Sennheiser Momentum 2 vs Momentum 3: Should You Upgrade?

“Whoa, whoa, listen to the music,” sung earnestly and harmonically by the Doobie Brothers just hits differently when listening on a great pair of monitors. And finding that perfect pair of headphones that makes your favorite music sound illustrious will take some time and consideration.

Specifications	Momentum 3	Momentum True Wireless 2
Fit	Over-ear	In-ear
Active Noise Cancellation Modes	3	1
Response	6 Hz – 22,000 Hz	5 Hz – 21,000 Hz
Bluetooth Compliance	5.0	5.1
Battery Life (full charge)	17 hours	7 hours (28 hours with charging case)
Sennheiser Smart Control App	Yes	Yes
Charging Cable	USB-C	USB A to USB C
Warranty Length	2 years	2 years
Price

If you have gotten this far, you know you want a high-quality reproduced sound, and you’re willing to fork up the dough needed to get it.  So really, it comes down to the style, fit, and features at this price point. Sennheiser Momentum 3 vs 2: Both will offer you a high-end listening experience, but with decidedly differing forms. Rock on for more.

Sennheiser Momentum 3

Sennheiser is a well-known and respected brand in the audio recording industry for 75 years and counting.  From wireless microphones to wired-in headphones, they know how to reproduce and record sound with many tiers of fidelity.

By exploring in the Momentum Wireless series, you have taken the step up to close to a professional studio quality product.  Meaning, you have discerning taste and care about your soundscapes, while still needing a wireless setup.

With the Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless, you are choosing the over-ear model compared to the in-ear model.  While it is mainly a matter of preference, with that comes the comfortable foam encasement and soft headband to support the over-ear drivers.

Additionally, the over-ear Momentum 3 has more physical buttons on the exterior of the headphones, giving users an ability to press buttons with dedicated functions rather than reliance on the music playing device or voice recognition software for function controls (i.e., volume, skip tracks, answer calls, etc.)

Battery life on the Momentum 3 caps out at 17 hours on a full charge.

Pros

• Over-ear wireless experience for focused listening
• Dedicated physical function buttons on the side of the exterior
• Advanced Bluetooth 5.0 transmission technology
• Active Noise Cancellation (with three different modes) and Transparent Hearing available

Cons

• Weight distribution is not bad, but some users think the headphones sit a bit heavy on the top of the head.
• The auto on/off and Smart Pause features are not intuitive enough to know the correct times for the device to engage them.

Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2

As a brand, Sennheiser makes many wireless devices, such as wireless hidden microphone setups for film, TV, and music performance.  They are widely used and relied on in these industries.

So it makes sense that they would create a solid product for consumers in-ear headphones.

With the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2, you opt for the in-ear listening experience rather than the over-the-ear.  An in-ear headset offers lightness and mobility, so this pair gives you that plus the brand’s renowned high fidelity.

They updated from the Momentum True Wireless One, to offer wider functionality of the Sennheiser app and an upgraded sound experience.

The battery life on True Wireless 2 caps out at 28 hours on a full charge with the charging case, 7 hours without.

Pros

• A whopping 28 hours of battery life on a full charge – with the charging case
• Smart Pause feature that pauses your music when you take an earbud out
• Active Noise Cancellation and transparent hearing features
• Customizable touch controls and voice assistant compatibility

Cons

• Some users report issues with the Bluetooth connectivity to different devices
• Microphone and call quality could stand to improve

Features Face to Face

We know that each person’s listening experience is different, and everyone has their own subjective needs.  So here we offer a face-to-face comparison of all the common features between these two Sennheiser options.  Hopefully, it helps you to focus on the features you care most about.

Active Noise Cancellation

Both the Momentum 3 and the Momentum True Wireless 2 offer active noise cancellation, but with different technology built into each.

The Momentum 3 offers three different active noise cancellation modes. Based on user experiences, we found that Momentum 3 was decently effective in all three modes.  It provided a neutral listening environment in normal noise conditions.  It did break down a little more in difficult noise conditions with fluctuations in louder ambient noise (i.e., construction site noises) and also loud noises (i.e., airplanes overhead).

The Momentum True Wireless 2 was also decently effective in normal noise conditions, creating a fine listening environment.  Unfortunately, we found that it broke down quite a bit in difficult noise conditions.  With some users reporting feedback in the form of an audible buzz as bothersome byproducts.

Due to these results, we have to give the edge to Momentum 3.

Winner: Momentum 3

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Wearing Comfort

Choosing between an over-ear and an in-ear experience is a big decision, with totally different form factors at stake.  Functionality could help you in your decision-making process, like what situations will you use the headphones most?  Which situations do you need the headphones to be best in?

The Momentum 3 offers the over-ear experience, with a snug fit around the ear. 

Some users report that the weight of the headphones puts more stress on the headband, leading to a lack of comfort over longer periods of wear time.  Of course, this is a general issue with higher quality headphones, but it is noted in reviews of this product.

The Momentum True Wireless 2 offers the earbud experience, more likely geared towards a younger audience that is accustomed to this listening style thanks to the smartphone and media player industries.

While some users report a slight discomfort with the ear canal, most report an overall comfortable experience.  Additionally, there are after-market earbud sizes available for purchase in case the stock size does not fit your ear canal.

All information considered, we have to give the edge to the Momentum True Wireless 2.

Winner: Momentum True Wireless 2

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Bluetooth Connectivity

Both Momentum products offer the same Bluetooth 5 series technology for connection to iPhone, Android, and other devices.

Based on user reviews, we have noticed that Momentum 3 has had some connectivity issues with different devices on different firmware versions. 

There are steps to remedy the connection, which is to disconnect the Bluetooth, then reconnect.  Some users report that despite this, they would continue to have the problem return.  Others report that with a firmware update on their phone, or an upgrade to a new phone, they would have the problem disappear.  It seems to be a mixed bag on this issue.

We wish we could report a different outcome with the Momentum True Wireless 2, but unfortunately, there are more of the same issues here.

For these reasons, we have to call a tie with neither being a winner.

Winner: Tie

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Battery Life

With wireless headphones, we understand that battery life becomes a big factor in decision-making.  When you’re out and about, you don’t want a small battery life that causes you to distrust the device or force you to carry around an external charger.

The Momentum 3 offers a solid 17 hours on a full charge.  It uses a USB-C cable for charging.

The Momentum True Wireless 2 offers you a more modest 7 hours on a full charge but then gets a boost to 28 hours with the charging case.  Meaning that if you carry the charging case along with you and give the headphones time to recharge, you get 28 hours total of listening time.

It also uses a USB-C cable for charging.

It is hard to decide which is a clear-cut winner seeing as both have their distinct advantages.  But the 28 hours total, even if you have to bring the case with you, makes for a very attractive feature.

That said, we think the Momentum True Wireless 2 takes the win for this category.

Winner: Momentum True Wireless 2

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Transparent Hearing

Having a transparent hearing option is almost necessary when you have Noise Cancelling headphones.  Since the earphones create a seal, the two work in concert to ensure that you can hear outside noises accurately.

Both headphones offer transparent hearing options, though the effect between the two is slightly different.

In Momentum 3, transparent hearing operates smoothly in almost all noise situations, but it does have a harder time when there are irregular loud sounds in the environment.  Some users have spoken of boosting or muffling in difficult situations.  But overall, the consensus is still positive.

In Momentum True Wireless 2, the transparent hearing option has some difficulty in a few other areas as compared to Momentum 3.  For example, some users have complained about wind noise being amplified on windy days.  You could call this an abnormal noise scenario, but Momentum 3 has less issue with this.

Because of the slightly more drawbacks, we have to give the edge to Momentum 3.

Winner: Momentum 3

In-App Experience

Seeing as smartphone involvement is a big part of technological trends these days, Sennheiser made an app to use with their products.  It contains controls for EQing, volume, and other personal preference adjustments.

The in-app experience for these headphones is pretty much the same.  The only difference is that the Momentum 3 has dedicated buttons for controlling volume on the side of the headphone.

The Momentum True Wireless 2 requires you to go through the app, or through voice recognition to make any tweaks or adjustments.

Both have had some reviews from users wishing that the app was a bit more involved and user-friendly.  Overall, the app was not a standout in regards to adding interesting personalization options.

In this sense, we have to give a tie to both headphones on this one.

Winner: Tie

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Intelligent Options

This line of products offers some attractive intelligent options to the market with their Auto on/off function, and also a Smart Pause feature.

The Smart Pause feature works to pause your audio playback when you get busy with something else.  It engages when you remove your earbuds from the Momentum True Wireless 2, or when you remove your headset with the Momentum 3.

As a standalone idea, it is fantastic.  Unfortunately, many users have described the details of the feature as being a bit buggy. 

For example, in Momentum 3, if a user moves or tilts their head too quickly, the Smart Pause gets engaged accidentally, causing the audio to pause until manually restarted.

With the Momentum True Wireless 2, the Auto on/off function is a bit glitchy. Sometimes, users have reported that the auto-off will not engage when put in pockets for long periods, so the user will find the batteries drained when resuming use later on.

Both instances are a bit troubling, but not necessarily deal-breakers since both features can be manually turned off.  And honestly, users recommend turning them off until a potential new firmware update fixes the bugs.  Between these minor glitches, the idea is there for something useful. 

In the end, we have to go with the Momentum True Wireless 2 for this category.

Winner: Momentum True Wireless 2

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Stand Out Features

Momentum 3

The Momentum 3 offers an over-the-ear experience that gives classic headphone lovers a continuation of the feeling and fit they know and love.  Pair that with more active noise cancellation options and a more robust transparent hearing setup, you have a set of quality headphones with high fidelity that Sennheiser has been known for many years.

• Dedicated physical side buttons
• Three Active Noise Cancellation modes
• Over-the-ear headset

In addition, the Momentum 3 has dedicated side buttons that the True Wireless 2 does not.

Momentum True Wireless 2

The Momentum True Wireless 2 has that the 3 does not is the new age in-ear setup that gets the younger generation excited by its mobility and weightlessness while still offering a high enough fidelity listening experience to justify the brand label printed on the outside.

• 7 hours battery life on full charge, then a full 28 hours battery life with the charging case
• Water-resistant IPX4 certified earbuds
• In-ear bud headphones

With much the same features present in both, the battery life becomes a big swaying point.  The Momentum 3 comes in at a solid 17 hours on a full charge.  While the Momentum True Wireless 2 comes in at 7 hours standalone, then 28 hours with the charging case.

The True Wireless 2 is more water-resistant, IPX4 certified so that it can handle more sweat or other water-prone instances throughout your day, and still come out unscathed.

In Conclusion

We recommend both products from Sennheiser, but due to the subjective nature of listening, as we said before, you might consider your needs before rushing to buy one.

You may want to buy the Momentum 3 if:

• You prefer an over-ear headphone experience.
• You prefer the aesthetic qualities of the headband and headphones.
• You need more dynamic range reproduction in your sound.

You want more Active Noise Cancellation modes to choose from because you find yourself in many different settings throughout your day.

You may want to buy the Momentum True Wireless 2 if:

• You prefer a lightweight headphone setup.
• You prefer a lower profile aesthetic when listening to music.
• You want less bulkiness when you travel with headphones.
• You need an overall longer battery life (charging case in tow)