The editorial team has tested numerous Sennheiser headphones over the years, and the experience has consistently been positive. However, we have yet to evaluate a Sennheiser product specifically designed for fitness enthusiasts. Today, we address that by reviewing the new Sennheiser Momentum Sport.
Design
The Momentum Sport wireless headphones represent a departure from Sennheiser’s established design aesthetic. The fabric-covered charging cases and metallic surfaces typically found on their earbuds have been replaced with an all-rubber construction. The case itself is primarily plastic, but almost entirely encased in rubber. The rubber lid extends around the entire case, forming a protective flap over the USB-C connection. A small, color-matched strap is included, proving surprisingly useful when handling the case with sweaty hands. Magnets secure both the lid and the earbuds. These magnets are sufficiently strong, preventing the earbuds from falling out even if the case is dropped. However, the lid, lacking a traditional hinge and functioning more as a semi-rigid skin flap, can become twisted in a pocket or fail to close completely.
The overall size of the case presents a subjective assessment. While smaller than many competing training headphone cases, particularly those with ear hooks, it may be too bulky for comfortable everyday carry in a jeans pocket. The rubberized exterior also creates significant friction, hindering smooth insertion and removal compared to options like the Apple AirPods.
The headphones themselves are aesthetically pleasing and well-designed. They include a variety of rubber wing sizes to ensure a secure and comfortable fit. These wings require manual installation and can be somewhat challenging to attach. Proper wing installation is essential, as the earbuds will not remain in place without them.
The companion application enables customization of the equalizer, noise cancellation settings, and playback controls. Playback can be controlled via taps on the earbuds or on the user’s cheek. While unconventional, cheek-tapping proved to be a more reliable method for initiating commands during physical activity, offering improved muscle memory compared to targeting the earbuds directly.
Comfort – Momentum Sport
Comfort is subjective, but we will provide an objective assessment based on our testing. When the correct wing size is selected, the Momentum Sport provides a secure and stable fit, remaining in place even during intense running sessions. We tested the Momentum Sport during runs of up to 70 minutes and experienced no discomfort during that time. However, extended use in everyday environments, such as the office or during travel, resulted in some ear soreness after a few hours, which was notably unpleasant.
Sound Sennheiser Momentum Sport
The Momentum Sport delivers an engaging and enjoyable listening experience across various music genres. The prominent characteristic is its powerful, tight, and well-defined bass response. Tracks such as Aaron by Paul Kalkbrenner and Bad Guy by Billie Eilish showcase the impactful low-end performance. Despite being designed primarily for training, the robust bass does not overshadow other frequencies. Sennheiser has successfully achieved a balanced sound signature where both the midrange and treble maintain clarity and presence. Even with tracks like Benjamin Ingrosso’s Allt det vackra, his vocals remain distinct against the surprisingly powerful bassline.
Articulating the specific qualities that define exceptional audio reproduction can be challenging. Unlike the Sennheiser Accentum, the Momentum Sport provides an immediately impressive and gratifying listening experience.
Noise Cancellation
The Momentum Sport features effective active noise cancellation, although not class-leading, surpassing its sibling, the Accentum, in performance. During urban runs, the noise reduction is significant, requiring increased awareness of surroundings due to the attenuation of ambient sounds. Similar to the Accentum, the Momentum Sport exhibits excellent wind noise reduction, effectively eliminating such disturbances when the function is enabled.
The accompanying application includes a Sound Zones feature, enabling users to configure customized sound profiles for specific geographical locations. For instance, we configured the headphones to automatically activate wind reduction and enhance bass when entering our usual running area in the park. This feature necessitates carrying a mobile phone during the run, as it does not currently function with WearOS on smartwatches.
Training Features
Sennheiser highlights the Momentum Sport’s integrated sensors designed for fitness tracking, incorporating both a heart rate monitor and a thermometer.
Heart rate data can be synchronized with popular training applications such as Garmin Connect, Strava, and Apple Health. However, logging temperature data during training currently requires using Sennheiser’s partner application, Polar Flow. Users without a Polar training watch must carry a mobile phone to access comprehensive training data. Furthermore, synchronization with WearOS smartwatches is not currently supported.
Conclusion
The Momentum Sport delivers excellent audio quality in a pair of earbuds that remain securely in place during demanding workouts. They offer a range of intelligent training features; however, full utilization requires specific hardware. The earbuds can become uncomfortable with extended wear. If the ear wings were easier to attach and detach, we would readily recommend the Momentum Sport as a versatile all-in-one solution – used without wings for daily activities and with wings for athletic pursuits. As all-rounders, the price point would be more palatable, but as dedicated sports earbuds, the cost is considerable. For dedicated fitness enthusiasts with existing Polar devices, few alternatives on the market offer a superior experience.
Sennheiser provided review samples for this evaluation. Providing materials does not influence our editorial independence. Our reviews are always written objectively, with our readers and consumers as the primary focus.
