Odi Productions
In this article, I’m going to share my HONEST comparison review with the Sennheiser Momentum 4 vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra and tell you which is better, after personally owning both products. I have thoroughly tested each of these headphones for hundreds of hours, and aim to offer a critical opinion from the perspective of an audiophile and professional music producer.
I’ll be comparing these two head to head on categories like price, comfort, features, battery life, noise cancelling performance, and sound quality.
Then at the end, I’ll share which is the best overall value for the money, and my overall recommendation on which you should buy.
I’ve also conducted a separate in-depth Sennheiser Momentum 4 Review and Bose QuietComfort Ultra Review for those who are interested in reading more detailed thoughts about each headphone after. (Links open in a new tab.)
Key Takeaways
- Both the Bose QuietComfort 2023 and QuietComfort Ultra share nearly identical noise cancelling performance and all-day comfort.
- Bose QuietComfort Ultra has better audiophile-level sound quality, but the QuietComfort 2023 might be more fun to listen to due to its more powerful bass.
- The Bose QuietComfort Ultra is typically $80 more expensive than the QuietComfort 2023, depending on sales.
Watch this Review on YouTube! (Or keep scrolling to read)
Want to ask me a question? Leave it in the YouTube COMMENTS and I’ll do my best to get back to you 🙂
Sennheiser Momentum 4 vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra Price Compared
Overall, the Bose QuietComfort 2023 is anywhere from $30 to $100 cheaper than the Bose QuietComfort Ultra at current market prices for brand new. They can be much closer in price depending on current sales, and whether you’re buying new, renewed, or used.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Prices
- Retail: $429.00
- New: $429
- Renewed: $329 (save up to $100!)
- Used: $340 (save up to $80!)
Sennheiser Momentum 4 Prices
- Retail: $379.95
- New: $249.95
- Renewed: $199.95 (save up to $50!)
Order Here for the LOWEST PRICE AVAILABLE (Do NOT pay retail):
Want to save up to an additional $100?
Want to save up to an additional $50?
Disclosure: These affiliate links may provide a discount and in return, give us a commission in order to keep this website 100% independent to ensure honest unfiltered reviews 🙂
Comfort
On my scale, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra is 38.5 grams lighter than the Sennheiser Momentum 4:
- Sennheiser Momentum 4 weight: 292.9 grams
- Bose QuietComfort Ultra weight: 254.4 grams
Wearing these headphones back-to-back, I find the Bose QuietComfort Ultra to be the more comfortable headphone, due to the lighter weight, plusher headband and earcup cushioning, and less clamping force.
I still find the Momentum 4 to be decently comfy, especially as I’ve owned my pair for over 1 year and the clamping force has reduced greatly since brand new.
But the headband cushioning is clearly stiffer and creates some top of head pressure.
Also, the clamping force and added weight is felt when A/B tested against the Bose QC Ultra.
Sennheiser Momentum 4 Comfort: 4.0 out of 5
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Comfort: 5 out of 5
Winner: Ultra
Features / Build Quality / Battery Life / Noise Cancelling
Features
Both of these are modern headphones with similar features like multiple built-in microphones for taking phone calls, Active Noise Cancelling and Transparency Modes, and companion smartphone apps with customizable EQ.
One feature the Bose QuietComfort Ultra has over the Momentum 4 is Spatial Audio through Bose’s “Immersive Audio” feature.
Personally, this is not a dealbreaker for me and is a little more gimmicky than useful, as I usually leave this setting OFF.
Both headphones include a nice, premium hardshell case for storage on the go, but I prefer the Ultra’s ability to collapse and fold inside a smaller case for travel.
User Experience, Buttons, and Controls
When it comes to the controls, both headphones unfortunately feature touch controls, which I’m not a fan of over physical buttons.
I would say the Momentum 4 has better controls, as the Ultra has this touch-sensitive volume rocker that is almost unusable.
Either way, I prefer to just use my smartphone to control either headphone’s volume and my music.
Build Quality
For build quality, I’d say these headphones are about equal as they both heavily feature plastic exteriors.
Despite the plastic, both headphones actually feel fairly durable and solid so it’s a wash.
Neither feel or look as premium as the Apple AirPods Max which features stainless steel and aluminum over plastic.
Looks
To my eye, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra is the more stylish and proportional headphone when worn on head.
I find the Momentum 4’s design to be rather bland/boring with slightly strange hinge design that sticks out.
Either way, neither headphone is particularly offensive or a fashion statement (like the AirPods Max).
Sennheiser Momentum 4 vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra Battery Life Compared
The Momentum 4 has 36 hours more battery life than the Bose QC Ultra on a single charge:
- Sennheiser Momentum 4 Battery Life: Up to 60 hours
- Bose QuietComfort Ultra Battery Life: Up to 24 hours
In my testing, I found both of these manufacturer’s battery ratings to be accurate.
The Momentum 4’s battery life is amazing, and I rarely need to charge them more than once or twice per month. Truly spectacular stuff.
On the other hand, the QC Ultra will need a charge once every 1-2 weeks minimum. This isn’t bad at all, it’s just the Momentum 4 is in another league.
Sennheiser Momentum 4 vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra Noise Cancelling: Which is better?
When it comes to active noise cancelling performance, this is really Bose’s bread-and-butter and has been for years.
I find the ANC to be more effective and stronger on the Bose QuietComfort Ultra vs the Sennheiser Momentum 4.
Don’t get me wrong, I actually find the Momentum 4’s ANC to be completely serviceable and effective enough for airplane travel.
A lot of reviews online unnecessarily trash the Momentum 4 ANC, but it’s really not bad at all. It just isn’t as good as Bose or Sony.
Inside of the Bose app, you can choose between 11 levels of noise cancelling mixed with “ambient” transparency modes. Sennheiser has a similar customization feature inside of the app.
You can make presets for your favorite settings, and easily switch between them depending on the setting.
Also a new feature that is only featured on the Ultra (as opposed to older models), is “Wind Block”.
I’d say Wind Block does make a significant difference if you live in a windy city or are outside frequently, as it actively filters wind noise that can mess with other headphones.
Overall, if ANC is your main priority, the Bose QC Ultra is the winner here.
Sennheiser Momentum 4 Features / Build Quality / Battery Life / Noise Cancelling: 4.5 out of 5
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Features / Build Quality / Battery Life / Noise Cancelling: 5 out of 5
Winner: Bose QuietComfort Ultra
Sennheiser Momentum 4 vs Bose QuietComfort Ultra Sound Quality Comparison
My thoughts on the Stock vs Stock sound
Out of the box, I greatly prefer the sound of the Sennheiser Momentum 4 over the Bose QC Ultra.
The Momentum 4 is ready to be enjoyed with a pleasing consumer-friendly sound signature that is bass-heavy and detailed.
The QC Ultra has a really strange stock sound profile that is overly bass-heavy, drowning out the mids and treble completely. Just completely unbalanced and muffled.
Where things get really interesting is after I dialed in a custom EQ for the QC Ultra, totally transforming the sound quality for the better.
Although the Momentum 4 really doesn’t need EQ, I also have created a custom EQ setting to improve it slightly for my tastes towards a more neutral, balanced sound profile.
My sound quality comparison will be using the provided custom EQ settings below…
Best Equalizer Settings for Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless Headphones
- 63 Hz: -1
- 250 Hz: -2
- 1000 Hz: +1
- 4000 Hz: +2
- 8000 Hz: -2
Result: Less boxy vocals, more vocal-forward and detailed. Much smoother treble and less-fatiguing sound. Bass and sub-bass is still present and impactful, but slightly tamed. Mids are now much more present and detailed. Overall sound is much better balanced.
Best Equalizer Settings for Bose QuietComfort Ultra
- Bass: -6
- Mid: +4
- Treble: +2
Result: Much more balanced, hyper-detailed, “neutral bright” sound. Bass is much more controlled yet still present and impactful. Treble is intentionally pushed forward to bring out all the micro-detail.
Comparing Sound Quality AFTER EQ…
These two are my favorite wireless, comfy, ANC headphones for audiophiles, especially after applying custom EQ.
(I also think the Apple AirPods Max’s stock sound quality is fairly impressive for wireless ANC headphones, but with the help of EQ, the Bose and Sennheisers can get a slight edge.)
If I had to describe each, I’d say the Sennheiser Momentum 4 is the more “FUN” consumer-friendly headphone with clearly stronger and more satisfying bass slam.
Interestingly, the Bose QC Ultra is the more balanced and slightly more audiophile headphone of the two, focusing on improved detail, resolution, soundstage, separation, and imaging.
Therefore, my EQ settings aim to lean into each headphone’s individual strengths, while maintaining some sense of balance.
The bass on the QC Ultra is still present and impactful, but it’s more of a “clean” sound than the visceral heft and rumble that the Momentum 4 provides.
The Ultra just has slightly more depth and “3D” soundstage compared to the Momentum 4, but it’s pretty close.
Because of this, I think the Ultra is slightly more immersive of a listening experience for music, movies, and gaming.
If you really like bass and listen to more rock/metal, I’d go for the Momentum 4.
As a better all-arounder for all genres of music, I find the QC Ultra to be more enjoyable and versatile, as that extra hint of nuanced detail is really surprising for this class of wireless headphones.
Sennheiser Momentum 4 Sound Quality: 8.7 out of 10 (after EQ)
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Sound Quality: 8.9 out of 10 (after EQ)
Winner: Bose QC Ultra (after EQ)
Value
At the time of this writing, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra is typically between $50 to $100 more expensive than the Sennheiser Momentum 4.
Without a doubt, that makes the Momentum 4 a better value for the dollar, as it’s still competitive in every category with the QC Ultra.
That said, the Bose’s extra pricetag is getting you better comfort, improved noise cancelling performance, and slightly better audiophile sound quality (although many consumers may actually prefer the Momentum 4’s bass-heavy sound).
I can find the Ultra for around $349 brand new these days, and that’s a price I’m more than willing to pay. I think they’re worth every penny at that price.
For the Momentum 4, I can find them for just under $300 and I’d feel very happy with what I’m getting for that price as well.
Sennheiser Momentum 4 Value: 4.5 out of 5
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Value: 4.0 out of 5
Winner: Sennheiser Momentum 4
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Overall Rating
- Audiophile-level sound quality (after EQ)
- Unrivaled noise cancelling performance
- Insanely comfortable and lightweight
- Expensive
- Sound signature without EQ is disappointing
- Materials feel mediocre for price
Sennheiser Momentum 4 Overall Rating
- Excellent sound quality
- Good noise cancelling
- Impressive bass response and impact
- Amazing 60 hour battery life
- Relatively good value
- Sony / Bose have better noise cancelling
- Headband not as comfortable
Overall Winner: Bose QuietComfort Ultra
In a very tight race, the Bose QuietComfort edges out the Sennheiser Momentum 4 on account of its superior comfort, better active noise cancelling performance, and slightly more audiophile sound quality (after EQ).
The Momentum 4 is a better value for the dollar and is right there with the QC Ultra in every category, and even sounds better stock, right out of the box.
I really like the QC Ultra at around $350 brand new, and the Momentum 4 at under $300 brand new.
Either way, if you’re looking at these 2 headphones specifically, there isn’t really a wrong choice! I’d be happy and satisfied with either one.
Some extremely strong alternatives in this class of noise cancelling headphones and price range are the Sony WH-1000XM5, Apple AirPods Max, Bose QuietComfort (2023 model), Sony WH-1000XM4, and Beats Studio Pro. I recommend you check those out next!
Lastly, if you’d like to save some money and keep supporting RecordingNOW.com’s 100% independent, unbiased reviews, do consider using some of our affiliate links below to shop and even just compare prices. We purchase all products we review with our own money to maintain the highest level of integrity, and your support goes into that plus a continuously improving site experience.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Prices
- Retail: $429.00
- New: $429
- Renewed: $329 (save up to $100!)
- Used: $340 (save up to $80!)
Sennheiser Momentum 4 Prices
- Retail: $379.95
- New: $249.95
- Renewed: $199.95 (save up to $50!)
Order Here for the LOWEST PRICE AVAILABLE (Do NOT pay retail):
Want to save up to an additional $100?
Want to save up to an additional $50?
Disclosure: These affiliate links may provide a discount and in return, give us a commission in order to keep this website 100% independent to ensure honest unfiltered reviews 🙂
How We Tested and Our Methodology
RecordingNOW.com is a 100% independent publisher with over 10 years of experience testing and reviewing consumer electronics and headphones.
We currently purchase all of the products we test with our own money, and are not paid by any company or manufacturer to influence our opinions or decisions.
After purchasing the product, we conduct up to hundreds of hours of detailed hands-on testing in a controlled, acoustically-treated environment. Noise cancelling performance is tested in the real-world, primarily on airplane flights, coffee shops, and walking around large metropolitan city environments.
ODi Productions is our resident expert and author of this article, with 10 years of experience as a professional music producer, audio engineer, musician, tech journalist, and audiophile.
Read Next
Bose QuietComfort Ultra vs Sony WH-1000XM5
Bose QuietComfort Review (2023 Model)
Apple AirPods Max vs Sony WH-1000XM5
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Review
