Sennheiser Momentum Headphones (Hi-Fi+)

Amongst audiophiles, the German firm Sennheiser has long been famous for its critically acclaimed top-tier HD-series headphones (specifically, the HD 600, HD 650, HD 700, and HD 800), all of which are high-performance, open-back, circumaural (that is, around-the-ear) designs. But this very fact begs a question. Open-back ‘phones are all well and good for purist audiophile applications, but what about music lovers who hope to listen on the go and would like to use their ‘phones in environments where there may be too much background noise for open-back ‘phones to work? It is with those very listeners in mind that Sennheiser created its new closed-back Momentum headphone, priced at £259.99.

In simple terms, the design brief for the Momentum calls for a sturdy, relatively lightweight, closed-back headphone that offers a high degree of comfort and noise isolation, is quite easy to drive, and provides authentic, Sennheiser-grade sonic accuracy. But, it would also be fair to say that the Momentum is geared to appeal to style-conscious customers—customers who might initially have been drawn to products such as Monster’s now iconic Beats by Dre Studio headphones, but who are seeking something fundamentally better at a comparable price. Happily, offering “something better” is what Sennheiser is all about, as the Momentum clearly demonstrates.

In keeping with recent trends for headphones that seek to bridge the “lifestyle” vs. “audiophile” divide the Momentums come with not one but rather two flexible, matte rubber-clad signal cables. One could be considered the “purist” cable and provides audio signal leads only. The other, which could be regarded as the “convenience” cable, comes fitted with a beautifully made three-button, smartphone compatible mic/remote module and the requisite four-conductor mini-jack plug. Not too surprisingly, the metalwork on both the remote module and on the swiveling housing for the four-conductor plug are simply exquisite, reflecting a full measure of typically Germanic manufacturing precision. A nicely made semi-hard-shell case and a ¼-inch phone jack adapter plug complete the Momentum’s accessory package. 

From the moment you lift the Momentum headphones from their included carrying case, you have the impression (an accurate one, as it happens) of handling something finely made. The Momentums are offered in two colour combinations—one featuring dark brown trim and the other sporting black trim with red accents (not by coincidence the very same colour scheme made popular by the Beats by Dre ‘phones). Both the headband and ear pads are treated to soft yet also durable leather covers. The metal ear cup housings, in turn, have matte-finished outer shells and attach to the headphone’s brushed metal headband “slider” frames via ingenious swiveling ball-joint-like connectors that give excellent freedom of movement and adjustment. The only caveat I might mention is that the Momentum ear cups are not, as circumaural ‘phones go, overly capacious, meaning that those with larger ears might find the Momentums a little too close-fitting for optimal comfort.

Most listeners, however, will slip the Momentums on and, no matter what size or shape their heads might be, will experience a secure (but not overly tight) fit that strikes that just-right balance point between comfort and noise isolation. Most importantly, though, the Momentums sound as good as they look, which is more than can be said for any number of like-priced “lifestyle” headphones. With many of the Momentum’s competitors one has the sense of looking at “lifestyle” products created more with an eye toward visual impact than serious sound quality. With the Momentum, thankfully, the priorities are exactly the other way around; these ‘phones are about sound quality first and just happen to look cool into the bargain.

Popular headphone mythology holds that most closed-back headphones will tend to exhibit a somewhat compressed, dynamically constrained, and generally “closed in” sound. Happily, the Momentums for the most part prove an exception to this rule. They are, instead, quite transparent and open sounding, with a lively and articulate quality that eludes some of their closed-back competitors. They also provide, as advertised, quite good levels of passive noise isolation—good enough, in fact, that I suspect many listeners would see no need to take the further step of seeking out active noise-cancelling phones. What is more, the ‘phones exhibit a reasonably high degree of neutrality of tonal balance, long a Sennheiser hallmark. But one of the biggest differentiators between the Momentums and Sennheiser’s four upper-end HD-series headphones is that the Momentums are quite easy to drive, so that one might conceivably use an iPod or smartphone to power them—something we would not recommend with the four top HD models.

Above, I used the phrase “reasonably high degree of neutrality” to describe the Momentum’s tonal balance. I used this qualifier because I think there are some small ways (and they are indeed small) in which the ‘phones deviate from strict textbook neutrality, though in ways that are generally complementary to the music.

Specifically, the Momentums exhibit a delicate and tasteful degree of bass lift that, in many respects, reminds me of the similar touch of low-end lift engineered into PSB’s headphones (bass lift designed, in the PSBs, to mimic the low-frequency room gain typically enjoyed by most loudspeakers).  In the Momentums, the effect is to convey an added, but by no means egregious, touch of bass weight and depth that you could observe, for example, on a track such as “Swamped” from Floratone’s eponymous debut album [Blue Note Records]. Floratone’s music lives at the intersection of futuristic jazz and Americana-style roots music and thrives on a well-developed sense of the groove.  The Momentums play right along with this theme, giving just a bit of add “oomph” to Viktor Krauss’ acoustic bass and Matt Chamberlain’s kick drum, while still leaving plenty of space for guitarist Bill Frisell’s eclectic lines to ride high up above, surfing the groove below.

I also found that the center of the midrange seemed just slightly recessed, again not in a particularly overt way, but just enough so as to take a little of the “edge” off some of today’s somewhat “hot-sounding” vocal and guitar recordings. A good example might be Brandi Carlile’s “Have You Ever” from The Story [Sony], where Ms. Carlile’s vocals and accompanying guitar always sound articulate but can sometimes be cursed with too much of a good thing in terms of excess transient energy that adds distracting sharp edges in a sonic sense. Through the Momentums, Carlile’s voice and the guitar remain energetic and evocative, but the harsher sonic edges are simply and tastefully tamed without further ado. As a result, the Momentums give audiophiles the desirable qualities of openness and evocative richness through the midrange, but with unpleasant qualities (edge, glare, and brittleness) backed off just enough to make a wide range of recordings (even imperfect ones) perfectly listenable.

Normally when an audio reviewer says that with a given product “harsher sonic edges are … tamed,” that would be code-speak for, “ Sorry, folks, but the high end in this product is rolled off.” But happily, that is not the case at all with the Momentums. They offer pleasingly clear and articulate treble response that conveys the sense of “air” in well-made recordings while also letting you hear the delicious shimmer and ring of high-pitched percussion instruments floating in air until they decay back into silence.  The Momentum’s treble sophistication is much in evidence on Jack Johnson’s “Wasting Time” from On and On [UMVD Labels], where the song’s chorus beautifully captures the rhythmic “ping” and shimmer of a ride cymbal heard in isolation for a few seconds and gently keeping time. Vocals and instrumental tracks in the recording also feature long and almost ghostly reverb tails, which the Sennheiser’s extended treble response enables them to capture with the greatest of ease. As you listen to the Momentums on tracks like this one, then, it may suddenly hit you (as it did me) that these ‘phones are far more sophisticated and sonically accomplished than most of the like-priced “lifestyle” competitors with which they will do battle in the marketplace.

The more we spent time with the Momentums the better we liked them and for a host of good reasons. They are well made, well priced, beautiful to look at, comfortable to wear (except, perhaps, for those with larger ears), and offer seriously high levels of sound quality. Moreover, they are easy to drive and are thus ideal for listeners who want much of the sound quality of top-tier ‘phones, but do not wish to incur the expense or inconvenience of using a dedicated outboard headphone amplifier. In a sense, then, the Momentum is a “have your cake and eat it too” sort of product—one that provides a satisfying marriage of audiophile sound and lifestyle looks and convenience. We suspect many contemporary music lovers will find that combination hard to resist.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Type: Closed-back, circumaural (around the ear), full-size headphone.

Accessories: Semi hard-shell carrying case, 6.3mm adapter plug, signal cable with smart remote, stand signal cable, multi-language manual set.

Driver type: dynamic driver (diameter not specified) with closed-back enclosure.

Impedance: 18 Ohms

Maximum SPL: 110 dB

THD: <0.5%

Weight: 190 grams

Warranty: 2 years, parts and labour

Price: £259.99 (UK), $349.95 (US)

Manufacturer:

Sennheiser UK Ltd.

Tel.: +44 (0) 1494 551 551

URL: www.sennheiser.co.uk

In the USA:

Sennheiser Electronic Corporation

URL: www.sennheiserusa.com