Sennheiser Momentum In-ear review: Turn up the fun

Vaughn Highfield October 6, 2015

£90

Price when reviewed

German audio company Sennheiser has earned itself quite a reputation over the years for producing high-quality audio products, particularly in the headphone sector. Its range spans over-the-ear monsters such as the £1,099 HD 800, right down to the £15 MX 365 in-ears.

Sennheiser Momentum In-ear review: Turn up the fun

Sennheiser’s Momentum In-Ear headphones are a level up from the company’s cheapest headphones, and come in at a mid-range price of £89. They aren’t the best in-ear headphones Sennheiser offers, but don’t worry, that doesn’t mean you’ll be compromising on sound quality by not springing for the top tier. The Momentum In-Ears are fantastic headphones capable of delivering music with confidence, excitement and clarity.

Sennheiser Momentum In-ear: Sound quality

Compared to your basic iPhone earbuds, the Momentums deliver truly skull-shaking bass and crisp highs, without any of the distortion, tinny sound or flat audio Apple’s headphones produce. And it’s a bass that’s well-controlled, with body and solidity – not overblown like some headphones I’ve used.

They’ll reach down as low as 15Hz, but even at 13Hz you’ll find yourself able to hear and feel the bass before it drops off a cliff. There’s little to no sound leakage, which is excellent for those who like to listen to their music loud.

If I have one small niggle, it’s that the mids take second place to the throbbing low notes – these headphones are better for electronic dance music than folk or country and western – but that’s a comparatively small complaint, and it’s the sort of slight imperfection that’s entirely understandable in a single-driver design.

For the most part, though, the Momentums deliver a thrill ride of a listen, and I enjoyed every minute of my time with them.

Sennheiser Momentum In-ear: Design, fit and accessories

Many of Sennheiser’s previous in-ear headphones have looked pretty boring, but these are beautifully designed, with red and black detailing and a subtle in-line microphone and audio controls for hands-free calling. There are two versions, though – one for Android and another for iOS devices – so make sure you buy the right pair for your handset.

In terms of accessories, there isn’t much on offer here. You get a selection of four silicone earbuds in varying sizes and a semi-hard case, but there’s no airline adapter or foam buds for those who favour the type of tip that expands softly to fill your ear canal.

My only gripe is Sennheiser’s claim of “tangle-free” cabling, a quality it attributes to its elliptical cables. In reality, there’s very little difference here to your standard headphone cable: they’ll still get tangled in your pocket if you decide to not put them away in the carry case.

Sennheiser Momentum In-ear: Verdict

The Sennheiser Momentum In-Ears are a fabulous listen to at this price. They’re not up to the level of more expensive, multi-driver models – the slightly toned down mids see to that – but if you like your bass full and juicy, you’re not going to be disappointed if you choose to splash out. They’re thumping good headphones.

These headphones too cheap for you? Read our hands-on review of the exotic AKG N90Q – a pair of over-ear monsters that do things a little differently.