Sennheiser Momentum 5 vs. Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2: I compared the two and found a winner

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These days, determining the "best" headphones is little astir which ones pb the marketplace and much astir which ones champion conscionable your standards. Sound prime is subjective, and the champion headphones' sound cancellation is wrong a fewer decibels of each other, leaving your determination criteria down to fit, design, features, and usage cases. 

Also: I flew 2,700 miles with Apple, Sony, and Sennheiser headphones - this brace had the champion audio

Sennheiser's Momentum 5 and Bose's QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen) are large examples of however hard it is to place the champion brace of headphones connected the market. Both headphones dependable great, present fantabulous sound cancellation, and connection all-day comfort. The defining factors boil down to your habits and preferences. Let's spot however they compare.

Specifications

You should bargain the Sennheiser Momentum 5 if...

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1. You privation high-quality codecs

Sennheiser's Momentum 5 features the accustomed SBC and AAC codecs, on with a big of AptX codecs, including AptX, AptX HD, AptX Adaptive, and AptX Lossless for higher-quality listening via Bluetooth. Many hi-fi sources, specified arsenic turntables, enactment AptX codecs for wireless listening.

Review: Sennheiser Momentum 5

Bose's QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen) besides supports SBC and AAC codecs, but lone features AptX Adaptive for higher-quality audio. If you person root devices with AptX codecs, the Sennheiser Momentum 5 supports much of them than the Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen).

2. Battery beingness is simply a large interest

If you're similar me, keeping immoderate instrumentality different than your telephone charged is simply a challenge. The Momentum 5 promises up to 57 hours of playtime, which is large for artillery wellness (fewer charging cycles) and for folks similar maine who are forgetful. Additionally, the Momentum 5's artillery is user-replaceable, truthful erstwhile it dies, you tin regenerate it yourself to support your headphones going.

On the different hand, Bose's QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen) promises 30 hours of artillery beingness without a self-replaceable battery. However, Bose fitted the QuietComfort Ultra 2 with a Bluetooth Low Energy-powered battery-saving feature. This diagnostic saves powerfulness by disconnecting the headphones from Bluetooth erstwhile you instrumentality them disconnected and laic them flat. You tin widen Bose's 30-hour limit, but if you're a powerfulness user, the Momentum 5 whitethorn beryllium a amended fit.

3. You privation much precocious features

The Momentum 5's companion app is the location for each of the headphone's features, including location-based listening settings, an eight-band equalizer, Dolby Atmos support, and proceeding tests for a personalized audio profile. 

Also: Sony WH-1000XM6 vs. Sennheiser Momentum 5: I wore some pairs for months, and similar this one

Bose opts for less bundle features, alternatively offering hardware upgrades, including USB-C audio support, a battery-saving feature, Bluetooth upgrades, and comfortableness improvements to the headband and earcups. 

You should bargain the Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen) if...

Jada Jones/ZDNET

1. You privation a elemental idiosyncratic acquisition

Bose's idiosyncratic acquisition is precise simple, arsenic galore of the QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen)'s champion features tally successful the background. Bose's headphones person a diagnostic called CustomTune, which emits a little sound erstwhile you spot the headphones connected your caput to measurement your receptor signifier and present the best-tuned sound.

Review: Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen)

Bose's ActiveSense deploys sound cancellation to artifact retired abrupt noises and disruptions successful your environment. Otherwise, Bose offers a elemental three-band equalizer and the company's proprietary Immersive Audio spatial audio upmixing. Though these bundle features are simple, they're incredibly reliable and high-performing, delivering a consistent, premium experience.

2. You privation the champion for question

Bose's QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen) headphones unrecorded up to their name, with standout comfortableness and sound cancellation that marque them perfect for traveling. Though Sennheiser's Momentum 5 are comfy and person large sound cancellation, Bose outpaces them. Additionally, Bose's QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen) sports deeper, much comfy earcups than the Momentum 5. Bose's premium headphones besides fold tightly, which is large for portability erstwhile you request to rapidly propulsion the headphones successful your idiosyncratic bag.

In the noise-canceling department, Bose's premium headphones are amended astatine minimizing low- to midrange frequencies, specified arsenic a level motor and quality voices. Bose's sound cancellation is smoothly deployed and astir imperceptible, which decreases receptor fatigue aft hours of wear. 

Writer's choice

Choosing betwixt these 2 headphones is not a black-and-white choice, arsenic they some present suitable sound, sound cancellation, artillery life, and comfort. However, you should take the Sennheiser Momentum 5 if instrumentality longevity, captious listening, and Dolby Atmos compatibility are apical of mind. You should take the Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen) if an easygoing, highly comfy brace of headphones with exceptional sound cancellation is your main priority.

Also: Bose's QuietComfort Ultra shows the institution inactive outperforms Apple successful 1 cardinal area

Objectively, the Momentum 5 delivers importantly much playtime than the QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen), but Bose's headphones connection amended sound cancellation and comfort. Thus, I'll scope for the QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen) implicit the Momentum 5.