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It\u2019s wild to think that the Momentum True Wireless earbuds have been with us for around 8 years now. The early ones had their fair share of issues, but thankfully, Sennheiser really cleaned up their act with the last one, the Momentum True Wireless 4. It\u2019s been two years since then, and now it\u2019s time for a refresh. So here are Sennheiser\u2019s newest flagship earbuds \u2013 meet the Momentum True Wireless 5.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Momentum True Wireless 5 (MTW5) features many improvements. It seems like the only thing that Sennheiser didn\u2019t touch is the drivers. It still uses the company\u2019s celebrated 7mm TrueResponse dynamic drivers that are made at Sennheiser\u2019s high-end Tullamore facility, and which are also put in the company\u2019s high-end IEMs like the IE 600 and IE 900.<\/p>\n<\/p>\nArticle jumplist<\/p>\n
<\/default:svg><\/button><\/p>\n\n1. What is new?<\/li>\n 2. How does it sound?<\/li>\n 3. How does it compare to its rivals?<\/li>\n 4. Final thoughts and buying advice<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/section>\nWhat is new?<\/h2>\n\nThese earbuds fit my ears snugly.<\/p>\n
Photo: HWZ<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
To start, the earbuds have an all-new shape that Sennheiser claims up to 73% of its testers find more comfortable. I haven\u2019t had a problem with the last-generation model, and these new ones fit me just as well. They feel snug and don\u2019t fall out even when I\u2019m running. I also don\u2019t feel any discomfort despite having them in my ears for hours.\u00a0Of course, fit is\u00a0a\u00a0subjective\u00a0thing, and your mileage may vary.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The new design is also supposed to reduce wind turbulence better, which improves ANC and mic performance. Indeed, the MTW5 have the best ANC of any Sennheiser earbuds<\/b>. It\u2019s noticeably better than its predecessor and does a remarkable job of nullifying noises around you. However improved it may be, it still can\u2019t quite match Sony\u2019s WF-1000XM6 or the Apple AirPods Pro 3. If creating a cocoon of silence is your utmost priority, you should consider the WF-1000XM6 and AirPods Pro 3.\u00a0<\/p>\n\nRemove two screws on the earbuds to access the battery inside.<\/p>\n
Photo: HWZ<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
The transparency mode is pretty good, but again, it isn\u2019t quite a match for its rivals. It sounds a little muffled but mostly natural, and you can\u2019t quite shake off the feeling that there\u2019s something in your ears<\/b>. The most telling thing about it is that I don\u2019t feel comfortable enough using it to talk to others\u00a0like I do\u00a0with the AirPods Pro 3. On the subject of talking, the mic performance is excellent. Even in a noisy environment, the person I was on the phone with could still hear me clearly.<\/p>\n
In terms of durability, the MTW5 has the same IP54 dust and water resistance as its predecessor. In this respect, it\u2019s slightly better than the WF-1000XM6 (IPX4), but not quite as good as the AirPods Pro 3 (IP57). As for colours, these come in Graphite, Cream, Copper, Denim, and Lavender. The review unit came in Lavender, which I thought was a refreshing colour for earbuds.<\/p>\n\nThe charging case also features a user-replaceable battery. It charges via USB-C and supports wireless charging.<\/p>\n
Photo: HWZ<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
The improvements don\u2019t stop at the earbuds. The charging case is slightly narrower, so it\u2019s slightly more compact and fits better in small pockets. The case supports both Qi2 wireless charging and USB-C wired charging. Speaking of charging, one standout feature of the MTW5 is that the batteries \u2013 both the charging case and earbuds \u2013 can be easily replaced by users with a screwdriver<\/b>.\u00a0This is a\u00a0much-welcomed\u00a0feature since the built-in batteries\u00a0of\u00a0earbuds typically\u00a0only\u00a0last\u00a0around\u00a0two to three years with heavy use. Unfortunately, Sennheiser hasn\u2019t told us what replacement costs are like yet, and only said that they will be available in the Spare Parts section on their website at a later date.<\/p>\n
Also, it appears that some compromises have to be made with regards to battery life to enable users to replace them. Playing time on a full charge with ANC on is now up to 6 hours<\/b> \u2013 an hour less than the MTW4. However, the total playtime with the charging case is now up to 40 hours<\/b> \u2013 that\u2019s up from 30 hours in the MTW4. You win some, you lose some. Practically speaking, unless I\u2019m on a flight, I\u2019m not sure if I\u2019ll notice the hour\u2019s difference in battery life.\u00a0In\u00a0my week with the MTW5, I found its 6-hour battery life about right, and I only had to charge the case\u00a0after six days of listening.<\/p>\n\nYou don\u2019t get much accessories. Apart from charging cables, all you get are these extra silicone ear tips.<\/p>\n
Photo: HWZ<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Connectivity is a bit of a mixed bag\u00a0because\u00a0even though these earbuds support Bluetooth 6,\u00a0it has\u00a0dropped support for the high-quality LC3 codec.\u00a0There were also some odd connection issues where the audio would glitch or cut out momentarily. It doesn\u2019t happen often, but it was frequent enough that I thought I should mention it. As for codec support, the MTW5 supports SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX Adaptive, and aptX Lossless.\u00a0<\/p>\n
How does it sound?<\/h2>\n\nInside are the same 7mm TrueResponse drivers found in Sennheiser\u2019s high-end IEMs like the IE 900 and IE 600.<\/p>\n
Photo: HWZ<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Compared to the more mainstream brands like Apple and Sony, Sennheiser\u2019s default sound signature has typically been more neutral and slightly brighter. The new MTW5 upholds this tradition.<\/p>\n
The default tuning,\u00a0which is\u00a0labelled \u201cNeutral\u201d in the Smart Control Plus app, is noticeably more balanced than its rivals.\u00a0To my ears, the bass sounds exceptionally neutral \u2013 if it\u2019s boosted, it\u2019s only by the tiniest of margins. There\u2019s more sparkle and zing in the treble. The end result is a signature that is on the lean and bright side.<\/p>\n
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Sound Personalization helps user find the sound signature they like.<\/p>\n
Photo: HWZ<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Experienced users can tweak the sound signature to their liking using the 8-band equaliser.<\/p>\n
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And if the default tuning isn\u2019t to your taste, the great thing about the MTW5 is that it responds extremely well to EQ and is therefore highly customisable<\/b>. New to the MTW5 is an 8-band graphic equaliser that lets owner dial in their sonic preference.\u00a0If that\u00a0appears\u00a0too daunting, there\u2019s a Sound\u00a0Personalization\u00a0mode that helps you find your preferred sound signature through a series of guided questions about your sound preferences. There\u2019s also a bass boost feature that\u2019s genuinely useful. It tastefully elevates the bass response without muddying the sound too much.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0high level of customisability\u00a0aside, what\u2019s also impressive about these earbuds is their technical performance.\u00a0The 7mm TrueResponse drivers have unmatched clarity. And for that reason, these earbuds also sound highly detailed. The soundstage is also exceptional \u2013 easily one of the best I\u2019ve heard in any earbuds. However, the Dolby Atmos implementation is underwhelming. There\u2019s negligible difference with it enabled.<\/p>\n