Sennheiser’s Momentum True Wireless 3 packs adaptive ANC for $250

True to its word, Sennheiser is debuting the latest Momentum True Wireless earbuds in April. Today, the company is officially unveiling the Momentum True Wireless 3 after an initial tease during an event last month. The third-gen version of the company’s flagship earbuds pairs much of what made the previous model so great with a retooled design and was Sennheiser calls Adaptive Noise Cancellation. These buds are also $50 cheaper than the Momentum True Wireless 2 when they first debuted. 

The key change for MTW3 is the tweak Sennheiser made to its active noise cancellation (ANC). The company says its news “adaptive” setup “continuously observes ambient noise to suppress it in real time.” In other words, the earbuds automatically adjust ANC based on any environmental rumble without you having to manually change any settings. Other earbuds and headphones do this, but that doesn’t make it any less handy. Noise cancellation was one area where Sennheiser had room to improve, so it will be interesting to see how much of a difference the new system makes. 

The other difference between the second- and third-gen models is design. Where the previous two Momentum True Wireless products had a more circular touch panel, Sennheiser has given the MTW3 a more square shape — like its more affordable CX earbuds. 

According to Sennheiser, one thing that hasn’t changed is the excellent sound quality. The company says its True Response transducer is paired with 7mm dynamic drivers for “immersive” sound with “deep bass, natural mids and detailed highs.” The Momentum True Wireless line has been consistently the best-sounding earbuds in our buyer’s guide for a long time, so if what Sennheiser says holds true, this third-gen model should offer similar high-quality audio. As it has before, the company’s Smart Control app offers the ability to tweak the EQ and a Sound Personalization feature provides a hearing test to cater the audio profile to your ears. 

The Momentum True Wireless 3 supports AAC, SBC and aptX Adaptive codecs with reduced latency for things like gaming and streaming video. Sennheiser says it now uses a three-microphone setup on each earbud to improve call quality and customizable touch controls for easy access to audio and voice assistants. The MTW3 retains the MTW2’s IPX4 splash resistant rating, so while you’re not going to want to submerge these, getting them a bit sweaty during a workout should be okay. Lastly, the same seven-hour battery life from the second-gen model returns, with three additional charges in the case for 28 total hours of listening time. The case also supports wireless charging, so you won’t have to reach for a USB-C cable unless you really want to. 

The Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 is available for pre-order now with general availability coming May 10th. The earbuds are $249.95 and you’ll have the choice of black, white and graphite color options.