Came to this forum via the threads on Sony TWS's. Sony is buying back my WF1000-XM4's after they developed the battery issue. This made me consider getting XM5's more than I would have. But instead, while getting set up with a new iPhone, I demo'd and purchased the AirPods Pro 2. I was expecting more of a compromise, sacrificing sound for convenience, and so far that's not the case.
- Sound: I was initially drawn to the Sony's with the promise of stellar sound + really good ANC. I did enjoy the sound on mine, and actually preferred their initial "darker" tune that got changed with a firmware update (and apparently I'm in the minority on this). After my recent purchase I compared the APP2's with my XM4's before mailing them back to Sony and I think I actually prefer the APP2 sound, or at least find it different without being noticeably inferior. It's more...alive? More wide-ranging? (I'm not sure of the correct terminology.) There seems to be more air between components. The bass is heavier, maybe too much at times, and I'll be looking into an EQ app. But it's much better than I was expecting. I had seen a YouTube video from ... someone (can't find it now) with recordings of the sounds coming from these two and a third brand, and from that, I preferred the Sony XM5 sound -- more detailed and richer, flatter but in an objective way. The APP2 sounded more "boosted" in a way that seemed calculated to appeal to the masses listening to popular music. (Nothing wrong with that but not my thing.) But in practice, my XM4's just sounded kind of flat in comparison. I didn't think the reported incremental improvement to the XM5's sound would make that much difference to me in daily use, especially given Apple's convenience.
- It turns out I like to use transparency mode just as much as noise cancelling, and the one on the AirPods seems better to me. Although, at first, the APP2 transparency sounds unnaturally amplified, almost harsh in the upper end. I get used to it after a few minutes. Not sure if there's something I can do to change it. In contrast, the XM4 had an obvious "live mic" hissing noise, small but noticeable.
- Time will tell if ANC is comparable. I recently got Dekoni foam tips to recreate the passive noise cancelling of the XM4's but haven't had time to really test them. So far the stock tips are not terrible but I haven't been on a plane, on a busy street, etc. The APP2's don't seem to cancel out as much upper end noises as the XM4's -- I can hear things like fabric swishing, silverware clinking, etc. Not a deal-breaker and I wonder if I need to mess with any settings, besides trying tips.
- On tips: The consensus in this thread seems to be that aside from fit issues, there is little to no reason to change the stock tips, as they work well. I didn't feel initially like I was getting a good seal, but using these with NC turned off shows that they have more passive isolation than I would have expected. I get a "good" seal test with medium or large tips. Apple's fit test seems less picky than Sony's, or maybe it is that the tip size is not as crucial with the APP2's as it was with the XM4's.
- Since I got the XM4's in 2021, I use buds for calls and meetings much more than I thought I would, and the Apple ecosystem factor is real. I'm amazed at the fast and easy switching between computer and phone. Also, I discovered that Conversation Awareness turns the sound down just for actual in-proximity conversations and not for Zoom or phone calls, which is fabulous. After one fumbling start to a meeting where I introduced myself and then couldn't hear what was going on, I turned off the equivalent feature on the XM4's and forgot about it.
- I think the oval shape on the APP2 fits my ears better. Heard a lot of complaints about "Apple and their proprietary BS" when this came out, but it makes a lot of sense in practice. I got used to a whole long process for getting the XM4's seated and sealed in my ears, with continuous adjustment on top, but it seems like I can basically slap the AirPods in and call it good.
- Controls: I'm still not used to the swipe gesture for volume control, but it's getting better, and there is no way the XM5's multitude of taps to change volume would possibly work for me. That was honestly one of the the final straws that tipped me to the APP2's direction. A small thing, but I like to change volume often.
- Customization: I followed another video advice and am messing with settings -- have not gone so far as to input an audiogram, but may try that next. So far, I'm finding the proprietary, automatic bells-and-whistles like Adaptive NC mode and Personalized Volume to be useful or at least OK, not annoying yet. Another straw in Apple's favor: apparently with the XM5's, one needs to create a Sony account and log in to get the best ANC performance. No thanks.
- Having Find My is like extra insurance. I often use buds when doing yardwork and it seemed only a matter of time before I lost one of the XM4's. Not a fan of the APP2's color but that nice bright white will also help with finding them. I've turned Find My off now in the winter with indoor use to save battery life but will use it in lots of future situations. With it on, the case chirps sometimes when I pick it up or move it and I have yet to figure out why, but it's not annoying.
I appreciate everyone's opinions and advice here!
