The Camels hath spoken and they told me that this is ATL for these headphones (on Amazon anyway) while the internet says that these are pretty good sounding ANC headphones compared to the other mainstream brands.
Update: Price drop, please tick the coupon for an additional $25 Discount ($295 prior, -> $270 after)
CamelCamelCamel.
been using these as my dailies for the last two years
ANC isn't the best but more than serviceable, the sound profile isn't going to be for everyone, battery life is amazing and the being able to use over USB-C is a godsend.
best headphones when it comes to listening to music and battery life! I had Bose QC's, Sony XM5, AirPods Max (though they are awesome but expensive as duck!), this pair is absolutely fantastic! truely recommend at this price, I bought them from OW around $375 in 2023. They may come down even more in the coming months. Oh one more thing, the mic is also great on this, I have used them a few times on teams and Webex calls!
tempting at this price but no ldac support stops me from buying these
Oh I didn't consider that. It may not matter though if the sound is still better? Hi-res doesn't really come into it for Bluetooth.
Bought some to try out anyway, pretty affordable
Cheers Op
"LDAC supports higher bitrates (up to 990 kbps) for high-resolution audio, while aptX Adaptive can dynamically adjust between 279kbps and 420kbps"
from my research ldac is closer to cd quality due to its improved bitrate - whereas aptx has a lower bitrate but is more stable in bad wireless environments
Yes agree with you and the specs, it's just that it doesn't really matter as in reality you won't achieve 990 kbps. Darko also has a video on this. Cd quality is ~1411 kbps so LDAC etc is still lossy.
The headphone design and drivers themselves will make the most difference.
I still stream using Tidal and cd quality as a minimum so the source is fine. Guess will test out myself but worth watching the link I posted above anyway.
Thanks OP, been waiting for these to go on special
was about $275 last year on ebay plus
https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/869153
I looked at Momentum 4s but discovered a lot of people had hissing/popping complaints and general build quality issues, not sure if these have been addressed. Anyone with a pair can provide some feedback?
I honestly haven't noticed that, but I think the ANC is subpar though. Sound quality and battery life is really good so I am still using this headphones quite often.
How is the mic quality on usb c? Is it better than bluetooth mic quality?
Interested to know as well. Apparently there has been a firmware update at least, depends how old the reviews are. should be free returns on Amazon or at least 2y warranty. I would expect the Sony XM5 ANC to be better, as well as comfort but some may prefer the outright sound quality of the Sennheiser as long as all the other features are good enough. The Sony's are great for flying. Always a trade off. Perhaps the xm6 are that touch better where they have tried to improve on the muddy sound.
Like always for portable, there is no point in the best sound quality if the ambient noise is too much.
Used these for trips to Japan/ US and Adelaide the past 6 months and yep the ANC kinda sucks on these honestly. Low frequencies are attenuated reasonably well, high frequencies….terrible. Voices and higher pitched plane noises still really present. My old QC20's crushed these for NC. On the plus side, they are great for music and the battery life is killer. So if your not on planes a lot and/or wanna use the NC to sleep with music/shows off where good NC is paramount then these are nice. I've personally been frustrated to the point where I'd sacrifice the SQ for the relative silence of a bose headphone on a long flight.
I don't know if it's targeted, but I was able to apply a $25 coupon via checkbox to make this $270.
Shit you are right (but mine was $32). I should get on the chat or just claim 28d easier (then can keep the cashback although is stuff all, but $10 challenge.
Quick comparison between the XM5 and Momentum 4. Keen to test out the Momentum when they arrive today. If they work well enough I may sell the XM5. Both are very good/similar though and I do like the Sennheiser sound. It comes down to SQ vs ANC/quality of life features that work well.
Sony WH-1000XM5:
Pros:
Superior Noise Cancellation: The XM5's ANC is widely considered to be top-notch, particularly effective at blocking low-frequency noise.
Virtual Soundstage: The virtual soundstage feature creates a more immersive audio experience.
LDAC Support: Supports high-resolution audio via the LDAC codec.
User-Friendly App: The Sony app offers intuitive controls and features.
Compact and Lightweight: The XM5 are lighter and less clamping than the Momentum 4.
Touch Controls: Offers smooth and responsive touch controls.
Cons:
Sound Quality (Out of the Box):
Some users prefer the Momentum 4's sound signature out of the box, although the XM5 can be tuned to a similar level with EQ.
Battery Life:
The XM5's battery life (around 30 hours) is shorter than the Momentum 4's (around 60 hours).
Build Quality:
While well-built, some find the Momentum 4 to have a slightly better build quality.
Price:
The XM5 typically costs more than the Momentum 4.
Sennheiser Momentum 4:
Pros:
Comfort: Known for being very comfortable, especially for long listening sessions.
Long Battery Life: Offers a significantly longer battery life (around 60 hours).
Excellent Build Quality: Many users find the Momentum 4 to be well-built and durable.
Sound Quality (Out of the Box): Many prefer the Momentum 4's natural sound signature, especially for bass.
Pinch-to-Control: Offers a unique and effective pinch-to-control system for ANC/Transparency.
Cons:
Noise Cancellation:
While good, the ANC is not as effective as the Sony XM5, especially at very low frequencies.
App Features:
The Sennheiser app may not be as feature-rich or intuitive as the Sony app.
Usability:
Some users find the touch controls less responsive or intuitive than the XM5.
Weight:
The Momentum 4 is slightly heavier than the XM5.
What's everyone thinking of the Momentum 4?
There is a bit of clamping force and extra weight compared to the XM5. Hopefully this improves after some use, still need to try them out for longer periods but may be painful for flying.
It's pretty well known the ANC isn't as good but they do sound better. Don't know if Amazon would take returns, will need to get rid of one or the other.
Good review and comparison from Darko Audio
2022's BEST VALUE headphones: SENNHEISER Momentum 4 Wireless
It's worth reading all the comments too. TL;DR it seems like the Sennheiser is best for outright sound quality, noise cancelling may not be as good as Bose or Sony and the quality of life and comfort may be slightly less too. Still wouldn't mind testing them and perhaps get rid of my XM5.
Combine with this deal $10 bonus cashback spend $120 at Amazon