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A photo of the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2.0, with the left earbud in the case, and the right earbud sitting on a table.

Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 2 review

Sennheiser updates its true wireless line to take a shot at the top spot
By

Published onAugust 29, 2024

Originally published on March 8, 2022
6.9
Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 2
The bottom line
If you're willing to dump out the wallet for the best, the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 2 make a strong case for your dollar. Good ANC, sound, and sweat resistance make for a compelling set of true wireless earphones if you're serious about sound. However, that price tag is quite high.

Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 2

If you're willing to dump out the wallet for the best, the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 2 make a strong case for your dollar. Good ANC, sound, and sweat resistance make for a compelling set of true wireless earphones if you're serious about sound. However, that price tag is quite high.
Product release date
3/13/2020
Price
$248 USD
Dimensions
76.8 x 43.8 x 34.7 mm (case)
Weight
70g (case and earbuds)
Model Number
MOMENTUM True Wireless 2
Waterproof
IPX4
What we like
Sound quality
ANC
IPX4 rating
Extra features through app
Voice assistant support
What we don't like
Price
Clunky app
6.9
SoundGuys Rating
8
User Rating
Rating Metric
Our Rating
User Rating
Isolation / Attenuation
3.6
7.4
7.0
Active Noise Cancelling
4.9
7.4
7.0
Durability / Build Quality
8.5
8.2
8.0
Value
5.0
7.7
8.0
Design
9.0
8.2
8.0
Connectivity
7.0
8.2
8.0
Microphone
6.5
8.1
8.0
Portability
9.0
8.9
9.0
Battery Life
5.0
7.0
7.0
Feature
8.5
8.7
9.0
Comfort
8.6
8.1
8.0

Ask anyone on the street what the best true wireless earphones are, and nine times out of ten, they’ll give you the wrong answer. The AirPods Pro was so dominant in 2020 that you may have missed the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 2, but you should pay attention now. With top-notch audio quality and a handful of useful creature comforts, Sennheiser made a valiant effort to take the crown of “best true wireless earbuds,” even if both models have now been surpassed.

Looking for the latest from Sennheiser? The MOMENTUM True Wireless 4 is here, and if you are willing to make the investment, they are one of the best wireless earbuds we've ever tested. You can also check out our review for the successor to these earbuds, the MOMENTUM True Wireless 3, which still holds up today.

Editor’s note: this review of the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 2 was updated on August 29, 2024, to update formatting, add an FAQ section, and add an alert for the latest Sennheiser MOMENTUM TW 4 earbuds.

A photo of a bearded man placing the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2.0 earphones into his left breast pocket.
The case may be relatively large, but it’s still pocketable.
  • Is anyone looking for high-end true wireless earphones? $300 is a tough sell in the age of working from home. However, you can often find this model for around $200 on sale now that it is a few years old.
  • Fashionistas with deep pockets will like the sleek and shiny appearance of the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 2.

What is the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 2 like?

Available in black or white, the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 2 is one of the better-looking true wireless options on the market. Accented by grooved metal plates on the back and a matte finish, these earphones definitely make a statement. The look is very similar to the original Momentum True Wireless earphones, but why fix what ain’t broke?

One of the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 2 earbuds rests outside of the open charging case, while the other remains inside.
The earbuds have sensors for automatic ear detection.

Much like their previous iteration, the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 2 has a rather bulky cloth-covered case, which houses and charges the also-large earbuds themselves. It’s covered in a coarse-weave fabric, and while pretty, it will eventually become quite dirty if you let it.

Removing the earphones from the case triggers looking for their paired device, and putting them back in will terminate the connection. The buds align to the charging contacts with magnets, and thankfully, Sennheiser seems to have fixed the issue where one earbud would sometimes remain connected to your source even when in the case.

A photo of the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 2's case, on a white table.
Cloth wrapping looks cool out of the box, but gets grody without cleaning.

The earbuds themselves have a grooved metal backing emblazoned with a Sennheiser logo that also hides the controls. Several holes telegraph the location of microphones on the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 2, which are needed for noise canceling as well as recording your voice.

Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2Sennheiser CX 400BTApple AirPods Pro
Bluetooth version
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2
5.1
Sennheiser CX 400BT
5.1
Apple AirPods Pro
5.0
Codecs available
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2
SBC, AAC, aptX
Sennheiser CX 400BT
SBC, AAC, aptX
Apple AirPods Pro
SBC, AAC
ANC
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2

Sennheiser CX 400BT

Apple AirPods Pro

In-app EQ
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2

Sennheiser CX 400BT

Apple AirPods Pro

Battery life (75dB)
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2
3:59
Sennheiser CX 400BT
5:15
Apple AirPods Pro
5:06
Touch controls
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2

Sennheiser CX 400BT

Apple AirPods Pro

Voice assistant support
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2

Sennheiser CX 400BT

Apple AirPods Pro

IP rating
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2
IPX4
Sennheiser CX 400BT
N/A
Apple AirPods Pro
IPX4
Passthrough
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2

Sennheiser CX 400BT

Apple AirPods Pro

Like most flagship releases, the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 2 offers the latest and greatest Bluetooth version 5.1 and can use SBC, AAC, and aptX to connect to your source du jour. We recommend aptX if you’re on Android, though AAC is much better when it comes to video latency. iPhone users will be stuck on AAC, but that’s hardly a problem.

Controlling the earphones

A photo of the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2.0 sitting on a white table inside their case.
The controls for the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 2 rest in the metal back of the earbuds themselves.

Once you’ve paired the earphones to your source and started listening, you can control the playback, voice assistant, and phone calls by using either the left or right earbud. If these controls don’t really suit you, the app allows you to customize your inputs, and make them a bit more intuitive to you.

ActionLeft sideRight side
Action
One tap
Left side
Play/pause
Right side
Voice assistant
Action
Two taps
Left side
Next track
Right side
Transparent hearing
Action
Three taps
Left side
Previous track
Right side
ANC
Action
Hold
Left side
Volume down
Right side
Volume up

Should you get the Sennheiser Smart Control app?

While we generally don’t recommend installing extra software for your peripherals, Sennheiser’s app is necessary for features like transparent voice and equalization. Despite the rating on the Google Play Store, we recommend you install the app to take advantage of these features and update the firmware in the future.

How do you connect the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 2 to your phone?

When you open the case and remove the earphones, they’ll automatically start looking for a device to connect to. They’ll look to latch onto a device with the Sennheiser Smart Control app first, so make sure you have it installed before connecting the first time. If you’re going to be using these at the computer, Windows and Mac devices will be able to connect directly—though you’ll have to scrape by on stock settings until you pair with a phone that has the Sennheiser app.

A photo of the Bluetooth toggle on the Android dropdown menu.
Normally, you’d simply use the Bluetooth toggle, but to get the most out of these earphones, you need Sennheiser’s app.

Once you’ve installed the software and enabled your phone’s Bluetooth setting, you can pair your earphones. The app will look for firmware updates and walk you through the other features, like software EQ, transparent hearing (passthrough), and tuning presets.

How long does the battery last?

The Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 2 charging case and its USB-C input.
The case charges via USB-C.

By setting the output to 75dB and running a chosen playlist on repeat, the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 2 ran out of battery a few seconds before the test ran for 4 hours. We’re okay with rounding up in this case, especially considering that the ANC unit was running. If you listen to music a little softer or turn the ANC off, you can expect to get better battery life than we did.

As these are true wireless earphones, the same standard disclaimer about battery life applies here. Specifically, you’ll need to learn some basic battery hygiene to make this product last more than a year or two. If you notice that your earphones just won’t last more than an hour of listening time, it may be time to recycle them.

How do the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 2 sound?

The Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 2 sound really good, though they may not be everyone’s cup of tea. This is partly because Sennheiser makes every effort to mitigate potential problems with in-ear design, which can lead to tradeoffs in the sound. Most people won’t notice or care, but it’s worth discussing in any case.

A chart depicts the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 2 (cyan) frequency response compared to the SoundGuys Consumer Curve V2.0 (pink), showing decent compliance with the target curve, but with a small under-emphasis in the highs.
With only a bit of underemphasis on the highs, the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 2 are exceptionally decent earphones.

As always, performance is completely dependent on getting a good fit with your earphones, so be sure to play around with getting a good seal. Not only is this important for isolation and ANC performance, but it’s critical for your earphones to sound as good as they can.

Bass and low mids

The bass is slightly emphasized, and there’s a very vocal-friendly bump in the mids, so many modern songs will sound very good. This allows for fairly clear-sounding reproduction and means that any tinkering you do with the equalizer likely won’t mess things up too much.

You can always equalize the sound if you aren't happy with the default frequency response.

For example, if you were to listen to Bad Religion’s song American Jesus, you’d be able to pick out the bass line and the melody very easily. However, the secondary rhythm guitar is masked a bit.

In Maxence Cyrin’s rendition of the Pixies’ Where Is My Mind, you might notice some of the lingering harmonics being muffled a bit, but the fundamental notes come through just fine.

High mids & highs

That dip in the high mids is intended to combat the potential for wonkery introduced by the natural shape of the human ear canal. This means, however, that guitar riffs that have to compete with many other instruments can sometimes lose their “attack” sounds (when the pick hits the string) in the shuffle. In the song “Adore You” by Harry Styles, this happens in a few spots where the rest of the music is pretty loud.

What codec should you use?

Ideally, you should stick with aptX or AAC if you care about sound quality, but sometimes you won’t get the option because of how different computers are nowadays. If you’re using an Apple computer or phone, you’ll be locked into AAC regardless, so the choice is already made for you.

If you’re on Android or Windows, aptX is the choice for you. However, if your source doesn’t support it, you’ll be using SBC. Don’t panic: it’s not as bad as it used to be, provided your source is newer than, say, 8 years old. SBC isn’t the indicator of crap connection quality it used to be. You can get perfectly acceptable audio over it nowadays, provided you’re within the normal operating range, and your source is able to make the most of it.

How good is the active noise canceling?

An active noise canceling chart for the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 2 true wireless earbuds, which shows a decent degree of passive isolation and good gross attenuation.
You won’t hear much of a difference between passive isolation and active noise canceling with these buds.

If you’re a commuter, the noise canceling is essential to combat engine noise and the clamor of other people, but it isn’t going to rock the house with the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 2. You will hardly notice a difference when noise canceling is toggled on or off, but thankfully the passive isolation properties are quite good so long as you get a proper fit.

How good is the microphone?

I could wax poetic about the microphone array of the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 2, but why do that when I can just have you listen for yourself? Below is a recording of me talking to you over the microphone of the earbuds in question. Please take the time to rate the quality of the recording: it really helps our other readers understand how it sounds over a huge range of headphones and speakers!

How does the microphone sample sound to you?

6545 votes

You’ll notice that sibilant sounds (f, s, sh) will come through very loudly, to the point of being a bit grating. While these sounds are critical for speech intelligibility, you might find that this mic goes a bit far. If that’s the case, there’s not a ton you can do, but be mindful of the people you’re talking to when making hissing sounds over the phone.

As of May 21, 2021, 1,968 readers have rated the above mic sample as somewhere between “okay” and “good.” This is a pretty typical result for true wireless earbuds, and at the upper end of what you should expect to get out of any products of this type.

Should you buy the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 2?

If you’ve got a few bills lying about, the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 2 are the earphones to get in 2020. By offering all the bells and whistles in an attractive package, it’s not hard to see why Sennheiser is one of the oldest and most well-regarded audio companies. They know how to do it right, even if the tech is new.

A photo of the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2.0 on a white table next to a glass of whiskey.
If there are luxury true wireless earphones, the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 2 definitely fits the bill.

These earbuds sound great, they’re sweat-resistant, and they offer respectable noise cancelation. It’s just gravy that they’re stylish. We’re not crazy about the fabric-lined case, but true wireless earphones tend not to last for many years—so this may be a non-issue for most.

However, the price might be hard to swallow, and if you don’t want to spend  $250 USD on true wireless earphones, you’re in good company. If you want to check out our lists for more affordable options that offer somewhat similar features, here are our picks for the best true wireless earphones, or even the best under $100.

Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 2
Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 2
Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 2
Sound quality • ANC • IPX4 rating
MSRP: $149.95
Good ANC, sound, and sweat resistance make for a compelling set of true wireless earbuds.

Additionally, you may be able to find these on sale around the web, so don’t worry if you can’t afford the full price upfront. The holidays always seem to bring discounts on high-end electronics like these, so you might want to try shopping around.

What should you get instead of the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2?

One Sennheiser CX True Wireless earbud sits on a wooden table next to its open charging case.
Magnets and the little nub between the charging contacts ensure that these earbuds stay secure and charged in the case at all times.

If you don’t need noise cancellation, we recommend you look at the Sennheiser CX True Wireless instead. It offers extremely similar performance to the original Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless earphones but at a lower cost. Sure, they don’t look the same, but they are impressive in their own right—and they have the same drivers on the inside as well, so you’re not sacrificing any audio quality.

If you like the design of the CX model, you may want to look into the Sennheiser CX Plus True Wireless. This headset marries the ANC functionality of the MOMENTUM True Wireless 2 with the look and feel of the CX True Wireless. The CX Plus True Wireless uses Bluetooth 5.2 and streams over SBC, AAC, aptX, and aptX Adaptive codec, so any mobile OS can stream high-quality audio. It has an IPX 4 rating and 24 hours of playtime with the USB-C charging case.

How does the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 2 compare to the Apple AirPods Pro and Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro?

Lucky for you, we have a whole article outlining the major differences between the AirPods Pro and Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 2, and the long and short of it is this: if you have an iPhone, you should go with the AirPods Pro. However, both earbuds have good sound quality, but their frequency responses are pretty different, with the AirPods Pro focusing on amplifying treble notes while the Sennheiser buds focus on emphasizing bass frequencies. The AirPods Pro (2nd generation), however, which raises the bar for ANC and battery life, features a slightly louder sub-bass than the 1st generation.

The AirPods Pro earbuds in the wireless charging case next to an iPhone and digital camera.
Apple includes wireless charging capabilities by default with its AirPods Pro noise canceling true wireless earbuds.

The Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro is a more feature-packed product than the MOMENTUM True Wireless 2, from its Samsung 360 Audio support to its wireless charging case. AKG tuned the Galaxy Buds Pro, and the sound quality is very good, though you can’t create a custom EQ profile here as you can with the Sennheiser earphones. While the Galaxy Buds Pro doesn’t support aptX streaming, it does support the Samsung Scalable Codec, which effectively works like aptX Adaptive when you stream from a compatible Samsung Galaxy device. The same holds true for the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, which comes with improved ANC over its predecessor. If you own a Samsung smartphone, get the noise canceling Galaxy Buds Pro or Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, but if you want best-in-class sound quality and design, get Sennheiser’s earphones.

See our comparison of the Apple AirPods Pro and the Samsung Galax Buds Pro, in case those two are at the top of your list.

What about the Sony WF-1000XM4?

A photo of the Sony WF-1000XM4's case open, revealing the earphones sitting within.
The addition of the copper ANC mic housings makes the Sony WF-1000XM4 a bit more glam.

The Sony WF-1000XM4 is the latest and hottest pair of active noise canceling true wireless earbuds, and it falls in a similar price range as the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 2. Both headsets have an IPX4 rating, though the Sony WF-1000XM4 might give you an easier time when trying to find a good fit. These buds come with three pairs of memory foam ear tips and the Sony Headphones Connect companion app offers an ear tip fit test as well. The new Sony Buds also uses Bluetooth 5.2 and was one of the very first products on the market to do so.

Both buds have great sound quality, though the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 2 scored just a titch higher in our objective test. Luckily, both headsets can be equalized in their companion apps to sound just the way you like. The Sony WF-1000XM4’s active noise canceling performance is definitely more effective, and it’s also more likely to passively isolate environmental noise.

FAQs

Yes, the Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 2 is good. They offer excellent sound quality, effective ANC, and useful features. Overall, they’re a strong contender in the high-end true wireless market if you’re looking for a bargain and don’t need the latest features.

The Momentum 2 is an update to the original, but the changes are subtle. The design remains similar, but Sennheiser has made some improvements. For example, they’ve fixed an issue where earbuds could remain connected when in the case.

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