Customer Ratings & Reviews

I’ve tried them all and the Sonys are overall the best with the AirPods Pro 2 being a better choice only if integration with your Apple devices are a must.

Sound good but don’t stay in my ears. Easy to loose. Changing out those plastic fitting don’t help. If the fit like the Raycons… these would ok. I notice at times people have a hard time hearing me.

Having had a very positive experience with the XM4, I wondered how much improvement there would be with these new flagship buds. Out of the box, I was impressed as to how much smaller both the case and the buds are now. They are glossy and prone to smudging. However, they still look very sleek, and do not protrude too much. The buds come with all-foam tips in 5 sizes. Personally, I would've liked to see some gel tips as well, as sometimes foam tips can be awkward to place in the ear. I ended up using the largest tips and, while they can certainly create a tight, full seal, it takes some fiddling to get it right. Once they are on, they are comfortable and stay well put in the ear, even when running, jumping, and shaking my head. By the way the IPX4 rating ensures that a little sweat, splashes, or rain won’t be a problem. Featuring Bluetooth 5.3, the XM5s connected seamlessly to my android phone and iOS device, and I did not experience any hiccups or disconnections even at long distances. They support multi-point (which works great), single-bud listening, and auto-pause when taking a bud out. Using the right tips and ensuring a good seal, the buds isolate sound very well, and with ANC on they are on par or even better than other well-regarded brands I own. The ambient mode is also very good and convenient, albeit a bit unnatural. The call quality is superb no matter how noisy, windy, or crowded the environment may be. The 8hr (about 6 in my usage) battery life is decent by today’s standards and the case adds about 16 more with ANC on. Also, there’s Qi wireless charging compatibility and quick charge (3 min to add 1hr playback!). Then there’s the sound quality. Just as before, Sony have outdone themselves. I am utterly impressed by these buds’ 8mm drivers’ tuning. By default, the bass is punchy, impactful, and refined. The midrange allows for clarity in vocal, instrumental, choruses, and dialogue. The treble soars without being harsh or tiring. No matter what music genre or content I threw at them, they performed very well. Just in case, the XM5s react very nicely to EQ changes. Now, the LDAC codec adds an even more refined experience (only on Android and with a service that provides HiFi streaming). What makes an added case for the premium price tag, is the vast number of technologies crammed into these buds. I highly recommend downloading the companion app to fully unlock all benefits. Some may be gimmicky, but some are downright cool and must-haves. We are talking full manual, personalized, and preset EQs, speak-to-pause, full Alexa/google integration, shake-to-answer/hangup, spatial head-tracking, stream service quick access, 360 audio (with a compatible service), audio AI upscaling, noise control depending on action or place, and more. Again, some do not work all that well, such as the adaptive sound control (it kept switch between ANC and ambient modes at the weirdest times), but it’s still cool to know it’s there, and can be improved with firmware updates. If there’s one thing to nitpick, it may be the control scheme. While everything can be done from the buds, I cannot understand why it would need 4+ taps to control volume. It’s just not intuitive and sometimes I would make mistakes, so I found myself reaching for my device often. Still, I don’t consider this a deal-breaker. In the end, I am quite impressed with these buds. They check all the main boxes that justify the asking price in my experience. If you can get only one premium set of buds, I believe you can’t go wrong with the XM5s.

This product is not worth its nearly $300 price tag. The battery life, though advertised as around 8 hours, drains unevenly. If both earbuds start at 100%, just 10 minutes of use can leave one at 85% and the other at 75%. While they offer fast charging, it doesn’t work for both earbuds at once. The fit is also uncomfortable—I couldn’t wear them for more than 10 minutes without pain, and I still have marks from using them. For just $150, I’d recommend the ONEPLUS Buds Pro 3 instead. They’re far more comfortable, deliver better sound quality, and are much more reliable.

Got the previous year model in the wf1000xm5 box. Left the country to discover this. Basically payed for the newest and got the older one . Customer service might help me on a credit towards something when i get back state side. On the bright side the wrong earbuds they sold me are also good

The mostly amazing thing about those earbuds is the NOISE CANCELLING... Just a complete isolation without building pressure in your head. I have some other earbuds that they are also capable of cancelling the noise but after few minutes I start feeling some pressure building in my head and I feel the urge to remove them or at least cancel the function. The Sony WF1000XM5 are soft in the ears and also handling the cancelling in a better way. The surrounding noise/voices recognition also works better than the other ones (maybe those are newer and more advanced) and the played music in general is just crisp fine. They sit in the ears pretty well. Well locked even though they are a bit on the heavy side. It took me a while to find the correct fitting for my ears and then get used to how to lock them inside my ear. Sometimes it helps reading the manual. Indeed. They can be a bit loud (even not recommended). The EQ function is very capable and helps increasing the comfort listening to music/books/movies. I like to preset some and tweak some on the fly. The app has a lot of features and it may needs some time to explore them all. The most useful ones to me are: - Adaptive Sound Control: Allowing the earbuds to detect your ambient and decides how to filter the sounds around. - Speak to chat: I feel it is more accurate than the Android built-in voice recognition. Maybe it listens better. - head Gesture: this one is funny and as much as I enjoyed it in the beginning, I started to hate it for its false recognizing my head moving. BT range is good. Very acceptable and it is indeed greater when you are connected to a MacBook (for some reasons)... It paired easily and fast. They are capable to connect to 2 devices in the same time allowing you to listen to the music from the laptop and take the call from the phone. Battery started on the bad side. It got well better after 2 charging cycles. Wireless charger is a big (very big) deal for me and yes, those from Sony supports wireless charging. I was so happy to find that out. (wasn't mentioned any where I looked. At least). Over all, they are good and nice to have. A bit bulky but I've seen bulkier. I think the size contribute to a more superior sound quality which something Sony knows how to do. Recommended if you want to disconnect from your surrounding (bus, train, gym, nagging wife :) ) but also if you are looking to have quality time with soft music or an audio book.

Sony has released their new WF-1000XM5 Wireless Noise Canceling Earbuds, and they don't disappoint. The box includes the earbuds, battery charging case, a short USB-to-USBC charging cable, 4 different-sized rubber ear pieces, and quick user guide/paperwork. The earbuds come with a manufacturer's 1-year warranty. PROS: ----------- * Easy to physically connect to a bluetooth (BT) device using the Sony Headphones app. You can also connect without the app. * The case/battery gives the user bonus listening time if on the go, if a charging port is not available. * The Noise Cancellation (NC) does work pretty well; however, they still do not compare to over-the-ear full headphones. Even with NC set to ON (default, when powered ON), I could still easily hear the surrounding audio. I did have the correct rubber ear pieces that fit my ear correctly so as to help filter the outside noise. But for earbuds, the NC worked as well or better than other high-end earbuds I have used. * The audio itself was on the "high-end" side. The sound was crisp and clear. With the volume up, the drivers offered good frequency response. The bass was a little lacking as with most earbuds (see cons). * The app offers a customizable 5-band EQ adjustment. This is great for those who don't simply want preset audio settings like "Rock", "Voice", etc. * The fitment in the ear is pretty comfy initially and look great; however, after some time, as with many earbuds, you may have to give your ear canal a small break as they can eventually be a little uncomfortable. Or maybe a repositioning also might help. Trial and error may also be needed with the rubber tips. * The "tap options" are adjustable in the app. You can make changes to what the taps do to an extent to better adjust to how you want the earbuds to perform when you tap them (1-4 times or long-press). * I was impressed with BATTERY LIFE of these earbuds. I used them for 7-8 hours of work (in an office setting) with a short charging time during lunch, and they went strong the entire day and still had a good bit of life left at the end of the day. Getting long life from such small batteries is key, and these earbuds didn't disappoint. * WIRELESS CHARGING is available with this case if placed on an induction charging pad. This is a great feature because this keeps the user from having to plug in the case every time they want to charge the case's battery (or the earbuds themselves if they are in the case too). There are an abundance of light options that the case provides that you can read about in the PDF. There are too many to post here. * Call quality was great during VoLTE calls on AT&T. Voices on both ends were clear and precise. I was quite impressed with the call quality. * These earbuds have a function where you can setup your head motion (nodding up/down, shaking left/right) to answer or decline a phone call. This worked well and was a pretty nice added function. CONS: ----------- * Though it was easy to connect these earbuds to my BT device, there were a ton of steps in getting these earbuds setup. If you're not an audiophile, these may actually be too advanced for your needs if you go through app setup. * When using the Speak-to-Chat feature (which you can turn on/off in the app), if ON and you even clear your throat, the music stops for the designated time you have set in the app. The good news is that you can adjust that time to some preset times in the app. The bad news is that if you clear your throat loud enough, your music stops, and you have to wait for it to come back after the automatic pause. I ended up turning off this feature since allergies cause me to clear my throat more than a normal person might.. and creating music pauses each time. * As with most earbuds, bass response is not going to be great unless they are literally jammed deep into your ear canal, which is not good for hearing (loss) and uncomfortable after wearing for a decent amount of time. * With most earbuds, you know how they are going to fit in your ear. With these, it takes some getting used to on what angle to insert them, and then to be careful when putting them in, not to activate the touch area due to its small size. * Perhaps maybe twice a day, for a second or two, the earbuds would go out or unsync audio (one ear would go out then the other, then recover in about a second). This wasn't a huge deal, but possibly a firmware update might be in order to keep them synced up a bit better. There were no other signalling devices in the immediate area that would have caused interference that caused this. This has happened before on other truly wireless earbuds I have owned; however, it does happen less frequently with this pair. * The packaging itself was rather sad-looking, uninspired, and cheap feeling. The good news is that the case/earbuds are of high quality and durability. OTHER OBSERVATIONS: ------------------------- * There was a full downloadable PDF available - 178 pages. Or you can use the web help guide which breaks down certain issues into groups. A lot of the document is dependent on what OS you're using to connect. * These earbuds support Alexa and Google Assistant; however, I do not use these features. I also did not use the 360 Reality Audio function since I do not subscribe to the services that use that function. It looked like something that some people would enjoy, but I was not interested in subscribing to those services. * There is a head-tracking function I tried to utilize; however, I was unable to setup due to the app and earbuds not jiving together. I followed the instructions with the tilting of the head up/down as the app suggests in real-time, but nothing every happened, and I had to simply cancel the function. So that did not work for me. * These earbuds have an instant pause/play function that only works for audio apps. For instance, I was watching DTV Stream app which also includes video, and when the earbuds are removed, the video (or live TV, really) continues to play in the background, but muted on the earbuds. * There is no wall charger included with the cable. You will have to plug into a charging port on a PC or other device OR use a standard USB wall plug. * 4 sets of rubber ear pieces come with the earbuds. Mediums are already attached. The other sizes are in the case and labeled. CONCLUSION: ===================== For earbuds, this model from Sony is definitely one of the better choices available. It's quite cumbersome to get these earbuds setup initially; however, the end result is quite good by earbud standards. The options available are plentiful. I haven't had another set of earbuds have this many options available, period. The sound is great, and they definitely stay in your ear when active. I have used when walking and riding a bike. There was some awkwardness in initially getting them in my ear the correct way, but after some time, I was able to make adjustments as needed to get the right fit and insert them correctly. They aren't so big that they make you look like Frankenstein either (see my ear pictures). They flow pretty well with the natural shape, and I have a small/medium ear size. For true bass sound and audio quality, I will stick with my over-the-ear headphones, but for on-the-go functionality, quality, and battery longevity, these are definitely worth purchasing. I'd definitely recommend.

While initially excited about these wireless headphones, my enthusiasm waned as I struggled to decipher their intricate functionalities. The learning curve proved steeper than expected, leaving me somewhat frustrated. Additionally, the packaging, considering the premium price tag, felt disappointingly flimsy. Despite my initial desire to love these headphones, the complex setup and underwhelming packaging left me yearning for a more straightforward and robust user experience. Unfortunately I gave up and didn’t return them and went back to another well-known brand. I probably would have grown to love them a lot if I took the time to figure out all the functions but I felt headphones shouldn’t be that complicated.

These are the best wireless noise cancelling earbuds my ears have ever experienced. Compact, comfortable and long-lasting battery. I have experience with multiple other noise cancelling earbuds and without a doubt the WF1000XM5s are the best I have used. These earbuds are very compact, but their compact size does not hinder these in any way. The earbuds fit my ears comfortably thanks to the multiple different ear tips included. The sound is amazing, but the lack of sound may be more impressive. When ANC is on you are completely immersed in what you are listening to, and the rest of the surrounding sound almost completely disappears. Battery life is remarkable. I was able to listen to multiple podcasts, music, and watch videos for my entire 8-hour workday and still had plenty of battery life available. I have never experienced this type of battery life from any wireless earbud let alone one with noise cancelling/adaptive cancelling being active the entire time. The tap/touch controls are intuitive and allow for ease of use that is seriously missed on other earbuds. The available app provides you with access to additional layers of customization and other features to enhance your listening experience. I would definitely recommend these to anyone looking for a true wireless noise cancelling earbud.

It's not that much of an exaggeration. If you want to buy it, pay attention to these comments. It comes out of your ears quickly and is very bad in terms of grip.

The SONY WF-1000XM5 earbuds have more than met my expectations. It was a bit of a wait, but they’re finally here…and non-too-soon, I might add. They arrived the day before leaving for a convention I had in Louisville, so I was able to give the XM5’s a nice test drive. Normally, during a flight, I’m partial to over-the-ear headphones with good NC to get rid of that omnipresent airline white noise. Since these arrived in time, I figured to take them instead. The noise cancellation was impressive. Folks have said that these have the best NC offered in an earbud. I don’t doubt that. Maybe not quite as good as my usual OTE headset, but close. That may be due to the fact that I hadn’t really taken the time to dial in the sizing of the earbud tips. I simply went with the pre-installed Mediums. They were comfortable for me, so there you have it. The airline we were on had decent wifi, so I was able to stream both music and a movie. The XM5’s impressed me with their sound reproduction. Even on Sony’s bass boost setting, the results were not muddied by an over-zealous bass response. Rather, a punchy, well-mixed outcome. To put it plainly, this was awesome. Seriously. When I decide to take the time, I can also tweak things manually through the app, where there’s a 5-band EQ — among many other presets. Sound reproduction choice is almost endless. Since I mentioned it, let’s talk about the app. (Note: my phone is android, so I can’t speak to the XM5’s use within the iOS world.) When I first installed and opened the app, I thought, “Man, this is going to be tedious.” In actuality, Sony is being thorough — and enabling you to exploit all of the available features of these new, over-the-top earbuds. If you take the time and customize these to your specific liking, you can easily see why these are so highly rated…and they just came out! I can answer the phone with a nod of my head. I can decline a call with a (‘no’) shake. That’s crazy. Pardon me while I geek out… Okay, I’m back now. Take some time with this app. It will definitely be worth it in the long run. If you’re still a bit overwhelmed, there are already a couple good tutorial videos out there. As far as basic needs/luxuries which I appreciate and that the WF-1000XM5 earbuds have — Wireless Qi charging (as well as USB-C) — check Stout battery life, 8 hrs with NC enabled — check Exceptional sound reproduction — check Industry-leading active noise cancellation — check Unobtrusive size — check If you’re due for an upgrade, or looking for that first top-of-the-line pair, these are an outstanding choice that you will appreciate for a long, long time.

Phone call sound aweful, sound quility not that bad but there are better ones like the bose quietconfort and defenitly better noise supression , dunno whos got the great idea to switch the gums for memory foam eartips they wont seal as good as the other ones. Got iphone and the app suck aswell to many layers its not that easy to use as other companies simple and fast. Bass is not that punchy as other earbuds for the price definitely you can get something better way better

While there are a couple of things keeping me from giving the Sony WF-1000XM5 a 5-star review, if you're after sound quality in wireless, noise cancelling earbuds, I don't believe you can do better. The WF-1000XM5s rich, immersive, and full-bodied. While sound quality is certainly subjective, I found them significantly more pleasant to listen to music on than Apple's second generation AirPod Pros. Voice call quality in on par with the best wireless earbuds out there, and noise cancelling is also among the best I've used. Battery life is about 8 hours, and extends to about 24 hours with the charging case. Featurewise, Sony has packed all kinds of extra functionality into its companion app, Sony Headphones Connect, for Android and iOS, such as Adaptive Sound Control and Spatial Audio, but this is where they fall behind a little bit the Samsung or Apple counterparts have integrated these things into the Operating System of their phones, whereas the Sony as to do it in a companion app. While I'm sure Sony has done the same integration with their phones, how many people own Sony cellphones? Not many, I'm sure given their market share. While pairing AirPods to an iPhone, or Galaxy Buds2 Pro to a Samsung phone, these features are baked right in to the OS of the respective phones to exist natively, the Sonys require an external app that you must register, then grant numerous permissions to in order to enable these features, which at times I found their setup up somewhat tedious, and their functionality a bit erratic at times. This gives Samsung and Apple a bit of an ecosystem advantage over Sony. They are also both available at a lower price point than the Sonys. The bottom line is that If budget is not a concern and all you’re after is a great pair of noise-canceling earbuds that sound amazingly rich, immersive, and full-bodied with great call quality and top of the line noise cancelling, the Sony 1000XM5s certainly won’t leave you wanting.

Background: I've had the WF-1000XM3s, then the 4's and now I'm onto the 5's. I also own a pair of the WX-1000XM3 over-the-ear cans and Pixel Buds A series. I've been an NYC resident for over 6 years, and one of my biggest reasons for sticking with these Sony buds is because they maintain a stable connection in what is possibly the most crowded RF environment in North America. Granted, I think the wireless earbud space has improved dramatically over the last two years, to the point where even my sub-$100 Pixel Buds don't have any connection issues. Form factor & comfort: the buds fit very snugly in my ear and is a step up from the XM4's. I think this contributes to better passive noise cancellation. They also weigh less. The case is slightly smaller, which is a welcome change. In this category, the jump from the XM3's to the XM4's was dramatic (the 3's were super kloogy), but is less of a leap going from the XM4's to the XM5's. Sound quality: The XM5's sound signature is quite similar to the XM4's but there seems to be some more depth in the midrange. Sound quality with ANC on is noticeably better than the XM4. Overall stellar, and in my opinion, superior to my wife's Airpods Pro. Noise cancellation: This is markedly improved over the XM4s. The passive noise cancellation is probably the best I've ever experienced on any wireless earbuds, to the point where I don't even need to enable the ANC unless I'm riding a noisy city bus or flying on a plane. With ANC on, audio quality takes a significantly lower hit compared to the XM4s. Software: This is a space where Japanese electronics manufacturers have traditionally struggled, but the Android app is reasonably intuitive. The EQ is a also a legit EQ, which I appreciate. I haven't bothered with the 360 reality or other overlay-type features. I also like the head gestures -- very Apple-esque. I'm surprised the Airpods haven't gotten something like this. Lastly, if you have an Android phone like me, the integration into the OS is pretty tight. Negatives: My only gripe is with the case lid. For some reason, Sony can't seem to figure out how to make the lid not jostle around a bit. The lid on my XM4s was always wobbly and, while it's more snug on the XM5, it's still not perfect. Also, it should be $50 cheaper ($250 instead of $300). Conclusion: if you're coming from the XM3s, upgrading is a no-brainer. From non-Sony, non-Apple earbuds, probably worth it in my opinion. From the XM4s, it's a tougher sell especially given the premium price, but probably worth it if you want the superior passive noise cancellation and better audio quality with ANC on.

The Sony WF1000 XM5 earbuds was the most anticipated product for me. I already had the Sony Connect app as I own other Sony headphones as well as other brands. So set up was easy for me. The Sony Connect app is excellent, easy to follow and loaded with customization and features. After fully charging the ear buds and completing the set up, I put them through the paces, listening to music and videos, making calls , etc. Everything seemed to work fine. The sound quality was excellent. But the one thing that didn’t seem to work was the ANC. I tried all of the ear piece sizes several times but couldn’t get the proper seal for noise cancellation. I tested each ear piece with the app, but the app indicated that none of them offered the proper seal for noise cancellation. At first I thought I had a defective pair of ear buds, but after 4 days I now realize that the stem that holds the ear piece is too short to go far enough into my ear canal to form a proper seal. If I take my finger and press it against that back of the ear bud as hard as I can pushing it toward my ear canal I can just barely get enough seal to get ANC. I have several other ear buds including the Bose QC and Google Pixel and I have never had this issue. I always use a medium size ear piece and get a perfect seal. This is the first time I have had this issue. A quick fix for Sony would be to make a foam ear piece that is about 1/8” longer. But without a fix these are headed for my drawer or for use only in my home when it is quiet. And this is a shame because the sound quality is fantastic, battery life is very good, and the app is excellent. The case is small and easy to carry in a pocket. The ear buds are light and comfortable in the ear. But they are shiny and slippery. In fact I often have to grab them a couple of times just to get them out of the case because they keep slipping. I hope Sony sees this and comes out with a simple fix (longer ear piece). But until then I cannot recommend these ear buds.

As a previous owner of the Gen 4 WH1000XM4 and current owner of the WH1000XM5s, I am very familiar with Sony headphones in terms of use. In a nutshell, these are essentially the earbuds version of Sony's excellent WH1000XM5 over ear headphones. They have the same great sound signature, amazing noise cancellation, and long battery life, but now in a much smaller package. The case itself is also pretty compact and has wireless charging, which is a great bonus. In the box, it comes with several different sizes of eartips, but I found the Mediums that came already on them worked perfectly fine. As with other Sony headphones, the app is very useful to know / set them up. If there were any gripes I would complain about, the only 2 minor issues I had when using them are with regards to the slippery glossy surfaces as well as wind noise. If you look in the pictures, you can see there are glossy surfaces on these buds, which can be a little slippery when trying to take them out of the case. I have yet to drop them because of this slipperiness, but something to take note of. The wind noise is with regards to if you are walking in a fairly breezy area, you can 'hear' the wind coming through a little bit. My last slightly minor gripe is regarding the touch controls - they are a little more complicated and less intuitive than I'd like. It is best to check the app, where you can see all the different tap/swipe controls and customize a few also. That being said, while I have yet to do the real benchmark (aka, going on a flight), I do think these are a great choice for someone looking for wireless earbuds with top notch ANC and sound in a compact package.

Sony has always been a top dog in the wireless earbuds game, and their latest offering, the WF-1000XM5 is no exception. These earbuds are like a personal oasis of sound, blocking out the world's noise and delivering an audio experience that's nothing short of amazing. Noise Cancelling That's Out of This World The WF-1000XM5’s ANC is like having a superhero superpower. It blocks out all the background chatter, whether you're on a crowded train or trying to focus in a noisy office. You're left with just you, your music, and pure bliss. Sound That'll Make You Want to Move The WF-1000XM5’s audio quality is top-notch. Every note and beat comes through with crystal clarity, and the bass is just the right amount of punchy without being overwhelming. Whether you're into classical, jazz, or hip hop, these earbuds will make your music sound better than ever. A Fit That Feels Like a Hug The WF-1000XM5's are super comfortable to wear, even for hours on end. The soft ear tips don't cause any discomfort, and the earhooks keep them securely in place. You can even customize the fit with three different sizes of ear tips. Touch Controls That Make Life Easier The WF-1000XM5's touch controls are super responsive, so you can easily control your music without having to fumble with your phone. Want to skip a song? Just tap the earbud. Need to take a call? Tap and hold. It's that simple. Battery Life That Keeps Up with Your Busy Life The WF-1000XM5 battery life is impressive, with up to 8 hours of playback on a single charge. And if you run low, you can always pop them back in the charging case for a quick boost. Personalization That Makes Them Your Own The Sony Headphones Connect app lets you personalize your WF-1000XM5 experience to your liking. You can adjust the ANC levels, fine-tune the equalizer settings, and even enable "Speak-to-Chat" mode, which automatically pauses your music and lowers the volume when you start talking. My Personal Rave As a self-proclaimed music junkie, I can't say enough good things about the WF-1000XM5. From the moment I put them on, I was blown away by the ANC. The world around me vanished, leaving me in a sonic paradise. The audio quality was equally mind-blowing, with every instrument and vocal sounding crystal clear. I was also impressed with the WF-1000XM5's comfort. They stayed securely in place even during my most intense workout sessions, and the soft ear tips didn't cause any irritation after hours of wear. The touch controls were also a lifesaver, letting me manage my music without having to reach for my phone. The Verdict The Sony WF-1000XM5 True Wireless Noise Cancelling Earbuds are a no-brainer for anyone who loves music and wants the best possible listening experience. They're the perfect combination of noise cancellation, audio quality, comfort, and battery life. If you're looking for an upgrade to your earbuds, look no further than the WF-1000XM5. You won't be disappointed.

I find myself not being able to stop using these new 1000xm5 earbuds. Iuse the small size foam tips and they're so much more comfortable than the previous 2 generations to me. These are great for when relaxing and or when active. I use them when cutting the grass alot, and relaxing at home listening to my favorite music. These paired up perfectly the 1st time with my Samsung galaxy S22 ultra and my Samsung Galaxy tab s8. All I have to to is put them in my ear and open my tablet or phone and these earbuds pair right up to my device. I find the Bluetooth connection to be great with no dropouts after installing a update right after they're first charge. The battery life is awesome as well,I really like the wireless charging case. I just drop my case on my wireless charger whenever it's in need of a boost, no more plugging in cables for charging the case. The noise canceling works perfect as well as the built in ambient noise. If someone tries to talk to me, I literally have to remove these from my ears inorder to be able to talk and hear the person. I can't wait to try these out on a upcoming vacation flight, should be great. So far these are my favorite earbuds, and I have already had Sonys and Samsungs, as well as technics and seininheisers. These are the new guys on the block to beat for sure, hands down.

I've had the Sony 1000X Mark series going back to the M3's. Sony has come a long way since then. These are top of the line TW earbuds, but everyone's ears are different, so your mileage may vary. I also have the Bose Quietcomfort Earbuds II and the AirPods Pro 2. Each excel at some things, while struggling with others. I've yet to find one that is perfect. Noise Canceling - My opinion is that this is impacted by active and passive, The passive aspect cannot be discounted. So much of how well the noise canceling works depends on the seal you get with the earbuds. For me, the Bose QCII works best because it gives me the best seal. And I would say it is not even close. Second goes to the APP2 and the Sony comes in last. For whatever reason, my ears just do not do well with the foam eartips that come with the Sony's. I hear sounds at all frequency's leaking in. If you get a good seal, the Sony's may rise to the top of the list. I do feel they are better than the APP2 with the right seal and would rival the Bose QCII in my ears if I had a better seal. Airplane use - I will say this, when I am going on a flight, for a short haul (maybe up to 2.5 hours), I am taking one of these three. They do the job well enough and fit into my pocket. For a longer haul, my WH-1000XM5's or Bose NC700 (or even QC45) go with me. Their noise canceling is obviously better, and so is the battery life, but comfort for a longer time is why I'm taking one of these. Fit - The APP2 win here. They are just light and very comfortable. I can wear them for hours and just forget that they are there. The Sony's come in second. While the foam eartips are not good for me from a noise canceling standpoint, they are very comfortable and stay in my ears without issue. I do not, however, forget that they are there. The smaller size than the XM4's helps, but I still know I have something in my ear. Having said that, I would actually prefer the Sony's while working out or doing anything active. The Bose QCII comes in last for me. While they are very comfortable for the first 30-45 minutes, I start to get ear fatigue after that and find myself continually removing and putting back in only to have the same pain in a few minutes. Sound Quality - To my untrained ears, the Sony's win this. The equalizer allows unlimited customization, and the base resonates with my ears. The APP2 and Bose QCII both sound very good, just not quite as good as the Sony's. App - Sony wins this by a landslide. The number of things you can adjust and customize is amazing. Multidevice - All three can connect to multiple devices, but only the Sony's connect to two at the same time. The APP2 offer seamless device switching, while the Bose QCII only connect to one device. If you live in an Apple ecosystem, the APP2 win this. It works so easily and efficiently. The Sony's work great with two devices, but not quite as good as the APP2. Phone Call Quality - APP2 win this one. They sound good in all conditions, noisy and quiet environments, and even windy conditions. The Sony's sound much better than their predecessors (and when compared to the Mark 3 have come a long way) but still are not as good as the APP2. The Bose QCII sounds good too, but a little weaker and tin-canny than the other two. Transparency Mode - Apple wins this one. The squeeze hold on the stem and how clear everything is just works. The Bose QCII's are not bad, but not quite as clear. I just can't figure out what Sony is doing with their transparency mode. It does not let much in and what you can hear is hard to understand. That coupled with the fact that it randomly resets from a 20 setting (letting everything in) to a 1 (almost nothing in) after taking them off, putting them in the case and then taking them out again. I had this same problem with the XM4's and it still appears to be there with the XM5's. Doesn't happen all the time, but is very annoying when it does because then I have to get my phone out and go back into the app. Touch Controls - APP2 and Bose QCII are great. Play/pause, skip forward/back, increase or decrease volume. Each are very easy to use and work well. Sony? 4 taps to increase or decrease the volume. Really?? Who is going to do this? And this is just one level increase. If I want to increase 4 levels it takes 20 taps. This will never get used. How is it that every TW manufacturer has figured out on-board volume controls but not Sony? I hope they figure this out. Battery Life - I know there are probably minute differences between the three, but I've never had an issue with TW earbuds in a couple generations for any of these manufacturers. I just don't use them for periods of time that are long enough or where I do not have an ability to charge. Cost – APP2 win this. They are listed less and have been on sale more. Having said that, the Sony’s will likely see some sales soon and even at full-price, they are still worth it. Summary - If you live in an Apple ecosystem, the APP2 are the obvious choice, though both the Sony's and Bose QCII have many positives. If you live in an Android ecosystem, well, I can't answer that as I do not live in an Android ecosystem and never have. However, the Sony's might be the better choice for those with Androids. At the end of the day, it just might depend on what is most important to you. But as I said in my title, it is a crowded market, and I don’t think you can go wrong with any of them.

I have AirPods Pro 2 I use(d) at the gym and these are going to be my new go to headphone. There are so many choices when you buy headphones. One of the first is on or in ear. I tend to swap between the 2. I have over ear for travel and some gym days. In ear are good for travel and work, not so much for the gym. These may change that. These are lightweight, you have several options for tips for long wearing comfort. my only complain is how these are shaped and fit in my ear. Other than that, for me, these may be perfect. I have seen some reviews about the codecs etc. I have never had an issue with other headphones not having the ability to play a song. I did not have an issue with these. I was able to have conversations in the gym on my phone (iPhone 14) and I could hear the other person well and they heard me with very little background noise. The ANC for me was very good, it kept out the barbell sounds. I was able to go thru a leg day and cardio, and the battery was still doing great. I did not start out using the Sony app, these would well out of the box, These are very much on the high and for prices, so this is an investment. I really do love mine, so you should give them a try