Have we reached the saturation point yet in the wireless earbuds category? There are hundreds of new models being introduced again in 2024 and even with the projected growth of the segment over the next decade to $40 billion in the wireless category — the available slice of the pie once you account for Apple, Beats, Philips, Sony, Bose, JBL, and Sennheiser is rather small. The high-end side of the equation represents less than 1% of the market — anything over $400 falls into the category.
The one high-end brand that really seems to be building some momentum is Sennheiser; innovation, durability, and good sound quality below $300.
The all-new Sennheiser MOMENTUM True Wireless 4 Earbuds ($299), ACCENTUM Plus Over-ear ANC Headphones ($229), and MOMENTUM Sport Earbuds ($329) will be making their debut at CES 2024 this week and we have some early details on the new lineup.
MOMENTUM True Wireless 4
Surpassing the previous generation MOMENTUM 3, the MOMENTUM True Wireless 4 is Sennheiser’s most capable earbud TWS model to-date. It now features Qualcomm S5 Sound Gen 2 platform and Snapdragon Sound Technology for aptX Lossless sound quality and ultra-low latency.
In addition, it now supports Bluetooth 5.4 with Auracast and LE Audio and has an overhauled antenna design for exceptional signal continuity while on the go along with improved Adaptive ANC, evolved tuning, and an upgraded battery system.
The fourth-gen MOMENTUM buds boast 7.5 hours of continuous audiophile-inspired listening, a Qi charging case, and quick charging over USB-C.
MOMENTUM True Wireless 4 will be available in three colorways; black copper, metallic silver, and graphite—and will be available to pre-order on February 15th for $299.95 at Amazon USD / €299.99 EUR.
ACCENTUM Plus
The new ACCENTUM Plus builds upon the original ACCENTUM we just review. The new Bluetooth 5.2 headphones emphasize outstanding sound quality, battery life and versatile connectivity—supporting all popular codecs including aptX Adaptive for optimum sound no matter where you decide to use their 50 hours of listening time per charge. A touch-enabled earcup—also used in the flagship MOMENTUM series—offers intuitive feature control without needing to search for buttons or dive into menus.
For power users, multipoint connectivity, wind-reduction and adjustable side-tone allows wearers toadapt to the world around them. Adaptive ANC optimizes its noise target to constantly adjust tochanges in the ambient noise environment around the wearer, reducing distractions so that the subtle details in your content shine through.
And for those times when wireless listening is not permitted, an audio cable is included to tap into in-flight entertainment systems or other headphone outputs—the entire package stows away in the included travel case.
ACCENTUM Plus will be available in black and white colorways and be available from February 20th for $229.95 at Amazon USD / €229.99 EU.
MOMENTUM Sport
Pulse-pounding Sennheiser sound is supercharged with real-time biometric feedback in MOMENTUM Sport, a new true wireless earbud optimized for fitness. It integrates both a photoplethysmography (PPG) heart rate sensor and a body temperature sensor that can each output critical data to popular fitness apps and devices. MOMENTUM Sport’s heart rate data connects and integrates seamlessly with many popular sport devices and apps, such as Apple Watch/Health, Garmin Watch/Connect, Strava, Peloton and more.
For the first time ever in a non-Polar product, users will be able to enjoy full access to Polar’s elite biosensing capabilities and data analytics—including Body Temperature—offering real-time insights during training and deeper offline analysis via the Polar Flow app ecosystem.
To minimize footstep noise, breathing, and other body-borne distractions, the earbuds feature an acoustic relief channel and semi-open design for natural environmental awareness. An adjustable Transparency mode, Anti-wind mode, and Adaptive Noise Cancelling mode let the wearer easily adapt as their surroundings change. The all-new acoustic system features a redesigned transducer that handily delivers the best sound quality yet in a Sennheiser sport earbud.
Thanks to IP55 sweat & water resistance, a shock-proof chassis, and clog-resistant ear tips, MOMENTUM Sport are built to withstand the rigors of any workout. The equally tough IP54-rated, Qi-enabled carrying case stores up to three additional earbud recharges, extending the playback time from up to 6 hours to 24 total hours.
A quick charge feature provides up to 45 minutes of playback after just 10 minutes of USB-C charging.
MOMENTUM Sport will be available from April 9th. It will have an MSRP of $329.95 at Sennheiser / €329.99 EUR and come in three colorways; Polar Black, Burned Olive, and Metallic Graphite.
First Look @ CES
