Sennheiser MOMENTUM 5 Wireless Knows Exactly What Needed Fixing

• Sennheiser has announced the MOMENTUM 5 Wireless headphones
• The new model carries over the 42mm transducer from the MOMENTUM 4 Wireless
• Active noise cancelling has been upgraded, with four microphones per side
• Sennheiser claims the ANC is up to three times more effective at reducing distracting voice chatter
• Battery life is rated at up to 57 hours with ANC switched on
• A new user-replaceable 700mAh battery can be swapped out with a small Phillips-head screwdriver
• MOMENTUM 5 Wireless launches in the US from 16 June, priced at USD$399.99

Sennheiser has unveiled the MOMENTUM 5 Wireless, and as someone who already owns MOMENTUM 4s, this is exactly what I asked for.

Sound was never the problem for Sennheiser. The MOMENTUM 4 Wireless remains one of the best-sounding pairs of over-ear headphones I’ve used, especially once you spend a few minutes tuning the EQ in Sennheiser’s companion app. Every ear is different, and these reward a bit of fiddling.

The weaker points were easier to spot in everyday use. Noise cancelling was good without being great. Call quality was fine, not fantastic. With MOMENTUM 5 Wireless, Sennheiser seems to know what it already had done right, and what needed more work.

Sennheiser MOMENTUM 5 Wireless Key Specs

• Driver: 42mm transducer
• Audio: Hi-Res Audio certified, Snapdragon Sound, aptX Lossless
• ANC: Upgraded active noise cancelling, with four microphones per side
• Spatial audio: Dolby Atmos with head-tracking via firmware update
• Battery life: Up to 57 hours with ANC engaged
• Battery: User-replaceable 700mAh battery
• Bluetooth: Bluetooth 5.4, with Bluetooth 6.0 support planned via firmware update
• Colours: Black, White, Denim
• Price: USD$399.99
• Availability: US launch from 16 June 2026

Sennheiser Keeps the 42mm Driver

The MOMENTUM 5 Wireless carries over the 42mm transducer from its predecessor, manufactured at Sennheiser’s facility in Tullamore, Ireland. According to the brand, the driver is inspired by its HD 600-series headphones and tuned for full-bodied sound with dynamic bass.

Audio performance was already the MOMENTUM series’ strongest argument, so why ruin a good thing? Instead, the focus is on refining an already strong base.

Sennheiser has added Hi-Res Audio certification, Snapdragon Sound and Bluetooth codec support up to aptX Lossless. There’s also a new 8-band EQ inside the Smart Control Plus app, alongside bespoke presets and the brand’s Sound Personalisation engine.

What that all boils down to is control. The MOMENTUM 4 already responded well to EQ tweaks, and the MOMENTUM 5 gives listeners more room to shape that sound.

ANC and Calls Get the Biggest Hardware Upgrade

Active noise cancelling gets the biggest upgrade this time around. Sennheiser says the MOMENTUM 5 Wireless is up to three times more effective at reducing distracting voice chatter, which is exactly the kind of thing I noticed with the MOMENTUM 4s while travelling overseas recently. They can handle the low hum of an A380 just fine, but a busy terminal is a different story. Voices still cut through more than you’d like.

The microphone setup has also been overhauled. The number of microphones dedicated to ANC and transparency duties has doubled, with four microphones per side. Sennheiser says this should improve everything from droning aircraft cabin noise to more natural voice quality on calls.

For me, the biggest test will be riding one of Sydney’s notoriously loud and bumpy buses. If you know, you know.

This is where the update starts to make proper sense. The MOMENTUM 4s already sounded great. They just needed stronger noise cancelling, cleaner calls and fewer moments where the rest of the headphone felt a notch below the listening experience.

If Sennheiser has meaningfully improved those parts, the MOMENTUM 5 becomes a much easier daily recommendation, not just a great pair for sitting down and listening properly.

The claim still needs testing, but at least Sennheiser appears to be fixing the things MOMENTUM 4 owners would’ve pointed to first.

Dolby Atmos and Future Bluetooth Support

The MOMENTUM 5 Wireless also adds Dolby Atmos with head-tracking, though it won’t be fully unlocked straight out of the box. Sennheiser says a day-one firmware update through the Smart Control Plus app will enable the feature for supported Atmos content, provided you’re using an Atmos-enabled source device and a compatible spatial audio platform.

For most listeners, that means Atmos-supported music, films or shows through services and devices that actually support it. Apple Music, Amazon Music and Tidal are the obvious music examples, while films and TV will depend on your phone, app and subscription. In other words, the headphones can do it, but you’ll still need the right content for it to mean much.

The headphones ship with Bluetooth 5.4, while Sennheiser says the hardware is ready for Bluetooth 6.0 via a future firmware release.

That sounds handy, but it’s not the reason to buy them at launch. Bluetooth 6.0 is more about where wireless devices are heading than a feature most people will notice the first week they own these headphones. Better ANC, better calls and a replaceable battery are much more immediate.

Still, if you’re spending real money on premium headphones, it’s good to know Sennheiser has built them to last beyond the update cycle.

A Replaceable Battery for a Longer Shelf Life

Speaking of thinking long-term, the most practical change is the user-replaceable 700mAh battery.

Sennheiser says the MOMENTUM 5 Wireless will run for up to 57 hours with ANC engaged, which is still ahead of other competitor premium wireless headphones.

Using a small Phillips-head screwdriver, owners can replace the power cell themselves in a few minutes. That’s rare in this category, where a fading battery can turn a perfectly good pair of headphones into an expensive drawer ornament. Or worse, landfill.

“With MOMENTUM 5 Wireless, we’re proving that high-performance sound and environmental responsibility can, and must, exist in the same product,” said Lilika Beck, President, Sennheiser Consumer Audio. “Our customers will feel proud to choose a headphone meant to last.”

That gives Sennheiser’s sustainability claim more substance than the usual packaging talk. The new case is 20 per cent smaller and the packaging is plastic-free, but the replaceable battery is the part owners are more likely to appreciate after three years of daily use.

Price and Availability

Sennheiser MOMENTUM 5 Wireless will be available in Black, White and Denim colourways, with US pricing set at USD$399.99. The headphones go on sale in the US from 16 June through Sennheiser and selected retailers.

Australian pricing and availability are yet to be confirmed through official local channels.

For MOMENTUM 4 owners, the sound argument is already settled. If Sennheiser has brought the noise cancelling and call quality closer to the standard of the audio, the MOMENTUM 5 Wireless could be the pair the last model was only a few fixes away from becoming.