Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 Review – Sensuously Sublime Sound Sensation

The successor to the original Momentum True Wireless released last year, the new Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 retains similar aesthetics and adds in enhanced battery life as well as active noise cancellation tech to take things up a notch.

Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 – What’s different?

When placed side by side with its predecessor, the Momentum True Wireless 2 has noticeably smaller earbuds by 2mm which makes a huge difference in terms of comfort when you’re wearing them long term as they don’t stick in your ear as much. 

The charging case has similar dimensions as the older version but has a darker colour scheme for the faux fabric cover while retaining the same pocketability. A USB Type-C port at the back of the case allows for charging with a 10-minute charge offering about 1.5 hours of use time . The fabric texture also makes the case very grippable and much less prone to slipping out of your hands by accident. 

The top flips up with a satisfying click to reveal two recessed bays to charge your earbuds. Each bay has magnets and plopping the earbuds into the charging case results in them satisfyingly clicking into position without you having to fiddle them about to get it right. Perhaps the only quibble here is the lack of wireless charging but it’s not a deal breaker.

Both the new and old Momentum True Wireless earbuds retain the same IPX4 water resistance to ensure that it will survive a splash or two out in the open and the odd drop of sweat or two.

Each earbud has a matte black plastic housing that packs a 7mm dynamic driver that has a silvery touch sensitive control panel with Sennheiser’s slick looking logo emblazoned on top. 

Size and dimensions aside, the biggest improvement to the new Momentum True Wireless 2 is the inclusion of active noise cancellation (ANC) which is what makes the difference when using it in public spaces and on long haul flights. The older model lacks ANC and relies purely on passive sound insulation from the silicone ear tips to muffle exterior noise.

The most tangible difference for users is the additional battery life. On paper, the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 is able to offer 7 hours of use on a single charge and an additional 21 hours from the charging case for a total of 28 hours of usage. Its predecessor offered 4 hours of battery life on its earbuds with an additional 8 in the case for a total of 12 hours of usage. On the tally sheet, the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 effectively gets more than double the battery life of the original version.

These upgrades in terms of endurance, the addition of ANC and additional weight savings represent improvements in almost every critical area that would impact performance and comfort. On the design front, it’s a clear improvement while keeping what worked with the original.

Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 Getting Started

The earbuds came with the usual warranty and quick start guides, the charging case itself, the earbuds, a USB Type-C cable for charging it and four additional swappable ear tips in different sizes that allow you to get a better fit.

It pairs up in seconds to a streaming device via Bluetooth 5.1 and  runs equally well on Android phones or iPhones alike with support for SBC, AAC and aptX codecs. Unlike many other competing earbuds, the Momentum True Wireless 2 has the advantage of a free downloadable Sennheiser Smart Control app that enables you to customise your sound settings via an equaliser as well as offering the ability to customise your controls somewhat.

 The app also allows you to manually turn off the earbuds rather than having them idle in their default standby mode to further extend battery life especially if you’re not using them for some time. It also has an automatic shutoff after an hour.

Wearing the earbuds requires a bit of finesse. To get a proper seal, you have to put the earbuds in and give them a slight twist which requires some practice but which will become second nature after a week or so using it. Controlling the Momentum True Wireless 2 is via a series of single-tap, double-tap, triple-tap and quadruple-taps on both earbuds. 

The default control scheme takes a bit of getting used to as the touch panel on each earbud is allocated to different functions. On the left earbud, you tap it once to play or pause tracks, tap it twice to move forward to the next track and tap it thrice to rewind the previous track.

If you tap once on the right earbud, you summon your virtual assistant of choice while tapping it twice turns on their transparent hearing mode while tapping it three times toggles ANC. Volume control is via long-pressing the left panel to decrease and the right panel to increase the volume.

If this control setup doesn’t float your boat, you can tweak it somewhat via the Sennheiser Smart Control app though you’ll need some time to experiment and finesse it to get a setup that you’re comfortable with.

Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 Performance

Acoustically speaking, the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 performs like a champ with few shortcomings and the ability to tackle almost everything from Bjork to Bear McCreary.

When tested with a variety of tracks, it managed to serve up excellent sound staging with distinct left-right separation and each instrument in a track sounded unique and distinct from the rest, which is apparent in the Eagle’s live version of ‘Hotel California’ and the rather quaint ‘Dirty Paws’ by Monsters & Men. Pink Floyd’s signature piece ‘Time’ and it’s unique opening intro with the sounds of various clocks going off on either side of your head was impressively immersive.

This sound staging proved to be fantastic for gaming too. In Call of Duty Mobile it helped to identify incoming fire and watching movies was a real treat, especially Netflix’s new show the Old Guard which has equal amounts of close-quarters chop-socky and intense firefights aplenty, all of which sounded viscerally delightful.

When it comes to mids and highs, the Momentum True Wireless 2 was able to capture delicate details like Vaughan Williams’ intricate orchestra piece ‘The Lark Ascending’. Vocals were excellent and our usual songstresses Joanna Wang, Norah Jones and, on this particular occasion Faye Wong sounded smooth and clear, with Faye’s take on ‘Dreams’ by the Cranberries sounding exquisite indeed.

The earbuds were able to ramp up and kick out some pretty beefy bass without distortion even if you ramp it up to maximum volume though this isn’t advisable for your hearing. In fact, for much of our test period, the earbuds were sufficiently loud and detailed enough that we didn’t have to move it beyond its rated 70% safe hearing level.

The Active Noise Cancellation works like a charm, effectively squelching annoying noises that would interfere with your listening experience with gratifyingly extreme prejudice.

We tested it on the train and on a local bus, both of which had a significant amount of chatter from fellow passengers and, knowing Murphy’s Law and our luck, several kids who alternated between screaming like banshees from the depths of perdition to crying buckets as if Ctulhu decided to pay a visit.

With a lesser pair of headphones, it would have been game over but Sennheiser’s latest offering allowed us to sail through the journey with blissful silence, enabling me to actually enjoy my music in relative solitude.

There is also a transparent hearing mode that does let in a modest amount of external audio on demand without overpowering whatever you’re listening to. This mode comes in very handy when you’re traversing the streets lest you get smooshed by oncoming traffic.

The battery life for the buds works as advertised with a good seven hours of usage from the earbuds before running dry and about 21 hours from the charging case itself, all with ANC on. In terms of endurance, it’s up there with some of the best in the game 

Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 Verdict

If you own the original Momentum True Wireless earbuds, it’s a bit of a tough call. You’re getting massively improved battery life and ANC with slightly improved comfort over its successor; all these factors can make a difference between getting a decent night’s rest on the red eye flight to Vegas or looking like a dead-eyed zombie on arrival. 

For those who haven’t yet invested in a pair of wireless earbuds, the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 is an extremely sound choice. It certainly isn’t cheap by any measure of the word but you’re getting one of the best wireless ANC earbuds that money can buy and a solid Editor’s Choice.

What we liked Comfortable earbuds, good battery life, exquisitely balanced sound, good active noise cancelling
What we didn’t Not cheap, no wireless charging
We say The Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 does not come cheap but represents a sound investment for audiophiles who want excellent audio quality paired with long-lasting battery life and active noise cancellation in a beautifully designed package.

Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 Specifications

Price RM1,499
Speaker Type 7mm dynamic driver
Frequency response 5-21,000Hz
Microphone Frequency response 100Hz to 10kHz
Noise cancellation Single-mic ANC
Connectivity Bluetooth 5.1
Battery Lithium ion 7 hours (per earbud) & 21 hours (charging case)/ 1.5 hours charging time |10 mins for 1.5 hours
Size/Weight 76.8 x 43.8 x 34.7mm / 6g (per earbud), 58g (charging case only)
Review unit courtesy of Sennheiser. Available for purchase at Sennheiser brand stores located at Suria KLCC mall and Lot 10 & selected Sennheiser retailers that include Atlas, Charlie Care and Stars Picker Audio.