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Updated January 10, 2024·
If you prioritize a comfortable fit for long listening sessions and better sound quality, the Sennheiser Momentum 4 could be the better choice. However, if you need earbuds with a smaller, more portable design and active noise cancellation for use in noisy environments, the Sony WF1000XM5 might suit you better. The Sennheisers are likely to have a wider soundstage for a more immersive experience but could be bulkier than the Sonys, which might be more convenient for travel and daily commuting. Consider the Sony if making calls is essential, as they may have superior microphone quality and features like voice assistant support. 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 Sennheiser Momentum 4
Excellent for gaming
Very good for TV and video
Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the Sony WF1000XM5
Very good for music
Key differences
Music
7.5/10
8.0/10
The Sony WF1000XM5 is very good for music, while the Sennheiser Momentum 4 is good.
Gaming
9.0/10
5.1/10
The Sennheiser Momentum 4 is excellent for gaming, while the Sony WF1000XM5 is poor.
Phone Calls
6.8/10
5.0/10
The Sennheiser Momentum 4 is only fair for phone calls, while the Sony WF1000XM5 is poor.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
8.2/10
4.9/10
The Sennheiser Momentum 4 is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Sony WF1000XM5 is poor.
TV and Video
8.9/10
5.4/10
The Sennheiser Momentum 4 is very good for TV and video, while the Sony WF1000XM5 is poor.
Battery
59.0 Hours
9.0 Hours
The Sennheiser Momentum 4 has 59 hours of battery life. The Sony WF1000XM5 has 9 hours of battery life.
Build Quality
9.0/10
8.5/10
The Sennheiser Momentum 4 has excellent build quality, while the Sony WF1000XM5 has very good build quality.
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Sennheiser Momentum 4 to be excellent for noise reduction, while the Sony WF1000XM5 is very good.
Cost
$250
$248
$100
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
The Sennheiser Momentum 4 has a price of $250 and the Sony WF1000XM5 costs $248.
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How the Sennheiser Momentum 4 and the Sony WF1000XM5 compare to other earbuds and headphones
"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."
"The Sony WF-1000XM5 is among the best noise canceling earbuds currently on the market, and they aren’t cheap. These earbuds aren’t the best choice for budget-conscious listeners. But if you prioritize active noise cancelation, sound quality, and extensive software support, the WF-1000XM5 is worth its premium price tag."
Get a great deal on the Sennheiser Momentum 4 or the Sony WF1000XM5
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.
About Sony
Sony is a multinational corporation, based out of Japan, with over 75 years of experience in the consumer electronics industry. In the audio market, Sony has been a trendsetter several times throughout its history. In 1979 they released the first-ever portable music player, the Sony Walkman, followed by the Discman 20 years later. Today, Sony is one of the leaders in the wireless headphone and earbud market, especially in terms of Active Noise Cancellation technology.
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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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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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