Momentum 5 Wireless

The Sennheiser Momentum 5 Wireless listens with eight microphones, twice as many ANC mics as the previous generation, and all eight are digital. Sennheiser says that gives up to three times better noise cancellation across midrange frequencies than the Momentum 4 Wireless.

Midrange is where voices, cabin chatter and office noise sit, so it is the band a hybrid adaptive system has to work hardest on. The Momentum 5 pairs those microphones with an in-house 42mm dynamic driver tuned for fidelity. Its stated frequency range is 6 Hz to 40 kHz over USB and Bluetooth, falling to 22 kHz on the analog line-in. Bluetooth 5.4 carries SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD, aptX Lossless, aptX Adaptive and Snapdragon Sound. Dolby Atmos handles spatial audio, and the app adds an 8-band EQ and Sound Personalization.

The battery is a 700 mAh lithium-ion cell that the owner can swap without a service centre. Here it is a replacement part.

Calls use beamforming microphones with Own Voice Detection, and Anti-Wind Mode works automatically. There is no IP rating for water or sweat, so this is a pair for commuting and desks rather than the gym. Gaming mode needs the separate BTD 700 dongle.