STACK #262 August 2026

TECH REVIEW

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Listening to Fleetwood Mac’s Dreams , for example, brought out extra texture in Mick Fleetwood’s understated drumming, while Stevie Nicks’s voice carried subtle inflections that are easy to miss on other headphones. And Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody opens up beautifully, with greater separation between its stacked vocal harmonies, making it easier to appreciate just how meticulously the track was produced. It’s not that these details weren’t there before – they’ve simply been waiting for the right headphones to bring them into focus. Silence really is golden Top-tier sound demands a quiet environment, and Sennheiser’s latest active noise cancellation creates something approaching a cone of silence. Even with an unmuted TV playing in the background, the music remained the sole focus. properly Dolby Atmos with head tracking adds another dimension to listening when paired with supported content. Blinding Lights by The Weeknd in Dolby Atmos creates an impressively stable soundstage that remains anchored in front of you as your head turns. It’s a subtle effect rather than a gimmick, creating the sensation of sitting between a pair of premium stereo speakers rather than wearing headphones. More than just great sound While it’s easy to get caught up talking about the sound, the Momentum 5 gets the practical stuff right too. The battery just keeps going. Even after several days of regular listening, there was no low-battery alert. Call quality is also on point for Teams meetings and phone calls – voices come through clearly and naturally. These headphones are as good for workdays as they are for switching off afterwards. The verdict Premium wireless headphones have never been more competitive, but the Sennheiser Momentum 5 delivers something surprisingly rare – it makes familiar music feel new again. Rather than immediately hunting for new music to test, we kept returning to favourite albums simply to hear the uptick in sonic detail. These are fantastic headphones. Put them on, revisit your favourite tracks, and hear what you’ve been missing. Transparency Mode is just as impressive, allowing outside sounds to filter back in naturally for train announcements or quick conversations without needing to remove the headphones. Dolby Atmos done

REVIEW

SENNHEISER MOMENTUM 5 HEADPHONES Hear more in your favourite music

The Sennheiser Momentum 5 headphones don’t just sound fantastic, they also encourage you to revisit your favourite albums to discover details you never realised were there. Words Scott Hocking

First impressions Some headphones sound great. Others make you rediscover your music collection. That’s exactly what happened when we first slipped on the Sennheiser Momentum 5 for a test drive. From the premium finish and beautifully balanced design to the rich, revealing sound, these headphones exude luxury. Three or four albums later, they still felt just as comfortable – a good sign for long listening sessions or frequent travel. After a while you may even forget you’re wearing headphones, until someone tries to get your attention. Having spent years using Sennheiser’s excellent Momentum 3 headphones, we didn’t expect such a dramatic leap in sound quality. The Momentum 5 doesn’t feel like an incremental upgrade – it feels like a bona fide sound revelation. It’s all in the details The easiest way to describe the jump in sound quality is with an analogy movie lovers will

immediately understand. Revisiting a favourite film in 4K HDR often reveals details you never knew were there – textures in clothing, subtle reflections, or objects hidden in the shadows. The Momentum 5 delivers the audio equivalent. Inspired by the sound signature of Sennheiser’s acclaimed HD 600-series studio headphones, the Momentum 5 unlocks previously unheard layers and nuances within familiar recordings.

44 AUGUST 2026

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