Sennheiser doesn't often veer onto different sub-categories of headphones or earbuds, though there are exceptions, like the idea of "sports" wireless earbuds ruggedly designed to handle more active lifestyles.
The Sennheiser Momentum Sport are a second crack at this, only this time with an in-ear heart rate monitor and temperature sensor to track certain fitness metrics while wearing them. Music plus fitness tracking is usually reserved for other wearables, but this integration is an innovation that could lead to more like it down the line.
Sennheiser Momentum Sport: Price and availability
The Sennheiser Momentum Sport launched in April 2024, and are available at a wide range of retail and online outlets. They start out at $329, and it may be some time before Sennheiser (or retailers) begin dropping the price for a better deal. They come in polar black, metallic graphite, and burned olive.
Sennheiser Momentum Sport: What's good
Looking back at the previous Sennheiser Sport True Wireless, the company clearly went in a different direction with the Momentum Sport. A svelte build coupled with a reasonably custom take on fit and placement make these buds better suited to staying active. They come with three pairs of ear tips and four pairs of wings to help find the most stable fit. You can take that further with the Fit Test in the Sennheiser Smart Control app to figure out which tip gives you the tightest seal. As is always the case with earbuds, the tighter the seal, the thicker the bass.
Much of the actual surface is matte, covered with the rubberized trim of the wing. This combination proves very effective in holding the Momentum Sport buds in place at all times. While there were moments when I had to adjust them, they weren't common. If anything, the sensitivity of the touch controls made the adjustments somewhat frustrating.
What's easier to appreciate is that a good fit matches great sound, not least because Sennheiser gives you different ways to get there in the Smart Control app. The equalizer is a solid option for using presets or creating your own, while Sound Check is well worth going through to tweak the audio profile to your ears. It's a non-invasive process where you listen to tones at varying volume levels to set a benchmark EQ preset that differs from the default one.
Smart Control is critical to managing everything the Momentum Sport buds can do. Sound Zones are another option where you can have audio and active noise cancelation (ANC) or Transparency applied based on where you are. It's a geolocation feature that requires the app to track where you are in order to apply the changes so that music and ANC sound different, say, in the gym, compared to in a quiet office.
You can't control noise cancelation the same way you can with the Momentum True Wireless 4, but you do have some flexibility in how Transparency and Anti-Wind work. Given the sound leans more toward bass response, the earbuds are ideally suited to the kind of tunes you might listen to while working out or running. Even if you prefer podcasts, there's a preset made for that in the app.
Either way, Sennheiser gives these earbuds the right sonic treatment. Music sounds great — even better when listening to hi-res tunes using the aptX HD Bluetooth codec. You don't have to subscribe to a hi-res audio music streaming service to hear the goods here, but it is a bonus if you have that option. If the bass is too heavy, it's a simple thing to tweak in the app's EQ.
The bigger deal may be the fact that Sennheiser squeezes heart rate and temperature sensors into the left earbud, letting you keep track of heartbeat and body temperature metrics in real-time. You might think it odd to do it this way, given smartwatches, fitness trackers, and chest straps already cover those features, but in-ear tracking is arguably more precise because nothing moves in the ear. There are no muscles or tendons contracting like those in the wrist that could potentially delay or throw off tracking. Here, it feels instant and continuous, which is a cool thing to have.
Sennheiser isn't doing it alone; it is partnering with Polar to make the earbuds tracker compatible with the Polar Flow app. While Sennheiser's app can always show you the basics, Flow tracks your actual activity, so you can go for a run or hike and glean more from the data the in-ear sensors help deliver. Polar Flow offers dozens of exercises to choose from, making things interesting if you ever want to compare the accuracy of the earbuds with that of a smartwatch or fitness tracker.
The setup isn't all that hard when you have both apps installed on your phone, though you will need a Polar account to get it done (subscription not required). Tracking is quite accurate when the fit is nice and snug, adding confidence to any metrics you're keenly tracking throughout a day or workout.
As for sound control while staying active, don't expect ANC to match the best in the business, such as Sony or Bose. I would even argue Sennheiser's Momentum True Wireless 4 are better at blocking out background noise, but the Momentum Sport are still close. They dampen the clinks and clangs of the gym, as well as street noise, though aren't quite as effective with droning sounds like those on a subway train.
Transparency and Anti-Wind are solid, letting you control the effect you want. Anti-Wind is very good at cutting back gusts enough to make podcasts and phone calls sound clearer. You won't need it in quieter spaces, but it's nonetheless good to have when you have to take a call outside. Onboard wear sensors also automatically pause playback when you remove either earbud.
Multipoint connections mean you can use the Momentum Sport with two devices simultaneously, perfect if you plan to utilize them for work or to watch something on one device while taking calls on another. I also like that you can accept an incoming call by simply taking either earbud out of the case, where it instantly connects and takes the call. Doing this ends up being a battery-saving move and negates having to wear the earbuds all the time in case calls come in.
Call quality is good, too. Sennheiser has long been good at this sort of thing, though I noticed callers felt it was obvious I wasn't talking through a phone.
Sennheiser Momentum Sport: What's not good
I've tested a ton of wireless earbuds, and the Momentum Sport may be one of the most sensitive pairs I've tried as far as onboard controls go. Anytime I had to adjust the fit, I ran the risk of inadvertently resuming play, skipping a track, or worse yet, hanging up on a call. The default sensitivity is set to Medium, which only makes the High setting feel like tapping on eggshells. Low isn't bad, but even there, you may end up with unintended consequences. Non-responsive controls are often a problem for wireless earbuds, but these somehow take that to the other extreme.
Battery life is another one that will require compromise and patience on your part. Sennheiser claims up to six hours per charge, but you're not likely to get that far if you factor in ANC, volume levels, and fitness tracking. There is a Battery Eco mode to help squeeze more life out per charge at the expense of the aptX codec. I get between four and five hours per charge, which is more than enough for workouts and runs but not quite as high as I would like to see for the price.
That also goes for durability. The IP55 protection for the buds themselves is pretty good, though I would think "sport" earbuds costing this much would ramp that up a bit. The case itself is IP54, and has a nice rubberized coating, only the lid isn't as secure as it should be. Hence, I would be wary of using the included lanyard to hang them. These are always better off in a pocket.
Sennheiser Momentum Sport: Competition
Sporty earbuds aren't that hard to find these days, and you could make an argument certain pairs among the best wireless earbuds are worthy. The Jabra Elite 8 Active truly stand out as competitors in the search for sweaty earbuds, especially given their impressive IP68 protection, physical button controls, superior battery life, and cheaper cost. They're also almost entirely rubberized and offer a snug fit for a wide variety of ears.
You could also consider the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro as an option, though their IPX7 rating isn't as good for dust resistance. They also don't offer a custom EQ but are otherwise resilient and packed with a range of other features. If you want more basic features yet desire an even more secure fit with ear hooks, you could also try the JLab Epic Air Sport ANC for a much lower price.
Sennheiser Momentum Sport: Should you buy them?
You should buy this if...
- You want more ruggedized earbuds for runs or workouts.
- You want very good sound and noise cancelation.
- You want customization and personalization.
- You want a comfortable fit.
You shouldn't buy this if...
- You want something even more ruggedized.
- You want more battery life.
- You prefer to spend less.
The Sennheiser Momentum Sport offer a lot out of the box and through the Smart Control app, but you have to pay a premium to get it all. These are expensive wireless earbuds by any metric, leaving it to you to make a calculated decision both for your own budget and the value you think you would gain from the unique integration available here.
They clearly sound great, and are rugged enough to handle most runs and workouts, along with all the customization in the app, so it's a compelling package. You won't come away disappointed with what they can do, though only you can decide if it's all worth it in the end.
Sennheiser reinvigorates its sporty earbuds with a new look for the Momentum Sport, complete with great sound and in-ear sensors to track heart rate and body temperature.
