The Sennheiser Momentum 5 are priced at $399.99, placing them in the middle of the premium headphone market and below the Sony WH-1000XM6 and Apple AirPods Max 2. In a review published by TechCrunch, the headphones were tested over several weeks for sound quality, noise cancellation, comfort and battery life.
Sound was described as balanced, with natural vocals and strong bass that does not dominate. The headphones support Dolby Atmos, and the reviewer said they reveal background details in music that cheaper headphones often miss.
Sennheiser doubled the microphone count to eight in this generation to improve active noise cancellation. Voices and nearby chatter are noticeably quieter, and Sennheiser claims the pair is up to three times more effective than the previous generation at blocking this type of noise. The review noted the ANC does not block everything, such as a plane's engine, but works effectively without a pressurised feeling in the ears.
Battery life is rated for up to 57 hours and that figure held up in testing, roughly twice that of the Sony WH-1000XM6 and nearly three times that of the AirPods Max 2. A 10-minute charge provides up to seven hours of playback, while a full charge takes about two hours. The battery cell is user-replaceable, which the review said competitors do not offer.
The review found the headphones less premium-feeling and less comfortable than some Apple or Sony options, and heavier than the Sony WH-1000XM6, but described these as minor trade-offs given the lower price. The thin carrying case was noted as useful for travel and for fitting into medium-sized bags. The companion app, Smart Control Plus, offers an 8-band EQ, adjustable ANC levels, an anti-wind mode and a Sound Personalization feature that creates a profile based on a listening test.