The latest version of Sennheiser's earbuds are being released in what the company says is a celebration of its 75-year history of 'putting sound first'.
The Anniversary Edition of the Momentum True Wireless 2 gives a classic look to the 2020 edition of the earbuds.
How do they compare to the main competitors on the market, in particular the Apple AirPods?
I've been using the Momentum True Wireless 2 for the last few weeks and here are my thoughts.
The good
As is the Sennheiser way, there is a focus on sound quality with these that I really like.
The Momentum True Wireless 2 features 7mm dynamic drivers which deliver a superior sound to any other earbuds I've tried, particularly as they feature active noise-cancelling (ANC).
Of course the ANC isn't as good as that of a decent pair of over-ear headphones, but it certainly helps. I haven't been able to test it on a plane yet but for that sort of constant sound I imagine it'd be great.
You can also turn the ANC off and activate 'transparent hearing' mode easily, too.
Using the associated app to control the equaliser is a good idea to help make the bass punch a bit harder, which I found necessary for some types of music like Tool.
Overall, the sound quality is fantastic and will likely surprise people who think earbuds can't deliver beautiful sound. It's really great being able to appreciate the sharp, lush details in music from such tiny devices.
The mics on the earbuds worked well when I was using them for phone conversations, with people saying I sounded crisp and clear through them and without much background noise.
The Anniversary Edition comes in a lovely all-black design with the original logo on both the earbuds and case - for long-time fans of Sennheiser this is clearly a superior option to the other designs.
It looks great, but the charging case is also soft to the touch with woven fabric as its material. This feels nicer in your pocket than other hard plastic cases.
That case gives up to an extra 28 hours of battery life to the earbuds, which offer a generous seven before even needing the case. It has a USB-C charging port on the back and a little button that you can press to get an idea of how much battery the case left with a LED light.
The Momentum True Wireless 2 works well with voice assistant software and has customisable touch controls on the side of each earbud that are also great - mostly.
The bad
While the touch controls are very handy most of the time, it can be quite easy to accidentally push them if you're adjusting the earbuds' position.
They're also not great for when you're exercising - timing two or three dainty taps on your earbud while running is quite tricky. This can be helped by the ability to reprogramme the tap functions so what you're using most often are set to the simple one-tap options.
Speaking of exercising, I always find using earbuds a little anxiety-inducing while on the move as they seem like they'll fall out so easily. A friend of mine lost a set earlier this year after stopping abruptly at a roadside and having one fall out before it was immediately crushed by an oncoming car.
I think about that every time I wear these!
While they fit my inner ear nice and snug, I imagine people with smaller ears or certain ear shapes could find them uncomfortable.
This level of quality of course comes with a high price tag - the Momentum True Wireless 2 will set you back more than $500 in New Zealand.
The verdict
Sennheiser's Momentum True Wireless 2 are a great earbuds option, especially for people who care about sound quality more than anything else.
Despite a few slightly annoying factors this is a high-quality product that seems about as good as earbuds can be right now.
I haven't tried the latest Sony or Bose earbuds yet which seem like they'd be contenders, but compared to my standard Apple AirPods, the Momentum True Wireless 2 is the clear winner - they sound better, look cooler and have a longer battery life.
Sennheiser supplied Newshub a set of earbuds for the review.
