New Sennheiser Momentum 5 Wireless over-ear headphones bring Dolby Atmos Spatial Audio, upgraded noise cancellation and one killer feature major players like Apple and Bose will have to consider adding — a user-replaceable battery, which can greatly extend the life of the product.
The new Sennheiser cans arrive June 16 for $399.99.
Sennheiser Momentum 5 Wireless headphones
Sennheiser unveiled Momentum 5 Wireless, the latest generation of its flagship over-ear headphone line. And the German audio brand makes a pointed case to listeners who’ve found Apple’s and Bose’s offerings wanting in at least one important respect: when the battery eventually wears out, you can swap it yourself and extend the life of the headphones by years.
The battery story
Photo: Sennheiser
Momentum 5 Wireless carries a user-replaceable 700 mAh lithium-ion cell — something neither the AirPods Max nor Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra headphones offer. When a battery in those headphones eventually degrades, owners face a trip to a service center or an early retirement of otherwise functional hardware. Sennheiser’s approach lets you grab a small Phillips-head screwdriver and handle the swap at home in minutes.
The headphones are rated for up to 57 hours of listening with active noise cancellation (ANC) switched on, which already puts them ahead of most of the competition. But the replaceable battery isn’t just about day-to-day endurance. It’s a longer-term bet that a well-loved pair of headphones shouldn’t become landfill fodder simply because its power cell has aged out.
Sound quality and Spatial Audio
The Momentum 5 Wireless uses the same 42mm transducer as its predecessor, manufactured at Sennheiser’s facility in Tullamore, Ireland. The company’s storied HD 600-series audiophile headphones inspired it. The driver is tuned for what Sennheiser describes as full-bodied sound with dynamic bass. The headphones carry Hi-Res Audio certification.
For Apple users in particular, the inclusion of Spatial Audio equivalent to Apple’s will stand out. The headphones support Dolby Atmos with head-tracking, unlocked through a day-one firmware update via the Smart Control Plus companion app. That puts them in direct conversation with the AirPods Max on one of Apple’s marquee features.
And the Momentum 5 adds aptX Lossless codec support via Snapdragon Sound technology for Android and PC users who want the highest-resolution wireless audio.
The companion app offers an 8-band equalizer, custom presets and a Sound Personalization engine for dialing in your preferred signature — considerably more granular control than Apple’s offerings provide.
Noise cancellation gets a serious upgrade
Photo: Senneheiser
Momentum 5 Wireless doubles the microphone count dedicated to ANC compared to the previous generation. It goes from the previous four to a new total of eight digital microphones, four per side. And Sennheiser claims the result is up to three times more effective reduction of midrange-frequency noise, including voice chatter, compared to Momentum 4 Wireless.
That’s a meaningful jump for commuters and office workers. Transparency mode is also on board for moments when you need to stay aware of your surroundings, alongside an improved wind-noise suppression mode.
Future-proofing through firmware
One of the more interesting technical choices here is Sennheiser’s approach to the wireless stack. The headphones ship with Bluetooth 5.4. But Sennheiser engineered them to support Bluetooth 6.0 through a future firmware update.
That amounts to a meaningful commitment for a pair of headphones intended to last years, not months.
Packaging and accessories
Photo: Sennheiser
The included carrying case is 20% smaller than before, Sennheiser said. And redesigned packaging eliminates plastic.
In the box you’ll find a USB-C charging cable and a 3.5mm analog cable — useful for in-flight entertainment systems and wired connections to a Mac.
Pricing and availability
Sennheiser Momentum 5 Wireless headphones offer a replaceable battery, powerful sound, adaptive noise cancellation and up to 57 hours of battery life.
Momentum 5 Wireless goes on sale June 16 at sennheiser-hearing.com and select retailers including Amazon, priced at $399.99. You can choose from black, white and denim colors. The cans sit squarely in AirPods Max territory ($549) at a lower price, with a replaceable battery that Apple, Bose and other leaders have so far declined to offer their customers.
For Apple users willing to look beyond the ecosystem, Momentum 5 might make a compelling argument.
David Snow, an expert on Apple hardware and software, writes on a variety of technological and cultural topics for Cult of Mac. They include Apple news, technology buying guides, and features about computer setups and Apple TV shows and movies.
With 30 years of experience covering technology and other subjects, he has written and edited for numerous print and online publications, including CMP Media, TechTV.com, CNET, Wired News, Red Herring magazine, Law.com, The National Law Journal and Law Technology News magazine. Among other roles, he served as executive editor of the Law.com network of websites and editorial director, technology, for ALM Media.
Snow graduated with a B.A. from Syracuse University with majors in magazine journalism and psychology. While there, he worked as a reporter for The Daily Orange newspaper and associate editor of Equal Time magazine.
Founder of the blog At the Waterline, he can be reached on X (formerly Twitter) via @atthewaterline and on Mastodon via @dsnow.
