Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 5

The Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 5 delivers elite ANC and genuinely audiophile sound with aptX Lossless support. Battery life is excellent at 12 hours from the buds and 40 total with the case. At $279 to $300 USD, you're paying for top-tier audio and noise cancelling, but build quality and fitness performance are below average. If you want the best sound and ANC for travel and commuting, these are a strong buy. If you need gym-ready earbuds or a more durable build, look elsewhere.

Let's talk about what these do well first. The sound quality sits in the 94th percentile of all earbuds in our database. That's not a fluke. Sennheiser's TrueResponse drivers have always had a knack for pulling out detail that other earbuds gloss over, and the addition of aptX Lossless means you're actually getting high-res audio over Bluetooth if your phone supports it. The 7mm driver isn't huge, but Sennheiser tunes it with a level of control that makes vocals and acoustic instruments sound remarkably natural. If you listen to well-recorded music, you'll notice little things like reverb tails and string texture that cheaper buds just smear over.

The ANC is the other headline number. At the 97th percentile, it's basically as good as wireless noise cancelling gets right now. Hybrid adaptive ANC means the earbuds are constantly sampling the outside world and adjusting the cancellation in real time. On a plane or a busy street, that translates to a dramatic drop in low-end rumble and midrange chatter. The transparency mode is also solid, letting in enough ambient sound that you don't feel sealed off from the world when you need to order a coffee or hear a train announcement. Battery life is another bright spot, landing in the 91st percentile. 12 hours from the buds alone is excellent, and 40 total hours with the case means you can go days between charges if you're a moderate listener.

The Sony WF-1000XM6 is probably the most direct competitor here. Sony's ANC has historically been the benchmark, and their sound signature is a bit warmer and more bass-forward than Sennheiser's more neutral tuning. The Sennheiser edges ahead in our ANC percentile ranking, but Sony's build quality and comfort tend to score higher. If you want a more forgiving, consumer-friendly sound and a more robust physical design, Sony is a strong alternative. If you want the most detailed, accurate sound with ANC that's just as good or better, Sennheiser makes a compelling case.

The Technics EAH-AZ100 is another interesting option. Technics has been quietly putting out excellent earbuds with a focus on sound quality and call performance. The EAH-AZ100 tends to have a slightly different tuning philosophy, often with a more spacious soundstage. The Apple AirPods Pro 3rd Generation is the obvious choice if you're deep in the Apple ecosystem, with seamless device switching and solid ANC, though you lose aptX Lossless entirely. The Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro is a good pick for Android users who want tight integration with Samsung phones. And then there's the Soundcore P31i, which is a budget option that can't match the Sennheiser on sound or ANC but costs a fraction of the price. The Sennheiser's main edge over all of these is the combination of top-tier ANC and genuinely audiophile sound in a true wireless form factor.

Here's where things get a little tricky. The MOMENTUM True Wireless 5 is listed at $279 to $300 USD across three US listings, and $450 CAD in Canada. That's flagship money, no way around it. For that price, you're getting best-in-class ANC, excellent sound, and very good battery life. But you're also getting build quality that's below average for the category. That's a weird trade-off at this price point.

Compared to the competition, the value proposition depends on what you prioritize. The Technics EAH-AZ100 and Sony WF-1000XM6 both sit in a similar price bracket and offer their own takes on flagship sound and ANC. The Samsung Galaxy Buds3 Pro and Apple AirPods Pro 3rd Generation are also in the conversation, often with tighter ecosystem integration. What Sennheiser brings to the table is a very specific audio-first philosophy. If you care about sound quality above all else and want ANC that can hang with the best, the price is defensible. If you want a more balanced package with better build quality, you might look elsewhere.

Sennheiser's MOMENTUM True Wireless line has been around long enough that you probably know someone who swears by a pair. The True Wireless 5 is the latest iteration, and on paper it's a pretty serious flex. You get a 7mm TrueResponse dynamic driver, support for aptX Lossless and aptX Adaptive, Bluetooth 6.0, hybrid adaptive ANC, and a claimed 12 hours of earbud battery life with 40 more in the case. That's a spec sheet that reads like a wish list for anyone who cares about how their music actually sounds.

This is a pair of earbuds aimed squarely at people who want flagship audio quality without plugging into a wired DAC. The travel score of 80.2 and music score of 79.2 in our database back that up. If you spend a lot of time on planes, trains, or just walking around with a podcast or playlist going, these are built for that life. The ANC sits in the 97th percentile of all earbuds we've tested, which means it's genuinely top-tier, not just marketing talk.

But here's the thing. The fitness score is a rough 50.5 out of 100, and the build quality percentile is a mediocre 34th. So while these are fantastic for sitting still or commuting, they're not the pair you grab for a sweaty gym session. And at $279 to $300 USD, you're paying a premium. Whether that premium is worth it depends on how much you value the sound and noise cancelling over everything else.

If you're a gym rat or a runner, these aren't your earbuds. The fitness score of 50.5 out of 100 tells the story. The fit is comfortable for sitting and walking, but it's not secure enough for high-impact movement, and the build quality percentile of 34 means they don't feel as rugged as some competitors. You'd be better off with a dedicated sport earbud that has ear hooks or a more secure in-ear design, like something from Jaybird or Beats.

Also, if you're someone who takes a lot of calls in noisy environments, the mic quality here is only in the 67th percentile. The bone conduction sensor and AI voice isolation help, but they don't push the call quality into best-in-class territory. If calls are a priority, the Technics EAH-AZ100 or Apple AirPods Pro 3rd Generation might serve you better. And if you're on a budget, the $279 to $300 USD price tag is hard to justify when the Soundcore P31i exists at a fraction of the cost, even if it can't match the sound or ANC.

If you're a frequent traveler or commuter who wants the best noise cancelling and sound quality in a true wireless earbud, the MOMENTUM True Wireless 5 is an easy recommendation. The ANC is genuinely elite, the sound is detailed and natural, and the battery life means you won't be hunting for a charger mid-trip. The aptX Lossless support is a real bonus if you have a compatible phone, and the multipoint Bluetooth 6.0 makes switching between a laptop and phone painless.

But if you're someone who works out regularly or needs earbuds that can take a beating, these aren't the right pick. The fitness score of 50.5 and the below-average build quality are real concerns. You'd be better off with something like the Sony WF-1000XM6 or a dedicated sport earbud that can handle sweat and impact without making you nervous. And if you're on a tighter budget, the Soundcore P31i gets you decent sound for a lot less money, though you'll sacrifice the ANC and audio refinement that make the Sennheiser special.