Sennheiser True Wireless 3. Picture Noel Campion.

I test a lot of audio equipment and I use high-end Adeze LCD-X headphones as my point of reference running through a dedicated DAC/amp while streaming HiRes music. I also use wired IEMs (in-ear monitors) as a secondary reference point and while there’s no way currently to stream music over Bluetooth to achieve the same fidelity, true wireless earphones continue to improve year on year.

Since I first reviewed the Sennheiser Momentum 2 a couple of years ago, I’ve used them as the benchmark in terms of what I consider exceptionally audio quality, for wireless earbuds. Other TWS earbuds have come close to matching them as my go-to for testing comparisons but none have dethroned them — until now.

The Momentum True Wireless 3 look similar to the Momentum 2 including the fabric-clad case — available in a choice of three colours — black, graphite and white. The rectangular case is large with rounded corners. The new case is slightly shorter than version 2 but gains a little depth.

The USB-C port for charging is now on the front beneath the opening of the lid along with a single LED indicator. This was a little strange at first since I’m used to opening the lid with the USB-C port at the back. I’m not a massive fan of this or the removal of the physical Bluetooth pairing button but you can easily enable Bluetooth pairing with a tap and hold on both earbuds.

The buds are a little smaller featuring a more ergonomic shape that fits the contours of my ears better. They come with a selection of four ear tips and now you also get two sizes of wing tips that add an extra layer of security to the fit. I found them very comfortable right out of the box using the stock wing and ear tips.

I also like that the buds sit securely in the case with magnets and are easy to place and remove.

A new feature that should have been in the Momentum 2 is wireless charging but it’s great to see it here now. They also feature IPX4 waterproofing so the odd drop of rain or sweat won’t be an issue.

The Momentum 3 doesn’t offer a simultaneous connection although using the app you can switch between many different paired devices. This has the advantage they have over earbuds that offer a multipoint connection is you can have more than a paired device saved.

Using the app you can do a ‘sound check’ which allows you to create personalised EQs for different genres of music. What makes this unique is that you can create as many as you want.

Within the app, you can do a ‘sound check’ that goes through a series of multiple-choice options. During the sound check, you simply pick from A, B or C based on which you think sounds best. At the end of the test, it will save the result as a custom EQ preset.

Additional sound features in the app include a Bass Boost as well as a Podcast mode. These work as intended and provide a quick way to add oomph to your bass without distorting the sound or clarity to vocals with a quick toggle slider.

The Momentum True Wireless 3 comes with all the latest technology including advanced ANC modes. Yes, ANC was available in the previous iteration but Sennheiser has improved and enhanced ANC with adaptive ANC that constantly listens to your environment using the external mics and ‘adapts’ the strength of the ANC to the environment. This is ideal if you’re on the move.

There’s also a special anti-wind mode that I found effective in reducing wind noise when cycling or running. The only downside is that you have to open the Sennheiser Control app to change to it.

ANC performance is excellent, especially in lower frequencies. I found the Momentum True Wireless 3 to be right up there with the best true wireless earbuds during my testing.

The transparency mode is also excellent. I could hear my own voice clearly during calls.

If I want to talk to someone in person, I generally, take the buds out but you can enable transparency mode with a single tap on the left bud if you prefer. The transparency strength can be increased by using a slider in the app as well as having it toggle between transparency mode off and transparency mode on with audio playing or only when you pause the audio. This works well but isn’t in the same league as buds like the class-leading AirPods Pro.

The Momentum 3 comes with Bluetooth 5.2 and SBC, AAC, aptX and aptX adaptive sound codecs. Most good Android devices support aptX adaptive which offers much higher bitrates (up to 420kbps) than AAC (264 kbps) which is the only codec available to iOS users. While this does give Android users a slight advantage in audio quality — assuming they’re streaming from a HiRes source — the difference isn’t night and day.

I used them a lot on my iPhone and MacBook to listen to music and movies and they sound incredible to my non-audiophile ears. However, using the higher quality aptX adaptive on Android does improve the sound but you get the same features and the app experience on iOS.

Sound Zones is a new feature within the Smart Control app that allows you to create geographical zones based on your GPS coordinates. For example, you can set it to change your ANC mode and EQ preset when entering or leaving your office or home and you can create multiple instances of Sound Zones.

Th sound quality on the Momentum 3 is very impressive. Right from the start, I could hear the clarity, strong bass response and relatively neutral sound.

I really enjoyed using them to listen to classical or acoustic music, which highlighted their great instrument separation and resolution. Equally, the tight bass and sub-bass are excellent when listening to music with a lot of bass.

The soundstage is surprisingly large for earbuds. It’s hard to believe you can get this amount of fullness from wireless buds but the Momentum 3 sounds great right out of the box. You can also tweak the sound using the three-band equaliser in the Sennheiser Smart Control app. You can create and save custom EQ presets or choose from a list.

The buds are good for up to seven hours with ANC off and you get up to 28 hours when you include the wireless charging case.

The Momentum True Wireless 3 are a worthy upgrade from the previous version but the Momentum 2 are also so good I probably wouldn’t upgrade. Right across the board, the improvements to ANC, sound quality and features including wireless charging are all welcome.

Ultimately, these are one of the best-sounding earbuds I’ve tested and while not all of their features are class-leading, the sum of all their parts makes them easy to recommend to anyone who loves outstanding sound quality in true wireless buds.

News and analysis on business, money and jobs from Munster and beyond by our expert team of business writers.

News and analysis on business, money and jobs from Munster and beyond by our expert team of business writers.

A lunchtime summary of content highlights on the Irish Examiner website. Delivered at 1pm each day.

Some of the best bits from irishexaminer.com direct to your inbox every Monday.

© Irish Examiner Ltd, Linn Dubh, Assumption Road, Blackpool, Cork. Registered in Ireland: 523712.