Review · Over-ear ANC
Sennheiser Momentum 5 Wireless
The Momentum 5 is the over-ear to buy if sound and longevity matter more to you than the last bit of noise cancelling. Reviewers agree it's very comfortable with warm, detailed, bass-rich sound, and a claimed 57 hours with ANC plus a user-replaceable battery make it strong value. Its ANC is much improved but still a step behind Sony and Bose.
Our take
The short version
The Momentum 5 Wireless (Jun 2026) is the sound-first alternative to Sony and Bose. Trusted Reviews, WIRED, What Hi-Fi?, and SoundGuys agree on the basics: it's very comfortable, and the tuning is warm, detailed, and bass-rich. It also has the longest codec list of any model we cover, running from SBC and AAC through aptX HD and aptX Adaptive to aptX Lossless, plus an 8-band EQ and hi-res audio over USB-C.
The headline number is battery. Sennheiser claims up to 57 hours with ANC, nearly double the Sony WH-1000XM6's 30, and a 10-minute charge gives 7 hours. The 700 mAh battery is user-replaceable, so a worn-out cell doesn't have to mean new headphones. At around $399.95 on Amazon in early October 2026 (its list price), reviewers see that combination as strong value.
The trade-off is noise cancelling. Reviewers say it's much improved but still just behind Sony and Bose, so if silencing a plane cabin is the priority, the WH-1000XM6 is the safer buy, and it was cheaper at ~$378. There's no IP rating, so keep it out of the gym. Prefer earbuds? Sennheiser's Momentum True Wireless 5 ($299.95) is the sibling, though we don't review it.
Pros and cons
What we like
- Warm, detailed, bass-rich sound, per reviewers
- Up to 57 h with ANC; a 10-minute charge gives 7 h
- User-replaceable 700 mAh battery
- SBC, AAC, and four flavors of aptX up to aptX Lossless
- Very comfortable, with an 8-band EQ and hi-res USB-C audio
Trade-offs
- ANC still trails Sony and Bose
- No IP rating
- Selling at full list price on Amazon
- aptX perks need an Android phone; iPhones use AAC
Who it's for
Buy it if…
- Music-first listeners who care about tuning more than maximum ANC
- Travelers who hate charging: Sennheiser claims 57 h with ANC
- Buyers who want headphones they can keep running with a new battery
Skip it if…
- ANC maximalists: the Sony WH-1000XM6 or Bose QC Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) cancel more
- Sonos soundbar owners: the Ace Ultra adds TV Audio Swap
- Budget buyers: the Soundcore Space One claims 40 h with ANC for far less
Spec sheet
Momentum 5 specs
| Battery | Up to 57 h with ANC; 10 min charge = 7 h |
|---|---|
| Noise cancelling | Yes |
| Weight | 290 g |
| Drivers | 42 mm |
| Codecs | SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless |
| Bluetooth | 5.4 |
| Multipoint | Not specified |
| Water resistance | No IP rating |
| Wired / USB-C audio | Hi-res USB-C audio |
| Microphones | 8 ANC mics |
| App / EQ | 8-band EQ |
| Also notable | User-replaceable 700 mAh battery; Dolby Atmos |
From the manufacturer sources listed below. “Not specified” means those sources don't state it.
Watch
Momentum 5 on video
Video by SoundGuys on YouTube. Their views are their own.
Cross-shop
Alternatives to consider
Sony WH-1000XM6
- Over-ear ANC
- ~$378
- May 2025
- Any phone
The safest over-ear noise canceller: the big reviewers' default pick, now well under list.
Pros
- Pro: Wirecutter's top pick and SoundGuys' best for most people
- Pro: 12 mics and multipoint make it a strong office-call headset
- Pro: LDAC and LC3 support plus a 10-band EQ
Trade-offs
- Trade-off: 30 h with ANC trails the Momentum 5 (57 h) and Space One (40 h)
- Trade-off: SoundGuys saw stronger noise cancelling from the AirPods Max 2
- Travel
- 5 out of 5
- Calls
- 5 out of 5
- Music
- 4 out of 5
Editorial fit scores, 1–5, from published reviews and specs — not lab measurements.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen)
- Over-ear ANC
- ~$449
- 2025
- Any phone
Sony's closest rival, and a better deal than it looks if you'll take Desert Gold or White Smoke.
Pros
- Pro: SoundGuys' close runner-up to the Sony WH-1000XM6
- Pro: aptX Adaptive with Snapdragon Sound and lossless USB-C audio
- Pro: Multipoint and Bluetooth 5.4
Trade-offs
- Trade-off: Black was selling at full list price, above the Sony
- Trade-off: SoundGuys ranks it just behind the Sony
- Travel
- 5 out of 5
- Calls
- 4 out of 5
- Music
- 4 out of 5
Editorial fit scores, 1–5, from published reviews and specs — not lab measurements.
Check priceAffiliate link to Amazon. Price approx., seen Oct 2026.
Read the review: Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen)Sonos Ace Ultra
- Over-ear ANC
- ~$449
- Sep 2026
- Any phone
A big step up from the original Ace, and the obvious buy if a Sonos soundbar runs your TV.
Pros
- Pro: TV Audio Swap from Sonos soundbars
- Pro: Reviewers call it a big upgrade over the original Ace
- Pro: 35 h with ANC; a 3-minute charge gives 3 h
Trade-offs
- Trade-off: Heavy at 322 g
- Trade-off: Pricey, with no launch discount yet
- Travel
- 4 out of 5
- Calls
- 4 out of 5
- Music
- 4 out of 5
Editorial fit scores, 1–5, from published reviews and specs — not lab measurements.
Related guides and comparisons
Sources
Manufacturer specs
- Sennheiser MOMENTUM 5 Wireless product page (opens in a new tab) — Battery, charging, weight, driver, codecs, Bluetooth, mics, EQ, and IP rating
Review consensus
- Trusted Reviews — Momentum 5 review consensus: comfort, sound, ANC just behind Sony and Bose, value
- WIRED — Momentum 5 review consensus: comfort, sound, ANC just behind Sony and Bose, value
- What Hi-Fi? — Momentum 5 review consensus: comfort, sound, ANC just behind Sony and Bose, value
- SoundGuys — Momentum 5 review consensus: comfort, sound, ANC just behind Sony and Bose, value
Published reviews and manufacturer specs, researched October 5, 2026. We didn't test these headphones ourselves; judgments credited to an outlet are that outlet's.
Disclosure: Our picks are independent and editorial — a synthesis of published reviews and manufacturer specs, not our own lab measurements. Prices are approximate Amazon prices seen October 5, 2026, not live quotes. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases made through links on this page, at no extra cost to you.