Over-Ear Headphones · owner-verdict comparison

ATH-R70xa vs Momentum 4 Wireless: what real owners say

Real owners lean toward the ATH-R70xa: 63% of 27 owners recommend it, vs 45% of 469 for the Momentum 4 Wireless.

Verdicts aggregated from Reddit, enthusiast forums, and YouTube owner comments — affiliate reviews excluded. Sample sizes differ; judge accordingly. How we score

ATH-R70xa

63%of 27 owners recommend

63% recommend · 30% neutral · 7% don't

Owners praise

Exceptionally light and comfortable for long listening sessions, staying cool even after hours of wear
Standout imaging and detail retrieval that owners call incredible or best-in-class for the price
Preferred over Sennheiser rivals like the HD600, HD6XX, and HD660S2, with more bass and dynamism

Owners complain about

Stock earpads run thin and can feel tight or press against the head, pushing many owners to swap in aftermarket R70X Refine pads for comfort
Treble and vocal timbre can sound artificial, thin, or divisive, especially on spoken content like YouTube videos
Mids sound recessed or pulled back, with measurements showing a dip around 300-400 Hz compared to headphones like the HD600

Full owner report →

Momentum 4 Wireless

45%of 469 owners recommend

45% recommend · 27% neutral · 28% don't

Owners praise

Sound quality is the headline strength, owners repeatedly call it the best-sounding wireless headphone in its price bracket, often preferring it over Sony WH-1000XM4/XM5, Bose QuietComfort, and even AirPods Max for clarity, bass, and soundstage
Battery life holds up for years of daily use with minimal degradation, charges fast, and the user-replaceable battery is praised as a rare feature at this price
Great value for the price, especially now that it's discounted since the Momentum 5 launched, described as unbeatable price-to-performance and a steal around $150-200

Owners complain about

ANC is consistently rated weaker than Sony (WH-1000XM3/4/5/6) and Bose competitors, usable for daily commuting but inadequate on planes for some owners
Build quality and durability complaints, the fabric headband covering comes loose or peels within months, glue fails after about a year, and units crack or break under normal use
Software/app bugs and Bluetooth connectivity issues, dropped connections, multipoint pairing problems, and headphones randomly turning on/off or losing pairing

Full owner report →

Which should you buy?

Get the ATH-R70xa if

✓Long listening sessions where light weight and all-day comfort matter most
✓Gamers and daily drivers wanting sharp imaging and a fun, dynamic sound
✓HD600/6XX owners wanting more treble energy, bass, and less recessed mids
✓Warm-climate or long-session users who need cans that never run hot

Skip it if

Listeners wanting a neutral, analytical reference sound over a brighter V-shaped tuning
Anyone needing thick, plush stock earpads without buying aftermarket Refine pads

Get the Momentum 4 Wireless if

✓Sound-quality-first listeners who'll trade top-tier ANC for richer, fuller audio
✓Frequent travelers who want multi-day battery life and decent (not best) noise cancellation
✓Remote workers on long calls who need all-day comfort and clear mic quality
✓Budget-conscious buyers wanting near-flagship sound without flagship pricing

Skip it if

Frequent flyers who need best-in-class ANC, since Sony and Bose noticeably outperform it
Gym-goers or heavy sweaters, since moisture repeatedly causes malfunctions and shorted circuits

What ATH-R70xa owners say

“I listened to a bunch of highly rated headphones at the last CanJam in NYC and none of them made me want to upgrade from the R70xa.”
— this_is_me_drunk on Reddit

“I got the r70xa as well, but had to get a new amp to give it more juice to make it sing. But man, being so light i hardly reach for my other cans now and using these as daily drivers.”
— Waste_Search2125 on Reddit

“it has this really arfticial, unnatural sound to it that's neither analytic nor is it a smooth, rich entertaining sound”
— Overall-Cupcake7073 on Reddit

What Momentum 4 Wireless owners say

“Thats unfortunate. I've been using mine for about 2 and a half years daily, and the only problem I've had is the earpads deteriorated and I had to get replacements.”
— Randy265 on Reddit

“i bought M4 last year and i'm fully satisfied”
— zeldafr on Reddit

“Verdict: Not very good”
— thogor on Reddit

ATH-R70xa vs Momentum 4 Wireless: frequently asked questions

Is the ATH-R70xa or the Momentum 4 Wireless better?

Real owners lean toward the ATH-R70xa: 63% of 27 owners recommend it, vs 45% of 469 for the Momentum 4 Wireless.

Who should get the ATH-R70xa?

Owners point the ATH-R70xa at long listening sessions where light weight and all-day comfort matter most, and gamers and daily drivers wanting sharp imaging and a fun, dynamic sound.

Who should get the Momentum 4 Wireless?

Owners point the Momentum 4 Wireless at sound-quality-first listeners who'll trade top-tier ANC for richer, fuller audio, and frequent travelers who want multi-day battery life and decent (not best) noise cancellation.

What do owners complain about?

The most-cited downside of the ATH-R70xa is stock earpads run thin and can feel tight or press against the head, pushing many owners to swap in aftermarket R70X Refine pads for comfort. For the Momentum 4 Wireless, it's aNC is consistently rated weaker than Sony (WH-1000XM3/4/5/6) and Bose competitors, usable for daily commuting but inadequate on planes for some owners.