My S23+ goes LDAC to AAC, not SBC.
I use Bluetooth Codec Changer app to set as LDAC660 as default when XM5 detected and seems stable. Go LDAC990 if at home.
Confirm this with the developer options. On my S10e the app changes the bit rate and sample rate, but doesn't seem to change the connection quality.
The app's FAQ sections states that applying the sound quality option may require you to reconnect the device. So I set my preference to 990kbps and I will test to see if it works this way.
Just got the WF-1000XM5s today. At first impression it seems that it can have more trouble keeping a stable connection at 990kbps in comparison to the WF-1000XM4s. Otherwise, I love that the bass is more controlled now. The XM5s sound more open now, I'd say thanks to the new and bigger dynamic drivers. The sound is definitely clearer and less congested. I didn't feel the need to use any EQ for these, contrary to the XM4s. In any case, EQ off sounds different than EQ on with all bands set to 0.
I like how smaller than the XM4s they are. The XM4s would cause little discomfort after a while, my outer ear would hurt in a place where the buds were touching it. With the XM5s they either don't sit anywhere on the outer ear, or I just don't feel them! When I take them out after an hour or more I don't feel relief, I just don't really feel anything special, which is very nice. They don't seem like falling out of the ears, and they seem to produce less thumpy noise when walking.
I wish the transparency mode would be even more transparent, but I can definitely live with it.
I'm waiting for LC3 to get out of beta, or to be made usable by other devices too, and not just those 2 Xperia smartphones. I'm curious how the latency is noticeable, or hopefully how it is not noticeable when using certain applications.
My opinion regarding some other opinions that others have about these buds (not necessarily here on Head-Fi):
1. The buds don't have enough bass no more/they have little (to no?) bass - I think they have plenty of bass, it's just more controlled, it doesn't go nearly as boomy as before, while still sounding solid, filling. The bass is also not there in a song, in the same way, all the time. If a song doesn't have it like that, it doesn't sound like that. If a song calls for bass, these buds can deliver: distortion-free, articulated, textured bass, not just a boom. You can hear the frequency of the bass better now. I listen to this kind of details, so it's definitely appreciated, especially for a pair of wireless buds.
2. The shiny part is trouble - Yeah, I get that, I also wish they weren't shiny, just so you can grip them better with your fingers. This aspect doesn't seem too bad though, I can certainly live with it. I didn't have issues taking them out of the case, but I feel like I have to be more careful when handling the buds. It also doesn't seem to get greasy that easily, so that's a good thing (maybe it was just my experience until now though).
3. The price is big - Yes, I agree, it's kinda big. It wasn't too hard for me to accept it, and I also didn't have any doubt I may not get the buds because of the price, so it wasn't that much of an issue for me. Maybe the price would be reduced in time, or there'd be some reduced price deal, but I honestly couldn't manage my excitement. I have the XM4s, and the WH1000XM5. I preferred the sound of the WH-1000XM5 a lot better than that of the XM4 buds. However, it can be uncomfortable to wear them in the summer because of the heat. The way the XM5 buds sound, I'll definitely use them a lot more!
5. Noise cancelling is worse than that on the XM4s - I don't really think so myself. In my short experience they are actually a bit better like Sony claims. I'll get to use them more in the following days though, so I'll see.
6. The XM5s seem to also have battery issues - I didn't get this kind of issues yet. The difference was never bigger than 5-10% (usually not going over 5%). Sony specifies on their
help page:
"The left or right headset unit works as the main headset unit, so it consumes the rechargeable battery faster than the other unit. There is a difference in remaining battery charge between the left and right headset units, but this is not a malfunction." - just to keep in mind. In the operating time/codec table they also specify "Max." for all hours specified there (ex. Max. 5 hours), so don't expect it to actually last 5 hours. In any case, they charge really fast, so there's that. Let's hope there are no actual issues with the battery, even though my XM4s are still fine.
