I went out and bought the xm5 and qc45's to try head to head. Although most reviews say to get the XM5's... I ended up keeping the qc45's and returned the sony's. My reason, I was buying these to code for hours on end without interruption, so ANC and Comfort are the only things that matter. Both models had plenty good ANC, but the QC45's are just way more comfortable once you hit the 2+ hour mark. The sony padding is initially softer, but gets unreasonably hot after a while, which creates distraction. Although the actual sound was better on the XM5's, the QC's still sound good enough. Also I really like that bose kept the oldschool controls on the QC45's I will say the one thing I really liked on the sony's was transparency mode enables when you hold your hand over the cup.
Thank you I have xm3 didn't know about the transparency mode, I always double clicked to stop. I ordered QC45's for the exact same reason (use it all day), so comfort comes first and good enough for sound is good enough.
Exactly! Thats why I gave my Sony xm4 to my girl and why I love my Bose QC 45 and why that and the QC 35 were my favorite headphones of all time. They are the most comfortable on the market and the only headphones I can wear for 8 hours straight daily and my ears feel great. The Sony made my ears burn and ache !
As much as I like the XM5, I took the Bose QC45 for a simple reason: COMFORT and ANC. You can easily forget you are wearing the Bose, they are that light and comfortable! I really wanted to get the Sony because of the microphone but I was bit turned off by the price and the comfort that doesn't match the Bose ( I am just speaking here and I don't have Piccolo's ears! . Guys, comfort is KEY! When headphones don't fit well or are not comfy, they will gather dust on a shelf. by the way, on bestbuy the bose QC45 are being sold for $245 vs 350 for the sony (the difference ain't worth a Benjamin to me ) , a great deal!
It’s all subjective Personally the XM4’s are right on the knifes edge for me They get uncomfortable after 4-5 hours But I generally don’t use them for that long So if the XM5’s have smaller cups, and a tighter force It means for me, the XM5’s would be uncomfortable Comfort, like the styling of the headphones, is purely subjective to each person Some people are used to hard-cheap headphones, so these would be a massive improvement But for me, it probably wouldn’t be
@@MiD3v “I feel a lot of hate” Someone has something negative they didn’t like about a product “I feel like they hate the company and everyone who works there” Bruh Not everyone is IGN giving 2k and madden a 9/10 every year
Love the Qc line. The physical buttons are a massive highlight. Sold my 700s because I hate touch pads on headphones. Also the light weight of my 35II is great. If I had the cash I'd upgrade to the 45s
I agree with you about the XM5's. My ears touch the bottom of the cups. I'm going back to my 700's which I find fit better and simply turning on the "More Bass" EQ setting makes them sound (to me) as good as the XM5's.
Apologies if this has already been mentioned. Another major issue with the XM5 is that the ear cups get hot! The synthetic ear pad material, recycled soft plastic?, doesn’t dissipate heat and causes ear temp’ to rise quickly. From my experience I can only listen to them for 30mins before having to take a break and let my ears cool down. Sony do need to address and I’d suggest they do this by using using woven natural fibres rather than plastic for the padding.
once in every 2 3 years I change my headphones and when I'm looking for a new one, I just see what's latest in the market and then head straight to your channel to see how they fare. I bought my Sennheiser 4.50 BTNC, Bose QC buds, Sennheiser Momentum 3 buds all by seeing your reviews. it's on point and just tell me what I want to know without the overarching hype talk or bias. Even If my preferences are different than what you choose, I have enough data from your video to make that decision on my own. I really appreciate what you are doing here. Great work mate :)
Thank you for mentioning/comparing how comfortable those headphones are! My problem with wearing Sony headphones is that my ears become really hot after one hour of wearing them. I tried XM10002, 3, and 4 right after they were released, but I returned all of them. QC35 was the only pair of headphones that I can wear for more than 1 hour and I found NC700 is good too! Still, NC700 has more clamping pressure than QC35, but I like their new features and sound profile. As you mentioned XM5 is less comfortable than NC700, so I will skip the XM5. Thank you for saving my money!
I've been watching video reviews for headphones since 2 weeks on almost daily basis to decide on my new headphone and absolutely none of the reviewers mentioned about 17:52 in their videos. You've earned a subscriber!
Thank you so much for talking about clamping force. I had the XM3s, but the clamping force was too much and I would get headaches and jaw pain from wearing them for longer than an hour or so. I think I'm gonna go with the QC45s for my next set of wireless headphones
Man that was a great review! Just subbed! I work at a machine shop where it's always noisy and I normally wear the Bose QC 25's with a bluetooth adapter throughout my work day and those worked great for me for a few years, but they recently gave out so I was in the market for new ones. I ended up buying the nc700's thinking they would be much better but in reality I hate how there's no option to turn off the ambient mode which really messes with my ears anytime the compressor turns on or I use the air hose or basically hear any loud noises. I wish Bose had an option to turn off the ambient mode. Now I'm thinking if I should buy the Sony xm5's instead.
Nc700's are way underrated. Sound quality is much better than xm4 and the call quality was top until xm5 edged them out. I got a pair and returned them for xm4's beacuse i thouhbt they were defective. Lo key missed them. Xm5's are perfect (for me)
Finally a truly honest and professional review and comparison of these headphones. First of all, I think 95% of all reviews of the new XM5s on RUclips are right out bought by Sony. You honestly can not trust any of them because of course their headphones will always come on top and they will not touch on the real feel and usage of the headphones which isn’t as great as the rest. Not even the sound quality, the XM5 sound good to almost anyone, but they sound good for a reason, bass, because mainstream people like bass and the most bass a headphone has, the better it is, which is in fact obviously totally false and just insane. That’s why Sony reduced the bass just a touch in the XM5s compared with their predecessors, they know the bass isn’t what makes sound great and it isn’t good for your eardrums either if you still want to hear any sound when you’re getting older. But I guess nobody’s thinking about that. Fantastic review and comparison here, the best there is anywhere online, each major feature touched and presented very accurately and honestly. To be honest, I could not agree more on the importance of comfort when it comes to headphones. When you are on a +1 hour or 16 hour flight, the Bose QC45s are the best ANC headphones money can buy atm. Both for their comfort which is unmatched and also the very comfortable sound signature, because you honestly can’t be serious to listen to music for a long period of time with the kind of bass any of the Sony headphones have. Comfort must be both in feel, fit and wear of the headphones but also in the sound. A flatter, more accurate sound signature equals much less fatigue and headache when enjoying music for hours. One last thing to mention, perhaps people don’t know of this but all Bose QC35s’ and QC45s’ headbands are made out of metal, I believe it’s aluminum, if you ignore the plastic you can see a little there, and if you literally cut off the headband cushion, you’ll see they’re metal all around without any plastic combining. What this means is that this contributes to their flexibility and durability, since their headband can never ever snap in two, it’s practically impossible to snap it. And another benefit to this is that if the leatherette wears out on the headband after two years, you can simply cut it off, buy and install a brand new one yourself and there you go, you’ve got brand new headphones. Of course if you chose to change the ear pads as well. I don’t personally see nor think the headband on the XM5s is made out of metal nor can its leatherette be changed so easily if at all when it starts scraping and looking like crap in a couple years. Think about all of these before throwing your money at any headphones.
As this will be a specific comment to Daniel with price references from our country, sorry to the other users that this comment will be in our language. I am torned between Sony 1000xm5 and Bose QC45 (same price here) Funny ca am gasit reviewul tau pe emag, avstore si aici:) se vede pasiunea pt subiect. Eu in trecut am avut Bose QC15, 25 apoi am trecut la Sony 1000xm3 pe care le folosesc si acum. Sotul are Qc35II. Intotdeauna castile Bose mi s-au parut mai comfortabile, dar nici Sony xm3 nu sunt rele..Vreau sa fac un upgrade si dilema mea e destul de mare, intr-adevar Sony xm5 e foarte hyped, pare ca are un NC mai bun, dar e posibil sa fie mai putin comfortabile. Ca si pret sunt la fel (cei de la sony au o promotie zilele acestea cu 15reducere, ducand pretul la 1615lei) iar Bose QC45 la 1650lei pe avstore. Doresc cele mai bune casti in departamentul ANC, si ma atrag cele de la Sony…dar oare asa o fi, nu stiu. Am zboruri lungi, ANC e f important pt mine si comfortul, calitative cred ca sunt ambele, nu sunt mare fan bass, ma uit la filme si ascult muzica linistitoare. Ah, si touchule casca dreapta de la Sony xm3 ma cam enerveaza cateodata
I think recycled plastic should be used in low and midrange headphone. Flagship ones should always come with premium materials as its all about experience
Great review. I recently purchased a pair of XM5’s and returned them. I hate the touchpad feature and they were just so bulky. The case is huge and takes up much more space in my backpack. I like the ability to use buttons and the touchpad would sometimes accidentally set off some feature that I didn’t mean to bring up. if I will say that the XM5 do have better microphones, BUT their bulk just makes them less aesthetically pleasing. I went and purchased a pair of QC45 because I ultimately decided the extra price was not worth it for me on the XM5’s.
I will watch this later, I have the video downloaded, nothing like watching this video on my break with my coffe with my Galaxy Buds Pro, there are a lot of people like me that enjoy this long video, beleive or not this videos are stress reducer, also not everything deserves a 30 min video but the XM5s do deserve that.
Great review, thanks a ton! :) Comfort is #1 for me so it looks like the QC45 is the way to go. I can confirm this after trying them all in the store. Just wish you could turn ANC off but at least you can use it that way wired I suppose. Cheers. :)
Did you notice some rather disturbing ANC differences between the XM4 and XM5 headphones? I noticed the XM5 will pick up more noise, then rush to neutralize it, as opposed to the XM4, which seems to neutralize all noise much more consistently. So much so that I returned with my XM5. What has your experience been?
Crazy detail... you can get the QC 45s for less than 200 euros(or whatever you're equivalent). The QC 45s have a cheaper version called the QC SE... it is the exact same headset with a soft case for a lower price. So if you're like me and have your case somewhere and never use it(outside of long distance travelling ofc)... the QC SE(45s) are 100% worth a pick, especially for me on sale where I can legit buy 2 of them for the price of one XM5 on sale(350€ vs 170€)
I got all of these but i just wanted to see someone else’s opinion. I think that the xm5’s are the most comfortable although they arnt as lightweight as the 45’s. They are the perfect balance between comfort, quality, and weight.
I went with the QC45s. Really wanted to get the Sonys but I have a large head and if I can’t wear them “all day” there isn’t a point in buying a higher audio quality headphone.
Great video! I was just confused for a second - don't the Bose NC 700 weigh something above 250 (252/254)? That's what the specs say on the internet ... definitely not 274 + they don't feel like it either.
Great video. As an audiophile, I needed a travel headphones for commuting and here’s my reason as to why I picked the QC45. 1) Comfort (QC45 is light and comfortable. It’s easy on the head due to minimal clamp force so I can wear it longer without Any fatigue. 2) sound ( I prefer the neutral sound on qc45 over the XM5. XM5 right out of the box is dark sounding which is not to my taste . Yes you can eq it but the bass may still bleed to the other parts of the frequency response. I prefer the neutral to a little bit V shaped sound on the QC45. Yes the bass is not a lot but it’s fine and it has treble response as well. Either ways, these aren’t audiophile level of headphones but QC45 has an inoffensive sound to me. 3) portability ( easy to store it in the bag by folding which is unfortunate that XM5 couldn’t do.) 4) I love the way Bose handles noise cancellation over Sony . Like you said , lesser cabin pressure over the XM5 .
I agree, I’m leaning more towards the QC45s because I listen to lots of rock music, however, I heard the comfort on the xm5s are unmatched as well. The issue I’ve heard from one of my friends though is that foldable headphones aren’t necessarily good and headphones that don’t fold will last longer since you’re not bending the wires and such. A dealbreaker for the xm5s however is that you can’t even replace the earcups so… that’s why I’m leaning towards qc45. The qc45s are also conveniently a lot cheaper too. Sorry for the long rant haha but I’m looking for some commuter ANC headphones before my flight which is in 2 weeks, and I’m torn between the two. Obviously since these are wireless/portable anc they aren’t audiophile grade, but I’ve heard that it’s pretty much a running joke within audiophiles that Bose headphones have bad sound quality, and also the fact that you can’t turn the ANC off on the qc45s is a real shame :/
@@dope5684 I mean audiophiles compare it to their reference equipment. I don’t think that’s a fair comparison as these are consumer headphones for travelling and commuting . Obviously the open back headphones with an amp and dac definitely will sound better but the use case for that is more to sound . So different use case . Bose has an inoffensive sound . So for casual listening it’s alright.
As far as sound goes, the XM5s are far more tunable to the XM4s in getting the style that you want. You have to go really stupid like maxing out bass boost and eq full bass in order to get flabby and bloated bass of the XM4.
@@danielhenderson8316 will never do that nor eq if I can . Either ways I don’t have high expectations on sound for these consumer headphones rather than portability, convenience and comfort . As long as the sound is not offensive to me, I’m good .
I have the 700 but love the sonys xm5 more. Because the fact it doesnt disconnect the anc when you're talking on call. The anc seems to be on par with bose 700.
I have to try the Xm5 myself before deciding anything. Before the Xm5 I was standing between QC35 ii and QC45 since Xm4 gave me a headache on the head and earache after a couple of hours, but with QC45 having so many issues like with the connectivity, ANC off, and phone quality issues, I would rather go with the QC35 ii. So it's going to be interesting to test the Xm5 and if they don't do the job, I would rather go back to the QC 35 ii.
Regarding the hotspot issue described in the video: The narrower band and slightly reduced weight of the XM5's reduces the contact area/weight across the top of my head when compared to my XM3's. So, I am not having an issue with the redesign. Of course, this is my own experience and your mileage may vary.
Pressure=Force/Area. Since the headband on the XM5's have a smaller surface area, they're going to have more pressure. Where as since the headbands on both the QC45's and NC 700 have larger surface areas, they are going to have less pressure.
@@GYMCADDY True. I can't argue the physics of the situation. Just saying the change did not impact my comfort level in a way I noticed when compared to my XM3's. I might have a different opinion if I tried out the QC45's and NC 700's.
I had the XM4s but they didn’t block out my kid’s high voice so I swapped for the qc45 which were somewhat better but have their own issues around dropped signals which is really frustrating.
1. Wow, the NC700s look WAY better than the QC45s - it's not even close. The NC700s are one of the best looking headphones available. 2. I have watched several reviews of the XM5s and they mix the lows, the mids and the highs together to get "louder bass." What you end up with is a muddy mess of sound that is loud. The NC 700s just bury the XM5s because they accurately produce music as it was recorded. 3. I bought both the XM4s and the NC700s, and tested them. The instrument separation of the NC 700s is WAY better than the XM4s. With the NC700s, you can hear each instrument distinctly and it is really beautiful sound reproduction. 4. In the reviews of the XM5s vs the NC700s I have watched, the call quality is very close. I own the NC700s and I can say from firsthand experience, their call quality is amazing. When you consider the cost, the Sony XM5s are not even close to being competitive with the Bose 700s. The Bose 700s are just better in really key areas like audio quality and call quality, ease of use, comfort, build quality etc.
Good vidéo, im returning the XM5 because I can’t wear them more than 40 minutes. It really hurts on top of the head. It sucks because the sound is amazing. Il try the Qc45 Wich looks way more comfortable
Im looking to switch from the QC35ii to other pair, im between all of this, I had for a couple of days the MX4 and I hated them, they are so uncomfortable! My ears are small but they touched the bottom of the pads and thats the uncomfortable part, they are so tight, comparing the qc35, those are so comfortable, they have the space inside the earcups, that's my #1 reason to never go with Sony, also, the easy way to change the earpads. I was hoping the mx5 had more space in the earcups, but no....
im still surprised why you dont review any of jbl headphones or earphones. there are a lot which for me (a person really hard on the audio world), are really good. can you answer why?
I have reviewed JBL headphones in the past. I was never truly impressed. but to be honest, right now I am simply too busy with other products like the XM5's, Momentum TW 3, Sennehsier Sport, and then there are the up coming Boombox 3 and Pulse 5. If you want this type of quality, I need time. Im not just going to sit in front of the camera and spit tech specs like some other videos out there.
There are a problem with taking a call in a “quiet” environment and a college are sitting 3 meters beside you and talking. Then the colleges voice will very clearly get heard by the one that you are talking to in telephone. Here Bose 700 is still the king!!!
Xm5's are by far the best for sound and call quality. I've owned xm4 and xm3. Call quality is no comparison. Bass in xm5 is so much cleaner and tighter. If you just want for listening and you dont mind muddy bass then xm4 or xm3 are both excellent for anc (sound quality is good but in a consumer friendly sound)
Great comparison! Are any of these bad for walking around? I've found my Sony XM3's make a loud "thump" every step (the pads are old and mushed). It's pretty painful. I need something quiet for walking. Thanks!
I had no issues with the XM5s in that regard. For me, the XM3 and XM4 do not like to be moved on your ears or shaking your head when ANC is turned on. It sound like when the seal is broken it takes the electronics a second to adapt before going back to normal.
Hey there's a category of products that I'm really want to see you make a review on and only you like I'm literally dying to see a review and I searched your entire channel don't have this product line it's the speaker that is also an alarm clock that has white noise function to those of us that need white noise to sleep better I myself use a Bluetooth speaker and play different podcast to fall asleep too so there is different products and I'm looking for reviews but nobody does it better than you so please can you look into some clock speakers smart wakey speakers from anchor for example and others products like at JBL I think have a few thank you in advance and I love your contact man my big fan
Don't care about noise canceling....I just want loud with good bass......I have the qc45 already...I like them ...but just want to maybe upgrade....should I go with sony xm5 or bose nc700, since both are available at $140 at a trusty pawn shop....anyone??
Trust me that’s not the case as someone who’s been following him for a long time this guy is a Sony fan he’s just keeping it a buck with us if you check out his other Sony headphones review you’ll see what I mean
thanks for keeping it a buck too. Its easier to get in front of the camera and simply say how amazing X new Product is. But I refuse to do that. But people get butt hurt when I say I don't like something.
@@GYMCADDY To be devil's advocate, you do seem a little overly negative on the XM5's. It's a bit like getting mad at your child for getting a B. Sure, they've shown they can do better, but a B is still a good grade.
The Sony Plastic Looks truly Cheaper and more Bulky. And other Reviewers have said the same thing, the ear cups on the New Sonys feel cheap and Thin. And Sony is asking $400 Dollars for these truly Fugly New Headphones. SONY will produce XM6’s Very Quickly! LOL! I am about to get the new Sennheiser’s 3’s Momentum True Wireless. I have the Sennheiser’s 2’s Momentum True Wireless and they are Still the best Earbuds out there. I also have the Sennheiser’s Momentum 3’s Headphone, which feel very comfortable and look and feel…Very Premium. Lamb Skin Ear Cups, and True Leather Headband…and Sound Truly Premium. I do in my IPad have an External EQ that I downloaded, that both Sennheiser’s Wireless needed. The woefully weak provided EQ , By Sennheiser just don’t cut it for me.
![Baby Kia - GLOVES & DRACS (BLACK AF1s) [Official Music Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/ajm8LeB0qQk/mqdefault.jpg)
Only reviewer so far to compare these to the NC700's. Respect
I went out and bought the xm5 and qc45's to try head to head.
Although most reviews say to get the XM5's... I ended up keeping the qc45's and returned the sony's.
My reason, I was buying these to code for hours on end without interruption, so ANC and Comfort are the only things that matter.
Both models had plenty good ANC, but the QC45's are just way more comfortable once you hit the 2+ hour mark.
The sony padding is initially softer, but gets unreasonably hot after a while, which creates distraction.
Although the actual sound was better on the XM5's, the QC's still sound good enough.
Also I really like that bose kept the oldschool controls on the QC45's
I will say the one thing I really liked on the sony's was transparency mode enables when you hold your hand over the cup.
Thank you I have xm3 didn't know about the transparency mode, I always double clicked to stop. I ordered QC45's for the exact same reason (use it all day), so comfort comes first and good enough for sound is good enough.
Yea I did the same the xm4 in my case got unbearable after a while so I got the qc45 which are almost comically comfortable and sound is good enough
Exactly! Thats why I gave my Sony xm4 to my girl and why I love my Bose QC 45 and why that and the QC 35 were my favorite headphones of all time. They are the most comfortable on the market and the only headphones I can wear for 8 hours straight daily and my ears feel great. The Sony made my ears burn and ache !
So which one should i go for QC45 or NC700 ? I bought many headphones but can't wear them more than 1 hour😭😅
@@pratham4696 i would go with the Bose QC 45, they are the only headphones I can wear 12 hours
As much as I like the XM5, I took the Bose QC45 for a simple reason: COMFORT and ANC. You can easily forget you are wearing the Bose, they are that light and comfortable! I really wanted to get the Sony because of the microphone but I was bit turned off by the price and the comfort that doesn't match the Bose ( I am just speaking here and I don't have Piccolo's ears! . Guys, comfort is KEY! When headphones don't fit well or are not comfy, they will gather dust on a shelf. by the way, on bestbuy the bose QC45 are being sold for $245 vs 350 for the sony (the difference ain't worth a Benjamin to me ) , a great deal!
I don't agree with the comfort of the XM5. I've literally worn them all day for a week and haven't notice any comfort problems.
Same for me too... Don't agree with this review...felt alot of hate on this review for a good device.
Yeah he’s a joke and fanboy sometimes
a lot of people get irritated by the mesh thats directly against your ear with the sonys
It’s all subjective
Personally the XM4’s are right on the knifes edge for me
They get uncomfortable after 4-5 hours
But I generally don’t use them for that long
So if the XM5’s have smaller cups, and a tighter force
It means for me, the XM5’s would be uncomfortable
Comfort, like the styling of the headphones, is purely subjective to each person
Some people are used to hard-cheap headphones, so these would be a massive improvement
But for me, it probably wouldn’t be
@@MiD3v “I feel a lot of hate”
Someone has something negative they didn’t like about a product
“I feel like they hate the company and everyone who works there”
Bruh
Not everyone is IGN giving 2k and madden a 9/10 every year
Love the Qc line. The physical buttons are a massive highlight. Sold my 700s because I hate touch pads on headphones. Also the light weight of my 35II is great. If I had the cash I'd upgrade to the 45s
i second this. i will be returning my XM5s for that + a mute button so i can use it at work
QC45s are excellent. Used them recently on a long haul flight and they made it a very relaxing and pleasurable experience. Recommended.
this video is the realest comment for Bose QC45 among what i have watched, solid content!
Great review, spent hours trying to figure out the most comfortable pair and you really helped the most on RUclips.
Wore xm5s all day long on sunburnt head without issues. Great upgrade over xm2s. The headband scare had me worried, but Im not feeling it.
Try the xm3s
I agree with you about the XM5's. My ears touch the bottom of the cups. I'm going back to my 700's which I find fit better and simply turning on the "More Bass" EQ setting makes them sound (to me) as good as the XM5's.
Apologies if this has already been mentioned. Another major issue with the XM5 is that the ear cups get hot! The synthetic ear pad material, recycled soft plastic?, doesn’t dissipate heat and causes ear temp’ to rise quickly. From my experience I can only listen to them for 30mins before having to take a break and let my ears cool down. Sony do need to address and I’d suggest they do this by using using woven natural fibres rather than plastic for the padding.
once in every 2 3 years I change my headphones and when I'm looking for a new one, I just see what's latest in the market and then head straight to your channel to see how they fare. I bought my Sennheiser 4.50 BTNC, Bose QC buds, Sennheiser Momentum 3 buds all by seeing your reviews. it's on point and just tell me what I want to know without the overarching hype talk or bias. Even If my preferences are different than what you choose, I have enough data from your video to make that decision on my own. I really appreciate what you are doing here. Great work mate :)
Thank you for mentioning/comparing how comfortable those headphones are! My problem with wearing Sony headphones is that my ears become really hot after one hour of wearing them. I tried XM10002, 3, and 4 right after they were released, but I returned all of them. QC35 was the only pair of headphones that I can wear for more than 1 hour and I found NC700 is good too! Still, NC700 has more clamping pressure than QC35, but I like their new features and sound profile. As you mentioned XM5 is less comfortable than NC700, so I will skip the XM5. Thank you for saving my money!
yeah the sonys xm5s seem to be even tighter and after about 30 minutes get hot and sweaty
I've been watching video reviews for headphones since 2 weeks on almost daily basis to decide on my new headphone and absolutely none of the reviewers mentioned about 17:52 in their videos. You've earned a subscriber!
Which one did you buy
Thank you so much for talking about clamping force. I had the XM3s, but the clamping force was too much and I would get headaches and jaw pain from wearing them for longer than an hour or so. I think I'm gonna go with the QC45s for my next set of wireless headphones
Thanks, your reviews are very thorough and objective. They helped me a lot in researching what to buy for my particular needs.
Man that was a great review! Just subbed!
I work at a machine shop where it's always noisy and I normally wear the Bose QC 25's with a bluetooth adapter throughout my work day and those worked great for me for a few years, but they recently gave out so I was in the market for new ones. I ended up buying the nc700's thinking they would be much better but in reality I hate how there's no option to turn off the ambient mode which really messes with my ears anytime the compressor turns on or I use the air hose or basically hear any loud noises. I wish Bose had an option to turn off the ambient mode. Now I'm thinking if I should buy the Sony xm5's instead.
Nc700's are way underrated. Sound quality is much better than xm4 and the call quality was top until xm5 edged them out. I got a pair and returned them for xm4's beacuse i thouhbt they were defective. Lo key missed them. Xm5's are perfect (for me)
Finally a truly honest and professional review and comparison of these headphones.
First of all, I think 95% of all reviews of the new XM5s on RUclips are right out bought by Sony. You honestly can not trust any of them because of course their headphones will always come on top and they will not touch on the real feel and usage of the headphones which isn’t as great as the rest. Not even the sound quality, the XM5 sound good to almost anyone, but they sound good for a reason, bass, because mainstream people like bass and the most bass a headphone has, the better it is, which is in fact obviously totally false and just insane. That’s why Sony reduced the bass just a touch in the XM5s compared with their predecessors, they know the bass isn’t what makes sound great and it isn’t good for your eardrums either if you still want to hear any sound when you’re getting older. But I guess nobody’s thinking about that.
Fantastic review and comparison here, the best there is anywhere online, each major feature touched and presented very accurately and honestly.
To be honest, I could not agree more on the importance of comfort when it comes to headphones. When you are on a +1 hour or 16 hour flight, the Bose QC45s are the best ANC headphones money can buy atm. Both for their comfort which is unmatched and also the very comfortable sound signature, because you honestly can’t be serious to listen to music for a long period of time with the kind of bass any of the Sony headphones have.
Comfort must be both in feel, fit and wear of the headphones but also in the sound. A flatter, more accurate sound signature equals much less fatigue and headache when enjoying music for hours.
One last thing to mention, perhaps people don’t know of this but all Bose QC35s’ and QC45s’ headbands are made out of metal, I believe it’s aluminum, if you ignore the plastic you can see a little there, and if you literally cut off the headband cushion, you’ll see they’re metal all around without any plastic combining. What this means is that this contributes to their flexibility and durability, since their headband can never ever snap in two, it’s practically impossible to snap it. And another benefit to this is that if the leatherette wears out on the headband after two years, you can simply cut it off, buy and install a brand new one yourself and there you go, you’ve got brand new headphones. Of course if you chose to change the ear pads as well.
I don’t personally see nor think the headband on the XM5s is made out of metal nor can its leatherette be changed so easily if at all when it starts scraping and looking like crap in a couple years.
Think about all of these before throwing your money at any headphones.
Excellent mention on the pervasive trend of upping the bass that's almost everywhere in the mainstream headphone industry.
As this will be a specific comment to Daniel with price references from our country, sorry to the other users that this comment will be in our language. I am torned between Sony 1000xm5 and Bose QC45 (same price here)
Funny ca am gasit reviewul tau pe emag, avstore si aici:) se vede pasiunea pt subiect. Eu in trecut am avut Bose QC15, 25 apoi am trecut la Sony 1000xm3 pe care le folosesc si acum. Sotul are Qc35II. Intotdeauna castile Bose mi s-au parut mai comfortabile, dar nici Sony xm3 nu sunt rele..Vreau sa fac un upgrade si dilema mea e destul de mare, intr-adevar Sony xm5 e foarte hyped, pare ca are un NC mai bun, dar e posibil sa fie mai putin comfortabile. Ca si pret sunt la fel (cei de la sony au o promotie zilele acestea cu 15reducere, ducand pretul la 1615lei) iar Bose QC45 la 1650lei pe avstore. Doresc cele mai bune casti in departamentul ANC, si ma atrag cele de la Sony…dar oare asa o fi, nu stiu. Am zboruri lungi, ANC e f important pt mine si comfortul, calitative cred ca sunt ambele, nu sunt mare fan bass, ma uit la filme si ascult muzica linistitoare. Ah, si touchule casca dreapta de la Sony xm3 ma cam enerveaza cateodata
I think recycled plastic should be used in low and midrange headphone. Flagship ones should always come with premium materials as its all about experience
I think I agree with this. recycled just doesn't feel good.
@@GYMCADDY Subjective.
…and to GymCaddy…Truly love your reviews. Spot on! Keep up the Great Work.
Glad you like them!
Great review. I recently purchased a pair of XM5’s and returned them. I hate the touchpad feature and they were just so bulky. The case is huge and takes up much more space in my backpack. I like the ability to use buttons and the touchpad would sometimes accidentally set off some feature that I didn’t mean to bring up. if I will say that the XM5 do have better microphones, BUT their bulk just makes them less aesthetically pleasing. I went and purchased a pair of QC45 because I ultimately decided the extra price was not worth it for me on the XM5’s.
I will watch this later, I have the video downloaded, nothing like watching this video on my break with my coffe with my Galaxy Buds Pro, there are a lot of people like me that enjoy this long video, beleive or not this videos are stress reducer, also not everything deserves a 30 min video but the XM5s do deserve that.
Don't forget your medication
Great review, thanks a ton! :) Comfort is #1 for me so it looks like the QC45 is the way to go. I can confirm this after trying them all in the store. Just wish you could turn ANC off but at least you can use it that way wired I suppose. Cheers. :)
Did you notice some rather disturbing ANC differences between the XM4 and XM5 headphones? I noticed the XM5 will pick up more noise, then rush to neutralize it, as opposed to the XM4, which seems to neutralize all noise much more consistently. So much so that I returned with my XM5. What has your experience been?
Thanks for the review. I decided to get the QC 45!
So you still can't turn off ANC on the QC45, that is the only thing why I don't buy them.
Crazy detail... you can get the QC 45s for less than 200 euros(or whatever you're equivalent). The QC 45s have a cheaper version called the QC SE... it is the exact same headset with a soft case for a lower price.
So if you're like me and have your case somewhere and never use it(outside of long distance travelling ofc)... the QC SE(45s) are 100% worth a pick, especially for me on sale where I can legit buy 2 of them for the price of one XM5 on sale(350€ vs 170€)
I got all of these but i just wanted to see someone else’s opinion. I think that the xm5’s are the most comfortable although they arnt as lightweight as the 45’s. They are the perfect balance between comfort, quality, and weight.
I like the QC 45, but not being able to turn off the ANC is a decisive factor which made me choose sony over them.
I went with the QC45s. Really wanted to get the Sonys but I have a large head and if I can’t wear them “all day” there isn’t a point in buying a higher audio quality headphone.
Great video! I was just confused for a second - don't the Bose NC 700 weigh something above 250 (252/254)? That's what the specs say on the internet ... definitely not 274 + they don't feel like it either.
Nice job reviewing these model. In the end I purchased Sennheiser Momentum 4. Love them, have you heard them? Any thoughts...
Great video. As an audiophile, I needed a travel headphones for commuting and here’s my reason as to why I picked the QC45.
1) Comfort (QC45 is light and comfortable. It’s easy on the head due to minimal clamp force so I can wear it longer without Any fatigue.
2) sound ( I prefer the neutral sound on qc45 over the XM5. XM5 right out of the box is dark sounding which is not to my taste . Yes you can eq it but the bass may still bleed to the other parts of the frequency response. I prefer the neutral to a little bit V shaped sound on the QC45. Yes the bass is not a lot but it’s fine and it has treble response as well. Either ways, these aren’t audiophile level of headphones but QC45 has an inoffensive sound to me.
3) portability ( easy to store it in the bag by folding which is unfortunate that XM5 couldn’t do.)
4) I love the way Bose handles noise cancellation over Sony . Like you said , lesser cabin pressure over the XM5 .
I agree, I’m leaning more towards the QC45s because I listen to lots of rock music, however, I heard the comfort on the xm5s are unmatched as well. The issue I’ve heard from one of my friends though is that foldable headphones aren’t necessarily good and headphones that don’t fold will last longer since you’re not bending the wires and such. A dealbreaker for the xm5s however is that you can’t even replace the earcups so… that’s why I’m leaning towards qc45. The qc45s are also conveniently a lot cheaper too. Sorry for the long rant haha but I’m looking for some commuter ANC headphones before my flight which is in 2 weeks, and I’m torn between the two. Obviously since these are wireless/portable anc they aren’t audiophile grade, but I’ve heard that it’s pretty much a running joke within audiophiles that Bose headphones have bad sound quality, and also the fact that you can’t turn the ANC off on the qc45s is a real shame :/
@@dope5684 I mean audiophiles compare it to their reference equipment. I don’t think that’s a fair comparison as these are consumer headphones for travelling and commuting . Obviously the open back headphones with an amp and dac definitely will sound better but the use case for that is more to sound . So different use case . Bose has an inoffensive sound . So for casual listening it’s alright.
As far as sound goes, the XM5s are far more tunable to the XM4s in getting the style that you want. You have to go really stupid like maxing out bass boost and eq full bass in order to get flabby and bloated bass of the XM4.
@@danielhenderson8316 will never do that nor eq if I can . Either ways I don’t have high expectations on sound for these consumer headphones rather than portability, convenience and comfort . As long as the sound is not offensive to me, I’m good .
Just wondering, did you try the Bose 700's?
25:00 Damn right. They just defeated the purpose of portable ANC headphones.
I have the 700 but love the sonys xm5 more. Because the fact it doesnt disconnect the anc when you're talking on call. The anc seems to be on par with bose 700.
I feel that the fact you can’t replace the Sonys ear pads are an issue.. questions the longevity of the headphones themselves
you can easily do that.
I have to try the Xm5 myself before deciding anything. Before the Xm5 I was standing between QC35 ii and QC45 since Xm4 gave me a headache on the head and earache after a couple of hours, but with QC45 having so many issues like with the connectivity, ANC off, and phone quality issues, I would rather go with the QC35 ii. So it's going to be interesting to test the Xm5 and if they don't do the job, I would rather go back to the QC 35 ii.
Returned the XM5 yesterday, the band sadly hurt the top of my head too much...same for my daughter.
Regarding the hotspot issue described in the video: The narrower band and slightly reduced weight of the XM5's reduces the contact area/weight across the top of my head when compared to my XM3's. So, I am not having an issue with the redesign. Of course, this is my own experience and your mileage may vary.
Pressure=Force/Area. Since the headband on the XM5's have a smaller surface area, they're going to have more pressure. Where as since the headbands on both the QC45's and NC 700 have larger surface areas, they are going to have less pressure.
@@GYMCADDY True. I can't argue the physics of the situation. Just saying the change did not impact my comfort level in a way I noticed when compared to my XM3's. I might have a different opinion if I tried out the QC45's and NC 700's.
@@GYMCADDY wear your shirts and hoodies now
@GYMCADDY Wouldn't the reduced weight of xm5s reduce the force in your equation
Comfort and portability are subjective. The performance is what sold me on the XM5
Portability is not. Driver size isn't either
@@kevinbihari how is portability not subjective?
@@kevinbihari Depends on what people can or are willing to carry.
@@kevinbihari driver size isnt everything
By the way, when will the Sennheiser momentum 4's comparison video come out?
Can you please compare the 1000xm5 vs Sony WHCH700N from a few years back, in terms of comfort and sound quality?
I had the XM4s but they didn’t block out my kid’s high voice so I swapped for the qc45 which were somewhat better but have their own issues around dropped signals which is really frustrating.
Go take care of your kids man
1. Wow, the NC700s look WAY better than the QC45s - it's not even close. The NC700s are one of the best looking headphones available.
2. I have watched several reviews of the XM5s and they mix the lows, the mids and the highs together to get "louder bass." What you end up with is a muddy mess of sound that is loud. The NC 700s just bury the XM5s because they accurately produce music as it was recorded.
3. I bought both the XM4s and the NC700s, and tested them. The instrument separation of the NC 700s is WAY better than the XM4s. With the NC700s, you can hear each instrument distinctly and it is really beautiful sound reproduction.
4. In the reviews of the XM5s vs the NC700s I have watched, the call quality is very close. I own the NC700s and I can say from firsthand experience, their call quality is amazing.
When you consider the cost, the Sony XM5s are not even close to being competitive with the Bose 700s. The Bose 700s are just better in really key areas like audio quality and call quality, ease of use, comfort, build quality etc.
Thank you Sir, I bought the NC 700 yesterday.
Good vidéo, im returning the XM5 because I can’t wear them more than 40 minutes.
It really hurts on top of the head. It sucks because the sound is amazing.
Il try the Qc45 Wich looks way more comfortable
BW PX7 S2 sound better and fit better
Im looking to switch from the QC35ii to other pair, im between all of this, I had for a couple of days the MX4 and I hated them, they are so uncomfortable! My ears are small but they touched the bottom of the pads and thats the uncomfortable part, they are so tight, comparing the qc35, those are so comfortable, they have the space inside the earcups, that's my #1 reason to never go with Sony, also, the easy way to change the earpads. I was hoping the mx5 had more space in the earcups, but no....
When do you think momentum 4s will be out
Sennheiser sold out, no point expecting stuff from them anymore.
im still surprised why you dont review any of jbl headphones or earphones. there are a lot which for me (a person really hard on the audio world), are really good. can you answer why?
I have reviewed JBL headphones in the past. I was never truly impressed. but to be honest, right now I am simply too busy with other products like the XM5's, Momentum TW 3, Sennehsier Sport, and then there are the up coming Boombox 3 and Pulse 5. If you want this type of quality, I need time. Im not just going to sit in front of the camera and spit tech specs like some other videos out there.
@@GYMCADDY you have a point there actually. The time put on knowing a product, being so many out there. Keep up i can only say. 💪
このレビューを見て、QC45を選びました。素晴らしい動画をありがとうございます。日本より。
Marshall Monitor II vs Bose CQ45 vs Bose 700! Please 🥺❤️
test both. imo 700 sounds very clean. xm5 for bass lover
There are a problem with taking a call in a “quiet” environment and a college are sitting 3 meters beside you and talking. Then the colleges voice will very clearly get heard by the one that you are talking to in telephone. Here Bose 700 is still the king!!!
Nice video man... tell me qc45 sound good bass or bad one
Not as good as nc700
🤔 since there is a firmware update on QC45, how does it stack up against QC35 II now? Specially sound quality
For me you just cannot compete with QC45 ANC.
Thanks for this comparison, it's very detailed, as always. Will you review the Sennheiser Momentum 3 earbuds soon ?
The best thing about the xm5 is the price drop on the xm4s lol
Which headphones have less heat wear on ears? My hear on 2s can get warm after just 15min. I’d like the xm4 if better
17:18 :O :O :O
This much volume??? Are you ok bro? I had the NC 700 and I never got pass the 70 % of volume.
I can't make a choese which headset to buy: xm3, xm4 or xm5. Could somebody recommend me that?
Xm5's are by far the best for sound and call quality. I've owned xm4 and xm3. Call quality is no comparison. Bass in xm5 is so much cleaner and tighter. If you just want for listening and you dont mind muddy bass then xm4 or xm3 are both excellent for anc (sound quality is good but in a consumer friendly sound)
is the QC45's earcup roomier than QC35 II ?
yes
Which sounds t best
Sonys new headphones look like $35 skullcandy headphones. Zero premium vibes.
How do they sound compared to Momentum 3?
Next week
Great comparison! Are any of these bad for walking around? I've found my Sony XM3's make a loud "thump" every step (the pads are old and mushed). It's pretty painful. I need something quiet for walking. Thanks!
the QC45's are good for walking around, expect the dang wind noise from the mics
I had no issues with the XM5s in that regard. For me, the XM3 and XM4 do not like to be moved on your ears or shaking your head when ANC is turned on. It sound like when the seal is broken it takes the electronics a second to adapt before going back to normal.
Hey there's a category of products that I'm really want to see you make a review on and only you like I'm literally dying to see a review and I searched your entire channel don't have this product line it's the speaker that is also an alarm clock that has white noise function to those of us that need white noise to sleep better I myself use a Bluetooth speaker and play different podcast to fall asleep too so there is different products and I'm looking for reviews but nobody does it better than you so please can you look into some clock speakers smart wakey speakers from anchor for example and others products like at JBL I think have a few thank you in advance and I love your contact man my big fan
Don't care about noise canceling....I just want loud with good bass......I have the qc45 already...I like them ...but just want to maybe upgrade....should I go with sony xm5 or bose nc700, since both are available at $140 at a trusty pawn shop....anyone??
If you can still get them, probably Sony.
What does "where as with the sony"means
Any custom larger earpads for SONYs? Any hard plastic cases for these heapdhones?
LMFAO, this dude really hates the XM5's
Any plans of qc55 this autumn?
they take 4 years from qc35 to 45 soo i don't think before 2024 qc55 will come
“All of these have usable microphones.”
400 to 500 $ for
….
pls review 1more evo earbuds
Are the xm3s terrible
No
I really feel like he decided he did not like the Sonys and try to absolutely destroy them in the review
Trust me that’s not the case as someone who’s been following him for a long time this guy is a Sony fan he’s just keeping it a buck with us if you check out his other Sony headphones review you’ll see what I mean
thanks for keeping it a buck too. Its easier to get in front of the camera and simply say how amazing X new Product is. But I refuse to do that. But people get butt hurt when I say I don't like something.
@@GYMCADDY I owe it to you man thanks to you I’m sold on the QC 45s I got a wait to buy it and I can get the money for it but thanks man
Look, another clueless individual who can't read between the lines.
@@GYMCADDY To be devil's advocate, you do seem a little overly negative on the XM5's. It's a bit like getting mad at your child for getting a B. Sure, they've shown they can do better, but a B is still a good grade.
You can add subtitles in Ukrainian or Russian, I am from Ukraine and always watched your channel by subtitles
THX
The Sony Plastic Looks truly Cheaper and more Bulky. And other Reviewers have said the same thing, the ear cups on the New Sonys feel cheap and Thin. And Sony is asking $400 Dollars for these truly Fugly New Headphones. SONY will produce XM6’s Very Quickly! LOL! I am about to get the new Sennheiser’s 3’s Momentum True Wireless. I have the Sennheiser’s 2’s Momentum True Wireless and they are Still the best Earbuds out there. I also have the Sennheiser’s Momentum 3’s Headphone, which feel very comfortable and look and feel…Very Premium. Lamb Skin Ear Cups, and True Leather Headband…and Sound Truly Premium. I do in my IPad have an External EQ that I downloaded, that both Sennheiser’s Wireless needed. The woefully weak provided EQ , By Sennheiser just don’t cut it for me.
friend add subtitles in spanish please greetings from chile
ΧΜ5s are not really that great....
xm5 sound muddy and awful
First