Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 5 graphite

Premium in-ear earbuds all look alike, or almost, and the difference comes down to details: the shape of the housing, the seal of the ear tip, the codec negotiated with the phone. This fifth generation carries over the sound tuning of the Momentum 5 Wireless headphones in a completely redesigned housing, does away with stabilizing fins, and moves to Bluetooth 6.0.

A 7 mm driver made in Ireland

The speaker remains a 7 mm-diameter dynamic TrueResponse driver, manufactured and inspected at the Tullamore factory in Ireland. Frequency response extends from 5 Hz to 21 kHz, with a sensitivity of 107 dB SPL for 1 mW at 1 kHz and harmonic distortion below 0.08% at 94 dB. The tuning favors rich bass without sacrificing upper-frequency clarity, in keeping with what the brand offers with its fifth-generation headphones.

The silicone ear tips have been redesigned, and their role goes beyond comfort: on in-ear earbuds, the seal in the ear canal directly determines bass reproduction and the effectiveness of noise cancellation. Four sizes are supplied, from XS to L. Taking the time to try all four changes the sound more than any equalizer setting.

Wireless moves to Bluetooth 6.0

The connection relies on a Class 1 Bluetooth 6.0 chip, with a typical range of around ten meters and A2DP, AVRCP, and HFP profiles. In terms of codecs, the list includes SBC, AAC, aptX, and aptX Adaptive with its Lossless variant. The former enables high-resolution transmission up to 24-bit/96 kHz, while the latter enables bit-for-bit lossless transmission, provided the source is also Snapdragon Sound-compatible. On an iPhone, the connection falls back to AAC.

Multipoint allows connection to two devices, fast pairing is supported by both Google and Microsoft, and a “robust” mode available in the app prioritizes connection stability in congested radio environments. A low-latency mode completes the package for gaming.

Noise cancellation, wind, and voice pickup

Adaptive hybrid noise cancellation has been revised, with an automatic anti-wind mode that detects gusts and corrects in real time. A micro-perforated acoustic plate protects the microphones from turbulence, benefiting both ANC stability and call voice quality. Transparency mode has also been reworked to reproduce voices and street noise without pronounced coloration.

For calls, each earbud includes four sensors, including a bone-conduction accelerometer that reads voice vibrations rather than sound waves. Across both earbuds, this amounts to six microphones and two accelerometers, whose signals are cross-referenced by a voice extraction algorithm and beamforming. Microphone bandwidth reaches up to 16 kHz in super-wideband calling, compared with 10 kHz on the previous generation.

Dolby Atmos and head tracking

Spatial audio comes down from the Momentum 5 Wireless headphones. The earbuds are optimized for Dolby Atmos content and support head tracking, which anchors the soundstage when you turn your head instead of making it rotate with the listener. The feature also applies to other audio content, with a more approximate result since the processing is then not based on any positional metadata.

The result depends heavily on the source and the mix. A film or game immediately benefits from this three-dimensional reproduction; for music, the catalog available in this format remains uneven across streaming services, and binaural rendering relies on a generic model of the head and ears.

A fin-free housing and a slimmer case

The earbud design was developed from scans of thousands of ears, with an aerodynamic silhouette that abandons the stabilizing fins of the previous generation. At the end of the brand’s trials, 73% of testers found this shape more comfortable than the old one. Each earbud weighs 7 g and carries IP54 certification against dust and splashes, which applies to the earbuds only.

The case itself changes in nature. It drops the fabric covering for a smooth finish, adopts a slimmer 67.2 × 48.4 × 25 mm format, and loses weight: 55 g versus 66 g previously, or 62 g for the complete set including earbuds. It finally fits into a trouser pocket without creating a bulge, a recurring criticism of previous generations.

Eight equalizer bands in the app

The Smart Control Plus app serves as a dashboard: noise cancellation adjustment, assignment of touch controls for each earbud, and firmware updates. The graphic equalizer moves to eight bands, compared with five on the previous model, allowing finer correction in the low-midrange and upper frequencies.

The Sound Personalization feature, developed with the Fraunhofer Institute, works differently: it plays excerpts and builds a profile based on stated preferences, without using a hearing test. Sound Check works on the same principle, directly on the track currently playing, and saves the result as a preset.

Twelve hours of listening, six with noise cancellation

The figures deserve to be read in detail. The twelve hours of listening per charge correspond to use without active noise cancellation. With ANC enabled, the figure drops to six hours. The previous generation claimed 7.5 hours without ANC and 7 hours with it: the gain is clear in the first figure, but becomes a slight step back in the second, which matters for those who keep noise cancellation on at all times while commuting.

The case adds a little more than two full recharges, for a total of 40 hours compared with 30 previously. Eight minutes of charging restores one hour of listening, while a full charge takes around an hour and a half. The USB-C port accepts up to 5 W, and wireless charging uses the Qi 2.1 standard. Below 15°C, above 30°C, or with inductive charging, charging time increases.

One final point, which weighs on the product’s lifespan: the lithium-ion batteries in the earbuds (72 mAh each) and in the case (760 mAh) can be replaced at home with standard tools, with the required tool included in the box. With this type of equipment, it is almost always the battery that determines end of life, long before the driver.

Technical specifications

Type and design

• Type: True Wireless in-ear headphones
• Ear coupling: in-canal
• Protection rating: IP54 (headphones only)

Audio

• Transducers: dynamic TrueResponse™
  • Diameter: 7 mm
• Frequency response: 5 Hz – 21 kHz
• Sensitivity: 107 dB SPL (1 kHz / 1 mW)
• Total harmonic distortion (THD): < 0.08% (1 kHz / 94 dB)
• Lossless audio: yes, via aptX™ Adaptive / Lossless
• Spatial audio: immersive 3D listening experience

Noise cancellation and microphones

• Noise cancellation: hybrid adaptive ANC
• Microphones: 4 microphones per earbud, including 1 bone-conduction microphone
• Call processing: AI and beamforming for noise reduction
• Microphone bandwidth: up to 16 kHz

Connectivity

• Bluetooth 6.0, Class 1
• Bluetooth profiles: A2DP, AVRCP, HFP
• Audio codecs: SBC, AAC, aptX™, aptX™ Adaptive / Lossless
• Bluetooth range: up to 10 m
• Multipoint: yes

Battery life and charging

• Earbud battery life: up to 12 h without ANC / up to 6 h with ANC
• Total battery life: up to 40 h with the charging case
• Charging time: approximately 1 h 30
• Fast charging: 1 h of listening after 8 min of charging
• Wired charging: USB-C, up to 5 W
• Wireless charging: Qi 2.1

Battery

• Left / right earbud battery: 72 mAh each
• Case battery: 760 mAh
• Replaceable batteries: yes, with standard tools

Dimensions and weight

• Total weight: 62 g (earbuds + case)
• Weight of one earbud: 7 g
• Case weight: 55 g
• Case dimensions with earbuds: 67.2 × 48.4 × 25.0 mm

Operating conditions

• Operating temperature: 0 to +40 °C
• Charging temperature: 5 to +35 °C

App and compatibility

• App: Sennheiser Smart Control (iOS / Android)

Box contents

• MOMENTUM True Wireless 5 earbuds
• Charging case
• USB-C charging cable
• Silicone ear tips: XS / S / M / L
• User documentation