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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
If your priority is wireless convenience and long battery life, the Sennheiser Momentum 4 would suit you better, plus they're more affordable. They offer very good sound quality, effective noise cancelling for travel, and are highly rated for comfort. However, if you're an audiophile seeking exceptional sound quality and don't need wireless functions, the Focal Elex boasts superior sound performance, especially for music and TV, but at a higher price point, and they lack a microphone for calls. They're open-back headphones, which isn't ideal for noisy environments as they don't isolate sound well. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Focal Elex
- The Focal Elex has no clear advantages over the Sennheiser Momentum 4.
Advantages of the Sennheiser Momentum 4
- Excellent for gaming
- Very good for air travel
- Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Key differences
Gaming
6.9
9.0
The Sennheiser Momentum 4 is excellent for gaming, while the Focal Elex is only fair.
Phone Calls
4.3
6.8
The Sennheiser Momentum 4 is only fair for phone calls, while the Focal Elex is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
7.1
8.2
The Sennheiser Momentum 4 is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Focal Elex is good.
TV and Video
8.3
8.9
The Sennheiser Momentum 4 and Focal Elex are both very good for TV and video, though the Sennheiser Momentum 4 is somewhat better.
Noise Reduction
2.5
9.1
The Sennheiser Momentum 4 is excellent for noise reduction, while the Focal Elex is poor.
Battery
N/A
59.0 Hours
The Focal Elex does not have a battery. The Sennheiser Momentum 4 has 59 hours of battery life.
Cost
$749
$250
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
$400
The Focal Elex has a price of $749 and the Sennheiser Momentum 4 costs $250.
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Key similarities
Music
7.7
7.5
The Focal Elex and Sennheiser Momentum 4 are both good for music.
Build Quality
9.0
9.0
The Focal Elex and Sennheiser Momentum 4 both have excellent build quality.
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How the Focal Elex and the Sennheiser Momentum 4 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Focal Elex | Sennheiser Momentum 4 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$749 | $250 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Focal | Sennheiser | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | December 1, 2017 | August 1, 2022 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired | Wired + Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 7.8/10 | 7.5/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 4.4/10 | 6.9/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 6.9/10 | 9.1/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 8.4/10 | 9/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 4.3/10 | 6.4/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | N/A | 59 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | N/A | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | N/A | 2 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | N/A | 5.2 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | No | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 2.5/10 | 9.1/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | No | |
Android App | |||
Android App | N/A | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | N/A | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | N/A | 8/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 9/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 8/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 450 Grams | 294.8 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | N/A | Integrated | |
Waterproof Rating | |||
Waterproof Rating | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Focal Elex
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Dig into reviews and images
Golden Sound
Golden Sound | October 2021
"The Focal Elex are an excellent pair of headphones for the money and a great all-rounder that will suit many tastes. They’re an easy recommendation for anyone looking for something comfortable, well built, that looks good, and will work with just about any genre."
Sennheiser Momentum 4
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Sound Guys
Christian Thomas | January 2023
"If you're looking for a slightly more affordable set of ANC headphones in comparison to the Bose or Sony offerings: the Sennheiser MOMENTUM 4 Wireless is not a bad way to go. While its ANC is technically behind the other top-tier headphones, its sound quality is ahead of the pack—as is its battery life. Not bad for $350 USD."
Get a great deal on the Focal Elex or the Sennheiser Momentum 4
About Sennheiser
A family-owned company, Sennheiser is a German, high fidelity, audio equipment manufacturer founded in 1945. Their consumer audio division is now owned by the Swiss hearing aid and cochlear implant manufacturer Sonova. Sennheiser offers a wide variety of, very high quality, audio equipment solutions, from headphones to earbuds, full sets of monitoring speakers, amplifiers and microphones. They also make what is widely regarded as the best, and most expensive, headphones in existence, the HE-1 Orpheus, costing a whopping $59,000 dollars.
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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec earbuds & headphones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest earbuds or headphones information and makes it digestible for you.
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About the Earbuds or Headphones team
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Luis is a Mexico-based headphones expert. He’s been making headphone recommendations for five years and has close to 100 pairs in his personal collection.
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