In case you were unfamiliar before you clicked this story, the Sennheiser Momentum TW 3 ($250) are the company’s new flagship wireless earbuds. Unlike the 2018–released Momentum TW and 2020’s Momentum TW 2, which looked identical (but the latter added active noise-cancellation), the Momentum TW 3 are a big shift forward. They have a revamped, smaller design that makes them more comfortable, as well as some new features, like a case that allows wireless charging.
Sennheiser has long made some of the best-sounding wireless earbuds — but they’ve also been some of the priciest. However, while the Momentum TW 3 are still pretty expensive, their $250 price tag is actually $50 cheaper than their predecessor. This means that the Sennheiser’s high-end wireless earbuds are better — and more attainable — than before.
What’s Good About the Sennheiser Momentum TW 3?
Supreme sound
The Sennheiser Momentum TW 3 are a joy to listen to — it’s as simple as that. They deliver a full sound with clear mids and highs, and a refreshingly wide soundstage; if you like the sound of a live concert, these will remind you of that. The bass does have a punch to it as well, albeit not overpowering.
Also, they work with a companion app called Sennheiser Smart Control that has a built-in equalizer. Using it, you can tweak the various sliders for bass, mids or treble and adjust the EQ as you see fit.
The only semi-downside is that the Sennheiser Momentum TW 3 don’t support things like Apple’s Spatial Audio, which allows AirPods Pro to adjust the audio based on your head location. Nor do they support Sony’s codec, LDAC, which supports high-res streaming over Bluetooth (but you need an Android smartphone for this). Still, I’d put them in the same general category for sound quality as the Sony WF-1000XM4 ($278) and even better than Apple’s AirPods Pro ($249).
A new fit
I’ve said it over and over again, but the most important thing when it comes to wireless earbuds is fit: if they don’t fit in your ears, it doesn’t matter how good they sound or how cool they look. Admittedly, the round traditional-earbud shape of Sennheiser’s past wireless earbuds (as well as others like Amazon’s Echo Buds and B&O’s Beoplay E8s) haven’t been my favorite, as they fit my ears great.
Thankfully, Sennheiser has made quite the improvements with the Momentum TW 3. The new wireless earbuds are slightly smaller, and are more squared-off than their predecessors. Most importantly, Sennheiser has included multiple-sized options for both silicone eartips and earwings — the latter of which is a feature many workout-focused wireless earbuds have (like the Beats Fit Pro) to help add another layer of “grip.” And it works. The Momentum TW 3s fit snug and really stay in place, thanks to the extra twist and grip of the earwings.
Wireless charging
The Momentum TW 3 are the company’s first wireless earbuds that support wireless charging. You can place them on any Qi-supported wireless charger and boom, they’ll start charging. Sennheiser is admittedly late to the game to this as most flagship wireless earbuds (like AirPods Pro, Sony WF-1000XM4 and Bose QuietComfort Earbuds) have supported wireless charging for years. It’s a nice and convenient feature, but not a game changer. A USB-C connection is still the fastest way to charge.
What’s Not Ideal About the Sennheiser Momentum TW 3?
The tight fit won’t be for everybody
The Momentum TW 3 fit in my ears very well, but there’s no getting around the fact that they fit snug. The earbuds are rather large (despite still being smaller than their predecessors) and rest pretty deep in the ear. This means that they do a naturally good job at blocking out ambient sounds, but can feel tight and give that sensation of being underwater.
A lot of other wireless earbuds that rest deep in your ears do this — for me, it’s the Master & Dynamic MW08, Amazon Echo Buds 2 and even the Sony’s WF-1000XM4. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it’s something that some people won’t like.
Features galore (and controls that take some getting used to)
The Momentum TW 3 are some of the most feature-packed wireless earbuds that you’ll find. Through their companion app, you can adjust EQ settings, set up “sound zones” (which automatically adjust the sound of your earbuds based on your location) and customize touch controls.
This, admittedly, might be a little overwhelming for people who just want some straightforward earbuds. And since there are no buttons on the earbuds, it’s all touch-and-tap controls. I, for one, needed to change the controls for switching to noise-canceling modes — which was a triple-tap on the left earbud by default, because I’m just not the biggest fan of tapping my earbuds over and over again. A single tap is much more my speed.
The Sennheiser Momentum TW 3: The Verdict
The Momentum TW 3 are some of the best sounding wireless earbuds that I’ve tested — and, to be honest, there’s not a lot to complain about. The sound quality and noise-cancellation are both top notch. They look cool and offer a number of fit options (in the form of eartips and earwings), too, meaning there’s a really good chance they’ll work for you.
It’s true that they lack the iPhone-specific features of AirPods (but so do all non-Apple-made wireless earbuds) and maybe their noise-cancellation isn’t quite on par with Bose’s or Sony’s options. However, the Momentum TW 3 have a signature look and cool factor that other high-end wireless earbuds lack. Plus, even at $250, they’re actually more affordable than a lot of their competitors.
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