🔥 *QOTD: What are your observations? Which ones do you think performed well in some areas and didn't in others? What specific areas? Let me know!* 🎙 Check out DESCRIPT for FREE: myte.ch/descript (ad) -- WHERE TO PURCHASE -- ▶Sony WH-1000XM5: shop-links.co/chd8pfIMILO ▶ Sennheiser Momentum 3: shop-links.co/chCa2cvDNNJ ▶Apple AirPods Max: shop-links.co/chfZk7Ahj69 ▶ Bose NC 700: shop-links.co/chCa1DrfsaW 🎶Where I got all the music for this video: myte.ch/musicbed * These are affiliate links
Hey! I think the bit rate you used while recording the headphone samples might be too low. They all sound super compressed compared to many recordings from the same recording device/ears.
I recorded at 48kHz and 32-Bit float. I don't think so. You're also listening to audio through UA-cam, so your expectations for sound quality should adjust accordingly.
Have you ever opened up the apple settings and turned off the volume limiter, there are a few settings that really open up the Air Pod Max, very much like what you have done with the in app EG and settings with the others, I would love a full opened up version review with the Settings given a chance to take them off DEFAULT.
I wish you would do one of these with those Sony Linkbuds open-back true wireless earbuds. They are very interestingly unique being open but still truly wireless buds, but the price is steep if they don't end up sounding great. It would be really buyer-helpful if we could see how it sounds like through a review like this before shelling out a ton of money for one.
@The Night most are sheep's they don't give honest reviews but this dude is on a next level he not only use his ears but also machine to review other channels are always airpods pro when they are newer ones that are way better they give a Sheep's review I have used airpods and other brands but airpods are not the top 5
Your videos are amazing! I'm still blown away by how much time, effort, and money is put into filming and it really makes me appreciate you and your channel! As always, another beautifully made video 😁
As I was writing this very comment I saw yours summed up what I wanted to say perfectly! I wish more UA-camrs would organize and lay everything out like he does.
I purchased the Sony XM5 due to your previous review and preference. I am really enjoying them and loving the ambient sound w/ focus on voice and the noise canceling. I've noticed a big difference in sound quality between the XM5 and the Bose Q45. Thank you for the very well done videos that we can all understand. Subscribed.
@Stoutimous, does the ANC still worked during phone calls? I had XM4 before and received a call outside in public area and all the noises seeped in, and when searched I found out that sony called this a feature instead of a fail. I would like to know if XM5 suffer from the same problem.
I personally tested all of these and I went for the Momentum 3. Definitely the best sound quality and that’s what most important for me. I don’t really use any ANC, so that wasn’t a big factor for me. And for the buttons, I’ve never had a problem with it and never pressed any wrong buttons. Also the steel frame hasn’t bent yet, so I guess that built quality there is very good. And as last I also like the look of them most for some reason. They’re just different
Yes! My thoughts are similar. ANC is cool and I do notice how I can focus more and I feel the isolation with the XM4s, however I don't get that sound quality I want
I found the momentum audibly more balanced and clear compared to the rest, thank you so much for having such a thorough comparison of the top players headphones. the mic test in a loud environment didn't appear as "controlled" as it could be, but the point of the test came through, so it was very much appreciated :)
I have the momentum 4s and it’s not even close to how much better they sound compared to the other brands…I also listened to this video with the bathys and still was no contest to my momentum 4s…sennheiser has something far above the rest
Your presentation energy is always refreshing, and your dedication is so electrifying. Thanks so much for this very detailed, representative, and comprehensive video comparison (as always). I watched (listened the sound of) this video with my AKG N700NCM2 (btw, I have also Philips SHP9500 and Hifiman Deva), and I think my fave sound profile is the XM5s with your custom EQ v2, followed by the Sennheisers with its high-end tuning. You're the best!
Akg n700ncm2 is really good. Perfect balance and clarity and bass is really good. But clapping force is only negative. And maybe the design. For me jbl club one and akg n700ncm2. I love the eq setting. I plan to buy Bose next or bowers and wilkins.
@@mikeree8543 I agree with you. I'm happy with my purchase on AKG N700NCM2. I've ever owned XM3, but it was too bassy to my ears (to my taste as well). Some instruments sound unnatural to my ears, then I sold it. No regret at all. One thing I really miss from them is their ANC, which is way more aggressive and effective compared to AKG's adaptive ANC. However, sub-bass on AKG N700NCM2 is very satisfying. Me too, I'm wondering about Bose, especially QCs series, B&Ws, and Beyerdynamics.
@@ariesaries91 when I bought AKG , I thought it wasn't great, but I tested with my Beat studio3, skullcandy, Sony, couple JBL s. Akg had best clarity, crisp & bass with eq settings. So far so 👍. Maybe I would get bowers wilkins, skip the Bose after watching this one, bose sounds narrow on low frequency.
I just bought the Sony - WH1000XM5 because of this video. I am very impressed! I was going back and forth with Airpods Max vs Sony and I'm very happy I bought the Sony. There's so much things you can setup using the headphone app for the Sony headphones. Great review of them!
Looking forward to a review of the Seinheiser Momentum 4 and a comparison with the XM5s! Your reviews are very thorough and the only ones that help my indecisive brain get to a conclusion
Thank you so much for your super in-depth reviews! I am in-between the Apple AirPods Max and the Sony WH-1000XM5. I have an iPhone so ecosystem is also a worry for me. I started my Googling angled towards the Max, but am now leaning heavily toward the XM5's. I was blown away by the Sennhesier's sound quality but I find everything else lacking since I want to wear these new headphones while traveling and just about and about. Hopefully the 4's are much improved! But again thank you so much for your opinion and all the hard work you put into this video.
I had a hard time with the same 2 choices. I went into a local best buy and played with both for a while. I have an iPhone, and the AirPods max sound way better with Apple Music than any other music streaming service. Both honestly sound great. Both are very comfortable, even the AirPods max despite their weight. The AirPods max are really the only headphones that don’t hurt the top of my head after a while. Long story long, you would be happy with either, but the AirPods max do integrate into the apple ecosystem better and you would get the best out of them if you use Apple Music
Thanks for the awesome review. It covered all aspects that we need to take into account when buying a new headphone :) I particularly like ANC, microphone and music sample comparisons. I would go for XM5 personally :)
Listening to this through Beats Studio3 (for what its worth), and while I'm not in the market for any of these, Sennheiser and Sony are easily the winners. The first two times you demonstrated the mids, it was clear to me that Apple sounded crunchy, and the Bose seemed their usual muddy selves. While I understand why the Sennheisers probably won't rate the highest among all the metrics you tested, I did find their sound most pleasing and realistic. Second to them were the Sony's who seemed a touch warm (which isn't a bad thing at all) but very clear. I tend to go for headphones that are analytical, but I would struggle to choose between the Sony and Sennheiser.
For all the audio samples you gave, I closed my eyes and listened to it peacefully. IMO, Sony has the best immersive sound and since it ticks almost all the boxes, I would recommend the Sony. Anywhow, thanks a lot for this video and your efforts! :D
The sennheiser surprised me. I've always regarded the momentum series to be a little too much on the v-shape side. But that eq took it to another level, also the xm5. Now I'm more excited to see how the new Momentum would sound. BTW. I really want to see a review on the Edifier Stax Spirit S3, a planar driver developed by Stax sounds interesting. (But the cans are ugly I just can't bring myself to buy it.)
I absolutely love your videos! You have the most in depth analysis of each headphone and completely unbiased! You let us come up with the best sounding of the group. 2 things about the Sony wh1000xm5s. The ambient sound at my work is exactly where the anc either is at max or one level down and it changes every 15 seconds if I change the orientation of my head. Or even if I swallow, it changes and it's super annoying especially since I listen to podcasts very quietly. So basically the pitch of the sound of the ac either higher pitch or lower pitch. The other thing is I use Google assistant to send messages on Facebook, and if I hold my finger on the touch area it let's me say a reply then the Google assistant reads back what I said and then says tap to send. But taping once doesn't do anything and then holding to activate the Google assistant again wants me to re record my message. I dont use the anc button and I don't use Spotify, so why can't I assign the button to by my assistant? Just dumb
Awesome review like always! Picked up the Sonys XM5s because of you! Plus a THX Onix DAC (idk if it’s recommended) but enjoying so far! I know they’re blutooth headphones but any recommendations when it comes to a wired setup with the XM5s?
the sennheiser is definetly my favorite the airpod just sounds sharp the sony is bass heavy and fat the bose seems to be very claustrophobic and strange
Nice review, thanks! Glad that someone finally made a decent comparison review with Momentum 3. Though, can’t wait for announced Sennheiser Momentum 4!
Awesome Comparison. Thanks for your effort. Had the chance to pick up the Momentum 3 for 179€. Guess it's been a steal. Now waiting for them to arrive. Very excited to test them myself. Finally my first pair of Wireless Headphones. Keep it up and stay safe. 🤜🏻🤛🏻
@@nicolasgonzalez5908 ... Hi. I love'em. So far the best Headphones I own. To be fair up till now it's my first pair in that price category, so the chances were pretty high to rule them all. 😄 On the other hand I didn't compare different headphones in this class. I did a lot of research, gave it a shot & (above all after experimenting with the EQ) was blown away. So I called it a day. It's the usual thing, everybody is different and so are the individual tastes. In the end the best and probably only way is to test it yourself and figure out if it checks your boxes. Definitely worth a try. Have a wonderful Christmas Time, stay safe and take care.
I've listened to all of them in person (except for the Bose model) and I think Sennheiser sounds significantly better than the rest. I am going to get the Momentum 4s when they are out if they will keep the same sound quality but will fix battery time and other small issues.
The criticism for the Momentum 3 was that there were no imaging in the music, unlike the Bose. Hopefully Sennheiser improves the sound because i still choose the Sony's sound quality. Sennheiser we be waiting
Awesome review! No one else out there using this type of equipment for their reviews and you do a fantastic job explaining what to listen for and the differences/similarities between headphones. Question - is the ANC turned on during testing? I have a pair of Sony XM3's and the audio is significantly different with and without ANC. Not sure if that's something Sony has addressed with the newer versions, or if any other brands have this "issue". Keep up the great work!
I keep ANC on because that's how the majority of people will use them. I don't think it makes much sense to adjust settings to "help a headphone win." It should be tested as people normally and practically use it, not in the most ideal conditions to make it possibly perform better. I hope that makes sense! With that said, I don't notice a difference in the XM5. Thanks for the kind words :)
Hey, your extremely professional in every aspect of the production of your videos. Your transitions made it extremely easy to watch and this was very informative. Thank you for your dedication!
Expected to have a bit over the top review, was blown away by the amount of details and tests performed and just presenting all so each can formulate their own personal preference. Excellent, congrats! Not a professional and while going through the video I was hoping you would share your own final pick, which you did, and I'm glad I had the exact one in my mind after going through all of the audio samples a couple of times. Subscribed and have a good one!
For bluetooth headphones, I usually prioritize ANC and mic quality for travel aspect. Was using NC700 until I saw your XM5 review. Now I'm using XM5s and am pretty happy with them.
Very nice! Thank you! I found that to have the best comparison I would switch when the music is constant. Most everyone switches by the beat and when there is a change in the beat there's usually a music change which may be notes higher or lower or dropping an instrument out or bringing another track in. Great reviews, thanks.
I get it. I just don't think it will be as accessible for the majority of people. I'm definitely aiming at the broadest audience possible, if that makes sense.
This was an awesome review, thanks so much for putting so much effort into this! I tested most of those headphones in stores (not the AirPods Max, but including the Momentum 4, PX7 S2 and PX7 last generation, and briefly the Technics EAH-A800) and compared them against my current PXC 550. I completely share your opinion and can tell that your sound samples match with what I heard. For me as someone who puts sound and comfort first but also needs good call/conference performance and ANC, it was a really close call between the PX7 S2, the Momentum 4 and the Momentum 3. The Momentum 4 sound similar to the Momentum 3 (and even to my PXC 550 in my custom Director sound setting), but the PX7 S2 sound equally good but different. All others were far, far behind in terms of sound quality. - Momentum 4: awesome tidy, clean, deep yet exact bass, slightly forward mids, clear treble, very good soundstage, lots of detail - Momentum 3: very similar, more focus on mid bass, slightly forward mids, in High End Sound Tuning slightly more neutral mids, clear treble, great soundstage, lots of detail, even more in HEST - PXC 550 with custom EQ: very nice, deep bass (bass shy without tuning), slightly forward mids, good but sometimes sibilant treble, good soundstage, quite some detail - PX7 S2: good amount of bass, but less sub bass, more mid and upper bass, very neutral mids, maybe slightly recessed, great treble, great soundstage, lots of detail - PX7 last generation: overall great, balanced and detailed, but can sound really harsh and sibilant in the treble region - EAH-A800: overall great but slightly recessed mids and can be wooly and sloppy in bass, lacks sub bass, but has great soundstage and detail - WH-1000XM4: very dark by default, overpowering bass bleeding into the mids, scooped in upper mids/lower treble, narrow and in your head, lacks detail - WH-1000XM5: very dark by default as well, same overpowering bass, slightly less punch than XM4, good midrange, lacks sparkle in upper treble, still narrow and in your head, lacks detail - Bose (any): overall balanced, but lacks punch in the bass, strange coloring in mids and treble which can't be fixed, narrow soundstage, lacks detail So for me it was tough to decide between the PX7 S2 and the Momentum 4, and I also considered the Momentum 3, but went with the Momentum 4 in the end because of features, ANC and price (although I like the other two options a lot better for their design and build quality). They'll arrive very soon and I can't wait to go in depth and see how much of an improvement they are compared to my PXC 550 in day to day use.
@@rougueone7126 I enjoy them very much! The sound improvement over the PXC 550 is a lot bigger than I expected! Considerably more detail, instrument separation, imaging, soundstage, substance and treble clarity, and less sibilance and upper mids shoutiness. The mids can be ever so slightly boxy around 1k however - this is something that the PX7 S2 didn't have. But those didn't do as well in other areas, like mid bass/lower mids. The M4's sub bass boost is perfect for outside. Sometimes I dial the mids back by 2-3db to get rid of the boxiness in the very (!) rare cases it shows. At home, I sometimes reduce the bass a little and boost the treble slightly for a brighter overall sound. The app EQ is very gentle, you won't get strange resonances with extreme settings, but I only need slight adjustments sometimes. On my mac, I can improve the sound even more with a more powerful EQ which works very well. I do the same with my Beyerdynamic DT 880, and both sound more linear after EQ, but still completely different. I enjoy both for different music and applications while I always preferred the DT 880 over the PXC 550 at home. The ANC is good, they reduce road noise very well, but chatter not so much, only slightly better than my old headphones. The comfort was better on the PXC 550 for me, even though their earpads were smaller and more cramped for my ears. But the earcups on the M4 are shallower so my ears slightly touch the drivers. It's not overly annoying but I always feel they're there and have to readjust them sometimes. I like that I didn't lose any features that I got used to with my PXC 550: The touch gestures work well and pretty much the same. I actually use the pinch/zoom ANC adjustment sometimes. I use double-tap to transparency all the time, and also the mute switch in conference calls when I'm walking around in my home. However, the app startup is annoyingly slow, and the software still has some bugs, but no dealbreakers. Like it doesn't always auto-connect to both my Mac and my Android phone. Sometimes I wonder If I'd had a smoother experience with the PX7 S2, but all in all, I love my M4!
@@VeitLehmann Great review man, enjoyed reading it, might as well put them up in my top 3 now. I was really wondering whether there's a difference in sound quality wired vs wireless?
@@rougueone7126 Wow, I'm feeling honored! :) Well, I think the difference between my headphones comes mostly down to construction, like open-back vs. closed-back, the drivers, earcups, earpads etc. In my opinion, frequency response, earcup resonance, driver response, seal and so on have a far bigger influence on the sound of headphones than the compression loss of bluetooth, especially when the source material is already lossy. I am pretty sensitive to frequency response peaks and dips and detail, but I don't think I'm an audiophile and I can only hear sounds up to 16kHz or so. Still, I think the whole debate of AptX vs LDAC vs AAC is overblown, and in this class there's even hardly any difference to lossless transmission. Yes, I hear the difference when using SBC (on the Mac, the PXC 550 used this because of missing AAC support), but I can hardly hear any difference when using the Momentum 4 wireless on my Mac (AAC) or wired via USB (lossless). You only have to consider that $400 bluetooth ANC headphones would probably be comparable to $150 wired headphones sound quality wise, because with the former, you're also paying for a whole lot of tech and engineering on top.
I greatly appreciate what you do. I loved the AirPods Pro review and you both have great chemistry. Who knew audio engineers were such cool cats! I love how he reverse engineered in real time how noise canceling worked and immediately commented that there must be mics on there. Awesome deduction and loved to see that happen on camera. Your reviews are a cut above the rest not just for the tech know how but also for your proficiency in making videos and presenting these reviews in an entertaining way! Hats off!
Thank you so much for your amazing reviews! I have purchased the Momento 3 two days ago. I really wanted to have the usb-c connection to my phone and I use tidel, so I'm never worried about the battery because I can plug them and have better audio quality while they charge up! I was looking at the QC45, but the audio quality of the momentum is just at another level and the QC45 don't let you turn off the ANC and I don't want to have the wind blowing in my ears... Plus I have found the Momentum 3 on sale for 190$ and I don't think that I could find something even nearly as quality sound and building construction for that price! Thank you again, your comparisons are top notch and have helped a lot!
I love your tests! Do you plan to do new one with momentum 4? cause I dont know which one i should buy xm5 or mom 4 :) looking forward for your test! :D
Such a great review between those headphones. As for me, I will go for the XM5, although the sound quality is not as good as the Sennheiser MOMENTUM 3, overall the Sony XM5 wins in other features. Thanks! Sound quality: Sennheiser MOMENTUM 3 > Sony WH-1000XM5 > Apple AIRPODS MAX > Bose NC 700 Overall all features: Sony WH-1000XM5 > Sennheiser MOMENTUM 3 > Apple AIRPODS MAX > Bose NC 700
Momentum 3 High End is consistely the best one. Just lack some warmth in funky musics, but that's a small price. I think I had this sensation only because all others just go fat in bass, not especially accurate.
What an exceptionalley well-made review! My Momentum 2 just broke and I need a new pair of headphones. I guess, since sound quality is most important to me, I'll go with its successor, but I'll definitely compare them with the XM5 in person before purchase!
Great test! For me Sennheiser headphones are the most balanced and sound most like original, Sony was very close and sound great. Didn't like sound of Apple and Bose at all, their plat in second league. Bose has best ANC, Sony second again. Mic in Sennheiser is crap, Sony definitely wins this time, best sounding and all noises cancelled. However iPhone uses codec AAC whereas Android phones support higher quality codecs AptX HD and AptX Adaptive with higher bitrate and lower latency. In Windows You also need special BT adapter like Creative BT-W4 or W5 to get proper sound as all built-in BT modules use poor SBC codec with terrible latency. Watched using iPad and Sony WH-1000XM3.
At last someone who talks at a speed where I don’t drift off during the video. 😃 Thank you. Good vid too! I really appreciate the effort required to make it.
This review is amazing. I'm an Apple user but I do not like the design of the Max, and the Sony and Bose have been on my list for so long. I think I am now leaning towards the Sony.
Have you bought any headphones yet? If not I would have to recommend the XM5’s. I’ve had them for a couple of weeks and they are by far the best headphones I own. The audio, noise cancellation, and convenience is all top notch. They are also quite easy to travel with My sister owns the air max’s and she recently tried my headphones and has been asking to “borrow”them ever since! If your looking to spend a little I would say buy these, worth every penny!
What’s crazy is I’m listening to the comparisons with my new Bose 700’s, and listening to the Sennheiser recording sounds better than the Bose 700 recording in my opinion, but then listening to the original recording of course sounds way better than the Bose recording itself. Never heard the Sennheiser yet in person but damn that says something about them if Sennheiser sounds closer to the original recording
Yeah, it’s good for comparisons between them but you are doubling the sound profile of the Bose when you hear the Bose sample. The original track is to give some sort of context.
Hey i have started working with the bose a while ago and you have done a great job at trying to explain things for a layman i still feel that you have a scope of improvement left , i love the genuinety of your content btw
Thanks for this amazing comparison video! I’m so glad I got the chance to listen to this before making my Headphone purchase. I definitely subscribed to your channel and I’m looking forward to hear some great content from you! keep up the good work! 👍🏻👏🏻
I used my friends XM4 for a week and then experienced C XM5 in experience stores. XM5 has better sound but both are heavy. Specially i dont like bass and do not have expertise to set EQs. I purchased bose QC 45 just 2 days ago because of lightweight, comfort and bose is not making vaccum pressure on my ears which was painful. Bose has balanced sound out of the box,no need to set EQs. Loving them. I am ok with physical buttons, mostly touch of sony not working when your fingers are wet in the Gym.
This is the most detailled and complete video on audio devices comparison I've seen ! And I think I finally found the right headphone for me, thanks to you ;)
Tough call for me. I can toss the airpods right away because I'm not into apple ecosystem. I also believe they sounds the worst of the 4, but they seems to have decent features (ANC, ambient, mic, etc). For the sound only, my preference goes to the sennheiser, followed up by the XM5 (listening with SHP9500). The thing is, I thought the microphone on the sennheiser worse than the XM5 and that XM5 ANC was doing a better job. Tough call,going for the better sound or for the better complete package.
@@ThisIsTechToday That's the safer call I believe! Might have to wait for momentum 4 though, if they can keep that sound and upgrade everything else and stay in that price category, could be a winner.
Great video! Would love to see a comparison of the xm5, px7 S2, and momentum 4. I think the px7 s2 will bring some serious sound quality to the table, perhaps at the expense of anc and call quality.
Hi there, I'm a new sub, love your content. Definitely stands out from the rest. I'm expecting the XM5's today after considering all of the options you provided. My question is, are you able to share your EQ settings form the XM5's?
I loved the histogram analysis for noise cancellation and overlaying the histograms of all headphones to compare them better... That was just awesome and precise!
Very well done and quite useful. I did notice at points that the comparative playback levels seemed a bit uneven (the Sony mic level seemed noticeably louder than the others during the outdoor test, for instance), and this can really skew the perceptual quality but overall, you did an excellent job. Keep it up!
Great video! Really enjoyable. Keep up the good work 😃 However… I watched it with my AirPods Max on and they sound nothing like what can be heard in your video… there was a vast difference between the original track and your AirPods Max track on my AirPods Max. If my AirPods Max sounded anything like they did in your video, I would have thrown them out the window! LOL ;) I bought several ANC headphones before I made my final buying decision and sent them all back as to me AirPods Max sounded the best by a mile. But I do agree that Bose 700 sound the worst, I disliked them immediately when I tried them on and EQing didn’t help much.
i also have the same opinion...my maxes are much better than this video represents them!!!the bose ones are horrible !!! (what crappy headphones)...i believe the best anc heaphones are mark levinson ones...check them out!!!
Just got the bose 700 from my work for a great deal. I use my airpods pro a lot for on the go stuff but wanted over the ear ANC high quality audio for long days on my computer and flights. I also picked up the new anker space ones and have to say the ANC on those are great, and for $99 i am surprised how good they are but thats my work headset that I take calls on and use for teams meetings. Overall I think the bose are great and very happy I bought.
Very thorough and well made video, well done by a fellow audio engineer. When will you review the momentum wireless 4? I am really struggling to find a pair of headphones that sounds good and has good ANC, i hope Momentum 4 will be the answer.
I bought the XM4s unfortunately a few weeks before the XM5s released. Purchased them as I needed something wireless trail running and roller blading. I haven't been very impressed with the XM4s due to poor sound quality compared to my older wired Sennheiser headphones. I have also found the swipe guesture to be very problematic and I have difficulty getting it to register my gestures when running or roller blading. Even walking around normally, it seems if my hair even touches the gesture pad area, it will rarely register my gestures. This has forced me to basically give up on them and manually do settings on my phone instead. Because of this, I have been looking into getting new headphones. At the time, I passed up on the Sennheiser Momentum 3s due the Sony XM4s supposedly having a better noise cancellation system for when I go roller skating at a roller rink. Thanks to your review, it seems I'm going to wait until the Momentum 4s come out and either get them or the Momentum 3s depending on which one reviewers, like yourself, say are better. Thanks for this video as it really has been very informative!
I'd like to thank you for introducing me to Hannah Parrot. I've just spent my afternoon going on such an amazing journey of different soundscapes on her artist channel on Spotify. I think I'm a bit in love with her music and my lovely new Sennheiser M4s. Looking forward to hearing your assessment of the M4s too!
She’s astoundingly talented! Her music really moves me deeply in ways that other composers cannot. I’m so glad you are enjoying her music. I’ll share your kind words with her. I know she will really appreciate it! Sennheiser M4 content coming in the new year! Already planning and capturing some tests now. Thanks for watching!
I had Sony XM4 before but I returned it since when I received a phone call, the ANC stopped and all the outside noise seeped in. Sony called this a feature, and I disliked that. Is this problem solved in XM5? Do I hear the surroundings in the headphone while I am receiving calls or on Zoom meeting?
Thanks for your hard work for the production of your high quality videos. I find them very detailed and funny 😆. Literally everything I wanna know and beyond about those product comparisons🫡. Your music choice is tasteful 😜
Thanks so much. Glad you enjoyed it! I've definitely curated the songs greatly, so it's nice to hear that you like them. Please share it with others. It helps a lot.
the most helpful headphones review!! can you pls do one comparing the Sony xm5 and the Sennheiser momentum 4? 🙏🏻 would love to hear your thoughts and what you’d choose between the two before making the purchase!
Well i liked the video, but what i really liked the most was that I found to great songs from watching this video. And the songs were It would be you- Ben Rector, and the second song was Get away by Surfclub. So thanks for that 🙂
Listening to this video on my airpod pro, to me I like the sound of Airpod Max the most. Still thinking between the Max and Sen M3. It is difficult to choose
Great vid. One thing that stops me buying the xm5 is the ear cup depth - my ears hit the soft fabric whenever I put them on and I can’t imagine keeping them on like that. Weirdly the 700s didn’t seem to have that issue for me. Though the 700s are also just shy of my ideal with that relatively atrocious mic quality (wanted them for video conference calls). Maybe the 700s future upgrade will fix it all.
You make the best headphone reviews I have seen by faaaaar! A big thanks to the effort and quality of your work! Keep up the great work and you'll reach a million subscribers in no time!
Okay this is the only channel i want to see this kind of audio review. Hope you extend this review on a budget friendly yet competitive pricing headphone like soundcore
Really great review, new sub. Which headphones would you recomend me in your personal experience or taste, even if they're not in this video? I'm interested in the Sennheiser's type of headphones (price, heavy built, no matter the weight or pressure, audio firm and multi platform friendly)
Weird, I hear extra beats on the momentum 3, beats or frequencies that I can't with the others, but because of those little issues that the m3 have I will just go with the Sony's.
hmmm, ive had 700s for 2+ years now. No issues. Just ear pad replacement. Had some sony Xm3s - they lasted a couple weeks before the ANC shit out and just produced a low hum in one ear and low volume too. Thats enough to put me off ever buying sony headphones again
Yeah my XM4s are doing the same thing and also have a high pitched noise when nc is on. I just bought the Bose 700s. Hope I made the right choice because I don’t trust Sony anymore.
Hey do you have an update on the comparison between the Sennheiser momuntum 3 vs 4? This video was super detailed and awesome keep up the awesome work!
I think the XM5 bass is a little too high, making sounds less crystal clear. I personally feel the NC700 sounds the best, sounds more natural on most songs here.
I've finally got my XM5 (for 359.99 euros), and i'm loving it, so light, so comfortable, I'm using LDAC so I can get the best sound quality, and very important I can use the equalizer to my preference. I do have a pair of AirPods Max, but the trouble is that I live in Portugal, and here the temperatures can reach 109º Fahrenheit in the summer, I started to have a condensation problem on my AirPods Max, and with just a few minutes on my ears, finally after 2 months the condensation build on the drivers made it fail on the right cup, so I returned the AirPods Max, waiting for them to arrive from Apple repair service and as soon as they arrive I will sell them online. Apple please learn with other brands, going for stainless steel and aluminium is a wrong move, and that's why most of the brands go for plastic or composite materials. The Apple ones are very heavy and bulky, and like me, many people complaining about Apple AirMax, having condensation build up inside the cups and on the drivers too, making them fail over time, and thats because aluminium dissipates heat better, the difference in temperature creates condensation, and they are not water proof.
Some XM5 owners returned their unit because the ANC automatically changes its level when the unit thinks that they are talking or when a fabric touches the unit. Unlike XM4 where ANC level can be manually set up to max and it will stay there. I never heard any reviewer talk about this. Can you give us your input about this? Thank you!
The LDAC that Sony has on android phones makes wonderful work always no matter what. I just offered the M3 to my uncle to buy Bose QC 45 later to try it for the first time but my heart tells me to buy M5 and Sony again they always improve the quality in long term with the software actualization.
As aspiring audio engineer, i prefer the balance sound of sennheiser, but as my daily driver, i prefer the sharpness of my cca cra than the bassy headphones like JBL
can you recommend headphones that give the most realistic and true audio (in ears or over ears, doesn't matter if they have a cable but the price should be low). Sometimes I just wanna hear how it really is without my personal sound preferences. Also questioning, if I listen to this video my headphones will influence what I hear, so I actually can not that if I would like a pair more than my currents; are my thoughts right?
It's crazy that nobody has figured out how to block out wind *turbulence* created by wind hitting the ear cups. To me, that's the single greatest weakness of ANC headphones.
Great video!!!!! I really appreciate all the time effort and resources that you put into making it!!! I think is both helpful and entertaining and great music selection by the way!
I’m in the market for a pair of headphones and came across your video. This is the coolest testing I’ve heard and I enjoy listening to it. I’m not an audiophile and most of this is brand new to me. I have Apple earbuds and that’s my experience with sound. Even though I love Apple, I wouldn’t buy their headphones because I have a hard time believing they are the best at that price. Sony is popular, but is it the best? I have been looking at the B&W Px7 S2 and hope to hear a review. Those are popular too, but are they that great? I don’t know, everyone seems to say they are, I’d like to hear a comparison from you.
have had the m2 since 2017 still going so strong just as good as the day i bought them. use them almost daily and i havent notice the battery life depleated at all
I love the songs you take for the demos! I have the xm4 and I don't really like the sound... I still use more my old QC35... but the xm5 are promising, would they worth it? Thanks for your videos, excellent job!!
![[UA] NAVI vs MOUZ | BO5 | IEM Rio 2024](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/CMBYk0cbGoA/mqdefault.jpg)
![Best Premium Headphones 2024 [Tested & Compared!] - AirPods Max vs Bose vs Sony vs Sennheiser..](/img/n.gif)
🔥 *QOTD: What are your observations? Which ones do you think performed well in some areas and didn't in others? What specific areas? Let me know!*
🎙 Check out DESCRIPT for FREE: myte.ch/descript (ad)
-- WHERE TO PURCHASE --
▶Sony WH-1000XM5: shop-links.co/chd8pfIMILO
▶ Sennheiser Momentum 3: shop-links.co/chCa2cvDNNJ
▶Apple AirPods Max: shop-links.co/chfZk7Ahj69
▶ Bose NC 700: shop-links.co/chCa1DrfsaW
🎶Where I got all the music for this video: myte.ch/musicbed
* These are affiliate links
Hey! I think the bit rate you used while recording the headphone samples might be too low. They all sound super compressed compared to many recordings from the same recording device/ears.
I recorded at 48kHz and 32-Bit float. I don't think so. You're also listening to audio through UA-cam, so your expectations for sound quality should adjust accordingly.
@@AndRootPro Yes, UA-cam uses AAC
Have you ever opened up the apple settings and turned off the volume limiter, there are a few settings that really open up the Air Pod Max, very much like what you have done with the in app EG and settings with the others, I would love a full opened up version review with the Settings given a chance to take them off DEFAULT.
I wish you would do one of these with those Sony Linkbuds open-back true wireless earbuds. They are very interestingly unique being open but still truly wireless buds, but the price is steep if they don't end up sounding great. It would be really buyer-helpful if we could see how it sounds like through a review like this before shelling out a ton of money for one.
The only channel I trust with audio devices comparison
Thanks so much, Melvin! Please share it with others. It seriously helps a lot!
Finally
what about dankpods?
Lol Oluv is the best
@The Night most are sheep's they don't give honest reviews but this dude is on a next level he not only use his ears but also machine to review other channels are always airpods pro when they are newer ones that are way better they give a Sheep's review I have used airpods and other brands but airpods are not the top 5
Your videos are amazing! I'm still blown away by how much time, effort, and money is put into filming and it really makes me appreciate you and your channel! As always, another beautifully made video 😁
Glad you like them! Please share this with others. It helps way more than you realize!
As I was writing this very comment I saw yours summed up what I wanted to say perfectly! I wish more UA-camrs would organize and lay everything out like he does.
I purchased the Sony XM5 due to your previous review and preference. I am really enjoying them and loving the ambient sound w/ focus on voice and the noise canceling.
I've noticed a big difference in sound quality between the XM5 and the Bose Q45.
Thank you for the very well done videos that we can all understand. Subscribed.
Glad I could help!
@Curio if only there was a video and an entire section that talked about that 🙃
@Stoutimous, does the ANC still worked during phone calls? I had XM4 before and received a call outside in public area and all the noises seeped in, and when searched I found out that sony called this a feature instead of a fail. I would like to know if XM5 suffer from the same problem.
To me I think Q45 sounds better than the XM5
@@hainguyenthanh5055 no
I personally tested all of these and I went for the Momentum 3. Definitely the best sound quality and that’s what most important for me. I don’t really use any ANC, so that wasn’t a big factor for me. And for the buttons, I’ve never had a problem with it and never pressed any wrong buttons. Also the steel frame hasn’t bent yet, so I guess that built quality there is very good. And as last I also like the look of them most for some reason. They’re just different
Yes! My thoughts are similar. ANC is cool and I do notice how I can focus more and I feel the isolation with the XM4s, however I don't get that sound quality I want
Senheisers for the win 🥇
Momentum3 or Momentum4 better?
@@tungmm haven’t tried the momentum 4. Didn’t even know they existed. Gonna try them soon
@@MisterNoRng1 have you tested it? im curious too
I found the momentum audibly more balanced and clear compared to the rest, thank you so much for having such a thorough comparison of the top players headphones.
the mic test in a loud environment didn't appear as "controlled" as it could be, but the point of the test came through, so it was very much appreciated :)
lol, definitely not controlled at all 😂
I have the momentum 4s and it’s not even close to how much better they sound compared to the other brands…I also listened to this video with the bathys and still was no contest to my momentum 4s…sennheiser has something far above the rest
Momentum 4 >>>>>
Your presentation energy is always refreshing, and your dedication is so electrifying. Thanks so much for this very detailed, representative, and comprehensive video comparison (as always). I watched (listened the sound of) this video with my AKG N700NCM2 (btw, I have also Philips SHP9500 and Hifiman Deva), and I think my fave sound profile is the XM5s with your custom EQ v2, followed by the Sennheisers with its high-end tuning. You're the best!
Nice! Those are great earbuds. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
@@ThisIsTechToday Thx for your response. Hey, I fell in love with Surfclub's Get Away bcoz of your videos! 😁😁😁
Akg n700ncm2 is really good. Perfect balance and clarity and bass is really good. But clapping force is only negative. And maybe the design.
For me jbl club one and akg n700ncm2. I love the eq setting.
I plan to buy Bose next or bowers and wilkins.
@@mikeree8543 I agree with you. I'm happy with my purchase on AKG N700NCM2. I've ever owned XM3, but it was too bassy to my ears (to my taste as well). Some instruments sound unnatural to my ears, then I sold it. No regret at all. One thing I really miss from them is their ANC, which is way more aggressive and effective compared to AKG's adaptive ANC. However, sub-bass on AKG N700NCM2 is very satisfying. Me too, I'm wondering about Bose, especially QCs series, B&Ws, and Beyerdynamics.
@@ariesaries91 when I bought AKG , I thought it wasn't great, but I tested with my Beat studio3, skullcandy, Sony, couple JBL s. Akg had best clarity, crisp & bass with eq settings.
So far so 👍. Maybe I would get bowers wilkins, skip the Bose after watching this one, bose sounds narrow on low frequency.
I just bought the Sony - WH1000XM5 because of this video. I am very impressed! I was going back and forth with Airpods Max vs Sony and I'm very happy I bought the Sony. There's so much things you can setup using the headphone app for the Sony headphones. Great review of them!
I just recently purchased mine as well. Are you not having issues with the headphone app? Seems to crash on me often and idk why
So glad I could help and glad that you like them!
I tried them both but the AirPods blew me away ngl
@@saulortega2784 what phone u on?
@@killrblue iPhone
Looking forward to a review of the Seinheiser Momentum 4 and a comparison with the XM5s! Your reviews are very thorough and the only ones that help my indecisive brain get to a conclusion
Thank you so much for your super in-depth reviews! I am in-between the Apple AirPods Max and the Sony WH-1000XM5. I have an iPhone so ecosystem is also a worry for me. I started my Googling angled towards the Max, but am now leaning heavily toward the XM5's. I was blown away by the Sennhesier's sound quality but I find everything else lacking since I want to wear these new headphones while traveling and just about and about. Hopefully the 4's are much improved! But again thank you so much for your opinion and all the hard work you put into this video.
I had a hard time with the same 2 choices. I went into a local best buy and played with both for a while. I have an iPhone, and the AirPods max sound way better with Apple Music than any other music streaming service.
Both honestly sound great. Both are very comfortable, even the AirPods max despite their weight. The AirPods max are really the only headphones that don’t hurt the top of my head after a while.
Long story long, you would be happy with either, but the AirPods max do integrate into the apple ecosystem better and you would get the best out of them if you use Apple Music
@@DHG1078 bro like thank you so much for your comment I was very worried
Thanks for the awesome review. It covered all aspects that we need to take into account when buying a new headphone :) I particularly like ANC, microphone and music sample comparisons. I would go for XM5 personally :)
So glad I could help and make content that you really enjoy! Thanks so much for the super thanks!
Listening to this through Beats Studio3 (for what its worth), and while I'm not in the market for any of these, Sennheiser and Sony are easily the winners. The first two times you demonstrated the mids, it was clear to me that Apple sounded crunchy, and the Bose seemed their usual muddy selves. While I understand why the Sennheisers probably won't rate the highest among all the metrics you tested, I did find their sound most pleasing and realistic. Second to them were the Sony's who seemed a touch warm (which isn't a bad thing at all) but very clear. I tend to go for headphones that are analytical, but I would struggle to choose between the Sony and Sennheiser.
For all the audio samples you gave, I closed my eyes and listened to it peacefully. IMO, Sony has the best immersive sound and since it ticks almost all the boxes, I would recommend the Sony. Anywhow, thanks a lot for this video and your efforts! :D
The sennheiser surprised me.
I've always regarded the momentum series to be a little too much on the v-shape side.
But that eq took it to another level, also the xm5.
Now I'm more excited to see how the new Momentum would sound.
BTW. I really want to see a review on the Edifier Stax Spirit S3, a planar driver developed by Stax sounds interesting. (But the cans are ugly I just can't bring myself to buy it.)
I absolutely love your videos! You have the most in depth analysis of each headphone and completely unbiased! You let us come up with the best sounding of the group.
2 things about the Sony wh1000xm5s. The ambient sound at my work is exactly where the anc either is at max or one level down and it changes every 15 seconds if I change the orientation of my head. Or even if I swallow, it changes and it's super annoying especially since I listen to podcasts very quietly. So basically the pitch of the sound of the ac either higher pitch or lower pitch.
The other thing is I use Google assistant to send messages on Facebook, and if I hold my finger on the touch area it let's me say a reply then the Google assistant reads back what I said and then says tap to send. But taping once doesn't do anything and then holding to activate the Google assistant again wants me to re record my message. I dont use the anc button and I don't use Spotify, so why can't I assign the button to by my assistant? Just dumb
That Sony XM5 really sounds amazing with the last sound. Highly impressed! Crazy review!!
Thanks!
Awesome review like always! Picked up the Sonys XM5s because of you! Plus a THX Onix DAC (idk if it’s recommended) but enjoying so far! I know they’re blutooth headphones but any recommendations when it comes to a wired setup with the XM5s?
Nice! I actually have that same DAC. I'm honestly not the type to get too caught up in DACs and stuff as most are plenty fine.
the sennheiser is definetly my favorite the airpod just sounds sharp the sony is bass heavy and fat the bose seems to be very claustrophobic and strange
I feel ya!
Nice review, thanks! Glad that someone finally made a decent comparison review with Momentum 3. Though, can’t wait for announced Sennheiser Momentum 4!
Thanks for the kind words! Yeah, I'm really looking forward to the Momentum 4s!
Awesome Comparison.
Thanks for your effort.
Had the chance to pick up the Momentum 3 for 179€.
Guess it's been a steal.
Now waiting for them to arrive.
Very excited to test them myself.
Finally my first pair of Wireless Headphones.
Keep it up and stay safe. 🤜🏻🤛🏻
Hello brother, I would like to know what you think about the headphones?
@@nicolasgonzalez5908 ... Hi. I love'em. So far the best Headphones I own. To be fair up till now it's my first pair in that price category, so the chances were pretty high to rule them all. 😄
On the other hand I didn't compare different headphones in this class.
I did a lot of research, gave it a shot & (above all after experimenting with the EQ) was blown away.
So I called it a day.
It's the usual thing, everybody is different and so are the individual tastes.
In the end the best and probably only way is to test it yourself and figure out if it checks your boxes.
Definitely worth a try.
Have a wonderful Christmas Time, stay safe and take care.
@@escalibur8437 Thank you very much for the reply! I will buy them! Merry Christmas!
I've listened to all of them in person (except for the Bose model) and I think Sennheiser sounds significantly better than the rest. I am going to get the Momentum 4s when they are out if they will keep the same sound quality but will fix battery time and other small issues.
Do you think the video accurately captures how they generally sound compared to each other? I'm definitely interested in the momentum 4's now.
@@ThisIsTechToday I think it does. Although Sonys sounded better in your video than when I personally tried them on :)
When are the Momentum 4’s coming out anyway?
Sometime in August. No solid date given yet.
The criticism for the Momentum 3 was that there were no imaging in the music, unlike the Bose. Hopefully Sennheiser improves the sound because i still choose the Sony's sound quality. Sennheiser we be waiting
Awesome review! No one else out there using this type of equipment for their reviews and you do a fantastic job explaining what to listen for and the differences/similarities between headphones. Question - is the ANC turned on during testing? I have a pair of Sony XM3's and the audio is significantly different with and without ANC. Not sure if that's something Sony has addressed with the newer versions, or if any other brands have this "issue". Keep up the great work!
I keep ANC on because that's how the majority of people will use them. I don't think it makes much sense to adjust settings to "help a headphone win." It should be tested as people normally and practically use it, not in the most ideal conditions to make it possibly perform better. I hope that makes sense! With that said, I don't notice a difference in the XM5. Thanks for the kind words :)
More like no one else out there reviewing has the sheer amount of qualifications he does :p
@@zugo-tg7125 you're too kind, lol
Hey, your extremely professional in every aspect of the production of your videos. Your transitions made it extremely easy to watch and this was very informative. Thank you for your dedication!
Expected to have a bit over the top review, was blown away by the amount of details and tests performed and just presenting all so each can formulate their own personal preference. Excellent, congrats!
Not a professional and while going through the video I was hoping you would share your own final pick, which you did, and I'm glad I had the exact one in my mind after going through all of the audio samples a couple of times.
Subscribed and have a good one!
Thank you!
Would love to see your review on Sennheiser Momentum 4. I feel that your review is the most precise and technical of all I have ever seen.. thank you
This is probably one of THE BEST Wireless Headphone comparisons I've seen so far. Huge props!
Best channel for this stuff, hands down! Would love to see a comparison of:
MW75
Momentum 4
BW PX7 S2
B&O H95
For bluetooth headphones, I usually prioritize ANC and mic quality for travel aspect. Was using NC700 until I saw your XM5 review. Now I'm using XM5s and am pretty happy with them.
So glad you're enjoying them and that I was able to help you make a good decision for you. Thanks for becoming a channel member!
So better?
@@buildwithk I like the ANC performance of the XM5 over the Bose NC 700. I now use the NC 700 at work and bring my XM5s on travel.
good, but if u gonna compare the microfone in calls etc, witch one is the best?
Very nice! Thank you! I found that to have the best comparison I would switch when the music is constant. Most everyone switches by the beat and when there is a change in the beat there's usually a music change which may be notes higher or lower or dropping an instrument out or bringing another track in.
Great reviews, thanks.
I get it. I just don't think it will be as accessible for the majority of people. I'm definitely aiming at the broadest audience possible, if that makes sense.
This was an awesome review, thanks so much for putting so much effort into this! I tested most of those headphones in stores (not the AirPods Max, but including the Momentum 4, PX7 S2 and PX7 last generation, and briefly the Technics EAH-A800) and compared them against my current PXC 550. I completely share your opinion and can tell that your sound samples match with what I heard. For me as someone who puts sound and comfort first but also needs good call/conference performance and ANC, it was a really close call between the PX7 S2, the Momentum 4 and the Momentum 3. The Momentum 4 sound similar to the Momentum 3 (and even to my PXC 550 in my custom Director sound setting), but the PX7 S2 sound equally good but different. All others were far, far behind in terms of sound quality.
- Momentum 4: awesome tidy, clean, deep yet exact bass, slightly forward mids, clear treble, very good soundstage, lots of detail
- Momentum 3: very similar, more focus on mid bass, slightly forward mids, in High End Sound Tuning slightly more neutral mids, clear treble, great soundstage, lots of detail, even more in HEST
- PXC 550 with custom EQ: very nice, deep bass (bass shy without tuning), slightly forward mids, good but sometimes sibilant treble, good soundstage, quite some detail
- PX7 S2: good amount of bass, but less sub bass, more mid and upper bass, very neutral mids, maybe slightly recessed, great treble, great soundstage, lots of detail
- PX7 last generation: overall great, balanced and detailed, but can sound really harsh and sibilant in the treble region
- EAH-A800: overall great but slightly recessed mids and can be wooly and sloppy in bass, lacks sub bass, but has great soundstage and detail
- WH-1000XM4: very dark by default, overpowering bass bleeding into the mids, scooped in upper mids/lower treble, narrow and in your head, lacks detail
- WH-1000XM5: very dark by default as well, same overpowering bass, slightly less punch than XM4, good midrange, lacks sparkle in upper treble, still narrow and in your head, lacks detail
- Bose (any): overall balanced, but lacks punch in the bass, strange coloring in mids and treble which can't be fixed, narrow soundstage, lacks detail
So for me it was tough to decide between the PX7 S2 and the Momentum 4, and I also considered the Momentum 3, but went with the Momentum 4 in the end because of features, ANC and price (although I like the other two options a lot better for their design and build quality). They'll arrive very soon and I can't wait to go in depth and see how much of an improvement they are compared to my PXC 550 in day to day use.
Hey, how are the Momentum's, hope you are enjoying it :)
@@rougueone7126 I enjoy them very much! The sound improvement over the PXC 550 is a lot bigger than I expected! Considerably more detail, instrument separation, imaging, soundstage, substance and treble clarity, and less sibilance and upper mids shoutiness. The mids can be ever so slightly boxy around 1k however - this is something that the PX7 S2 didn't have. But those didn't do as well in other areas, like mid bass/lower mids. The M4's sub bass boost is perfect for outside. Sometimes I dial the mids back by 2-3db to get rid of the boxiness in the very (!) rare cases it shows.
At home, I sometimes reduce the bass a little and boost the treble slightly for a brighter overall sound. The app EQ is very gentle, you won't get strange resonances with extreme settings, but I only need slight adjustments sometimes. On my mac, I can improve the sound even more with a more powerful EQ which works very well. I do the same with my Beyerdynamic DT 880, and both sound more linear after EQ, but still completely different. I enjoy both for different music and applications while I always preferred the DT 880 over the PXC 550 at home.
The ANC is good, they reduce road noise very well, but chatter not so much, only slightly better than my old headphones. The comfort was better on the PXC 550 for me, even though their earpads were smaller and more cramped for my ears. But the earcups on the M4 are shallower so my ears slightly touch the drivers. It's not overly annoying but I always feel they're there and have to readjust them sometimes.
I like that I didn't lose any features that I got used to with my PXC 550: The touch gestures work well and pretty much the same. I actually use the pinch/zoom ANC adjustment sometimes. I use double-tap to transparency all the time, and also the mute switch in conference calls when I'm walking around in my home. However, the app startup is annoyingly slow, and the software still has some bugs, but no dealbreakers. Like it doesn't always auto-connect to both my Mac and my Android phone.
Sometimes I wonder If I'd had a smoother experience with the PX7 S2, but all in all, I love my M4!
@@VeitLehmann Great review man, enjoyed reading it, might as well put them up in my top 3 now.
I was really wondering whether there's a difference in sound quality wired vs wireless?
@@rougueone7126 Wow, I'm feeling honored! :) Well, I think the difference between my headphones comes mostly down to construction, like open-back vs. closed-back, the drivers, earcups, earpads etc. In my opinion, frequency response, earcup resonance, driver response, seal and so on have a far bigger influence on the sound of headphones than the compression loss of bluetooth, especially when the source material is already lossy. I am pretty sensitive to frequency response peaks and dips and detail, but I don't think I'm an audiophile and I can only hear sounds up to 16kHz or so. Still, I think the whole debate of AptX vs LDAC vs AAC is overblown, and in this class there's even hardly any difference to lossless transmission. Yes, I hear the difference when using SBC (on the Mac, the PXC 550 used this because of missing AAC support), but I can hardly hear any difference when using the Momentum 4 wireless on my Mac (AAC) or wired via USB (lossless). You only have to consider that $400 bluetooth ANC headphones would probably be comparable to $150 wired headphones sound quality wise, because with the former, you're also paying for a whole lot of tech and engineering on top.
I greatly appreciate what you do. I loved the AirPods Pro review and you both have great chemistry. Who knew audio engineers were such cool cats! I love how he reverse engineered in real time how noise canceling worked and immediately commented that there must be mics on there. Awesome deduction and loved to see that happen on camera. Your reviews are a cut above the rest not just for the tech know how but also for your proficiency in making videos and presenting these reviews in an entertaining way! Hats off!
Thank you so much for your amazing reviews! I have purchased the Momento 3 two days ago. I really wanted to have the usb-c connection to my phone and I use tidel, so I'm never worried about the battery because I can plug them and have better audio quality while they charge up! I was looking at the QC45, but the audio quality of the momentum is just at another level and the QC45 don't let you turn off the ANC and I don't want to have the wind blowing in my ears... Plus I have found the Momentum 3 on sale for 190$ and I don't think that I could find something even nearly as quality sound and building construction for that price! Thank you again, your comparisons are top notch and have helped a lot!
I love your tests! Do you plan to do new one with momentum 4? cause I dont know which one i should buy xm5 or mom 4 :) looking forward for your test! :D
Such a great review between those headphones. As for me, I will go for the XM5, although the sound quality is not as good as the Sennheiser MOMENTUM 3, overall the Sony XM5 wins in other features. Thanks!
Sound quality: Sennheiser MOMENTUM 3 > Sony WH-1000XM5 > Apple AIRPODS MAX > Bose NC 700
Overall all features: Sony WH-1000XM5 > Sennheiser MOMENTUM 3 > Apple AIRPODS MAX > Bose NC 700
Momentum 3 High End is consistely the best one. Just lack some warmth in funky musics, but that's a small price. I think I had this sensation only because all others just go fat in bass, not especially accurate.
What an exceptionalley well-made review! My Momentum 2 just broke and I need a new pair of headphones. I guess, since sound quality is most important to me, I'll go with its successor, but I'll definitely compare them with the XM5 in person before purchase!
Great test! For me Sennheiser headphones are the most balanced and sound most like original, Sony was very close and sound great. Didn't like sound of Apple and Bose at all, their plat in second league. Bose has best ANC, Sony second again. Mic in Sennheiser is crap, Sony definitely wins this time, best sounding and all noises cancelled. However iPhone uses codec AAC whereas Android phones support higher quality codecs AptX HD and AptX Adaptive with higher bitrate and lower latency. In Windows You also need special BT adapter like Creative BT-W4 or W5 to get proper sound as all built-in BT modules use poor SBC codec with terrible latency. Watched using iPad and Sony WH-1000XM3.
At last someone who talks at a speed where I don’t drift off during the video. 😃 Thank you. Good vid too! I really appreciate the effort required to make it.
Lol, you have no idea how many people complain that I talk too fast. It's a never ending battle.
This review is amazing. I'm an Apple user but I do not like the design of the Max, and the Sony and Bose have been on my list for so long. I think I am now leaning towards the Sony.
Have you bought any headphones yet? If not I would have to recommend the XM5’s. I’ve had them for a couple of weeks and they are by far the best headphones I own. The audio, noise cancellation, and convenience is all top notch. They are also quite easy to travel with My sister owns the air max’s and she recently tried my headphones and has been asking to “borrow”them ever since! If your looking to spend a little I would say buy these, worth every penny!
What’s crazy is I’m listening to the comparisons with my new Bose 700’s, and listening to the Sennheiser recording sounds better than the Bose 700 recording in my opinion, but then listening to the original recording of course sounds way better than the Bose recording itself. Never heard the Sennheiser yet in person but damn that says something about them if Sennheiser sounds closer to the original recording
Yeah, it’s good for comparisons between them but you are doubling the sound profile of the Bose when you hear the Bose sample. The original track is to give some sort of context.
Hey i have started working with the bose a while ago and you have done a great job at trying to explain things for a layman i still feel that you have a scope of improvement left , i love the genuinety of your content btw
Thanks for this amazing comparison video! I’m so glad I got the chance to listen to this before making my Headphone purchase. I definitely subscribed to your channel and I’m looking forward to hear some great content from you! keep up the good work! 👍🏻👏🏻
I used my friends XM4 for a week and then experienced C
XM5 in experience stores. XM5 has better sound but both are heavy. Specially i dont like bass and do not have expertise to set EQs. I purchased bose QC 45 just 2 days ago because of lightweight, comfort and bose is not making vaccum pressure on my ears which was painful.
Bose has balanced sound out of the box,no need to set EQs. Loving them. I am ok with physical buttons, mostly touch of sony not working when your fingers are wet in the Gym.
This is the most detailled and complete video on audio devices comparison I've seen ! And I think I finally found the right headphone for me, thanks to you ;)
Tough call for me.
I can toss the airpods right away because I'm not into apple ecosystem. I also believe they sounds the worst of the 4, but they seems to have decent features (ANC, ambient, mic, etc).
For the sound only, my preference goes to the sennheiser, followed up by the XM5 (listening with SHP9500). The thing is, I thought the microphone on the sennheiser worse than the XM5 and that XM5 ANC was doing a better job.
Tough call,going for the better sound or for the better complete package.
Yeah, it is really hard. The all rounder often wins out for practicality for most people and it's generally what I suggest people go with.
@@ThisIsTechToday That's the safer call I believe! Might have to wait for momentum 4 though, if they can keep that sound and upgrade everything else and stay in that price category, could be a winner.
Great video!
Would love to see a comparison of the xm5, px7 S2, and momentum 4. I think the px7 s2 will bring some serious sound quality to the table, perhaps at the expense of anc and call quality.
Hi there, I'm a new sub, love your content. Definitely stands out from the rest. I'm expecting the XM5's today after considering all of the options you provided. My question is, are you able to share your EQ settings form the XM5's?
Thanks so much! Yes, they're available for channel members UA-cam.com/thisistechtoday/join 😊
I loved the histogram analysis for noise cancellation and overlaying the histograms of all headphones to compare them better... That was just awesome and precise!
Please could you review the new Sennheiser Momentum 4 headphones?
Very well done and quite useful. I did notice at points that the comparative playback levels seemed a bit uneven (the Sony mic level seemed noticeably louder than the others during the outdoor test, for instance), and this can really skew the perceptual quality but overall, you did an excellent job. Keep it up!
That was on purpose. That's how loud they are. If I matched audio you wouldn't have learned that some are quieter than the other 😛
which 1 woud you say performs the best for working out ? Sturdiness(dont fall off), comfortability, sweat proof?
Great video! Really enjoyable. Keep up the good work 😃 However… I watched it with my AirPods Max on and they sound nothing like what can be heard in your video… there was a vast difference between the original track and your AirPods Max track on my AirPods Max. If my AirPods Max sounded anything like they did in your video, I would have thrown them out the window! LOL ;) I bought several ANC headphones before I made my final buying decision and sent them all back as to me AirPods Max sounded the best by a mile. But I do agree that Bose 700 sound the worst, I disliked them immediately when I tried them on and EQing didn’t help much.
i also have the same opinion...my maxes are much better than this video represents them!!!the bose ones are horrible !!! (what crappy headphones)...i believe the best anc heaphones are mark levinson ones...check them out!!!
Wow. So well made comparison, beyond my best expectations i would say. Thank you very much for such professional approach😊
Can we please have one video of momentum 4 and other headphones comparison?? I am struggling to decide between XM5 and momentum 4 : (
Can you please review the momentum 4 vs XM5 ? So far I’m leaning towards momentum 4 since the sound quality is claimed to be better.
Thanks for the comparison as one of the people who requested it for the 700s I really appreciate it!
Just got the bose 700 from my work for a great deal. I use my airpods pro a lot for on the go stuff but wanted over the ear ANC high quality audio for long days on my computer and flights. I also picked up the new anker space ones and have to say the ANC on those are great, and for $99 i am surprised how good they are but thats my work headset that I take calls on and use for teams meetings. Overall I think the bose are great and very happy I bought.
Very thorough and well made video, well done by a fellow audio engineer. When will you review the momentum wireless 4? I am really struggling to find a pair of headphones that sounds good and has good ANC, i hope Momentum 4 will be the answer.
I bought the XM4s unfortunately a few weeks before the XM5s released. Purchased them as I needed something wireless trail running and roller blading. I haven't been very impressed with the XM4s due to poor sound quality compared to my older wired Sennheiser headphones. I have also found the swipe guesture to be very problematic and I have difficulty getting it to register my gestures when running or roller blading. Even walking around normally, it seems if my hair even touches the gesture pad area, it will rarely register my gestures. This has forced me to basically give up on them and manually do settings on my phone instead. Because of this, I have been looking into getting new headphones. At the time, I passed up on the Sennheiser Momentum 3s due the Sony XM4s supposedly having a better noise cancellation system for when I go roller skating at a roller rink. Thanks to your review, it seems I'm going to wait until the Momentum 4s come out and either get them or the Momentum 3s depending on which one reviewers, like yourself, say are better. Thanks for this video as it really has been very informative!
I'd like to thank you for introducing me to Hannah Parrot. I've just spent my afternoon going on such an amazing journey of different soundscapes on her artist channel on Spotify. I think I'm a bit in love with her music and my lovely new Sennheiser M4s. Looking forward to hearing your assessment of the M4s too!
She’s astoundingly talented! Her music really moves me deeply in ways that other composers cannot. I’m so glad you are enjoying her music. I’ll share your kind words with her. I know she will really appreciate it!
Sennheiser M4 content coming in the new year! Already planning and capturing some tests now. Thanks for watching!
Man you are like Best Buy of sound! Very well made videos. I watch your videos with the WF 1000XM4 buds. Pleasingly amazing! 👌🏾
please do a review and comparison for Monoprice M1000ANC vs Sennheiser Momentum 4 vs Sony WH-1000XM5.
I had Sony XM4 before but I returned it since when I received a phone call, the ANC stopped and all the outside noise seeped in. Sony called this a feature, and I disliked that. Is this problem solved in XM5? Do I hear the surroundings in the headphone while I am receiving calls or on Zoom meeting?
Thanks for your hard work for the production of your high quality videos. I find them very detailed and funny 😆. Literally everything I wanna know and beyond about those product comparisons🫡. Your music choice is tasteful 😜
Thanks so much. Glad you enjoyed it! I've definitely curated the songs greatly, so it's nice to hear that you like them. Please share it with others. It helps a lot.
Thank you very much for your real sound recording! Hope you can make more this kind of videos for the upcoming good headphones😀👍
are the momentum 3 and 4 comparisons coming soon?
11mo ago
@@black.bird. 😂😂😂
the most helpful headphones review!! can you pls do one comparing the Sony xm5 and the Sennheiser momentum 4? 🙏🏻 would love to hear your thoughts and what you’d choose between the two before making the purchase!
Well i liked the video, but what i really liked the most was that I found to great songs from watching this video. And the songs were It would be you- Ben Rector, and the second song was Get away by Surfclub. So thanks for that 🙂
Haha! I hear that a lot! Love those songs a lot
Thank you for this video. As momentum 4 is released now, could you please compare between Airpods Max, momentum 4, and xm5? Ty!😊
Great job bro aa! Will there be something similar in the segment with the audiotechnica brand that surpasses these?
Dude, incredible channel! So glad you are alive :-)
As a fellow sound engineer and enthusiast love your channel and advice - nice one!
Listening to this video on my airpod pro, to me I like the sound of Airpod Max the most. Still thinking between the Max and Sen M3. It is difficult to choose
Great vid. One thing that stops me buying the xm5 is the ear cup depth - my ears hit the soft fabric whenever I put them on and I can’t imagine keeping them on like that. Weirdly the 700s didn’t seem to have that issue for me. Though the 700s are also just shy of my ideal with that relatively atrocious mic quality (wanted them for video conference calls). Maybe the 700s future upgrade will fix it all.
The AirPods Max are pretty comfy if ear depth is important to you!
I found that also. AirPods Max have the largest ear cups and my ears fit better in those than the XM5's.
You make the best headphone reviews I have seen by faaaaar! A big thanks to the effort and quality of your work! Keep up the great work and you'll reach a million subscribers in no time!
Amazing job! The best comparison videos!
Thank you!!
Okay this is the only channel i want to see this kind of audio review. Hope you extend this review on a budget friendly yet competitive pricing headphone like soundcore
Really great review, new sub.
Which headphones would you recomend me in your personal experience or taste, even if they're not in this video?
I'm interested in the Sennheiser's type of headphones (price, heavy built, no matter the weight or pressure, audio firm and multi platform friendly)
Hello!!! I am very much excited for your Momentum 4 review. When will it be out?
Maybe in November.
Weird, I hear extra beats on the momentum 3, beats or frequencies that I can't with the others, but because of those little issues that the m3 have I will just go with the Sony's.
hmmm, ive had 700s for 2+ years now. No issues. Just ear pad replacement. Had some sony Xm3s - they lasted a couple weeks before the ANC shit out and just produced a low hum in one ear and low volume too. Thats enough to put me off ever buying sony headphones again
Yeah my XM4s are doing the same thing and also have a high pitched noise when nc is on. I just bought the Bose 700s. Hope I made the right choice because I don’t trust Sony anymore.
Hey do you have an update on the comparison between the Sennheiser momuntum 3 vs 4? This video was super detailed and awesome keep up the awesome work!
I think the XM5 bass is a little too high, making sounds less crystal clear. I personally feel the NC700 sounds the best, sounds more natural on most songs here.
Wow. Never seen such a profound comparison. Great work, thank you!
I've finally got my XM5 (for 359.99 euros), and i'm loving it, so light, so comfortable, I'm using LDAC so I can get the best sound quality, and very important I can use the equalizer to my preference. I do have a pair of AirPods Max, but the trouble is that I live in Portugal, and here the temperatures can reach 109º Fahrenheit in the summer, I started to have a condensation problem on my AirPods Max, and with just a few minutes on my ears, finally after 2 months the condensation build on the drivers made it fail on the right cup, so I returned the AirPods Max, waiting for them to arrive from Apple repair service and as soon as they arrive I will sell them online. Apple please learn with other brands, going for stainless steel and aluminium is a wrong move, and that's why most of the brands go for plastic or composite materials. The Apple ones are very heavy and bulky, and like me, many people complaining about Apple AirMax, having condensation build up inside the cups and on the drivers too, making them fail over time, and thats because aluminium dissipates heat better, the difference in temperature creates condensation, and they are not water proof.
Tbm estou a pensar em adquirir esse Sony XM5 :)
This is exactly the video I was looking for. So excellent!! Thank you!
Some XM5 owners returned their unit because the ANC automatically changes its level when the unit thinks that they are talking or when a fabric touches the unit. Unlike XM4 where ANC level can be manually set up to max and it will stay there. I never heard any reviewer talk about this. Can you give us your input about this? Thank you!
You can turn off the adaptive ANC in the app
Very comprehensive, thanks. I've always liked Sennheiser so I might wait for the Momentum 4s and see how they shape up.
I'm buying the Sony wh-1000XM5 Saturday thanks to your review
Sennheiser momentum is already out, but I can't find your video on it. I originally came to your channel for that
It’s not out yet.
Great comparisons! I was just wondering if you could do the same thing with the Momentum 4 that will be great!
The LDAC that Sony has on android phones makes wonderful work always no matter what. I just offered the M3 to my uncle to buy Bose QC 45 later to try it for the first time but my heart tells me to buy M5 and Sony again they always improve the quality in long term with the software actualization.
please make a new comparison between Xm5,airpods max, momentum 4 and QC ultra
As aspiring audio engineer, i prefer the balance sound of sennheiser, but as my daily driver, i prefer the sharpness of my cca cra than the bassy headphones like JBL
can you recommend headphones that give the most realistic and true audio (in ears or over ears, doesn't matter if they have a cable but the price should be low). Sometimes I just wanna hear how it really is without my personal sound preferences.
Also questioning, if I listen to this video my headphones will influence what I hear, so I actually can not that if I would like a pair more than my currents; are my thoughts right?
It's crazy that nobody has figured out how to block out wind *turbulence* created by wind hitting the ear cups. To me, that's the single greatest weakness of ANC headphones.
The Sonys have a wind reduction feature
Great video!!!!! I really appreciate all the time effort and resources that you put into making it!!! I think is both helpful and entertaining and great music selection by the way!
I’m in the market for a pair of headphones and came across your video. This is the coolest testing I’ve heard and I enjoy listening to it. I’m not an audiophile and most of this is brand new to me. I have Apple earbuds and that’s my experience with sound. Even though I love Apple, I wouldn’t buy their headphones because I have a hard time believing they are the best at that price. Sony is popular, but is it the best? I have been looking at the B&W Px7 S2 and hope to hear a review. Those are popular too, but are they that great? I don’t know, everyone seems to say they are, I’d like to hear a comparison from you.
have had the m2 since 2017 still going so strong just as good as the day i bought them. use them almost daily and i havent notice the battery life depleated at all
I love the songs you take for the demos! I have the xm4 and I don't really like the sound... I still use more my old QC35... but the xm5 are promising, would they worth it? Thanks for your videos, excellent job!!