Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 review

Sennheiser is one of the biggest names in audio, and when it comes out with a new flagship product, it pays to stand up and pay attention. That’s exactly what happened this month with the release of Momentum TrueWireless 3 Ear plug. As the successor to 2020’s Momentum True Wireless 2, these new earbuds are smaller, cheaper and offer improved sound and active noise cancellation. Come in $249.95, is it worth buying compared to the competition? Find out in this review.

specifications

• Current Price: $249.95 (Amazon)
• Microphone: MEMS
• Supported profiles: A2DP, AVRCP, HFP
• Distortion, Distortion: <0.08% (1 kHz / 94 dB)
• Ear coupling: ear canal
• Transducer: TrueResponse™ dynamic, 7mm diameter
• Charging time: about 1.5 hours for full charge, after 10 minutes charging 1 hour music playback
• Polar pattern: 3 microphones per earphone, beamforming for noise reduction
• Operating time: 7 hours
• Power supply: 5 V?, 1000 mA max, USB charging via USB-C socket on the charging case; Qi wireless charging
• Battery specification: Built-in rechargeable lithium-ion batteries; Left/Right Earbud: 77mAh Charging Box: 850-950mAh
• Bluetooth: Bluetooth 5.2 compliant, Class 1, 10mW (max)
• Codecs: SBC, AAC, aptX™, aptX adaptive™
• Frequency Response: 5Hz – 21kHz
• Sensitivity: 107dB SPL (1kHz / 1mW)
• Noise Cancellation: Hybrid Adaptive ANC

Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 Key Features and First Impressions

As you can guess from the name, the Momentum True Wireless 3 earphones are the third release in Sennheiser’s flagship line of true wireless earphones. This means the company has had time to learn, evolve and refine its design. The line has always been popular, but in my opinion these are the best version of the Momentum True Wireless earbuds yet. Sennheiser has listened and reacted, further developing the already award-winning formula in form, function and above all sound quality.

The buds come in plain packaging, in keeping with the rest of the mainstream range. Once opened, you’ll find the new, smaller case that hides the earbuds. Housed in separate cardboard sleeves are three sets of ear tips (XS, S, and L; Medium comes pre-installed), three sets of retaining wings for extra in-ear stability, and the USB charging cable. There’s also documentation with a quick start guide, warranty, and a map directing you to download the app to access all the features the buds have to offer.

The case is smaller on this generation, making it easier to slip into a pocket and carry through the day. It has the same stylish design as its predecessors and is wrapped in fabric. While I was concerned about this design in the first generation, it has proven durable and hasn’t frayed. So bringing it back here means there’s no fingerprints, an easier grip when taking it out of the case and a better-looking charging case. It’s also been improved with Qi wireless charging, which is a nice addition to cut another cord from your life.

The buds themselves have also undergone a redesign. Instead of the round shape of previous MTW models, the MTW3 are smaller and more rectangular. They don’t protrude as much from my ears and give me an easier fit compared to previous generations.

Battery life is one of the most important features for a pair of true wireless earbuds, and these compare well to other flagship headsets. As with the last generation, Sennheiser estimates this at 7 hours per charge and with the included charging case comes to a total of 28 hours. In practice, they offer almost an hour’s improvement over the Momentum True Wireless 2s, getting around 6.25 hours with active noise cancellation enabled.

These new buds also use a new driver. Like the last generation, they use a 7mm dynamic driver, but this model features Sennheiser’s new TrueResponse converter. With that comes a redefined vibe that brings more clarity to the mids and highs, and tucks a little further into its audiophile roots (although you can set your own in the app). Driver performance is very good and I expect most listeners will be impressed with the sound quality they are capable of delivering.

Along with the new drivers, the buds also support high-resolution listening with the aptX Adaptive Codec. This is the latest and greatest aptX codec, but to get the most out of it you need an up-to-date device that supports it. If this isn’t the case for you, don’t worry because aptX Adaptive is backwards compatible and can easily transfer to standard aptX and aptX HD devices. I’d love for Sennheiser to take the right and support LDAC, but unfortunately that’s not the case this time.

Before proceeding, it’s worth paying special attention to the controls built into these buds. Sennheiser allows you to bind controls to single, double and triple taps and hold any bud. This way you have full control at your fingertips. Play and pause are done with a single tap, track navigation, ANC and your smart assistant are accessed with double and triple taps. The volume is controlled by holding one of the earbuds: the right increases the volume and the left decreases it. What’s even better here is that there’s feedback tones for each one, so you can instantly tell how many taps have been registered. Compared to buds that use the same sound for everything or nothing, this is a big improvement and makes the touch controls a lot more useful and easy to use.

Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 – comfort and fit

The new design of the Momentum True Wireless 3 is a total improvement in comfort, fit and style. Although I liked the previous models, their design always resulted in my inner ear becoming slightly sore over time. This seemed like a quirk of my anatomy (most users didn’t report this), but the changes here, combined with the right tips, finally make this a set I can wear all day without having to take breaks. However, I will point out that it’s important to pack these in a little flatter than you’re used to with other true wireless earbuds.

Sennheiser has also placed a comfortable and secure fit in the foreground in the design. This model is based on his SportTrueWireless Earplugs with new retaining wings. These come in four sizes to fit the different silicone tips and your ears. The wings are fairly small (definitely smaller than the Sports) but do a good job of keeping the buds secure in your ear during vigorous movements. If you’re using these to train, you’ll be happy to hear they’re IPX4 rated and should be fine for sweat resistance.

Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 – Sound and ANC performance

These are the best-sounding Momentum True Wireless earbuds yet. As a fan of previous models and the Sennheiser sound in general, I was very happy with their tuning out of the box. The sound is big and detailed, perfectly pairing with pop, hip-hop and rock songs with driving bass and drum beats. That’s not to say the bass is overdone or spills over into the rest of the mix. The bass has its place and doesn’t overplay its hand, resulting in these buds having an overall balanced but enjoyable sonic signature.

In this sense, it’s also possible to tune the sound exactly to your liking. There is a smart EQ feature in the Smart Control app called Sound Check. With your own music, you choose between three EQ options in a short quiz and choose which one sounds best to you. When you’re done, a custom EQ will be applied based on the settings you selected. Since this uses your own music and not a random track like SoundID requires, I found this to work surprisingly well. My custom tuning slightly boosted the bass and boosted the treble to bring out even more detail. I had to turn the treble back a notch, but it was very close. I was impressed.

The app also lets you choose from set EQ presets and control other features, such as: B. setting custom sound zones. This feature uses your phone’s GPS, allowing the app to detect when you’re in a certain area and automatically adjust the noise control. This is a wonderful feature for commuters, allowing your buds to automatically turn noise cancellation on when you’re on the go and turn it off again when you enter the office. The app also allows you to customize touch controls if you don’t find the built-in functions intuitive enough.

Active noise cancellation is excellent but not customizable. Instead, the buds have adaptive noise cancellation and will monitor the noise around you and adjust the ANC level accordingly. I would definitely prefer full control, but the adaptive ANC does an excellent job. Unlike the Xiaomi Buds 3T Pro’s adaptive ANC, the Momentum True Wireless 3 doesn’t jump around and suddenly change levels.

The level of noise reduction is really impressive. They compete with the best ANC earphones on the market, including the Sony WF-1000XM4s. The cabin pressure effect is very low, and the noise reduction extends moderately into the mids to block out a range of typical office noises. From the first MTW earphones, these have come a long way and now they stand out.

Final Thoughts

The Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 earphones should be at the top of your list if you’re looking for true wireless active noise canceling earphones in the market. They’re premium priced but cheaper than previous Momentum earbuds at launch, which makes them feel like better value for money. While there are a few quirks, like non-adjustable noise-cancellation, they’re an excellent buy and an exceptionally easy recommendation.

The product described in this article was provided by the manufacturer for evaluation purposes. Some items may contain affiliate links and purchases made through them will result in a small commission for the site. Commissions are not addressed to the author or linked to remuneration in any way.