👉🏻 Subscribe to main channel for all videos.

So is the Momentum True Wireless 5 a big improvement over the MTW4? There are several improvements but for me, the biggest one is definitely its user replaceable batteries, and the batteries of both the earbuds and the case can be replaced which makes it better for product lifespan.

The MTW5 also has an 8-band equalizer which makes its sound more customizable than the MTW4, and it has head tracking as well which can be activated in immersive mode which I find quite nice for watching movies. The fit is a little different. Although both are earplug style, the MTW5 doesn’t go as far into the ear canal as the MTW4 so it’s a little more comfortable.

Stability wise, the MTW4 feels more locked in because of the stability fins. As for portability, the MTW5 is definitely easier to pocket since it’s a flatter form factor.

That being said, in at least one particular area, the new ones aren’t actually an upgrade and we’re going to talk about that, as well as compare their performance. So buckle up!

Active Noise Cancelling

The one area which isn’t actually an upgrade is their active noise canceling performance. In most situations, the MTW5 is at least similar to the previous model, but in very noisy conditions like at the cafe or the mall, it doesn’t do as well against the noise of human chatter and other background sounds in the same frequency range. Frequency sweeps show that it does cancel more noise in the upper mid to treble frequencies, but in that particular range between 400 to 1.5khz which covers much of the range of human voices, it’s weaker.

👉🏻 Listen to the ANC quality samples

Microphone Quality

In terms of microphone pickup, the MTW5 is a an improvement over the MTW4. The MTW4 had quite a problem with background noise reduction. Yes, more of my voice did get through and I didn’t sound muffled to whoever’s on the line, but they could also hear a lot of distracting background noise and wind noise.

The MTW5 fixed that issue with aggressive noise gating, so in most situations my voice is the only thing getting through. On the flipside, they’re also a bit too aggressive with the voice filtering such that in noisy conditions, parts of my voice is getting chopped out. Nonetheless, the improvement is big enough that I’m giving it a rank B in my mic quality rankings versus the C rank I gave to the MTW4.

👉🏻 Listen to the mic quality samples

Transparency Mode

As for their transparency mode, I have to say, they are comparable in terms of passing through ambient sounds, but with two differences. First, the MTW5 passes through voices better, so your own voice doesn’t sound muffled when you’re speaking, so face to face conversations feel more natural.

And second, it supports Anti-Wind while in transparency, so if there’s wind blowing, it can cancel the flapping sounds of wind, while the MTW4 only does Anti-Wind with noise canceling.

Sound Quality

In terms of sound quality, assuming that they’re on their default settings, they do measure quite similarly below 1.5khz. Above that, the MTW4 has a big dip and rise while the MTW5 has a flatter emphasis in the upper mids. This kind of gives you a hint of how different they sound, and oh boy, they do sound different.

The MTW5 overall has a crisper, clearer presentation with cleaner track separation whereas at the same volume level the MTW4 definitely has more emphasis on the lower midrange so vocals sound fuller and bass has a bit more thump which is more enjoyable in a fun and intimate way. The MTW5 has bass that’s tight, punchy and textured as well, but sounding a bit flatter and balanced, the focus being more on accuracy.

The MTW4 also sounds more sculpted which emphasizes vocal and instrumental separation from the treble region, which takes away some body from bright sounding instruments like hi-hats making those instruments sound a bit more glassy compared to the MTW5. In terms of sound staging, the MTW5 sounds calmer, more laid back whereas the MTW4 sounds more compact and intimate.

👉🏻 Listen to the sound quality samples

Conclusion

Personally, I enjoy the MTW5 more because it’s a more relaxed, cleaner signature out of the box, and if I do want to adjust its sound, it’s easier to do that with the 8 band graphic EQ. That being said, the EQ does have its limitations. If you push any of the bands beyond a certain point, the DSP kicks down the gain. So if you don’t want that, the changes have to be somewhat minor. Nonetheless, I did manage to improve its sound quite a bit from stock, Aaron X EQ here if you’re interested.

So those are the main differences between the MTW5 and its predecessor. For those of you who have the MTW4, do you think this is worth upgrading to, and if not, why? Let us know in the comments.

Check latest price:

Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 5 - https://amzn.to/4xwdtmI
Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 - https://amzn.to/4xUGOHM

(Affiliate Links Disclosure)

When you make a purchase through the Affiliate Links on this site, the site earns a small commission at no cost to you. Thank you for your support!