[CocaCola15]

I have owned the XM2 (sold them to buy the M3s, which my wife now uses), and currently own the M4s, probably soon to be handed down to my daughter when the M5s arrive tomorrow. Best thing: My wife is cost-sharing the M5s as my Father’s Day gift! Looking forward to listening.

 

[jsmiller58]

Any comparisons with Technics A800?

 

[Maukey]

Any comparisons with Technics A800?

I'm actually curious to know this as well. The A800 is one of the few wireless ANC headphones I've yet to try. There are a couple of reviews out there if you google that does brief sound comparisons between the two but they don't go into detail. They basically just say things like the Sony is "more musical" or has better "midrange presence". One reviewer said he preferred the sound of the Sony overall but that the A800 had a little better clarity. I'm really curious to see what some headfiers think.

 

[raymanh]

I've been dying to find a pair of ANC wireless cans to replace my M40X but having tried so many options none of them sounded better than my M40X, which isn't even that great in the first place. What I've tried:

Bose QC35II, 45, 700
AKG N700NC
JBL Club One, Tour One, Everest Elite 750 NC
Sony XM4, XM3, XB900N
Sennheiser Momentum 3, PXC-550II
Shure Aonic 50.

It must be because I am so used to the M40x, but none of the above came close apart from the Momentum 3 which was 90% of the way there. The reason i didn't get it is because the ANC ins't great.

The XM4 honestly sounded one of the worst. They sounded like they were drowned in a thick layer of mud, all bass that bleed into the mids. Having watched this review comparing the XM5 against the competition, it seems like they've gotten rid of most of the horrible bass of the XM4, but still the APM sounds more open. Although from the samples in the video the APM sounded a bit too trebly? @Maukey is the difference in sound between the XM5 and APM in real life the same as the samples in the above video would suggest?

 

[G_T_J]

If you like the WF1000XM4, which I also own, you'll LOVE the XM5. Same signature, just a little more mature for a lack of better words.

That's great to hear as I was hoping that would be the case. WF1000XM4 are my favourite Bluetooth earbuds I've had so far. I consider them superior over anything I've tried including Sennheiser Momentums 1 & 2.

 

[MayaTlab]

Having watched this review comparing the XM5 against the competition, it seems like they've gotten rid of most of the horrible bass of the XM4, but still the APM sounds more open. Although from the samples in the video the APM sounded a bit too trebly?

Sound demos on such equipment may be misleading as to your real experience with these HPs. Both because there is no control for the headphones you use to listen to it, and because these rigs aren't the best approximation of the human ear available.
Even with industry standard rigs I'm not certain that, in particular for some ANC headphones, the measurements / recordings are that reliable, for various reasons a little too long to develop here.
So I would take that video with a pinch of salt - and to be honest anyone else's opinion including mine.

 

[h-man]

Hi All
Early impressions of XM5 (cf AirPods Max - APM)
I like the build quality of the XM5; they feel more premium than the XM4, certainly less creaky. It's still all plastic, but it feels as good as plastic gets. The lack of folding doesn't bother me too much. The case looks and feels nice but is reminiscent of a toilet seat in shape! Still, it leaves the ridiculously awful APM case in the dirt. Love the magnetic latch to store the cables.
On the head, the XM5s feel surprisingly light in comparison to the APM, and the well padded headband doesn't hurt. There is a nice sliding mechanism to adjust the earcups. However, my ears got VERY warm very quickly with the soft padding on the earcups. Paradoxically, this meant that I could wear the much heavier APM for longer, as my ears never got that uncomfortable.
Bluetooth pairing and connection is brilliant - no stutters, good connection range to my iPhone over AAC. Tried LDAC on my pixel 4a as well - no connection glitches there.
Before we get to the sound, suffice it to say that the noise cancellation is EXCELLENT - wow, I think it might be better than the APM, which itself is awesome. If NC is your main consideration, you will love these things. The transparency mode is much improved, but nowhere near as good as the APM. Can't comment on call quality as I don't really make calls over them.
Ok - the important bit, how do they sound? Bear in mind this is with stock EQ - haven't tweaked it properly yet. Well, these are not analytical, balanced audiophile headphones, they are unashamedly consumer-focused closed backs. What does that mean? Definite v-shaped thrills with punchy mid-bass, slightly scooped mids and a slightly boosted, but not detailed treble. If that's your bag, you'll love these. The sound is very closed-in and instrument separation is so-so. They are enjoyable, and definitely better than what I remember of the XM4 with the mid-bass bleed being less egregious than those muddy monsters, but I vastly prefer the sound of the APM. The APMs sound much more open, have a deeper and more textured bass response, although the mid bass is less punchy. The mids on the APM are more forward, with much clearer separation and there is much more detail at the top end. I am an Apple user, so the added ecosystem functionality means that I'll continue to use APMs and return the XM5. The XM5s are £380 in the UK, I got my APMs second hand for £330 - the APMs are not worth £549, but I don't think the XM5s are worth £380.
That's it for now!

 

[The1Signature]

^ Sorry Bro but we need some impressions by tomorrow!

ASAP

 

[tcellguy]

See below for update

Initial impressions:

I've had the XM3 since release and just got the XM5. Initial audio impressions are disappointing to be honest.

The audio output from the XM5 is much more subdued both in absolute maximum volume and overall punch and dynamics.

I listen primarily to electronic and metal but also some classical.

The XM3 definitely has too much bass and recession in upper midrange, but with EQ it can be tamed into a relatively good warm sound signature that I've come to enjoy.

The XM5 feels like a less V shaped, somewhat anemic, and toned down version of the XM3, but with better bass and midrange definition/quality/layering at the cost of dynamics and punch. It reminds me of the loss of dynamics and punch I hear when using planars driven from a phone or Dragonfly.

Overall, I think the smaller driver in the MX5 is really noticeable. For example, listening to Yo-yo Ma Cello Suites the bass and sub-bass region reproduction from the cello demonstrates high clarity, but much less body or substance to it vs. XM3. You can hear, but not feel, the low end reverberations. I wish they had used this same driver material but in a 4 cm (or larger) format.

In electronic and metal genres, the lack of sub-bass impact (and extension? I've not seen a frequency response curve) is really noticeable on the XM5.

The midrange is more forward in XM5 (especially upper mids) vs. XM3. However, the XM5 upper midrange sounds a bit thin.

Sound stage appears to be slightly wider on XM5. XM5 sounds a bit more open with less midrange "honk" and stuffiness.

Treble feels a bit recessed on the XM5 compared with the XM3.

XM5 does better with 3.5 mm line in vs. XM3. iFI Gryphon and Diablo produce a noticeably more detailed presentation on XM5 vs. XM3 with some rescue of the dynamics and punch.

I would not consider myself a bass head by any means. The bass on the XM3 is too strong and muddy to listen to without EQ. However, the XM5 bass response while clean and detailed, just lacks visceral engagement.

ANC is essentially the same between the two headphones testing AC units and fans. XM5 may be doing a bit less well with high frequency isolation.

XM5 has greater comfort vs. XM3, which were already very comfortable.

I have not heard XM4 or AirPods Max to compare.

I will see if impressions change over time and also try to change the EQ settings. I appreciate the less exaggerated V shape of the XM5, but the new driver may be too subdued for my preferences.

Update - After about 50 hours of use the dynamics and impact seem to have improved substantially. Bass and treble are much more impactful now. Bass texture remains superior to the XM3 but now the difference in sub-bass impact has narrowed between the two headphones, while XM3 still greater but not by as much. Midrange still remains a bit thinner sounding vs XM3.

Overall I think I'm going to keep these given the improvements in detail retrieval and speed of the driver.

Comfort has been an issue though, with significant pain developing at the vertex of my head, where the headphones seem to place most of the weight given the very low clamping force. I'm hoping this improves over time.

 

[Maukey]

The XM4 honestly sounded one of the worst. They sounded like they were drowned in a thick layer of mud, all bass that bleed into the mids. Having watched this review comparing the XM5 against the competition, it seems like they've gotten rid of most of the horrible bass of the XM4, but still the APM sounds more open. Although from the samples in the video the APM sounded a bit too trebly? @Maukey is the difference in sound between the XM5 and APM in real life the same as the samples in the above video would suggest?

I would say no. The AirPods Max is not a trebly headphone in my opinion. It actually has a dip somewhere around the low to mid treble to make it a little smoother. I consider headphones like the Shure Aonic 50, Momentum 3, Mark Levinson 5909, PSB M4U 8 MKII, and Dali iO-6 more treble heavy headphones. When compared to the XM5, the AirPods Max is more resolving, more detailed, clearer, and just sound better overall. If sound is your only priority, the XM5 are a step below the AirPods Max, and it's obvious when comparing the two directly. That doesn't mean that the XM5 sound bad, quite the opposite. They are a very fun listen and quite musical. The XM5 are the better all arounders, especially if not in the Apple ecosystem.

 

[h-man]

I would say no. The AirPods Max is not a trebly headphone in my opinion. It actually has a dip somewhere around the low to mid treble to make it a little smoother. I consider headphones like the Shure Aonic 50, Momentum 3, Mark Levinson 5909, PSB M4U 8 MKII, and Dali iO-6 more treble heavy headphones. When compared to the XM5, the AirPods Max is more resolving, more detailed, clearer, and just sound better overall. If sound is your only priority, the XM5 are a step below the AirPods Max, and it's obvious when comparing the two directly. That doesn't mean that the XM5 sound bad, quite the opposite. They are a very fun listen and quite musical. The XM5 are the better all arounders, especially if not in the Apple ecosystem.

Yep totally agree. The XM5s sound a lot more balanced than the XM4 although not as good as APM in my opinion

 

[Eagle_Driver]

I do not intend to purchase an XM5 at all. This switch in driver material is yet another example of Sony continuing to experiment with relatively "exotic" driver material in its higher-end headphones but failing quite miserably every time. Sony experimented with sapphire-evaporated, amorphous diamond-evaporated, biocellulose and liquid crystal polymer diaphragms, with very mixed results. The diaphragm potential is there, but Sony just doesn't care about tuning.

Now it's using smaller-diameter carbon fiber diaphragms in its newest XM5 headphone, and it's too soon to tell how successful the use of this material turns out to be.

With all those flops in its use of the fancier diaphragm materials, maybe Sony should have quit the higher-end headphone business and stick to cheap, mediocre-at-best-sounding headphones with plain, undistinguished PET (plastic) diaphragms.

 

[Gamerlingual]

I do not intend to purchase an XM5 at all. This switch in driver material is yet another example of Sony continuing to experiment with relatively "exotic" driver material in its higher-end headphones but failing quite miserably every time. Sony experimented with sapphire-evaporated, amorphous diamond-evaporated, biocellulose and liquid crystal polymer diaphragms, with very mixed results. The diaphragm potential is there, but Sony just doesn't care about tuning.

Now it's using smaller-diameter carbon fiber diaphragms in its newest XM5 headphone, and it's too soon to tell how successful the use of this material turns out to be.

With all those flops in its use of the fancier diaphragm materials, maybe Sony should have quit the higher-end headphone business and stick to cheap, mediocre-at-best-sounding headphones with plain, undistinguished PET (plastic) diaphragms.

They should continue on their current pace. Their higher end equipment has been amazing, and continues to be. So the XM5 cans will continue to make many people happy

 

[CocaCola15]

Got mine. With a bit of EQ tweaking, keepers. Shipped the m4s to my daughter last night. No extensive analyses other than for me they do what I expect: Help me enjoy listening to a wide variety of genres. Are they light years above the M4s? No. Considering my only other NC phones are the Soundcore Q30 (a great value In NC) I am no expert. But I’m happy. Seems like most views are they are excellent or they are not. Easy to figure out where I reside.

 

[G_T_J]

Received mine today and have been listening with them for the past couple of hours.
First off, they are a lot bassier than I was expecting and had hoped for - bassier than the xm4 earbuds which I use with Sony hybrids.

BUT

their comfort is second to none and it's a breeze wearing them - nearly level HD598 which is the most comfortable headphone I have ever used. You almost forget you are wearing them. The timbre is excellent. No metallic feeling here and the signature is smooth without sacrificing detail retrieval. Another good is that the mids are not as recessed as I was expecting. Switching from Spotify to Roon the bass is tamed a bit and the definition becomes a tad better, nevertheless noticeably better.

Early days, but overall I'm very happy and hope I will get used to the bassier signature. I see many in here not going to like the sonic presentation as it surely is a consumer-friendly sound. As Maukey said above they are bassier than H95 but they win hands down when it comes to timbre naturalness and smoothness. Very unoffensive listen.

I'm listening to a lot of 80's rock which is notoriously brightly mixed and this signature helps to downplay sibilance and the music to come alive.

Will get back later with more impressions.