's Momentum 5 Wireless arrives June 16 priced at $400, $50 more than the Momentum 4.
• Key upgrades include up to three times more effective ANC for human voices, Hi-Res Audio certification, Snapdragon Sound with aptX Lossless, and a planned Bluetooth 6.0 firmware update.
• Battery life drops slightly to 57 hours from 60, but a user-replaceable 700mAh cell and 5-minute quick charge (3 hours playback) help offset the trade-off.

What's new inside the Momentum 5

Sennheiser is launching its Momentum 5 Wireless headphones on June 16 for $400, roughly four years after the Momentum 4 first hit shelves. On the outside, the design remains largely unchanged from the previous generation, but the internal upgrades are the headline story. The headphones retain the same 42mm transducers that were inspired by Sennheiser's iconic HD 600 series, tuned for what the company describes as a "full-bodied sound" and "dynamic bass." The audio section, however, gets several meaningful additions that should appeal to audiophiles and casual listeners alike.

The Momentum 5 carries a Hi-Res Audio certification and introduces Snapdragon Sound support, which enables Bluetooth codec performance up to aptX Lossless. Sennheiser's Smart Control Plus app now features an 8-band EQ alongside audio presets and sound personalization tools. The headphones are also compatible with the company's BTD 700 lossless Bluetooth dongle, which originally debuted alongside the HDB 630 headphones. Together, these changes position the Momentum 5 as one of the more feature-rich wireless headphones in the premium segment.

ANC and microphone improvements

On the noise-cancellation front, Sennheiser added two additional microphones per side, bringing the total to four on each ear cup. The company says these additions deliver "across-the-board improvements" and promise up to three times more effective noise cancellation of human voices compared to the Momentum 4. The extra microphones also aim to provide "more natural voice quality on calls," addressing one of the common complaints with over-ear headphones in hybrid-work scenarios.

It is worth noting that while the ANC hardware is upgraded, the Momentum 5 still ships with Bluetooth 5.4 rather than the newer 5.5 or 6.0 standards. Sennheiser explicitly states the headphones were designed with Bluetooth 6.0 in mind, and that upgrade will arrive later via a firmware update. Similarly, Dolby Atmos support is coming as a day-one update, adding head tracking when listening to or watching compatible Atmos content. Right now the headphones only support Dolby Atmos without the more immersive head tracking feature.

Battery and pricing details

Battery life is one area where the Momentum 5 steps back slightly. The Momentum 4 offered up to 60 hours on a single charge with ANC enabled, while the new model is rated for 57 hours. Sennheiser frames this as a minor trade-off given the other upgrades, and 57 hours still comfortably exceeds most competitors in the $400 range. The Momentum 5 does introduce a quick charge feature that provides up to three hours of playback after just five minutes of charging.

A notable hardware perk is that the 700mAh battery is user-replaceable, requiring only a small Phillips-head screwdriver to swap. This gives owners more control over long-term ownership costs compared to sealed designs common in the premium headphone market. The Momentum 5 will be available in three colorways: black, white, and blue.

What to watch next

Sennheiser's roadmap for the Momentum 5 includes a day-one firmware update for Dolby Atmos with head tracking and a future Bluetooth 6.0 update. Both are significant because they unlock capabilities that aren't available at launch, meaning early adopters will see meaningful changes shortly after unboxing. The $400 price point also puts the Momentum 5 in direct competition with established rivals like Sony's WH-1000XM5 and Apple's AirPods Max, both of which have their own ANC and audio strengths. How the Momentum 5's sound profile and call quality hold up in real-world testing will be an important data point for anyone deciding whether the $50 premium over the Momentum 4 is justified.