Sennheiser’s Momentum 2.0 over-ear. It’s now wireless and has noise-cancelation tech inside. Sennheiser
A handful of new Sennheiser headphone models are debuting here at CES. They aren’t entirely new—most of them are based on older models from the last year or two, but the designs have been given a slight refresh and some new features have been added, like NFC pairing, Bluetooth wireless, and active noise-cancelation.
It was about two years ago that the venerable German audio giant began shifting focus from purely professional and high-end applications. Senny still makes studio monitor headphones and pricey over-ears for dedicated home listening, but it’s added commuter-style portables and fashion-forward designs to its headphone line. This shift has mostly been positive—I loved the Momentum over-ears, and the Urbanites are the best-sounding of the bazillion Beats wannabes. So if you’re happy to see more of the same, just better, then these announcements should be welcome.
First the Momentums. Both the on-ear and over-ear designs have been updated to include wireless Bluetooth connectivity, NFC smartphone pairing, and active noise cancellation. As you can see in the photo above, there are mics (for ANC) built into the earcups now. There are some minor design tweaks on the new models, too, including more mobile-friendly folding headbands and larger earpads on the over-ears. No pricing or availability information yet, but the older models are $270 (over-ear) and $150 (on-ear), so we can probably expect something in that ballpark when the Momentum 2.0 models arrive.
The Urbanite XL is also going wireless. Sennheiser
Next, the Urbanites. The XL (over-ear) version of Sennheiser’s “big bass, urban style” headphone is also going wireless. The Bluetooth 4.0 headphone also has NFC pairing and a touchpad on the right earcup for controlling volume, switching tracks, and taking calls. The microphones on the outside are just used for speech, so they don’t have the same active noise-canceling tech as the new Momentums. The current Urbanite XLs are $250, which gives some indication of how the new wireless model will be priced.
There are a couple more models of note. First is the new MX 686 Sports headphone. It’s a headset designed for running or outdoor exercise, and the little green hooks at the tops of the earpieces help keep them clamped inside your ear-holes. They actually slide up and down, providing an adjustable fit. (See the photo below.) If you run, you’ll be happy with these. There are also new sports models that wrap behind the ears, and a model with a thin headband that runs around the back of the head, but those are more traditional designs. You’ve seen headphones from Sennheiser that are very much like these, except blue and cross-branded with Adidas. These new headphones are bright green and Adidas’ branding is curiously absent. Hmm.
Lastly, Sennheiser announced four new wireless headphone models for home listening. They are part of the company’s RS line of “home entertainment” headphones, so if you’re familiar with Sennheiser’s previous options in this area, you know what to expect. These are Wi-Fi headphones—operating on the 2.4GHz band instead of Bluetooth—so they have a base station that you connect to your A/V system and plug into a wall, and which also acts as a charging stand for the headset. There’s an entry-level model with an optional bass boost, and then the pricier models introduce features like surround sound and optical digital inputs. We’ll have updates with pricing and availability for all of these headphones—as well as reviews of the choicest cans—when we get them.
Sennheiser’s new sports earphones have the same sliding, adjustable nub above the ear tip. Sennheiser
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