Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3, hands on: Comfortable and great-sounding earbuds

Sennheiser's Momentum True Wireless 3 earbuds succed the Momentum True Wireless 2, which I reviewed two years ago. I really liked that earlier model, and two years is a long time in headset evolution. At $249.95, or £219.99 in the UK, the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 is considerably more affordable than its predecessor, which launched at $299.95/£279.99. Hopefully the price cut does not indicate that build or audio quality are reduced in any way. 

Whatever the audio quality, earbuds need to be comfortable to wear. I found the earlier model a bit large and uncomfortable in my ears. I can't have been the only one, as this time around the buds are a fair bit smaller and a little lighter – 5.8g here versus 6g for the previous model. They still feel a little bit chunky in my ears, but less so, and I wasn't troubled by the discomfort I felt after an hour or so of wear this time around. Four pairs of tips are provided, along with three pairs of rubber rings that help the buds sit comfortably in the ear. That's a lot of personalisation options to tweak, but the end result was, for me, a comfortable and snug fit. The packaging also contains a short USB-C charging cable. 

The bud design has changed too, and we now have a squared-off finish and subtler branding, which some might appreciate. Touch controls on the buds are plentiful, with each bud providing one-tap, two-tap, three-tap and long-press options. It's a fair bit to remember, but the full gamut provides music playback, call management, volume control, noise cancellation, transparency and using a voice assistant. The Sennheiser app allows you to customise these controls. 

The app also has a nifty trick for those willing to register a free account: you can create up to 20 “sound zones”, which will automatically switch to a pre-set equaliser setting when specified areas are entered. You might want different equaliser settings for the office, home, or other locations, for example.  

The case retains the fabric covered design of its predecessor. This makes a nice change from shiny or matte plastic, and my graphite case and buds looked smart. There are also black and white options. I was concerned when I reviewed the Momentum True Wireless 2 that the fabric might get dirty or stained in use: I am exceptionally careful with my kit, and two years on the case is unmarked. Similarly careful users may be able to keep the version 3 case in pristine condition too. 

The case is considerably smaller than before. Where the earbuds have IPX4 splash resistance, the case does not. It provides 850-950mAh of charge as opposed to 600mAh last time. The buds, although smaller, also carry more power at 77mAh compared to 55-60mAh. Yet the operating time remains the same: 7 hours for the buds and a full 28 hours if the case's capacity is fully utilised. Charging is fast, with 10 minutes of charge providing 1 hour of music, while a full case charge needs just 1.5 hours. Wireless charging is supported this time round, too. 

I found audio quality to be superb. There is plenty of distinctiveness across the sound spectrum, and the provided equaliser presets are a useful starting point for further personalisation. Bass boost pushed bass a little far for me, but I enjoyed the podcast preset which, as the app suggests, did improve speech clarity. For those with devices supporting the aptX adaptive audio Bluetooth codec, sound quality will be further improved. 

I also found the adaptive noise cancelling to be very efficient across a range of situations, from walking outside to sitting working with a radio in the background. I could still faintly hear myself typing while working with the buds and playing music, but I would rather that than full suppression of external noise. However, if you want granular control of the degree of noise cancelling, you won't find it here. 

The Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 earbuds deliver excellent sound quality, lots of personalisation options via the companion app, and plenty of battery life. They are more comfortable to wear than the previous model, while the case is stylish and charges quickly. The fact that the price is considerably less than the previous model makes this an even more attractive proposition. 

Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 specifications

Alternatives to consider

There's an increasing choice of wireless noise-cancelling earbuds, and personal preference will inevitably figure highly when buying decisions are being made — around fit and comfort, audio quality, effectiveness of and control over ANC, battery life and more. Here are three excellent choices.

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