SENNHEISER MOMENTUM WIRELESS 2 IN-EARS
This is Sennheiser’s second go at this type of design and this time around, they’ve got it pretty much right...
It seems to some that Sennheiser has taken its time to join the true wireless party, observing quietly from the sidelines how it might best approach this particular headphone category. But those with longer memories will know that Sennheiser was in fact very early indeed, bringing out the MX-W1 wireless buds more than a decade ago, back in 2008. They used a bespoke transmission system, and you had to attach a transmitter pack to your phone (or back then, iPod). And I darned nearly dropped one of my test sample buds down a drain getting off a bus, which was alarming since they were $999 a pair. Perhaps this early experiment put Sennheiser off the category.
It returned in late 2018, with the original Momentum True Wirelesses. They delivered a balanced sound, a decent smattering of features and good battery life, all adding up to a solid, if pricey, package. Fast forward to 2020, and we have the fresh arrival of the second-gen, the Momentum True Wireless 2. This new pair (in black or white) promises a range of improvements but, with the wireless earbud market having moved on thanks to new rivals from the likes of Amazon, Apple, Sony and Samsung, the question is whether Sennheiser has done enough.
The earpieces have been trimmed down slightly, making them more svelte and a little less bulky in your hand and in your ears. Fitting them is still a case of sliding them in, then twisting to lock them into a decent seal. They’re now smaller and protrude less than, say, Sony’s WF-1000XM3s, which has the knock-on effect of making them feel more comfortable over long listening sessions. There are four pairs of silicone eartips of various sizes in the box. The outer surfaces of each earpiece once again double as touch controls that can be used to carry out various functions from controlling playback to activating Google Assistant or Siri.
But the big news is the addition of noise-cancelling. Turn it on—you can use the touch-sensitive controls or flick the switch in Sennheiser’s Smart Control app—and it instantly removes the rumbling and background chatter of the outside world. I think Sony’s noise-cancelling circuitry just has the edge, but the Sennheisers aren’t a million miles away. And those touch buttons can be customised to carry out the range of functions you’re likely to need most often.
The buds should be good for around seven hours from a single charge as standard (compared to four on their predecessors), although having the noise-cancelling feature switched on drains the battery faster. Sennheiser’s fabric-covered charging case makes a return for the second-gen model, bringing another 21 hours of charge.
With high frequencies, the Momentum True Wireless 2s sound a bit more composed than the Sonys and beat Apple’s AirPod
Pros hands-down. And, with the help of the noise-cancelling, they’re able to dig out an impressive amount of detail from any genre of music you introduce them to. The Sennheisers also show good control over low frequencies: powerful and authoritative sound, with no fat around the edges.
Indeed I have nothing here to criticise.
The Sennheiser Momentum Wireless 2s sound good, are easy to live with and enjoy for hours on end. Their price is the only downer, but if your budget allows, your ears will be handsomely rewarded. Jez Ford