The Sennheiser Momentum 3 is one of the topmost rated wireless headphones which delivers exceptional sonic performance and looks stylish while doing so. For headphone enthusiasts who are eagerly awaiting the new Momentum 4 and hoping it will sound even better than the current version, so as to bring their music listening experience to the next level. There is another way to do so and that will be going the wired route.
We will also suggest connecting the Sennheiser Momentum 3 to a matching DAC with a built-in headphone amplifier. If you already own an amp to drive the Momentum 3 headphone, then you should just go with a dedicated DAC. We should work on your DAC requirements as well as these will influence the choice of D/A converter to go for.
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Sonic Characteristics of Sennheiser Momentum 3 and Your DAC Requirements
As mentioned earlier, the Sennheiser Momentum 3 looks stunning and has a sense of style. We certainly have no problem wearing them in public and also partly thanks to its advanced Active Noise Cancellation capability with 3 modes to choose from. Each mode is designed for different environments, making the Momentum 3 a versatile headphone to have for outdoor use. Another notable feature will be the Transparent Hearing functionality which allows us to have better situational awareness while listening to our favorite music.
Since we will be going with the wired route, we won’t be focusing on its Bluetooth and ANC features. When connected to a matching headphone amplifier, your ears could detect an increase in clarity to the overall sound reproduction. There are more music details coming out from the Sennheiser Momentum 3 headphones and subtleties are also more audible than usual. The volume level is higher as well and you can crank up the loudness with ease but do be cautious as playing your music at too high volumes might damage your hearing.
We always find the bass performance of the Sennheiser Momentum 3 to be more pronounced than some of the other wireless headphones in the same price range. There are times the bass delivery just overshadows the upper frequencies. Going the wired route does help to improve the higher registers especially the midrange reproductions but the low end has lesser impact and this might not be ideal for bass fanatics. We were taken by surprise at how good the stereo imaging really is and the spacing is more generous now.
More Info at Amazon – Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones
You can get a DAC with certain sonic traits and match with the Sennheiser Momentum 3 so as to improve certain aspects of the headphones’ sound quality. We will suggest writing them down and they can be part of your DAC requirements. Since you are likely to use the Momentum 3 outdoors, you might want to require a portable D/A converter. If you are only planning to listen to music (wired) at home then a desktop model will suffice. Getting a desktop DAC might give you more connectivity options and you should list out what connections you require.
Desktop DAC will take up a spot on your table and you should find out how much available space you have. You can get a digital-to-analog converter with certain dimensions if you are facing space constraints. Finding out your available budget which you can use to invest in a DAC will be critical and this could help to filter out D/A converters that do not fall within your price requirements. We highly suggest taking some time to work out more requirements on your own. When you are confident in what you want from a DAC then please take a look at the best DACs to match with your Sennheiser Momentum 3 headphones.
Sennheiser Momentum 3 Specifications
- Wearing Style: Headband (Over-Ear)
- Transducer Principle: Closed-back, Dynamic
- Frequency Range: 6Hz-22kHz
- Bluetooth: Version 5
- Connector: 3.5mm
- Impedance: 100 Ohms (Passive)
- Weight: 305g (0.67lbs)
Best DACs to match with Sennheiser Momentum 3
The Chord Mojo is one of the best portable DACs to go with the Sennheiser Momentum 3. This award-winning D/A converter is an ideal choice for listeners who use their headphones outdoors due to its exceptional sound quality and incredible portability. You can easily slot the Chord Mojo into your pockets and carry it around with ease. The energetic performance of the Mojo DAC is well suited for the Sennheiser Momentum 3 headphones, providing its listeners with an entertaining music presentation without compromising the details.
More Information at Amazon – Chord Mojo DAC
If you need a powerful headphone amplifier that gives you the flexibility of choosing a DAC which fits your budget then the Schiit Audio Asgard 3 is an excellent choice to pair with your Sennheiser Momentum 3. The Asgard 3 can drive your Momentum 3 headphones with ease and efficiency. You can choose to either go with ES9028 or True Multibit DAC, we will recommend the latter as it is designed to match well with the Schiit Asgard 3. The overall sound reproduction is nimble and energetic with a wide dynamic range.
More Information at Amazon – Schiit Audio Asgard 3
The Audioquest Dragonfly Cobalt is another award-winning compact DAC that will be excellent for listeners who are facing space constraints and/or needs a D/A converter with high portability. This is a USB DAC and has a really small footprint where you can easily keep it after use or carry the Audioquest Dragonfly Cobalt inside your pockets. The highly accurate and clean sound reproduction of the DAC will pair well with the Sennheiser Momentum 3. Dragonfly Cobalt DAC will also help to improve the scale of the soundstage.
More Information at Amazon – AudioQuest Dragonfly Cobalt USB DAC
Schiit Audio Modi 3+ is one of the top budget DACs to go with your Sennheiser Momentum 3 and is great for headphone enthusiasts who don’t want to invest too much on a digital-to-analog converter. Modi 3+ affordable price point makes it easy to fit most listeners’ budgets and doesn’t compromise the sound quality. This D/A converter has an enjoyable sound quality and provides a nice weight to the low-end delivery. The bass response is agile and controlled as well, complementing the Sennheiser Momentum 3 low-end performance.
More Info at Amazon – Schiit Audio Modi 3+ Delta-Sigma D/A Converter
Topping D90 is one of the best desktop DACs on the market and will be an amazing partner for the Sennheiser Momentum 3. The D90 comes with a plethora of features such as MQA decoding via the USB input, supports up to 32-bit/768khz, decodes up to DSD512, Bluetooth connection, etc. It has almost all you need to start enjoying your high-res audio music journey. The stereo imaging and separation are impeccable, not to mention, the soundstage has ample depth, making it a worthy DAC partner for the Sennheiser Momentum 3.
More Details at Amazon – Topping D90 MQA USB DAC (Black, MQA Version)
The FiiO K5 Pro ESS is a fantastic choice to go for, it has a high-quality DAC which supports up to 32-bit/768khz sample rates and decodes up to DSD512 (Native). It even has a built-in amp to drive the Sennheiser Momentum 3 headphones. K5 Pro ESS is a compact size desktop DAC and will fit nicely on most desktops. It is a DAC that could produce plenty of music details and has incredible precision which is really impressive for such a modestly price D/A converter. If you like neutral-sounding DAC then the FiiO K5 Pro ESS is worth your time to audition.
More Details at Amazon – FiiO K5 Pro Portable DAC – K5PRO ESS
To Sum It Up
These DACs are all well-matched with your Sennheiser Momentum 3 headphones and will be worth your time to hear them out. Do use your list of requirements to filter out the best DACs from the list and from there arrange an audition with them. Remember to bring along your own Sennheiser Momentum 3 and your favorite library of digital music to test out the shortlisted D/A converters. We hope you will enjoy the process of auditioning these DACs.
