Headphone heavyweights Sennheiser have unveiled their next generation Momentum 4 Wireless set, hoping it will take on the likes of Sony and Bose for audiophiles in Aotearoa.
The retro look of the past has gone, but the more generic design is backed by stronger Adaptive Noise Cancellation (ANC) and up to 60 hours of battery life - currently beyond what its competitors offer.
"Our Momentum range has always set the standard for sophisticated listening with superior sound," said Christian Ern, Sennheiser's principal product manager consumer headphones.
"The new Momentum 4 Wireless once again raises the bar. Thanks to features including Transparency Mode, Built-in EQ and a new Sound Personalisation feature, users can listen in their own customised way."
Also gone are the majoriry of the on-headphone buttons, which have been replaced with swipe and tap gestures. The only button remaining is for power and pairing, with the Sennheiser Smart Control app giving access to equaliser functions, sound personalisation and more.
The audio quality is largely unchanged from the previous generation, with an acoustic system powered by a 42mm transducer.
Early reports suggest the default sound is slightly less bass-heavy than the Momentum 3 Wireless, but the audio quality is still excellent.
With the new generic design comes a much more comfortable fit, according to those early reviews.
The leather cups have been ditched for replaceable polyurethane and combined with the headband, make them easier to wear for longer periods, according to The Verge.
Sennhesier said the new design meant there was little clamping force to speak of, so the headphones should remain comfortable on long flights or when used all day at the office.
As with previous versions, they fold flat for storage in the supplied slim case.
One of the keys to success of the new headphones could be the battery life, with a promised 60 hours from being fully-juiced.
Sony's WH-1000XM5 headphones, widely considered one of the best on the market, currently offer around 30 hours of playback from a single charge.
The new Momentum 4s also offer a fast-charging capability that will give listeners six hours of playback with just 10 minutes of charging.
Smart Pause halts playback when the headphones are taken off and resumes when placed back while Auto On/Off rapidly powers up the headset when it's picked up and shuts down to save energy when not in use.
While this sounds like a significant battery saver, The Verge reported this could lead to the headphones accidentally switching on.
The Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless are available for pre-order in Aotearoa now, and will go on sale on August 23 at $599.95, the same as the aforementioned sony WH-1000XM5.
