Sony WH-1000XM5 vs AirPods Max | I'm Disappointed

[@Jacob32905]

I got the Xm5s and I'm really happy with them. I feel like Sony put a lot of thought into the design with the adaptive mode and the silence mode is sick too because having to pause or take the headphones off is super annoying. I like the aesthetic as theu are a little less bulky than the Air Pods. Honestly though the number one reason was that I use Android and I felt like the Max wouldn't work as well with my OS .

[@jejdh666]

you can put your hand to the right ear cup and you can hear the other person

[@ebenwilson8266]

Well said

[@香噴噴-p6f]

i also feel disappointed because Space One is way better than both of them

[@rypiyx]

Yh i have them too but yh sound is not as good as the maxes but over all with design functionality and buildquality im still happier with them than the xm4s and the airpods are just far to expensive at the moment im not willing to pay 570 dollars for them

[@yooyoo8637]

@@rypiyxyeah, lightning cable also..

[@rjulius917]

tbh bruh whenever i go to the apple store i literally go to the pro maxes and listen to music for like 10 min lol imma see if my wife can slide me these jawns 😂😂😅

[@MarcTaraz]

WHALE rumor has it apple might be coming out with a version 2 later this year.... So I'd wait to buy 👀👀👀👀

[@luv2stack]

"bruh"

[@good-tn9sr]

same my wife bought her boyfriend these last christmas, hoping she’ll remember me this christmas 🤞

[@Corwinwill]

@@MarcTaraz haven’t heard thing quite yet. Check in September 7th!

[@rawnuhld]

@@good-tn9sr WHAT ⁉️⁉️⁉️🤨

[@leanderzulu3494]

I picked up a refurb XM5 and have been super impressed so far. I wear my headphones as part of my noise cancelling aviation headset (wear them for 15 hours a day sometimes) and the XM5 not only is more comfortable but it sounds more clear and balanced than the XM4 I used to rock. The noise cancelling is better in the XM4 with the engine noise on the airplane but everywhere else the XM5 noise cancelling is better. I'm hopeful Sony will update the noise cancelling from auto to allow a manual calibration like the XM4 as I feel that would probably work better on airplanes / buses / trains. As far as audio quality the XM4 has way more bass yes but the XM5 sounds really great too. I would say the XM5 has the better audio quality. The XM4 is muddy and boomy. Wavelet is a must have app for Android users. So far I definitely don't regret upgrading from XM4 to XM5. These will serve me well for years to come

[@kelseymii921]

Thanks for commenting your experience, I’ve been eyeing the xm4 and xm5 refurbished but idk if I can trust Amazon’s refurbished electronics 😅

[@leanderzulu3494]

@@chhoyla well the XM4 look like XM3 too so there's more of them out in the wild. I haven't seen an XM5 yet either and I travel for work. I'm even happier with the XM5 with the new update a few weeks back. It's nearly perfect

[@amitabhshekhar2558]

@@leanderzulu3494 which version update?? i cant see any update after Version 1.1.3 and they came in June itself. Even sony website doesnt mention any new update release!!

[@leanderzulu3494]

@@amitabhshekhar2558 I just looked. September 6th was when the update was released on the headphones connect app for the XM5 that improved the auto noise cancelling

[@ClintSevilla]

Is agree

[@Sh4kki]

Sidenote: LDAC lossless codec only works with Android Phones. Also if you use multipoint 2 system at once LDAC is automatically disabled. On my Fold 3 and Fold 4 i have no problem with the XM5 they sound great, especially with LDAC. Since you use an iPhone it could be caused by the worse SBC / AAC codec

[@Erg893]

Nah, dude, I‘m pretty sure you wouldn’t hear a difference when not knowing what codec you‘re using

[@azhariarif]

@@Erg893 There is a difference. LDAC makes your music sound more 'alive'. The sub-bass is deeper and vocals sounds clearer. LDAC is superior than AAC.

[@christopherjc54]

@@Erg893 Think of it like 1080p vs 4k. Most people won't notice, but those that do really enjoy the difference

[@venkateshyr8844]

sony xm5 now supports ldac for multidevice now only update arrived

[@mariojuliny1563]

I agree with you. The difference between AAC and LDAC at max bitrate is huge. Of course only on androind. And with good sound source. I use Tidal with cd quality flac stream.

[@gilokhaliff8346]

Sorry man but saying the xm5 sounds like garbage is just ridiculous! Might be just for you cuz i got both of 'em and tbh the only reason I’d go for the AP Max is the better noise canceling.

[@jagblocks3592]

I bought the XM5 cause it was $380 Canadian because of a sale and if I was gonna buy AirPod maxes, it would be double that price in Canadian dollars a very easy decision for me.

[@guycortesi]

Good comparison. I like the AirPods Max since I’m deep into the Apple ecosystem. They handoff audio very well when switching devices. I also really like the AirPods transparency mode and noise cancelling. You’re probably right that the XM4’s are a great value. Now that the AirPods Max have been around for a while, the discounting is even better than $439 at times, so it’s worth doing some shopping for any of these devices.

[@MarcTaraz]

Thank you!

[@user-sf9gs2pg1b]

I bought both and intended to return the WH1000xm5s as I’m deep into the Apple ecosystem as well (Apple Watch, iPhone, iMac, iPad Pro, AirPods Pro). The wh1000xm5s just felt more comfortable (the AirPods Max made my ears itch). The ugly bra case and the fact they don’t turn off really hurt me. The sound is SIGNIFICANTLY better on the wh1000xm5s, I was blown away because I’ve never heard audio like that before in my life. Songs I had heard before literally sounded different when wearing the xm5s. I was shocked. The Max just sounded like normal.

[@xiaoxinbenjy]

Gonna use Airpods Max for my android phone also 🎉

[@kokodrove]

@@da_vidffm Its not about having money or not, its about knowing how to use it wisely. No brain?

[@jamonleecarter8698]

@@kokodrove LOL the guy clearly didn't share about using it wisely. No brain?

[@Maj0rTac0]

I had a different experience on the XM4 when it comes to comfort, the clamping force hurts the back of my ears. You're right on the shape of the users head. Good thing my wife is able to use it. She's also an apple user so it was really nice that I was able pass it to her after 3 months usage. I got the XM5 and it was way more comfortable to me. As an android user, I enjoy the sound quality with LDAC and after adjusting the EQ

[@DennisSchmitz]

Same here, had the XM3 before the XM5, The XM3 were quite painful after just a few hours, while I can wear my XM5 the whole day. Also the sound with some EQ setting and avoiding AAC on Android (both SBC and LDAC are fine) at any cost is quite great unlike my XM3 before. My EQ settings: 400: -6 1K: +1 2.5K: +2 6.3K: +1 16K: +5 Clear Bass: -2

[@rickmorty7284]

I've had two different units of XM4s. The second one had greater clamping force than the first unit that I returned. Perhaps it depends on the specific unit?

[@Artaxerxes.]

Xm4 fit extremely well on my head. Not true with airpods

[@SuperFilmregisseur]

So the xm3 and 4 didn't have ldac?

[@RajanChaudhary-i4d]

Same happened with my xm4 . I just hate the clamping force

[@tyson464]

I must say, your video quality is amazing, why don't you have at least 500k subs with this level of production.

[@MarcTaraz]

Why thank you so much! You are far too kind! I'm so glad you enjoyed ☺️

[@FranBasel]

Excelent analysis between the products. You were very detailed about all of them and I got all the information I needed to buy one of them. Thanks!

[@MarcTaraz]

Glad you found it helpful!!

[@derek1258]

I bought the AirPods Max a couple weeks ago and ended up returning them and getting the Sony XM5s shortly after. I am an iPhone user, and while I absolutely LOVED the AirPods Max, they didn’t seem like $550 headphones outside of the build quality in my opinion. There are certain aspects of the AirPods Max that very clearly trumped the XM5s such as transparency mode. However after watching countless reviews and comparisons WHILE having the AirPods Max, the Sony’s just seemed like the better deal overall. They have far better battery life, you can actually power them off, the ANC is far better in my opinion, and they actually come with a hard case. Not being able to fully power off the AirPods Max and that sad excuse of a “case” they come with. I don’t know what Apple was thinking with that. And while the AirPods Max have AMAZING sound quality, I do prefer the sound quality of the XM5s given that they offer a completely customizable EQ so I can make them sound exactly how I want. Whereas the AirPods Max only have a few preset sound profiles. I loved the spatial audio feature of the AirPods Max and I do wish that Sony’s 360 reality audio was more compatible to more mainstream music apps such as Apple Music, Amazon Music, and Spotify. Because I have never even heard of any of the apps that are in fact compatible with 360 reality sound, and I am far too invested with my Apple Music library to ever consider switching to another music streaming platform. So unless Sony makes it more compatible with other apps, I’ll probably never get to experience 360 reality audio. But that is not a deal breaker for me in the least. Personally I feel like I made the right choice by switching to the Sony WH 1000XM5s and I look forward to enjoying them for a long time.

[@dutyrover946]

Think about it. You take the headphones out of its case and the moment you pet them over your ears it automatically connects to whatever apple device you're currently using without having to do anything. Thats a premium feature id rather have over manually holding down a button and going into bluetooth settings each time to make sure my phone is actually connected to it or any other device. Think about it.

[@Tornadotuesdays]

@@dutyrover946 agreed, I had a pair of sony's and having to DL the stupid app, on top of the connection issues was so annoying. the APM rule, I love them.

[@rafikz77]

@@dutyrover946 holding down the button isn’t hard and I’ve never had to check if my headphones are connected to my device when I turn them on 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@dutyrover946]

@@rafikz77 so you're ok with mediocre? you're ok with not having features that make things easier? For what? exactly.

[@rafikz77]

@@dutyrover946 I don’t think it’s mediocre

[@MobiusPhoenix]

This is where we see the preference being subjective coming in hard. I did extensive research and testing when buying a new pair of headphones. In the end, it all came down between Sony XM5/XM4, Apple Airpods Max and the Bose NC 700. I also have an extensive apple ecosystem so, that was already a headstart for the Airpods Max but, even though I could shell out some more $ for the airpods Max, I wanted the best ones for listening to music even if they cost some more. However, I was always blown away by the sound quality of the XM5s whenever I heard them and the Airpods Max , while good, were not better than XM5s IMO. This didn't justify going the Airpods Max route even if I did lose out on the convenience of the apple ecosystem or the better transparency mode. I could do without these features and it's not like XM5s are bad at them, they are just not as good as the Airpods Max in those 2 areas. In all other departments, the XM5s wins hands down for me.

[@richardmaxwell7441]

I got the AirPod max when it first launched and the fact that it is still the gold standard almost 2 years later tells me the price tag was worth it. I honestly don’t see myself needing new headphones for at least another 5 years.

[@frankeebensteadd]

hey, how do they sound with the song by Selena Gomez - lose you to love me. Do they have good bass? thank you!!

[@DaedalusMinion]

@@frankeebensteadd They sound great, really smooth bass.

[@frankeebensteadd]

@@DaedalusMinion Wooo thanks!!!! im getting mine on thursday in sky blue! what ones do you have :D

[@Meechell]

@@frankeebensteadd rich moment

[@xsychology2480]

@@Meechell Having a job moment

[@renz2k]

10:16 I think this is because of the differing codecs of Android and Apple devices. Apple devices can only support up to AAC, meanwhile Sony's headphones use LDAC, which Android can support up to.

[@GTAracingUK]

Doesnt matter because android only has shitty services like Spotify and Deezer which run on compressed Mp3 audio while Apple has Apple Music which uses AAC

[@jeanbastien9424]

Went with the xm5 simply because i can fall asleep in them after a 12 hour night shift and block out day time noise. I use mostly apple devices, but was able to adjust the Sonys to a sound quality I’m happy with.

[@rodrigoaristeu]

This is the comparison I was waiting for! Thanks!

[@MarcTaraz]

You are most welcome! Thank you for watching!

[@danielbarbieru9715]

(Sorry for my bad english) I tried my XM5 both on Android and iOS, the differences are big. On android i use as configuration "Enthusiast mode" , Dolby athmos mode, and LDAC active and the sound quality is genius, i 100% reccomend trying it. I think XM5 sounding bad on iOS is more "Apple fault" because Sony XM5 is a very big competitor for Airpods Max and also cost less (I don't think Sony Engineers forgot how to adapt their headphones on iOS after making Sony XM4 lol)

[@kerrydaniels8460]

People often blame others when it comes to apple they only have to make their stuff sound good on apple for people to like them. Everyone else has to make their stuff sound good on everything. If appple sucks on another device then folks blame the other device rather than apple. The other way around and manufacturers have to take blame for their own product. Not everyone that gets an apple product has to get all the others myself included so I think it's bullmesh when folks just try to tell you about Apple to apple, but ignore apple to everything else like literally every other company has to play on that playing field. Apple is getting specialized treatment. Put it on a level playing field and you get mixed results. Likely won't be seamless connection etc so take what reviewers say with a grain of salt that don't test appple outside of a super small biased ecosystem.

[@kerrydaniels8460]

@@itsacookie1 That makes literally no sense. Just a fanboy comment. Stop worshipping Steve Jobs and get a life dude.. It's tech not a religion. Only weirdos start talking like you just did as if you worship apple. Go touch some grass dude...

[@ryanson9555]

Amazing B-roll! I think the Sony's sound better on the android devices because of Sony's proprietary LDAC Bluetooth codec, where Apple is just using AAC which may cause a dip in audio quality for the Sony's.

[@reymervergara2308]

Exactly, since LDAC cannot be used on Iphones

[@mz-power9587]

not to mention its probably intentional to monopolize headphones for iphone

[@findingjapanartist9836]

this is why most of the audiophile hate iphone cuz the sound quality from it is urhhhh....... edit: for those who didnt know about codec, all of them mainly focus onto lossless files that bring a huge difference in terms of sound for music LDAC is developed by sony ofc they will pair up xm5 with their own codec not to mentioned LDAC and AAC have different sound quality because of the codec itself, LDAC is better than AAC in terms of clarity, crispyness, base and soundstage if ure using xm5 and pair up with android/pc and iphone, you know what im talking about correct me if im wrong since im still new for this hobby still rocking with my b2dusk tho

[@Motymott99]

codecs are barely distiguishable . this is bullshit . bose and airpods max sound way better with just aac . why ? because they are tuned better! tuning is the most important aspect in sound quality . the sony headphones have only base , you cannot hear the music .

[@SD-oe6vv]

@@Motymott99 true, I have been saying it for ages, Sony has NO expertise in audio although they are keep making audio products from many decades but still they are NOT good at it. Bose is way ahead of Sony.

[@GaryJahman]

First time watching one of your vids and I’m glad I did! Great work! Greetings from Amsterdam!

[@MarcTaraz]

Welcome to the channel! I’m so glad you enjoyed! Thank you for watching and for the kind words!

[@aleksanderdomanski222]

As I understand Sony's WH-1000 XM5 uses LDAC high bitrate codec. Modern androids have it built in. Apple products use standard "free" codecs. Guess XM5 are tailored for LDAC when Airpods are finetuned for Apple products. That might do the diffrence.

[@amrbasri68]

id like more people to consider your comment when making comparisons. could be the reason behind the negative reviews over sound quality.

[@Erg893]

@@amrbasri68 no. That is not the reason. Stop playing audiophiles as you would not hear a difference b/w those codecs as casual listeners in the first place. XM5 sounds bad, you’re welcome

[@ProdINSNXEGHXST]

I’m getting the xm4’s for my birthday this year and I can’t wait. I’ve been watching other reviews on these headphones, and you did the best job explaining them including the xm5’s and the AirPods Max. Awesome video

[@nathanreedy4380]

I picked up a pair of the XM4's late last year after watching numerous reviews on them & seeing them being named consistently high on recommended to buy list & after 13 months, I really like them & I have no complaints. Usually I feel like it's rude to wear headphones & have a conversation with another person (a quick question is different) & for that, the quick question(s) the transparency mode is okay. If I need to or someone wants to have a conversation with me, I will just take the headphones off. I also just from the looks of it prefer the build of the xm4's over the xm5's (I would be too leery of the cups separating from the narrow part that connects to the headband. And besides comfort for long listening sessions, the sound quality is my next top priority & I like & can't complain about the Sound quality of my XM4's & after what you said about the xm5's sound quality, I am glad that I just got the xm4's last year.

[@imchrissheldon]

when i was first using my airpods max, wasn’t a fan of the flat sounding profile, did some digging and i changed the EQ to Hip Hop and the bass has a lot more punch without sounding muddy, absolutely sound amazing!

[@youngjacuzzi3676]

where did u find that setting?

[@aditya_gupta]

@@youngjacuzzi3676 settings>music>eq

[@Corwinwill]

I work at apple. Crazy how many people don’t know about the EQ. Make sure you go to Settings>Accessibility>Audio/Visual>Mono Audio off

[@corpuzone]

I have the AirPods Max but currently trying to sell them because they just aren’t cutting it. Too heavy, fragile, and lack a strong sense of fullness in sound. I’m planning to grab the xm5 in white since I have older xm3 which even have better bass than the AirPods Max. It’s crazy for the price they put on the APM. I have AirPods Pro 1st gen and those sound better haha..

[@matk5728]

I remember when I tried for the first time the Bose qc 35 I was blown by the sound quality. Years later I decided to purchase a noise cancelling headphones and when I tried all the Sony, Bose and Jbl I wasn’t thrilled as much as I was back then. But when I tried the AirPods Max I instantly had the same feeling as the Bose. The sound shooked me and the confort as well. So I went with the air pods max

[@velarmnt]

probably because bose has about the same sound signature as apple

[@fhowland]

@@velarmnt lol not at all

[@velarmnt]

@@fhowland i own the bose 700 and have tried airpods max, they go for a more natural tone leaning more on the warmer side

[@sathira_anuk5179]

​@fhowland yes ,Sounds better than Apple

[@alfiemarie]

i really love the design tho of the XM5s! so sleek. i got the silver one which looked more like an off-white which i love, but i don't know if im obsessed with the sound yet. now im curious what the the XM4 sounds like...

[@ansgarbavendiek8350]

You have to turn of "Focus on Voice" in the Ambient Sound Control. This will give you the best experience with this Headphone....

[@urbaneplanner]

I have xm4s and they are pretty good - one thing people may want to be aware of though is the implementation of a “voice assist” - this is a voice that says things such as “device two disconnected” - and which can not be turned off. Otherwise the headphones seem great but the intrusive voice assist may be annoying enough to make people look for alternatives

[@CaptPhiI]

As an owner of both the xm4 and xm5, they got rid of the person talking for the xm5 and instead just have beeps and boops. Definitely a plus for me, but also is a preference thing.

[@nunopenaspt]

Thank you for your review, sorry to say but the XM5 sound a more open than the Xm4 and even the Apple ones. Check the reviews that use very expensive monaural testing devices, the XM5 sound better even without the equalization.

[@MrBerksta]

Just discovered your channel! Happy I did mate. Keep up the good work 🤜🏼💥🤛🏻

[@MarcTaraz]

Thank you so much! Welcome to the channel! ❤️

[@workhardforit]

The XM5 supports LDAC. Nuff said. Custom EQ fixed all my issues with the XM5s, paired with my second phone (Z flip 5) using LDAC, it sounds amazing and ultra comfy for long haul flights.

[@lukasflyer]

What is custom EQ? Can u still get the high quality sound in the xm5s on an iphone?

[@reymervergara2308]

Well to add details on why it had a bad quality of sound. It's because you used an Iphone to pair it to the XM5's, and on IPhone's the only Codec you can access is the AAC instead of Sony's proprietary codec for high quality music which is LDAC.

[@simply6162]

Keep the stupid excuses coming even tho you don’t know shiet how they works

[@edwinjin7205]

Ah no wonder

[@jheads5371]

Coming from someone who currently has airpods max and the sony wh-100xm 4s(i got to try the xm5s at a best buy) i find that Audio condex really only does so much for a headphone. If it's EQ-ed badly, doesn't have great soundstaging,etc,etc, higher bit-rate audio isn't going to fix that. That said I find both the Max's and sonys very similar in a lot of ways. But I'd give it to the sony only because they have a proper eq, which to mean matters more then propeitaty codec, or adaptive eq.

[@RossMKF1]

Ldac uses more energy and has a short range as well as uses lots of data for the transmission and is only marginally better

[@SeanGonzalezMDHEXT]

I find it interesting he found the XM5s muddy. that means his ears were adapted to the air pods Max's sound. he didn't even try to make his ear more neutral to the sound by desensitizing his ears. the air Pods max sound very heavy on high-end because my ears are used to the XM5's bass response. to review headphones, you have to re-adapt your ears.

[@xauthegamer]

DAMN, BRO!! THIS is what a review is all about! I’ve been watching so many lousy reviews of the AirPods Max. Like, seriously? Have you even tried them before dissing them? Sure, they’re expensive, but they’re definitely not trash. And you’re absolutely right-they’re heavily discounted online right now. If you’re an Apple user, the AirPods Max is the way to go! You just earn a sub my guy! Reliable reviews!

[@mr.puggin8384]

Picked up xm5s because they’re so light tried the maxs at the Apple Store and they felt so heavy also the EQ on the Sonys app is amazing as well as speak to talk and all sorts of settings you can tune the mic is amazing also and saved extra since they’re cheaper than the maxs

[@Little1-1]

got xm5 today, they lack the high end on default EQ but as you said is workable and dependent on personal preferences. A very honest review!

[@MarcTaraz]

Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed the review!

[@lbryan5041]

I've done sound mixing and equalizing for years. I have both XM4s and Max's but I wanted to try the XM5s to compare sound quality (Max's being gold standard after some changes in EQ) so I went to Best Buy and compared the XM4's to XM5's and could instantly tell the XM4's sounded better, too!

[@MarcTaraz]

We love to see it 🔥

[@Motymott99]

i found it hard to believe you are mixing and equalizing for years if you think the xm4 sound good , they acousticly not even close to flat response . and that has been proven by all industry grade measurements on the market. but yes , also the xm5 ar trash . the airpods max is way better but still not acousticly accurate. more smooth listening

[@joeface03]

"Max's being standard" Credibility in toilet

[@joeface03]

@@Motymott99 umm no 🤡

[@Medz1100]

Can you tell us what EQ settings you changed for the Max’s please?

[@fairyboy444]

as a person with an iphone 14 pro max, apple watch, ipad, m2 macbook, airpod pros, air pod 2’s, sony WF-1000XM5, and now these Sony WH-1000XM5, imma stick with these over the airpod max’s. during my runs and out and about, like with the days i have class, i’ll use my airpod pros or the sony ear buds. for long wears, travel, and sleep on travel, these xm5’s are the best. the sound is so natural. the audio is clear as can be. they are insanely comfy. and lastly, they block out other sounds that only bose can compete with. truly beautiful headphones i gotta say. the touch controls on the side, where i can tap, slide to increase/decrease volume. slide to change song, and SLOWLY slide to scrub through a song is insane. the only downside imo is the fact there isn’t a touch to turn on/off noise canceling when people want to approach me. but regardless, i found that as super disrespectful and will always decup or take out a bud when talking to someone. all in all y’all (lol) 10/10. i just need to figure a way i can connect these to my ps5🤔 edit: my dumb self had not realized that there’s a physical button on the left cup that turns on/off the ANC 💀🤷🏻

[@GabeKanae]

The shot at 2:45 … I cried.

[@MarcTaraz]

Hopefully tears of joy! I think it’s a cool shot

[@highofftealeaves]

Unpopular opinion, the mic quality on AirPods Max sounded more natural, or at least as to how your voice sounds in this video

[@OhQueBacan]

exactly, it sounds better, I dont get how he gets the idea that the others have a better mic

[@shonen84]

I have the MDR 1000x, XM2 and XM4. I tried the XM5 in the store - and quickly agreed with you. The XM5 is a step back!

[@RealistReviewer]

The XM5 will break where the headphone connects to the headband, just like the XM4 it's a weak point that's too fragile for lots of daily use, they are delicate and that's a problem.

[@quaffie]

good to know. im still using my xm3s :D

[@theonlyredspecial]

Great review and honest ! Bravo. But I have to say that background music as you talked was really irritating and distracting as I was trying to focus on you.

[@JimiJamma]

You’re incorrect, I wear the AirPods Max for hours and don’t even notice them at all, very comfortable. I use them every night to watch TV via Apple TV 4K.

[@photoswithamani]

I got the notification and rushed over. Dope intro and lovedddd the product shots.

[@MarcTaraz]

You da real MVP Amani ❤️ Notification gang

[@chris.p2860]

Am I the only one who actually prefers how the Airpods's mic sounds over the XM5? I find the Airpods mic clearer than the Sony with less robotic sound.

[@vikjay1]

I completely agree in comparing the XM5s with XM4s. I think the XM4s are incredible and I noticed the sound quality difference immediately when I put on the XM5s.

[@habibiwaves]

The airpods max mic sounded better to me. The sony xm5 has a hiss and background noise while the airpods sound more clear and isolated.

[@joshuagall7252]

Here in the UK, you can't get a new pair of Airpods Max for less than £499. Meanwhile the XM5s are £239 on Amazon. Pretty easy choice for me!! I also have an Android phone so according to your review the sound quality will be better than what you experienced. To be honest, I wouldn't put it past Apple to have intentionally reduced the sound quality of competing headphones by using outdated or poor quality drivers for non-Apple headphones.

[@Anonymous-sg4zm]

Thanks a lot for the review! It's very helpful, and most importantly seems honest. Keep up the good work 😍🙏

[@MarcTaraz]

You are most welcome! I’m so glad you found it helpful!

[@LawofAxis]

I believe the reason that the 5 won't sound as good on iphones is that iphones don't have LDAC. After some tweaking, I got them to open up and sound really really good. However, I don't have either of the other products to test them against. Not the clearest I've heard but it's a LOT better than stock once you get that EQ going. It's a shame they didn't have sound quality in mind right out of the box.

[@ferocyter]

great channel bro!

[@MarcTaraz]

Thank you so much!

[@ChristinaEileen]

The intro and the thumbnail are PERFECT

[@MarcTaraz]

Thank youuuu 🥺🥺🥺

[@Mc-os1yc]

Make sure you factory reset you XM5 before you use it. Right out of the box, it produces strange echo. Basically, you could hear you own voice. And microphone volume is way too low even when you set the mic volume to the highest on PC/Phone.

[@techimus3000]

I have both the AirPods Max and the XM5s. After two years, the AirPods Max became unwearable because the headband mesh stretches into uselessness and then you have the metal bands crushing your skull and giving you migraines, super uncomfortable. Apple won't replace them, it's "normal wear and tear", and you can't even buy it as a spare part. So I bought the XM5s, I can wear them the whole day.

[@DailyInsane]

Great video man! Really helpful

[@MarcTaraz]

I’m glad you enjoyed! Thanks for watching!

[@Gingerlion777]

Love the AirPods Max, only thing is that they are to heavy.. which is perfectly fine for a premium headset at that price point! But I personally only use them in the house.. the Sonys on the other hand are good for on the road. A lot of people say the air pods max need to be lighter but I disagree with that.. because of the weight and materials used they have a much more premium feel! Just not for on the go.. its a really nice headset for watching movies or Apple Music. Are they way overpriced? Yes.. is the sound worth 200 more? No..

[@SonnyWest87]

But weight doesn’t equal premium in headphones. I say this because if we look at all headphones from low to high, one standard feature of headphones is the ability to be portable and have for travel. If something is too heavy it is not useable. The same can be said for suitcases. If a suitcase is heavy can you use it? We can say it’s HIGH QUALITY but at the end of the day it makes your life harder not easier, and a key feature of premium high quality products is they make your life easier not harder. They need to reduce the weight and make it more waterproof for the gym.

[@Gingerlion777]

@SonnyWest87 in some cases I agree with you. But not everything premium is made to make life easier. Also.. why would I want to wear 500 bucks headphones to the gym?? At that point you are just looking for attention and to show of wealth.

[@dingus4260]

Amazing review and pretty much what I was thinking in terms of Apple vs Sony. I’m thinking about getting the XM5’s because I have the XM4’s but idk. Glad to know even if I got them they’re well worth it. All that aside, 2:41 is an AMAZING shot. I think I watched it about 7 times before I had to say something lol

[@-sen9180]

3:11 when u said that am waiting until the air pod max 2 and the air pods pros 2

[@MarcTaraz]

The airpods pro 2 might be announced Sept 7th alongside the new iPhone 👀👀👀

[@jefff5842]

The sound on the XM5’s are way better than the XM4’s. 😂 and the AirPods Max sound way too shrill.

[@TheJonathansk]

XM 3 and XM4 sound similar, I like their EQ. You are completely right, XM5 does not sound the same even with the same EQ.

[@MarcTaraz]

I don’t think there’s ever been such a drastic change in sound profile as there was between the xm4 and xm5

[@pradeepnim3689]

Thanks mate !! great review

[@MarcTaraz]

You are most welcome! Thank you for watching!

[@Figgboii]

😍😍🔥 Best intro tech music i have ever heard before 👏👏

[@MarcTaraz]

I'm glad you like the intro!

[@georgechen1124]

Sound quality on newer Android device supporting A2DP is on par with Max. Much lighter and feels more comfortable than Max.

[@calvinchao05]

In my opinion, the XM4s sound more muddy than the XM5s. The frequency isolation is much better in the XM5. However, the Airpod Max has the best frequency isolation between all three headphones but the XM5s with and without the EQ sound better than the XM4s.

[@dkojongian]

Glad to see your video… Will keep my Airpods Max & Sony XM4 for a while then. Would you compare the Airpods Max with Sennheiser Momentum 4?

[@briantmorin]

I’m glad I watched this video. I just ordered a pair of the blue XM4’s

[@quintan007]

As someone who owned the xm3, 4 and 5. The the 5 doesn’t sound as good as the xm4 and because of that I’m probably done with the Sony line. I’ll wait for the max 2.0 when ever it comes out

[@ansgarbavendiek8350]

You have to turn of "Focus on Voice" in the Ambient Sound Control. This will give you the best experience with this Headphone....

[@ChristinaEileen]

Thank you for all of this information I learn so much from you 🥰🥰

[@MarcTaraz]

Glad I could help ❤️

[@cassiecat7038]

Agree with your assessment; you’re the first reviewer to be critical of the 5’s I’ve heard. I have them and the maxes AND the mx4’s; (I’ve got a noise situation so really needing noise reduction) the xm5s are great for noise reduction but fit terribly as you described, too large and floppy, but still sit over the ear. Sound quality is atrocious on iphone without ldac. Airpods max are one of the best purchases i ever made having bought them when they first came out.

[@normanng3863]

that Hong Kong MTR shot caught me off guard. Well done review

[@MarcTaraz]

Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed!

[@theaj1nkya]

Waited for a couple months for this review. I had a similar experience with XM5’s audio quality but didn’t tinker with the EQ so I thought my perception was wrong. Thanks for confirming that you experienced the same. Going with the Airpods Max. Excellent video 🫡.

[@MarcTaraz]

Thank you for watching!

[@PhoenixJustice]

I've tried out both the Apple Airpod Max and Sony XM5's for about 2 weeks now. While I really want to like the XM5's because of their colors (especially LE SSERARFIM's upcoming 'smoky pink') , touch controls and headphone app, I feel like there's something desperately missing when it comes to the actual audio when compared to Apple's headphones- no matter how much I try to customize my EQ settings. As much as I want to like Sony's, I'm definitely defaulting to Apple. Their base audio doesn't require any kind of tampering with and just sound amazing right out of the box.

[@Mindyourbusinesstoday-k3x]

I haven’t seen anyone talk about the speak to chat function on the Sony. It was a lovely surprise for me

[@michaelcaling]

I don't know if you're going to read this but trying the same EQ settings of your XM4 with XM5 won't really work. I did the same with my XM3. At first, I thought XM3 sounded better but after few tries, XM5 sounded better AND I had to find the perfect way to fit it as it has bigger cups now, but after figuring all that, it was miles apart way better. You just have to think that THIS IS NOT AN XM4, it is different so treat it differently.

[@MarcTaraz]

I did indeed. My eq on my xm5’s is COMPLETELY different than that of my xm4’s.

[@DennisSchmitz]

​@@MarcTaraz What is your EQ? Mine on the XM5 is: 400: -6 1K: +1 2.5K: +2 6.3K: +1 16K: +5 Clear Bass: -2 Only real issue I have is that I can't control upper boomy bass without affecting sub bass.

[@tnelson1187]

Audio is all about preference… Saying the xm5 sounds like “gabage” ?(wow!) It’s amazing to some of us… nice review tho

[@thisiscuvo]

well TBH the premade EQ sucks ass for real xD it gets better when EQed or using Wavelet app but really, it doesnt sound as "impressive" as the AirPods Max out of the box. I said "impressive", not better.

[@ansgarbavendiek8350]

You have to turn of "Focus on Voice" in the Ambient Sound Control. This will give you the best experience with this Headphone....

[@LIVEFRMNYC]

Another reason to keep my XM4.

[@06bostonguy]

Great review ! And thanks for pointing out the sounds quality on the new XM5 I thought the same thing I was Very disappointed compared to the AirPods Max and the older XM4 both have better sound quality and more volume than the new XM5. I bough these headphones and returned them after 10 days. I also found them more uncomfortable than the AirPods Max . The the noise canceling and transparency mode are top notch and call quality it’s amazing too . Awesome review !

[@brucesyvertsen2147]

I had the Sony XM4's just before the Max's came out. I purchased the Max and immediately noted that the Max out-performed the XM4s in every respect. I dont notice nor have a problem with the weight of the Max. The build quality is heads above the XM4s and 5s. I prefer the headband and earcups of the Max. Additionally the Max earcups are washable, if you're careful and replaceable, if needed. The sound quality has always been noticeably better with the Max.

[@himme9185]

That's actually super weird, of the 2 other reviews they say the sound quality is great. Also thank you for being a professional review and trying to be unbiased some headphone review people really bug me when they aren't like you

[@sanjivjadhav2655]

Top notch review 🔥

[@sampedroRX7]

I doubt that the XM5 sounds garbage, this is the 5th review, everyone said it's the best headphones out so far

[@keith12311]

I have had the xm5 for two weeks to go with my note 20 ultra,, love is in the air… two days ago I caught a deal 370 for the AirPod max,, I paired it up to old ax max and damn damn damn, very impressive headphones,, to keep it short apple and Apple together,,, Sony and Samsung together. Period

[@jrasero23]

I just new Sony XM5 from Walmart for $325 while the cheapest I could find Airpop Max headphones was at $479. What made me go Sony was USB-C, Android/Apple/Windows support, better case, and being to use a 3.5mm jack out of the box.

[@borispalacios8004]

thanks for the review, i will wait for XM? with 40 mm driver. Important for me is sound quality y comfort

[@perryjohnson8161]

Although I agree with you, just not completely. I own both the xm5 and the max. After several firmware updates the AirPods max’s ANC suffered, I noticed a major downgrade in noise cancellation strength can’t really compare the XM4 but the sound quality seems fine, and I’m sure that the sound quality is even better with an android device because of the Hi-res codec support. imo I’m enjoying the Sony Xm5 better Anyway thanks for your feedback I did hit the subscribe button.

[@im-a-cow-1221]

i just got the xm5s and there great 10/10

[@gerardorios1958]

Plz tell me you have iPhone?

[@lingfeizhang9411]

Really good video!

[@MarcTaraz]

Thank you so much!

[@ryancollins2740]

I disagree with the sound quality, i have found the XM5 to destroy the apple airpod max. Everything else in this video fairly matches up. Love the xm5 and wouldn't trade them up

[@abiizolao2666]

I love this review! Please can you do the kef mu7 headphones?

[@yashmistry9252]

1:11 why are you wearing a samsung t-shirt, using an iPhone and listening to music on a pair of Sony's 😂😂😭😭

[@MarcTaraz]

I enjoy chaos

[@lawrence8015]

@@MarcTaraz Damn... subbed

[@MarcTaraz]

Welcome to the channel

[@RubberDucky371]

I had the airpod max's and returned them for the XM5s. In my opinion, the airpod max has a flat sound, and the bass is just not there enough. The overall volume for the airpods to me seemed to be on the low side. Frequently at the gym I would wish I could turn the airpods louder. Overall, while the transparency mode is unbeatable, the sound quality wasn't good enough for 500$ to me. The XM5s get much louder and I feel like they are waaaaayyyy more comfortable for long listening sessions. Considering the XM5s are 100$ cheaper as well, for me the XM5s are superior and I'm happy to have gotten rid of the airpods

[@hermanlopez2945]

Great review

[@billshull9468]

Strange , big into acoustic and I think the XM5s are killer. Couldn't believe how good they sounded.

[@pureffm]

The best choice overall is the B&O H95 or B&W Px8 for Apple or Android users.

[@dhirajshetty483]

Great Review, thank you

[@hamblinta]

I have Bowers Wilkins px7 and AirPod max and Bose 700 & quiet comfort 35ii…the airpod max wins for noise cancelling by far and sounds just as good as any of the others if not better, imo.

[@johnleftwich650]

Hey Marc - I have never owned or tried the XM4s or the AirPods Max. I am an Apple user however when I decided to get a current state of the art set of headphones the reviews were overwhelmingly giving the nod to the XM5s over the AirPods Max so I got them. I've had them for 4 days and have logged several hours on them and have been very satisfied with sound quality. I have also watched a lot of KZbin reviews comparing them to the XM4s and the AirPods Max. I was surprised that out of the more than 10 reviews I've watched, yours was the first to say the sound quality was bad.

[@MarcTaraz]

It’s not necessarily “bad” but after the price increase from the incredible xm4’s, as well as the smaller drivers, different fit, and different sound profile, to me personally, it seemed like a downgrade in many ways. So for me personally, for it to be a downgrade in a couple categories while simultaneously increasing the price, I was disappointed. I have heard on android the sound quality is better, but for my use, I tend to pick my xm4’s and AirPod max over these for pure listening purposes.

[@noerazohdez]

Airpods Max Will always sound better with iPhone because of the audio codec (AAC), and the LDAC on the Sony's si the Best out there, and it's on Android

[@viktorbihar5384]

Strange, there are so many different opinions, some people have said they are better than the Airpods max when it comes to thing like mids, low, and at times in the highs. Some people might say something different. It's always the same deal with stuff as good as Sony and Apple, it's preference.

[@JNiceNow]

I have both the max and XM5. The MAX sound is awesome but not comfortable. I got the XM5 because I just cannot wear the MAX for more than a short time, they are just too uncomfortable. Too heavy, too much clamping force, makes my ears sweat. The XM5 fit is way better in all regards. I did replace the XM5 cushions with Wicked cushions which were a step up in comfort. the stock cushions were too soft and compressed all the way down.

[@milkflavored]

Ugh, I'm torn. I just returned a pair of XM4s. I have all apple products and I had so much trouble pairing it, not to mention the touch controls weren't working for me at all. The XM4s were constantly pausing (voice to pause was off) and it sounded very muddy, and hurt my ears after about an hour of wear. The problem is, I much prefer the look of the Sony headphones to the AirPods Max. (IMO) They're so ugly;; The case is hideous, but you can't keep them from draining battery without using it. Not to mention the price. I'm tempted to take a chance on the XM5s, but my experience is tainted by the ones I just sent back..

[@dani51401]

I had both headphones and I found the xm5 to sound better but only after changing the eq. I used android phone on xm5 and Apple on pro max. Pro max sound Great as well but I give a slight edge to xm5 but slight both great headphones

[@PhoggHawk]

Most reviews I watch say the opposite, that the XM5 is better for sound quality than the XM4's. I watch mostly audiophile channels. Not sure what devices they are testing them on, but this review is an outlier from the reviews I've seen. I've also tested both of these headphones at the Apple store and in Best Buy, and I like them both. I personally really like the sound of the XM5 and the Airpods Max has very clean and tight bass. Both seem like solid headphones, but both are overpriced, IMO. I'd recommend the Airpods for Apple and the XM5 for Android. Look for a sale on either of them later this November for Black Friday.

[@michaelcaling]

I think it's because he is treating the XM5 as an XM4 when he shouldn't. I did the same mistake. Coming from XM3, I was looking for the force, the pressure for me to consider XM5 sounding better. What I did was I did a close comparison and treated the XM5 differently so that I can tweak the settings (EQ) and the ear positioning accordingly. Now I can say it's definitely miles apart from XM3 and even APM.

[@sainteagle4426]

Solid comment

[@milkflavored]

Thanks for this