Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 Review

At last, the long-awaited follow-up to Sennheiser’s Momentum True Wireless 2 is here, and I’ve been able to listen to it. The Momentum 3 True Wireless is definitely going to be one of the hottest releases this year in the realm of Bluetooth audio and knowing Sennheiser there is a certain level of hype that comes with it. Let’s see just how improved this model is over its previous iteration.

What You Get

• Pair of earbuds
• Ear adapter sets (XS/S/M/L)
• Ear fin sets (S/M/L)
• Charging case & USB-C cable
• Quick guide & safety guide

Look and Feel

For the Momentum True Wireless 3, Sennheiser seems to combine the circular housing of the 2’s design, and the recent CX series square shaping. It creates a housing that should be a bit more ergonomic than Sennheiser’s previous wireless builds and possesses smoother ridges and a smaller size that should make for an easier fit. Wearing the Momentum 3 for many hours I can confirm that these are the most comfortable true wireless earphones Sennheiser has made, as they never feel too obstructive while sitting firmly in your concha.

Design and Functionality

Sennheiser’s 7mm TrueResponse driver makes a return for the Momentum 3. It’s a good system but for some tracks, it doesn’t leave the sound with a lot of headroom when reaching a comfortable level of gain. The Smart Control app EQ does fix this a bit, but your options are constrained to a simplistic three-control gain. You get plenty of other options with the app though, like different modes of ANC which has a new sound zone feature, that’s not unlike Sony’s adaptive noise-canceling feature. Here you can set different sound environments like work and the gym, and the ANC will automatically respond to that space. Touch controls on the earphones are also customizable within the app, just like they have been with the CX line. These controls are extremely sensitive but incredibly responsive, providing an easy user experience for playback and picking up calls.

Bluetooth

The Momentum True Wireless 3 supports Bluetooth 5.2 for high range and bandwidth. They pair smoothly and I never experienced any dropouts while using them. For CODECs, you have SBC, AAC, aptX, and aptX Adaptive.

Battery Life

One full charge of the Momentum 3 amounts to around seven hours of playtime. Only ten minutes of charge should grant you at least an hour of listening.

Soundstage

One of the things that made the Momentum 2 quite notable for a true wireless earphone was its wide soundstage. I was excited to hear what Sennheiser can offer here in their follow-up model, and the results did not disappoint. Not only is this stage wide, but it has a level of height and depth that isn’t common for Bluetooth earphones. What’s most impressive about it is the amount of headspace on display, letting the image breathe and supply an outward image with more natural movement. Panning is accurate and gives the Momentum 3 layers that extend the body of the sound to a more dimensional space. It almost becomes a dome of imaging with its ability to wrap around you, but still sticks to a traditional stereo field.

Low End

The previous Momentum true wireless had this clean and punchy bass that was always satisfying, and the Momentum 3 expands on it with a great amount of heft. Sennheiser adds particularly energetic sub-bass to the sound signature that makes your tracks sound explosive. Metal and Hard Rock tracks receive the biggest highlight with a thumping tone that makes the timbre come alive in the best ways. You also receive these frequencies with a degree of separation and clarity that keeps everything incredibly clean which is a huge plus.

Mids

While some midrange regions might not have an equal amount of gain as others, they still keep a good presence throughout the frequency response. There are particular upper-mid bands that can even appear a bit hollow, but it is a small notch of frequencies that only become prevalent with certain types of music. Otherwise, vocals and instrumentals come through pretty cleanly here and offer some fine detail. The low mids are what is going to get the real boost here though, and it can definitely be felt in any genre.

Highs

In the high-end, the Momentum 3 offers some respectable clarity in certain regions. It never feels whole, but the treble can still resonate with a satisfying level of detail. There is a bit of air here that brings height to the sound signature, and their timbre is comfortably smooth with a touch of sparkle to make the frequencies pop a bit more.

Summary

With the Momentum True Wireless 3, Sennheiser cements itself yet again as one of the go-to brands for wireless sound quality. It has a fun and engaging sound signature that has great bass and a great stage, accomplishing what only some of the best Bluetooth earphones can, and that’s clarity. When it comes to the user experience, they might not be quite on the level as Sony but are still making strides to innovate with the introduction of the sound zones feature.

The Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 will be available at Audio46.