Over-Ear Headphones · owner-verdict comparison

Edition XS vs Momentum 4 Wireless: what real owners say

Real owners lean toward the Edition XS: 68% of 123 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

Edition XS

68%of 123 owners recommend

68% recommend · 17% neutral · 15% don't

Owners praise

Wide soundstage and strong detail
Strong value, especially at sale or refurbished prices
Responds well to EQ

Owners complain about

Headband and weak clamp make the fit loose for many, and owners often add an aftermarket strap
Build quality worries, with reports of drivers failing, crackling, and warranty replacements
Treble that some owners find too bright, shrill, or fatiguing

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 Edition XS if

✓Listeners moving up from a Sennheiser HD560S or HD600-series who want a wider soundstage
✓Buyers comfortable using EQ to tune the sound
✓Gamers who want a wide, detailed presentation
✓Owners with larger heads

Skip it if

Treble-sensitive listeners or anyone wanting a laid-back sound for long sessions
Smaller heads, which some owners say the loose fit does not suit

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 Edition XS owners say

“You could have a faceoff with any headphone on Earth, regardless of cost and compare it to a $169 Edition XS, and while it would lose, it's MUCH closer than it should be...”
— 1maxwedge426 on Reddit

“Decent headphones but......I'm on my third, 2 failed and were warranty replaced. Also the headband should be classed as a war crime. Other than that I highly recommend them.”
— Emotional_Elk_980 on Reddit

“I hate my edition xs so much because they're amazing, just don't work, they keep losing all audio on the right side and I'm not the only one with that issue”
— Kolorboi 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

Edition XS vs Momentum 4 Wireless: frequently asked questions

Is the Edition XS or the Momentum 4 Wireless better?

Real owners lean toward the Edition XS: 68% of 123 owners recommend it, vs 45% of 469 for the Momentum 4 Wireless.

Who should get the Edition XS?

Owners point the Edition XS at listeners moving up from a Sennheiser HD560S or HD600-series who want a wider soundstage, and buyers comfortable using EQ to tune the 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 Edition XS is headband and weak clamp make the fit loose for many, and owners often add an aftermarket strap. 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.