Sennheiser could have just released a set of wireless earbuds that were IP55 rated and called them Momentum sports ($330), but it went further, adding heart rate and body temperature sensors to its workout earbuds. These add-ons give you more insight into your workouts, but they also feed the data to your existing third-party activity apps. Of course, the Momentum Sport should also outperform regular earbuds, offering an ergonomic design, active noise cancellation (ANC), touch controls and other popular features. Sennheiser has a strong track record for sound quality, but now has to balance that with the expanded capabilities of the Momentum Sport headphones.
Sennheiser
While the design of the Momentum Sport is better than the Momentum 4, it suffers in key areas. The biometric sensors work well, but audio quality is inconsistent and the onboard controls are frustrating.
- Optimize design on momentum 4
- Reliable readings of heart rate and body temperature
- Full range of earbuds features
- The added bass is useful for workouts
- The price
- The ANC struggles at times
- Inconsistent sound quality
- The touch controls need an overhaul
What’s good about Sennheiser Momentum Sport
The overall look of the Momentum Sport is what I wish Sennheiser would use Momentum True Wireless 4. The previous round shape fits my ears better and feels more comfortable even though they are a little larger. Without the proper wing, the Sport version still sits well in my ears, although that extra bit definitely helps keep them in place during workouts. Simply put, this design looks more refined and I’d like to see the company take a similar direction in its flagship model.
Sennheiser says it aimed for “vibrant sound and impressive bass” that would help enhance your workout and it delivered. The inventory adjustment has had a significantly reduced impact on Justice’s super drama, Backing electronic melodies with a thicker layer of overtones. This is definitely something that helps improve your energy levels during physical activity. But, as I’ll discuss later, extra bass isn’t always a good thing.
The Momentum Sport’s standout features, heart rate and body temperature tracking, work well. Thanks to the secure fit of the earbuds, you can get consistent and reliable readings in the Sennheiser Smart Control app. My heart rate numbers matched those on my Apple Watch, and I confirmed my temperatures by checking my forehead. The Momentum Sport’s readings were consistent with other devices every time, meaning the earbuds are as reliable as other alternatives at home.
What’s more, there’s tight integration with apps like Polar, Peloton, Strava, and Zwift, so you can use the Momentum Sport with their devices and not just the Sennheier app, which is mostly designed for tweaking settings. However, only Polar’s Flow supports body temperature tracking on the Momentum Sport. Sennheiser says that’s because Polar is the only company that has it environmental system Which monitors this metric and supports appropriate sensors. No matter which third-party app you prefer, you’ll probably want to sync the Momentum Sport with an app, since the Smart Control software only displays real-time readings and won’t keep tabs on trends or monitor stats during workouts.
Even though it has to power more sensors, the Momentum Sport still offers solid battery life. Sennheiser says a single charge provides five and a half hours of playback, and that claim still stands. I had no problems reaching this number during the audio repeatability test at 65 to 70 percent volume. This is with ANC in normal mode and the heart rate and body temperature sensors active. The company says you can extend the Momentum Sport’s battery by 30 minutes if you enable Eco Mode in its app. This feature disables aptX audio and both body tracking sensors.
What’s not so good about Momentum Sport
Momentum Sport lets you tap your cheek for playback and call control. This is convenient when running, for example, as you don’t have to find the exact location of the touchpad while moving around or if you’re wearing gloves. The downside is that it can be activated by chewing. It’s extremely annoying. During my tests, chewing gum or food often triggered the controls.
Sennheiser says this is because I have strong jaw muscles (yes?) in close proximity to the sensor, but that doesn’t make it any less crazy. I chew gum during my running and weight lifting sessions, so this is a deal breaker. Just clenching my jaw didn’t trigger it, so at least that’s the case. The only way to remedy the problem is to turn off the onboard controls entirely, disabling both the cheek tap and the more common earbud tap gestures.
The Momentum True Wireless 4’s ANC performance is solid but not amazing and that goes for the Momentum Sport. Both sets of earbuds work similarly with constant noise sources, reducing the volume of external roar rather than blocking it out completely. Like a lot of its competitors (and the True Wireless 4), the Momentum Sport has difficulty handling human voices. Overall, neither offers the kind of powerful, world-silencing power that Bose and Sony possess.
The Momentum Sport’s Transparency mode is serviceable, but not great. The earbuds let in your surroundings well, but don’t reach enough of your voice and I found myself screaming during some calls. There’s also an anti-wind mode that comes in handy during outdoor workouts, but it’s a tool that almost all new earbuds are equipped with these days.
Unfortunately, good audio performance isn’t universal on the Momentum Sport. While some albums are detailed and clear despite the added bass, others are missing highs and a strong midrange. The sound profile compresses things like distorted guitars and bass lines. The vocals break constantly, but the more prominent kick drum on songs like Knocked Loose’s chaotic “Suffocate” relegates the guitars to the backseat. In fact, guitars across a range of styles – including alternative rock and country – lack the depth and detail offered by the Momentum 4. By dialing in the low end, Sennheiser has sacrificed some of the dynamics that give its earbuds such a great sound. And in a set of earbuds that cost over $300, that’s a shame.
Finally, let’s discuss this case, which is less sophisticated than previous Sennheiser designs. These earbuds cost $330 and the charging case shouldn’t feel flimsy. The lid closes securely most of the time, but the hinge is just a piece of rubber, so the case doesn’t stay open unless you lay it completely flat. The soft-touch layer feels nice, but compared to the accessories that come with the Momentum line, this case is what I’d expect with a set of earbuds that cost half the price. The good news is that there is support for wireless charging and the case is IPX4 rated, so it’s not a complete loss.
It is contained
the Momentum sports Displays cleavage. On the one hand, they are excellent workout earbuds that reliably track biometric stats to give an inside look at your training regimen. On the other hand, it lacks the overall sound quality I’ve come to expect from Sennheiser’s Momentum lineup, and the overly sensitive controls are a major annoyance. The earbuds could improve with some fine-tuning software, but currently they’re too expensive to buy just for workouts and don’t even perform consistently enough to be your go-to set.
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