🔥PURCHASE the Sony WH-1000XM5: shop-links.co/chd8pfIMILO (affiliate) 🔥🔥🔥WATCH THE FULL REVIEW BY AN AUDIO ENGINEER: ua-cam.com/video/6WTHBCZBt_E/v-deo.html
Yeah, it feels really ambiguous and subjective just talking about it without samples, but I will say, having audio samples that are actually good and of high quality is VERY expensive. My rig for recording all headphones and earbuds is close to $6000 worth of equipment and continues to get more expensive as I continue to make improvements. It's hard for most to do that or invest in that.
If you don't have the XM4's, spend the extra 50 bucks and buy the XM5's for the call quality alone. If you have the XM4's....wait until these go on black friday this year if you really want them. But they don't sound or feel significantly better enough to swap. The best way to describe the sound difference is the XM5 has a larger sound stage and you can feel a slight decrease in bass (not a bad thing and the driver was made 5mm smaller.
Thank you for making these immersive reviews! There was one channel that did them in the past, but it closed. So I'm very happy to have found a new place here where someone makes them! =)
Yeah! Definitely planning on doing a lot more. I bought a bunch of equipment and constructed a rig for earbuds as well. We're up to about $6K in equipment to get it right all with high quality tracking hardware at high bitrates and mics that are neutral and 20Hz-20kHz. I know some are doing the immersive thing but are using bad mics that don't cover the whole hearing range,.
@@miggyyusay Thank you for reminding me again! I was searching for it but since UA-cam only saves watch history for so long and I have so many subscriptions, I did not find him :)
I have the XM4s so I'm glad to see the bigger opening of the ear cups on the XM5s. I also like the ear cups on the Air Pod Max because of how deep they are. The XM5s ear cups are still shallow but to my eye slightly wider than the Air Pod Max. The space inside the ear cups is a big deal because I wear my XM4s at work for a 10hr shift and they are basically on ear headphones for my big ears. I'll be giving the XM5 a trial run and if Sony fixed the connectivity issue with my Samsung TV I'll probably keep them. Gonna give the Air Pod Max a try also.
@@giladkingsley As I have been putting together the samples, I have heeded your advice and based things on the midrange average SPL rather than overall decible level. Thanks for that suggestion. I do think it makes it a lot better!
Just got my XM4 for $200 due to pre-Black Friday deals, but I still have the box in tact just in case the XM5 reaches $250 or below and if I can get over the fact that it doesn't fold. I live in Houston so folding is essential for packing in my backpack when we have rainy days. Also, it's over 2 years late but I hope you and Ruby are doing well!
Is it true the ANC self-adjusting constantly gets annoying? I read this as a big flaw of the XM5s that doesn't get discussed much. Reviewer said it's most notable in environments with random noise sources, which makes sense.
I still use the XM4 after I got it since November last year in only 200 US dollars in a special promotion. But, the new XM5 is more interesting. Is a good reason to use the XM4 for the next 2-3 years until upgrading a new one for the general using?
I just upgraded from my JBLE55BT to the XM5 and the first thing I noticed was how bass heavy these are. Not gonna lie at first I kinda like the crispy sound of the JBL. But XM5 doesn't sound bad too.
Hello, in one of the reviews I saw that the touch sensor leaves traces after use, stains on the black color of the headphones. Can you confirm it? if yes, does it also appear on silver?
Nice review. Thanks. On the xm3s now and looking to upgrade, mainly for the dual connection. A question though. If I connect to my laptop and my phone, and am watching a video, and, if I get a call on my phone, can I answer it without any hassle? Or, do I need to actively 'switch'?
Can you tackle whether it's worth the upgrade from older XMs? I have and absolutely love my XM2 (although the lack of USB type C is annoying). Wanna know whether the upgrade would be worth $400, or if you'd recommend some other noise-canceling headphones.
Still absolutely love my XM3's (3 years and counting) and its NFC, so hearing this feature is gone might be a deal breaker for me. Fingers crossed I don't need a replacement yet.
Yeah, it's a huge bummer. Android fast pair makes it easier if you're on Android, but yeah, as a whole, connection over the app is rough without fastpair as has always been the case with Sony headphones/earbuds.
@@Lemxns I find that for my XM3 at least that it is not always consistent with connecting automatically. But with NFC, with one tap I can 1. Turn on Bluetooth 2. Turn on headphones 3. Connect headphones 4. Start playing music/video based on what's open. I find the latter more consistent in my experience. But I will research what was mentioned above as well.
@@sethpai interesting. Maybe that is an Android thing? For me on my iPhone I just leave Bluetooth on all the time and my headphones just connect automatically without any issue. NFC wouldn’t make any difference for me. Perhaps they removed the NFC chip for this reason and to save cost / weight.
Had an issue with the xm4 where my ears touch the foam making it uncomfortable. Are the earcups deep like the Bose qc45 or does your ears still touch the foam?
New subscriber (thanks for the Hammerheads Pro EQ settings). On topic - a lot of people have issues with the Sony WH range when it comes to earpad depth. ie Our ears touch the hard plastic underneath. Are you able to address whether the new XM5 are any deeper in your review? Or if perhaps the plastic driver housing underneath is smoother without any annoying sharp bits?
Oh, man. I'm trying to see how I can test that, but my ears are my ears. I don't feel any discomfort for either. I will say there might be a very slight difference in padding on the XM5 where there's more, but I really have to think about it hard when touching both. If I were to guess, I'd say there's probably not enough of a difference in the depth to alleviate this issue. There's more space for the cup though so it doesn't touch your ears because it's less narrow at the top and bottom.
@@ThisIsTechToday Legend - thanks for the insight. Dekoni just brought out some new Platinum pads for the XM4s which apparently add a little extra space… I might try my luck with those before taking a punt with the XM5 :)
How's build quality Brandon? I have the XM4's, no complaints, except I was surprised with how ummm plastic'y they felt. The flexibility is nice, and they never feel like they're going to break, but they feel a little too lightweight and for the price I guess I'd prefer a little more heft to my headphones, if that makes sense. How do these feel?
Yeah, the XM5s are even lighter than the XM4s by about 4 grams. They don't have the heft like what you'd get on the AirPods Max, so they're definitely a lot like the XM4s in feel but "softer" feeling.
Question: Can I fully enjoy these headphones paired with my phone which is a Huawei nova 5T and my PC laptop (TUF A17 2021)? My doubt is because on GSMarena I see that the Bluetooth codec support is aptX HD, but when I check the Bluetooth codec on my phone I see more, I'm not sure it can use the other codecs. The laptop comes with DTS and I'm not sure how well it can handle these headphones. I'm very tempted to buy the Anker Soundcore Life Q35.
I would like to know which is the best Noise cancelling Headphones/Headset to use in a noisy environment cockpit of a piston engine aircraft. Is it Sony's xM5 better than dedicated aviation Headsets, like Bose A20 or Lightspeed Zulu 3?
@@ThisIsTechToday Thanks for answering me. So, my suggestion is, if possible of course, test Bose A20, Lightspeed Zulu 3, David Clark One X, Faro G3 and Pilot USA Carbon A1 (All ANR aviation Headsets) to compare noise cancelling performance. It would be nice 🙂👍
Unfortunately Sony still hasn't improved their tuning. I get that they are supposed to be mainstream, so bassy basically, but you'd expect at least a bit more balanced and clear FR from a 400 dollar headphone. I recently got the Moondrop Chu for 20 euros and it sounds WAY better than my XM3s stock (and it seems the XM5s are tuned similarly to the XM3s) After tweaking my XM3s with proper eq they already sound way and way better, so it shouldn't be hard for Sony to make some kind of balanced/mainstream tuning toggle (unlike their super limited in-app eq bands and presets). I can't imagine the DSP and DAC/AMP inside the headphones can't easily fix their tuning. Apple wins in the mainstream ANC headphone market from an audio perspective. Fortunately audio is very subjective, and if your brain adjusts to a bassy tuning/frequency response it will sound balanced to you anyway; unless you are used to headphones with more neutral tuning. I had this experience at first too when I got my XM3s. But after I got 'better' headphones the XM3s sounded worse and worse
The problem is, at least for my XM3's, that as soon as you use the equalizer, it will drop out of the better codec (AAC or LDAC) to SBC, as well as DSEE Extreme. I hope they improved that in the 4's and 5's, so the equalizer is actually usable now.
Interesting. I was able to get an EQ I'm satisfied with after a couple hours of testing and tuning. How are you able to see that it's leaving the better codec?
@@ThisIsTechToday You can see inside the App, which codec is currently used. But that's for the XM3's. I think I've read that from the XM4's on that issue was resolved, one of the reasons buyers had to switch to the XM4's if they wanted to use the equalizer with LDAC for example.
Any good reviewer would say "it depends." What do you value the most? If it's ANC or mic quality, you'll have a fairly significant jump up from the XM3s there. Sound quality, maybe not super dramatic.
First,Awesome microphone 👍. Second, can you talk about using it for games on (PC/Android/iOS/ps4) using (Bluetooth and wire) and if there is any latency and sound of it for games and all that stuff. And sound of mic 🎙 for games too. And if you use external microphone and wire to use it ( something like V-MODA BoomPro ).
If you have been dying for high end sound qualify for music and movies and don't need ANC etc just try anything literally anything from Audeze, Hifiman, Focal, or Sennheiser even used. Just try the HD800 for example used for less than Apple Airppds Max. It will change you for better or worse
Agree, this series of Sony headphones has got a great ANC but AWFUL sound and I don't expect this version to get any better. The price in Europe is 450€, that's a rip off considering I would not buy them even at a 150€ range.
I've seen a bunch of reviews and everyone says the xm 4 is better and if you can find them you should get them instead. Because like the XM 5 isn't very comfortable and the design doesn't fit your ears very well. So noise gets in and it's more noticeable than the previous generation
Interestingly, it seems that few review/compare the phone/conferencing quality, particularly the noise-cancelling and sound quality experience for listeners speaking to the headphone-wearer. I haven't compared extensively, though I think the Bose NC-700 highlighted their attention to this, while others(and reviews) seem to skip that end altogether.
@@ThisIsTechToday I believe you touched on it and would probably compare in your deeper review: it's the sound quality/experience of the person on the other end of the phone call or conference, while I'm wearing the noise-cancelling headphones. What is the sound and background noise experience for them, with nose-cancelling turned on, and off? If there's a vacuum cleaner in my background, or if I'm typing or shuffling papers or boxes on my end with noise-cancelling on, will they hear it? My experience with the NC700s suggested they were a pretty good experience for the person on the other end of the call, while those speaking to me while I wear the XM4s can hear things shuffling about on my end, while surprisingly while wearing my Oladance earbuds the people I was speaking to could not hear the vacuum cleaner running noisily in my background. I understand most people care only about their own listening experience; I'm suggesting that some of us also care about the listening experience of the people we speak with remotely.
Could you compare these to the Bose NC 700 headphones? The sound quality of the Bose has always been awesome and I want to see how the XM5's compare. The XM4's were good but the Bose NC 700 had better sound quality overall
The Bose were a better experience for the listeners on the other end of the phone/conference call. I cannot speak at all to the XM5s though if they take their queue from the XM4s then I have little hope for the phone quality and especially the software UX. Still, the XM4s have solid build and sound/noise-cancelling capability.
@@alicson I don't care too much about the call. I mean in terms of audio quality for music and everything else. Because with the right EQ settings, my Bose headphones sound just as good if not a little better than my Sennheiser Momentum 3's. I used to have the XM3's. Got them well before the 4's came out for a 170 bucks cuz of a friend's best buy employee discount and they were fantastic til my little sister broke them. I upgraded to the Sennheiser's and then switched over to the Bose and I like my Bose atm but it's battery life is lacking.
@@doctorrpg6255 based on reviews most people seem to prefer the sound quality of the XM4 over the NC700, although it is arguably more a preference difference than anything else. The noise cancellation is similarly effective, with the XM4 having the edge. I was very unhappy with the software UX with both headphones (wearing them, listening to the invasive assistant talking over my content, having unwanted features interrupt me and force me to open up the app to stop them), though comparatively I was less miserable using the NC700.
I work in an environment the has some high ish pitch machinery. Looking forward to seeing if the XM5's can block more of the higher frequencies with ANC than the XM4's. :)
anyone here have crackling noise on xm4 :(( i have this problem for months and dont know how to fix it. help me in the reply if you know how. thank you so much
Audiophiles here, can u please tell if an 100$ iem's like Moondrop aria or Tripowin olina better than this headphone. If we consider just pure audio quality alone? Thanks 🙂
Of course they are because they're wired and tuned for an audiophile, lol. I use the Moondrop Dusk 2's for monitoring when I track the recordings of the headphones.
Hey Brandon, awesome video! I was wondering if you can one day explain why these Headsets don't work well on a Windows PC as they do on iOS or Android. I remember buying the XM4's, thinking I'm going to have an awesome experience with my PC games, only to be greatly disappointed :( Why is this? They sound amazing on my Android device.
@@ThisIsTechToday I connect via Bluetooth on my Windows 10 PC. But the quality isn't the same, the sound crackles or skips sometimes, and noise cancelling doesn't kick in as it does on Android or iOS.
@@ThisIsTechToday I think the problem is that LDAC is not provided/implemented in Windows, but on Android it is and you will fall back to an older and worse codec, if you use them with cable it should be as good as you want.
Probably has to do with the equalizer settings. If you connect them by Aux it doesnt activate your equalizer settings. Also Windows doesnt support the high res (high kbps) while Android does. If you use them by Aux, try turning them on while on Aux. You will notice a big improvement then.
Yes, in Windows you can use either SBC or aptX. Since the XM4's don't support aptX anymore, there is no high-quality codec left for Windows machines unfortunately. So with Windows, you only have SBC, the standard audio codec for bluetooth devices and the lowest one.
Wow, from the sample alone, both the Airpods Max and the Sony XM5's don't have a chance to the beyerdynamic. The difference is so huge. Wow, from what I've heard from the Max, I did not expect that.
@@justinlee1668 of course! Please consider using the link in the description as it helps support me! Full review of them coming out in the next day or so
You should check out the Yamaha L700 a Bluetooth headphones very premium feel loud 360 audio with the app I think they would give the song is a run for their money I bought him a Yamaha’s off of Amazon check them out
Would be good to hear a direct comparison between the xm4 and xm5 microphone on a phone call. The xm4 are absolutely hopeless and people can not clearly hear me.
His testing seems very good compared to other videos; however, his delivery does not seem genuine. The other comprehensive test video has a Sony comment right at the top. He just just seems overly impressed withXM5 not saying they are. It good. It just sounds like Sony owns him.
Corey, they don’t own me and the objective tests speak for themselves. My recent review of the Focals put them above the Sonys. Just because a brand can comment on any video and that other people upvoted it doesn’t mean anything other than they are allowed to comment, just like you, and other people, not me, voted it up. It’s not pinned by me. The people chose to upvote it. Stop with the conspiracy theories and cynicism. Look at the objective tests and make your own conclusions. That’s why I put my conclusions at the very end. To allow YOU to make your own conclusions first.
Eco friendly box...yes. Slippery as hell...yes. I literally dropped my XM5 while coming out of the electronic store to my car. Did Sony have have to make the package that prone to drops? I hope I'm not the only person...
The software on the XM4s has been a miserable experience; the "guide" very frequently and super annoyingly talks over the content of which I'm trying to listen, and "speak to chat" constantly turns itself on no matter how often I turn it off and Never want it on. I have reported these problems several times; so far no improvement. The noise-cancelling works pretty well and the headphones sit comfortably enough, which is why I put up with the rest of the miserable experience 😏
For your sake don't buy sony's. The joints are made to last less than a year. I experienced it with both XM3 and XM4. Even if they break before the year of warranty they won't cover it. I learned it the hard way. Used some excellent old gorilla glue as a solution because repair costs $200 for 11 months old $350 headphones.
Oh yeah.... the sony headphone software, sense engine (adaptive sound), NFC, dual connect, and sensor detection is complete garbage. You will never use these features.
Maybe that’s why they left the folding design. Disagree with a lot of the things you said about the features. A lot of us are bummed that NFC was removed from the XM5s
🔥PURCHASE the Sony WH-1000XM5: shop-links.co/chd8pfIMILO (affiliate)
🔥🔥🔥WATCH THE FULL REVIEW BY AN AUDIO ENGINEER: ua-cam.com/video/6WTHBCZBt_E/v-deo.html
Why, Sony, whyyyyyyy...
@@ropro9817 ??
@@ThisIsTechToday ĺ
Please go in depth on real world use of transparency mode. The only reason I'd upgrade is if that's greatly improved.
I must say, I have never seen an audio review with such advanced microphone, kudos to you!
Haha, it's pretty wild. It'll be really cool in the full review!
Super pumped you had a chance to check these out! I can't wait to try these myself.
Thanks, El Jefe! You definitely have a credible voice out there for this stuff. Can't wait to hear your review!
Thank you for the sound sample. Don't understand why most reviewers think just description is enough.
Yeah, it feels really ambiguous and subjective just talking about it without samples, but I will say, having audio samples that are actually good and of high quality is VERY expensive. My rig for recording all headphones and earbuds is close to $6000 worth of equipment and continues to get more expensive as I continue to make improvements. It's hard for most to do that or invest in that.
If you don't have the XM4's, spend the extra 50 bucks and buy the XM5's for the call quality alone. If you have the XM4's....wait until these go on black friday this year if you really want them. But they don't sound or feel significantly better enough to swap. The best way to describe the sound difference is the XM5 has a larger sound stage and you can feel a slight decrease in bass (not a bad thing and the driver was made 5mm smaller.
It is almost Black Friday and there is no price cut
@@erdal0 it's 290$
@@welleducatedsumo I got it for 305 euro.. :/
Retail worker chads like myself got the XM5 for $230
@@jasonjulian6436 the blue Xmas are now on sale and are cheaper than the xm4s now
The design and microphones alone make them a worthwhile replacement. Sony did fantastic this round 🤝
Yeah, those are some big changes for sure!
The only channel i want to listen to for a headphone review. Amazing work!!!!
Thank you for making these immersive reviews! There was one channel that did them in the past, but it closed. So I'm very happy to have found a new place here where someone makes them! =)
Yeah! Definitely planning on doing a lot more. I bought a bunch of equipment and constructed a rig for earbuds as well. We're up to about $6K in equipment to get it right all with high quality tracking hardware at high bitrates and mics that are neutral and 20Hz-20kHz. I know some are doing the immersive thing but are using bad mics that don't cover the whole hearing range,.
Rip Jim’s Review Room :(
@@miggyyusay Thank you for reminding me again! I was searching for it but since UA-cam only saves watch history for so long and I have so many subscriptions, I did not find him :)
Could you make a microphone test in different conditions? I want to see how they hold up in noisier conditions/wind :) Great video!
I have the XM4s so I'm glad to see the bigger opening of the ear cups on the XM5s. I also like the ear cups on the Air Pod Max because of how deep they are. The XM5s ear cups are still shallow but to my eye slightly wider than the Air Pod Max. The space inside the ear cups is a big deal because I wear my XM4s at work for a 10hr shift and they are basically on ear headphones for my big ears. I'll be giving the XM5 a trial run and if Sony fixed the connectivity issue with my Samsung TV I'll probably keep them. Gonna give the Air Pod Max a try also.
Which do you prefer???
For the full review make sure the mids (200-1000hz) are the same volume in all headphones. Here, the xm5 were quieter because if the louder bass
yeah, it's always a struggle of choosing peak decibel level, average level, perceptible volume overall, perceptible midrange level.
@@ThisIsTechToday yup, I think the average SPL of the midrange should work to level things out, but good luck
@@giladkingsley As I have been putting together the samples, I have heeded your advice and based things on the midrange average SPL rather than overall decible level. Thanks for that suggestion. I do think it makes it a lot better!
What a top-notch, extremely informative review!
I was also pleasantly surprised to see you repping Silent Planet :)
🤘
The lack of NFC and folding is a big turn off for me.
It's a shame because there are some good upgrades that I'd love to have.
Yeah, NFC is nice because I definitely use it often
I thought they had NFC in xm4?Damm I didn't knew they removed it on xm5
Just got my XM4 for $200 due to pre-Black Friday deals, but I still have the box in tact just in case the XM5 reaches $250 or below and if I can get over the fact that it doesn't fold. I live in Houston so folding is essential for packing in my backpack when we have rainy days. Also, it's over 2 years late but I hope you and Ruby are doing well!
Is it true the ANC self-adjusting constantly gets annoying? I read this as a big flaw of the XM5s that doesn't get discussed much. Reviewer said it's most notable in environments with random noise sources, which makes sense.
I have the same doubt.
I haven’t noticed anything weird, personally. Not to say it doesn’t happen. I’ll keep an eye out for it more.
I still use the XM4 after I got it since November last year in only 200 US dollars in a special promotion. But, the new XM5 is more interesting. Is a good reason to use the XM4 for the next 2-3 years until upgrading a new one for the general using?
Thank you to Brandon, and of course Ruby! 😀 Looking forward to the review.
Ruby is stealing the show, lol
Design looks a lot more premium but I am a little disappointed by the lack of folding and nfc. Looking forward to your full review!
Yeah, I like the design a lot more, but those two really are unfortunate.
Probably it makes it more durable? Just wondering
In a way, yes, but the way the earcups feel like they're just floating is both amazing feeling, but makes me worried its going to fall off, lol
My XM4s broke. That folding mechanism isnt strong enough.
BRO HOW DO YOU NOT HAVE MORE VIEWS, THIS IS AMAZING
haha, thank you! Please share it with others!
Thank You for all of your videos that you did.
Thanks!
Thanks as always!
Would love to HEAR the difference, not just listen to descriptions. Would especially love to hear comparisons of the ambient sound in both.
I just upgraded from my JBLE55BT to the XM5 and the first thing I noticed was how bass heavy these are. Not gonna lie at first I kinda like the crispy sound of the JBL. But XM5 doesn't sound bad too.
Hello, in one of the reviews I saw that the touch sensor leaves traces after use, stains on the black color of the headphones. Can you confirm it? if yes, does it also appear on silver?
Nice review. Thanks. On the xm3s now and looking to upgrade, mainly for the dual connection. A question though. If I connect to my laptop and my phone, and am watching a video, and, if I get a call on my phone, can I answer it without any hassle? Or, do I need to actively 'switch'?
Great video thanks
Can you tackle whether it's worth the upgrade from older XMs? I have and absolutely love my XM2 (although the lack of USB type C is annoying). Wanna know whether the upgrade would be worth $400, or if you'd recommend some other noise-canceling headphones.
Yeah, I'll work through the nuances of who would be interested in them!
Still absolutely love my XM3's (3 years and counting) and its NFC, so hearing this feature is gone might be a deal breaker for me. Fingers crossed I don't need a replacement yet.
Yeah, it's a huge bummer. Android fast pair makes it easier if you're on Android, but yeah, as a whole, connection over the app is rough without fastpair as has always been the case with Sony headphones/earbuds.
Once you switch them on they automatically pair with the Last device anyway so what’s the benefit of NFC other than first time pairing?
@@Lemxns I find that for my XM3 at least that it is not always consistent with connecting automatically.
But with NFC, with one tap I can 1. Turn on Bluetooth 2. Turn on headphones 3. Connect headphones 4. Start playing music/video based on what's open.
I find the latter more consistent in my experience. But I will research what was mentioned above as well.
@@sethpai interesting. Maybe that is an Android thing? For me on my iPhone I just leave Bluetooth on all the time and my headphones just connect automatically without any issue. NFC wouldn’t make any difference for me. Perhaps they removed the NFC chip for this reason and to save cost / weight.
Dope review 🔥
The black one in XM5 is very smudgy, as I see. Is it worth choosing the silver one instead, as I hate smudgy surfaces?
Can confirm there are a lot less noticable smudges on the silver pair
as a sound engeneer, do u think the loss of the Aptx codec is a downside or has no impact?
Had an issue with the xm4 where my ears touch the foam making it uncomfortable. Are the earcups deep like the Bose qc45 or does your ears still touch the foam?
Good work buddy 👏
Hey,Can you please suggest me THE best Value for money headphone,XM4 alternative......although I'm asking for a bit too much😅
New subscriber (thanks for the Hammerheads Pro EQ settings).
On topic - a lot of people have issues with the Sony WH range when it comes to earpad depth. ie Our ears touch the hard plastic underneath.
Are you able to address whether the new XM5 are any deeper in your review? Or if perhaps the plastic driver housing underneath is smoother without any annoying sharp bits?
Oh, man. I'm trying to see how I can test that, but my ears are my ears. I don't feel any discomfort for either. I will say there might be a very slight difference in padding on the XM5 where there's more, but I really have to think about it hard when touching both. If I were to guess, I'd say there's probably not enough of a difference in the depth to alleviate this issue. There's more space for the cup though so it doesn't touch your ears because it's less narrow at the top and bottom.
@@ThisIsTechToday Legend - thanks for the insight. Dekoni just brought out some new Platinum pads for the XM4s which apparently add a little extra space… I might try my luck with those before taking a punt with the XM5 :)
Does this headset output microphone over the audio jack ?
What are you using to record your audio?
That Silent Planet shirt made me sub
🤘🤘
How's build quality Brandon? I have the XM4's, no complaints, except I was surprised with how ummm plastic'y they felt. The flexibility is nice, and they never feel like they're going to break, but they feel a little too lightweight and for the price I guess I'd prefer a little more heft to my headphones, if that makes sense. How do these feel?
Yeah, the XM5s are even lighter than the XM4s by about 4 grams. They don't have the heft like what you'd get on the AirPods Max, so they're definitely a lot like the XM4s in feel but "softer" feeling.
that ear thingy is so cool
How is the noise bleeding on the xm5
Can u test the microphone in a busy environment whilst being connected to an iPhone via bluetooth? Thanks!
Absolutely!
Prepare yourself, Brandon has the best audio reviews.
Haha, thank you Brian.
when is it going to be available to purchase?
The link is in my description now lol.
Question:
Can I fully enjoy these headphones paired with my phone which is a Huawei nova 5T and my PC laptop (TUF A17 2021)?
My doubt is because on GSMarena I see that the Bluetooth codec support is aptX HD, but when I check the Bluetooth codec on my phone I see more, I'm not sure it can use the other codecs.
The laptop comes with DTS and I'm not sure how well it can handle these headphones.
I'm very tempted to buy the Anker Soundcore Life Q35.
Can somebody help me with my question?
I would like to know which is the best Noise cancelling Headphones/Headset to use in a noisy environment cockpit of a piston engine aircraft.
Is it Sony's xM5 better than dedicated aviation Headsets, like Bose A20 or Lightspeed Zulu 3?
Lol, I've never used those so I have no idea. I imagine those would be better
@@ThisIsTechToday Thanks for answering me.
So, my suggestion is, if possible of course, test Bose A20, Lightspeed Zulu 3, David Clark One X, Faro G3 and Pilot USA Carbon A1 (All ANR aviation Headsets) to compare noise cancelling performance.
It would be nice 🙂👍
When it will be available in India?
Hey man! Any chance you could EQ these to fit the Harman curve? It would be much appreciated! Great video per usual!
lol, I wish the app allowed me to get that granular, so I don't think I can do that, but I'll definitely put together my own EQ for my tastes.
@@ThisIsTechToday I figure if you can get close that'd be okay. People were able to get it decently close with the xm4s
@@ThisIsTechToday it was 0,4,6,0,0 with bass at -1... Supposedly haha
Noted, lol.
Unfortunately Sony still hasn't improved their tuning. I get that they are supposed to be mainstream, so bassy basically, but you'd expect at least a bit more balanced and clear FR from a 400 dollar headphone. I recently got the Moondrop Chu for 20 euros and it sounds WAY better than my XM3s stock (and it seems the XM5s are tuned similarly to the XM3s)
After tweaking my XM3s with proper eq they already sound way and way better, so it shouldn't be hard for Sony to make some kind of balanced/mainstream tuning toggle (unlike their super limited in-app eq bands and presets). I can't imagine the DSP and DAC/AMP inside the headphones can't easily fix their tuning. Apple wins in the mainstream ANC headphone market from an audio perspective.
Fortunately audio is very subjective, and if your brain adjusts to a bassy tuning/frequency response it will sound balanced to you anyway; unless you are used to headphones with more neutral tuning. I had this experience at first too when I got my XM3s. But after I got 'better' headphones the XM3s sounded worse and worse
I'm glad there's an EQ feature, but yeah, I totally get what you're saying. it's a bit dark for my typical preference.
The problem is, at least for my XM3's, that as soon as you use the equalizer, it will drop out of the better codec (AAC or LDAC) to SBC, as well as DSEE Extreme. I hope they improved that in the 4's and 5's, so the equalizer is actually usable now.
Interesting. I was able to get an EQ I'm satisfied with after a couple hours of testing and tuning. How are you able to see that it's leaving the better codec?
@@ThisIsTechToday You can see inside the App, which codec is currently used. But that's for the XM3's. I think I've read that from the XM4's on that issue was resolved, one of the reasons buyers had to switch to the XM4's if they wanted to use the equalizer with LDAC for example.
Hey, I’m looking to buy the Xm5s soon. If you change the EQ and it sounds better, why is it a problem?
1:16 Bayer have nice clear sound
whats your thoughts onxm5s vs momentum 4s ?
Please review sony xb910n and xm5 comparision for bass lovers
What iems u have while doing the test I saw em just curious
Moondrop Blessing 2 Dusk
Which one to buy? XM4 or XM5 for sound quality?
Check my video comparison videos
Nice shirt. Great band!
Should I buy these or do you recommend to stay with my xm3?
Any good reviewer would say "it depends." What do you value the most? If it's ANC or mic quality, you'll have a fairly significant jump up from the XM3s there. Sound quality, maybe not super dramatic.
@@ThisIsTechToday definently like sound and bass .
@@ericvil600 After testing and listening to these more, I retract my previous statement and suggest you wait for my full review.
@@ThisIsTechToday im so debating on getting these i love sony lol.
First,Awesome microphone 👍.
Second, can you talk about using it for games on (PC/Android/iOS/ps4) using (Bluetooth and wire) and if there is any latency and sound of it for games and all that stuff.
And sound of mic 🎙 for games too. And if you use external microphone and wire to use it ( something like V-MODA BoomPro ).
I'll see what I can do!
If you have been dying for high end sound qualify for music and movies and don't need ANC etc just try anything literally anything from Audeze, Hifiman, Focal, or Sennheiser even used. Just try the HD800 for example used for less than Apple Airppds Max. It will change you for better or worse
Agree, this series of Sony headphones has got a great ANC but AWFUL sound and I don't expect this version to get any better. The price in Europe is 450€, that's a rip off considering I would not buy them even at a 150€ range.
Any particular model mentioned above that has decent mic and call quality like the xm5?
I've seen a bunch of reviews and everyone says the xm 4 is better and if you can find them you should get them instead. Because like the XM 5 isn't very comfortable and the design doesn't fit your ears very well. So noise gets in and it's more noticeable than the previous generation
Watching this on my new xm5
Interestingly, it seems that few review/compare the phone/conferencing quality, particularly the noise-cancelling and sound quality experience for listeners speaking to the headphone-wearer. I haven't compared extensively, though I think the Bose NC-700 highlighted their attention to this, while others(and reviews) seem to skip that end altogether.
Can you elaborate more on this? I'd like to see if I understand, it makes sense, and if I have time to add it to the review.
@@ThisIsTechToday I believe you touched on it and would probably compare in your deeper review: it's the sound quality/experience of the person on the other end of the phone call or conference, while I'm wearing the noise-cancelling headphones. What is the sound and background noise experience for them, with nose-cancelling turned on, and off? If there's a vacuum cleaner in my background, or if I'm typing or shuffling papers or boxes on my end with noise-cancelling on, will they hear it? My experience with the NC700s suggested they were a pretty good experience for the person on the other end of the call, while those speaking to me while I wear the XM4s can hear things shuffling about on my end, while surprisingly while wearing my Oladance earbuds the people I was speaking to could not hear the vacuum cleaner running noisily in my background. I understand most people care only about their own listening experience; I'm suggesting that some of us also care about the listening experience of the people we speak with remotely.
Also haven't seen many reviews that mention how to receive and end calls.
Could you compare these to the Bose NC 700 headphones? The sound quality of the Bose has always been awesome and I want to see how the XM5's compare. The XM4's were good but the Bose NC 700 had better sound quality overall
Sorry, I don't have those, so I won't be able to compare.
The Bose were a better experience for the listeners on the other end of the phone/conference call. I cannot speak at all to the XM5s though if they take their queue from the XM4s then I have little hope for the phone quality and especially the software UX. Still, the XM4s have solid build and sound/noise-cancelling capability.
@@alicson I don't care too much about the call. I mean in terms of audio quality for music and everything else. Because with the right EQ settings, my Bose headphones sound just as good if not a little better than my Sennheiser Momentum 3's. I used to have the XM3's. Got them well before the 4's came out for a 170 bucks cuz of a friend's best buy employee discount and they were fantastic til my little sister broke them. I upgraded to the Sennheiser's and then switched over to the Bose and I like my Bose atm but it's battery life is lacking.
@@doctorrpg6255 based on reviews most people seem to prefer the sound quality of the XM4 over the NC700, although it is arguably more a preference difference than anything else. The noise cancellation is similarly effective, with the XM4 having the edge. I was very unhappy with the software UX with both headphones (wearing them, listening to the invasive assistant talking over my content, having unwanted features interrupt me and force me to open up the app to stop them), though comparatively I was less miserable using the NC700.
I got the Bose QC45 to test. No NC700 though
I work in an environment the has some high ish pitch machinery. Looking forward to seeing if the XM5's can block more of the higher frequencies with ANC than the XM4's. :)
haha, I think you'll love the tests in the full review!
may you test it working out?
Which is Louder XM4, XM5 or are the Same?
Do the white m5s pick up grease also?
I be they wouldn't show it as easily.
anyone here have crackling noise on xm4 :(( i have this problem for months and dont know how to fix it. help me in the reply if you know how. thank you so much
Can u review technics az80
Audiophiles here, can u please tell if an 100$ iem's like Moondrop aria or Tripowin olina better than this headphone. If we consider just pure audio quality alone? Thanks 🙂
Of course they are because they're wired and tuned for an audiophile, lol. I use the Moondrop Dusk 2's for monitoring when I track the recordings of the headphones.
@@ThisIsTechToday ok👍
PLS COMPARE THE MOMENTUM 4 AND XM5 😭😭😭 IM STUCK
is the wearing sensor gone? or where is it hidden?
Mentioned that in the video 😊
What phone were you using for the top down camera angle in the beginning? It was really struggling to keep focus 🤔
I don't use a phone
Still waiting for iprating for me to upgrade from my sony mk3 headphones
Hey Brandon, awesome video! I was wondering if you can one day explain why these Headsets don't work well on a Windows PC as they do on iOS or Android. I remember buying the XM4's, thinking I'm going to have an awesome experience with my PC games, only to be greatly disappointed :( Why is this? They sound amazing on my Android device.
huh, that's interesting. What are you experiencing when connecting to PC? I can look into it.
@@ThisIsTechToday I connect via Bluetooth on my Windows 10 PC. But the quality isn't the same, the sound crackles or skips sometimes, and noise cancelling doesn't kick in as it does on Android or iOS.
@@ThisIsTechToday I think the problem is that LDAC is not provided/implemented in Windows, but on Android it is and you will fall back to an older and worse codec, if you use them with cable it should be as good as you want.
Probably has to do with the equalizer settings. If you connect them by Aux it doesnt activate your equalizer settings. Also Windows doesnt support the high res (high kbps) while Android does. If you use them by Aux, try turning them on while on Aux. You will notice a big improvement then.
Yes, in Windows you can use either SBC or aptX. Since the XM4's don't support aptX anymore, there is no high-quality codec left for Windows machines unfortunately. So with Windows, you only have SBC, the standard audio codec for bluetooth devices and the lowest one.
Wow, from the sample alone, both the Airpods Max and the Sony XM5's don't have a chance to the beyerdynamic. The difference is so huge. Wow, from what I've heard from the Max, I did not expect that.
Wired headphones always win out, lol.
xm4s are 240 euros in my country and the xm5 are 420 euros whats should i get
Is it enabled with NFC?
Covered that in the video and have timestamps 😉
Any lag between video and audio?
Nope!
Excited for Google pixel buds pro and then comparison with samsung galaxy buds pro.
Is it worth uprading from XM4 to XM5 guys?
No, xm4 is top of the line, I'm not switching yet
Do you think these are worthy of an upgrade from XM3?
Absolutely
Cool - definitely getting these, thanks for the reply!
@@justinlee1668 of course! Please consider using the link in the description as it helps support me! Full review of them coming out in the next day or so
Over ear for running outdoors. ?
They're light so you can do some working out with it but I wouldn't run super hard in them
You should check out the Yamaha L700 a Bluetooth headphones very premium feel loud 360 audio with the app I think they would give the song is a run for their money I bought him a Yamaha’s off of Amazon check them out
If Yamaha wants to send them out for me to check out, I'll do that!
Would be good to hear a direct comparison between the xm4 and xm5 microphone on a phone call.
The xm4 are absolutely hopeless and people can not clearly hear me.
never had that happen haha
Definitely comparing them.
His testing seems very good compared to other videos; however, his delivery does not seem genuine. The other comprehensive test video has a Sony comment right at the top. He just just seems overly impressed withXM5 not saying they are. It good. It just sounds like Sony owns him.
Corey, they don’t own me and the objective tests speak for themselves. My recent review of the Focals put them above the Sonys. Just because a brand can comment on any video and that other people upvoted it doesn’t mean anything other than they are allowed to comment, just like you, and other people, not me, voted it up. It’s not pinned by me. The people chose to upvote it. Stop with the conspiracy theories and cynicism.
Look at the objective tests and make your own conclusions. That’s why I put my conclusions at the very end. To allow YOU to make your own conclusions first.
i will keep my xm4...still good
Fair enough!
I just got the XM5 and mine isn't as greasy as yours... Just a wee bit
Is only mine smelled toxically bad? Is this smell disappears?
Me too!! Mine just arrived and the smell is unbearable it’s disgusting me out!!
I love my XM5s phenomenal headphones XM4 doesn’t support Dolby Atmos and I love my Dolby Atmos
So much bass in an effort to sound fuller. But the end result is kinda muddy
Yeah, it's a bit darker for sure.
Eco friendly box...yes. Slippery as hell...yes. I literally dropped my XM5 while coming out of the electronic store to my car. Did Sony have have to make the package that prone to drops? I hope I'm not the only person...
Insider Info: Brandon tells me these have Ruby's all-important seal of approval
Honestly, she's just going to take over my channel 😂
The software on the XM4s has been a miserable experience; the "guide" very frequently and super annoyingly talks over the content of which I'm trying to listen, and "speak to chat" constantly turns itself on no matter how often I turn it off and Never want it on. I have reported these problems several times; so far no improvement. The noise-cancelling works pretty well and the headphones sit comfortably enough, which is why I put up with the rest of the miserable experience 😏
most likely going to buy a Skins for the xm5.
The best review. AGAIN
For your sake don't buy sony's. The joints are made to last less than a year. I experienced it with both XM3 and XM4. Even if they break before the year of warranty they won't cover it.
I learned it the hard way. Used some excellent old gorilla glue as a solution because repair costs $200 for 11 months old $350 headphones.
Oh yeah.... the sony headphone software, sense engine (adaptive sound), NFC, dual connect, and sensor detection is complete garbage. You will never use these features.
Maybe that’s why they left the folding design. Disagree with a lot of the things you said about the features. A lot of us are bummed that NFC was removed from the XM5s
I wanted to buy the silver one, but I am a greasy mess. So, going for black.
Wait, I think the black shows it easier 😅
Not gonna lie, the look itself wanna make me ditch the xm4's already
They do look way more modern!
XM4 is about 250 euros, the XM5 is about 380 euros.
what's made them different than the XM4s?
You can get 2 Xm4 for 1 Xm5