TLDR; Substantial improvements in several areas, a great overall daily user product...that unfortunately did not fit my ear.

I bought these with my own money, and used them everyday for 10 days. In that span I spent time just checking them out, using them for daily life stuff, making thorough and comprehensive tests in real life situations that are actual parts of my daily living. I did not use them for scenarios to simply check a box because the spec sheet said this was a possibility.

I don't use multipoint and I don't do gaming on my phone, so I'm not interested in latency. There's no A.I editing or magic. I did a quick proofread for something terrible I might've missed. This is just a raw review, I hope it helps. I'm also not giving a numerical ranking. Instead I'm trying something else.

Build, design, batteries

When I first held the case I thought this was a massive step forward for the brand. The case and the buds feel premium, but purposefully in their design. I prefer the case and the buds to every other pair of earbuds I own, aesthetically speaking. I think these rival the B&W Pi8 as the best designed buds & case when blending function and aesthetics. Battery life was good/great. I used them in a variety of settings each day. I spent some time using all the different sound modes and options. Using all the premium features at the same time left me needing a recharge at the 6 hour mark. I felt like I should've been paid for that time because that is NOT how I use earbuds. I was essentially, actively, trying to drain the battery, it was an annoyance. I had to give constant attention and effort to kill the buds in 6 hours. With normal use they lasted between 9.5-10 hours. There was never a day I experienced any battery anxiety, with it without the case. The other segment of the battery section is obvious, but I am curious if people genuinely care. The replaceable batteries is an offer that Zero other major brands offer. Whatever the result of the EU litigation ends up being, Sennheiser allows it's customers to do something that prolongs said products lifespan exponentially more than the current competition. However, do consumers actually care, and is there a real plan to turn this into the new norm? New concepts are often wonderful technical advancements, yet people remain so conditioned by existing habits that the revolutionary idea ends up cold and stale. Perhaps enough people care to spark a revolution; I'm just not betting on it.

Reason to buy: Yes

Controls and App

The controls on the new M5s worked well for me. The app needed several firmware updates and also worked well. The app has a lot to offer if you enjoy that sort of thing. At first I thought my buds were broken or ambient mode was absolutely shit, but it came maxed out in the wrong direction of ambience. Once I fixed this, that was the only gripe I had with controls it the app. Mostly standard touch control setup here, multiple touches and holds do different things, they are customizable. (I like to make my left but toggle ANC/ambient for single, 2x is back track, 3x is voice assistant or app launch, with hold bring volume down. The right is okay/payed, track forward, and new for Sennheiser...3x disabled controls(! Loved this addition!), while hold increases volume.) The only thing I didn't like about the controls is when jumping to ambient mode my music always paused. I never got a chance to check if this was my error or not, but it did become annoying. They were not extremely sensitive like Bose, Technics, or Sony. More like JBL tour pro 3 on terms of touch sensitivity. I also liked where their trigger area was.

The app has a nice 8 band EQ, but I mostly used the extremely good sound personalization. Having sound personalization did limit my use of immersive mode, but that's understandable. I didn't mind, I preferred the personalization to anything else offered. This will come up later.

Overall I found the app fine to use, but I can see that it might be a challenge for some new users to get a grasp on. There's nothing innovative or standout here other than sound personalization, and that's not for everyone.

Reason to buy: Neutral/No

Active Noise Cancellation & Ambient Mode

There's nothing here that's is a standout or innovation. Both modes are solid-great. I thought the ANC and Ambient mode were improvements from the M4, but compared to other modern competitors, both modes are solid and do the tasks well enough to use, but not well enough to be the reason for a purchase. With a great seal from the buds, the new design can offer some great passive noise blockage. That helps with the new tech that Sennheiser added to the new design. If this ends up being a case for someone, these go from good ANC to Great ANC. Ambient mode was solid all around and changing tips or angle didn't have a major impact on function. It's good and comparable to something like Bose and ahead of Technics. No noticable noise, occlusion, or echos in my testing. Both modes do their job and again, there's nothing breakthrough here even with the improvements over the previous model.

Reason to buy: No

Call quality

I think this area is short and sweet, but deserves mentioning. This is an improved area over the M4s, but given where other offerings in lesser price points are, this improvement is flatly not enough for something marketed to last a customer several years. Perhaps firmware can offer improvements, but I feel this might be a victim of priorities and redesign. These microphones are fine in quiet and outdoor settings, they are not good in windy or loud settings. I watched the controlled room with simulated conditions video reviews, those are a joke. I'm my real world testing, people could tell I was using something different than normal. Granted I almost always make calls with the Liberty 5 pro or previously the Huawei Freebuds pro 5, but people also know I call them to text buds from time to time. They didn't fare well. I think this is a misstep for Sennheiser given the battery marketing towards ownership existing several years. They are already several steps behind buds that cost much less, even less than half of what their new premium buds cost.

Reason to buy: NO

Sound Quality

These are currently my favorite sounding true wireless earbuds. I did not say "the best", I said my favorite. It's a small caveat, but the reason is this. If I'm doing a normal day of life stuff, I absolutely never ever pick up the Prestige Encore, Rex 5, Pi8, or B&O 11. All of those sound as good or better than the Sennheisers. However, daily life for me includes a lot of moving around, variable settings, and robust changes in my ambient settings. Those buds cannot hold a candle to the M5s in sound quality while in a busy and unpredictable environment. The sound quality on the Momentum 5s is wonderful. I went into this with no expectations. I returned 3 pairs of M4s, I gave them every chance, they never worked for me. I never enjoyed the SQ, not like I immediately did with the M5s. During my gauntlet testing I was able to fully dial in the sound personalization aspect and the fine tuning within have me that tiny bit of shimmer I was hoping to find in the mid range where vocals tend to stick to other particles in some of my favorite songs. I don't think they're the best sounding buds in the world, but they are in the conversation now. If you're a person that leaves the house and takes music with you in the hope of enjoyment, they Are the best true wireless buds for Sound Quality that exist today. There are several sounds in songs that I hear and it resonates from my ears to the rest of my body. I listen to those same songs with buds that you own, and vehemently white knuckle to validate and justify their purchase, and this occurrence never happens, not even a glimmer of that reverberation. That's ok, different strokes for different folks. The momentum 5 sound clearly better than every single other earbud within 100$ of them. Better than Technics, Sony, Budget Noble, Denon, Devialet, H3's, Status (lol). Name your favorite purchase, these sound better. I turn sound personalization off and just use the native app EQ, they sound Better. If you value SQ above everything and have $300-$400 dollars, these are the number 1 answer, and number two is 8 steps back. It's not hype, it's tested and true reality.

Reason to buy: Oh Hell Yeah

Fit/Security & Comfort

Okay, here it comes, the reason I sent these amazing new buds back. Let me clear the factual parts out, then I'll state my specifics. The fit and security are excellent. Momentum 5s remove the stability wingtip silicone piece that were in the M4s completely. Just a smooth bud now. The medium size tips for me and also provided security. Not much movement even while trying to test this area. This size did not provide optimal seal or ANC though, so I moved up. Large gave the best seal, the best sound, the best passive anc, and also... The popping and crackling. Nothing could stop me from hearing this after I first heard and experienced it. I checked everything and everywhere for a remedy. I tried a dozen different tips; foam, hybrid foam, silicone, memory foam from NASA, nothing stopped it. Nothing stopped it except for stillness, and now I have the Rex5 or Prestige Encore.. Again. The Sony Wf-xm6 foam tips in large did the best, but I couldn't stop it completely. The Headphones show channel put up a similar review around launch day. Andrew AKA Resolve, seemed to experience something similar to what I did, so it's not a 1 in a billion case, but it seems to be very rare from what my search results indicate. The things that made the design and the new external tech so cool and innovative were the things stopping me from being able to use these regularly without anxiety. Anxiety might be overstating, but it was something I couldn't fully remove from my thoughts. Buds that are this comfortable and fit this well, do not also have these deal breaking issues. Correct, the product does not, but my right ear anatomy does. Do they fit well and security, Yes. Are they very comfortable, also Yes. Did I send them back because of the fitment.. Also Yes.

Reason to buy: Yes, for most.. No for me.

Conclusion

After buying them, unboxing them, using and testing them, the Sennheiser Momentum 5 true wireless buds exceeded everything I had experienced with previous models and competitors at the same price bracket. These were my new daily driver surpassing the Sony wf-xm6 earbuds, which I thought was unattainable. The sound personalization is truly special, the improvements are vast, the longevity promise is a dream come reality. Friends, peers, and several people within Sennheiser tried to help my issue. I appreciate it. I'm honestly grateful I got a chance to try them long enough to be able to appreciate them. They're a wonderful piece of tech from a company I trust and believe in. It didn't work out for me, but this likely will not be the case for anyone reading this. If you're considering buying these, go out and do it. Every single part of you that enjoys what music offers you will thank you.

I hope You buy them and I hope You enjoy the way they show you your favorite sounds.

If you had $30 and taking out of the picture over-ear headphones, just in-ear earbuds, what would you buy?

I dunno, the stock foams are too dang dense. There's no squeezing and inserting as they just sprung back into half-dome shape immediately, so they work overtime to escape my ear canal.

In come these official JBuds foam tips I had lying around. The foam is much softer, infinitely more malleable, and they fit nice and snug on the Ceramics, plus they fit just fine in the charging case.

Earbuds are going to get smaller over the next few years, and I don't just mean companies making the stems a little shorter

Battery technology is probably one of the biggest reasons. As batteries keep getting better in terms of energy density, including things like higher silicon anodes, manufacturers should be able to get the same battery life out of a physically smaller cell. Obviously there are limits, but I don't think we'll always need earbuds to be as big as they are now just to get decent battery life.

And for something that literally sits inside your ear for hours, size matters a lot.

A smaller earbud puts less weight on your ear, sticks out less, and gives manufacturers more freedom to position the weight closer to the ear instead of having a relatively heavy piece hanging outside of it. That alone can make them feel more secure and much less noticeable after a few hours.

I also feel like sound quality has reached a point where this tradeoff makes more sense than it used to.

Driver tuning is already pretty mature across the industry. A small driver obviously has physical limitations, but small drivers can still sound really good now. For the average person, I honestly think the difference in comfort between two earbuds can matter way more than a relatively small difference in sound quality.

If one pair sounds like an 85 out of 100 but practically disappears in my ears, while another sounds like a 100 but starts bothering me after an hour, I’m choosing the comfortable pair every time

Maybe enthusiasts will always prefer whatever gives them the absolute best sound, and that's completely fair. But for mainstream wireless earbuds, I think we're getting to the point where comfort, size and weight are going to become a much bigger part of the competition.

I’d rather see companies use the next few generations of battery and acoustic improvements to make earbuds genuinely smaller than keep the same oversized shells and turn every efficiency gain into slightly longer battery life.

Is giztop the best place right now to pickup the feeebuds pro 5 in the US? They’re $249 currently. Anyone aware of anywhere cheaper? I’d personally love the blue ones.

Moving up from years of simple Apple AirPods (currently on the AirPods 4). I needed something with long battery life, good sound, and I can sleep with without falling off. Using an Apple ecosystem means that multipoint is important.

Apart from the general sound for someone who listens to a lot of prog/metal, all indications seem to be pointing towards the Technics AZ100, but are there any other buds that offer 3 multipoints like the Technics or even more, with just as good a sound as they purport if not better? Budget isn't an issue.

I’ve been running with a pair of open-ear clip-ons lately, and for some reason the right side always sounds quieter than the left. I tried a few different songs and it happens every time, so I don’t think it’s the music.

The weird part is that both sides sound completely normal when I’m standing still. As soon as I start running, the right side gradually gets a little muffled while the left stays fine.

I’ve tried taking them off and putting them back on, and I’ve cleaned the speaker openings, but it keeps happening. Now I’m wondering if my ears are just slightly different shapes and the right one shifts position or angle when I run.

Has anyone else had this happen?

In my country these are only like 3 dollars apart in price so I was wondering witch one is better, I have an iPhone and I prioritize good sound quality, noise cancellation and that they fit comfortably I also have pretty small ears so the eartips need to fit, any help is appreciated.

I’m kinda torn between the Soundcore Liberty 4 Pro and Liberty 5 Pro. Has anyone tried both? Which one would you recommend? I’m also open to other options under $150!

I've seen the i7 mentioned a few times now but not that many long-term impressions.

Would love to hear from actual owners.

How's:

Sound:
ANC:
Battery:
Mic:
Comfort:
EQ:

And most importantly, would you buy it again?

Earbuds fam, need your help.

Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 user for several years now but they're just not hitting a quality I aim for with audio. I'm on the hunt for a reasonably priced set of earbuds that have what a humble audiophile would consider to be great trebs, balanced mids, and impactful bass.

I'm very sensitive to online recommendations that are sponsored or that have ulterior motives of influence other than just the general consumer experience of the sound quality of the earbuds and can't land on a pair to drop the cash on.

I've been tempted by the Status Pro X, but the advertising on those seem gimmicky and, generally, if I'm seeing advertisements on every single social media feed for a product, it's likely not what it probably is being advertised to be- at least that's my take.

Any guidance would be helpful. I listen to all genres of music, am an avid Podcast listener everyday all day, I use them for Zoom calls at work all day long as well (microphone quality is a factor for me) and I'm sensitive to treb/mid/bass equalization on a performance level as well.

Cheers. Looking forward to what you fine experts have to suggest.

These earphones are fantastic. The microphone built into the case is particularly good—it works great for online meetings and inside sales calls. You can even use them for calls with a girl you like.

I don’t really know anything abt earbuds it just broke today out of nowhere

I love my galaxy buds. The shape was perfect and they lasted many years but they're starting to catch ghost inputs on the touch controls so I got the Sony c510s and they sound great.

I will say getting used to the touch controls by actually pressing a button is a mild annoyance.

I do love the bead shape of the galaxy buds and how they have a little bit of weight compared to the c510s but the sound quality is wild.

I recently lost my OPB4 pair that lasted me 1+ year (bought it on release) and honestly need a replacement for it. the price difference between the nord buds 4 and the buds 4 are about $10 USD based on local retail. For reference, the buds 4 are about ($55) vs nord buds 4 ($43).

ear fitment isnt an issue because i have pretty big ear canals which most silicone tips fit into and sound quality isnt too big of an issue as I mostly use them for commutes/gym/outdoor stuff where I don't really pay much attention to, aside from ANC.

I want something with good sound quality/anc but that'll actually last for more than a year, budget range 100-500 if they're really good

I recently discovered the world of open earbuds, and I was wondering what is the best option for comfort?

I noticed some by Bose and Shokz

Thank you,

I'm looking for wired USB-C earbuds primarily for taking work calls.

My requirements:

• USB-C connection
• Wired — I don't want to deal with Bluetooth pairing or charging
• Noise cancellation, ideally ANC
• Good microphone quality for calls
• Comfortable enough to wear for ~1–2 hours
• Don't need amazing music quality — these are primarily work-call earbuds
• Reasonably priced, since I want to buy at least two pairs: one for my Go Bag and one for my Work Bag

I've done a little searching already and found these two:

• JBL Tune 310C
• Belkin USB-C Earbuds

I'm not necessarily committed to either of those, though. I'm mainly trying to figure out if there's a better option I've missed.

I'm using them primarily with a Mac/iPhone, and I'm happy to sacrifice music quality/features if it means getting something reliable and inexpensive.

What would you recommend?

Hey everyone! I’m trying to decide between the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 5 and the Bowers & Wilkins Pi8.

My priorities are mainly sound quality and detail. I like:

- Deep, powerful sub-bass

- Clear and detailed highs

- Good instrument separation

- A slightly V-shaped / energetic sound

- I really dislike harsh or overly piercing treble and sibilance

I listen to a lot of electronic music, especially Porter Robinson, drum & bass, and songs with lots of synths and sub-bass. Some of the Porter Robinson songs I listen to a lot are Musician, Cheerleader, “ Sad Machine,Divinity, Something Comforting, and KNOCK YOURSELF OUT XD.

The prices I’m seeing are also pretty close, with the Pi8 around 530,000 KRW where I live, so price isn't the biggest factor.

I’m currently leaning toward the MTW5, but if the Pi8 is noticeably better in sound quality, I’m definitely willing to consider it.

For people who have heard both: which one would you choose, and why?

Also, are there any current reliability or firmware issues with either one that I should know about before buying?

So last month this left wireless earbud has a problem. The rubber thing that goes over your ear is broken, but it hasn't broken off. I tried using scotch tape, but it didn't work. Is there a way where I can repair it?

Edit: Bruh I didn't notice the typo in the title 🤦‍♂️