Coming back to Sennheiser’s Momentum line after nearly a decade feels a bit like walking into your childhood home and finding the soundtrack still playing. My first pair were the wired Momentum 2—the ones that introduced me to Sennheiser and taught me what grown‑up headphones could sound like— way back in 2015. So when Sennheiser dropped the MOMENTUM 4 Wireless 80th Anniversary Edition, I was seriously pining to get my hands on them. To go back to goosebumps, back to that signature warmth, and back to a brand that’s earned the right to celebrate. The Anniversary Edition lands as a limited run at around $640 AUD, which immediately frames it as a collector’s piece. Thankfully, both the looks and the sound absolutely earn that badge.
The first thing you notice—before you ever press play—is the aesthetic. This Anniversary Edition is a statement. Where the standard MOMENTUM 4 leans modern‑minimal, the 80th Anniversary styling brings genuine visual drama. Bond Truluv’s graffiti‑inspired artwork gives each earcup its own personality: a vibrant throwie character on the left, dynamic sound waves on the right, capped with that punchy yellow “80” nod to the legendary HD 414.
The two tone headband feels more luxurious, the finishes have a gallery‑piece quality, and it’s the kind of design object you leave out on your desk on purpose. Comfort backs up the looks. Clamp force is gentle but secure, the ear pads are satisfyingly plush, and the headband distributes weight evenly over long sessions. Once the music starts, the weight all but disappears; even with glasses, these remain easy to wear for hours at a time.
Connectivity and controls are properly modern. Bluetooth performance is rock‑solid thanks to Bluetooth 5.2 with multipoint support, letting you stay connected to two devices at once without hiccups. Codec support is broad and thoughtful: SBC and AAC for universal compatibility, plus aptX and aptX Adaptive for higher‑quality streams on supported Android and Windows devices. Standard profiles like A2DP, AVRCP, and HFP are all covered, and voice assistants integrate smoothly without fuss.
For those moments when you want zero compromise—or lower latency for gaming and video—USB‑C audio is supported. In practice, this delivers up to 44.1/48 kHz digital playback through the headphone’s internal DAC, effectively turning the Momentum 4 into a wired digital headset. Controls stay refreshingly straightforward. The touch interface responds reliably, the Smart Control app offers EQ and personalization tools without feeling like homework, and features like auto‑on/off and smart pause make daily use feel frictionless.
Battery life is, quite frankly, absurd—in the best way. Sennheiser rates the Momentum 4 for up to 60 hours, and real‑world use gets impressively close. That translates to charging once or twice a month for most people if you use it a lot. And if you do get caught out, a five‑minute top‑up delivers around three hours of playback, which is perfect for a commute or a last‑minute focus session.
Then you press play, and the Momentum DNA comes rushing back. The 80th Anniversary Edition delivers a rich, punchy sound that feels unmistakably Sennheiser. The low end has real muscle and intent – you feel it as much as you hear it. Bass lines thump with authority, kick drums land with a satisfying thwack, and sub‑bass adds weight without bleeding into the mids. On hip‑hop, it’s head‑bobbing from the first bar, with detail intact and groove front and center.
Switch to John Williams classic movie scores and it doesn’t miss a beat. String quartets breathe naturally, harpsichord attacks shimmer, and woodwinds sit in a believable acoustic space. The 42 mm drivers feel carefully tuned to keep things exciting without tipping into excess. It’s enthusiastic, not reckless. The midrange carries the soul of the sound: vocals feel warm and present, guitars retain bite without turning brittle, and pianos reveal that felt‑on‑hammer texture that wireless headphones so often smooth over.
The highs are lively and extended, yet comfortably shy of sizzle. Imaging is clean, detail retrieval is strong, and the overall balance lands as a modern homage to the original Momentum tuning—emotional, engaging, and refined enough to satisfy your inner audiophile. Just the way I love my headphones.
Noise cancellation is quietly excellent. It’s adaptive and effective, carving out a calm bubble without sucking the life out of your music. Office hum fades away, street noise softens, and train rattle loses its edge, all while preserving the Momentum’s tonal balance. Will it dethrone Sony or Bose for absolute silence? Probably not. But for all but the most demanding frequent flyers, the ANC here is more than good enough—and far more musical.
Transparency mode is equally well‑judged. It’s not a box‑ticking feature; it’s genuinely useful. Switch it on to catch an announcement or answer a colleague without resorting to the awkward one‑earcup shuffle. For days that bounce between calls, commutes, and focused work, these modes feel tuned for real life rather than a lab demo.
Which brings us to the inevitable comparisons with Sony’s WH‑1000XM6 and Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra. Sony remains the software tinkerer’s dream and the ANC benchmark, now bolstered by Bluetooth 5.3, LDAC, and LE Audio support. If your life is dominated by flights, trains, and open offices, Sony’s deeper noise reduction may still win on sheer practicality. Bose, meanwhile, continues to prioritise comfort and maximum silence above all else.
Sennheiser’s pitch is different—and refreshingly so. You get a more natural, less processed sound signature, genuinely excellent comfort, ridiculous battery life, aptX and aptX Adaptive for high‑quality wireless listening, and USB‑C audio that effectively turns the Momentum 4 into a wired digital DAC and amp when you want it. If your priority is how music feels rather than how aggressively the world gets crushed, the Momentum 4 wins the emotional argument.
At $639 AUD, the premium is real, but in this 80th Anniversary Edition, it feels justified. The limited‑run design, the history it celebrates, and the sound it delivers all line up. This is Sennheiser flexing without shouting: rich, punchy, elegant, and effortlessly wearable. Don’t wait another 80 years. Put them on, press play, and let your head bob. I did—and I’m not taking them off anytime soon.
Sennheiser Australia kindly provided the Momentum 4 Anniversary Edition to PowerUp for the purpose of this review
