Sennheiser MOMENTUM Wireless (M3) - Testing The Momentum 3
Article Index |
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Sennheiser MOMENTUM Wireless (M3) |
Features and Info |
Testing The Momentum 3 |
Testing:
Let me get this out of the way; I'm not an audiophile. Granted, I really love good audio. I do have a pretty good ear and I really enjoy music. However, I don't believe that there are a lot of objective ways to test headphones. The experience is very personal, unique and everyone has a different idea of what sounds "good". I did listen to Momentum M2 and Massdrop HD6XX for comparison. I used these wireless as well as wired through my Bottlehead Crack 1.1 OTL amp. Most of my thoughts are going to be through the Bluetooth however as these are designed to provide audio on the move; not strapped to your desk with an amp.
I listened mostly through my Samsung S9+ as I was pretty busy and on the move for the duration of the review period when I had the Momentum 3 on my test bench (aka - head). They have plenty of volume both through the cable and when connected by Bluetooth.
In terms of music specifics, I did listen to a lot of different genres as I'm not really strapped to one type of music. I listened to everything from 90's alternative, modern pop, country and everything in between. I have a few lossless FLAC albums that I purchased that really showcase stereo headphones and I made sure to spend some time listening to these as well. The sources for most of my testing was Google Play Music or SiriusXM with the quality set to maximum.
These headphones provide an incredibly balanced music experience no matter what type of music you listen to. The bass is full and powerful enough to really be appreciated without trying to shake your brain. I never felt I needed more bass, treble or mid-range as it was balanced pretty smoothly for all types of music.
There are a few bits of music that is treble-heavy where the high-hat seemed a bit harsh and I had to open up the Sennheiser app and tweak the equalizer a bit. Overall, the experience was pretty solid, but after being spoiled with the HD6xx from Massdrop (think Sennheiser HD650), the Momentum 3 clearly aren't quite audiophile quality. They are, however, a fantastic piece of kit for walk-around and travel cans.
In terms of pop music, if you've been brainwashed into "Beats" audio, you may find the Momentum (M2) to be a little lacking, but that has been fixed with the Momentum 3 wireless without being over the top. They've tweaked the bass to be a bit more powerful, but they aren't overly bass heavy like Beats or even the Sennheiser Urbanites. The tradeoff is that they are farther from a reference headphone, but they still are a solid product that offers a more appealing listening experience than the M2.
As far as comfort goes, the Momentum Wireless are over-the-ear headphones that are covered with leather and filled with the hopes and dreams of all that is good in this world. I've worn these on a day when I had a 15-hour shift and I wore them for 14 hours without major discomfort. As they are a closed design, they can get a bit warm if you're in a hot climate. Even with them packing battery and electronics, they don't feel tremendously heavy. They are heavier than the wired-only M2, but they are physically balanced and sit well.
Conclusion:
- High quality construction
- Great, balanced audio
- Excellent fit and finish
- Elegant looks and feel
- Super comfortable
- Works well with Android devices
- Multi-modes of noise cancellation (Max, Anti Wind, Anti Pressure)
- Equalizer through app saves to headphones (not just through software)
- Tile location feature
- Long battery life
- Noise cancellation modes require use of app (can’t be switched directly through hardware)
