Sony WH-1000XM6 vs. Sennheiser Momentum 5: I've tested both pairs for months, and this one wins

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Sennheiser and Sony both make excellent headphones with great sound, impressive battery performance, and functional, minimalist silhouettes. If you're between Sony's WH-1000XM6 and Sennheiser's Momentum 5, you should know that despite their similarities, they appeal to different kinds of users.

Also: I traveled 2,700 miles with Sony, Apple, and Sennheiser headphones - this pair sounded the best

Sennheiser's headphones appeal most to audio purists who still want the convenience and flexibility of wireless headphones, while Sony's appeal to people who want the smartest, most feature-rich headphones around. Let's go into further detail about which one is best for you.

Specifications

You should buy the Sennheiser Momentum 5 if...

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1. You want USB-C audio and AptX codecs

The Sennheiser Momentum 5 features a USB-C audio port and a 3.5mm headphone jack for wired listening. With both of these wired inputs, you can connect the Momentum 5 to smartphones, laptops, and tablets with a USB-C port for up to 24-bit/96 kHz listening. 

Sennheiser's decision to maintain the Momentum 5's 3.5mm jack means you can connect the headphones to analog sources, such as turntables, workout equipment, CD players, and airplane infotainment systems, without needing a dongle. 

Review: Sennheiser Momentum 5

The Momentum 5 also supports the AptX Adaptive and AptX Lossless codecs, which are found in several turntables and CD players, signaling Sennheiser's commitment to those who enjoy critical listening.

Conversely, the Sony WH-1000XM6 does not support USB-C audio; it only supports wired audio via a 3.5mm jack. Additionally, instead of AptX codecs, Sony opts for its high-quality LDAC Bluetooth codec.

2. You want marathon battery life

Sennheiser's flagship headphones have always been hailed for their battery endurance, offering upwards of 60 hours of playtime on a single charge. The Momentum 5 promises 57 hours of playtime with ANC on, significantly more than direct competitors can offer.

Sennheiser's flagship headphones have always had significantly longer battery endurance than their competitors, and the Momentum 5 is no different. In comparison, Sony's WH-1000XM6 promises 30 hours of playtime with ANC on, or 27 hours less than Sennheiser's Momentum 5.

3. You want Dolby Atmos

Sennheiser sought out official Dolby Atmos licensing for its Momentum 5 headphones, promising a faithful playback of spatial audio content in the most popular spatial audio format for music and TV streaming.

With this licensing, Sennheiser's Momentum 5 is optimized for an immersive audio experience when playing Dolby Atmos content, such as listening to Apple Music with Dolby Atmos or watching an Atmos-encoded movie on Disney Plus. Ideally, users should have a more immersive, realistic listening experience with Dolby-approved hardware than with headphones without official licensing.

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Technically, any headphones can play Dolby Atmos-encoded music, TV shows, or movies, as long as the source device (such as a smartphone or laptop) supports the audio format. Instead of optimizing its hardware for Dolby Atmos, Sony chooses to fit its WH-1000XM6 with a proprietary spatial audio upmixing software, Sony 360 Reality Audio Upmix.

If you like wearing headphones to listen to music, TV shows, and movies in Dolby Atmos and want the best possible listening experience, choose the Momentum 5.

You should buy the Sony WH-1000XM6 if...

Jada Jones/ZDNET

1. You want more advanced software features

The Sony WH-1000XM6 is packed with software features that the Momentum 5 lacks, including Head Gestures, Windows Swift Pair, Scene-Based Listening, music streaming shortcuts, built-in Google Gemini access, and Auracast.

Review: Sony WH-1000XM6

As a result, Sony's headphones are a great option for people who want a rich feature set, functioning as more than just a vessel for playing music. If you want headphones that deliver hands-free intelligent features with nearly every source device, go with the WH-1000XM6.

Though the Sennheiser Momentum 5 offers more advanced features than the Momentum 4, upgrades are primarily in audio performance. Sennheiser upgraded the Momentum 5's noise-canceling performance, added support for spatial audio, and enhanced its equalizer for more detailed customization. 

2. You want superior noise cancellation

Sony's noise-canceling algorithm is very intuitive, making it one of the strongest on the market. The WH-1000XM6 is better than the Momentum 5 at masking mid-to-low frequencies, and Sony's adaptive noise cancellation algorithm works more swiftly at dampening sudden noises.

The WH-1000XM6's advanced noise reduction algorithm makes them a great option for everyday use, especially for people who use public transportation in their daily commute, work in a noisy office, or frequently travel by airplane.

Also: Sony's most premium ANC headphones yet made luxury audio click for me

On the other hand, Sennheiser beefed up the Momentum 5's noise-canceling capabilities, adding four additional noise-reduction microphones compared to the Momentum 4. Despite the Momentum 5's enhanced noise-canceling performance, Sennheiser doesn't compare to Sony's ANC prowess. If having the strongest and most intuitive noise cancellation is important to you, choose the WH-1000XM6.

Writer's choice

I prefer the Sennheiser Momentum 5 due to its hardware-level Dolby Atmos support and long battery life. From an objective standpoint, the WH-1000XM6 delivers superior noise cancellation and extensive advanced software features, making them a more refined pair of headphones for tech enthusiasts. The Momentum 5 features nearly 60 hours of playtime and is optimized for Dolby Atmos spatial audio content.

Subjectively, I found the Momentum 5 to be more comfortable to wear for hours and to have a more balanced, neutral sound, while the WH-1000XM6 has a tighter clamping force, slightly sharper highs, and a more pronounced bass response.