in short, the XM4 for people who travel more, XM5 for people using it for work.

What blew me away with this comparison between the headphones was the phone call mic quality. That is a very underrated test that people don't do. Awesome comparison video 🙌

I have both. Granted, I'm still in the honeymoon phase with the XM5's as I only got them on Wednesday, but I think they are a clear upgrade. Comfort is way better. Sound is better if you like a more balanced sound: I'd say there's a bit less bass and a bit more treble while maintaining the signature warm sound. Haven't really had a chance to compare ANC much yet but seems at least as good. Plus the silver color looks cooler: more of a cream color than a gray color.

Love my XM5s so far. Was using the QC35i for years and was concerned that these were going to be less comfortable, but so far they feel great and the sound quality difference is 🙌

Thank you for the review. Every time there is anything new that I want to see a review of, this channel is where I always come knowing it’s a reliable channel.

Used XM4's 2 years. Gave them to my family, bought XM5's returned them after 2 days because of volume adjustment lagging and auto NC optimizer. Bought another XM4's. Best headphones ever! They just work

I received my XM5 today. I am testing my XM5 for use in my home and work activities. So far, the XM5’s ANC is working great for yard work as it cancels the noise from the lawn mower, blower, and weed trimmer.

I was waiting for your review. You are the best and honest. Thanks.

Best review on KZfaq for SONY XM5. I love when you make comparisons in a noisy environment.

Another thing to keep in mind with delay is, generally the more processing that the sound has to pass thru, the longer the delay.

whoa! this is the most helpful review ive seen and ive been scouring the internet. thank you for your diligence!! the call and anc test is what convinced me to wait for a sale on the xm5's instead of picking up the xm4 tomorrow

The background noise test you did is very well done and really highlights the xm5

I got the XM5 just for music, however for remote work, calls, and teams, nothing beats Microsoft`s Surface Headphones 2 for Business. I just wished Sony would integrate the mobile app and PC together since Microsoft has a very well-thought-out plan but sucks in visual aesthetics.

Great review...one problem I get with my xm4 is that it buffers alot when I'm home..but I realize it's something to do with the router..with data and other routers there's no problem...

I have been waiting for this video for a very long time I love watching your video I saw your video before buying wh1000xm4 after it was launched now am excited about this as well 😀

I see many reviews explaining what they feel, and there's you who show it. Love your videos..kudos

I tested both in a shop today. Sounded to me like max volume definitely suffered on xm5. Noice cancellation is way way better tho. The whole 500m^2 shop went totally quiet with the xm5 while I could hear chatter from all the people in the store with xm4. I think for commuting in a big city, xm5 is the way to go. New design is a bit less compact, but I think I will be able to stuff these into any space that I were able to stuff the xm3 into, so no big loss. At the end of the day, they are not made for you to look at, but to sit on your head where you can't see.

Very nice video.I enjoy your presentation.I've been waiting to hear about the new xm 5"s.Thanks

Really appreciate your thorough review, Aaron!

Hey Aaron could you make a video on what to expect for the XM5 earbuds after seeing the XM5 headphones improvements? That would be nice!

Amazing review! I'm waiting the XM5 to arrive in my country, definitely worth an upgrade.

Great review! I'm also super curious on your opinion of the Linkbuds S vs WF-1000XM4 since they're basically in the same price region....!

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I've been waiting for your honest review. Now, I want to buy them!

i just got mine and i LOVE them. I was using earbuds almost exclusively and had a pair of XM2's but the hinges are kinda weak so i don't like taking them out of the house. The XM5's are perfect for me and i can wear them for hours while writing or making art.

Nice review i was actually surprised they have more little bit of bass!!! Some reviewers said they sound better less muddied, but your take is that they have less midrange?

Awsome video. Thanks mate

thanks for that video, your explanations are easy to catch it and clears

I finally got my wh1000xm5 yesterday and they are excellent i love the multipoint and voice call quality and noise cancelling

Nice review. I don't like the new design myself, I would have gone with the if it ain't broke, don't fix it approach . The lack of foldability will be an issue for me. Nice to see the improvement in the NC though. The call test was particularly impressive. I'll stick with the XM4. Hopefully the next interation is foldable.

Well... lets see how it performs when the app gets the update. I have the xm4 and I'm pretty satisfied, but I'm considering an upgrade to xm5 when your next video about this headphone comes out. Great video, Aaron, I was looking forward to watch it and I'm pretty excited for the next one.

Thanks for the review! I have the XM4s but they are way too big for me. I would like them to sit higher on my head (not hanging on my jaw). Do you know if the XM5s are more adjustable, so I can make them smaller than the XM4s? This is a big issue for me! They are big head approved - but are they small head approved? I don’t care about the cups being big, I just need to be able to adjust the hoop.

I tested the XM5s yesterday for a few minutes and I feel you are right about the noise cancelling performance. Various other speakers and equipment was in demo nearby and once the ANC came on, nearly none of the other sounds can be heard. Sound quality wise I liked them a lot, I told the sales guy I had to take them off after listening for a minute because if I had listened to them longer I would have bought a pair on the spot 😂

Thank you for this review! I think I’ll be going with the xm5, I only wish they had them in midnight blue!

For someone who travels a lot, the XM5 feels bulky. XM4 is a better choice for its portability and compact design. Maybe Sony is reading this comment and will make things right with the Xm6 next year. Sony Xm6 - with the noice cancelling improve from Xm5 - compactness from xm4 ahhh bliss 😌

I did a lot of reading of user reviews, and tested both for noise cancelling in the shop. I decided to buy the XM4s. A LOT of users are saying the XM5 noise cancelling is too clever, so at times there are lags of strength and changes. When the XM5s are in the ideal situation, they do have the best cancellation, but when things are changing people prefer the constant amount of blocking on the XM4. The XM4 partially uses white noise, which I personally like. I had to choose between the XM4 and BOSE QC45s in the end, and it was a really hard decision. The QC45 have excellent basic buttons, are lighter, and very comfortable. For people with smaller heads the QC45 may feeel a bit loose. But in the end I felt the noise cancelling in an average office/shop environment was a tiny bit better on the XM4s, but it was a 50/50 call to choose between these two. Again, many users really like the XM4s.

Thank you for this detailed video!

I'm impressed at how well the XM5 remove wind noise, but unfortunatly it's still a lot more expensive, I'm going for the XM4

Already a comparison!! Thanks so much!

Thank you for your work Sir! Really appreciate your work and help for us people to decide on earphones!

Nice review, I wonder if can the EQ make the xm4 sound like the xm5 ?, It would be great if you could make a video explaining that

Been waiting for this one, especially because of the driver difference.... Thanks Aaron...

I have buy the WH4 because of your reviews. and I absolutely LOVE my WH4. I mostly listen to videos/metal music and zoom meetings and everything is perfect ! The music qualities and some times when I play horror game I have to chechk if the noises are coming from my games or my house because the headphones are too real !!! Love your videos man ! cheers

nice review - I think the new design is a trade off, yea bigger case etc.... but you get so much more for the new design. This is whay I have been using the APM and not the XM4 becuase of ANC and call quality etc. I want APM ANC and voice calls in a lighter package which I think the XM5 will do. (just wish it came in different colors lol)

Aaron is Loud and Wireless Nice content man was really helpful!, Are these easy to connect to PC & PS5 when gaming?

Your videos are amazing. I like how I can skip chapters. You have thought of everything.

Awesome mic performance from XM5. just wondering If Aaron can compare mic of XM5 vs 1)Bose 700 2) Jabra Evolve2 75

@7:25 wow, i dont even know what to say, at first i thought you havent turned on the background sound😂 Sony i love your products

Thank you for sharing!

Thanks for the review! I've been waiting for it since Sony officially announced the xm5.

Great and honest, review 👌

Best review as always!

Wow Aaron, for not having to.utilize the to the fullest yet, you certainly provided a ton of useful info. Thanks! Take care! 🙋🏼‍♂️

Hi! My XM3s broke and I got myself a pair of AirPods Pros. The noise cancelling and sound quality is not as I expected. I also had the WF-XM4s, but I sent them back because they were uncomfortable. Is the transparency mode in the XM5s as good as the Pros? Thanks!

I have the xm3 and xm4 headphones and noticed the wired connection sounds better than bluetooth on both but the wired connection sounds noticeably better on the xm3 than it does on the xm4, and with the THX Onyx, the quality is elevated to another level. I am interested in a comparison between the wired connection of all 3 generations now.

pre ordered mine, hopefully I'll find a great EQ setup now

thank you for the review. can't wait to see sennheiser momentum 3 wireless review

I was screaming in my heart when you were stretching the headphones. But It did gave me a confidence that my XM5s are durable

I have always found that the Momentum 3's sound passthrough mode was the most natural sounding. Aaron, how would you compare them to the new XM5s?

Awesome in-depth reviewer!!!

Amazing review, thank you so much

Thank you for doing this, Aaron. You are amazing. :) How are they with big pointy ears and outside in very hot weather. I used to have pain at the edge of my ears + sweating ears for only a couple of hours with the Xm4. Are these issues the same with the Xm5, especially in hot weather?

hi, another in-depth review, but as in your xm4 review, you left out a major concern. please can you add in your future reviews, noise leakage test, i found the xm4's to have a ridiculous amount of noise leakage. Thanks

Great work thanks❤

Been waiting this one. Love your style of reviews Aaron. Could your review the bose qc 45 at some point.

Aaron is Loud and Wireless Thanks Much!

When i listening to the xm4 with movies has very good movie bass as i use them lots with tv movies and gaming i like heavy lows with nice mids and trebble with the wide space stereo sound

Speaking about the XM4's weaker mid ranges: Is that something that only applies to the default settings? Meaning, is it something that could easily be rectified using an equalizer? I don't know much about headphones, so sorry if this is a pointless question.

As someone who loves to sing while listening to my music, I’d love to know if the XM5 allow you to do this without them stopping & thinking you’re giving a command. I had terrible issues with this on the XM4s. Even with the “Speak to Chat” button turned off, it would turn on the minute I started singing. I guess it didn’t occur to Sony that lots of people like to sing along with their music. Could you let me know if the XM5s have the same issue? Thank you so much!

Thank you man for this review

Thank you for this it was helpful

In the moment you said XM5 have better bass you got me, working for them to be my first quality wireless headphones, Ill reply to this msg when I have worked and got them in maybe 1yr :D

Do we have a an improvement in terms of Noise Canceling from 3 to 4/5 ?

i have been using the XM4 at least 9hours a day for the past 2 years and still that there isnt such a big gap and reason to go over and but the Xm5 , looking at the bigger case , its not a big deal , also the softer ear pads and room space also does not play a big role , beside all of that the NC sound the same

I already have 1000xm4 for 2 years. Loved it's audio but a couple of points that i hated: 1. M4's pressed my ear too hard 2. Cushion and headband leather is poor quality. 3. ANC was good but not excellent. I like almost 100% cancelled noise and want to be able to use ANC without music. 4. Software glitches in multi-device auto switch or auto-pause on taking them off not working or not starting when putting them back on. Aaron, do you think M5 significantly solves the above pain points ? I will buy it immediately if it does, don't care about the increased size as i have a big laptop bag.

What do you think is the best for the money. I can get these for about 270ish from an auction site but curious if i should look into something that might sound better and not have a lot of money wasted on the sony tax or microphone features :)

How is the ANC when it comes to vibration/music from neighbours when you are in a quiet room trying to read books/study? In my buildning there is always some buzz noise coming into the appartment, and with XM4 on max ANC, it just can't pick up that type of noise. It even amplify(!) that annoying noise when trying to cancling it, for some wierd reason. Do you know how the XM5 would handle this type of noise environment? Thanks!

You have no idea how fast I went to the comments as soon as I saw those XM5 headphones get bent and stretched like that. My heart drooped 😂😭

is there any issues in the sound quality /connectivity wise while connecting with apple devices ?

really good review!

This was fantastic, just what I wanted. People can talk about features all they like but without the ability to actually go out to a shop (they never have working models) it's very difficult to know how they will actually sound in real life. This was absolutely the next best thing. The comparison in the phone calls was astonishing and has made my mind up for me, it's definitely worth spending the extra few quid on the XM5s. Thanks for the video, my mind is made up and I'm off to buy a pair right now.

thanks for the review! definitely buying the XM5.

Excellent review! Your reviews always top notch!

would appreciate if you answer my question, which of these four headphones should I buy, my money should not be wasted 1000xm4 1000xm5 or bose 700 bose 45 advice is very important to me

In the market for new headphones so this video is VERY informative. My dilemma is the price difference. I can now get the MX4s for £199 as opposed to the MX5s which are £120 more!! (both on Amazon UK) . In your opinion are the MX5s actually worth paying an extra £120 ( ie 60% more!) ???? I am not bothered about calls and sound quality is a bigger priority to me than noise cancellation effectiveness

Do you got to set the NC for the XM5 because I can still hear background noise ? Feel like the new AirPods Pro are better

Wish I could find a set with more power than needed, great sound, Aptx all forms, Ldac with a manual eq for under $200. I have no need for all of the other stuff.

I was thinking of selling my xm4s to upgrade to the xm5. I heard the sound quality is less muddy than the xm4 and that's enough of a reason alone in itself.

Thank you for the bend test!!!

I’m looking to maybe give up on my Bose 700’s for the xm5’s, thanks for the information, very interesting

Thank you for the review, Aaron. I enjoyed your review even though I have no intention of buying this. However, I always love your narrative and writing so I listen to your views and your writing style (you know what I mean). I hope you'll enjoy these XM5's when you go on a plane and do please let us know!

Do xm5s have a physical bass like xm4s? Or is it audible bass we get in mid range headphones because they have smaller 30mm drivers compared to xm4s.

Thank you, best review on KZfaq. 10/10

Great review, very detailed and accurate!

Your analysis is completely spot on

The foldability isn't a problem for me. But I understand how some prefer the smaller case

i just bougth the xm4 . i used to have xm1 and to me i think the noice canceling in the xm1 works better in the forklift i drive everyday . so i would like to see a test where you test the xm1 vs xm4-5 if possible?

Please if you can - compare Sony WH-1000XM5 vs. BeoPlay H95 vs. Mark Levinson 5909 vs. Apple Airpod Max - especially in terms of ANC and phone call quality.

Hello, I have Sony 1000xm5, can you recommend me which phone gives the best sound for this headphone?

Can u compaire sony wh1000 xm5 with rog strix go 2.4 ? Voice noice canceling? And which better....

Good comparo. The new one is almost double in price, but the improvements are significant. Can it be used wired for lossless music (plugged into a cd player) and how does it sound in this mode?