Inside the Smart Control app, you can actually choose to pause the audio when you activate Transparent Hearing or keep the music going. The latter is something I used while walking down the street, for example. The software also allows you to disable features like smart pause when you take an earbud out of your ear, automatically accept calls when you remove the right earbud from the case and sidetone, or the audible feedback of your voice during phone calls.

The audio quality was great on the first-gen Momentum True Wireless. In fact, it was one of the best-sounding units I tested in 2019. Sennheiser consistently creates an audio profile that highlights minute details of songs — from the “noise” of acoustic guitar strumming to the depth of synths and drum machines. The trademark tone is warm, pleasant and inviting. That’s all true of the MTW2, even with the default tuning. I usually need to tweak the EQ on headphones to get them to sound their best, but I didn’t feel the need here. You might like a little more bass, a touch more mids or a dash of treble, but the MTW2 sounds great straight out of the box. Still, Sennheiser will allow you to do so if you don’t agree with me.

With Phantogram’s Ceremony, bass lines are big and boomy, but with detailed depth and it never drowns out the rest of the instruments. Claps, hi-hats and other sounds in the higher range are punchy. The snare drum is crisp and cuts through while the vocals seem like they envelope you. You get the details of the synths, drums, guitars and more. That’s true of other genres too — whether it’s Caspian’s atmospheric post-rock or KAYTRANADA’s expertly produced hip-hop.

ANC is also nicely done on the MTW2. It doesn’t kill all noise, but it does offer a noticeable improvement over passive noise isolation of the earbuds alone. The ability to control the level of noise cancellation would’ve been nice, but being able to turn if on/off is adequate. At least the Transparent Hearing feature works well. With much of the competition, it still sounds like you’re listening to the world with earplugs in. But with the MTW2, I almost felt like there was nothing between me and my surroundings. I could hear everything clearly, and the sounds weren’t particularly muffled. I certainly didn’t feel the need to compensate in conversations by raising my voice.

Sennheiser says it increased the battery life on the MTW2 to seven hours on the buds themselves — up from four on the first model. While the competition is hovering around 10, with some offering even more than that, it’s respectable that Sennheiser almost doubled the battery figure on this new version. With the volume at 80 percent or higher and ANC on throughout my tests, I managed just over six hours before the MTW2 needed a charge. The company is clear that active noise cancellation will impact battery life inside of its app. Thankfully, Sennheiser included a 10-minute quick charge feature that gives you over an hour of listening time. The Smart Control app displays battery life of the earbuds, but it was showing 10 percent when they died on me. And the spoken warnings began not long after I hit that mark.

At almost $300, the MTW2 is firmly in the premium tier with the likes of Bang & Olufsen and Master & Dynamic. B&O’s third-generation E8 sound good and come with a wireless charging case, but they lack key features like automatic pausing and ANC. Those omissions make them hard to recommend at $349. Master & Dynamic’s MW07 Plus ($299) are a big improvement over its first-gen version. The acetate shells aren’t for everyone, and there’s no companion app for customization, but the standard features are all there — as is active noise cancellation. However, you can get a full set of features, including powerful ANC, with Sony’s WF-1000XM3 for around $230 — though they’ve been on sale recently for under $200. Those earbuds will be a year old this summer, but they still hold their own against the latest models. The only thing the WF-100XM3 doesn’t have is a wireless charging case, which still isn’t standard, though it’s becoming more common.

Sennheiser’s Momentum True Wireless 2 are definitely an improvement over last year’s model. They’re slightly smaller, have better battery life and ANC does a solid job of reducing ambient noise. The company’s handy app is back, and it allows you to customize everything from touch controls to the EQ. And thankfully, annoyances like touch controls on the previous version now perform more reliably. The MTW 2 is an excellent set of true wireless earbuds, but when options with nearly identical features are available for much less, the nearly $300 price is hard to justify, even if the sound quality is stellar. It’s clear that the competition has caught up to Sony though, and true wireless earbuds like the MTW2 are evidence of that. But, of course, Sony still has the advantage in terms of price.

The biggest addition here is ANC. Sennheiser says this new feature will go beyond the passive noise isolation that the first version offered so that you can “enjoy incredible high-fidelity sound even in noisy environments.” The handy Transparent Hearing feature is back, and you can fine-tune how much outside noise you let in with the Smart Control App. For calls, the company says a pair of microphones equipped with its “advanced beamforming technology” will cut down on background noise and focus on your voice.

Sennheiser also made tweaks to the design. While the charging case looks mostly the same except for the shade of gray, the earbuds themselves are 2mm smaller. The company says this will help with fit and overall comfort. Version 2 still looks quite similar though, with the main shape and metallic touch panel returning from last year’s model. The Momentum True Wireless 2 is still IPX4 rated as well. That should protect the buds if you get caught in the rain, but you’ll want to avoid dropping these in water.

Sennheiser also increased battery life from four hours on the buds themselves up to seven hours. That’s not exactly an eye-popping figure when the competition is hovering around 10 hours — or even up to 15 in some options. However, almost doubling the previous figure is respectable. Plus, Sennheiser says you can expect three full charges with the included case. The case with the original model only offered two. That means overall battery life is more than doubled at 28 total hours.

Just like before, you can adjust the EQ, customize touch controls and more inside the Smart Control app. The Momentum True Wireless 2 is also equipped with a Smart Pause feature that will automatically pause whatever you’re listening to when you remove the earbuds and resume it when you put them back in. Automatic pausing is pretty basic, but some companies don’t include it even on pricier models.

The Momentum True Wireless 2 will be available in black in April. There’s also a white version, but the company says that model will ship “at a later point.” Sennheiser has discounted the original Momentum True Wireless to $200, which isn’t a bad deal if you can live with the compromises.