Big sounds: The Sennheiser Momentum 3 tested
14.11.2019
Translation: machine translated
Sennheiser has revised the Momentum Wireless over-ear headphones. This affects the operation, noise cancelling and also the sound. Here's a check to see how much progress has been made.
I bought the Sennheiser Momentum 2 Wireless for commuting on the train and use it regularly. That's why I wanted to know how the successor model Momentum 3 performs.
The new features are quite extensive:
- The headphones switch on when unfolded and switch off again when folded
- It pauses playback when I take them off and resumes playback when I put them back on.
- It sounds different to the Momentum 2.
- There is an app for it.
- There are three types of Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) instead of just one.
- Transparent Hearing fades in ambient noise.
- Hook is better padded, i.e. softer.
- The ear cups are slightly larger.
- USB-C instead of micro-USB.
Switching on and off
I have to press the button on the Momentum 2 for a long time to switch it on or off. I can't tell whether it's running or not. I can only tell if it's connected by checking my smartphone. This sometimes leads to me wanting to switch on the headphones and realising that I have now switched them off. And the battery may then be almost empty.
This is different with the Momentum 3. They switch on and off automatically when they are folded in or out. Actually a great improvement. However, the problem is that the shells open very easily and the device switches on unintentionally as a result.
The problem only occurs when the right ear cup is folded in first. On request, Sennheiser points out that the headphones are normally transported in the case and that they can also be opened without switching on (press and hold the multifunction button for four seconds). For me, this is still a clear weakness in the design.
Automatic playback and other operation
I can activate play and pause by putting the headphones on and taking them off. It works perfectly and the feature is practical for frequent interruptions. After switching on, the sound also starts automatically as soon as I put them on. That doesn't always work. The automatic play/pause function can be deactivated. It would have been perfect if I could only deactivate autoplay after switching on.
The play/pause button on the headphones is also used to change the track: press twice forwards, three times backwards. The volume and voice assistant can also be accessed via buttons on the headphones. I can feel the button through a knob on the rubber. I hit all the buttons blindly.
The app
In contrast to the Momentum 2, the new headphones can be controlled via the Sennheiser "Smart Control" app. This provides you with a number of additional functions:
- An easy-to-use graphic equaliser without any frippery
- Choice of noise cancelling mode: maximum, anti-wind and anti-pressure. Anti-wind only uses the inward-facing microphones for ANC, anti-pressure only the outward-facing microphones.
- Disable the automatic play/pause function.
- Switch the voice announcement to another language or deactivate it.
- Firmware updates.
At this point, a big thank you to Sennheiser for allowing me to switch off the voice announcement. It really annoyed me with the predecessor. This is mainly due to the fact that the announcement only depends on the volume of the headphones and not that of the (Android) smartphone. As I usually have the headphones on maximum, the voice always screams in my ear at full blast.
The sound: loud and clear
With support for the AptX and AAC codecs, the Momentum 3 offers the ideal conditions for both Android and iOS. AptX Low Latency also ensures perfect sound-image synchronisation
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Sennheiser has also made unmistakable improvements to the sound. The first thing you notice is the extreme volume. You'll never have the problem of music being too quiet on your smartphone with the Momentum 3. The bass has a lot of oomph, almost too much depending on the recording. With "Stay" by Me'Shell Ndegeocello, it almost pushes my eardrums out of my nostrils.
The treble is also more emphasised than on the previous model, so that the music generally sounds very clear and defined. Very strong bass and treble are the trend at the moment; the new PX7 from Bowers & Wilkins also goes in this direction. This is probably in line with mass taste, but I'm not such a fan of this development. Because in many recordings the mid frequencies are pretty much lost and they contain such important things as vocals and piano. At least I can correct this well with the equaliser. After all, it's less of a problem to boost the mids with the EQ than the bass and treble.
The sound when making calls is okay, as a short test shows It is also possible to have a conversation in noisy environments.
Active noise cancelling
The headphones suppress noise quite efficiently and clearly better than the Momentum 2 - but not better than the current top dogs Sony WH-1000XM3 and Bose 700. In a stairwell with good ventilation, the Momentum 3 and the competitor from Sony are quiet; I can still hear something with the Momentum 2. According to soundguys.com, the Momentum is better at higher frequencies, while Sony and Bose are better at eliminating low-frequency noise.
I hardly ever used the two lighter ANC settings Anti-Wind and Anti-Pressure. Anti-wind is very pleasant, but only has a weak effect. Anti-pressure has a stronger effect, but I can strangely hear my own heartbeat when no music is playing. Most users will probably want to switch off noise cancelling completely or set it to maximum anyway - after all, ANC has hardly any negative effects on the sound and the inherent noise is very low.
Cable and battery
The USB connection is exemplary for three reasons. Firstly, the current USB-C standard is used with a sufficiently long cable (1.2 m). Secondly, Sennheiser supplies an adapter for PCs that only have USB-A. And thirdly, sound can also be transmitted via USB, and in very good quality. As before, Sennheiser also offers traditional sound transmission via audio cable. The sound quality is also good here. Active noise cancelling works in cable mode, but everything that needs to be controlled via the app does not work - the headphones do not establish a Bluetooth connection.
The manufacturer claims a battery life of 17 hours. That's not exactly top of the range compared to the competition, and a charging time of 3 to 3.5 hours won't knock anyone's socks off. However, it is good that 1.5 hours of operation is already possible with the first ten minutes of charging time.
Conclusion: A lot of headphones for a lot of money
The headphones sound excellent. In my opinion, the emphasis on the highs and lows is exaggerated, but I can adjust this in the equaliser. Sennheiser has also largely eliminated the weaknesses of the Momentum 2 in terms of operation. It's just a shame that the headphones sometimes switch themselves on unintentionally.
The Momentum 3 also shows hardly any weaknesses in the other disciplines. At the moment, however, it is a little expensive compared to the competition. If you can't wait, I would go for the Sony WH-1000XM3 or the Bose 700, which currently offer better value for money.
David Lee
Senior Editor
David.Lee@digitecgalaxus.chMy interest in IT and writing landed me in tech journalism early on (2000). I want to know how we can use technology without being used. Outside of the office, I’m a keen musician who makes up for lacking talent with excessive enthusiasm.
