A Rip Off? 🤔 Sony WF-1000XM5 vs WF-1000XM4 vs LinkBuds S Review

[@aaronloudnwireless]

Check latest prices! Sony WF-1000XM5 - amzn.to/3qiamkS Sony LinkBuds S - amzn.to/3xNMab7 Sony WF-1000XM4 - amzn.to/3zbNN12 (Sound Sample chapter errors) Hey all, some eagle-eyed viewers noted that the FR graphs for XM5 and XM4 are reversed at 10:03 during the sound samples. That is true, I made a mistake there. Also the XM5 is labelled LinkBuds S at the end. Too easy to miss 😅 Apologies!

[@veYda25]

I think you should take the video down and edit it... The sound quality difference between the xm4 and xm5 is important to people, in fact the only thing important for me. Mislabeling them is too big of an error to fix it in the comments.

[@aaronloudnwireless]

@@veYda25 I hate that the mistake happened, but sadly KZbin doesn't take kindly to reuploads. As long as it doesn't have a major impact on conclusions I'll have to let it be for now.

[@DavidEsp1]

KZbin lets you add captions? Nobody minds when "Oops-mistake" correction-captions appear. Vital in this case, surely. Much respect, great reviews.

[@aaronloudnwireless]

@@DavidEsp1 That is true. I've updated the captions to reflect this. Thanks!

[@omarjhungoor2598]

Forget phone call quality I want to know about sound quality please

[@zixednatz]

It's disappointing they haven't really improved call quality in noisy conditions. Thanks for the real honest detailed review!

[@pauledwards5573]

I think this is because they have reached the limits of the technology and what is possible.

[@zixednatz]

@@pauledwards5573 true, you can't really get clear sound of your voice since the mouth is far away from the earbuds. However my friends never complained of my call quality when i was using samsung buds pro, it seem to get clearer voice.

[@friskyfixedit]

@@pauledwards5573 There are other buds out there that sound a lot better than these in terms of sound quality.

[@aaronloudnwireless]

No problem!

[@2Ikechi]

Especially on $300 -US earbuds.

[@GadZookz]

Earwax is just a natural form of EQ. 🤔

[@aaronloudnwireless]

Ew lol

[@MichaelM28]

😋

[@dbean5174]

LOL

[@outermarker5801]

True. Clean ears can make treble suddenly unbearable 😂

[@KHuyPh]

And natural passive noise cancellation

[@FernSprung]

In my opinion voices are much more emotional with the XM4. They sound beautiful full, have more "pressure" and presence, are exceptional clear, forward sounding and natural analog like "warm". Maybe this is not the most neutral setup but i like it very much. Music is emotion and the XM4 are best imo in giving that emotional listening experience. The sound is exceptional full bodied with deep bass and beautiful. I won't buy the XM5. Thanks for your making the best in ear reviews on KZbin.

[@nipunasenaratne6317]

Based on this review, I would choose the XM4. I’ve seen it go on sale quite frequently at around $180 (in 2023). Sometimes even less. The minor refinements do not seem to be worth the $120 or so extra you would have to pay.

[@deykno87]

🤡

[@elmaster6207]

Go for the linkbuds S, I had the XM4s and I returned them, the LinkBuds S are kind of the same as the XM4 and you even get waaaaay better call quality, the sound is the same clean sound as the XM4s, the ANC is really effective too on the Linkbuds S, the XM4s are just too big for the ears and looks, is my opinion, not saying that the XM4s are bad, but using the Linkbuds S I don't feel the difference in sound and ANC, well, is stronger in the M4s but the Linkbuds S beat every other ANC earbud out there, every single one (except for Bose)

[@watermelon1221]

​@elmaster6207 no, now you're pushing it. Linkbuds have trash anc

[@pauledwards5573]

Well I had the XM 4s and they really hurt my ears

[@KL-xv5gj]

I use both XM4 and LinksBuds S, I agree that LinksBuds S is actually much better in terms of call quality, light and far more comfortable! Sound and ANC wise, not drastic differences! Yet XM4 is poor with battery life, although claim to be 8 hours! I would still go for LinksBuds S instead of XM5, since it is even more pricey, weakening ANC, still bigger than LinkBuds S in terms of size and weight, with muddy, not as great call quality

[@seff8936]

The review i was waiting for. Your videos are very informative and so much helpful to me.

[@pudding2675]

Glad to hear someone mention and test the XM5s for the metallic pinging noise. That one completely ruined my XM4 experience during voice calls, which I used them frequently for while gaming. Kinda glad I parted with my XM4s during the return window, though I did so very heavy hearted - because other than that I was extremely happy with them outside of an extremely obnoxious offender of said pinging noise being my right bud. I will happily give the XM5s a try and if all else fails, I will just send the XM5s back again and re-order the XM4s - hoping to get a less offending set, and/or just accepting the fact that this part is the only con of them. I also hope for less ear fatigue, which was quite pronounced for me on the XM4s. I will miss the quite unique design and matte finish of the XM4s though, they looked marvelous and really stood out from the crowd of wireless in-ears. On the sidenote of design, I am somewhat sad that the LED 'bar' is now replaced with a simple LED dot on the case. I really liked the look of the LED bar the XM4s had on their case. Overall, I am really torn between these two earbud sets, but hope that the XM5 are removing my main gripes about the XM4s, being comfort, the metal pinging and the battery lottery, to the extent I can bear their rather cheapish look (compared to the XM4s). That said, given the regular retail price of both sets, that pinging noise should be an absolute no-go in such a premium price range.

[@pauledwards5573]

I have the 700ns and wont be ungrading. They got the ability to connect two BT devices yesterday and at under £100 uk very good value for money.

[@ibarzabal]

Thanks for this awsome review.... I have the XM4. I had issues with one side giving off noises when ANC was active and I got a replacement. Months later after i updated my firmware to 2.0.0, I had the dreaded battery drain issue. This time I could not get a replacement. Went to youtube, saw a tutorial on how to replace the batteries and did it myself. My earbuds are now like new, and on top of that I have replacement batteries in case year+ in the future I need to replace it again. I WILL NOT buy XM5, at least not soon. Maybe a few years when they drop the price and my XM4's really stop working. The new features in the XM5 really do not entice me.

[@AshishDesai444]

Sony dropped a software update for wh1000Xm5 just today . Do you notice any changes in anc, audio quality etc. after the update?

[@nahk687]

@aaronloudnwireless Can you provide an update?

[@mohcinechaousari5014]

Glad with my choice of XM4 (got them on sale for 135 euros), it's 1.5 year old and recently due to the latest update Sony sent, it affected both of my earbuds batteries, reached out to Sony's support in France and they replaced both of my earbud with 2 new pairs.

[@Bob-x2u9b]

& this is why I won't touch Sony-subpar firmware updates that destroy the customers product 🤦

[@cheesegraham2387]

Sound quality is all I want ,the xm4 sound amazing, having just bought the xm5 ,they sound phenomenal

[@thanksyoutubefortakingmyhandle]

same call quality is the last thing on my mind

[@DavidLopez-sy6wb]

Oh really the is difference I have he xm4 it's worth it have them already

[@juanmm9297]

I love my XM4 and I am glad I don’t have to upgrade to the XM5, they’re great but I cannot justify a $300 upgrade since I use an iPhone as well

[@Triro]

Im sure in due time they'll improve the xm5's with firmware to take full advantage of the hardware, just like what they did with the xm4's and linkbuds S.

[@PAQUIDAN]

you right

[@andrewdhome]

@@Triroand by then the price will have come down

[@VarunOregunta]

​@@Trirobut I assume xm4 will be still people's fav so more software to come from Sony

[@kurumitokisaki4844]

Will wait for updates and lower prices

[@osman.kameric]

I had a terrible Sony experience with WF-1000XM4 and mentioned metallic pinging sound and after numerous cases reported by the users, Sony never acknowledge this issue and that was the breaking point. Until that point was a big fan of their hardware and purchased all the previous WF and WH models but dealing with bad support, and bad firmware (intentional) that keeps draining the previous model's battery is enough for me to not recommend it anymore.

[@Garage-1881]

Damn sounds just like IOS BS. I hate hearing Sony is doing that intentional software/battery killer updates too. Fucking corporate monsters.

[@jord7873]

What happens to the battery exactly then? I recently send my xm4's back for repair My right earbud was going empty really fast, i mean like 10/20 minutes, while the left was at 80/90% still

[@TheRealAtomos]

same for me !@@jord7873

[@psycorus3236]

​@jord7873 wait thats been happening to me, how much was the repair?

[@jord7873]

@@psycorus3236 i sent them back, but got my money back because they could not finish it in time🙈, guess i have to buy the xm5's now

[@DavidEsp1]

In the music test at 09:57, the XM5 sounds best to my ears - when listening via my XM4 earbuds (!) for which I apply lots of (V-shaped) EQ... I believe that perceived improvement is due to the XM5's drop in response over 2.5 to 5 kHz (relative to the XM4). Smoother, less "shouty". Following that, I dropped my XM4 buds' EQ down a bit further (than they already were) at 2.5 kHz (while listening to other music), but still (on listening to the test again) the XM5's sound smoother in that department - so I wish there were more (hence tighter) EQ bands in that region, or alternatively a parametric EQ option.

[@bolajiodunsi4262]

You seem to have forgotten the battery discharge issue on the rhs bud in the WF 1000 M4 following the software upgrade which has still not been addressed by Sony. What is there to suggest that this will not recur?

[@AllenReinecke]

I see some have the same issue on the Linkbuds S too. Just don't accept the updates. They only make small improvements IMHO and worsen other things at the same time

[@raymondng9379]

I have the XM4. The XM5 smaller size is welcoming but the glossy finish is a deal breaker for me. The additional new features may only be useful for a specific group of folks. Overall, I will not upgrade.

[@TheDigitalcrack]

So glad someone did a thorough comparison. I knew the Xm5 were overhyped especially for $300. And like others have said below the xm4 sounds better

[@DXRKSIDE]

Hopefully they improve the X5 through firmware updates.

[@caliview7577]

Another significant difference between the XM4s and XM5s is that the XM5s dropped the voice feedback indicating which ambient sound control mode you are in (ambient sound, noise canceling or off). For me, this made the XM5s less useable than the XM4s. I could not easily tell what mode I was in.

[@SpencersStuffTV]

I'm so happy they fixed that metallic ping. That always annoyed me 😂

[@aaronloudnwireless]

Yeah lol

[@TheDifferenced]

Akira akira akira

[@CF542]

I avoided the XM4's because of their size. I am glad to see that Sony reduced the girth as much as they did with the XM5

[@splaaaash_yuki]

Thanks for the comparison of XM5 with LinkBuds S. I personally use LinkBuds S and there are no KZbinr comparing with XM5 here in Japan.(and also they mostly say the pros of XM5 only;( )

[@ckispro]

Still rocking with my XM3s and it’s working really well. May consider it if it’s a good upgrade after its software works better

[@Garage-1881]

Same, I love my XM3, and until a drastic upgrade is made, I'm holding on to them. I use them for work, but I also have a lot of high-end wired OTE and in ear monitors and I just hate I still can't get the volume and tone that I can with my wired sets.

[@mdfirdausabdullahsani4358]

Seem like they can match the volume produce from xm3... really love the xm3 than the xm4.

[@Maxdragon00]

Looks like I got my answer here. M3 owner too

[@Garage-1881]

@Maxdragon00 yeah the M3 is still gtg for me

[@HamzaMirzieshot]

Was looking for this comment, I still feel the XM3 holds its on ground against the pleathora of tws out there. Going to keep mine till they die.

[@AccountGotSuspended]

I'm currently using the XM4 and debating if I should get the XM5. After watching your review in this video, I think I'll stick with my XM4s for now. Sure there's improvements but they're not significant enough to justify the SGD $400 price tag.

[@gloveyourway2000]

The XM5's mic...yeah leaves a bit to be desired. Linkbuds S were the best a noisy environments... ANC wise...not much difference between the XM5 and XM4. Hope the XM5's mic can be improved with software updates...

[@deykno87]

Sound eq shifts at higher volumes and degrades on xm4

[@KL-xv5gj]

Use both XM4 and LinksBuds S, I personally found LinksBuds S has better ANC because XM4 cannot fit many people’s ears as good as LinksBuds S which is so comfortable into the ears!

[@caminashell]

Great review!! Subbed & Liked. I would suggest to always wait a while and read feedback on firmware updates before you update yours, no matter what variant you get. A firmware update does not always mean things are better. Sony is terrible at software testing & distribution. Just because theres and update doesnt mean you have to update, no matter what is in the patch notes (which they dont publish everything). If nothing is bothering you and you are happy with your device as it is, leave the firmware alone.

[@BudgieFan101]

I sold my XM5 and got the Pi8. The XM5 are too small, slippery, fit poorly and the sound sounds overprocessed and unnatural, not to mention the battery life is dubious. Thanks.

[@animeshfatehpuria6584]

Do you have a preproduction unit? The reviews are pretty mixed online so I'm a bit confused. Your mic quality for XM5 seems worse than some other reviewers. How many of these issues could be fixed with a firmware update?

[@aaronloudnwireless]

It's a retail unit. Another commenter said Sony will be improving mic quality in the next update, so we'll see

[@animeshfatehpuria6584]

Thanks for the detailed review as always. Will be on the lookout for your video after the firmware update is in

[@cooluser23]

​@@aaronloudnwirelessI hope so. The mic is useless.

[@forbiddenspatula4243]

Eyyyyy! Sony finally gave this man a review unit🎉

[@aaronloudnwireless]

Just in time!

[@KL-xv5gj]

Aaron, great review as always! First review on KZbin comparing XM5 and LinksBuds S that I have been longing for! You nailed it and my feeling that you still thinking very highly of LinksBuds S overall, when compared with XM4 and XM5 (both still have many hits and misses when compared with LinksBuds S’s so far no complaints on ANC, sound, price, comfort and battery deteriorating!)

[@aaronloudnwireless]

It's still the best compromise product imo

[@hernandemeles9242]

Thank you...for your detailed impressions. Does the XM5 accept the tips of the linkbuds? Or other alternative tips like the Sednaearfit crystal? Greetings....from Tierra del Fuego

[@aaronloudnwireless]

Their nozzles are pretty generic. You can use LinkBuds tips on them, and Azla tips too

[@Amari588]

Yeah I agree I couldn't get spatial audio to work on the wh-1000xm5 probably it will work in the future

[@Rainoman]

I use power amp app on my s22 ultra and it is amazing! It makes my standard car speaker system sound premium! I highly recommend it!

[@FrankYoung1128]

What is it called exactly? I see a few with similar names?

[@321bytor]

Great review - with wind but NO hot air! 👍

[@aaronloudnwireless]

Haha nicely put 😂 thanks!

[@Triro]

Over all a better and smaller version of the Xm4's, im certain they will release firmware in the coming months to improve them further, the hardware is their, the firmware just needs to catch up.

[@aaronloudnwireless]

Maybe, we'll see!

[@GAMERCASB]

That's why I'm wating till September too by them I was Gona pick them up this week but I prefer too see if they fix the updates

[@samshamoun8638]

I hope they don't ruin them as they did with the xm4's battery

[@Triro]

I just bought a pair and they are pretty good, ANC is 100% better then the linkbuds S, though I wouldnt know about xm4's as I have smaller ears and decided not to pick them up at all.

[@AllenReinecke]

My XM4's were down to an hour or so with the right bud after 1.75 years. Also, the BT kept doing strange things, losing sound fidelity. So, new batteries weren't worth it. I originally paid $130 for them as returned earbuds from Secondipity on EBay! I was really not prepared to pay over $300 for the XM5's, yet I love the Sony sound. My WF1000-XM4 and WH1000-XM5 for home listening eclipse my drawer of earbuds collected over the last 3 years. So, when looking for my next pair, I wanted a worthy XM4 replacement. I opted for the Linkbuds S, based on your reviews, and have not been disappointed. In fact, I'm blown away. They are better sounding than the XM4 with the higher frequencies being more forward and crisp. The sound is nicely balanced too, requiring minimal EQ tweaks. Much less than the XM4. The ANC isn't quite as good with the silicone tips yet arguably better than the XM4 with Comply foam tips in my testing. Foam tips are uncomfortable after a while though. Sony have never managed to achieve good call quality in noisy environments. Frankly awful for the price! Fortunately, I never use buds for calls. However, Sony indeed hit the Linkbuds S out of the park with fit, security and comfort. I was skeptical of the claims as I've always been disappointed in the past, despite reviewer's positive comments. Of all the earbuds I've tried, the Linkbuds S are THE absolute best. I've tried Spinfits and they just don't come close to the Sony tips. Sony got it right finally. I learned my lesson with updates on my XM4's and that dreaded battery degradation. I received my Linkbuds S at V1.0.4. I'm not updating! I get only max 5% lower right bud battery levels and nearly 5 hours total listening time with LDAC and ANC. AND all this for... $80 brand new! I bought them new and sealed from a liquidation company on EBay. 👍 When out and about, I'm happy for another 2 years! 😉

[@twosuns20]

5 band equalizer for a $300 earbud. I wish it had a 10 band one. Also, Samsung phones have a hearing test feature to determine which frequencies you can't hear and it adjust the sound so you can hear them. As you age your hearing degrades and you can't hear certain frequencies anymore. Anker liberty pro 3 has this sound test too on their app. Sony should implement that in it's app.

[@sbichson]

I have liked the adaptive sound of Samsung and used for 2 years until realized I can have better sound with manual adjust EQ

[@danielvanatta8884]

SoundID's hearing test is infinitely better. Takes about 5 mins total, it's a game changer with music quality after the eq is applied. Best app for sound tweaking on the market right now

[@miguelmelo1814]

Thank you for the review. I purchased the xm4's just a few months ago and was worried that I had missed out on something a lot better. As it turns out, I didn't. Despite its age mx4 keep on kicking butt!!

[@10anoop]

Linkbuds S does surprisingly well

[@Mcordovaa]

I need a mix of linkbuds S fit with the XM4 sound :c not this xm5:/

[@miggyyusay]

Definitely going to wait a few months to see if the uneven battery drain issue is fixed.

[@shahidajmeri143]

In case of price I believe the linkbuds S is much better then the over priced xm5 which really does not have much improvement’s and not justify the price.

[@im4udevco]

I just purchased the z55h battery replacement kit for the XM4 to replace as the left side is dead. I'll keep my XM4 for another 2 years plus I also have the linkbuds S. Nothing convincing to move on the XM5 and when you take the price, not worth it.

[@daltonhays5156]

The mic quality sounds horrible to the point where it sounds like it needs a software update to correct it.

[@21backwards78]

I love your reviews I been waiting all day for you to review your xm5

[@aaronloudnwireless]

Thank you!

[@21backwards78]

Just one question. The xm4 and the link buds s have had a problem of some eq settings being drowned out when you turn the volume up higher making it rather distorted. Has the xm5 fixed this yet?

[@MattGrill]

I think I'm going to upgrade. I love my XM4s, but they handle wind noise poorly while I'm on my bike, and I understand that this model improves on that significantly. I wouldn't upgrade for full price, though. I'm planning on selling my XM4s for ~$125 to a friend, and then using that money to defray the cost of the 5s.

[@turturkey]

used xm4 still worth 125? u sure?

[@GAMERCASB]

​@user-fe3tx8tb3r I have the xm4 I'm upgrading till September they might start fixing these updates on the xm5 I love my xm4 but I prefer xm5 then bose even tho bose are king noise canceling but I feel like people are saying sony wf xm5 bose are kinda n the middl

[@peterding4958]

Promo on trade in for $80

[@godmodes]

@@turturkey For 125 they're still a steal

[@roshansamuel7]

I would prefer WF-1000XM4 Even if the battery is dropped to 3.30 hrs the sound quality and noise cancelation is my first priority For some people XM 4 doesn't fit in their ears they can go for Xm 5

[@richie_williams]

I like your videos a lot. This is a respectful feedback comment. It seems when you look at the most replayed section of the video, it’s about the sound quality. Personally, all I want from earbuds is very strong bass and that they aren’t too big. You recommended previously the aviot te bd21f, but they are enormous and all the reviews say they’re shockingly unreliable. Which earbuds are the best for bass and overall sound quality and comfortable fit please? I’m not bothered about noise cancelling. Thank you.

[@albertcaytuiro3770]

XM5 pro's: - Comfort, not the best but way better than XM4 - At least by now cheaper than XM4 at launch, in my country - Better mic in normal conditions - Cool features - Would be improved with new version of software - A sound that you can hear by hours Cons: - Price, 100 dolars more than XM4 at the moment - (Maybe) less contundent in terms of "punch" if you like it just buy XM4, but can be tuned to do a similar sound in settings - Not enough improvement in ambient sound Worth about 250 dollars? Yes, more than that would be analyzed but if you can get the XM4 and are comfortable for you at 150 or less go for the previous version

[@nkssam]

i have a question and it seems like XM5 is a good choice. I have an Iphone 14 pro max with Soundcore libetry air 2 and use it mostly on the whatsapp, Wechat and line voice call instead of Phone call. I found out that the sound quality of using APP call / Voice message is not a good compared to real phone call.

[@DeneF]

Like I said last night. No big announcement event needed as they were just a mild refresh really.

[@sarathchandra3352]

I have been using XM4 for 2 years almost. I feel xm5 improved to cut all the background noise better than xm4. I feel the mic quality in noisy place could be better. It seems to be they finally got where they need to nail it, with couple of updates, the mic quality maybe improved to be the best✌🏻.

[@gonzalos4379]

how's your battery life now after 2 years' of use?

[@DZero_Aperture]

Not OP but mine was great at around 2 hours to 2.5 hours until I updated them then it went down to 40 minutes. @@gonzalos4379

[@alexpotra2694]

phone call quality on the xm5 is not good. i would love for them to put the best product out there. with the best anc, best sound and call quality. if these 3 merge into a pair of Sony buds, they would be perfect. these are the things i am looking for. for now i would choose linkbuds s. i would need a pair of buds, i wish i could have said xm5 are the winner here. they are newer and pricier

[@natesmith3653]

Best review of these buds so far. Based on your review, I think the Linkbuds S is the way to go. I see them go on sale for $90 (US) regularly and Sony is out of their mind if they think $300 is a fair price for these XM5's... At that price something like B&O Beoplay EX, Freedbuds or any of the HiFi models will have better sound quality than these for similar or less $$. Now if these launched at $199 and could compete against the Senn MTW 3's (Currently about $150 USD) then they would have been a better buy. Just my 2 cents.

[@aaronloudnwireless]

Appreciate your input

[@reza.km1992]

MTW 3 for $150? Where?

[@vrvrvr81]

My personal opinion: XM4 were huge disappointment for me. Very disappointing sound quality, ANC stopped working in a week. Had to claim warranty and was glad the shop chose to refund. Any tips for earbuds wit good sound, decent ANC and phone calls capabilities?

[@corey7219]

I haven't seen these earbuds under 150. At most, I see them at 180

[@natesmith3653]

@@corey7219 YMMV. I ordered a pair for $140. They arrive here on Saturday.

[@ZephyBlaze77]

This might be the only non-glowing review of the XM5s and that to me tells me that techtubers are up to their regular shenanigans once again when it comes to audio. Thanks for the honest review, and hopefully some audiophiles take a closer look at these.

[@ljz1988]

XM5 is def weaker with its day 1 software. Can't wait to see what happens with the updates. Related to the metallic noise with noise cancelling - how does the xm5 handle the sound of the earbud moving in your ear with each step? When I go running, I have to turn noise cancelling off, because the microphones are amplifying the sound of the earbud moving slightly

[@danielvanatta8884]

I bought the xm5 when they came out, and immediately returned them on the basis of sound quality alone. I use a galaxy s23 ultra, and Spotify. The airpods pro 2 sound infinitely cleaner and less muddy. The sony xm5 sound boom, bloated, and much less refined than the xm4s did. I'd say the xm4 are much closer to audiophile than the xm5, but the airpods pro 2 have the sony beat in terms of dynamics. That being said, the slightly unnatural treble quality on the airpods make me give the win to the xm4s in terms of natural timbre. Overall, the airpods pro 2 won for me by a long shot due to their transparency being much better than both the xm4 and xm5, and the noise canceling surpassing both as well. The xm5 would be a good first pair of true wireless earbuds, but certainly not a good addition to anyone's collection, or for anyone wanting accurate and natural sound quality.

[@Burn_In_Oled_On_Purpose]

Aaron, did you have issues with ldac lagging when watching youtube videos on the sony wf-1000xm4 earbuds? I have the sony wf-1000xm4 earbuds and youtube lags with ldac enabled. I never use noise canceling since I have noise canceling always off and for my eq settings I have it set to completely flat like a ruler with clear bass set to -10. I have prioritize sound quality instead of stable connection. I'm using the sony xperia 1 iv. I tried the sony xperia 1 iii with the sony wf-1000xm4 earbuds and the sony wf-1000xm4 bluetooth earbuds would lag every second with the sony xperia 1 iii. It was really annoying. I even tried the sony wf-1000xm4 with my fiio m11 android hi res music player set to ldac and it would lag too. I ended up going back to using my wired headphones since the lag was getting annoying. Using google assistant made the sony wf-1000xm4 lag so I ended up turning off google assistant. These issues that I mentioned are the things that annoys me about bluetooth headphones. I never had these issues with wired headphones. Luckily when I pre-ordered my sony xperia 1 iv from best buy during there promotion I got the sony wf-1000xm4 for free as part of best buy promotion.

[@firering51]

I was a victim of the XM4 battery drainage issues, right ear bud only lasts about 20 minutes. I'm skeptical of buying new Sony earbuds that may have the same issue. I ended up buying a pair of pixel buds pro a few months back to replace them, they don't sound as nice but hopefully they won't become practically useless like my XM4's.

[@Riiddz]

Ive had my xm4 for 3 years now. Best sounding earphones and noise cancelling ive personally used. The last 4 months my left earphone battery only lasts 1 hour without noise cancelling. I am willing to pay the price if xm5 simply to ensure i have fresh batteries. If the sound is even the same then its perfect. I just want this to last me the next few years aswel Also to add. I use my xm4 for gaming. There is some audio lag via bluetooth. Xm5 supports LE audio so in theory it should have almost no lag

[@azuwill]

have you submitted your xm4 for the exchange program?

[@Riiddz]

@@azuwill i didnt know they had one actually.

[@Gamerlingual]

I own the XM4 and Linkbuds S models. I sampled the XM5 and they sounds slightly better. They are more spacious, but beyond that, I can’t see myself spending 41,000 yen on these (I sampled in Tokyo). There are only improvements and no significant breakthroughs. Because it’s hard to get a good fit in, I had to twist these repeatedly (softly) like a screwdriver until they finally sat in. Not the most stable fit and that glossy finish makes it feel like it would be too easy to scratch.

[@analog_ape]

Where can you do this in Tokyo? Any K's Denki or at a specific place? Thanks.

[@Gamerlingual]

E-Earphone or Yodobashi Camera

[@Skylancer727]

I'll be honest, I tried them a couple days ago, I think the XM4 were just better. I do remember the XM4 hurt for a bit till I got used to it, but the XM5 have issues I find harder to ignore. The pass through to me sounds noticeably lower quality, with the XM4 it's barely noticeable I'm wearing anything, but the XM5 it's obviously lower quality than real life. There's a thudding noise while walking with them. This thud did happen with XM4 when eating, but it happens constantly when walking with the XM5. It may also be a side effect of having far less useful ear tips. There's just aren't any tips for it that seem to snuggly fit in my ears and trying aftermarket tips didn't fit in the case. The large tips for the XM5 are about the same size as the smalls on the XM4. And audio quality does seem to be weaker by a hair. It doesn't really sound like it has an improved speaker system, it more sounds like they changed the EQ for it so it's sharper and therefore perceived as higher detail. In reality it just makes things sound a bit more hollow and things that weren't irritating to hear on the XM4 are here.

[@edgeman04]

I might upgrade if they go on sale at some point but I really like my XM4s. The XM5s do sound a tiny bit clearer and crisper though.

[@somedudethatchillshard8376]

Great comparison video and much more objective than many other videos I've watched on the wf-1000xm5. I don't think these earbuds are the "5 out of 5 stars" product that many are claiming them to be. Lots of competition out there for less money, better mic quality, better fit, subjectively better sound, etc.

[@aaronloudnwireless]

I never rate products in stars and charts for this very reason. Too much subjectivity masquerading as objective truth.

[@brobob52]

Have u tried the technics eah-a800. Im wondering how these stack up

[@ekinyazar312]

​@@aaronloudnwirelessgreat bro 👊👍🏼

[@Burn_In_Oled_On_Purpose]

Aaron, have you considered the nura true pro bluetooth earbuds and the denon perl pro bluetooth earbuds? The nura true pro and denon perl pro both have qualcomm apt-x lossless compression bluetooth codec instead of the lossy compression bluetooth codec that is currently on all qualcomm apt-x bluetooth earbuds and headphones. However, when there is bluetooth interference it loses quality and it goes down to a terrible quality at 140 kbps. I have my local music library stored on my micro sd card mixed with 16 bit 44.1 khz wav, 24 bit 96khz flac and even dsd 64 at 88.2 mhz aka sacd. The sony wf-1000xm4 treble is rolled off and not as bright or fatiguing with tracks that emphasizes the treble even though I have the eq set to completely flat like a ruler with clear bass set to - 10 to make the bass neutral and flat.

[@Avaithyam]

gonna have to stick with my xm4 just bc of the matte material, barely picks up and oils or fingerprints. Plus the overall sound quality and ANC is amazing. The new xm5 might have better sound and features, but looks much cheaper and more basic than xm4. Solid first impressions video tho👍🏽

[@aaronloudnwireless]

Thank you!

[@KL-xv5gj]

Save the upgrade, basically XM5 is a XM4s, not drastic, quantum improvements that you will notice very very obviously, in some ways is a degrade in terms of ANC and materials used on the earbuds which look cheaper

[@zombieimpact2790]

The reason I did not keep the 1000xm4's is because of the size and that is a deal breaker for me. Since the 1000xm5 is smaller I will buy them.

[@annienyan]

Recently started getting battery issues on the XM4, right earphone running out of battery in just a few hours... really enjoyed the headphones especially as someone who's kinda picky with headphones and I'm wondering if it's worth just getting the XM5 over the XM4.

[@paragonofmankind9293]

Same problem with the right earbud, but sometimes even running out in half an hour and I've only had them for maximum a year

[@itsm3th3b33]

Hey Aaron, thanks for this review. Very helpful. Just wanted to clarify: In 9:12 your legend says the XM5 is red, while in 10:07 you used red for the XM4. Is that accurate?

[@aaronloudnwireless]

That is not accurate, 09:12 is correct and the graphs are wrong at 10:07. thanks for pointing that mistake out. 👍🏻

[@raymondtan892]

Same like their wf xm5, the sound is getting softer, more relaxed, just like any other earbuds with soft mode eq

[@JBentham1523]

Best review on the market. I love my linkbuds s outside its just so small and discret, but I also love my xm4 at home. 300 bucks isn't cheap tho, should I get the xm5 🤔

[@corey7219]

I just got my Sony wf-1000xm4s in from repair yesterday. Still sounds as great as before. It's on firmware version 1.6.1. should I upgrade to version 2.0.1?

[@ilyasbhatt9951]

yes bro

[@DavidLopez-sy6wb]

No never

[@ilyasbhatt9951]

install mx equalizer and set wf 1000xm4 sound to focal celeste in the home area sounds great

[@ilyasbhatt9951]

@@DavidLopez-sy6wb why

[@aaronloudnwireless]

Yes sure why not

[@xbiker321]

Great review. $300 is a huge price for earbuds so I'll be hesitant to upgrade my XM4's.

[@AbrahamNixons]

5:07 Brotherman I appreciate the consistency in your vocal delivery across all these tests.

[@HW-B-]

How is the noise cancellation compared to the Galaxy Buds 2 Pro, AirPods Pro 2, and Bose QC Earbuds 2?

[@mattparsons8598]

Appreciate the honest review - already seen one review popup going on about how they're the new king and I was skeptical. FR graph and this review confirmed my suspicions; still the same Sony house sound with that big treble dip. Super tired of the TWS trend where everyone hypes up every single new product. Not that I was in the market but I was curious if they'd improved much. Do the XM5's still have the same buttcheeks control scheme? (need to pick/choose what you want to control vs something like the L3P that can actually control everything at once)? Your sound sample vs playing it natively over my S12 pro's sounds hella veiled.

[@aaronloudnwireless]

No problems. Yes it will definitely sound veiled, you are hearing what the mic's hearing, no shenanigans. You still have to choose but only between playback and ambient controls now.

[@matiascosentino7289]

Aaron, wanted to thank you for your guides on these earbuds. I bought xm4 on 2021, in the end of 22 battery left me. And I watched your videos, and noticed it was not my fault and Sony were replacing first units. Now after a year I could reach to official service, and they promised to change both units for free. Thanks a lot, I can't wait to get them back. They were almost a healthy stuff in my everyday routine. To silence earth hehee.

[@aaronloudnwireless]

Glad I could help!

[@ismailkozluca6443]

bought linkbuds s after watching you. still happy with them. Doesn't worth upgrading yet.

[@DavidEsp1]

All - Test your ears first! I use the "Tone Generator" app on my iPhone. With ageing (now in my 60s), my max. frequency is down from 22 kHz (most of my life) to around 9-14 kHz (12.2 kHz right now - seems to vary from day to day). Based on that, the slightly extended treble of the XM5 is irrelevant to me. Likewise the DSEE Extreme (on my XM4) makes no difference to what I hear.

[@sebastiancruz8570]

I was waiting for you review! Finally sony give us the option to disable the transparency during calls ❤

[@aaronloudnwireless]

Thanks! Yes that was a big deal

[@gbmingliang]

I'm more worried whether it's battery can last more than 1-2 years without issues.

[@thanksyoutubefortakingmyhandle]

Sony replaced my XM4's a month ago, the one year warranty ended july 2022 but they still sent me a brand new pair for free just had to send back mine that had battery issues

[@NamelllemaN]

Im not sure if anyone mentioned this to you yet but, on the graph 9:03 with the graph that's labeled with the different earbuds; red is xm5 and yellow is xm4 then 10:03; yellow is xm5 and red is xm4 is that an error?

[@aaronloudnwireless]

Yes that is an error, thanks for pointing it out 👍🏻

[@NamelllemaN]

@@aaronloudnwireless 👍

[@Shreesh_619]

Hey Aaron, can you tell if XM5's eartips fits on XM4. Also, how do you clean your XM4s🙃

[@aaronloudnwireless]

Yes they actually do. Just with a wet napkin nothing fancy. Nozzle is very hard to clean though

[@Shreesh_619]

@@aaronloudnwireless Thank you.

[@cooluser23]

​@@aaronloudnwirelessCan you do a review of the XM4's with the XM5 ear tips? Or the XM5 with popular aftermarket ear tips?

[@gatok-sb3rp]

1000xm4 sound clearer and better

[@n8sterling727]

I just bought some Comply memory foam ear tips on Amazon, made for Sony buds and they are a total game changer in terms for the ANC.

[@arash9333]

The clarity of the sound of xm4 with this music you chose that you made for the competition of these three models, the sound of xm4 is like a dream sound... So so clear... Congratulations well done Only video in youtube can understand different between xm4 and xm5.. 🤝🥇

[@the_emmo]

great video and great comparison, you're one of my favorite reviewers!

[@cionheart]

Aaron, you've become the go-to-place for headphones. Such great content, thank you very much for your work!

[@aaronloudnwireless]

Thank you!

[@gonzalomoreno532]

Hi Aaron, thanks for your comparison, I have the xm4's and I feel they don't have enough volume, are the xm5´s louder?

[@TheWalkmanBlog]

what firmware version was the wf-1000xm5 on for the testing?

[@aaronloudnwireless]

It was on 2.0.1

[@ChrisB-bi6qc]

I’ve had the WF-1000XM5 for a week not and they’re great in many ways but to be honest I prefer the way music sounds on the previous version, sure the XM4 look huge in the ear in comparison but for music I prefer the sound. When it comes to calls I use AirPods

[@jub8891]

what kind of hair product do you use? it barely moved when you waved the fan around

[@Rainoman]

Subbed and liked your video mate! Love your genuine review without any bias opinions.

[@aaronloudnwireless]

Thanks!

[@batdroid2705]

This is the best review format i have come across. Thank you very much for the effort

[@VynZography]

The way you review devices instead of regurgutating specs is refreshing.

[@brothatwasepic]

In Canada the XM4 sells for about 30 dollars less than the XM5. Crazy

[@perryskitchen4190]

I had the linkbuds and was very happy. Unfortunately, the L stopped working after 8 months. The sales guy had none in stock but talked menin to upgrading to xm5. Ok, most things are better BUT when I have them on ambient, it does not pick up peoples voices as good as the linkbuds. I struggle to hear people. The level is turned up to max (20) and the voice filter is turned on. I would have thought that with the level at 20, it wouldn't be a problem. I also feel that while being a bit softer in the sound, the linkbuds sometimes sound clearer with its crispyness. Only had the xm5 for a week so still testing things out.

[@rich8305]

Hi again, With your industry contacts at SONY, please ask them to offer genuine, Silver/ Beige XM-4 and XM-5 replacement ear tips. This lack of availability is both insulting and ridiculous. Keep the great reviews coming👍🏼

[@TheShinev]

I bought Technics AZ80 2 weeks ago and I was wondering whether I should return them and buy xm5. Based on your review I won't do that. Thanks!

[@21backwards78]

You should though the xm5 have better battery life than the Technics

[@salesfocus6270]

You should for sure 😂

[@umarkhilji1788]

Love your reviews! Got Samsung buds 2 pro previously after seeing your review and hopefully will pick these up too.

[@aaronloudnwireless]

Thanks! Hope this vid helped like the last one