Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 Review: A Worthy Upgrade for the Audiophile?
Today’s high-end true wireless earphones are expected to deliver perfection, pushing the boundaries of design, performance, and functionality. While many brands have attempted to conquer this demanding segment, only a select few have consistently delivered products worth their premium price tag. Sennheiser, known for its audio expertise, was among the pioneers in this space with the first-generation Momentum True Wireless earphones. While Apple and Sony have since made significant strides, Sennheiser hasn’t fallen behind. Their latest offering, the Momentum True Wireless 3, aims to take on the giants with improved design, aptX Adaptive Bluetooth codec support, and promises of superior sound and active noise cancellation (ANC) performance. But is it enough to claim the crown as the best flagship true wireless headset? Let’s find out in this detailed review.
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3: Design and Features
The original Momentum True Wireless and its successor, the Momentum True Wireless 2, were remarkable in many aspects, but their bulkiness was a noticeable flaw in the face of contemporary flagship TWS designs. The Momentum True Wireless 3 addresses this shortcoming with a smaller, more refined form factor that befits its premium positioning. The earpieces now sit more discreetly in your ears, feeling lighter and more comfortable thanks to the refined design.
Despite the size reduction, the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 retains its elegance. The earpieces boast a distinctive Sennheiser logo on their flat outer surface, along with small ear wings to ensure a secure fit and silicone ear tips with a layer of foam across the openings. The logo area is touch-sensitive, providing customizable controls via the app. The flat, large surface makes these touch controls particularly easy to use.
The charging case of the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 is a standout feature, boasting a fabric-wrapped exterior and a convenient size that fits comfortably in your pocket. It features a USB Type-C port and supports Qi wireless charging. Notably, the case lacks a pairing button, relying on touch controls to enter pairing mode. The USB Type-C charging port is also uniquely positioned on the front of the case, alongside the indicator light.
The package includes four pairs of silicone ear tips, three pairs of ear wings, and a charging cable. The earpieces are IPX4 rated for water resistance and feature three microphones for voice and ANC functionality. Each earpiece weighs 5.8g, while the charging case weighs 66.4g.
The Smart Pause feature, designed to automatically play and pause music when wearing or removing the earpieces, unfortunately, didn’t work reliably during my testing. The music often continued playing even when one or both earpieces were not in my ears. The Momentum True Wireless 3 is available in two colors at launch in India: Black and Graphite (my review unit), with a third White color expected to be available later.
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3: App and Specifications
As with other high-end Sennheiser wireless products, the Momentum True Wireless 3 works seamlessly with the Sennheiser Smart Control app, available on both iOS and Android. This app ranks among the best for headphone management, granting access to controls and settings for the equalizer, transparency and ANC modes, touch controls, and more. It also allows firmware updates, activation/deactivation of Smart Pause and Auto-accept Call functionality, and setting a time to automatically power off when not in use.
The control customization on the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 is exceptionally good, allowing users to assign specific functions to various gestures, including one tap, two taps, three taps, and tap-and-hold. Separate functions can be assigned to each earpiece for each gesture. I was able to create custom controls that allowed playback, active noise cancellation, voice assistant activation, and volume adjustments – all directly from the headset. This surpasses the capabilities of most other premium true wireless headsets.
The Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 is powered by 7mm dynamic drivers, boasts a frequency response range of 5-21,000Hz, and a sensitivity rating of 107dB. It uses Bluetooth 5.2 for connectivity and supports the SBC, AAC, and aptX Adaptive Bluetooth codecs.
Support for aptX Adaptive, a notable upgrade from the Momentum True Wireless 2 headset (which only supported aptX), significantly enhances the headset’s suitability for Android devices. However, aptX Adaptive compatibility remains limited within the Android ecosystem, currently working only with select hardware like the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 and Snapdragon 8 Gen 1. On devices that lack aptX Adaptive support, the Momentum True Wireless 3 defaults to the older aptX (widely supported on many Android devices) or AAC (on iOS devices) codecs. This key specification positions the Momentum True Wireless 3 as a more compelling option for Android users.
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3: Performance and Battery Life
The price and positioning of the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 place it in direct competition with the Sony WF-1000XM4 and Apple AirPods Pro, both priced around Rs. 25,000. However, the support for aptX Adaptive codec makes the Momentum True Wireless 3 a more suitable choice for Android smartphones, directly challenging the WF-1000XM4.
I tested the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 with both an iPhone and multiple Android smartphones to evaluate the impact of various supported codecs on sound quality. As expected, the results were best with aptX Adaptive in operation. Listening to "Glitter" by Keys N Crates, I was immediately impressed by the fullness and richness of the sound. The lows were tight and powerful without being overpowering, while the vocals were clear and distinct, even against the beautiful melody that defines this track.
This overall balanced, genre-agnostic sonic signature defined my listening experience with the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3, highlighting the importance of good tuning in headphone quality. At moderate volume levels, the earphones effortlessly adapted to the tempo and complexity of the music, whether it was the faster pace of "The Great Divide" by Velvetine or the slower melodies of "Truth" by Kamasi Washington.
The progressive jazz track, "Truth" by Kamasi Washington, showcased the detail and clarity of the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3’s sound, capable of keeping up with all the various instruments while maintaining a beautiful soundstage that allowed each element of this hypnotic track to shine. From the spacious-sounding percussion to the depth of the double bass, everything sounded distinct and crisp.
However, I felt the earphones lacked the analytical and revealing nature of the LDAC-enabled Sony WF-1000XM4. Nonetheless, the aptX Adaptive codec compensated for this with its flexibility and ability to add a unique flavor and character to the sound due to its lower bitrate compared to LDAC. Even with the older and less flexible aptX codec, the sound remained enjoyable, though I noticed a reduction in detail and spaciousness.
This tendency to inject character into the sound resulted in the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 appearing slightly less tonally strong than its competitors. Occasionally, I even perceived a subtle lack of cohesiveness. However, it took a lot to rattle the Momentum True Wireless 3, which consistently delivered detail, character, and enjoyment across genres.
The active noise cancellation (ANC) performance on the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 was impressive, arguably exceeding the capabilities of its direct competitors from Apple and Sony in certain scenarios. Noise cancellation against wind, in particular, was exceptional, making it highly effective for outdoor ambient sounds and the wind noise of a ceiling fan.
Both indoors and outdoors, the earphones offered a significant reduction in noise, often creating the kind of stark silence usually found only with high-end, over-ear headphones. Connection stability and call quality were also very good on the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3, with no major issues encountered during my testing.
Battery life on the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 proved quite satisfactory. The earpieces lasted slightly under six hours per charge, and the charging case provided three additional full charges. This resulted in a total runtime of approximately 23 hours per charge cycle with typical use, including ANC enabled most of the time, aptX or aptX Adaptive codecs in operation, and the volume set around 60 percent.
Verdict
While the high price of flagship true wireless headsets might be a deterrent for most buyers in India, the rewards are substantial for those with the budget. The Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 is an exceptional pair of true wireless earphones, combining good, detailed sound with a distinct character and flair, excellent ANC performance, a significantly improved design, and decent battery life.
The lack of LDAC Bluetooth codec support means the sound isn’t as precise and analytical as the Sony WF-1000XM4, which, in my opinion, is the only competing headset that could rival the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3. If you’re using an Android device that supports aptX Adaptive and prefer your audio with a touch of personality, the Momentum True Wireless 3 is worth considering. Good active noise cancellation is an added bonus. However, if you’re using an iPhone, the AirPods Pro offers superior connectivity features and support for Spatial Audio, making it a more suitable choice.
