Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 Review: Sound First

Sennheiser's flagship earbuds are the mirror image of the class's ANC champions: sound first, silence second. The verdict reads "very good" (1.4) — 28th of 112 in the August 2026 in-ear table, from a 9th-of-87 debut in March 2024 — powered by genuinely impressive audio and held back by noise cancelling the test rates only "satisfactory" (2.7). Softening street prices have eased the value verdict from 3.9 to a milder "expensive" (3.7), and at today's £159 the calculus has shifted further in its favour.

The core quality is a clear, natural sound that impressed throughout. Bass is rich overall — occasionally a touch too reserved for the testers' taste, which the equaliser readily corrects — and voice reproduction is transparent and natural in both low and high registers. The microphones earn the same praise in the other direction: calls and voice recordings carry voices clearly and authentically even in loud surroundings, without letting distracting background noise through.

Sennheiser fits a hybrid ANC system — additional microphones inside the ear work alongside the outer ones — plus a transparency mode, an anti-wind mode, and the option to switch cancelling off entirely. The practice test found the results underwhelming for the class: low frequencies such as aircraft rumble come through, and some high-frequency hiss survives too. The overall noise-cancelling judgement is only just "good" — and the sub-score of 2.7 is the single biggest drag on the ranking. Anyone whose priority is silence is pointed at the class benchmark instead: our Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen review covers the in-ear that erases what these let through.

With cancelling active the buds ran a measured 6:36 hours (7:40 without), stretching to 26:19 hours with the case — just over 30:04 hours ANC-off. That is mid-field rather than remarkable, but enough for everyday use and longer trips. Fast charging is genuinely quick: a full charge in 1:29 hours, and 15 minutes in the case restores about 1:35 hours of ANC playback. The fabric-covered case — notably compact — charges wirelessly over Qi.

The fabric case and colour-combination options give the set an air of elegance, and the buds sit securely and firmly — for some ears perhaps too firmly, though the testers found them comfortable. The box includes four ear-tip sets and three optional fin sets in different sizes; the quirk is that after swapping tips you must restart the earbuds in their case before they behave.

Wireless case charging, magnetic seating, wear detection with auto-pause and full touch controls — play, pause, track skipping and volume — are all aboard. The app adds a five-band equaliser, adjustable ANC, remappable touch controls, a fit test and an unusual trick: sound profiles for up to 20 locations that activate automatically when you arrive. The catch is that the app demands an account and consent to data processing before it does anything. Bluetooth 5.4 proved stable with a very good (1.1) range in testing, multipoint connects two devices at once, and IP54 certification handles dust and splashes. All-in weight is 78 g; the buds carry no battery LED.

At our 1 August 2026 check, Amazon UK's buybox carried the Momentum True Wireless 4 new at £159.00, with another colourway listed at £199. That's a substantial drop from the launch-era pricing that earned the original "expensive" (3.9) verdict — and it changes the recommendation maths: the sound-per-pound here is now excellent.

The Momentum True Wireless 4 is the audio purist's pick of the premium in-ears: impressive, natural sound, first-rate call microphones, a refined fit and a feature list with real depth. It is not the pick for silencing a cabin — the 2.7 noise-cancelling score is the honest asterisk on an otherwise very good product. At £159, buy it for what it does best.

Is the Momentum True Wireless 4's noise cancelling good? It's the weak point: rated only satisfactory (2.7), with aircraft-style low rumble and some high hiss coming through. If ANC is the priority, the in-ear benchmark is the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds 2nd Gen.

How long does the battery last? A measured 6:36 hours with ANC (7:40 without), 26:19 hours including the case, a 1:29-hour full charge and about 1:35 hours back from a 15-minute top-up — average for the class, solid for travel.

Do they work with two devices at once? Yes — Bluetooth 5.4 multipoint pairs two devices simultaneously, and the connection proved stable with very good range in testing.

How do these relate to the Momentum 4 headphones? Same family, different products: these are the true-wireless in-ears, while the Momentum 4 Wireless is the over-ear with the record 53-hour ANC battery. The earbuds win on pocketability, the headphones on stamina and cancelling.