Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 5 wishlist: All the features I want to see

Sennheiser is renowned for producing some of the best wireless earbuds that money can buy. The MOMENTUM True Wireless brand remains its top-tier offering and profits pleasing sound quality and a diverse feature set. The latest Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 4 build on the successes of their predecessors and include future-proof functionality including Auracast and LE Audio support. However, these flagship features come with a hefty price tag that will limit the earbuds’ accessibility for many. As such, price-conscious fans will be keen on the prospects of a cheaper, feature-rich Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 5.

The MOMENTUM True Wireless 4 came to shelves as recently as 2024, meaning rumors of a next-gen upgrade are sparse at the time of writing. While we wait for more information, here is a list of all the features I want to see when the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 5 come to fruition.

Improved call quality

Our lives have never been busier, and the advent of wireless earbuds allows us to take hands-free phone calls on the move. This makes our lives more efficient, and the implementation of noise-suppressing algorithms enhances call quality. The Jabra Elite 10 Gen 2 have a 6-mic array and are a shining example of earbuds with excellent microphones for taking phone calls in the office, on the street, or in the wind.

One of the few pitfalls of the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 4’s is their inferior microphone quality. Even in ideal conditions, mic performance is well below what we expect of high-end true wireless earbuds. In particular, speech quality is highly variable, and intrusive ambient noise is not suppressed well or consistently. The earbuds are especially susceptible to wind noise which severely impacts speech intelligibility. The Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 5 will need better noise reduction algorithms and improved call quality to serve those who frequently take calls outdoors.

A cheaper price tag

It is expected that flagship brands beget flagship prices. For example, the best-in-class Sony WF-1000XM5 cost $299 at launch, while the iPhone favorite Apple AirPods Pro 2 cost $249. However, if you are willing to shop around, you can find absolute bargains by straying from household names. For example, the EarFun Air Pro 4 cost as little as $89 and come equipped with excellent sound quality, powerful noise canceling, and Bluetooth 5.4 with support for the LDAC and aptX codecs.

At $299, the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 4 mingle with some of the most costly earbuds on the market. Sure, they earn our recommendation if you have the money, but such a high price mark does little to inspire competition with other high-end manufacturers. They are also questionable when pitted against similarly capable and more affordable buds like the EarFun Air Pro 4. The Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 5 should come to market with a cheaper price tag to compete with flagship and smaller brands.

Less protruding earbud housing

True wireless earbuds come in all manner of shapes and sizes. From the hooked-shaped Nothing Ear (Open) to the bean-like Samsung Galaxy Buds Live, fans have many options. Stemmed designs are particularly popular, with the latest Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro adorning a similar lollipop aesthetic to the Apple AirPods Pro 2. Whichever design you choose impacts how the earbuds are controlled and how well they fit in your ear.

Since its inception, Sennheiser’s MOMENTUM True Wireless earbuds line has adorned a fashionable and tall ovular design. Given Sennheiser is such a big name in consumer audio, it handily packs the MOMENTUM True Wireless 4 with three different sizes of concha fins and four pairs of silicone ear tips to secure a good fit. Unfortunately, the earbuds wear a large form factor that protrudes from the ear far more than their rivals. This makes them more difficult to wear for those with smaller ears. The Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 5 should wear slimmer earbud housing than their predecessors at launch.

A transmitter-capable charging case

Fans rightly expect the very best and up-to-date features when paying premium prices. There is a growing consensus nowadays that charging cases can do much more than just top-up buds on the fly. The JBL Tour Pro 3 are a market leader in this department and showcase a touchscreen charging case that can control features usually found in the JBL Headphones app. This allows users to change sound settings, activate and control ANC, and find lost earbuds directly from the case.

Another standout feature is the ability to transmit audio from the case to the earbuds. For example, you can connect the JBL Tour Pro 3 charging case to an audio device via USB, 3.5mm, or wirelessly and stream the music directly from the earbuds — something impossible with the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 4. Besides Qi-compatible wireless charging, Sennheiser’s case has no notable features to brag about. Introducing a transmitter-capable case to the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 5 would elevate the product and allow connections when Bluetooth isn’t available.

Improved fast charging

Using power-hungry features like active noise canceling or high-bitrate Bluetooth codecs eats up earbud battery life. If you use these features regularly, it’s important to pick earbuds with long battery life or decent fast charging capabilities. For example, the Sony WF-1000XM5 provide nearly 10 hours of playback time and profit roughly 60 minutes of charge from a three-minute top-up. Similarly, the Nothing Ear (2) last over six hours and provide an astonishing eight hours of playtime from a 10-minute top-up.

The Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 4 deliver 7 hours and 45 minutes of music playback time — far exceeding the four-to-five-hour industry average. Sennheiser’s Smart Control app also features a “Battery Protection Mode” to preserve the earbud’s battery health. However, while it may seem like a minor gripe, I wish the earbuds could fast charge more than one hour from an eight-minute top-up. This falls short compared to the competition and could be an area of improvement for the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 5.

Will there be a Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 5?

Sennheiser is one of the most lauded consumer audio brands on the market and remains invested in its headphones and earbuds categories. For example, the company released its MOMENTUM 4 Wireless Pride Edition headphones on July 23, 2024. Sennheiser also brought out the ACCENTUM True Wireless earbuds in May 2024. Regarding all-round features, neither come close to the MOMENTUM True Wireless 4.

Sennheiser has not released any information regarding the MOMENTUM True Wireless 5. We are not likely to see an upgrade this year, given their predecessor launched just months ago.

• Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 2 — March 13, 2020
• Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 3 — April 25, 2022
• Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 4 — March 1, 2024

However, we can determine the approximate release window of the MOMENTUM True Wireless 5 by analyzing the schedule of the company’s earlier products. For example, the True Wireless 3 launched two years and one month after their predecessor, the True Wireless 2, on April 25, 2022. Likewise, the True Wireless 4 came to market one year and 11 months later on March 1, 2024. By that metric, we should expect the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 5 to launch in the spring of 2026.

Should you wait for the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 5?

The Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 4 are the company’s best earbuds so far. Packed with features, we highly recommend grabbing a pair if you want superior sound quality. Fans can purchase the earbuds from major retailers including Amazon and Best Buy. However, if the current model are too expensive, it may be worth considering a cheaper alternative instead of holding out for the True Wireless 5.

If you have the money and desire for high-quality sound, grab the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 4 ($269.95 at Amazon.) Sporting a robust IP54 rating and equipped with a list of ear tips and concha fins, the earbuds should be suitable for most people’s ears and needs. The Sennheiser Smart Control app bundles all the standout features into one tidy place where fans can utilize self-tuning, a five-band custom EQ, and conduct vital firmware updates. The earbuds connect via Bluetooth 5.4 over the SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless, LC3, and LE Audio codecs. They can also connect to Auracast broadcasts and support Bluetooth multipoint for those running multiple devices. Fans can expect an average attenuation of 83% with ANC enabled, and the earbuds are some of the best we’ve heard regarding sound quality.

Another great OS-agnostic all-rounder to consider is the Sony WF-1000XM5 ($298 at Amazon.) Revered for their powerful ANC and pleasing sound quality, these earbuds make an excellent companion to any Android or iPhone user. Packaged with XS-L memory foam ear tips, the WF-1000XM5 enjoy a comfortable design and an IPX4 water-resistant rating. The Sony Headphones Connect app handles everything from creating EQ profiles to customizing controls and adjusting Ambient Sound mode. Those who enjoy surround sound can use Sony 360 Reality Audio and songs can be enhanced with the DSEE Extreme upscaling algorithm. Listeners connect via Bluetooth 5.3 over the SBC, AAC, LDAC, and LE Audio codecs. Battery life lasts nearly 10 hours and the case can be charged with a Qi wireless pad. The earbuds’ active noise canceling quells over 30dB of low-frequency outside noise below 1kHz.

Those with less cash to burn should take a look at the JLab Epic Lab Edition ($199.99 at Amazon.) For $100 less than the True Wireless 4, fans receive the latest generation of Knowles balanced armature drivers that deliver a decent stereo image. ANC blocks out 17-40dB of noise above 1KHz, and the earbuds profit a pleasing passthrough mode. The earbuds lasted eight hours and 46 minutes in our standardized testing and can be topped up for 10 minutes to receive two hours of listening time. The Epic Lab Edition run Bluetooth 5.3 with the higher-bitrate LDAC and LE Audio-compatible LC3 codecs. They also ship with a USB-C dongle that hooks up to any compatible source device to stream music to the buds without Bluetooth. The comprehensive JLab app provides a 10-band custom EQ, ANC and passthrough toggles, and a handy volume limiter.

If you own an iPhone, look no further than the Apple AirPods Pro 2 ($189.99 at Amazon.) The company’s upgraded H2 chip begets impressive noise canceling, Adaptive Transparency mode, and superior sound quality. Movie fans will also enjoy Spatial Audio with head tracking and the earbuds offer battery life optimization and Find My functionality. The ergonomic fit of the AirPods Pro 2 has been closely replicated many times and is a testament to their comfort. The buds come packaged with XS-L silicone ear tips and wield an IPX4 rating. The case is equally water resistant and newer iterations sport a USB-C charging port instead of Apple’s Lightning input. Battery life runs at just under six hours, and the case can be charged atop a Qi, MagSafe, or Apple Watch charging mat.

Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 5 FAQs