Short answer: a tie on sound quality, though neither ranks well in its class. Both are rated 2.5/5 (#196 and #202 of 216 over-ear headphones) at nearly the same price ($223.38 vs $227.38), so choose on features and fit. Both are rated below 3.0/5 among the 216 over-ear headphones; for better sound, the Sennheiser HD 550 ranks #6 at $199.95.
What the Audio-Technica ATH-AD900X does well: An open-back design with a 53 mm dynamic driver and a light 0.6 lbs (265 g) frame. The catch: A preference score of 49 in crinacle’s measurement shows a response well away from the tuning most listeners prefer.
What the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless does well: Feature set is strong: active noise cancelling, Bluetooth 5.2 with SBC, AAC, aptX and aptX Adaptive, and a rated 60 hours of battery. The catch: That bass boost overshoots the Harman target by a clear margin and adds about 2 dB in the low mids, which can make vocals and bass guitar thick.
Buy the Audio-Technica ATH-AD900X or the Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless on features: they are rated the same for sound quality at close to the same price.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Headphones rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Audio-Technica ATH-AD900X | Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $223.38 | $227.38 |
| Ranked | #196 of 216 in Over-Ear Headphones | #202 of 216 in Over-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | Over-ear | Over-ear |
| Harman Preference Score | 49 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) | 47 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 4.07 dB standard deviation | 3.31 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.92 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -1.68 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Connection | Wired | Wireless and wired |
| Back | Open | Closed |
| Driver Type | Dynamic | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 53mm dynamic | 1 x 42mm dynamic |
| Impedance | 38 ohms | - |
| Sensitivity | 100 dB/mW | 106 dB SPL (1 kHz / 0 dB FS) |
| Weight | 0.6 lbs (265 g) | 0.6 lbs (293 g) |
| Frequency Response | 5Hz - 35kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 6Hz - 22kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | No | Yes |
| Sub-bass Extension | - | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+8.2 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Active Noise Cancelling | - | Yes |
| Battery Life | - | 60 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Version | - | 5.2 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | - | SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX Adaptive |
| IP Rating | - | None |
Related Headphone Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for Audio-Technica ATH-AD900X:
- Sony WH-1000XM5 vs Audio-Technica ATH-AD900X
- AKG K271 MKII vs Audio-Technica ATH-AD900X
- Audio-Technica ATH-AD900X vs Beyerdynamic DT 770 M
- Audio-Technica ATH-AD900X vs Audio-Technica ATH-A990Z
- Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless vs Audio-Technica ATH-A990Z
Prices on this page were last checked October 11, 2026 at 4:59 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
The Two Headphones In Full
Audio-Technica ATH-AD900X: $223.38 Amazon eBay
Pros: An open-back design with a 53 mm dynamic driver and a light 265 g frame. At 38 ohms and 100 dB/mW it runs at full volume from a phone or laptop without a separate amplifier.
Cons: A preference score of 49 in crinacle’s measurement shows a response well away from the tuning most listeners prefer. The open back leaks sound and blocks no outside noise, so it suits quiet rooms only.
Full Audio-Technica ATH-AD900X review and specifications →
| Released | 2012 (14 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Open |
| Built-in Microphone | No |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 4.07 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 53mm dynamic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 5Hz - 35kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 49 (measured by crinacle, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 38 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 100 dB/mW |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.92 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0.6 lbs (265 g) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -6.5 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | +6.8 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 163 Hz | -4.0 dB | 0.47 |
| Peak | 2,238 Hz | +9.3 dB | 1.11 |
| Peak | 8,192 Hz | +6.1 dB | 2.21 |
| Peak | 1,477 Hz | -7.5 dB | 0.91 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -0.8 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 3,587 Hz | +2.5 dB | 4.42 |
| Peak | 4,150 Hz | -3.0 dB | 6.00 |
| Peak | 55 Hz | +1.2 dB | 2.39 |
| Peak | 78 Hz | -1.1 dB | 2.45 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless: $227.38 Wireless Amazon eBay
Pros: Feature set is strong: active noise cancelling, Bluetooth 5.2 with SBC, AAC, aptX and aptX Adaptive, and a rated 60 hours of battery. It also plays wired and has a built-in microphone. The deep bass lift, about 9 dB in the sub-bass and 6 dB in the bass, suits listeners who like a warm, bass-heavy sound.
Cons: That bass boost overshoots the Harman target by a clear margin and adds about 2 dB in the low mids, which can make vocals and bass guitar thick. A 4.7 dB dip near 2.4 kHz followed by a 3.5 dB peak near 6.8 kHz makes the upper midrange uneven. Its preference score of 47 trails the Beats Studio3 Wireless, which is rated higher.
Full Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless review and specifications →
| Released | Aug 2022 (4 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Active Noise Cancelling | Yes |
| Back | Closed |
| Battery Life | 60 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX Adaptive |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 |
| Built-in Microphone | Yes |
| Connection | Wireless and wired |
| Deviation From Target | 3.31 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 42mm dynamic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 6Hz - 22kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 47 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| IP Rating | None |
| Sensitivity | 106 dB SPL (1 kHz / 0 dB FS) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+8.2 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -1.68 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0.6 lbs (293 g) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -6.4 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | -7.4 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 195 Hz | -3.6 dB | 1.22 |
| Peak | 2,393 Hz | +6.1 dB | 1.81 |
| Peak | 1,726 Hz | +1.6 dB | 1.71 |
| Peak | 2,893 Hz | -3.2 dB | 5.94 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | +0.5 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 63 Hz | +1.7 dB | 2.86 |
| Peak | 652 Hz | +1.2 dB | 2.25 |
| Peak | 952 Hz | -1.0 dB | 3.69 |
| Peak | 316 Hz | -0.9 dB | 3.46 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons