Sennheiser is one of the most recognized brands in the headphone sector and has a wide range of products. It manufactures both TV over-ear headphones, hi-fi studio headphones and totally wireless earphones. In this review, we are going to see earphones of the latter type, such as the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3.
Now with the Momentum True Wireless 3 the German audio giant is making its latest move into the high-end range of the market.
So how does it stand up to the industry heavyweights Sony, Apple and Beats? And are these a huge improvement over the Momentum True Wireless 2?
These are a clear step up from their last pair, with no real drawbacks and lots of little improvements. That it has managed to do so while lowering the price is even more impressive.
These earbuds look better, are more comfortable and sound just as good, with better ANC than before and a very solid software experience.
Call quality may not be class leading, but that’s a pretty common issue and one that shouldn’t be a deal breaker.
Anyone looking for a reliable fully wireless earphone should consider the Momentum 3 along with the Cambridge Audio Melomania Touch the Bowers & Wilkins PI7 the JBL LivePro+ and the Apple AirPods Pro.
We’ve been testing the earbuds to find out, and here’s our take on the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3.
Design and comfort
It’s been a couple of years since the second generation Momentum earbuds came out, and Sennheiser hasn’t been sitting idly by. While the charging cases don’t look much different, opening the newer version immediately reveals a better-looking set of earphones.
The Momentum True Wireless 3 smooths out some of the hard edges that were present on previous versions, turning things into a truly ergonomic set. You can buy them in white, gray or black, and all three are impressively understated.
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 colors available
See prices and colors Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3
Adaptive Noise Cancellation, IPX4, Qi wireless charging, 28-hour Battery Life
See price previous generation Momentum True Wireless 2
There’s a Sennheiser logo embossed on the outside of each earbud, where you’ll be able to use simple touch controls, and further down the earbud is a new rubber ring that you can swap out for different sizes that come in the box.
With a little lip, it helps to get a secure fit in the outer ear, but doesn’t push too hard, and we think it’s a great way to keep things comfortable and customizable. Combining this with the more standard options for ear tips of different sizes, you can make the earphones fit a wide range of ear shapes and sizes.
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 Design
This makes them more comfortable to wear for extended periods compared to the last generation, and even after a couple of hours, we didn’t really feel them pressing on our ear, which is a huge improvement.
The buttons and case are now splash-resistant as well, making them another option if you want to be able to work out with them, a welcome addition with no hassle for regular users. The only other noticeable change to the case is that the charging port is now on the front, not the back, which we can’t say makes us feel strongly at all – that’s fine!
As a whole, the Momentum 3 earphones are a great example of how refining a design can lead to truly impressive results.
Connectivity
Connectivity Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 earbuds
The Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 are compatible with Bluetooth 5.2 and with the universal SBC and AAC audio formats. But they also support the latest aptX Adaptive audio format, which when used with a compatible device offers better audio quality and lower latency, which is especially great for gaming.
However, at the moment only a few recent Android smartphones support the aptX Adaptive format.
The earphones can be used independently, which is convenient for calls. My voice sounded a bit robotic on the phone, but it was clear even when speaking in noisy environments, effectively suppressing background noise.
Bluetooth connection to a number of phones, tablets, and computers is solid, but at the moment they only connect to one device at a time. An update has been promised that allows simultaneous connection of two devices (multipoint), such as a laptop and a phone.
Autonomy
The Momentum 2 already offered pretty decent battery life, and Sennheiser kept it steady with up to seven hours on a single charge – more than enough for most people’s listening needs, we thought.
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 Earbuds and Charging Case
You get another three full charges in the carrying case, which is durable and makes us wish more manufacturers thought of finishing their cases in something other than metal or plastic. The case charges via USB-C or wirelessly, which also makes it nice and convenient.
Therefore, using the charging case, up to 28 hours of playback can be obtained. As always, these figures depend on the volume at which they are used.
Sound quality
The Momentum 2 already excelled in one important area: sound. That made things easier for Sennheiser in a way, but thankfully solid progress is still being made here.
The basic sound is impeccably balanced and clear without dominating any part of the spectrum. It means you get a nice richness in the low notes and you don’t lose detail in the mids and highs, something that plagues so many earbuds.
It’s a really nice experience to listen to something more stripped down to the likes of Paul Simon, but, when you turn up the pace and opt for some more modern sounds, things are just as punchy, making the Momentum 3 a great choice for those with eclectic taste.
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless TWS earphones 3 internal components
They have decent bass and the low notes are punchy and well controlled. There’s also a bass boost feature, but not everyone will like it.
Mids and highs are detailed and well balanced, vocals are clear, and most music genres sound great. They lack a bit of oomph on some electronic tracks, but they do a better job with jazz and classical music than most competitors.
There’s the option for full EQ control in the Sennheiser app, should you want to edit things out, though we suspect most people won’t feel the need.
There is a full equalizer and an option to create a custom setting using a short listening test. Sennheiser has promised to add a full sound customization setting that will go beyond simple equalizer adjustments in a future update.
Noise Cancellation
With the Momentum True Wireless 2 Sennheiser added Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), and has improved it a bit for the new version. This is now adaptive, reacting to noise around you to amplify its cancellation when needed, and reduce it if you’re in a quiet environment.
We can’t say we noticed this adaptation too much, though that could be a good thing, showing it happening in the background. What we can say, though, is that Cancellation has generally taken quite a beating since the last version.
We found that we were more of a bubble, compared to the last generation, and were able to ignore noise from public transport much more reliably.
Momentum True Wireless 3 Adaptive Noise Cancellation
The truth is that the latest generation adaptive noise cancellation that the German firm has implemented makes a good automatic adjustment of the noise cancellation level when the noise level of the environment changes.
One minor negative note was that we found that wind noise had a huge impact on our sound when it was present, which can be a bit distracting, even if it’s far from a unique issue.
It may not be as perfect as the AirPods Pro but this is a really impressive sound pack that gives you a fair amount of control over how you listen, and sounds great overall.
Sennheiser’s control app is also pretty nifty, connecting quickly to the earbuds and allowing us to change all sorts of things to our liking.
By default, we found that the earphones activated their transparency mode when we took them out of the case, which we could easily change.
This transparency mode is very useful as it keeps you in touch with your surroundings and with a single tap you can switch back to noise canceling mode to refocus on the music without distractions.
That transparency mode, which amplifies the world around you for heightened awareness, is a bit jarring though, and we found it sounded tinny and static even in quiet rooms. Still, while we’re not sure how much we’d use it, there’s nothing wrong with having the option, especially if you’re a runner or cyclist, for example.
Final opinion
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless earbuds 3 review
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 are earphones that we recommend without a doubt. Compared to the previous generation, they have improved comfort and noise cancellation, but still offer the same great sound.
They are really comfortable, so you can wear them for hours without feeling discomfort and they adapt well to your ears, although as always you have to experiment between the different sizes of ear tips to get the optimal fit.
There are some minor weaknesses, but the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 is in our opinion a great option in the high-end sector.
See prices Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3
Adaptive Noise Cancellation, IPX4, Qi wireless charging, 28-hour Battery Life
