Sennheiser Momentum 3 Review: Classy build with a classy sound

While many of the noise-cancelling, wireless headphone makers have targeted the chic and trendy crowd, Sennheiser seem to have something else in mind. The Germany veteran headphone maker, with their latest offering of the Momentum 3, is aiming for sophistication. Both aesthetics and sound shine, making this a good fit for what can be best described as the 'mature' market segment.

Stainless steel and Sheep skin

The overall visual design of the Momentum 3 much follows its predecessors, the Momentum 1 and 2. It has a headband arch, with the top covered with supple full-grain leather, capped off with 'pearl blasted' stainless steel bands leading to the ear cups.

The ear cups have an understated matte black finish, but what stands out are the cushions. At first look, the pronounced stitch lines on the surface immediately say these are not the common plastic faux leather covering. I quickly discovered that these are genuine sheep leather, which explains why it was this soft and smooth.

The combination is makes for a look that would seem at home on someone in full business suit, on their way to the next meeting.

Seamless connectivity

At the first unfold of the Momentum 3, immediately I was greeted by a lit up green LED and a voice telling me that the headphones have turned on. The feeling of turning the headphones on through a physical folding and unfolding of the stainless steel hinges reminisced the feeling of old folding phones like the Motorola Razr, and is a sleek way to initiate a connection with your device.

The Momentum 3 has the ability to pair up with multiple devices simultaneously, and has a clever implementation for doing so. For example, if you were playing music on your PC, and a phone call came in, the headphone will pause the music, and switch to the phone ringtone and connect the call. The microphone quality while taking calls was also low in latency and clear to the other caller, making these headphones great for office situations where phone calls need to be made often.

No more ambient humming

I didn't realize how much ambient humming there was in my office until I activated the Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) circuit on the Momentum 3. The ANC implementation does not cut out all sounds, but is extremely effective in blocking out any sort of hum in your environment. The quiet that it produced was so effective that the first time I experienced it; there was a split second of disorientation.

The classy look matched with a classy sound

The Momentum 3 sounded unlike many of the headphones that I've tested, in that it is a closed-back design, yet it had a very spacious sound stage - especially for the low end bass. I would describe it as a 'surround bass sound' where it sounds more like a large Taiko drum in a large room rather than a punchy bass drum on center stage. All other sound frequencies in fact seem to also take a step back, and you end up with a three-dimensional 'spatial sound'.

What I came to realize after trying a range of genres is that this kind of sound reproduction did not suit all music. It was when I came to acoustic sounds, the Momentum 3 really, really shined. The range of nuance that it reproduced was especially eye-opening on things like the vibration of guitar strings, the pizzicato on the double-bass, the subtle breathy texture on the singer's vocals, and one of my favorites: finger snapping. With each of these sounds, the Momentum 3 could articulate a realistic, organic sound like nothing else that I've tried at this price point.

A word of advice to those who do take the leap: do not mess with the equalization in any dramatic way. Though I am normally a 'tweaker' when it comes to equalization, I found that because of the spatial spread of its sounds, your normal curves won't produce the same desired effect as other cans, and can easily produce a messy result.

Who is the Momentum 3 for?

The Momentum 3 is not for everybody; it was made and tuned specifically for a targeted crowd. For those who need a pair of headphones that doesn't look out of place at work or on the go with formal attire, the metal and leather look will put no one to shame. To take full advantage of the sound reproduction of these cans, the Momentum 3 is a solid choice for those whose appreciates details and nuance in your blues, folk music, jazz, and classical tunes.

Sam is a production engineer turned tech writer who specializes in seeking out gadgets that enhances productivity while still looking sharp. This is a contribution to an ongoing IBTimes review series on gadgets for Business Travelers.