Sennheiser Momentum In-Ear review

Anyone with a history of buying into Sennheiser’s Momentum family will understand exactly what that means: premium design and high- quality sound. So no pressure, then, on the latest arrival to the set, the Momentum In-Ears: ugly little sibling or prize-winning addition?
Well, there’s nothing ugly about these pocket-size headphones. The design is aimed at a younger pair of eyes with an expensive smartphone attached – a stylish red and black combination is striking yet tactful at the same time. At close inspection, the glossy housings are plastic, which makes the Momentums lightweight and barely noticeable when in your ear. We’re not sure plastic is what we want when we’re parting with £90/$100 on a pair of buds, but Sennheiser assures us that, internally, these headphones are constructed from high-calibre stainless steel and produced using precision milling technology.

For what it’s worth, the packaging was outstanding and the headphones are housed in a very nice supplied carry case. There are four different bud sizes so you’re guaranteed a snug fit. More important is the ergonomic 15-degree angle that the Momentum In-Ears veer off at into your ear canal. You’d be happy taking these headphones to the gym or out for a run and not worrying about them falling out. There’s nothing flimsy here; sturdy and robust are recurring themes.

But what of the ound? The Momentum range symbolises great sound, yet these in-ears fail to reach those lofty heights. Let’s be honest, they’ve got a lot to live up to. The bass has been enhanced in the modern way, quite tastefully in truth. Kanye West’s Love Lockdown shakes impressively deep, pleasing anyone upgrading from a cheaper, tinny sound.
The same can’t be said for the high-end, which shrieks and shrills, muffling the overall sound and having a negative effect on the mid-range. Killer Queen by Queen highlighted the harsh highs and Jose Gonzalez’s Heartbeats the lacking mid-range.
One area where the Momentum In-Earsshinebeyondanythingin this price category is in their noise isolation skills. Fix these buds in place and the music is your total focus. Background interference is completely eliminated – Sennheiser is championing a feature that isn’t done very well normally and that’s to be admired. Sound leakage is minimal too.
The balance isn’t there for a high- end audiophile, but if your music collection doesn’t branch out past low frequencies, there’s plenty to admire. We’ll pass on these and go and play with our five-star Momentum Over-Ears.