Sony WH-1000XM5

The reviewer finds the Sony WH-1000XM5 to be excellent in sound quality, comfort, and noise cancellation, but criticizes the new non-folding design, which makes them less travel-friendly than the previous model. He recommends them mainly for Android users with enough bag space, while suggesting the cheaper and foldable XM4s for most others.

The reviewer, an audio engineer, finds the Sony WH-1000XM5 to be a refined and comfortable headphone with excellent active noise cancellation, particularly effective at sub-bass frequencies, and improved mid-range cancellation over the XM4. While the build feels slightly fragile and the lack of folding is a downside, the overall sound quality and ANC performance make it a top contender among the compared models.

The reviewer finds the Sony WH-1000XM5 to be a very comfortable and lightweight pair of headphones with excellent noise cancellation, though the ambient mode makes their own voice sound unnatural and the touch controls can be finicky. They prefer these over the AirPods Max due to comfort and price, and note the sound is good but not analytical, with a consumer-friendly tuning.

After a month of daily use across work, workouts, and commuting, the reviewer finds the Sony WH-1000XM5 to be excellent overall, with top-tier sound quality, comfort, and secure fit, but notes some limitations like lack of water resistance, no USB-C audio playback, and a somewhat dated app. The verdict is largely positive, with minor nitpicks that don't overshadow the strong performance.