Sennheiser has launched its fifth-generation MOMENTUM lineup in the UAE: the MOMENTUM 5 Wireless over-ear headphones at AED 1,549 and the MOMENTUM True Wireless 5 earbuds at AED 1,199. Both are on sale now through Amazon.ae and retail stores across the country, and they arrive at a time when the premium wireless audio market is dominated by Sony, Bose and Apple.
The MOMENTUM 5 Wireless is a measured update to the well-regarded MOMENTUM 4 rather than a reinvention. It keeps the same 42mm driver, built at Sennheiser’s facility in Tullamore, Ireland, and tuned with the brand’s HD 600 audiophile headphones in mind. What’s new is mostly in connectivity and processing: Hi-Res Audio certification, Snapdragon Sound with aptX Lossless support, and Dolby Atmos with head tracking for spatial audio.
Noise cancellation now uses eight microphones, and Sennheiser claims it is up to three times better than the MOMENTUM 4 at suppressing midrange sounds such as nearby conversations. That claim still needs independent testing against current rivals. Rated battery life is 57 hours with ANC switched on, which remains among the longest in the category. Sennheiser also promises firmware updates to the headphones’ DSP and wireless systems over time.
The most practical change is that owners can replace the 700 mAh battery and the ear pads themselves. The carrying case is 20 percent flatter, packaging is plastic-free, and the box includes both USB-C and 3.5mm cables. The headphones come in Black, Denim and White, with Bronze and Lavender to follow.
The earbuds get the bigger redesign. The MOMENTUM True Wireless 5 drops the fins of earlier models for a smoother housing, which Sennheiser says was shaped using thousands of ear scans. In the company’s testing, 73 percent of participants found it more comfortable than the previous generation. Inside is a 7mm TrueResponse driver, Bluetooth 6.0, aptX Adaptive and Lossless support up to 24-bit/96kHz, and Dolby Atmos head tracking.
Adaptive hybrid ANC comes with an automatic anti-wind mode. For calls, a voice accelerometer and AI speech extraction aim to improve clarity in noisy places. The earbuds carry an IP54 rating and are rated for 12 hours per charge, or 40 hours with the case. Both the earbuds and the case have replaceable batteries. A new eight-band EQ in the Smart Control Plus app adds more tuning control, and colour options are Graphite, Cream, Copper, Denim and Lavender.
On paper, both products look like careful refinements of what already worked for Sennheiser. How they compare with Sony’s and Bose’s latest flagships on noise cancelling and call quality will determine whether those refinements are enough at this price.
