Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless

Gorgeous sound, frustrating everything else. Buy them for the audio, but be ready to deal with the connectivity tantrums.

The ANC sits at the 86th percentile, which means it's genuinely one of the better noise-cancelling buds out there, especially for this older generation. Sound quality lands right at the middle of the pack at the 52nd percentile, which surprised us given how much owners rave about the audio. The transparency mode gets consistent praise too. But connectivity at the 75th percentile tells the story: it's fine when it works, but the pairing hiccups and occasional refusal to reconnect after being in the case are the kind of thing that makes you want to throw them across the room.

The Sony WF-1000XM6 and Apple AirPods Pro 3rd Gen both beat these on connectivity reliability and battery longevity, and they're in the same price ballpark. The Technics EAH-AZ100 is another strong option with better overall polish. If you're deep in the Apple ecosystem, the AirPods Pro are the obvious choice. If you want the best ANC and app experience, go Sony. The Sennheisers win on pure sound character, but that's about the only category where they still lead.

At $180 USD these are a tough sell when you can get newer buds with better connectivity and battery for less. The sound is lovely, but you're paying a premium for a product that has known reliability issues. If you find them on a deep discount and you're willing to deal with the quirks, maybe. Otherwise, your money goes further elsewhere.

The Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless earbuds are a classic case of great audio held back by frustrating quirks. The sound is genuinely superb, with that warm, detailed Sennheiser signature that makes you remember why you pay extra for good drivers. But the connectivity gremlins and battery degradation reports are real, and they're the kind of thing that'll drive you nuts on a daily commute.

If you want earbuds that just work every single time you pull them out of the case, these aren't it. Go get the Sony WF-1000XM6 or AirPods Pro instead. If you're on a budget, the Soundcore P31i gives you 80% of the experience for a fraction of the price without the connectivity headaches.

The Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless earbuds sound fantastic, but they're let down by connectivity and battery issues that are hard to ignore at this price. If you're a patient person who values sound above all else and can live with occasional pairing headaches, they're worth considering on sale. For everyone else, there are better all-around options for the same money.