The Sony WH-1000XM5 wireless headphones already have a brilliant 5-star review. These are one of the best headphones you can buy today. However, they launched at a much higher price than their illustrious predecessor, the Sony WH-1000XM4.
In fact, they launched at such a high price that they stepped out of the zone where obvious competitors were like the Bose QC45 and stepped into a much more dangerous territory. It’s very close to Apple’s AirPods Max.
The only reason TechRadar’s audio team doesn’t praise always Among these pixels, AirPods Max’s amazing audio quality is that it’s essentially a niche because it’s so expensive. They launched for $ 549 / £ 549. This is literally double the price of the Sony XM4. Therefore, we need to weigh the difference between improved audio quality and its significant cost. It’s not, and it’s not a 100% fair comparison.
Except that you can now regularly find AirPods Max down to about $ 429/ £ 399-and sometimes even lower. The Sony WH-1000XM5, on the other hand, costs $ 399 / £ 380. this The comparison is not unfair at all.
So I grabbed both pairs and faced each other directly (but with only one head). And the conclusion I got is that Sony headphones are much newer, but AirPods have an advantage … except for a few important things that can rock you.
Sony WH-1000XM5 vs AirPods Max: Sound quality
The feature of Sony WH-1000XM5 is that despite its high price, it does not make a big leap from XM4 in terms of sound quality. They have been improved in many ways, especially with bass control and extra punch at the high end, but some TechRadar feel a bit lacking in detail compared to the XM4.
But they are not Sufficient A leap to compete with the pure hearing wonders of AirPods Max. In direct comparison, Sony products are naturally heavier in the bass (although the AirPods Max isn’t leaning forward at the low end), and a bit warmer, especially in the midrange, but everything feels more compressed.
What you notice with AirPods Max is the high dynamic range. If the Sony XM5 feels like the treble is sparkling as much as possible within the box’s constraints (certainly quite large), the AirPods Max will bust straight from the top of the box and highlight more from the midrange. Lifting clean, they have more life and details. Cymbal crashes via AirPods Max will subside more naturally. The XM5 needs to swallow the same crash quickly throughout the mix.
AirPods Max goes a step further and feels more expansive across frequencies – the midrange is more neutral, but it doesn’t feel flat because of it. It feels like an accurate and powerful ballroom dancer that covers every corner of the dance floor with steps and swoops. The Sony XM5 is a desperate Latin dancer with expressive and sharp movements throughout the body, but in a tighter and clearer area.
Ultimately, you can always use AirPods Max for ready-to-use sound.
However, Sony allows you to further adjust the sound. The Sony app offers the best control of the EQ, among other options. You can fine-tune the personalization of your sound to further improve your audio. You can also use LDAC connection for high resolution streaming from your phone if your phone supports it.
Most people don’t play with these, so AirPods still generally win, but AirPods actually lack the ability to fine-tune or improve the sound in other ways.
Sony WH-1000XM5 vs AirPods Max: Features
Speaking of Sony apps, let’s talk about other things that Sony is good at. Both have active noise canceling and are about the same, but better than Sony due to the many noise canceling options.
AirPods Max offers ANC on, transparent mode, and ANC off. that’s it.And the transparent mode is very Transparent. Too many in my opinion.
Sony offers different levels of noise cancellation for different activities and switches between them. This works very well. You can also make a temporary sound by simply holding your hand over one of the ear cups. It’s much less noisy than AirPods’ transparent mode.
Plus, it comes with a regular old 3.5mm jack in case you want to connect expensive headphones to your in-flight entertainment system, work computer, and more. To do this, you’ll need to purchase a custom cable for your AirPods Max.
However, AirPods Max has Apple’s Spatial Audio with head tracking, and if you have a Dolby Atmos movie on your iPhone or iPad, this is can’t believe it.. Better than most home theater systems. Sony handles 360-degree audio, but there’s no better integration.
Sony WH-1000XM5 vs AirPods Max: Design
Now this is difficult, and I go back and forth where I like.Sony WH-1000XM5 many It is 250g / 8.8oz lighter than AirPods Max’s 385g / (13.6 oz).
This makes a big difference. Sony’s thin headband uses a sponge-like yet solid pad to keep you comfortable on your head for extended periods of time. AirPods Max uses a sort of reverse hammock system, with a mesh between the two steel bands holding them to your head. It’s still comfortable, but it feels like it’s wrapping around the skull.
The same is true for ear cups. Sony’s relatively thin pad forms a sufficient seal and can be firmly fixed. AirPods Max uses a much thicker pad that actually secures to the sides of your head to better distribute all its weight. And it works for AirPods – they’re comfortable. But Sony makes it easy.
but! The Sony WH-1000XM5 pad warms the skin and ears under the pad immediately. If you remove it after a while, you will feel a little relieved from the cool air. AirPods Max pads are highly breathable (made of mesh rather than synthetic leather) and are more tolerant of overall temperature. The pad is large, but it is safe to remove.
Sony WH-1000XM5 vs AirPods Max: Conclusion
We hoped that the Sony WH-1000XM5 would raise the price very close to the AirPods Max domain, which would dramatically improve the sound, especially in line with the history of great sound quality on Sony headphones. But there isn’t much competition here. If you focus on sound quality and find deals on AirPods Max at prices close to Sony products, they are a better option.
However, I think the XM5 will be more universally comfortable just by being lighter, with more in-app control options for sound and noise cancellation, and some really useful additional small features. ..
I’ll probably reach out to AirPods Max and its audio quality most of the time. This is especially true when you often watch movies on the go. But especially for those who don’t have an iPhone, I’m not against choosing Sony for a second … but about the Sony WH-1000XM5 and Sony WH-1000XM4, and whether it’s worth the huge money savings. You need to think very much about.