Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 5 review: Exceptional audio quality, innovative user-replaceable batteries make it a game changer

Sennheiser recently unveiled its MOMENTUM series of audio products in India with the Momentum True Wireless 5 and the Momentum 5 wireless headphones. The True Wireless 5 are available at a price of ₹29,990—making them one of the more expensive options in the TWS space. I have been using these for a while now, with different devices, and this is how my experience has been:

The case has no fabric material and follows a vertical approach rather than being flatter in shape. The case supports the Qi2 standard for wireless charging, but one thing I didn't really like about it is how the buds don't always fit on the first try with their slippery finish and the case's magnets in place, often taking two to three tries. 

The case has the shiny Sennheiser logo at the top and the USB Type-C port right at the bottom, next to one corner.

The buds are bean-shaped with no stems, as expected. In terms of comfort, the buds come with extra pairs of tips of different sizes, and I changed them to the size one step larger than what's shipped by default. With those changes, I found the buds stayed in-ear quite reliably, with little adjustment required every now and then.

You can try Sennheiser's SmartControlPlus app to update the firmware, change controls, try different EQs, and enable 24-bit lossless playback. It supports the aptX audio codec along with Bluetooth 6.0. 

In terms of audio quality, I found the Momentum True Wireless 5 to be true to sound rather than emphasising the oomph part. What I mean is, it gives rich sound and keeps background instruments lively while not overdoing the bass. Treble could be a little better across genres, though it's still fine. Active noise cancellation on these is generally good, such that noise gets cut off enough to not be a hindrance for work or playing music while you're trying to focus on something else.

For battery, there's something more than usual here. The number one complaint for TWSs, a year or two down the line, is that their batteries simply go kaput—meaning they become useless more often than not. Sennheiser has added user-replaceable batteries for both the buds and the charging case. I tried the procedure for the case and found it quite straightforward, provided you're not in any hurry. 

This may not mean a lot for a pair of shiny, new earbuds, but, say, two years down the line, it may mean not having to replace your high-end earbuds entirely. For battery life itself, the buds last around 38–40 hours with the case included.

In brief, the MOMENTUM True Wireless 5 has some things well laid out while some things do come across somewhat off. Its controls (which can be disabled) are not always reliable, while the slippery finish doesn't help in tucking them into the case on the first try. 

On the other hand, it has a user-focused replaceable battery option, and in terms of audio quality, it offers rich, true sound rather than being bass- and treble-heavy. If those things matter more to you, these might be worth a look.