Sennheiser Momentum 1.0 review: Discontinued and replaced by the Momentum 2.0

The original Momentum 1.0 were available back in 2012 and with time, they dropped in price. However, in 2018, you’ll be hard-pressed to find them brand new as they’ve since been discontinued by Sennheiser. You might still find them used, but we’d suggest getting their successor, the Momentum 2.0 instead.

To find out exactly what we liked about the originals, and the difference between the Momentum 1.0 and 2.0 headphones, keep reading.

 review: 1.0 vs 2.0, what’s the difference? 

The new generation Momentums have some useful introductions, such as a collapsible design for easy transport, but the originals are a still great-sounding pair of headphones – if you can still find them, of course.

There’s now actually three models of Momentum, as Sennheiser introduced the Bluetooth Sennheiser Momentum 2.0 Wireless if you’re averse to cables. These cost significantly more not just for the Bluetooth wireless convenience, but because they also have active noise cancellation – which is ideal if you’re often flying. You should also not get confused by the Sennheiser Momentum On-Ear, which are supra-aural headphones designed to sit on your ears rather than around them (circumaural). Needless to say, there are many headphones forming the Sennheiser Momentum range.

In 2017, the model we’ve reviewed here is now commonly referred to as the Sennheiser Momentum 1.0. The original Momentum is available in a range of colours, including cream, black and pink. The Sennheiser Momentum headphones are beautifully made as well as being incredibly light and comfortable to wear for hours on end. They have an incredibly classy-looking design for those fashion-inclined.

Despite their light weight, they provide excellent sound isolation, which meant that none of the sounds occurring in our busy office interrupted our listening; The Momentums didn’t leak noise and annoy our colleagues or fellow commuters. What’s more, with an impedance of just 18 ohms, the Momentums worked well with MP3 players and mobile phones – but they also come with a 6.3mm TRS adaptor, so they worked very happily with our sound card.

The Momentum comes with two detachable cables, both of which are straight. One’s an ordinary cable terminating in a 3.5mm stereo jack, while the other has a built-in microphone and in-line remote control that you can use with compatible mobile phones and MP3 players.

Both cables have a three-ring 2.5mm connector at the headphone end that locks into place with a twist, and both measure 140cm. This length is great if you want to listen to an MP3 player on the move without getting tangled up in cable, but it’s less comfortable if you want to listen to your PC or hi-fi system at home without having to sit right next to it.

We recommend buying an audio extension lead, as none is provided. The Momentum also comes with a hard shell case for protection in transit, but it’s a little bulky. Using a 2.5mm to 3.5mm cable might also mean finding a replacement cable when out on your travels is a little trickier if it breaks.

The Momentum’s audio quality is singularly beautiful, with a flat, spacious sound that allows recordings to be heard as intended without additional characteristics or colour. These headphones make the most of even the most challenging acoustic and acapella vocal performances, with every detail of breath and tone clearly audible.

The sound is far more detailed than we’d expect from a pair of on-ear headphones and is remarkably broad for closed-driver headphones. There’s no trace of our most common complaints, such as harsh treble. Bass sounds were richly reproduced, and we could easily hear the slap of drum skins and the reverberation of bass strings. 

The Momentum’s precision also means that you can hear the flaws of poor recordings, and you’ll want to avoid ultra-low-bitrate compression for your media, but they’re surprisingly forgiving on the whole. 

All in all, the Sennheiser Momentum headphones remain one of our favourite pairs of circumaural headphones. If these aren’t for you, have a look at our list of the best headphones.