Sennheiser Momentum 2.0/HD1 Wireless Headphones [Review]

The Sennheiser Momentum 2.0 Wireless is a good over-ear headset for a variety of uses with a well-made and strong design. They’re tough, don’t leak much, and block a lot of noise, so they’re a terrific choice for the office and for commuting. However, they are more expensive than more contemporary headphones with superior characteristics, and they sound a touch gloomy and bass-heavy overall. If noise cancellation isn’t important to you, see our evaluation of the wired version.

Note: These Headphones were replaced by Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless

Style

The Sennheiser HD1 Wireless headphones have a sleek, retro design that is visually appealing and appears to be high-end. Their headband is constructed of metal and covered in a faux leather cloth with a basic design. The dark grey matte surface of the oval ear cups is contrasted by the black padding on the ear cups and headband cover. They’re also available in a variety of colors, including the black color scheme seen on the unit in this review.

Comfort

The Sennheiser HD1 Wireless headphones are extremely comfortable. Although the ear cups are slightly heavier than the wired version, they put the same pressure on the head and do not cause pain or soreness. Unfortunately, there is no padding on the headband, and the ear cup padding is fairly firm, which may cause discomfort for some users during extended listening sessions.

Controls

The control options are decent, but they’re not as simple to use as the wired model’s. Volume, track skipping, and call/music controls are all available, however there is no separate noise cancellation function. There are no talk-through or mute settings, and the power button also serves as a Bluetooth sync and noise cancelling switch. The control scheme is functional, but the overlapping functions make it complicated.

Breathability

The Sennheiser HD1 Wireless are not the most breathable headphones. They create a fairly decent seal around your ears and have thick pleather padding that obstructs quite a bit of airflow. They won’t be the ideal headphones to take to the gym or for more intense workouts.

Portability

For an over-ear design, the Sennheiser HD1 Wireless is reasonably portable. They’re a pair of medium-sized over-ear headphones that fold up into a smaller package that takes up less room in your suitcase. Unfortunately, they are still cumbersome to transport, as are most over-ears, and only come with a soft bag, which is insufficient given their price range.

Case

The protective case for the Sennheiser HD1 Wireless is the same as all the other models in the momentum series. It will protect the headphones from scratches and fit all of the accessories that come with them. Unfortunately, the headphones will not be protected from hard falls. Also, because these headphones are a little larger, the case might sometimes distort due to the tight fit.

Build Quality

The Sennheiser HD1 Wireless headphones are well-made and appear to be durable. The ear cups are thick and can resist a few drops without breaking. The metal frame is sturdy and won’t easily warp under pressure. Their joints are prone to failure, but the joint design keeps the number of moving components to a minimum, lowering the chances of a component coming loose.

Stability

The steadiness of these headphones is above average. During casual listening sessions, they readily retain their position. They’re also wireless, which means they’ll stay on your head longer and won’t be yanked off when the cord gets caught on something. Unfortunately, they are not meant for sports and will fall out during high-intensity exercises such as sprinting and leaping.

Bass Accuracy

Sennheiser’s HD1 Wireless headphones feature excellent bass. The LFE (low-frequency extension) is set to 10Hz, which is very good. Low-bass, which is responsible for the thud and rumble heard in bass-heavy music, is about 2dB higher than our neutral aim. This indicates that these headphones offer a deep and extended bass with a somewhat exaggerated thump, which should appeal to the majority of listeners. Mid-bass, which gives bass guitars their body and kick drums their punch, is flat and within 1.7dB of our aim. Warmth comes from the high-bass, which is flat and well-balanced.

Mid Accuracy

The Sennheiser HD1 Wireless performs above average in the mid-range. The low-mid range is flat and well-balanced, which is crucial for reproducing good vocals. The 8dB boost in the mid-mid and high-mid frequencies emphasises higher frequencies, bringing the entire sound forward and giving vocals and leads more projection and intensity.

Treble Accuracy

The treble performance is mediocre at best. Around 2KHz, the low-treble exhibits a 5dB bump, which is a continuation of the high-mid overemphasis. This gives the sound a bit of extra projection and intensity, especially with the vocals and lead instruments. The biggest issue here is the dips at 4KHz and 7KHz, which correspond to the spikes in their THD. They have a negative impact on the accuracy and presence of their reproduction, which is especially noticeable on vocalists, lead instruments, and cymbals.

Imaging

The imaging quality is excellent. The weighted group delay is 0.33, which is excellent. The group delay response is virtually totally below the audibility threshold, as shown in the GD graph. This guarantees that the bass is tight and the treble is clear. Our test unit’s L/R drivers were also remarkably well-matched in terms of amplitude, frequency, and phase response. This is necessary for precise stereo field placement and localisation of objects (vocals, instruments, video game effects).

Soundstage

The soundstage isn’t very good. The soundstage of the Momentum 2.0 Wireless will be viewed as narrow and located inside the listener’s head due to its closed-back design and small ear cups. The pinna interaction/activation is likewise poor and inaccurate, as shown by the PRTF graph.

Noise Isolation

The Sennheiser HD1 Wireless offers excellent noise isolation. They isolate by more than 11dB in the bass area, where aeroplane and bus engines rumble, which is above-average. They reach more than 17dB of isolation in the mid-range, which is good for blocking out conversation. They lower outside noise by 33dB in the treble band, which is populated by sharp sounds like S and T.

Leakage

Leakage performance is excellent. Along with the HD 4.50, the Momentum 2.0 Wireless is one of the least leaky over-ear headphones we’ve tested so far. Because they don’t leak in the bass or treble frequencies, the majority of their leaking is centred in the mid-range. When the music is turned up to 100 dB SPL, the leakage averages 31 dB SPL and peaks at 46 dB SPL, which is below the noise level of a typical office.

Recording Quality

The Sennheiser Momentum 2.0 Wireless microphone’s recording quality is poor. Speech recorded/transmitted with this mic will sound thin due to the LFE of 578Hz. The 3.5KHz HFE (high-frequency extension) results in speech that is lacking in detail and muted. In addition, there is a preference for higher frequencies in the response between the LFE and HFE locations. As a result, speech will not sound extremely natural, but it will be understandable.

Noise Handling

The noise cancellation of the built-in microphone is excellent. It had a speech-to-noise ratio of 26dB in our SpNR test. This makes them ideal for use in quiet and moderately loud areas, but in loud situations, they may struggle to fully differentiate speech from ambient noise.

Battery

The Sennheiser Momentum 2.0 Wireless headphones have a good all-day battery life, but they take a lengthy time to charge. They should be able to play for a total of 22.8 hours without needing to be recharged. They can also play music while charging, making them good headphones to use when you’re near a power source, such as at work or on certain buses/trains/planes. They don’t have any power-saving capabilities, so if you leave them on, they’ll keep draining your battery.

Bluetooth

The Sennheiser HD1 Wireless supports NFC and can pair with two devices at the same time. When using Bluetooth, this makes them a very adaptable headphone. However, pairing is more difficult than with the Bose QuietComfort 35 since you must turn them off first and then press the power button to put them in pairing mode.

Latency performance is poor. The Sennheiser HD 1 Wireless has an SBC latency of 154ms and an aptX latency of 138ms. It’s better than most Bluetooth headphones, but it’s not perfect for gaming or watching movies.

Wired

These headphones have a 1/8″ TRRS audio cable with an in-line microphone that works with PS4 and iOS devices but not Xbox One. They’ll only work with your Xbox controller to produce audio, and you’ll need a headset adapter or a compatible headphone connector to use them with your PC or tablet.

Verdict

They boast a very configurable sound, a moderately comfy design, and a solid, long-lasting build. They also isolate well enough in moderately noisy areas to be a good commuting option. They also don’t leak much, making them a better choice for quiet areas. Unfortunately, their sound quality suffers with higher frequencies, making them seem gloomy, thus they won’t be the best choice for more discerning listeners.