Updated Legend Sennheiser MOMENTUM 5 Wireless (2026) vs MOMENTUM 4 (2022) — What’s New?

On May 26, 2026, Sennheiser unveiled the new MOMENTUM 5 Wireless over-ear headphones. The key changes for these wireless headphones over four years: 8 microphones instead of 4, Snapdragon Sound and aptX Lossless support, Bluetooth 5.4 with a firmware update path to 6.0 and LE Audio down the line, and a replaceable battery. The design and materials of these Bluetooth headphones stay the same, as do the controls — touch with a single physical button.

Quick reminder: last summer Sennheiser dropped an in-between generation, the HDB 630. The main difference there is a neutral sound balance and a bundled Sennheiser BTD700 wireless adapter for 24-bit / 96 kHz wireless listening.

A full review of the Sennheiser MOMENTUM 5 Wireless is on the way. The 4th generation held the top spot in my ranking of wireless over-ear models for three years and still sits in the top three. So show this news some love with likes — it tells me how much you want the review and a head-to-head with the previous generation.

Sound. The driver size and type haven’t changed — a 42 mm dynamic driver made in Tullamore, Ireland. That said, the driver’s build and materials may differ. The sound balance has shifted. Where the previous generation leaned warm, the new model goes for an immersive, slightly warm balance. On the Sennheiser MOMENTUM 4 the bass is tight and detailed, though it slightly overdoes the low end. With the new model I’d expect more depth and a more restrained quantity, like on the Bowers & Wilkins PX8 S2.

The audio codec lineup has grown — aptX Lossless and Snapdragon Sound are now on board. Among the other codecs: SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD and aptX Adaptive. Wired connection is available over AUX and USB-C.

Noise cancellation. The mic count jumped from 4 to 8 — four per earcup. The manufacturer doesn’t spell out the frequency range it suppresses or the depth, though. On the MOMENTUM 4 the noise cancellation depth is on par with the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones. Not a benchmark, but the algorithms handle the street well. The transparency mode on the previous generation, on the other hand, is benchmark-level. So my expectations for the new generation aren’t high — I think they’ll make the mode feel less digital.

The mic on the 4th gen is clear, with a stated range of 50 Hz – 10 kHz. The new model widens that range to 20 Hz – 15 kHz. So expect a less boxy mic sound — livelier and clearer. We’ll find out how it really holds up after testing.

Battery life. It dropped from 60 to 57 hours. That’s the price of the new EU requirements coming in 2027 — the battery has to be easy to replace. Runtime didn’t take a critical hit, and in return you get the option to extend the headphones’ lifespan after 3–4 years of use. The battery itself, like the previous generation, is 700 mAh and fully charges in about 2 hours. A 10-minute top-up gives 7 hours of playback.

App. Smart Control Plus. The interesting part: the in-house equalizer is now 8-band instead of 5. Spatial audio has arrived too — Dolby Atmos with head tracking.

Price and availability. The headphones launch in three colors — black, denim and white. The price is $399, which is $50 more than the MOMENTUM 4 at launch. In the US and some American regions sales start June 16, with pre-orders opening June 12. For the EU and Asia the launch shifts to June 30.

What would you like to see this model compared with? Drop your take in the comments.

Source: official sennheiser website