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Regular, occasional or Sunday athletes will all agree on this point: there is nothing better than exercising with good sound in your ears. However, even if most classic headphones can help with a sporting activity, they are not necessarily completely suitable for this practice.
And that's where the problem starts. When it comes to turning to a dedicated product, the choice is rather poor. As proof, the Bose Sport Earbuds were released in 2020, the Amazfit PowerBuds Pro in 2021 and the Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 in 2022.
Eventually, it is possible to look towards Jabra. It’s pretty much the only manufacturer that offers “regularly” products for athletes. Let us cite for example the Elite 8 Active marketed in 2023. But…
Obviously, there is a but: none of these products tick all the boxes of these new Momentum Sport. To know: an audiophile ambition, a sensor to measure heart rate and another for body temperature. To date, this is new on such a mainstream product.
Obviously, this made us want to dust off our sneakers. After a month in their company, here is our complete opinion on the Sennheiser Momentum Sport.
Available since April 9, these Sennheiser Momentum Sport headphones are available in three colors – gray, olive or black – at the price of 329 euros.
A price positioning that stings a little, since these headphones are positioned in a high bracket. As a reminder, even if these products are not completely identical, the latest Elite 8 Active from Jabra were launched at 230 euros.
When it comes to sports headphones, Sennheiser isn't exactly a newbie. In 2022, the German manufacturer offered the Sport True Wireless, a sporty version of its flagship Momentum model (completely in-ear headphones in a square format…)
In 2024, Sennheiser is diametrically changing its approach with a very sober design, a spherical format like Samsung's Buds2 Pro and a semi-intra layout. This new approach is a success, since the feeling of intrusion is almost non-existent and keeps it optimal. And again, we have not added the fins.
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Indeed, in addition to a set of three silicone tips (which is a bit stingy), the manufacturer offers four sizes of fins to perfect the hold. These are then inserted into the concha of each ear. An accessory that can be useful during a split session.
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In terms of manufacturing quality, Sennheiser is once again at its zenith. The dense plastic of the earphones is sturdy and there are no visible signs of assembly.Rather light (6.4 grams each) given their on-board technologies, these Momentum Sport can be worn during long sports sessions or simply to listen to music, without any problem.
On this point, Sennheiser leaves us with a mixed impression. Certainly, this case is well designed for sports practice. Thanks to its rubber coating and its IP54 certification, it will be able to brave the elements: rain, splashes, dust and sweaty hands.
Plus, its soft hinge is a good idea. It can undergo different twists and adapt to the activities of the most adventurous. Especially since the USB-C port is intelligently protected behind a small notch.
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However, we don't understand why it is so massive, 67.7 x 64.8 x 30.0 mm for 78 grams. Certainly, its square and slightly crowded shape is not unpleasant to the eye, except that we have the impression that too much space is useless. It could be less bulky by at least a good third, and thus it could slip into the pocket of jeans or shorts with more ease.
Another little oddity, the headphones are “only” certified IP55. Although the latter is sufficient for the majority of sporting activities, it is a shame that the latest offspring of Sennheiser do not align here with the Elite 8 Active.
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In addition to being IP68, i.e. completely waterproof, the Jabra model resists large temperature variations. A product suitable for mountain trails. To make up for it, Sennheiser still added additional protection to these headphones, a specific anti-sweat coating.
As usual, the German manufacturer delivers an impeccable score here. Starting with the touch controls which can be carried out on almost the entire external surface of the headphones. Having so much space to intervene during an effort is an excellent point for staying focused on your activity.
When first used, the responsiveness did not seem very responsive to us. Fortunately, it is possible to adjust the intensity of the touch sensitivity on the app. As a result, we did not have to complain during our following races , all our grievances were well taken into account.
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In addition, all useful actions (navigation, playback, volume, listening modes, calls) are available through three movements. A single or double tap and a long press. While not as futuristic as the Momentum TW 4, these sporty headphones are no less modern.
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As proof, the Bluetooth 5.2 chip of the Momentum Sport supports AAC, SBC, aptX, aptXHD and Aptx Adaptive codecs, as well as a multipoint connection, a presence sensor and Google Fast Pair rapid pairing. Each earphone can also be used independently of the other.
Like all Sennheiser products, these Momentum Sport have as their nerve center the excellent Smart Control application. Ultra complete and ergonomic, this application is among the best on the market (as we detail in our recent test of the Momentum TW 4).
Two specific new features still complete the experience here: tracking your heart rate and body temperature in real time.
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Beyond this unique double capacity, these headphones are designed to fit into the ecosystem of the greatest number of athletes. Thus, to follow the evolution of your pulse, it is possible to connect the headphones with numerous sports applications (Polar Flow, Strava, Zwift, etc.) and with other devices (Garmin Watch, Apple Watch, etc.).
Regarding the integration of body temperature monitoring, this only works with Polar's software universe or products, for example with the recent Vantage 3 watch.< /p>
In terms of reliability, the headphones offer fairly decent measurements. In terms of heart rate, the data measured was almost identical to that recorded by our Apple Watch Serie 7. Except briefly during some acceleration during a running outing.
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To gauge the temperature, we lent the headphones to a friend who is preparing for a marathon and who uses According to his two 20 kilometer outings, the Sennheiser headphones have always been below reality compared to this semi-professional equipment about 0.8 degrees. A slight lack of precision therefore, but nothing that could be serious for monitoring sports preparation for an event.
This is often the Achilles heel of most headphones dedicated to sports. They skim over the audio part considering that the listener would not have the same sound expectations in full effort. Which in itself is a double miscalculation.
First, this is not necessarily true for everyone. And then, this type of headphones can also be used for non-sporting activities. Therefore, Sennheiser has taken care to apply this as with any of its other audio products.
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Each earphone is therefore equipped here with large transducers of 10 mm in diameter. Such a size allows for a frequency response with good amplitude, which can be heard quite quickly. The bass has a lot of foundation without encroaching on the start of the midrange spectrum. This allows many instruments to express themselves without being muffled by kicks.
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Thanks to an assumed peak on the high-mids, the voices are particularly highlighted which has the advantage of not having to increase the volume too much to hear them. This brings a certain roundness to the listening experience. We are here more in a warm listening than a sharp one. On the other hand, as is often the case with Sennheiser, the Momentum Sport are more muddled in the treble which can sometimes lack naturalness.
Overall, the headphones offer detailed, ample and rather relaxing sound. While this lack of aggressiveness might displease some, we think it is a reasoned and reasonable choice for sports listening.
In addition to effective passive isolation (thanks to the appropriate position of the tips in semi-intra mode), the Momentum Sport boasts rather good active noise reduction. The six microphones, three per earphone, manage to perfectly attenuate the entire beginning of the spectrum up to the low-midrange. Thus, they can be used without difficulty in an urban environment, traffic noise being skillfully absorbed.
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Ditto, on the high end of the spectrum, which is quite surprising from Sennheiser. The most shrill and dry sounds are not completely invisible, but the little that reaches the ear does not do so unpleasantly.
On the other hand, voices slip through the cracks more easily. In other words, the closest surrounding conversations remain audible. Is this an accepted choice to allow you to remain at least alert during your session ?
Possibly, since it's always a shame to do sports using the “Transparent” mode. Certainly, the user remains more alert, but the sound experience is completely different. Let’s talk about this “Transparent” mode. The transcription is sometimes very mechanical in the highs. Of course, we can clearly identify our sound environment, particularly the voices, but it lacks naturalness.
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Finally, it's a bad habit at Sennheiser, the headphones are sensitive to gusts. By activating the anti-wind mode the saturation effect almost completely disappears, but the noise reduction mechanically loses effectiveness.
With active noise reduction and the AAC codec, the German firm is counting on 6 hours of battery life. For its part, with its 800 mAh battery, the case would be able to support three full charges. In fact, Sennheiser slightly underestimates the capabilities of its headphones. On average, they always lasted 6h30. We are certainly quite far from the 8 hours of the Sony WF-1000XM5, with one difference.
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The Momentum Sport integrate two relatively energy-consuming measurement sensors. Considering this fact, the autonomy is rather remarkable and will suit all athletes. For charging, allow about an hour to go from 0 to 100%.
Sennheiser succeeds in its challenge of bringing together the best of the audiophile world and the sports world. Its headphones are comfortable, suitable for many sports activities and offer remarkable sound performance for such a product.
In addition to this, the Momentum Sport have full connectivity, flawless ergonomics, good battery life and efficient active noise reduction.
So where is the problem? Not in the product, but in its overall positioning. The heart rate and temperature sensors are useful and well integrated. Except that those who practice regular sporting activity already have this data on their sports watches.
It is then possible to recommend these headphones as a complement, except that this requires a significant investment. Everyone will therefore have to see noon at their door here.
Ultimately, if certain athletes do not like watches or other activity trackers or do not want to invest in such objects, the Momentum Sport then becomes more easily recommended. And for occasional athletes? A classic pair of headphones will be more than enough to accompany you from time to time.
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