[Thesonofkrypton]

I quite like the APP2 method to change volume with the slide up or down with the finger, kind of makes more sense than furiously tapping on either ear. However, saying that, it does the job so can't complain too much lol

 

[psikey]

To add to the comment about the volume adjustment, in general the limited ability to reassign what tapping the different buds does is quite disappointing at this price range.

Agree, the volume change is ridiculous. I need to be able to reprogram. Fast multi taps not the answer for one step accuracy so also changing volume on phone.

Sound sig is great with my Spinfits, not bass bloated like the XM4 was a bit. And clear mids.

No issue at all getting out of case and putting in ears. The pale grey is nice in shiny!

Can lay with head in pillow and comfy and no false pad touches.

 

[krenzler]

Do people just slap on 3rd party eartips straight away without even trying them with the stock Sony tips? I'm confused.

 

[psikey]

Do people just slap on 3rd party eartips straight away without even trying them with the stock Sony tips? I'm confused.

If you've had a few Sony buds/IEM's before with foam or hybrid foam they are all same or similar.

Some of us just prefer to use easy, longlife and easy cleanable Silicon tips. I use the same Spinfit on 4 of my IEM's.

Spinfits have a very flexible neck part so can create a great seal (for me) without putting pressure in ears, like a very flexi-joint for great alignment.

Plus if reselling in future people like a set of unused originals to get best price (and box etc.)

 

[PhenixS1970]

Do people just slap on 3rd party eartips straight away without even trying them with the stock Sony tips? I'm confused.

Well I didn’t like the xm4 stock tips at all and recall I put some Azla Short on them. For the xm5 I tried a bunch of regular and also Spintfit tws and to my surprise I prefer the stock ones now (I did have to move up to L for best sound). As I never tried them I have some Azla Max tws incoming to see how these sound (but I can certainly live with stock if not better). For standard iem I am exclusively using Spiral dots++.

Edit: Spinfit CP360 are also a very good match (looks like I put on some regular Spinfit yesterday).

 

[snapandslide]

I've got the XM4 and always use the 'Excited' preset which gives me the right amount of mids and treble and plenty of punchy bass. But would you say the XM4 can be made to sound like the XM5 given there are many ways to EQ them or is the XM5 simply much better regardless of EQ?

Speaking of Azla Crystal tips, a friend kindly sent me a pair of them in the medium-large size. They sound very good but I'm curious if you happen to know if any of the other Azla/Sedna tips have even stronger bass or if the Crystal is the best? Also, I normally I wear large size tips and although these medium-large fit very well, I'm thinking about buying one of the Azla large pairs.

No the XM4s can't be EQed. The treble is fundamentally so different.

I've moved away from crystals already - I totally forgot the seal test feature and turns out I wasn't getting a seal! I've moved on to the house tips I got from subtonic with my storm and they seem perfect.

 

[Bazaar]

For ear security, you did do the twist to 'lock in' your eartab as you do with XM4 ? Without that can feel slack/loose.

I do, thanks. I actually like the ANC mike gold protrusion on the XM4 better...gives me something to 'find' and push on to apply pressure.

I may actually scuff up the finish w/ some 1000 grit paper . One nice touch is the little bump on the left bud, makes it easy to distinguish when both are out and say, in my hand.

 

[Bazaar]

Three annoyance with the XM5 so far...

1. Changing Volume... I'd rather just rench for the Phone.
2. Wax Guard are Built into the Stock Ear Tips instead of the IEM itself. This means you're force to use Stock Tips if you want any sort of wax guard.
3. Slippery, Not a fan of the glossy material.

Totally agree w/ #1...I find myself doing the same. 12 taps to increase it 3 levels...major annoyance.

 

[psikey]

Been listening for hours and think sound is excellent. Best Bud yet for me SQ wise for what I like.

 

[JML]

Three annoyance with the XM5 so far...

1. Changing Volume... I'd rather just rench for the Phone.
2. Wax Guard are Built into the Stock Ear Tips instead of the IEM itself. This means you're force to use Stock Tips if you want any sort of wax guard.
3. Slippery, Not a fan of the glossy material.

Sedna Earfit Max have a wax screen, but not as fine as the screen in the new Sony tips. Amazon carries them. A chart compares the sizes to the XM4 tips.

https://store.azla.co.kr/products/sednaearfit-max-standard

 

[JML]

I hope that a future update permits changing the touch controls. As so many have said, four taps is absurd to raise or lower the sound. Sony should let us reprogram the number of taps for the available functions. I'd rather have one tap to raise volume, two for lowering it, three for the next song. Four taps for anything used for listening to music is nuts.

 

[deviltrombone]

Just got my pair, and the foam ear tips are totally not working for me. Getting a good seal is a physics problem with about a .2 chance of success, and it's unstable to boot. Also, they're very itchy, making frequent adjustments necessary, which compounds the fitting challenge. Any size under the largest falls out, and the large size exerts pressure, making them quite uncomfortable to wear. In contrast, I often forget I'm wearing my Bose QC II, which was also the case for the AirPods Pro 2, while I had them. I think it helps a lot that the latter two have oval-shaped tips.

I have some silicone tips from an old pair of Panasonic buds that are a perfect fit for the XM5, both for the buds and my ears, but they lack the protective inner mesh of the Sony tips, so I'm not comfortable using them. Does Sony make alternative tips for these? Have they ever made tips with different materials, or at least additional sizes?

Besides helping greatly with the fit and comfort, the silicone tips also greatly reduce the low frequency thuds I hear from my footsteps and when I move my jaw. If I can't find suitable replacement tips with the mesh, these earbuds are going back for sure.

 

[dweaver]

Sony hybrid tips are also a good option for Sony TWS, super comfy and similar bore to the foams so will have close to the same sound.

 

[assassin10000]

Just got my pair, and the foam ear tips are totally not working for me. Getting a good seal is a physics problem with about a .2 chance of success, and it's unstable to boot. Also, they're very itchy, making frequent adjustments necessary, which compounds the fitting challenge. Any size under the largest falls out, and the large size exerts pressure, making them quite uncomfortable to wear. In contrast, I often forget I'm wearing my Bose QC II, which was also the case for the AirPods Pro 2, while I had them. I think it helps a lot that the latter two have oval-shaped tips.

I have some silicone tips from an old pair of Panasonic buds that are a perfect fit for the XM5, both for the buds and my ears, but they lack the protective inner mesh of the Sony tips, so I'm not comfortable using them. Does Sony make alternative tips for these? Have they ever made tips with different materials, or at least additional sizes?

Besides helping greatly with the fit and comfort, the silicone tips also greatly reduce the low frequency thuds I hear from my footsteps and when I move my jaw. If I can't find suitable replacement tips with the mesh, these earbuds are going back for sure.

Newer Shure foam tips have the wax guard. I'm not 100% sure they'll stretch enough to fit. I think I have a pair to try, if I do I'll let you know.

Some comply do as well.

There are some others but I don't recall them off the top of my head. Try searching the eartip thread?

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/best-iem-tips.626895/


Edit: Azla max and some stock Sennheiser tips do as well.

Edit2: bgvp make some I found scrolling through AE, 13mm o.d. Some listed for the xm3 & xm4, oppo and probably others available as well.

 

[nc8000]

Just got my pair, and the foam ear tips are totally not working for me. Getting a good seal is a physics problem with about a .2 chance of success, and it's unstable to boot. Also, they're very itchy, making frequent adjustments necessary, which compounds the fitting challenge. Any size under the largest falls out, and the large size exerts pressure, making them quite uncomfortable to wear. In contrast, I often forget I'm wearing my Bose QC II, which was also the case for the AirPods Pro 2, while I had them. I think it helps a lot that the latter two have oval-shaped tips.

I have some silicone tips from an old pair of Panasonic buds that are a perfect fit for the XM5, both for the buds and my ears, but they lack the protective inner mesh of the Sony tips, so I'm not comfortable using them. Does Sony make alternative tips for these? Have they ever made tips with different materials, or at least additional sizes?

Besides helping greatly with the fit and comfort, the silicone tips also greatly reduce the low frequency thuds I hear from my footsteps and when I move my jaw. If I can't find suitable replacement tips with the mesh, these earbuds are going back for sure.

Cut a tiny piece out of a pair of ladies tights and place it over the top of the iem before putting the tip on (the tip will keep it tight and in place) and it works like a wax guard. I used this for many years with filterless Etymotics ER4