You’re probably buying these. - Sony WF-1000XM5 

Heads up! If you're considering buying this product, it may be prudent to investigate some of the battery issues that have plagued the previous generation. Sony's handling of that situation could have implications for XM5 customers as well. ---- What do you think of these new earbuds from Sony? What wireless earbuds are you using? Let us know below! Buy Sony WF-1000XM5 Wireless Earbuds: geni.us/SPd6kj Buy Apple AirPods Pro: geni.us/oe9ikv Buy Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II: geni.us/i49ag Purchases made through some store links may provide some compensation to Linus Media Group.

Louis Rossmann just dropped a good piece on previous sony earbuds issues and how sony treats customers who have them, worth watching before you buy them

XM4 had an issue on a firmware version which caused right ear to drain heaps faster than left rear. After firmware update my right earbud still only charges to about 90%

This video is right above the video from Louis Rossman talking about how Sony was putting the wrong batteries in the MX4, and that they would run out quick overheat due to charging at the wrong voltages. Sometimes, the batteries are different in even each earbud!

I really appreciate the more simple charts. Also that James walks us through in a slower pace. Thanks guys. Keep up the good work and never stop innovating!

I got the MX4, love them, and fortunately I managed to get them repaired just days before the warranty expired. Hearing all the stories of repair refusal, I would not recommend buying any Sony product anytime soon until there's a commitment for better customer support. For the price it's inexcusable

Be wary, the predecessor is plagued with battery issues with some reports of that happening with the WF-XM5's as well. I returned these for several reasons: The ANC heavily relies on the passive noise isolation, which means if you can't get a good seal with the tips, the ANC performance will be subpar. I could not achieve a proper seal without hurting my ears. Running with these with ANC on is annoying because there is an audible plop with each stride (same as XM4s).

Got my ones last week. I'm in love with it. I've never been a fan of intra-aural headphones, but this one proved to me that it's possible to use an in-ear headphone and still have exceptional audio quality!

I’ve owned every generation of the Sony wf series and the xm5 is definitely a step up, primarily in terms of form factor even compared to the xm4 it’s a huge step up in pocket feel

The irony of the fact that this video came out only an hour after Rossman made his video about why you should never buy Sony air buds…

2:50 I noticed they were hard to get out, but all you have to do is push them slightly towards the outside and the magnet disconnects.

I've had the XM5s for about a month now, and they are by far one of the buggiest pieces of tech I've ever owned. More than half the time I take them out of the case, one or both buds has an issue connecting and they stay in transparency mode (as if only one bud is in). About half the time they do both manage to connect to whatever device I'm using, the EQ and software settings don't kick in and everything sounds terrible. It particularly struggles with multi-point, often randomly switching which device it feels like controlling or playing audio from, which does help keep things fresh and exciting. I have to keep sticking them in and out of the case until they work properly, and even when I do finally get them to work right, the right ear bud's battery drains significantly faster than the left (which I've seen is an issue on previous generations too). Even worse is that while the ergonomic design of the buds makes them incredibly comfortable in your ears, it makes them equally as awkward to handle when you're not wearing them. Because they're shaped to fit your ears (and not the case), and there're no tactile feedback when you pop the buds in the case, you never feel confident both buds are actually in right. More than once I've put them in after a full night of charging only to get a "low battery" warning because one or both were a microscopic fraction of an inch off the contact pads. I feel like a lot of the issues I'm having can be ironed out through firmware updates, but others (like the charging issue) are inherent design flaws which can only be addressed by hardware revisions, but I would not recommend them to anyone as is. Wait for Sony to fix the firmware issues, but also look at other options.

I own a pair of the original Sony WF-1000X wireless earbuds, got them on sale and it was an instant love! A good couple years later they dropped out of my pocket (my fault..) and I ran them over in my car (a big station wagon) and they actually survived!! To be fair it was on grass & the case was dinged & didn't shut quite right after that.. but they went on work with no issue! I was initially worried they would stop working, so I ordered a pair of the WF-1000XM3's which I started wearing after a couple months & still wear them daily even now! I hope a battery replacement is possible as they are so comfy & sound so good, I really don't care to upgrade...

such a useful review with all the tests and graphs, I'm definitely checking these out!

Another issue moving from the XM4s to the XM5s is the noise cancelation is actually worse in some situations. The XM4s have an option for automatic wind noise cancelation that works beautifully. However the XM5s have a new design with a new microphone location Sony believes eliminates the need for such a mode. It is desperately needed if you're in a windy environment, trying to ride a bike with one earbud in is pretty much a lost cause

One of the biggest issues with the XM4 earphones were how bulky and heavy they were so this looks great.

Hey, could you add a harman curve or something like that to the frequency response charts? That way we can compare it to something more familiar, as most people wouldn't know what the lmg target is all about

While presenting freqency charts, you can put other earphones too. And harmon target can also be dotted along with the in-house target.

from my experience, my XM4 battery issue started 3 months after warranty ends. But when i take it to sony repair center, they told me if the issue really is from defective battery they will replace the buds free of charge even outside warranty (make sure you have the purchase receipt)

As a user they are amazing. The sound is like from the XM3 (over the ear), but don't have that much of a spatial sound. The last to keep in mind is that they are big or should I say chunky (so people with small ears are a no no), but they are not heavy. Also, don't use them in the gym because of the sweat they fall out of my ear 100% of the time.

Maybe I want to sleep on them, literally. You should keep testing side sleeper comfort! Linus covered it last time! That info would help me more than 10 frequency response curves. Just saying.

Having purchased Sony Linkbuds about 9 months ago, I have recently faced an issue with the right bud - it became much quieter (2-3 times as it feels) than the left one. After sending them for repair to Sony, I got them back in about 2 weeks. Apparently in the service center they have replaced the right earbud, and now I have buds from different pairs which can't work together (case gives error code with 3 orange flashes) - you can't even connect/pair them to your phone anymore. Resetting the buds doesn't help in this case, so I sent them back again. Two weeks later, I'm gonna pick them up tomorrow and see if Sony managed to fix the buds this time. But yeah, Sony's repair services don't seem that good when it comes to other models as well.

Whoa. This was my first time hearing the spatial audio in this video. Kind of glad I bought them.

Do these ones have the cool feature from the XM4s where they try to overcharge one of the earbuds permanently damaging the battery?

I have the xm4. I got the battery problem to manage. I am not impressed considering the cost and the brand name. Thanks for the comment in description about this issue.

Funny to see this and Luis' video side by side in my subscriptions list.

I am returning these as everyone I talk to complains about the bad mic quality when I take calls outside with the usual vehicle sounds. If the noise cancelling is on when you walk, you can hear the thud sound of the steps. I didn't buy the ANC buds to keep ANC off while I walk. But I must say the sound quality of these are really great.

Would’ve been nice to see a comparison to the previous generation for reference. I don’t know the charts by heart. Especially since you guys aren’t using industry standard curves. In addition it would've been great to compare the thickness of the case as that is in my opinion the issue of the previous generation compared to the Airpods.

FYI - to remove them from the case you put your thumbs in the center of the case and then push them both outwards. It is in the instructions (which nobody reads).

When testing the ANC performance was transparency mode on/off? After 500Hz there was mention of the ANC being off? I’m assuming that was just a way of saying they were no longer effective (but still technically “on”)? Interesting that there were several areas after 500Hz where the ANC was “louder” than ANC off (2k, 4k, >10k). I wonder if that was because of the hissing sound they present. Thanks for the video!

I don't know whether to hate James for having WAP as his low bass 'test track', or to love him for it?! 8:38

on the uk amazon listing... it comes with the oral b cross action tooth brush heads as one of the bundles???

I loved this review! Could we get a similar one for the Status Audio Between 3 ANC?

I have the XM4’s and they’re the best headphones I’ve ever had! I was disappointed they didn’t release the earbud version with the XM5 over ear headphones. I’m excited to get these!

i also have the XM4s, i like the others have the battery drain issue in the right ear, the battery would go from 100% to closing without notice in 40 minutes, i bought 2 pairs for me and my father and both have developed the same symptoms at the same time (we had them for a year and a few months) so i know it wasn't my fault, its strictly that the battery shelf life is very bad, i have requested repair and was denied, they offered to give us "refurbished" ones or the money back. I have opted to pay a difference and get the XM5, lets see how these hold up over time.....

I have XM3 for 3 years never an issue until recently. I charge the headphones to full or close to full charge. If I put them back in the case and they stay connected. Sometimes they auto connect to my devices while in the case. I have cleaned the headphones and case. I love these earbuds but I am done and not sure if I want to upgrade to the mx5.

i sent my xm4s for free repair out of warranty after experiencing the battery drain issue, received the xm5s instead and am so far very happy with them!

do they stay secure during workout? thank you

I'm not if I'm willing to ever try them again since the xm4 had a battery defect where the left earbud would die extremely fast. I tried getting it replaced through them but I was already a few months past the warranty.

Still rocking my pair of xm3. Just now having an issue where the buds wont disconnect when i put them in the case to charge unless i manually turn off my bt

just returned mine... loved the sound over the app2 but... it doesnt exactly stay in my ear, tried all the tips and even bought 3rd part comply memory foam tips... these jsut refuse to work with me as much as i wanted them to.

So gutted I recently bought the XM4s but I'm pretty happy with them overall

I tried the XM4's for a while, but found them so uncomfortable and difficult to get a good seal to ensure the anc worked properly that I ended up sending them back before my return window had closed, so luckily I avoided all the battery issues that others are reporting in these comments. As far as the 360 audio, didn't it actually come out before apple's version?

It will be the same issue with the battery like the previous model?

Was there a comparison chart of ANC between the XM4 and XM5?

2:30 That's the first thing I noticed in the video... they look cumbersome to get out of the case. These little details always seem to be overlooked in reviews. My current Jabra Elite 7 Pro's come in a case that I find nearly impossible to open even with two hands! i've glued a bit of foam on to aid with it but it makes dropping and potentially losing a bud very possible. Form over function again.

Can you use one by itself or do you have to have them both in to play

Why is the lmg target curve so bumpy at the high frequencies

How about the earbuds .... Does it works well with one ear bud for calls ? Pls provide some call quality test with one ear for other brand earbuds too , coz in practical scenario we use one ear bud rather than two earbuds together to just pick the call and speak

Thanks for the lab results.

still love my xm3, just changed the battery and able to use for more years down the road 😏

Please review the WM5 call quality using the latest 3.2.1 firmware. I noticed a very clear improvement. In my tests, it is now one of the best for calls in noisy places.

I really would like to know how the microphone works in the real world, How do we see it? My XM4 work well with microphone however the big over ear XM4 ones pick up a lot of voices in open office.

i bought these last week. the sound is SOOOO good. Not vibing with the sound tracking like at the gym i always had to put it back to noise canceling, might be a way to fix this IDK.

Did they fix the popping sound that happens when running with anc on?

XM4 mic quality bombed so hard. It was so bad in any semi nosiy environment like an office, so bad so that I had to stop using it for office calls. Lets hope that the XM5 mic quality is better this time around. The sample shared in the video is still in a relatively quiet environment so I am really skeptical to its real world performance.

Love my xm4s will definitely grab these after a few months!

Just got these. Is there a way to find them if they are lost? Can you make them beep or find them on Google find my device?

I only buy Sennheiser and no issues after all the years - own the momentum true wireless 3 / momentum 4 wireless amd Sennheiser allow you to use the momentum 4 with an analogue cable as well plus a 2 year warranty.

Hope the battery lifespan is better on these, my 2 year old XM4's only last a bit longer than an hour lately, and my warranty just ran out :(

4:30 Had to go back and relisten when James said "you can just start dogging".

Personally I would not, recommend. I tried it and the controls are finicky, have some connectivity issues, the foam eartips are not the most confortable, and have some problem with the fit as well depending on your ear shape. I think the link buds s is a better choice, or fanky anything else for 250 it has too many drawbacks, just get anything else or an airpod pro 2 the usb c variant is out :)

I don't think I would spend more than $199 on any wireless bud, given that they live such short life spans. If the battery doesn't crap out first, some other thing will bug out.

When I'm using my Bluetooth earbuds to get a even sound balance I have to put my balance between the centre and the right channel. If I put the balance in the middle the sound favours the left channel so much it's like I only have one earbud in. If anyone has any ideas or suggestions to help I would really appreciate it.

Used the xm4s for a while, but with them constantly connecting while still in the case draining the battery and forcing me to go fiddle with them until they turn off

My XM4 have the infamous battery problem. But this XM5 usage already pass my XM4 and yet no problem with the battery

Once you use the buds for a while, they get extra slippery due to the gloss. It was not an issue right out of the box

The battery on my x4 only last like 30 min on the left and 15 min on the right. Sucks the battery craps out so fast

Just came from the Louis Rossman video, never buying sony headphones again. 😂

it's important to note that you didn't even try to tweak the equalizer which makes the listening experience about 5x better. Listening to the default preset does indeed sound flat and boring because that's what it's set to.

I hope they have fixed the hinge, on the xm4 it moves way more that acceptably and the feeling is horrendous, the case feels very cheap when open, especially compared to something like the buds 2 that cost a third

Thought about these but the buds pro 2 have better sq and battery so went with those.

Last update they did ruined my xm4 so I don't know about that

Man with the new charts Id love to see the Airpods Pro 2nd gen revisited. Especially with the new features like Conversation Awareness and Adaptive Audio

I have xm4 and even the smallest eartips makes my ears hurt after using them for about 30 minutes, if these tips are even smaller then maybe they’ll be better for some people

my warranty replacement xm4's are shitting out on me and I'm wondering if these new xm5's are really worth upgrading too. I have a pixel so not considering airpod pros, is there anything else that is better than the sonys?

That right ear placement, like how??

How do they compare to the Sony Linkbuds S?

My xm4s lasted almost 3 years and then the batteries suddenly gave out, can barely go 30 min. But buggest prob is the ANC worked great until an undate and after that they were never the samw again. Nervous to try xm5s

I tried out the auto scene detection, but it does not change seamlessly and pauses the music every time so I turned it off real quick

I saw these when I was shopping for some headphones, given how amazing the XM4s were, I could make a good guess on the quality of the XM5, buuuut they were way over my budget so I got the MTW3s from Sennheiser, no regrets here

Listening to this on XM5's, after having XM4's the weight makes such a difference. No matter the bud my ears would hurt after a few consistent days at work using them. Also, if I hardly need to touch an equalizer to get the sound I want then they've done their job perfectly. If you can afford it, they are superb.

I just bought them today and want to return them already... right off the back I was disappointed at highest volume they are super low sounding. Returning ASAP

Please test some Jabra products (like the new Elite 8 and 10) soon. I have a pair of older Jabras (Elite 75T) and I like them, but I haven't had any others so I don't have anything to compare them to. I'd like to see how they stand against the Sonys for example.

would like to see transparency frequency response too. I wear mine full time and need transparency for safety reasons. would like to see what the mode compares to having them out.

XM4 has the same problem. It's so hard to get the earbuds out of the case. I purchased the WH-1000XM5 instead. Bulkier but better sounding.

You refer to a rest button on the back. Are you sure? I believe that button is used for pairing.

Love how this came out 1h after Louis’s video

Considering how relatively niche this product is, the amount of comments mentioning battery issues is crazy. I thought I might be unlucky, but now it seems like the failure rate is just insane, I wouldn't be surprised if like 80% of buyers got those problems.

im happy enough with the XM4's, not enough changed to upgrade.

I'm starting to keep an eye out for some replacement ear buds, so this could be neat. The right ear bud of my Galaxy buds 2 died abruptly (got 'em free anyways) and my old Galaxy buds are showing their age in battery life, so maybe it's time to try Sony.

I would if they had Aptx Adaptive

Curious how these will compare to the new Bose earbuds

8khz is polish and presence and definitely be noticed

LTT : You're probably buying these My wallet : nope

I haven't had any issues getting these in and out of the case.

Must be a new new set as you can hear the echo of the studio space.

Yes I am an owner of the XM4 and the right ear bud does not charge to 100%. I like the sound of them. Do I dare buy the XM5, battery issue fixed?

Owned the previous generation, had issues, at least in my country sony only has affiliate repair shops but no actual sony costumer service place, and only one near me can actually offers repairs for earphones, to their credit, they were nice, but after almost a month, they returned me the same device,no real changes made, so, of course, the issues persisted. Mainly battery drainage and one bud sounded way quieter than the other, sent it back for repair, gotta wait another month before i can check if it was properly repaired this time, if not idk what else to do. It’s an utter waste of money. When i bought the firt gen Airpods pro my pair was affected by that firmware update issue and they replaced it immediately, sadly,the battery has naturally degraded over 3 years. This is the result of headphone jacks being removed, because of the batteries needed to run these, tws will always need to be replaced.

I like the look of the xm4 buds more than this more for some reason