Sennheiser Momentum Ivory 2.0 wireless headset review

1. Introduction2. Unboxing3. Sennheiser Momentum Ivory4. Testing5. Final Thoughts6. View All Pages

Sennheiser is well known for high-quality headphones aimed at an audience that prides itself on substance – and a little style – over anything else. Traditionally though that has meant keeping those headphones firmly rooted to devices through wires – but not so with the Momentum Wireless 2.0 headphones.

This set of cans is Bluetooth compatible and makes use of the AptX codec to prevent the usual quality dip that is associated with wireless connections. These headphones also incorporate noise cancelling technology.

We will be conducting some thorough testing to see how well those claims stand up under duress.

• Impedance passive: 28 Ω.
• Impedance active: 480 Ω.
• Frequency response (headphones): 16 Hz – 22000 Hz.
• THD, total harmonic distortion: <0.5%.
• Contact pressure Approximately: 3.6 N.
• Bluetooth Version: Bluetooth 4.0 + EDR.
• Supported Profiles: A2DP + AVRCP + HSP + HFP.
• Ear coupling: Circumaural.
• Jack plug: 3.5 mm, angled.
• Cable length: 1.4 m (Detachable).
• Transducer principle: Dynamic, Closed.
• Attenuation: Up to 25dB.
• Charging time: Approx. 3 hrs.
• Operating time: 22hrs (HFP + ANC).
• Battery Specification: Rechargeable Lithium-ion Polymer (600mAh).
• Codecs: apt-X®.

The box for the Sennheiser Momentum Wireless 2.0 headphones is very compact and does not have any large plastic or card protrusions. It is a neat, professional package – with a large picture of the headset itself on the front.

This box many not say that these are version 2.0 of the Momentum Wireless headphones, but it is. For some reason Sennheiser's marketing in different regions sometimes does not show that.

The back breaks down the Momentum's specifications, detailing some of its major selling points and showing a small diagram of how the headset can fold up for transport purposes.

Along with the headset itself, there is a short set up manual, a warranty leaflet and a few cables. There is a micro-USB to USB cable for charging and a 3.5mm cable for wired audio connections. There is also a small 3.5mm to dual prong connector.

Along with those accessories there is a cloth carry bag and a firmer carry case with Sennheiser branding.

The Sennheiser Momentum Wireless is quite an understated pair of headphones. It blends subtle tones together with a metallic frame that is in stark contrast with some of the usual black, red and blue gamer gear we review here at KitGuru. I cannot say I am a huge fan of this off-white colour scheme, but these headphones are also available in brown and black.

It has a strong, flexible construction to the frame, with a quality feel to the materials and build. There is not a single sharp edge to be found on these headphones.

Up close, the exterior of the ear cups are a beige colour with a greenish tinge. The paint job is pearlescent so has that slightly sparkly look to it, while the earcup material is a dark brown leather, with black stitching.

The ear cups have a bit of give on their housing, so should fit nicely over your ears. Sennheiser has also increased their size over the previous generation Momentum headphones – to make them more comfortable.

Controls for the headset, including volume, power and Bluetooth pairing are all found alongside the right ear cup, along with a micro-USB connector for charging the internal battery.

The whole headset can fold in on itself which makes transporting it easier. It also gives us a great look at the interior of the earcups, which are a rich, light-brown.

The headband is made of stainless steel and provides a lot of elongation for those with larger heads. It also has plenty of flexibility and does not creak as you move your head around, as some plastic frames do. That should make these headphones excellent for virtual reality gaming.

The inside of the headband has very fine, light-brown stitching and hex-head screws holding the whole construction together. There are also small indicators to let you know which earcup is left and which is right.

The headband proper has a gap along its length to allow air to circulate and prevent overheating.

To test a set of headphones like these I put them through their paces listening to a multitude of different music tracks of various qualities, from a number of different artists and genres. The majority of my testing was conducted using a Bluetooth connection to a Sony Xperia Z5 Compact, though I also tested it via a 3.5mm wired connection (using bundled cable) and to a generic Bluetooth 4.0 adapter plugged into my desktop PC.

Throughout testing I factored in the sound quality over the different audio sources, as well as the long-term comfort and portability of the headphones themselves.

Sound quality is of course the most important point of note with any set of headphones – especially when they are aimed at those willing to spend upwards of £300 on a set of cans. Fortunately then I can report that the Sennheiser Momentum 2.0 Ivory Wireless headphones sound excellent.

This may come as a surprise to those who are used to the poor quality of Bluetooth headphones in the past. That was because in compressing the audio for wireless transfer much of the quality was lost – with the Qualcomm AptX audio codec that both these headphones and most modern audio devices support, that problem no longer exists.

Whether using the provided cable or the intended Bluetooth 4.0 connection I found that the Momentum headphones sounded excellent. Bass is heavy and punchy and can hit the rumbly uber-low notes well enough too –  even at higher volumes – with no crackling or noticeable distortion.

The headphones have their own voice too. A soft, female voice will tell you when they power on/off and how much battery you have left.

At the higher end of the frequency spectrum the notes are also well reproduced and can play well alongside the rest of the mix without being overblown or overshadowed. That mid-range too is very strong, really bringing mixes alive where other headphones often fall down.

One issue I did run into with sound quality though, was when connecting the Momentum headphones to my PC. I used a generic Bluetooth 4.0 adapter that I had previously had kicking around for a wireless keyboard to connect through. It was that generic adapter I blamed when I first connected up the headphones and found the sound reproduced in a mono format through a single earphone, with no bass, treble or any nuance to the sound whatsoever.

In short, it sounded terrible.

Sure it was the fault of the adapter I tried another, with similar results. Fortunately it turned out not to be the fault of the headphones themselves, but the way Windows 10 handled their connection. For some reason it automatically switched them to “hands free telephony,” mode, which – designed for voice calls – reduced the quality for clarity's sake.

Needless to say I was far more pleased when I was able to switch that off and reconnect the headset under its proper stereo format.

When connected that way, I found the sound produced just as strong as that when wirelessly or wired connected to my smartphone, so for those looking to replace their HTC Vive or Oculus Rift headphones with something wireless, the Sennheiser Momentum cans are not a bad idea at all.

The soft leather of the earcups is very comfortable over long periods, but feels breathable and does not ever get hot or sweaty. Likewise the headband is comfortable and rests gently on the top of your head. The headset is quite light too, so you never feel like it is weighing down your ears or your head, creating undue pressure.

The multi-function button can take a moment to get used to, but it works well.

Volume control is within easy reach and it stands out enough that after a couple of tries you can find it easily while in use, without having to pop the headphones off to remind yourself. Due to the placement of the power button, you probably want to turn them on/off when not wearing them, as the pressure required can knock them loose, but that is not exactly a problem.

The multi-function volume control button can be used to change songs too. It is not the most nuanced of functions, but it works well enough and helps keep you untethered from the audio source.

Noise cancelling is strong too, so if you find yourself in a home with a noisy atmosphere, it need not be a problem. They do not silence the real world, which is good – no one wants to feel completely separated – but if you have some music playing at a decent volume, you will not hear a thing. Keep it moderate however and you will be able to tap into your surroundings without feeling like you cannot escape them.

Microphone quality for the Momentum 2.0 Wireless is strong. I would not say it is comparable with some of the more VOIP focused headsets with a boom microphone, but what comes through is clear and precise and at a decent volume – impressive really considering that there is not anything even remotely close to your mouth.

Battery life for these headphones has been strong. After my initial charge they are still playing after 20 hours of usage. They are rated to last up to 22 hours, so it is good to see the headphones maintaining their charge for a prescribed amount.

In terms of distance, I found the headphones capable of continuing to play via the Bluetooth connection around seven to eight metres when walls and windows are in the way. In a straight line of sight though, they are capable to around 10 metres.

One aspect of the Momentum Wireless headphones which I would have liked to have seen is a bundled Bluetooth adapter. That might be because I am such a heavy desktop user, but considering how strong the sound quality was over Bluetooth even when using my cheap, generic adapter, it would not have cost Sennheiser much to bundle one.

Granted the bundled 3.5mm cable gives you the ability to connect the headset up to your PC/Laptop, but the whole point of these cans is that they are wireless. They sound just as good over either, so I do not think a couple of quid on an adapter would have cut into Sennheiser's profits too much.

The Sennheiser Momentum Wireless 2.0 headset is a supremely impressive set of headphones. They are incredibly comfortable to wear, sound fantastic in both wired and wireless mode and the battery lasts for an age.

The build quality is strong and the fact that the cans fold up and come with two designs of carry case make them incredibly portable. Materials used in construction are excellent and feel durable with a premium finish. I am not a huge fan of the off-white Ivory colour scheme that Sennheiser provided us with, but there is a black variant so if you were buying your own, you could simply opt for that instead.

Since no product is perfect, I would be remiss if I did not point out that I wish Sennheiser had included a Bluetooth adapter for those that want to use it when tethered to a PC or laptop without built-in Bluetooth functionality. There also seems to be some odd issue with how it connects up to Windows 10, though that is likely as much the OS' fault as it is the headset.

Of course the big elephant in the room with a set of headphones like this is the price. At up to £380 for the wireless versions, they are simply far beyond the reach of most consumers. Even people who love their music may struggle to justify the cost.

Sennheiser Momentum Wireless 2.0 over the ear headphones are fantastic quality in almost every regard and you do get your money's worth, it is just a question of whether you can justify that expense.

The best price we could find for these headphones was £350 from Hi-Fi Confidential.

Pros

• Fantastic sound quality over wireless and wired connections.
• Work over a strong, near 10m range.
• Battery life lasts upwards of 20 hours.
• Excellent build quality, very comfortable even over long periods.
• Great as alternative for virtual reality headphones.
• Built in noise cancelling, microphone and volume control are all well implemented.
• Great bundle with multiple carry cases, cables.

Cons

• No bundled Bluetooth adapter despite lots of extras.
• Minor issue with connecting to desktop PC.
• Very, very expensive.

KitGuru Says: The Sennheiser Momentum Wireless 2.0 headphones are a wonderful way to enjoy your music collection. It is a shame they are priced out of most people's budgets, but easily outshine their contemporaries. If you can afford that sort of price tag, these are a must have.

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