Why go for a headphone?
I’m currently planning to buy Sony XM5 for the sound quality (bit of an audiophile). At the same time, I’m questioning whether one really needs headphones. I’ve mostly used neckbands and I really prefer having them. But they don’t really make the cut if you want good sound while watching or listening to something.
How convenient has it been for you if you’ve owned headphones for a good amount of time?
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Till you see the sound tech in a recording studio use airpods, over ear headphones will continue to be the audiophiles choice.
Using the xm5 from their launch. Before that I used the xm4 for a couple of years. Worth the money. Great for using during workouts and office work. Don't usually use them inside the house, they are somewhat bulky (all big headphones are).
Great battery life. If you are into bass heavy music, sony has the best option. Some issues with long range connectivity but not that significant.
If living in a tier 2-3 city, servicing is an issue with companies other than sony due to most having only a few service centers across the country.
I’ve read quite a bit of comparison between 4 & 5 and surprisingly a lot of people said 4 is better in few aspects and not that lagging in terms of sound. Your take?
4 is foldable. That's the only actual benefit over 5. So it's easier to travel with. 5 has more drivers, better anc, etc. But 4 is available for quite cheap. Can go for it if you are okay with an older model.
It is use case bro.
If you just listen to music/podcasts while outdoors or commuting or workouts, in ear airpods do the job, even the cheapest ones are more than enough. Calls don't go well with in ear buds (except for the very expensive Sony, Apple etc) as you cannot have a larger mic near your mouth.
If you need something for calling, for those 2+ hr/day Teams calls, or even chatting for an hour with family & friends/SO while you are doing your chores hands free, headphones with good mic quality is a hack! The most expensive ones have more+better mic, so no quality problem.
I keep the cheapest airbuds+wired headphones (PC backup) for commuting and workout and the expensive Sony XM5 headphones for calls. Drastically improved my quality of life.
Appreciate the detailed review
Sony and audiophile in one line? Lmaooo
Don't even think of XM5 as an audiophile product. It's literally trash when it comes to sound.
Just buy Sennheiser HD560S if you're fine with wired.
Maybe it’s just me but i can’t breathe if i am wearing headphones. It just stops all the air around me 😝
I have a Sennheiser HD458 BT. Got it for cheap, decent (although not comparable to XM5) levels of noise cancellation and supports dual pairing.
But what I really love about these pair of headphones is the sound quality. Like the way I’m able to zoom in on the intricate layering of music and a fairly neutral sound is something I can appreciate - be it when it comes to listening to music or watching movies, whatever may be the case!
I like in ears when I’m working out or at work, at that point having a TWS is a real convenience but for serious listening, good headphones are the way to go imho and can make a massive difference!
Using XM4s for over a year and half at this point.
Really fit into my use case.
Office is noisy, so use them to block all the noise out. Travelling in planes with them made me realise how noisy planes actually are.
Small wired earphones for office calls if the floor is quiet, got moondrops as had a phone with a 3.5mm jack at the time, and didn't have the XM4s, and wanted an upgrade in audio
Neckband for workout, or travelling in auto or similar (prioritised battery life over audio quality here)
Speakers at home (my 10 year old portable speaker is still going strong)
I might have a problem.