Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsIgnore the complaints, these are the best.
Reviewed in the United States on January 24, 2023
Let me say upfront I am a long-time audiophile. I've been immersed in all things high-end audio for more than 40 years, and listened to a lot of stuff, including headphones. Until recently, I've avoided all BT/wireless headphones because they presented too much compromise for my tastes. Noise cancellation adversely effected audio quality and/or gave me a headache. Bluetooth simply didn't cut it for prolonged enjoyment because of the lower, compressed resolution and frequency.
But, that all changed in late 2022. On a whim, I tried the newish Sony WH-1000XM5 and was surprised at how good they sounded. The noise cancellation was excellent with little of the rushing elevator sound--and boy, the sound was terrific. For the first time I felt like using a wireless headphone wasn't a big step-down from wired. The M5's soundstage was truly impressive, rivaling my Focal Clear MG wired 'phones. Plus, the M5s were much lighter, more portable, and a bit more fun. The new Sony's were a magnitude better than the older Sonys, as well as anything wireless I'd heard before.
That got me wondering: If the Sony's are this good, maybe something by Bowers and Wilkins or Sennheiser would be even better. After all, Sony caters to the mass market, which is generally not that discerning when it comes to audio. Whereas, B&W and Sennheiser typically aim more for the smaller, high-end, audiophile market. So, I started comparing the MX5 to the new B&W Px7 S2 and new Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless.
Here's what I found:
In the past, like the Sonys, the B&Ws and Sennheiser wireless 'phones were disappointments, falling far short (for me) of their wired, non-NC counterparts. No longer, because the new models are dramatically better. Without going into lots of detail (something audiophiles love to do), both the Px7 S2 and the Momentum 4 are a leap forward in every way than their predecessors. Are they better than the MX5, yes, but not by much. As others have said, the MX5 has better software, better NC, is very portable, and pretty comfortable. For many, the slight compromise in audio quality may not be a big deal. I could easily live with the MX5. However, my priority is sound quality since I seldom use NC, and, even if the software of the B&Ws and Sennheisers is only acceptable.
Therefore, it came down to the Px7 S2 vs. Momentum 4 for me. The Px7 S2 is much nicer to look at, exuding high quality. The Momentum 4, not so much. In fact, they look like an MX5 knock-off with a few upscale touches. The software of both the Px7 S2 and Momentum 4 is mediocre at best, albeit functional.
Now about the sound. The Px7 S2 sound really, really good. Bass, Midrange, Treble are all top notch, if not perfect. They're fun to listen to, with a wide soundstage and energetic dynamics. That said, they're tuned to emphasize the lower frequencies a bit too much for my tastes. At first, this makes music and voices more vibrant and robust, but, over time, it gets tiring, and you're realize what you're hearing isn't all that accurate. If I hadn't listened to the Momentum 4s, I probably would have been quite happy with the Px7 S2.
But, I did listen to the Momentum 4. It edges out thePx7 S2 and MX5 with its overall excellent balance and accuracy. Nothing is exaggerated: voices, instruments, timbre, tone are all just right to my ears. Maybe not as exciting as the Px7 S2 upon first listen, but the Momentum 4s seduce you the more you use them. There's no need for lots of equalization, or fiddling to get the sound right; its all been done at the factory. Besides the accurate representation of voices and instruments, the Momentum 4s are monsters when it comes to soundstage. The placement of everything is wide, yet accurate. You can feel the space and air between different instruments, and where the singer is in the studio or stage. Layering and detail are pretty amazing considering these are bluetooth, closed-back 'phones. Sennheiser (Actually: Sonova, because Sennheiser sold their headphone division to this maker of hearing aids in 2021.) did their homework when it came to the Momentum 4. Plus, that 60 hours of battery life is icing on the cake.
Let me say this in conclusion. You won't go wrong with any of these three headphones. They're all great. I preferred the Momentum 4 because it represents the overall most satisfying package for the money, but you might prefer the Px7 S2, or the MX5, more. One last word, regarding the buggy software of the Momentum 4: I found none. With the latest updates, Sennheiser/Sonova seems have fixed the issues of poor connectivity and consistency. All system functions worked perfectly the entire time I've been using the Momentum 4s. Enjoy!
