Sennheiser MOMENTUM Sport: Fitness Tracking Meets Audio

Sennheiser is known for its audio quality, and the Sennheiser MOMENTUM Sport delivers that plus some intriguing health features. I’ve been testing out the Sennheiser MOMENTUM Sport earphones, and they’ve definitely made an impression. These earphones are a bit of a mixed bag, but let’s dive into the details.

Sennheiser MOMENTUM Sport TWS Review

Rating: 7/10

Pros

• Exceptional bass 
• Accurate health sensors (heart rate and temperature)
• IP55 water and dust resistance
• Supports Hi-Res 24bit/96 KHz audio
• Good passive noise cancellation
• Transparent mode adapts well to environmental sounds
• 6 hours of playback with ANC off; 18 hours with case
• Compatible with both iPhone and Android

Cons

• Large earbuds size
• Mediocre microphone quality
• Recessed mids and inconsistent treble
• Only minor improvement with ANC
• Touch controls can be difficult to locate and use

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Sennheiser MOMENTUM Sport: Design and Comfort

The Sennheiser MOMENTUM Sport uses a stem-less and semi-open earbuds design, which might not be everyone’s cup of tea. Personally, I found the earbuds to be too large for my ears, even though I was using the smallest eartip size.

Speaking of which, the eartips are transparent/clear for the optical heart rate sensor or the PPG to work properly. There are three sizes to choose from—small, medium, and large.

There are three different sizes of fins or wings that can provide extra stability or a better fit. The Sennheiser MOMENTUM Sport has a flat case that may seem a little larger than the competition, just like the earbuds. 

Speaking of which, the case is rated IP54 dust- and water-resistant. Similarly, the earbuds themselves are rated IP55 dust- and water-resistant. This is so you don’t have to worry about sweat or minor water splashes damaging your earbuds.

Personally, Sennheiser MOMENTUM Sport may not be the most comfortable earbuds out there, but they do have a secure fit. 

Sennheiser MOMENTUM Sport: Connectivity

The Sennheiser MOMENTUM Sport is compatible with both iPhone and Android. Notably, on iPhone, you will be limited to the AAC codec because iPhones don’t support aptX adaptive. There is no such limitation on Android devices.

The Sennheiser MOMENTUM Sport connects via Bluetooth, and you would need the Sennheiser Smart Control app to access settings such as noise control, audio resolution, codec, and most importantly, the data from the sensors. The app does not require login unless you want to use the Sound Zones feature.

Once you pair your Sennheiser MOMENTUM Sport to your smartphone and put them in your ears, you will be able to see the live data from the health sensors on the Smart Control app. You can connect to the Polar Flow app if you like. 

The connectivity on the Sennheiser MOMENTUM Sport is good, but nothing spectacular. It supports Bluetooth 5.2, which means that the Bluetooth audio range is pretty limited when compared to Bluetooth 5.4. However, this was a non-issue for me, personally.

It can connect to two devices at the same time and switch between them for ease of use. You can also use the app to decide which devices you want to connect to. The Sennheiser MOMENTUM Sport supports voice commands and interaction with smart devices as well.

Sennheiser MOMENTUM Sport: Controls

The Sennheiser MOMENTUM Sport has capacitive touch buttons on each earbud for easy playback control (double tap, triple tap, long press). Here are the playback controls:

• Double tap on either earbud: Play/Pause
• Triple tap on the left: ANC, Anti-Wind, Transparency
• Triple tap on the right: Next track 
• Long press on the left: Volume down 
• Long press on the right: Volume up 

The touch controls are fully customizable for music playback. You can also adjust the touch sensitivity for use with gloves. 

I found the touch controls to be a bit wonky, mostly because I was unable to figure out where the touch-sensitive area on the earbuds are. That said, there is a feedback tune that plays when you use a touch control.

Sennheiser MOMENTUM Sport: Sound

The MOMENTUM Sport is bass-heavy and, arguably, for a good reason. Most workout tracks are heavy on the bass so it only makes sense to tune the earphones that way. Nevertheless, here’s a brief overview of the sound signature.

Lows

Like I said, the bass on these headphones is incredible. It’s punchy, deep, and really adds a lot of excitement to your music. If you love feeling the thump of the bass in genres like rap, hip-hop, or pop, these headphones will not disappoint.

Mids

The lower-midrange is noticeably recessed, which is a bit of a letdown. Vocals and midrange instruments sound distant, almost like they’re taking a backseat in the mix, especially in the lower mid-range. If you’re someone who values vocal clarity and midrange detail, this might be a bit disappointing.

For instance, Indian instruments like the tabla, dholak, and harmonium in “Dekhha Tenu” from the film Mr. & Mrs. Mahi were distinct and clear, although the flute and violin got a bit lost in the lower-midrange.

Notably, for a track like “Don’t You Worry Child,” the kick drum was more prominent than the rest of the mix, which, by the way, could be adjusted to preference with the EQ. Also, in “Please Please Please” by Sabrina Carpenter, the bass feels more prominent than it should. 

Moving on, there’s a noticeable boost in the upper midrange, particularly around the 3,000–4,000 Hz mark. This boost means that vocals and lead instruments cut through the mix, making them clear and vibrant. 

Highs

The treble response is a mixed bag. There are some peaks and dips that can make certain high frequencies sound harsh. It’s not a dealbreaker for me, but if you’re sensitive to high frequencies, this could be an issue.

The upper treble rolls off quite a bit, which means you lose some of that airy, open feeling in your music. It’s not uncommon for headphones to struggle with these high frequencies, but it does affect the overall sense of space.

EQ, Clarity, and Soundstage 

You can most certainly tweak the EQ settings to get better sound and clarity out of these earphones. Slightly altering the 63 Hz slider and the 4000 Hz, 8000 Hz sliders does the job for me.

Once you do that, you will be able to enjoy the clarity that these earphones have to offer. The panning gets good, and the overall clarity is exceptional. As for the soundstage, it may not be the best, but it’s not something bad.

EQ Presets

Speaking of which, there are two EQ presets in the app—Bass Boost and Podcasts. The Bass Boost preset does what it’s supposed to: boost the bass even more. This does compromise the mid-range clarity a bit but it’s worth it if you are bass head. The Podcasts preset boots the mid-range, leading to better vocals and similar frequencies.

Audio Resolution & Codec 

Notably, the Sennheiser MOMENTUM Sports supports HiRes 24bit/96 KHz audio, which does make a noticeable difference if you are switching from Standard. Personally, I was rocking these on the Hi-Res “Audio Resolution” most of the time.

As for the codec, these support aptX adaptive on Android devices and AAC on iPhones. So, to get the absolute best listening experience, you will need an Android. 

The AAC codec on iPhones doesn’t mean a bad listening experience, though—it’s just that you can’t take full advantage of the earphones when paired with an iPhone.

Sennheiser MOMENTUM Sport: Noise Cancellation and Transparency

The Sennheiser MOMENTUM Sport has good passive noise cancellation. The active noise cancellation, or ANC, is not very impressive. It only makes a very minor difference over passive noise cancellation.

Nonetheless, the Transparency Mode of the MOMENTUM Sport does a decent job of adapting to environmental sound levels. The Anti-Wind mode reduces wind noise interference when, for example, you are on a bike or if there’s a lot of wind noise.

Sennheiser MOMENTUM Sport: Microphones

The Sennheiser MOMENTUM Sport doesn’t have the best-sounding microphones out there. The microphones have a hard time separating the background noise from the speaker’s voice, even in ANC mode. Here’s a sample for you to hear:

Sennheiser MOMENTUM Sport: Fitness Tracking and Sensors

The Sennheiser MOMENTUM Sport has a heart rate (PPG) sensor and a temperature sensor that work like a charm. I compared the temperature sensor against a thermometer and the results were pretty accurate.

As for the PPG or heart rate sensor, I compared it against my Galaxy Watch4 Classic and both were very close. So, I assume that the readings are indeed mostly accurate.

These sensors, when combined, can be a great way to track your workouts. To do so, you will need the Polar Flow app. Once there, you can select a workout, such as cycling, weightlifting, or something else, and start tracking your heart rate, pace, temperature, and even calories burned.

It should be noted that the Sennheiser MOMENTUM Sport will only measure your heart rate and body temperature when both earbuds are in your ears, tight and snug.

The Sennheiser MOMENTUM Sport’s health data can be synced with a plethora of health monitoring apps, including Garmin Watch/Connect, Apple Watch/Health, Strava, and others, for seamless integration. 

Sennheiser MOMENTUM Sport: Battery and Charging

The Sennheiser MOMENTUM Sport can give you up to 6 hours of music playback at moderate volume levels and ANC turned off. Should you turn on the ANC, you can expect somewhere around 4 to 5 hours of music playback.

With the charging case, you can get an additional 18 hours of music playback on the Sennheiser MOMENTUM Sport. In my usage (4 to 5 hours of listening with ANC each day), I had to charge the case every 3 to 4 days.

As for charging, I couldn’t quite test that, but Sennheiser says that you can get 45 minutes of playback time with 10 minutes to charge.

You can charge the Sennheiser MOMENTUM Sport’s case using the USB-C port or use Qi wireless charging for convenience.

Should You Buy the Sennheiser MOMENTUM Sport?

The Sennheiser MOMENTUM Sport costs ₹27,990, and at this price, it’s your perfect workout companion with all the health sensors built-in. It is suitable for running, road biking, weight training, and even high-intensity interval training. 

As for the sound, it seems to have a V-shaped sound signature with its strong bass and clear upper mids. However, the recessed mids and variable treble response might not be for everyone.

For me, they work great as a workout companion or for casual listening when I want that extra energy in my music. But for when I want a more balanced sound, I’d look elsewhere.

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