Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 vs Sony WF-1000XM5
Quick take: The Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 costs $48 less; the Sony WF-1000XM5 lasts longer per charge (8 hrs).
| Spec | Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 | Sony WF-1000XM5 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $200 | $248 |
| Rating | 4.1★ (2,200) | 4.3★ (19,000) |
| Type | Wireless Earbuds | Wireless Earbuds |
| Noise Cancelling | Adaptive ANC | ANC |
| Battery (single charge) | 7 hrs | 8 hrs |
| Battery (with case) | 30 hrs | 24 hrs |
| Quick Charge | 8 min = 1 hr | 3 min = 1 hr |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless, LC3 | SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3 |
| Bluetooth | 5.4 | 5.3 |
| Multipoint | Yes | Yes |
| Driver Size | 7 mm | 8.4 mm |
| Weight | 6.2 g | 5.9 g |
| Water Resistance | IP54 | IPX4 |
| Wireless Charging | Yes | Yes |
| Transparency Mode | Yes | Yes |
| Spatial Audio | No | Yes |
| App EQ | Yes | Yes |
Pros & cons
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4
- ✓aptX Lossless plays CD-quality on Snapdragon flagships
- ✓Refined, spacious TrueResponse 7mm driver tuning
- ✓30 hours total with the case
- ✓Proper multi-band EQ in the Smart Control app
- ✓Multipoint plus Bluetooth 5.4 with LE Audio
- ✓Frequent sub-$200 sales well below the $300 list
- ✗Chunky 6.2g housings fit smaller ears badly
- ✗Owner threads full of connection-drop and pairing complaints
- ✗Adaptive ANC noticeably behind Bose and Sony
- ✗No spatial audio at all
- ✗Call quality unremarkable for $200 flagships
Sony WF-1000XM5
- ✓LDAC delivers genuine hi-res from any Android phone
- ✓Rich warm 8.4mm Dynamic Driver X sound out of box
- ✓8 hours with ANC on beats Bose Ultra by two
- ✓Foam tips seal so well ANC feels stronger than measured
- ✓3-minute quick charge buys an hour
- ✓XM6 launch keeps pushing street prices down
- ✗Call quality falls apart in wind
- ✗Polished case scratches almost immediately
- ✗Some owners report uneven bud drain after a year
- ✗Enabling multipoint silently disables LDAC hi-res
- ✗App buries EQ settings three menus deep

