Thank you for re-testing, did you also test 96KHz mode?

Hi GMScribe,

Unfortunately, we did not. The Sennheiser MOMENTUM 4 Wireless only supports “High Resolution Audio Mode” (96kHz/24bit audio) on their aptX Adaptive codec. At the moment, we currently cannot test aptX Adaptive, and we also have some limitations on testing up to 96kHz accurately. That said, we are exploring different methods to test aptX Adaptive. As a result, we have ordered some BT dongles, such as the “Creative BT-W4” and the Creative BT-W5".

Cheers, Dagobiet

Any chance of a breathability test coming? Really interested to know if they are better than Sony WH-1000XM4 (hot as crap) or Bose 700?

Nov 06, 2023 09:32 PM By jkaero

1

Any chance of a breathability test coming? Really interested to know if they are better than Sony WH-1000XM4 (hot as crap) or Bose 700?

Hi jkaero,

Unfortunately, we are very busy at the moment, and we are working on several projects. As a team, we are working to improve the Headphones testing, and we know this test is important for the users. We will explore different options to see if fixing our current rig is possible or if we need to re-design it. Either way, we are sorry for the delay we have caused, and we cannot guarantee to have this test fixed soon.

I will provide this feedback to the team and discuss this again.

Cheers, Dagobiet

Does the High Resolution Mode increase latency when compared to it’s “normal” mode?

Dec 12, 2023 06:54 AM By Metsuki

46

Does the High Resolution Mode increase latency when compared to it’s “normal” mode?

Hi Metsuki,

We will investigate this and get back to you 🙂

Cheers

Hello! I’m having some troubles with my momentum 4 and wanted to know if it’s me or it’s the headphone itself. I’m on my third replacement from amazon cause the first 2 were out of balance around 2/3kHz, resulting in a slighty deviation of the vocals during a song to the left (first pair) and right (second pair). I’ve tested them setting audio in “mono” from my phone and asking to my family too. Everyone agreed about a little little umbalanced sound (music were centered…just voices were confusing). In this third pair, in the beginning it seemed pretty centered, but i found out that also this pair (different color and year of production) have the same damn issue, to the left again. It’s more audible with whatsapp audio messages that should be mono..but they aren’t. I then saw your graphic of the frequency response and found out that your testing unit also have in the mid-range a difference of 1-1,5 or even 2dB between the L/R channels. So, should I leave it as it is? Do you agree with the fact that 1-1,5dB are an audible difference? Or is this normal and at this price point I’ll never get a perfect balanced headphones? At this point, I’m really curious (and upset) Thank you in advance!

Hello,

You mentioned briefly in your review of these headphones that they have a High-Resolution Audio mode, which allows the aptX Adaptive codec to stream audio in higher quality. However, I discovered the High-Resolution Audio mode can be used with any bluetooth codec, not just aptX Adaptive. Could you please confirm this and test the headphone’s audio frequency response, while in High-Resolution Audio mode and using all available bluetooth codecs? Thanks!

Jan 31, 2024 10:09 PM By Katzmatz

1

Hello, You mentioned briefly in your review of these headphones that they have a High-Resolution Audio mode, which allows the aptX Adaptive codec to stream audio in higher quality. However, I discovered the High-Resolution Audio mode can be used with any bluetooth codec, not just aptX Adaptive. Could you please confirm this and test the headphone’s audio frequency response, while in High-Resolution Audio mode and using all available bluetooth codecs? Thanks!

Hi Katzmaz

Thank you for reaching out. We are currently busy in the lab, so we might not be able to run passes on “High-Audio Resolution Mode” anytime soon. That said, we do not expect this feature to impact the Frequency Response of the headphones. Most of the time, the changes have a greater impact on sound quality aspects like noise and distortion (in the higher frequencies), but this also depends on the audio source.

Cheers, Dagobiet

IS IT POSSIBLE TO RUN LOW LATANCY MODE ON WINDOWS FOR PC GAMES?

Jun 07, 2024 08:06 AM By S_1

33

IS IT POSSIBLE TO RUN LOW LATANCY MODE ON WINDOWS FOR PC GAMES?

Hi there, Yes, but it would require a Bluetooth dongle or card, such as the Creative BT-W5, that allows you to switch between AptX Adaptive Low Latency and High Quality. However, because of the Bluetooth profile limitations, you might notice a loss in audio quality if you wish to use the headphone microphone at the same time.

Jun 10, 2024 02:38 PM By  Dagobiet Morales Alfaro

Hi there, Yes, but it would require a Bluetooth dongle or card, such as the Creative BT-W5, that allows you to switch between AptX Adaptive Low Latency and High Quality. However, because of the Bluetooth profile limitations, you might notice a loss in audio quality if you wish to use the headphone microphone at the same time.

is it work with creative bt_w3 aptx LL mode? or i must buy expensive one

Jun 10, 2024 04:29 PM By S_1

33

is it work with creative bt_w3 aptx LL mode? or i must buy expensive one

Hi S_1,

The Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless does not support Aptx LL but supports AptX Adaptive. Only the Creative BT-W5 allows you to toggle between the two AptX Adaptive codecs (Low-Latency and High Quality). The BT-W4 will support AptX Adaptive but does not give you the toggling option. You can also shop for another BT Adapter if it allows you to toggle between the AptX Adaptive Low-Latency and AptX Adaptive High-Quality.

Thanks, Dagobiet

I got it thanks

Are you going to update the test to Methodology v1.8?

Sep 27, 2024 06:44 AM By Metsuki

46

Are you going to update the test to Methodology v1.8?

Hi Metsuki,

Yes! The Sennheiser Momentum 4’s are on our retest list for Test Bench 1.8. We are working through a backlog of newer products, but the Momentum 4’s are decently high up on the priority list, so it should be updated relatively soon.

Thanks, Matthew

Hello,

Could you add a new feature under the Connectivity/Bluetooth Connection section for all headphones tested? Specifically, it would indicate whether the Bluetooth radio, including discovery mode, can be completely turned off either manually or automatically (e.g., when a cable is connected).

I believe most headphones lack this feature, but it could be highly beneficial for some users. There are very few headphones with good ANC that work solely in wired mode. This feature would be particularly valuable for electro-sensitive individuals. Additionally, if this is highlighted as a desirable feature, manufacturers might consider including it in future product releases.

Thank you!

Hi amargarit,

While we do not currently plan to add a test for this in the near future, I’ve taken note of your idea and we will consider implementing it in the future. This is not something I had on my radar and we will look into the benefit of such feature. Thanks for reaching out and do not hesitate if you have any other comments or feedback!

Hello, this is my first post here. Right out of the bat, love your site! However, and this was prompted by this exact model, I would urge RTINGS to consider adding “known issues” to each review (however difficult it may be with tech testing turnaround). As per MOMENTUM 4, I, along many other users, have encountered an issue that the headphones have a tendency, especially with evaporating sweat, to fog up and damage inner ANC microphones. This results in a very widely known and discussed issue, which is white noise/hissing in one or both of the headphones and diminished ANC performance in affected earcup. I’ve had this problem in the right one, but there were many cases where it was for either one or both. It is directly linked to ANC, since turning it off resolves the issue, but one does not buy ANC headphones to use them without this feature. Apart from that problem, Sennheiser Momentum 4 is a fantastic headset when working properly, noise isolation is decent, sound quality is superb (as per the brands reputation), but aforementioned ANC problem can pop up very quickly (from my research sometimes weeks from initial purchase). To give credit where it is due, Sennheiser replaces affected headphones as long as they are within the warranty period and after warranty repairs can be quite pricey, but it appears to be a model defect (shortcoming?), because the issue has a tendency to return with newly replaced headphones. Just be aware of that. I’ve switched to Sony WH1000XM4 (despite loving the feel, fit and sound quality) because of this problem.

Jan 13, 2025 09:00 AM By mrmogwai

1

Hello, this is my first post here. Right out of the bat, love your site! However, and this was prompted by this exact model, I would urge RTINGS to consider adding “known issues” to each review (however difficult it may be with tech testing turnaround). As per MOMENTUM 4, I, along many other users, have encountered an issue that the headphones have a tendency, especially with evaporating sweat, to fog up and damage inner ANC microphones. This results in a very widely known and discussed issue, which is white noise/hissing in one or both of the headphones and diminished ANC performance in affected earcup. I’ve had this problem in the right one, but there were many cases where it was for either one or both. It is directly linked to ANC, since turning it off resolves the issue, but one does not buy ANC headphones to use them without this feature. Apart from that problem, Sennheiser Momentum 4 is a fantastic headset when working properly, noise isolation is decent, sound quality is superb (as per the brands reputation), but aforementioned ANC problem can pop up very quickly (from my research sometimes weeks from initial purchase). To give credit where it is due, Sennheiser replaces affected headphones as long as they are within the warranty period and after warranty repairs can be quite pricey, but it appears to be a model defect (shortcoming?), because the issue has a tendency to return with newly replaced headphones. Just be aware of that. I’ve switched to Sony WH1000XM4 (despite loving the feel, fit and sound quality) because of this problem.

Thanks very much for your kind words about our work here at RTINGS, as well as your helpful suggestion that we include something like a “Known Issues” box in our reviews. It’s a good idea! We recognize that there’s a limitation to our reviews. We do try to retest and mention issues as users like you bring them up, but it’s not always obvious to readers where to find that information. I’ve passed on your feedback to the rest of our team. We can’t make any promises, but it’s a good idea and we thank you for your suggestion. If you have any other feedback, we’re happy to hear it.

Thanks again for trusting RTINGs!

Is it really accurate that the analog cable that comes with these headphones is 1/16" to 1/16"? That seems odd, as it would require a 1/16" to 1/8" adapter on the phone/device end, wouldn’t it? For example, many Bose headphones have 1/16" on the headphone side, but the cable that comes with those is 1/16" to 1/8", since most people expect to plug into a standard 3.5mm/1/16" jack on some device.

Feb 19, 2025 06:25 PM By theboomr

71

Is it really accurate that the analog cable that comes with these headphones is 1/16" to 1/16"? That seems odd, as it would require a 1/16" to 1/8" adapter on the phone/device end, wouldn’t it? For example, many Bose headphones have 1/16" on the headphone side, but the cable that comes with those is 1/16" to 1/8", since most people expect to plug into a standard 3.5mm/1/16" jack on some device.

Hi there,

Thank you for letting us know. This is a mistake, the cable that is provided in the box in as 2.5mm to 3.5mm analog cable. We will update the review!

Cheers

Hi,

Have you guys measured (or have plans to measure) the frequency response when doing EQ tweaks using the five knobs in the Smart Control app? I’m trying to make EQ changes to reduce the bass so the overall curve conforms closely to the Rtings reference. The knobs correspond to specific frequencies, but I do not know what the slope of the shelf would be, so I may be cutting off some of the upper mids for example.

It would be a super useful thing to have for these headphones - the EQ changes to achieve the given reference curve.

Feb 23, 2025 05:07 PM By Dragonfyre

2

Hi, Have you guys measured (or have plans to measure) the frequency response when doing EQ tweaks using the five knobs in the Smart Control app? I’m trying to make EQ changes to reduce the bass so the overall curve conforms closely to the Rtings reference. The knobs correspond to specific frequencies, but I do not know what the slope of the shelf would be, so I may be cutting off some of the upper mids for example. It would be a super useful thing to have for these headphones - the EQ changes to achieve the given reference curve.

It’s a great suggestion Dragonfire, we will be thinking more globally on how to help users with eq possibilities, but this is a very specific request, trying to get as close as possible visually and measure after, our approach is to show measurements that can be applied to all Headphones. Generally speaking this is easier to do with a parametric EQ and in this specific case since the rest of the spectrum match closely, a simple bass shelve would get you close. I think you don’t have shelving on the App but a simple 6 dB reduction on the 63 Hz band could get you relatively close to our target bass level. With the limitation of fixed band Graphic EQ that is about the closest you can do.

Latency - Analog 0.4 ms Latency - USB 39.6 ms

Is that analog latency for passive listening/powered off? Is the latency over 3.5mm when powered on with ANC ~40ms like over USB-C?

Mar 21, 2025 02:48 AM By sign0i

4

Is that analog latency for passive listening/powered off? Is the latency over 3.5mm when powered on with ANC ~40ms like over USB-C?

Hi, latency with the headphones when powered on is the same as powered off when connected over 3.5mm (~0.4ms). That said, even if you’re connected using USB you likely won’t notice delay under 50ms.

The Momentum 4 just got a new official app (Sennheiser Smart Control Plus) where you can fully turn the ANC off. With ANC off, the sound is quite different from ANC ON/Adaptive to my hears. Can you test frequency response with ANC OFF? Thanks :)

Mar 30, 2025 12:58 PM By Metsuki

46

The Momentum 4 just got a new official app (Sennheiser Smart Control Plus) where you can fully turn the ANC off. With ANC off, the sound is quite different from ANC ON/Adaptive to my hears. Can you test frequency response with ANC OFF? Thanks :)

Hi Metsuki,

We will take a look at the impact of the Frequency Response with the latest app.

Dagobiet

Hi, I had an issue with two different pairs of Momentum 4s where there would be a (very quiet) high pitched whine in the left ear upon turning on the headphones and pausing my music. The issue seemed to arise after two days of usage. Were you able to reproduce this issue?