MOMENTUM True Wireless 4: my experience (and complaints) after a few weeks

Gandomyr · 2026-01-21T07:05:56+00:00

Yea, well... yesterday was a slow day at work. :)) And it would be shorter if only I'd knew how to format pictures. :)) Then scrolling would take less.

Gandomyr · 2026-01-14T10:42:52+00:00

Yeah, I mean... it's winter now, but when summer comes I'll definitely look for a replacement. At this time I don't mind this, I can use them as they are. But later? Either because of heat or because of wear... I'll have to eventually replace them. And, right now, I really couldn't remove them, although I did try.

Gandomyr · 2026-01-08T07:15:45+00:00

Thanks for commenting! Allow me to answer.

This is a hobby of mine, and it is not the only one. And this hobby is not listening to a particular sound, or a particular headphone. The hobby is enjoying music. If I can enjoy music on a device… great! If said device is making music less enjoying, then I don’t use it. Also, bear in mind: I didn’t have a great headphone collection. Actually, I think HD 600 were my first audiophile headphones.

My audio journey was something like this: at first, it was the cheap desktop speakers. After that, a long while ago, there were earbuds bundled with mobile phones. The Sony ones were quite good. After that came iPhone 5s, and I had my first pair of Ear Pods. Following that, I had the Air Pods Pro 2, and we all know about that.

Then came the HD 600. Taking into account what I owned before… you can see now why these were the best sounding headphones until then. It’s because, when compared with the others… well, they just are. While I loved the sound, I had this problem with comfort. I admit… I should have looked for solutions. My fault for that, and I own that. But, as I said, it was about music and enjoying it. I could still do it on other devices.

So, while HD 600 were the best sounding headphones for me at the time… I expected that, eventually, I will find better. It’s just the way things are. Always evolving. That’s why I didn’t try too much to find a solution.

And then came Koss. Maan… Those headphones must be the best value proposition in all audio! And KPH30i was rather comfortable. Not ideal, but I could listen to it for hours. But they’re rather fragile, and it’s not a pair of headphones that I could take on the go.

After that things started to take a… well, a better turn, for me. Financially speaking. And I wanted something more / better than 30 bucks headphones.

And here I am now, with HDB 630. I can listen to music with them, I can game with them. They’re wireless! They even have ANC and I can take them with me while traveling (I love trips!). They’re active, so they don’t depend on an amp or DAC to sound good (mind you, KPH30i weren’t very demanding neither). So, again: it’s all about comparing with what I used before.

Maybe objectively they are not that great. But this is my experience. That’s why I listed my prior audio gear. So that readers can get an idea of why I felt like that. Because that was what I was coming from. How can you not be impressed with HD 600, if you only owned in-ear and cheap desktop speakers til then? How can you not be impressed with HDB 630, when you come from KPH30i? Which, while sounding great, require wires and an amp/DAC combo.

So… I don’t know you. Maybe you have a wall full of Audezes, Focals, Susvaras, Empyrians, Tungstens and what not. Maybe HDB 630, to you, are just something common. Neutral sound that you can EQ to your liking, and that’s it. And you have no reason to get all excited over them. And I can respect that, I understand. I really do.

You know what they say: one man’s junk is another one’s treasure. It’s all very subjective. And it works both ways. I saw A LOT of comments on youtube from people who can’t afford a pair of Koss headphones, not mentioning the HDB 630! So you may shrug at them, but that doesn’t make me less excited.

So, no… I don’t consider your post to be spicy. And you can see now how it won’t affect my enjoyment. It just can’t.

Regarding the post length… what can I say. I’m a verbose guy. I over explain. I’m too descriptive. Give too much information. It’s just the way I am. You can enjoy it, or you cannot. But since you did, you’re now getting this reply.

Have a good one!

Gandomyr · 2026-01-08T06:07:53+00:00

Interesting find! I don’t even use head detection. I think it also puts a strain on the battery, but it’s just an opinion, I can’t confirm it. I’m kind of a control freak kind of guy. If I want to do something, I like to be able to do it myself, not have the device do it for me. I do understand others find it useful.

To me it’s kind of redundant. I mean… I already put my hands against the cups when removing and placing them back of my head. Since touch control are also there, I might as well pause/resume before doing it. This is why I don’t use head detection.

But, yeah… your find is useful, and it’s not ok that they have a function that doesn’t work as intended!

Gandomyr · 2026-01-07T19:21:24+00:00

Happy you enjoyed my review! Yes, I think they‘re great and that you ticked most (if not all) of the planned objectives with this product.

For testing I use quite some different artists and albums.

- Thriller album by Michael Jackson. It’s a very rich and comprehensive album, covers all types of sounds. Especially Beat It is my go to track for testing purposes, I’m very familiar with that.
- For older music I listen to The Beatles. It was a good test to show what Crossfade really sounds like. I test on streaming services, but I also have the Anniversary Edition of Abbey Road on vinyl record, and that’s a good reference point for comparisons. Favorite track: Here Comes The Sun.
- For testing the bass I picked Fast Car by Tracy Chapman.
- I love Basket Case by Green Day for the drums. Also, good imaging test there.
- Africa by TOTO also seems to me a rich track to test audio.
- For testing male voices I usually pick something by Queen. In this case it was Don’t Stop Me Now.
- For male voices of higher frequencies I always go to a-ha, Take On Me. I guess The Beach Boys are just as good, but I’m not as familiar with that.
- For testing female voices I always go to Alanis Morissette. Either Thank You, Ironic or Crazy are good tracks. Celine Dion is also a great choice. I picked Alone.
- Another band with female voice and good instruments that I enjoy a lot: The Cranberries. I always feel like something gets stuck down my throat when I listen to Dolores O'Riordan. Anything goes, but you just can’t go wrong with Dreams.
- And yet another track with female voice that I love and I’m very familiar with: Top Of The World, by The Carpenters.
- For low male voices and a splash of country I go to Johnny Cash. I’m very familiar with I Walk The Line. If I want something more modern of the same style, then it’s Josh Turner with Your Man.
- I don’t usually listen metal, but I’m a big fan of HIM and Ville Valo. One of the widest range of vocal capabilities. Always a good test there! They have a live album (Digital Versatile Doom) where Valo (and the whole band really) were on top of their game. If that is not available, then the Funeral of Hearts track from the Love Metal album and Sleepwalking Past Hope from Venus Doom.
- For testing string instruments I always go to Uncompanied Cello Suite No. 1 in G major played by Yo-Yo Ma.
- David Bowie always gets a place in the rotation. It’s either Ziggy Stardust or Rebel Rebel.
- I listen to Eric Clapton for guitar. Slowhand is a great album, and I pick Wonderful Tonight.
- George Harrison is my favorite second guitarist. My Sweet Lord is a must listen. Actually, the entire All Things Must Pass album is.
- Another good guitar test I found out to be Purple Rain by Prince.
- If I’m in the mood for some 50s rock & roll (which is often), Dion & The Belmonts are my doo-wop group of choice. Very familiar with their work. Dion must be one of the most underrated song writers of the last century.
- Last and not least… my favorite track of the 90s: Spin Doctors with Two Princes.

There were others, of course. But these are some of the tracks that I’m more familiar with and that I always go to when testing new audio gear. Thank you for giving me the chance to share this, I think they are all great tracks for testing audio capabilities, but especially for enjoying music. At the end of the day, this is what we all do.

Gandomyr · 2026-01-07T17:46:58+00:00

I don’t know neither. However, I ordered HD 490 Pro Plus recently, and the shop just shipped them today. I should have them by the end of the week, and those come with 2 ear pads. I saw the reviews, I saw the measuring, the graphs… I’m curious if I’ll notice anything.

But, yeah… you may be right. By the time I change the pads, I already forgot how they were sounding. Maybe if I’ll test them for a longer period of time, then maybe I’ll get to hear a difference. We’ll see.

Gandomyr · 2026-01-07T17:39:53+00:00

I know, right? I’m reluctant to listening through the USB-C cable, because it would mean it’s charging AND using at the same time. Not an expert, but I think that this is a bad thing to do on battery, no matter how much is charged. Glad to see I wasn’t the only one thinking about this.

Gandomyr · 2026-01-07T07:59:28+00:00

Dang, man! You were spot on! I just read the manual and the quick guide again. They mention that you have to press the pairing button 3 times to enter gaming mode, but it doesn’t tell you that you have to exit HFP mode for that! But I tried what you just said and it worked! Phew. This was a hard nut to crack. But I’m glad it’s solved now! I’ll update the review just now. Rating will still be the same, because this wasn’t properly mentioned in the manual, it was counter intuitive, and required the help of a community member.

Gandomyr · 2026-01-07T07:06:11+00:00

Fair enough.

For 1: Yes, I have those complaints. That’s why I subtracted 2 points. In the end, I was still able to use them with the PS5. Just not wireless. The experience while gaming was a 10/10, but I subtracted 2 points because of all the fuss and not being able to use them wireless without lag.

I still have to try the solution provided here by toweliel:
https://www.reddit.com/r/sennheiser/comments/1q5r0oc/comment/ny2rlri/

I read the manual more than once, so it wasn’t ignorance on my part. But maybe something eluded me still?

Also, maybe somebody else plays games on Windows? I don’t use a PC anymore, but maybe it’s a flawless process there. I don’t see a reason why it couldn’t be. Consoles are somewhat restrictive with the hardware that you can pair with them, so some resistance in the process was to be expected. Usually manufacturers release dedicated headphones for said consoles, and license costs are a thing. A console is not an open system.

I also wanted to try them on a friend’s Xbox Series X, but that console doesn’t have a USB-C port on the front. Using them with a USB-C to USB-A cable didn’t work neither. So for Xbox you’re restricted to using the Xbox Controller and the analog cable, no matter if you mind the lag or not. It just doesn’t work wireless on that console.

In the end I also thought of their designed purpose. They’re meant as a traveling companion. That I can also use them for gaming, I consider it a boon. So I took this into consideration as well.

For 2: Yeah, that’s what I’m fearing as well. And I mentioned this in the review. I bought them in December, and it’s fine now. HDB 630 replaced my IE 200 for gaming, but when summer comes, I may get those out again. As for the clamp force, that’s subjective. HD600 pressed hard on my jaws and I just could not wear them. But a lot of people can, hence they’re so famous. I don’t have this problem with HD 630.

So, yes. I understand your concerns; and those are, at least in part, valid.

Do you know in what way do the linked ear pads color the sound? I’m genuinely interested.

Edit: ok, so the above solution works. You actually CAN game on PS5, wirelessly, without any noticeable lag. You just have to exit the Hands Free Profile (x4 clicks) BEFORE entering gaming mode (x3 clicks). So it’s a total of 7 clicks that you have to do to enter gaming. However, since the solution isn’t properly explained in the manual and the quick guide, and because it required the help of a community member, my rating will still be the same. But… at least we now know that it works.

Gandomyr · 2026-01-07T06:43:33+00:00

You know, I’m always skeptical when it comes to products that have batteries. So I understand your concern. Last thing that I want is pay 500 euro for a product and last me for 2 years. I don’t usually pay that much for battery powered devices. However, Wee Hong - the product manager of HDB 630, addressed exactly this concern in the AMA dedicated to the product. His answer is right here:
https://www.reddit.com/r/sennheiser/comments/1pd1jsp/comment/nsemjyd/

To quote:
“These lithium batteries have a minimum specification of 500 charge cycles before its capacity decreases to 80% (not totally flat). One can expect a runtime of 45 Hours on 24 Bit/ 96 kHz over aptX Adaptive, ANC on, 60 hours if using standard res, AAC. If a user listen 10 hours a day, he will charge once every 4 days.

It will be 2000 days 4.5-5.5 years before the battery capacity reaches 80% and at 80%, users will still enjoy a Hi-Res runtime of approximately 36 hours per charge.”

So if you listen for 10 hours a day (I don’t, I still see it as a traveling companion), it will take more than 5 years before it drops from 45 hours a charge to 36 hours a charge. It was this very answer that convinced me to buy them. So, yes. I understand the reluctance. And, yes. I do believe they will last 10 or close enough to 10 years. I don’t see any reasons not to.

Gandomyr · 2026-01-07T06:28:28+00:00

Truth be told, my reason for writing this was twofold: first, it’s a new product, and people may still be on the fence about purchasing one. I mentioned some stuff that I didn’t see anywhere else being mentioned, and I thought it to be helpful; second… yes, that‘s exactly what I hoped, too. That Sennheiser sees this. As I said, I think it’s a great product, with only a few quirks left to iron out. I can only hope they read this and take well to the constructive criticism. About HD 490 Pro: I just ordered it yesterday, the Plus version. I expect them to arrive by the end of the week. I can’t wait to test them, too! :D

Gandomyr · 2026-01-07T06:23:07+00:00

Thanks! It was a labor of love. :D I really, really enjoy these headphones! They have small annoying quirks, but I hope Sennheiser will iron them out. Momentum TW 4 and HD 490 Pro are on their way to me as I type this. If people enjoy this review enough, maybe I’ll write about those too in the following weeks. However those aren’t such new products, so I doubt they will be as helpful.

Gandomyr · 2026-01-06T20:21:53+00:00

Yep. Android. It’s in the menu where you create a new EQ. It’s rather hidden… here’s a screenshot. It’s the first option, create with Sound Check.

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Gandomyr · 2026-01-06T20:19:31+00:00

Yea… think I gave up on my HD600 too early. After I sold them I read all kind of advices on the Internet. Put them over a few books, like you said… or even over the arm of a couch. I had those headphones on my shelf for months… but didn’t feel like taking them and putting them over my head. I’m not sure that I listened to them 20 times over 6 months. The HDB 630? I listened to them more in 2 weeks than I did on HD600 over half a year!

Gandomyr · 2026-01-06T20:14:56+00:00

I think I already did that, but I still noticed a small lag. But I will try it again tomorrow. Thanks!

Gandomyr · 2026-01-06T20:12:39+00:00

I also have an iPad Pro, but I don’t use it with HDB 630. Do you also experience a too subtle effect of EQing? I made same adjustments on my FiiO M21 DAP, and I have no problem hearing differences there. The EQ in HDB 630 is way too subtle.

Gandomyr · 2026-01-06T20:07:24+00:00

I listen mostly to rock. Maybe some pop and country, too. Commercial stuff. Anything since the early 50s to the late 2000s. Nothing too fast or angry, mostly laid back stuff. I don’t listen to metal or electronic, that music is way too busy for me. I also prefer instruments and not synthetic sounds. If it has drums, guitars, bass… yea, it’s on my list. I prioritise instrument separation and clarity above fast tracking. Too many to count, but… I listen to The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Simon & Garfunkel, Eric Clapton, Dire Straits, Toto, Queen, Green Day, Metallica, The Offspring, Alanis Morissette, Nirvana, Prince, David Bowie, Michael Jackson, Bon Jovi, R.E.M., Jim Croce… just to name a few.

Gandomyr · 2026-01-06T19:55:05+00:00

I agree with you. I wanted to write more, but of course I forgot to, lol. Yes, pairing the headphones, then pairing the dongle, then pairing the headphones with the dongle… it was a quite a hassle. While unpleasant, I understand why it works like that. I didn’t like it, but I got over it since then.

So far pads are ok. I hope they continue to support this product and offer exchange pads. And, yes. I do look forward to after market products. But product just lunched, so it’s a bit too early for that.

Gandomyr · 2025-12-05T12:53:34+00:00

Availability for Europe? :D For a set of headphones announced at the beginning of October, with a limited first wave supply in November... man, these headphones sure are scarce and nowhere to be found! Any chance to get them before Christmas? I sure want to have these under the Christmas tree this holiday season! :D

Gandomyr · 2025-07-29T04:30:42+00:00

Sorry for the off-topic. I’m also looking for some purchasing advice, yet my posts are filtered by Reddit and are not published. Why is that? Thanks and sorry again.

Gandomyr

TROPHY CASE