Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless Headphones Offer Premium Noise-Canceling Sound at Half the Price

Premium wireless headphones often cost more than $500. Apple’s AirPods Max continue to cost that much, while Bose’s new QuietComfort products are priced similarly. Expectations are high for perfect performance, which is precisely what audiophiles want. Sennheiser provides an excellent experience with the Momentum 4 Wireless, which is now on sale for a reasonable $230 (was $450).

These over-ear headphones more than hold their own against their more expensive counterparts, and in some cases even outperform them. Battery life is one area where they excel. Sennheiser claims that the Momentum 4 can run for 60 hours on a single charge, with active noise cancellation turned on. Real-world tests confirm that those figures are roughly correct, so you should expect to get a full week of daily commuting or a few long trips out of the box without needing to recharge. When compared to the 20 hours of the AirPods Max or the 24 to 30 hours of a Bose model, these Sennheisers simply keep going.

Then there’s comfort, which ranks quite high on the list here. Weighing just 293 grams, these headphones are almost half the weight of the AirPods Max, which can feel like a brick on your head after an hour or two of use. The velvety earpads and padded headband distribute the weight so evenly that you won’t notice it’s there, even on long listening sessions that might leave you exhausted with conventional headphones.

One great perk is how simple it is to fold these sleek headphones up for storage, and the supplied case is practically bombproof to protect them from damage. Meanwhile, the sound quality is precisely what you’d expect from Sennheiser. A 42mm driver system produces crystal-clear audio with the ideal blend of bass, mids, and highs. The low end adds weight without overwhelming the rest of the mix, which is nearly perfect. The earbuds sound realistic and engaging right out of the box, and they even pick up on subtleties in recorded recordings that lesser headphones simply miss. Do you want to make some fine tweaks to adapt the sound to your preferences? The software allows you to do so, and it even includes high-resolution codecs such as aptX Adaptive to provide the best possible sound quality.

The Momentum 4 also has effective active noise cancellation, and the adaptive modes do an excellent job of automatically adjusting to any setting you find yourself in. The headphones will effectively shut out any noise, including airplane engines, office talk, and street traffic. Bose and Sony may still be somewhat superior at entirely masking low rumbles or unexpected noises, but the Momentum 4 performs admirably in most settings. And if you need to hear outside sounds for a quick discussion, simply switch to transparency mode and you’re ready to go.

Calls are also handled with ease, thanks to excellent microphones that efficiently reduce background noise. For outdoor use, wind reduction is a genuine lifesaver, keeping your voice clear even when the wind is blowing. To complete off the set, the ear cups’ touch controls function as expected, controlling playback and volume. Plus, Multipoint Bluetooth allows you to connect to two devices at once, making it simple to swap between your phone and laptop.