Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless vs Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 Review

A few of our readers wrote in, asking us to compare the new Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless with the Bose Noise Cancelling 700. To be honest, I blew my load with the Momentum 3 Wireless vs Sony WH-1000XM3 Review. But we hate to disappoint. So, I’ve mustered up the energy for another one. Which headphones will suit your needs and listening style? Let’s find out in this Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless vs Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 Review.

Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless vs Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 Review

FIT

Although the earpads on the Momentum 3 Wireless are thicker, the earpads on the Bose 700 are slightly softer and looser around the ears. (Slightly being the operative word). Personally, with respect to the Momentum 3 Wireless, I had no issues with comfort. But some people find over-ear headphones obtrusive to wear in general. So, I thought I’d throw a disclaimer out there.

DESIGN

Active Noise-Cancellation

Both models provide about the same level of ANC effectiveness. And both headphones have accompanying apps that allow you to adjust the ANC strength. But the Bose 700 offers 10 different levels of ANC strength, while the Momentum 3 Wireless only gives you 3. I found that the Momentum’s 3 levels provided sufficient control. And actually, 10 ANC levels might be overkill. But if you’re a control freak, then Bose might be the best option in terms of ANC technology. Why is ANC adjustment important? Some people find the ear pressure caused by noise-cancelling frequencies to be uncomfortable. And if you’re only trying to eliminate the hum of your air conditioner, for example, it’s nice to be able to tone down the ANC strength.

Controls and Functionality

Both headphones offer the standard functionality, such as play/pause, track skipping, call answering/ending and voice assistant activation. And both headphones allow you to mute calls as well. But the Bose 700 employs a touchpad for most of these functions, while the Momentum 3 Wireless exclusively uses buttons. Now, I haven’t tried using the Bose 700 touchpad with gloves on, but that’s something that folks in Chicago might want to consider.

Call Clarity

The call clarity is great on both headphones. But the caller on the Bose 700 sounded closer. In comparison, the caller on the Momentum 3 sounded like she was speaking on stage. 

Battery Life

Similar battery life. The 700 offers “up to” 20 hours (pobably depending on the ANC level), while the Momentum 3 Wireless promises 17.

Water Resistance

Just kidding.

Accompanying Apps

As mentioned above, both headphones come with apps that allow you to adjust ANC levels. But the big plus offered by the Momentum 3 Wireless is the equalizer, which gives you some creative control over the balance of your mix. I couldn’t find an equalizer on the Bose Music app. But if anyone knows of a third-party equalizer app that works, let us know.

Portability

SOUND

Lows

You can expect a much deeper and more powerful bass on the Momentum 3 Wireless. The sub-bass frequencies are also yuge compared to the more conservative sub-bass response of the Bose 700. (But remember that the Momentum 3 Wireless comes with and equalizer). Listening to classical music, double basses had a little more grip and texture on the Bose 700. It also presented a highly realistic timbre, perhaps even more so than the Momentum 3 Wireless. That being said, the Momentum 3 Wireless delivered a very majestic and fluid sound. And note progressions just sounded smoother and more graceful. But both headphones displayed a similar amount of detail. And at the end of the day, it just comes down to taste. 

Mids

While there are similarities in balance in this range, the bass on the Momentum 3 Wireless overshadows the low mids at times. So, the lower mids on the Bose 700 are often more apparent. In terms of clarity, the Bose 700 presents a cleaner sound overall. The level of separation is slightly superior, and the layering of instruments in heavy arrangements is also tidier on the 700. You’ll notice the difference when you hear guitar strums in the lower mids, for example. They just sound cleaner and more delineated on the Bose 700. That being said, instruments sound thinner, and sometimes more heavy-handed on the Bose 700. In contrast, the Momentum 3 Wireless is richer and softer its presentation. By softer, I mean that it handles acoustic instruments a little more tenderly.

Highs

The highs are a little brighter on the Bose 700 than they are on the Momentum 3 Wireless. Percussion is crisper and more sparkly. And this makes for a snappy pop or funk track. However, the flip side is that this kind of high frequency extension can be fatiguing on the ears after a while, especially if you tend to listen to more modern genres at higher volumes. Careful, kids! Tinnitus is real. In terms of transparency, both headphones do a great job. But listening to strings, again, the Momentum 3 Wireless has thicker, more velvety quality while the Bose feels a little finer.

Soundstage

This category is why I prefer the Momentum 3 wireless. More spacious in terms of width, depth and height. And small gradations along these axes are more discernible on the Momentum 3 Wireless, giving it a more multidimensional feel overall. 

SUMMARY

Both headphones provide fantastic noise-cancellation, great call clarity and an almost equal amount of battery life. But if you’ve read MajorHifi’s Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless vs Sony WH-1000XM3 Review, you’ll know that in terms of sound, I’m a sucker for the Momentum 3 Wireless. Rich, robust and emotive with a massive soundstage, it’s just a lot more fun than the slightly reserved, though admittedly cleaner Bose 700.  

You can find both of these headphones for the best price here:

Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless at Audio 46

Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless on Amazon

Bose Noise Cancelling Wireless Headphones 700 on Amazon

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