The Sennheiser Momentum 4 and Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones are two really good noise-cancelling headphones from two of the most powerful headphone brands.
The Sony XM5 is the latest version of the XM4 effective noise-cancelling headphones, while the Momentum 4 is the biggest upgrade since the Momentum 3 headphones were released.
While both headphones are active noise-cancelling headphones, it’s important to note that both headphones are designed with different sound signatures.
The Momentum 4 headphones have a flatter, more analytical sound signature that’s designed for the soundstage and to appreciate the subtle details in music, while the Sony XM5 is designed for a more bass-heavy music sound signature.
In other words, both headphones have completely different sound signatures, with the Sony XM5 clearly being designed for the bass-heavy head.
The Momentum 4 is equipped with 42mm transducer drivers that provide a satisfying balance between detailed highs, clean and balanced mids, and bass-accentuated lows, making it a great choice for detail-oriented listeners who value analytical and more neutral sound quality.
On the other hand, the Sony XM5 is known for its top-notch noise-cancelling performance and deeper bass, making it a good choice for bass-heads.
The noise-cancelling capabilities of the XM5 are slightly better than those of the Momentum 4, especially in attenuating mid- and low-frequency sounds, making it a better noise-cancelling headphone overall than the Sony XM5.
The Sony XM5 is designed with smaller 30mm neodymium driver units that have a very wide frequency range.
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Sennheiser Momentum 4 vs Sony XM5: Which Earbuds is Better?
Design
In terms of design, the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless and the Sony WH-1000XM5 look similar.
In our Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless review, we noted that while these headphones aren’t particularly impressive in terms of aesthetics, they are functionally worth it.
They have large, oval ear cups that are easy to adjust, a single physical button, and a touchpad on the right ear cup surface, which makes them very convenient to use.
They are also comfortable to wear and do a good job of distributing pressure across the crown, which is essential for long listening sessions, and they weigh 293g.
The Sony WH-1000XM5 is also comfortable, with a decent amount of padding and comfortable pressure on the head. They weigh a little less at 250g. They have two physical buttons and a touch-sensitive right ear cup.
Both headphones have a flat design that doesn’t fold up. This makes them easy to fit into their respective cases, but don’t expect them to fold up into a pocket-sized design that’s easy to carry around (the Sony WH-1000XM4 did a better job).
Some might say both over-ear headphones are bland, while others might say they’re a little boring. But of course, this all comes down to personal preference.
These days, what most people want from a reliable pair of over-ear headphones is technology that blends in rather than stands out.
But if you want a pair of over-ear headphones that have a more “look at me” quality, check out the Apple AirPods Max.
Even if you choose one of the subtle colors, these headphones definitely make an impression.
Noise Cancelling
These two headphones are top-notch when it comes to noise cancellation.
In our Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless review, we mentioned that the music drowns out the sounds of the street, cars, barking dogs, and general everyday life. That’s exactly what you want.
So it’s hard to compare the two, but if we had to, we’d say the Sony WH-1000XM5 has a slight edge on the quiet side (think: the bus engine when you’re sitting on the top deck, or the air conditioning unit in your office).
But it’s such a close race that it’s hard to say which one we prefer.
Sound Quality
We love the way the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless sound. In our review, we mentioned the richness, detail, and space we heard from these headphones.
We found them to be open, detailed, expansive, neutral, and clear, no matter what genre you put them through.
There’s no congestion, and the bass isn’t muddy.
We said that FKA Twigs’ Two Weeks had never sounded this deep and lush in the bass, and as her bell-like vocals kicked in, we noticed a charming treble presence and tonal shift within it that we’ve never heard from other headphones.
How do the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones hold up in comparison? Very well. During our testing, we were impressed by the spacious and capable soundstage that gave every element of the mix room to breathe.
When listening to Metallica’s classic One, Kirk Hammett’s fiery high-frequency finger-tapping shines through.
Jeff Buckley’s Grace gave us a chance to hear the acoustic strums rattle percussively beneath the harmonious vocals and chorus pedal guitar lines, but there’s also room for the bassline to walk alongside the soaring strings.
In short, everything falls into place on the Sony WH-1000XM5. The result is a truly enveloping sound, even outside of the 360 Reality Audio spatial setup.
We’d say the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless has the upper hand. They’re only a notch above in detail and dynamics, but the difference is minimal.
Battery life
Both of these premium headphones have decent runtimes, but one is an electric version of Jane Fonda. This is the Sennheiser Momentum 4.
The Sennheiser claims a whopping 60 hours of playback on a single charge. That’s with active noise cancellation and Bluetooth turned on. That’s a huge improvement over the Momentum 3’s average of 17 hours.
In comparison, the Sony XM5 can typically get 30 hours of playback with noise cancellation turned on.
That’s still a respectable figure, and a whopping 10 hours longer than you get from the Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700, but it falls far short of the new Sennheiser benchmark.
The Momentum 4 also has the advantage when it comes to fast charging. It can get you six hours of playback on a 10-minute charge, while the Sony gets you five hours on a 10-minute charge.
It wasn’t often that I had to charge my headphones only once during my testing, and this longevity will definitely be a blessing for those who opt for the Momentum 4.
Features
The Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless headphones come with a great app that’s not only easy to use, but also packed with features.
Here you can adjust the EQs, and Sennheiser walks you through a ‘sound check’ where you listen to your favorite music and create a custom preset.
I also appreciated another feature called ‘Sound Zones’, which allows you to create up to 20 custom profiles for different locations and uses, such as the office, the gym, or your home, and provides specific EQs and levels of noise cancellation.
When you put the Momentum 4 Wireless on and enter or leave a specific ‘zone’, they magically activate or deactivate.
Sony offers a similar feature on the XM5 called ‘location awareness’. The headphones learn your routine and adjust their ambient sound control settings based on your location.
If you’re sitting still at home, the noise cancellation might be less intense than if you’re in the office, but Sennheiser’s system is more customizable.
On the Bluetooth side, the Momentum 4 Wireless features Bluetooth 5.2, allowing you to connect to multiple Bluetooth devices simultaneously and switch between them more easily.
It also supports aptX and aptX Adaptive, two of the latest and greatest Bluetooth codecs.
Sony features Bluetooth 5.2 and supports both the LDAC codec and DSEE Extreme to deliver the best possible audio quality.
LDAC is a high-resolution audio option that compresses and decompresses tracks, providing greater wireless bandwidth than standard Bluetooth connections.
Even when using lower standard-resolution streaming services over Bluetooth, DSEE Extreme uses AI upscaling technology to restore lost audio data, giving you a little more detail.
Conclusion
Overall, if I had to choose between the Sony XM5 and Sennheiser Momentum 4 headphones, I would definitely go with the XM5 due to its powerful and effective active noise cancellation and LDAC support.
The XM5 also has a much rounder and deeper bass, which may be an advantage over the Momentum 4 headphones, but if you still prefer a studio monitoring type of headphone with an analytical sound signature, the Momentum 4 headphones might be a decent choice.
Also read: Top 10 Best Bluetooth Headsets For Truckers