[Graham Baker]

Agree with all your comments, these are a great set of ANC cans, very expensive in UK though - only $349 down under...

Have you updated to the latest firmware? This tames the excessive bass a little

 

[Graham Baker]

I wouldn't call it critical, but it is frustrating in that it's a very basic piece of functionality that seems to exist with all comparable wireless headphones.

So to answer your original question: it's seconds but seconds add up, and this is a thoughtless detail in an otherwise thoughtfully-designed set of headphones.

The thing that’s the biggest letdown is that pretty much all headsets of this price and quality do have the multipairing function, which is very very handy if say you are llistening to music on a computer/tablet and a call comes in on your mobile phone - this feature will pause the music and allow you to take the call automatically. With the Sony cans you will miss the call...
I suppose that could be seen as a good thing!

 

[Graham Baker]

You sound like PX wasn't the right choice too, and that's why you've looking up XM3 to see if it was a better than PX.

For me PX only lasted a few days and I couldn't tolerate another second more for it 3rd grade comfort and ANC.

A little trade off on multipoint connection , in return for a working ANC, LDAC, easiest to use swipe and touch go silent controls, comfort to wear for hours of music listening these are top priority/key features for many.

PXC550 are an excellent headset and far more featured and versatile than the Sony’s...
Yes the Sonys win slightly on comfort (not a lot in it unless you have big ears) and the Sony ANC is far better than the PXC’s...

PXC win with:
Mutipoint BT, connect to two devices concurrently
Charge whilst using
Ability to turn BT off
Auto pause when taken off/music stops playing
Play music from pc via USB cable whist charge at the same time
Full parametric equaliser in app (Sony equaliser very poor in comparison)
Much easier on/off by turning the cups to wear mode
Double tap pauses music as well as switching to ambient mode
High quality mics for using on phone calls (Sony mics dreadful for phones use)

Would rate both headsets equal on sound quality once they are tuned via equalisation, perhaps Sony slightly better but only when side to side comparison

 

[ryanmatic]

I think @NewForce was referring to the Bowers & Wilkins PX (at least, I was). Seems like a similar conclusion, though—there are a lot of excellent wireless options available right now, each with their own set of trade-offs. I hope both B&W and Sony continue to iterate quickly on their flagship wireless models, since there’s still a lot of opportunity to improve and competitor features to draw from. In the mean time, the XM3 tick most of the boxes that I care about, and I’m pleased with them as versatile daily drivers.

 

[Graham Baker]

I think @NewForce was referring to the Bowers & Wilkins PX (at least, I was). Seems like a similar conclusion, though—there are a lot of excellent wireless options available right now, each with their own set of trade-offs. I hope both B&W and Sony continue to iterate quickly on their flagship wireless models, since there’s still a lot of opportunity to improve and competitor features to draw from. In the mean time, the XM3 tick most of the boxes that I care about, and I’m pleased with them as versatile daily drivers.

Absolutely- there are so many great ANC headsets now, all extremely good but all have plus’s and minuses....
My last post sounded very negative towards the Sonys but in fact I really love them, as I do my PCX550’s and my P7w’s.
Now - if you could take the build quality (no plastic!) and audio of the P7w, the sublime comfort and excellent ANC of the Sony XM3 plus the features of the PXC550 then we would be close to perfection...

 

[leo253]

Well, damn...So, I've started to experience some of the infamous "creaking" of these headphones. If I'm standing/sitting still, which thankfully is what I'm doing most of the time when using these, there's not really an issue, but I start to hear it noticeably when I walk with them outside. The problem is mainly on the right side - If you stretch it out slightly, you'll hear the creaking (almost like a clicking sound). It's less so with the left side.

I'm also not eligible for a warranty because I bought these pre-owned on eBay (got a great deal though).

 

[dubbzy104]

Well, damn...So, I've started to experience some of the infamous "creaking" of these headphones. If I'm standing/sitting still, which thankfully is what I'm doing most of the time when using these, there's not really an issue, but I start to hear it noticeably when I walk with them outside. The problem is mainly on the right side - If you stretch it out slightly, you'll hear the creaking (almost like a clicking sound). It's less so with the left side.

I'm also not eligible for a warranty because I bought these pre-owned on eBay (got a great deal though).

YMMV, but to help minimize my creaking (it still happens occasionally, but will usually stop if I adjust the headphones on my head) is to increase the band size by one notch. I don't know if this is obvious to other people, but it stopped most of the creaking I got.

As an aside, is the creaking covered by the basic warranty? I'm worried that it will probably get worse over time, so I'd rather replace them now with a few long trips coming up.

 

[duppex]

Agree pretty much 100% with your comments, I also love the black version with the copper accents...
Have you updated to the latest firmware? That will tame the excessive bass a little...

I have not bothered to update the firmware as yet. Did a bit of research also checked out the below link guys video and it seems not to make to much of a difference.
After using the Sony Connect App increased treble settings, all is now good.
Gonna wait for the next firmware update if they release one.

 

[ryanmatic]

Huh... It really did seem like there was a reduction in the low end and a boost to the high end, after the update. At least, I had to go back and change some of my Radsone app EQ settings to reduce sibilance. Maybe it was just the placebo effect. Anyway, I agree that there wasn’t a noticeable change in ANC as far as I could tell.

 

[Sven2015]

I have not bothered to update the firmware as yet. Did a bit of research also checked out the below link guys video and it seems not to make to much of a difference.
After using the Sony Connect App increased treble settings, all is now good.
Gonna wait for the next firmware update if they release one.

haeh? I cannot see an "audio" update, just Alexa and Google updates....reg. Sony's log there is no other fix / update / sound sig. implemented

 

[NewForce]

haeh? I cannot see an "audio" update, just Alexa and Google updates....reg. Sony's log there is no other fix / update / sound sig. implemented

Have you uupdated the firmware, or you have not update the firmware yet?

 

[NewForce]

Huh... It really did seem like there was a reduction in the low end and a boost to the high end, after the update. At least, I had to go back and change some of my Radsone app EQ settings to reduce sibilance. Maybe it was just the placebo effect. Anyway, I agree that there wasn’t a noticeable change in ANC as far as I could tell.

Great that you can hear the different. Have you ever wondering why some mysteriously "claimed" they couldn't hear anything different at all in SQ changed, and some speculating "ANC took a few steps backward" after new v4.1.1 firmware update?

 

[Sven2015]

Have you uupdated the firmware, or you have not update the firmware yet?

yes, why are you asking?

 

[dubbzy104]

YMMV, but to help minimize my creaking (it still happens occasionally, but will usually stop if I adjust the headphones on my head) is to increase the band size by one notch. I don't know if this is obvious to other people, but it stopped most of the creaking I got.

As an aside, is the creaking covered by the basic warranty? I'm worried that it will probably get worse over time, so I'd rather replace them now with a few long trips coming up.

I ended up returning my headphones to Sony; they were covered by the warranty. The customer service rep said it would take around 2-3 weeks to get my replacement pair, but the rep said that was for "[insert product model]", so I hope they aren't on backorder. I was debating about going to bestbuy and buying a pair, and returning it when my replacements arrived.

 

[jnak00]

I'm not sure about Best Buy in the US, but in Canada, they do not allow returns on opened headphones, presumably for hygienic reasons. Better check out their return policy first.