Greetings friend and Welcome aboard!!
Before we get into the Sennheiser Momentum vs. Amperior, grab a snack, sit back and relax because..
You’ve come to the right place!!
What I will bring you in this review
Today I will outline the Sennheiser Amperior and then compare it with the Momentum towards the end. 🙂
- Ratings/Price
- Specifications
- Summary
- Pros
- Cons
- Video Comparison
- Amp/DAC requirements
- Who these headphones benefit?
- Thoughts from Stu’s notepad
- Consensus/Conclusion
- Similarities & Differences
- Final Word
Now without further ado, let’s get rolling!!
Sennheiser Amperior
Ratings/Price
Specifications
- Type: Closed back. Closed back vs. Open Back headphones
- Fit: Supra-aural (on-ear)
- Impedance: 18 Ohms. What is Headphone Impedance?
- Sensitivity: 120dB
- Color: Silver or Blue
- Frequency Response: 16Hz-22kHz
- Weight: 190g
- Material: Velour, Plastic, Aluminum
- Inputs Supported: 3.5mm
- Cable Length: 1.2m
- Additional Features: Detachable Cable, In-line Playback controls, Microphone, Noise Isolating, Volume Remote.
Summary
The Amperiors have a very aggressive sound signature. Don’t expect too much of a soundstage out of these puppies however. What is Soundstage? If you’re looking for a laid back listening experience, the Amperiors won’t do.
They do have a punchy, clear, and accurate sound however. It’s definitely a fun listening experience. There’s a live flavor to these puppies for certain. However, it isn’t a bass heads can. It still does well with bass heavy music however because the low end is so tight.
Pros
- Punchy, cohesive sound. Accurate, bold, energetic.
- The bass is really tight.
- The mid-range is accurate and forward.
- Nice clarity and detail.
- Highs crystal clear.
- Very durable/Good build quality.
- Good instrument separation.
- Present to you the music as it is.
Cons
- At louder volumes, the highs on female vocals and high hats may become strident/sibilant. What does Sibilant mean?
- Cable is a bit on the thin side like Wheat Thins. It’s also too short. 12″.
- A couple of people had issues with the ear-cups falling off after a time.
- Being on-ear, they may get uncomfortable after a spell, needing an adjustment.
Video Comparison
Part I
Part II
Amp/DAC requirements
These won’t really benefit from an amp, and were meant to be used with your portable devices. How to choose a headphone amp!
Who these headphones benefit?
Endorsed for:
- Classic Rock
- Jazz
- Electronica
- Metal
- Classical
- Indie
- Piano
- Cello
- DJ’s
- Electronic News Gatherings
- Hip-Hop/R&B
- Slayer. As mentioned, they have a nice speed, and can handle fast music and bass notes very well.
- Female Vocals. Be aware that some vocalists in general may sound a bit overbearing at times.
They are a jack of all trades type of headphone.
The important thing to remember is burn in time. At first listen the mid-bass hump may sound a bit artificial, but over time the headphones really open up and start to sound marvelous.
They are also quite fast, and keep up with faster genres admirably.
Thoughts from Stu’s notepad
- The headphone cable for the Amperiors come in a two piece set up with a dongle attachment, which can receive one of two included 3.5mm cables. One of those is a 1.2 meter cable with L-jack at the end and the other is a 1 meter cable with straight connection and control button.
- They do not fold up.
- They do not come with a carrying case.
- Because it’s designed to be used with Apple devices, some of the features may not work for you if you don’t have an Apple device. The play previous song button is one of them. It’s also hard to discern the buttons from one another.
- All parts on the Amperiors are replaceable.
- Good noise isolation and minimal sound leak.
- The ear piece housing is made of aluminum rather than plastic. When sound radiates off of the diaphragm inside the driver, some of it will hit the rear of the diaphragm and subsequently the back wall of the housing where some of the energy is stored. If the housing is made of plastic, there is a greater chance for the sound you hear to become slightly muddy. With the stiffer aluminum housing this won’t happen because it won’t store as much energy. This means less noise.
- The mini-plug (3.5mm) will not plug into a jack with an Otter Box Defender Case.
- The better the source, the better these will sound.
- While the mid-range is pretty accurate, many were saying that it is a bit recessed because of how good the bass and treble are. A 2-3 dB bump would be most ideal.
- If you’re hyper sensitive to treble, the Amperiors may not be your best bet.
- “The Amperiors are so good they make you wanna slap yo momma.” -Amazon reviewer
Consensus/Conclusion
In your face sound. Perhaps the tightest and quickest bass response around. Mid-bass hump does color the sound in a fun way, but may detract from the mid-range. Don’t expect a big soundstage.
Similarities & Differences
Similarities
- Both are very portable.
Differences
- The Amperiors sound is more closed off than the Momentum. With the Momentum’s you will get a more spacious soundscape. The Amperiors soundstage is much more narrow.
- The Amperiors are Supra-aural (on-ear), while the Momentum’s are Circumaural (around the ear).
- Being that the Momentum’s are around the ear, they will seal better than the Amperiors.
- The Momentum’s as far as bass quantity have more than the Amperiors. As far as clarity, tightness, and overall quality, the Amperior wins easily. They are much more detailed.
- As far as the mid-range, the Momentum’s are more natural than the Amperiors. They produce vocals much better. The Amperiors mid-range is more aggressive and forward however.
- The Amperiors are much brighter in the top end than the Momentum’s. The Momentum’s have a more laid back and relaxed treble.
- The Soundstage on the Momentum’s is bigger than that of the Amperior. It’s more expansive and realistic.
- The Momentum’s overall are more laid back and smoother than the Amperior’s aggressive quality.
- The overall design of the Amperiors is marketed towards DJ’s, while the Momentums are for the casual listener on the go.
- The Amperiors ear-cups are made of velour while the Momentums are comprised of genuine leather.
Final Word
Even though the Amperiors are now discontinued, I would try to snag a pair if you’re digging the type of sound they provide. So many people gushed over the ridiculously accurate and tight bass response, as well as their aggressive and fun character.
The Momentum 2.0’s are your best bet when it comes to deciding which headphone is best. There are 5 versions of the Momentum:
- Momentum (original, over-ear):
- Momentum 2.0 (upgraded, due to ear-cup complaint. There are models for both Apple and Samsung devices).
- Momentum 2.0 (on-ear version)
- Momentum 2.0 (wireless, over-ear version)
- Momentum 2.0 (wireless, on-ear version)
Today I compared the Amperior to models 1 & 2 mostly, with some of 3. Out of these I would definitely recommend the Momentum 2.0’s Over ear version. They are the most solid, and seem to received the most positive feedback. I would not even bother with the originals.
It really depends on the type of sound you’re going for.
Aggressive?
SEE THE AMPERIORS FOR YOURSELF ON AMAZON!!
OR
Laid back?
CLICK HERE TO READ THE MOMENTUM’S REVIEWS!!
Well that’s about it for today my friend! I hope you’ve enjoyed this article on the Sennheiser Momentum vs. Amperior.
Questions? Comments? Requests? Did I miss the mark on something? Please let me know down below or Contact me!!
Which of these are you more likely to go with? Do you prefer a more aggressive sound or laid back? I would love to hear from you. Until next time..
All the best and God bless,
-Stu
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