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I'm still sporting my Bose QC25's. Is there anyone out there that can comment on how big of a difference there is between the XM4 or AirPod Max versus the old school QC25's?

I'm debating an upgrade between the AirPod Max and this new XM5. I like how seamless device switching is with the Apple/Beats headphones, but I can't get over the fact they charge via lightening. Lightening needs to die, as in yesterday.
 
It's better if you are only sticking with the Apple ecosystem. In general overall usage between multi-OS devices like I have Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS. I think the Sony one is well-rounded.

APM is just overpriced for what it is.
AirPods Max are superior in every way.
 
. . . Better is a subjective word that doesn’t carry weight.

Also, I’d say it really factors down to personal preference. When you look at the AirPods Max, they have lots of potential, but there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’, especially in terms of fit and comfortability, and parity of features doesn’t make the AirPods Max ‘better’, it makes them user specific.
The AirPods Max are OBJECTIVELY superior in every measurable way.
 
I guess a lamp is also better than AirPods Max given your priorities
Lack of on/off switch is a real issue. I have the APM, the bra has degraded so the flap doesn’t quite shut cleanly. It’s 50/50 whether I pickup the headphones and they have their charge so I can use them. It’s a stupid, infuriating design decision. what’s the point of $500 headphones if its a roll of the dice for them to work.
 
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No bias here. Best of both worlds since I have the APM and MX4. I like the APM better including build quality and sound. MX5 are a hard pass for me this round.
 
Ha ha, I'd forgotten my XM4s are collapsible. Thanks for reminding me of that. I really like the look of these new ones, but unfortunately the sound profile of the XM4s is not quite to my liking. I hope that Sennheiser comes out with a Momentum 4 that is as good looking as these, because in my admittedly inexpert opinion, my Momentum 3s sound way better than my XM4s.
 
does anyone know if its possible to use the MK5 or MK4 in noise canceling mode only, i mean without connection to a device.
i have the MK2, and they switch off after a few minutes.
thx
 
I like how these look, I would get these when $250. APM are not well suited for my currently fat head, and I know I must lose at least 15kg. They're collecting dust atm. I hate integrated battery, my Beoplay H7 have switchable battery and that's awesome. Also, there is 3.5 jack unlike with APM, they can be used without juice.
 
The predecessor to these phones were probably the best BT headphones I have ever heard so I have high expectations these will very much deliver the goods.
 
Undoubtedly they will sound amazing. But do I still need to head over to Bluetooth settings like a caveman to connect to them?
My XM4s automatically connect 9/10 times. However, they are slow to connect when you have them paired to multiple devices (I guess they wait for both devices before marking themselves as ready). That is quite annoying tbh because they are also paired to both devices at the same time so in iOS you’ll see them as connected, hit Play and then the music will come out of the iPhone.
 
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Air Pod Pro Max do have classy design and don't look plasticy like these.
I suppose that's purely subjective — I think AirPods Max are one of the worst design Apple's done in years. IMO classy is old B&W and B&O, but I don't think there is any point in arguing here. As we say — there are no comrades when it comes to taste :)
 
does anyone know if its possible to use the MK5 or MK4 in noise canceling mode only, i mean without connection to a device.
i have the MK2, and they switch off after a few minutes.
thx
You can but I'm not sure for how long without them shutting off.. I do this sometimes when we have too many people staying at our house and I need some peace and quiet:p But you can simply have them connected to a phone or what have you and just don't play anything.
 
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I’m really curious to see how the improved noise cancellation is compared to other ANC headphones on the market. As someone that spends a lot of time on planes, noise cancellation is the most important feature of any set of headphones for me. AirPods Max definitely hold the current best ANC crown.

Has anyone seen any reviews comparing these new Sonys to the AirPods Max or have reviews not come out yet?
 
I have the XM4's and the AirPods Max. I very rarely use the AirPods Max. I was gifted them, so I can't sell them unfortunately. For me the Sony's are much better. The kinds of sounds their ANC block (like keyboard clicks), are preferable to me. I much prefer the fuller bass, the weight, and the way they grip my head. The AirPods Max grip unevenly making it feel like the bottoms aren't fully attached. They also give me a terrible headache if I wear them for more than an hour. All in all, a bit of a bummer. If I am in the market for anything else in the next few years I'll definitely be checking out the XM5's.
I understand you cannot sell them but if you want to regift…let’s talk.
 
I like these new XM5's, especially the white ones. It's too bad they removed the folding feature, but I'm guessing they were copying the Bose headphones with a very similar case. I probably won't get them since I already have an XM4 and APM. I generally prefer the APM because they fit my head better and are a lot more comfortable. The XM4's hurt my head after a very short time, which I found odd because they weigh less, but hey, everyone's got a different sized head.

It's a good thing we have a lot of choices since whichever one is better is purely in the eye of the beholder. If I didn't have the XM4's, I'd definitely be picking up the XM5's.

Another thing to consider is that with prices of the APM coming down (I think Amazon has it for $449), the APM is only $50 different than the XM5's. I suspect Sony kept the XM4's on the market to justify the price increase on the XM5's.
 
. . . AirPods Max are better.
Everyone's ears are shaped different, no headphones or speakers sound the same to different people. So better to you might mean worse to me. Also as you age your hearing will change, you most likely will lose hearing high frequencies let's say over 13 kHz. I was a Sonar operator in the Navy during my younger years in 1974 and my hearing was tested out to a bit over 19 kHz, but now at 66 I can only hear tones up to 12.5 kHz, too many concerts in my younger years.
 
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