Our Verdict
The Sennheiser Momentum In-Ear are decent mixed usage headphones. They do well in loud environments for passive headphones, they're easy to carry around on your person and come with a great case. They also feel durable enough to last a relatively long time. Unfortunately, their poorly balanced, bass-heavy sound might be a deal breaker for some.
- Minimal leakage.
- Decent passive isolation.
- Portable design with a great case.
- Overly bass-heavy audio reproduction.
- In-ear design not always comfortable.
Subpar for neutral listening. The small and closed-back in-ear design means they won't have the most spacious soundstage. That combined with their poorly balanced sound that favors a deep bass over instruments and vocals makes them ill-suited for pure neutral listening.
Decent for commuting. They're lightweight, ultra portable headphones that passively block a lot of noise. They won't be the best in very loud environments but they can handle the level of noise of a busy commute.
Above-average for sports use. Although they're not as stable as some of the other in-ears, they're compact lightweight and decently comfortable. However, they do not have the best control scheme, and since they're wired, they might get yanked out of your ears relatively easily if the cable gets hooked by something.
Above-average for office use. They prevent a fair bit of noise from entering your audio. They also barely leak so they won't distract your colleagues in quieter environments.
Average for gaming. The Sennheiser Momentum In-Ear have a wired connection, so they have negligible latency which is suitable for gaming. They also have a decent microphone that's compatible with consoles and PCs. Unfortunately, they sound overly bass-heavy and lack a good app to customize their sound profile like most gaming headsets. Their in-ear fit also won't be as comfortable for all listeners, especially during long gaming sessions.
Changelog
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
- Updated Feb 16, 2018: Converted to Test Bench 1.2.
- Updated Oct 02, 2017: The microphone has been tested with our new methodology, as explained here
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Popular Headphones Comparisons
The Sennheiser HD1 In-Ear do not have the best sound quality for critical listening. But on the upside, they block enough noise to be a suitable option for commuting and they will easily fit into your pockets so you can have them on you at all times. They're also sufficiently stable for sports and working out although they won't be as good as some of the competing in-ear models below. See our recommendations for the best earbuds for bass, the best earbuds and in-ears and the best budget earbuds.
The 1More Triple Driver are slightly better than the Sennheiser HD1 In-Ear / Momentum In-Ear headphones. The 1More have a more durable build quality and come with more tip sizes, so they will fit better and more comfortably than the Sennheiser. The 1Mores also have a better sound and a universal in-line remote that will work with most devices, unlike the Sennheiser specific audio cable. However, the Sennheiser do have slightly better isolation and a unique look that some may prefer over the 1More.
The Sennheiser HD1 In-Ear/Momentum In-Ear are slightly better and more versatile headphones than the Shure SE215. The Shure have a better sound quality overall, and they're more comfortable thanks to the angled earbuds. They also have a much more durable build quality than the Momentum. However, the Sennheiser have an in-line remote, which provides control for iOS devices and has a microphone for taking calls, making them more versatile for everyday casual use. They also come with a better case than the Shure and have a slightly more compact design.
The Bose SoundTrue Ultra In-Ear are better, wired headphones than the Sennheiser Momentum In-Ear. The Bose have a more comfortable earbud design that most will prefer over the fit of the Sennheiser. The Bose also have a better-balanced sound and a more stable design for sports. On the other hand, the Sennheiser In-Ear have a bit more isolation in loud, noisy environments, although not by much. They also have an easier to use in-line remote than the Bose.
The Jaybird X3 are a better option than the Sennheiser Momentum In-Ear if you want to go wireless. The X3 have better build quality, a more balanced sound that you can EQ thanks to their companion app, and they have a better range since they are wireless. However, the Momentum do better for watching movies since their wired design has no latency. They also have no battery life since they are completely passive, so they will always work as long as you have a headphone jack.
The Sennheiser Momentum In-Ear are a slightly better and more versatile option than the KZ ZS-10 with no mic. The KZ have a better sound quality, they're more comfortable, and they're a lot more durable, thanks to the good build quality and replaceable cable. The Momentum, however, have an in-line remote, which provides control for iOS devices and has a microphone for taking calls, making them more versatile for everyday casual use. They also come with a case and have a slightly more compact design than the KZ ZS-10. On the upside, if you get the mic variant of the KZ, they would be the better headset overall.
The Sennheiser IE 40 PRO are slightly better critical listening in-ears than the Sennheiser Momentum In-Ear. They are better-built than the Momentum and have slightly better audio reproduction. On the other hand, the Momentum might be more versatile for casual listening thanks to the in-line remote, and their fit blocks more ambient noise, which will be better for commuting and traveling. They also have an in-line microphone for calls that the IE 40 PRO doesn’t have.
We've upgraded our Headphones Test Bench to 2.0! This update brings several key changes to our tests and usages, making it easier than ever to interpret our sound results based on your personal preferences. You'll also find a brand-new interactive graph tool featuring multiple targets (including our own!) for you to explore and compare.
For a full breakdown, check out our changelog, which includes detailed commentary from our test designer explaining the rationale behind our update.
We'd also love to hear your thoughts: your feedback helps us keep improving, so join us in the comments!
Test Results
The Sennheiser Momentum In-Ear have a stylish red and black color scheme but do not really stand out design-wise, compared to other in-ear headphones. They have relatively small earbuds that do not protrude outwards when in your ears. And the rubberized cables are slightly flat, which gives them a more well-crafted and somewhat premium appeal. However, they still look a bit bland.
The Sennheiser HD1 In-Ear have the typical in-ear fit, which may not be comfortable for everyone. They come with several tip sizes but no foam or special tips to help with a better fit. On the upside, the tip material is quite flexible, and if you're used to in-ear models, these headphones shouldn't feel too different.
The buttons on the in-line remote provide good tactile feedback and are fairly easy to use. They offer call/music, track skipping, and volume control but they're a bit small. However, they're sufficiently well spaced out and shouldn't be too difficult to use in most situations.
The Sennheiser HD1 In-Ear, like most in-ear/earbud designs, are very breathable headphones. They trap a bit of heat within your ear canal but won't make you sweat more than usual since they do not cover your outer ear. It's a negligible temperature difference even during more intense exercises, which makes them a decent option for sports.
Like most in-ear models, these headphones are highly portable. They will easily fit into bags and thanks to the added cable winder, they're easy to manage and safely store in your pockets. If you're often out and about and need to carry your headphones on your person, the Momentum In-Ear shouldn't be much of a hassle, and they also come with an excellent case.
These headphones come with a sturdy, fabric covered hard case that's reinforced by the plastic cable winder. This also helps to neatly store the headphones within the case, which will easily protect the headphones from physical and minor water damage as well as regular wear and tear.
The Sennheiser HD1 In-Ear feel moderately durable. The cables are decently thick and rubberized, and they're slightly flat to prevent them from getting tangled easily. The in-line control module is also well put together and feels relatively dense. However, where the audio cables connect to the ear buds isn't strengthened by any additional rubber to prevent regular wear and tear. They also do not detach from the ear buds like some of the more expensive in-ear models. This means if they're accidentally damaged the cables will not be replaceable. For better built headphones, take a look at the Sennheiser IE 40 Pro or the Shure SE215.
These headphones are quite stable. The in-ear fit buries the ear buds relatively deep within the ear canal. The tips are also very flexible, so they fill and conform to the shape of your ear canal pretty well so that they're not easily dislodged during casual listening sessions. They're sufficiently stable to jog with, but the lack of stability tips means a sharp tug on the audio cable will quickly pull the ear buds out of your ears. They're decent for sports but might not be the best under strenuous exercise conditions.
The frequency response consistency of the Sennheiser HD1 In-Ear is excellent. Assuming the user is able to achieve a proper fit and an air-tight seal using the assortment of tips that come with the headphones, they should be able to get consistent bass and treble delivery every time they use the headphones.
The Sennheiser Momentum In-Ear have a very good bass. LFE (low-frequency extension) is at 10Hz, which is excellent. Low-bass, responsible for the thump and rumble common to bass-heavy music at within 1dB of our neutral target, meaning they produce just the right amount of sub-bass. However, mid-bass, responsible for the body of bass guitars and the punch of kick drums is hyped by 2.5dB. Also, high-bass, responsible for warmth is overemphasized by more than 5dB, which makes the overall sound of these headphones rather boomy and muddy.
The mid-range performance is very good. The bump in low-mid is actually the continuation of the high-bass overemphasis. This makes the vocals and lead instruments slightly thick, and makes the overall mix a bit cluttered. The underemphasis in mid-mid and high-mid means the mid-range of the HD1 In-Ear sounds a bit recessed, that is, the vocals and lead instruments are nudged towards the back of the mix.
The treble range performance is mediocre. The broad 5dB dip in low-treble negatively affects the detail and presence of vocals and lead instruments. On the other hand, the peaks at 7KHz and 10KHz make the vocals and cymbals a bit sibilant. That is, sharp and piercing on S and T sounds.
The imaging performance of the HD1 In-Ear is excellent. Their weighted group delay is 0.11, which is very low. The GD graph also shows that the group delay never crosses the audibility threshold. This ensures a tight bass and a transparent treble reproduction. Additionally, the L/R drivers of our test unit were exceptionally well-matched, which is important for the accurate placement and localization of objects (instruments, voice, footsteps), in the stereo image.
Like most other in-ears, the soundstage of the Sennheiser Momentum In-Ear is poor. This is because in-ears bypass the pinna (outer ear), and don't interact with it, while activating the resonances of the pinna is one of the key factors in creating a speaker-like and out-of-head soundstage. Also, because of their closed-back design, their soundstage tends to be less open than that of open-back headphones.
Decent isolation. Although these in-ears isolate only passively, their tight fit creates an impressive degree of isolation for a passive device. In the bass range, where the rumble of airplane and bus engines sits, they isolate by about 6dB, which is inadequate. The weak point with these headphones seem to the 200Hz range. However, in the mid-range, important for blocking out speech, they achieved more than 19dB of isolation, which is quite good. In the treble range, occupied by sharp sounds like S and Ts, they isolate by more than 45dB, which is excellent.
Excellent leakage performance. The closed-back and tight fit of these in-ears don't let much sound out of them. The significant portion of their leakage is between 1KHz and 8KHz, which is broad, but the overall level of the leakage is so low that makes the other variable rather irrelevant. With the music at 100dB SPL, the leakage at 1 foot away averages at about 25dB SPL while peaking at 33dB SPL, which is way below the noise floor of an average office.
The in-line microphone of the Sennheiser HD1 In-Ear has an average performance. In quiet environments, speech recorded or transmitted with this mic sounds noticeably thin and lacking a bit of detail and presence. However, it will be open, airy, and intelligible. In noisy situations, this microphone won't be able to fully separate speech from background noise even in moderately loud places, like a busy street.
The microphone of the HD1 In-Ear has a decent recording quality. The LFE (low-frequency extension) is at 480Hz, indicating the speech recorded/transmitted with this mic will sound noticeably thin. The HFE (high-frequency extension) of 19.7KHz is very good and results in a open and airy transmission. However, the dip surrounding 5KHz negatively affects the detail and presence of speech. It'll still be quite intelligible though, since speech intelligibility is mostly dependent on the 500Hz-4KHz range.
The noise handling of the microphone is mediocre. In our SpNR test, it achieved a speech-to-noise ratio of 12dB. This means they are best suited for quiet environments as they won't be able to fully separate speech from ambient noise even in moderately loud places.
The Sennheiser Momentum In-Ear are passive in-ears with no active components that need power so they do not have a battery.
These headphones do not have any app support.
These in-ears are wired and do not have a Bluetooth connection. If you want a versatile wireless Bluetooth headphone, then consider the Samsung Gear IconX, Jaybird X3 or the BeatsX.
Like most wired headsets, the HD1 in-ear have negligible latency. They are a suitable option for gaming and watching movies, but they are limited by the relatively short range of their audio cable.
The Sennheiser HD1 In-Ear have a 1/8" TRRS audio cable with an inline remote microphone that's compatible with the PS4 and PCs if you have a headset adapter or a 3-pin audio jack like on most tablets, laptops and phones. Unfortunately, the iOS variant we tested has an iOS-specific cable that doesn't have full functionality on Android phones and will not have mic support with the Xbox One controller.
The HD1 in-ears do not have a dock. If you need a headset with a dock that also has a wired connection for gaming or watching movies, then consider the SteelSeries Arctis 7.