Sennheiser Momentum Wireless 3 is the latest from the momentum series and today we are going to compare it with the legendary Bowers and Wilkins PX7. Both are high-end headphones; so let’s find how good they are in their respective features.
The cowboy-boot leather wrapped on the stainless steel headband of the Sennheiser Momentum Wireless 3 is super supple and can be compared with the luxury brands like Bang & Olufsen. Metal hinges support the earcups and can adjust as per needs weighing 308 grams. Overall, 5 out 5 for built, quality, material and durability for the Sennheiser 3 headphones.
Luxury is the word to describe the Wilkins and Bowers PX7 wireless headphones. The metal headband has fabric all around them and the matte-finish metal earcups rotates in a very smooth, sexy way. The arms have a carbon composite material to make it lighter.
Overall, both pair of headphones have an individual character to them and are truly premium for their price point. Stress test was a breeze on both the headphones and stayed supple throughout without any chatter.
Comfort
Slightly on the heavier side at 310 grams, the PX7 headphones add some weight to your crown and there is a little fatigue if you use it for long hours. Earcups are soft and plush with good room for the ears; it did not get hot and sweaty, instead, it felt warm after a couple of hours.
The Momentum Wireless 3 wireless earphones pivot to suit your most comfortable position. The weight needs getting used to but overall they sit very well and the ear cushions provides over-the-ear covering with minimal heating. However, running and working out is not recommended on the M3 & PX7 as the weight tends to move the headphones in different directions.
Controls
On the Sennheiser’s right ear cup, it looks like a command centre of controls. Buttons for ANC with three modes, NFC, a multifunction button and a voice assistant button are all here. On the bottom, there is a 2.5 mm audio port and a USB-C charging port evenly placed without any chaos. The pause-and-play feature stops the audio and resumes back automatically when you take off and put them back on respectively.
On the right earcup of the B&W PX7, there are pause/play, track-skipping and volume controls. Additionally, it also has 3.5mm audio port, a USB C charging port, which doubles as a wire to listen to audio from the desktop and charge at the same time. The wear sensor feature is similar to the pause-and-play feature on the M3s, stops the music, and resumes it automatically if you lift the earcups and place it back on the ears respectively.
Battery
Battery life is rated at 17 hours on the Momentum3 but gave me 17 hours and change playing at only 50% volume and ANC on. The Bower and Wilkins headset provides 30 hours of battery with ANC on which is incredible. Fast charging on PX7 gives 5 hours of battery with 15 minutes of charging.
Connectivity
Bluetooth 5.0 is featured on the Sennheiser Momentum3 and the PX7 that gives good connectivity even through walls and doors. Streaming videos are great on the Sennheiser and the B&W headsets with no delays and they can pair with two devices at the same time. With the Sennheiser headphone, the device automatically connects to the last device from which it played and also recognizes a new device quickly for easy swapping.
Audio
Using the Sennheiser Momentum 3 at 50% volume is more than enough for daily use; at 70% it gets louds and immersive. It’s a good-value-for-money headphones for audiophiles as the audio characteristics has a balanced sound signature similar to the Bose QC35 and 700s. Bass is punchy but not overpowering; vocals are clear with the mid and lows staying vibrant. Overall, 4.9 out of 5 for the Momentum3 headphones.
60% volume with ANC on is the best on the PX7 for casual listening and also supports APTx HD for high resolution audio files. Bass is punchy but we could use a little more for EDM tracks.
The “alive” soundstage with clear lows and mids of the Sony XM3 is visible in the PX7, The highs are also clear with bass and stands distinct from XM3 and today’s comparative partner – the M3, here. Selection based on audio is subjective but if we were to rate the B&W headphones for audio performance then its 4.9 out of 5.
ANC and Firmware
The ANC flicker button switches on transparency mode on the Sennheiser 3 and lets you hear the surrounding sounds – a very useful feature while walking on a busy street or riding the subway. ANC performance is great, noise reduction or isolation is kept within the earcups with minimal audio leaks. The Sennheiser smart control app also responds well for all the headphone settings, EQ, ANC and all other features like “find my headphone”.
On the PX7, the ANC button toggles between low, high, On/Off and auto. ANC has a slight airplane cabin pressure but it works very well, undoubtedly. The transparent hearing mode works similar to the M3 and stands toe to toe with the competition.
The firmware on the PX7 needs a small tweak, as it does not occasionally find paired devices at times. Removing and adding the device resets this problem and the other settings and features work swimmingly on the PX7. However, the app does not have an EQ.
Hi Laura good review.
I’m deciding between these two and the B&o HX.
I would have enjoyed full codec explanation on them (just a suggestion). Had to endure wasted time with Sony XM4 and unit replacement due to their codecs incommpatability with my Samsung Q7 bluetooth aptX LL v Sony LDAC which continually signal choked 30m into use.
My audio unit being the Naim Uniti Star offers 2.5mm headphone out, so the M3s would better suit that need best. The Uniti star has AptX HD so the PX7 win that one.
All this highlights the trade off’s and difficulty to buyers. Time the manufactures offered better compatibility re codecs. Theworld would be a little easier.
Hi Laura good review.
I’m deciding between these two and the B&o HX.
I would have enjoyed full codec explanation on them (just a suggestion). Had to endure wasted time with Sony XM4 and unit replacement due to their codecs incommpatability with my Samsung Q7 bluetooth aptX LL v Sony LDAC which continually signal choked 30m into use.
My audio unit being the Naim Uniti Star offers 2.5mm headphone out, so the M3s would better suit that need best. The Uniti star has AptX HD so the PX7 win that one.
All this highlights the trade off’s and difficulty to buyers. Time the manufactures offered better compatibility re codecs. Theworld would be a little easier.