$65.99 Bose on clearance right now at Best Buy vs $299.99 Sony on sale at a variety of places such as Costco. I was thinking of buying the Sony but that huge price difference is tempting for sure. I haven't made the purchase yet but figured I'd share the information.
I'm really tempted by the Bose QC45's. I've had terrible longterm experiences with both the Sony 1000XM3 due to constant crackling/static noise coming from the right ear cup, which started after a couple of months (apparently due to condensation from wearing them - and therefore not covered under warranty due to 'signs of water damage'), and the 1000XM4's which after about a year the left ear cup started producing loud and unbearable high-pitched noise while in noise-cancelling mode. Although the Sony's have been great in terms of sound quality, noise-cancelling and battery life, I no longer have confidence in their reliability.
i switched to those headphones recently,.the sound quality is great but the bass is underwhelming, i was actually going to return these and try the sony XMs instead
@@Komsan473 I ended up purchasing the QC45's, and agree that the bass is weaker compared to Sony's. It also feels like the noise cancellation is slightly better on the Sony XMs, but at this stage I'm sticking with the Bose, since I've had multiple bad experiences with Sony's longterm reliability and will have to wait and see how the Bose's holds up over time.
maybe something with your products…i’ve been using the xm4s for over a year now and i’ve faced no such problems…..but i am excited to try out the qc45s for a change.
I have the QC35 ii and just ordered the XM5. We'll see how much better it is. One issue I have with the QC35s is that to listen to anything at a decent level, I have to turn the volume up to about 90%. It's been that way since day one.
@@LK-xq2jy Have the XM5s now and on vacation. The sound is much louder and has good bass. The ANC is better and love the ambient mode by placing my hand over the right side. Yeah, definitely worth the upgrade to me. Plus the ear cups are just a bit larger and fit my ears better.
I now had QC45 and XM5 for testing - QC45 has always a significant hiss - XM5 has minimal hiss - for me, the ANC of XM5 was better - telephone on XM5 was better, wearing comfort on QC45 was better -- QC45 had balance problems - AARON, YOU ARE RIGHT - i can confirm - i sent back my QC45 - but i like the handling, design, quality and sound of the QC45 much more - most important thing was good ANC - so i will check some more days the XM5
@@techbasics6142 I tried both out in a cafe... I think the xm5 has better noise cancellation... especially for voice , and chatter... but... xm5 also has bad anc.... it is not stable.
The bose actually has room for your ears where the Sony’s your is pressed right up against the driver. Very shallow ear cups. That does not translate to comfort for me.
Yea I have the xm4 and I‘m sending them back because of that reason. Can’t wear them over half an hour without my ears hurting. The Qc 45 I eventually forgot I got them on even tho I have very big ears and I’m quite a big guy with 6,3ft.
@@dricebaker6594 yes why can’t Sony actually make real noise cancelling with room in the ear cup without having to pad the ear pads full thick synthetic material and press ear up against it all the time. That foam in the ear cups is worse for sweat then polyester ! Bose has very thin lay ear of cotton over driver with room. Guess that speaks to quality of real noise cancelling. Acoustic noise canceling is better quality then their chip
@@dricebaker6594 I understand I have both. Regret buying the xm5 they are not comfortable to me. No room for ears to breath in xm5 more sweet city then before.
Just bought both for comparison. The qc45 sounds very balanced and nothing jumps out and hits very hard. Excited for the XM5’s to come on because I prefer fuller sound and from all the reviews I’ve watched, I think that’s what I’ll be getting. Good review tho!
@@RileyBiggins Thanks Riley. Soon after I commented asking for an update, I bought the Sony WH 1000 XM4's, because the XM5's seemed a little too pricey. I'm satisfied with the noise cancellation and bass. The noise cancellation works well for low rumble or droning/continuous steady noises, but not so well for voices I think, right?
Weird thing about the QC 45 is that when I have these on without playing anything , I hear some white noise. When I do the same with the QC 35 II, I don't hear this. So despite cancelling out more external noise, the ANC of the 45 generates noise inside.
Good comparison, I bought the QC45s and I can confirm that they don’t have any software or hardware issues with the sound being higher on one earcup than the other. I really believe you have a faulty pair. I agree that Bose should update the QC45s to allow us to use them with the ANC turned completely off, but honestly I don’t get your point in having the option to lower or adjust the level of ANC. Why would I ever want to lower the ANC level? I either want full ANC on, Aware mode or hopefully with an a update, turn the ANC off completely, but I would never want to use ANC at 60% let’s say or whatever. The QC45s are much more comfortable as well, no comparison, if people disagree then go yourselves and try them on in the store if you can. If you want to listen to headphones for hours or you’re going on a flight over oceans then get the QC45s because the XM5s get extremely uncomfortable. No one wants to listen to any headphones if they get uncomfortable after an hour of usage, it defeats the purpose of spending that much money on a pair of ANC headphones. Plus, did anyone know that the headband on the QC45s and QC35s is metal all around? Did you know that you can literally cut the cushions on the headband with scissors and literally buy and change the headband yourself in 2 years if it starts to look like crap? I really want to see XM5 owners doing that in 3 years. I don’t really see it to be possible. Plus because the Bose’s headband is metal under the plastic and under the cushioning, it can flex very easily and it can literally never snap in two or crack or whatever. Research all of that before you throw your money at any headphones that cost more than $300 or even more in Europe. P.S. we all know that Sony has payed almost all influencers on TH-cam to review their XM5s because Sony themselves have thanked them for the reviews in the comments sections. I hope they didn’t pay you to say anything and I appreciate the honest and straightforward review you made here.
Like in qc35ii or 700 if u set anc to 50-60% u can cancel wind. I have some problems with qc45 when I walk against the wind and I can barely hear the music. With nc at the max level u won’t remove wind noise but just lower noises like engines and stuff.
@@notValtrax Good point, I too did notice the wind but for some reason if it’s a windy day for example, I can hear the wind on the headphones for the first 5 minutes of being in the wind, after which the wind is suppressed a bit, I believe the processor in the headphones are working to adapt to the wind and reduce the sound it causes a bit and it works for me. It doesn’t really bother me that much anyway since this only happens on windy days and I’m also usually just getting out of the house and then down the subway then up downtown where there’s not that much wind anyway and then shopping and so on and so forth. So wind isn’t exactly a huge issue. But as I mentioned before, if Bose would update them and allow us to completely disable it he ANC all together then that would definitely fix the wind issue for good.
@@Squidboyy I agree with that but I have a pair of QC45 and in a windy day, for me at least, even after 10-20 min the wind won't be canceled or suppressed. I watched a comparison on yt 2 months ago where the TH-camr was pointing just at that thing I said in the previous comment. It's a downgrade for me, even the qc35 ii has better functionalities..
high ANC can cause cabin pressure. I bought the anker q45s. Great noise cancellation at the highest level but unfornately had terrible cabin pressure for me so had to return, otherwise those are hard to beat for 150 dollars.... sound is good as the xm4s
Aaron, great video as usual. 1 thing, even though the Sonys bass are great for a closed back noise cancellation headphone. ,But as an audiophile I find that the XM5 sounds dark. The bass bleeds to the midrange a little bit . It doesn’t have treble details as well. Bose is much neutral in sound a little bit. Yes they don’t hit hard on bass, but they are much balanced
I definitely agree! I have the xm4 and the qc45 on hand right now and I am tending to send the sonys because of that reason. Especially with the new eq tweaks the qc 45 sound much more refined and well tuned. No matter what I do in the eq of the xm4 that bass really hits into the mids and also quite significantlly distorts the highs. Its a win win for me: Better sound and MUCH BETTER Comfort with the qc45.
Hello everybody. I would also like to share my experience with you. I don't know about Sony owners, those of you who have a series 4, but I'm really disappointed with them. After a month of using the headphones, they stopped charging. I looked under the user help to reset them but nothing better. Then one day I connected them to the cable and they started smoking. So I'm really desperate. It's great that they still have 10 months of factory warranty, so I'm going to take them to the store where I bought them and let them deal with the service. Yesterday I bought a Bose45. I'll see if the headphones are any better. I hope so, because the price is high for both.
Hi Aaron, another great video! Thanks! I have the Sony XM5, and had the Bose QC45. XM5 are for me a way better headphones, especially sound and call quality. But, didn't you notice a creaking sound when wearing glasses? It's the cushion's material slipping over the glasses leg.
I have the same problem with the qc 45, where the right ear cup is louder. I have a Samsung, and I can go into my advanced sound settings and slightly move the sound over to the left earcup to even out the sound.
Hi I have a Bose QC 45. I have a mix feeling with this headphone. on the plus side: it very comfortable, easy to use and have a very good battery life. The sound quality is, for me, not the best, but good for simple usage. (youtube or phone calls) On the down side: it does not work properly with Microsoft Teams. My voice is very low, people can hear background noises and in a very noisy environment (datacenters) it doesn't work. I have to go back to my old Jabra for Teams. PS I don't have the same issue with sounds on the right.
Yes, for phone calls the QC45 is even inferior to the QC35 and crappy on its own even without comparing it with other headphones. As of now, no other ANC headphone elimates all background noise like the XM5 does.
If you want complete silence like from noisy neighbors who are constantly fixing their houses I suggest getting silicon earplugs. You can find them cheap online. I got mine at my local hardware store for like 6 dollars in a big pack. And then wear the headphones over the ear plugs. You won't hear as much noisy neighbors anymore. You can also blast the volume on the xm5 or xm4 too it seems smaller but that's because you put the earplugs inside your ears first. But it reduces outside world sound greatly. I have this issue where people tend to ruin my weekends with labor work. I live in a crowded area and this is what has to be done with me because people don't know how to relax.
As someone that uses anc headphones for studying (no music or only background sound, and I use them for more then 10 hours daily) i had to return the xm5, sheesh that headband is harsh after a while, I went back to the qc45 :/ great anc though
@@TN7. For phone calls nothing beats the XM5 at the moment. The rest is not as clear cut, but the QC45's hiss and white noise and cabin pressure effect can be bothersome if used without music running.
I'm a producer&sound engineer and had the chance to use many headphones for traveling and work. In the headphones ANC world, I have/had the XM5, XM4, Bose 700/35 II and Airpods Max. Honestly, it sucks that these XM5 do not let us chose how much ANC we want, I'm sure they'd be better than the Bose 45 if they were in high ANC mode in your test but you can't choose. The XM4 are better than the XM5 when the XM5 are in the medium mode, and they unfortunately are in medium ANC 75% of the time. Another thing I dislike about the XM5 is that they constantly switch between medium and high ANC mode when commuting (train or plane) because the noise level constantly goes above or below the said threshold. I'm all for machine learning taking over those kind of decisions, but they should either optimize more or give us the option to chose how much ANC we want. Let's see how they deal with it in the future. Love your work Aaron!
@@JiDeyZwex That sucks. That's a deal breaker for me then. I'll stick to my Momentum 3 Wireless and XM3 and maybe go for the next Momentum Wireless if they up their game on the anc and comfort level.
Why don't you just turn off adaptive sound control in the app so you don't have to deal with the headphones switching between settings? You can control the noise cancelation by switching to ambient noise in the app and control the level from their. It has 3 modes: noise canceling (max noise cancelation at all times), ambient (starts slightly lower than max and it's adjustable noise cancelation/ambient sound with 20 levels), and both noise cancelation/ambient sound completely off.
A big thank you for your video! 👍🏽 When you use the headphones (Bose QC35, QC45) with noise cancellation activated without listening to music while you work, does the headset automatically turn off or disconnect after a certain period of inactivity?
Been on a few with my old QC35's. They've been great. Just in the process today of likely getting the QC45's to replace these old headphones. I also like they provide the cable as well. Useful on planes. I was just on a flight recently and ended up using the cable to connect the onboard infotainment. Works awesome.
Bose sadly just has a very underwhelming sound quality and they feel significantly cheaper than anything else on the market. Can't see myself spending $280 when you can get the XM4 for a similar price.
@@aaronloudnwireless had an QC45 yesterday with 2.0.4 -- there is sadly significant hiss and i returned the unit on the same day -- XM5 wit 1.1.1 has minimal hiss, but i can hear it. -- best hp would be a mixture of qc45 and xm5 🤡
Hi Aaron I am thinking of purchasing one of the two anc headphones as I can't stand subwoofer noise from neighbours. Which done do you think works better for that purpose?
Recently got the M5 and I had the QC45s and people would normally complain about how they weren’t able to hear me. I don’t have any of those complaints with the Sony
I do not have that issue with my Bose QC 45s and I’m thinking about buying the Sony but I’m not sure would you buy them if you already have the balls or would you just save your money
It would be great if you would test a recent pair of NC 700s. The new ones (built late 2021/2022) have a newer firmware (2.0.4, same name as QC 45 which is probably a coincidence). This suggests something has changed in the NC 700, perhaps hardware, NC capability, bluetooth version or something?
my QC45 frequently causes sound gaps when connected to my macbook - basically bluetooth "pauses" for about 300-400ms at a time every few minutes, it's annoying but manageable.
Hi Aaron. Love your videos. Just want to confirm with you if the headband from the XM5 starts to cause pain after a certain amount of time. Some people seem to complain about it and some don't really notice it. So I would like to know if the headband causes a significant amount of discomfort for you.
I also don't feel any inconvenience from the XM5 headband, although I would agree that those of the QC series and the previous XM models make you feel them less due to the thicker and wider padding.
The story is simple: NC I can't speculate between two.. but: 1. For mic's background noise reduction Sony is clear winner. 2. For wind reduction / listening experience (at the same time) Sony is winner. 3. For sound quality MX5 is nowhere close to QC45. If QC45 had the same mic noise reduction / wind handling like Sony, I'd be wheeling to pay 380 dollars .. unfortunately it is not an option (at least at this point). Superb Sony's base came with price of keeling treble crisp. On top of it it sounds more like 'mono' as oppose to QC45 great sound separation and clarity.. Unfortunately Apple overkill making it's treble sound more like a plasticky digitized crap, sorry Apple.
maybe i havent tired adjusting the ear cups properly or my ears are just not for the sonyxm5s, but ive gotten the opportunity to try both and if comfort is ur main goal bose is the winner, i like sonys aesthetics and touch screen but i can feel the mesh on my ears and when i move i can hear the mesh on my ears ;-;
Really appreciate this! I'm looking to replace my OG QC35's (not the II's). Really been happy with the comfort of these, so will hopefully remain with the QC45's as well. Thanks for the feedback.
Ciao, potrei sapere tra Sony wh 1000xm5 Bose QuietComfort c45 e se le hai provate Sennheiser Momentum 4, quali tra queste sono più adatte per guardare Film su Netflix con vari audio Dolby Atmos per esempio. Grazie e complimenti per il tuo video sei davvero molto Bravo!!!
I was ready to buy the QC45 but I came across a deal so good, I couldn't pass it. US$ 77 for the QC35 ii (open box new product) what a steal! 🤩 I almost feel guilty.
@@Tjoppy wonderful info I own the 35 and will keep them for 2 more years now or more , thanks 👌🏻😅 I own the AirPods Pro when I make calls so I can use them when I want good call quality
Hi great vid as always from you Aaron thank you. You dont mention white noise/hissing or pressure differences between the two. I use headphones for ANC only (due to sensory sensitivities) so if the QC45s generate their own sound inside then the benefit of better outside sound reduction would be outweighed. Am trying to get things as quiet as possible. I have the NC700s but they arent good at dealing with mid range/chatter which is what i am mainly trying to deal with. So would love to get your take on whether the sony/QC45 have hissing etc internally when ANC is on
@@angelulloa717 so sorry i didnt see your comment. I got the XM5 they have no hiss and they do reduce sound well, ... I still prefer my BOSE 700 ones though
Hello, greetings from Indonesia. Just got back from a mall where I tested both of these. I am open to some discussion and some insights from u guys. Personally, I think that bose somehow sounds more neat and clear, some may say it's flat, but for me, all the elements are there with just enough and sweet harmony. Well let me explain my experience : - NC : yes sony has a stronger NC compared to Bose ; but somehow I did feel Bose's NC gives more pleasant 'vacuum' feel, whereas sony (even though the NC is indeed stronger) feels weird and make my ears less comfortable. - SQ : as I mentioned earlier, Bose has a more pleasant sound in terms of the composition of every elements, they are just on the right spot, I guess. Sony has more length in terms of character but with the stock setting right off the box , I think bose sounds more sweet and more comforting. -comfort : well both of them offered some kind of the same level of comfort on my head. BUT GUYS this is what I want to ask..... when I tested Bose ; there is no changes with the sound quality & character when I played music with NC on or Off ; BUT with sony, I notice quite a big difference when NC was on or off, with sony NC On it feels like closed back headphone with powerful bass and body but when NC was off it feels less powerful and feels weak. Do you have any insight on this case? thankyou
I have both headphones at home atm... I'm quite shocked, that your pair of qc 45 outperformed the xm5 in noise cancelling... I've A-B'd both, and the xm5 completely outclassed the qc 45s, be it airplane noise, music, streets sounds etc... And in all frequency ranges, low mid and high. Don't get it really... could it be a new software update, that makes such a difference?
@@aaronloudnwireless its still extremely iffy for me, id much rather be able to control it on my own, I find my air condition in my room doesn't make enough noise to kick the anc up to a higher level but is definitely loud enough to be heard even with music playing when the anc optimizer doesn't work
I recently bought the xm5 and I can’t hear my voice at all during calls. I also did the background noise test and my voice gets cancelled out completely . I think I might have gotten faulty headphones
My personal progression with Bluetooth overear headphones: Beats Studio > Bose QC35ii > WH1000-XM3 > WH1000-XM4 Also ran: Sennheiser Momentum 3 Summary of each: Beats: lipstick on a pig (big marketing, subpar quality) Sennheiser: best sounding, too impractical for a daily driver (super stiff metal headband compromises comfort, heavy weight can cause headphones to slide off head when leaning forward or back, software issues when connected to dual devices simultaneously (when playing music on one device, notifications on the secondary device can pause music on the primary device) Bose QC35ii: 2nd to Sony in terms of ANC and Bluetooth range, physical controls which I prefer, supports dual device connection (Bluetooth range is noticeably inferior to Sony. ANC on Sony is also better) Sony XM3 & XM4: Overall best Bluetooth range, and ANC. Touch controls are awful (I initially enjoyed the move from Bose to Sony primarily to the superior Bluetooth range. Only upgraded from the XM3 to the XM4 as Sony adopted multiple device connections. Touch controls are involuntarily triggered regularly. Simply turning my head while wearing a hooded coat can initiate the touch input as the right outer ear cup comes into contact with the coat. This contact can enable Sony's speak-to-chat function which disables the noise canceling when the mic detects audible voices. Touch controls can be disabled but this requires nearly all functions to require phone input) Overall summary: Sennheiser is not a real player in practical daily use wireless headphones. I have thoroughly enjoyed Sony's XM series but the touch controls remain a constant annoyance. I am strongly considering returning to Bose for my next headphones purchase.
@@itslmd That goes without saying. It still doesn't change the fact that if I pause a song or a video, I shouldn't be hearing any noticeable hissing whatsoever.
@@PSYCHOV3N0M Just pretend to be an audiophile listening to vinyl records, man.... That hiss is a feature, not a bug... 🤪 Agree it's annoying though. Currently researching this as I'm still on my old Bose QC35's. Not the QC35 II, the OG baby :) I've gone through one battery and two sets of ear pads on these to keep them going last 6 years or so. I've gotten my mileage out of them for sure.
I am no audiophile, and I don't truly believe in bluetooth audio over wired. BUT I recently got a pair of Bose QC45's and I am beginning to get buyers regret with how many reviewers stand by the XM5. I am curious tho, from a normal person not in the audio space, is the difference THAT dramatic to say one should return the Qc45 for the xm5? Are the differences so minimal that it really just comes down to personal preference?
I went from the XM5 to the QC45 because of comfort issues. Sound is better on the Sony if you prefer a fuller sound but some people prefer Bose because it sounds more balanced. ANC is a bit better on the QC45. I'm much happier with the QC45 though because I can actually wear it for an extended period of time.
I ｈａｖｅ qc45, and xm5 as well, and my unit is also louder on the right ....wth.... lol.... and the noise cancellation is also a bit stronger on the right.... but i still prefer it to the xm5, xm5 is too hot, and the anc is not stable... no peace of mind.
Hello 😊 I'm using Bose now and I must say that it's very good headphone 🎧 Just only thing why I'm not totally satisfied is the Bass, 😕 otherwise all is ok, very confortable 👌🏻, sometimes I'm sleeping with it 😴 ( with Quiet confort, that's amazing ) Ps: I love Bose so much also I can't really admit Sony is better 😂 And now my brother want it so I offering it to him, I think I want to pass to Sony WH1000-XM5 to have more fun on Music ( bass 🤯🤤 ) Only things I'm 😶 with that Sony is: it's not foldable 😢 And I doubt it's even more comfortable than Qc45, 😕 ( Sorry, I don't speak English very well )
I am not sure what to think. I have been watching reviews and trying to make up my mind while learning more about the products. I went in to try all of the headphones, including the sennheiser momentum 4. The XM5 sounded like someone had strapped 2 loud speakers to my head (not fun or enjoyable, i don't think they were too loud either), the sennheisers sounded tinny (they were what i had my bet on being the best) and the bose sounded beautiful and like i was listening to the music being played live in the room i was in. I stress that you go try them for yourself, i am still considering and will test again before i purchase.
@@PSYCHOV3N0M JB HIFI. It’s an Australian store. Where are you located? I ended up buying the Bose QC45 and I’m happy. A few things could be slightly better but on sale for $340 down from $500 I’m happy
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS VIDEO......I got for my B-day Master & Dynamics MH40 Head Phones from my Daughters. I was thinking to buy one of these Head Phones for my computer, watching Movies., online, etc.......once again, thanks for the video..........especially the part about the gun........in which my girlfriend might do to me......LOL.......!!....................{just kidding]......!!!
Interesting comparison. For those of us most interested in listening to music how about comparing the XM5 to the super cheap Sony WH-CH510? Do the XM5s' sound ten times better?
I would be interested to know how the pressure is on the temples of the glasses. I often have problems with this and am looking for a perfect headphone that does not press. The Bose 700 headphones were very uncomfortable for me.
I'm sorry Dave, I can't answer your question right now... 🙂 Totally digging the HAL9000 "eye".... I wear my old QC35's(older version) with glasses and i think they're fine, but definitely better when I have my contact lenses in. Might want to give contacts a try. I gave them up about 25 years ago and returned to them about 6 years ago. The new ones are amazing and don't dry out your eyes as much. Sorry for the tangent subject :)
In the previous video with the Bose NC700 the Sony sounded much better than in this video. Is it possible that something went wrong in this test? Here they sound unreasonable worse especially at the low frequencies. I also cannot hear any audible ANC adaptation. I can easily feel it when I put them on.
@@aaronloudnwireless Mmm maybe you could redo the test with all the three headsets in this room? It would be great also to get the recording outside the headset as a reference...
Me too bro. Sony 1000 xm3 died within 3 months, and 1000 xm4 died within 3 and half months.. Very much depressed and annoyed regarding a such big brand
My XM4 has been good for 4 years with about 5 hours use per week. My previous QC35 had the on/off switch mechanically fail after about 5 years. The slider on the Bose is a weak point IMHO.
Bose QC 35 have been great but the call quality and noise in the background made it hard for mg work envirornment. Now I’m using the Sonys XM5 and the quality is better, so is the NC and the battery. Overall it was an improvement but I still think the overall sound isn’t separated enough as I’d like super high quality music like you get from apple AirPods max.
Qc45 are superior to xm5. Plastic on xm5 is low quality. And when you put that xm5 are costing way much that qc45.... xm4 vs qc45 maybe then you could say that sony might be a better choise, but xm5 no way. But I understand, I follow you for years now and I can tell you are a fan of sony since xm3 ;). Cheers!
If i use the auxiliary cable on my bose qc45 instead of Bluetooth, the headphones turn off noise cancelling. Also at half the price of the Sony. I'd rather have the bose. I just dont see a pare of noise cancelling headphones being worth $400 dollars. That is where i draw the line.
I really don't understand that if you are doing a side-by-side ANC comparison of two headphones, why can't you do the same when testing sound quality? I suppose everyone hears audio differently. Everyone has a different taste. Only hearing your opinion does not serve the purpose of watching your videos because there are a million videos which just talk and talk about all the headphones. Very few channels do real-time side-by-side sound quality testing. I hope you will consider this
Appreciate the feedback. I have done it before. Got lots of flak for it, comments like "I have those headphones and it sounds nothing like the recordings." No wonder, there are too many variables at play. The recording microphones have coloration, the listening equipment you use have their own coloration - depends on what gear you use - Earbuds? Headphones? Speakers? And what kind? Even your own ears have coloration. Word of advice - you'll never be able to experience the sound like listening to the actual headphones. Not dissing on others who provide sound samples but if you want authentic Japanese food, go to Japan. If you want to hear the sound quality of headphones/earbuds, listen to the actual thing. Best that any reviewer with trained ears can provide is a description of what we're hearing supported by graphs. Cheers!
@@aaronloudnwireless Oh. Firstly thank you so much for your reply. Yeah I watched your earlier videos and found the real-time audio samples. But lately, that segment is absent. The problem in my country (India) is that there is no shop in my area which offers me to "try" the headphones before buying. They are sealed. I am literally in a helpless situation when making a choice of buying headphones. Due to this, I really appreciate a creator/video when they put a sound sample of the headphones. With due respect, I criticise people for their hate/criticism to you because, given that you give timestamps (thank you for this), people have the liberty to skip this segment of audio testing if they do not like how the recording quality is! I really love this style of recording. I can understand that recording does have some variation when compared to the actual hearing but that's okay to me. Please consider reinstating the real-time audio testing in your videos. Thank you for your time in replying and your efforts in making content. ☺️❤️
@@mr.chinmayajoshi2688 It won't make a difference. You want to know which one is better than the other?? Save up and BUY BOTH. That's literally the only way you can make an ACTUAL informed decision on which one to keep and which one to return.
from purely noise canceling point of view(which for me is the top priority), i was wondering wouldn't it be more effective to buy soft earplugs(the ones you can comfortably wear for hours) and combine it with passive noise isolation headphones( like audio technica ath-m50x or alike) ? advantages of this could be: 1. saving a bit of $$$(passive noise isolating headphones are way cheaper), 2. not having noises ANC headphones produce and also 3. earplugs would protect you ear drums from music which would allow to play music at higher volume(if inclined to do so) ??? anybody tried it?
The idea should work in terms of overall noise reduction. I haven't gone shooting in quite a while, but when I used to shoot at the indoor range, I'd double up my earplugs and my electronic noise cancelling muffs. It was a good combo due to sounds being louder indoors (sound reflections off the walls). For your purposes, I'd be concerned about variability in noise reduction relative to sound frequency. The same amount of foam will attenuate high frequencies much more than low ones. I'm thinking it would destroy the sound quality for music. It will likely sound very muffled with no top end, but if you can buy a set and try it, it will satisfy your curiosity for a few bucks.
@@hondahirny in my case top priority is to reduce the outside noise as much as possible, quality of music sound is secondary. I just bought sennheiser hd 280 pro which has great passive noise isolation and decent sound quality, also got some simple earp plugs. so far the headphones have been enough though even when used on pretty low volume....
I cannot use earplugs anymore. They start hurting me after a few hours interrupting my sleep while I remove them. I use tissue paper after wrinkling it in to a ball and expanding them twice to make them softer. They're cheaper and cleaner. I use ANC headphones above them. A 3D sleep eyemask helps tighten it in place.
LDAC makes Sony the clear winner here, it's not even a competition. The QE 45 just sounds dull and compressed no matter what you do since they decided to go with outdated sbc/aac codecs.
$65.99 Bose on clearance right now at Best Buy vs $299.99 Sony on sale at a variety of places such as Costco. I was thinking of buying the Sony but that huge price difference is tempting for sure. I haven't made the purchase yet but figured I'd share the information.
10:50 The touch controls are actually a downside for me. As that means they are tricky to use in the winter with gloves.
Touch controls on the Sony are the reason I’m switching to Bose. They don’t work properly
@@JamesZ1025 Same. It's really a shame, since I like the Sony headphones otherwise (XM4).
My Bose QC45 works well. Try this Eq setting Bass+6, Mid+7, Treble+4. Check if you notice some difference.
This is the best suggestion ever. God bless you.
I own Bose Qc 35 II is awesome and I enjoyed every second watching movies and music. Thank you 😊
Great to hear!
Actually I was wondering about this. I also own the 35 II and was wondering if the 45 is worth the upgrade.
@@AzizIzgin not really
I'm really tempted by the Bose QC45's. I've had terrible longterm experiences with both the Sony 1000XM3 due to constant crackling/static noise coming from the right ear cup, which started after a couple of months (apparently due to condensation from wearing them - and therefore not covered under warranty due to 'signs of water damage'), and the 1000XM4's which after about a year the left ear cup started producing loud and unbearable high-pitched noise while in noise-cancelling mode. Although the Sony's have been great in terms of sound quality, noise-cancelling and battery life, I no longer have confidence in their reliability.
i switched to those headphones recently,.the sound quality is great but the bass is underwhelming, i was actually going to return these and try the sony XMs instead
@@Komsan473 I ended up purchasing the QC45's, and agree that the bass is weaker compared to Sony's. It also feels like the noise cancellation is slightly better on the Sony XMs, but at this stage I'm sticking with the Bose, since I've had multiple bad experiences with Sony's longterm reliability and will have to wait and see how the Bose's holds up over time.
@@MeSayus How about wind noise on QC 45,? Ever tried wearing them outside during windy days?
I don't understand why there is not a recall on the 1000XM4. I will never buy another Sony product of any type.
maybe something with your products…i’ve been using the xm4s for over a year now and i’ve faced no such problems…..but i am excited to try out the qc45s for a change.
I have the QC35 ii and just ordered the XM5. We'll see how much better it is. One issue I have with the QC35s is that to listen to anything at a decent level, I have to turn the volume up to about 90%. It's been that way since day one.
any updates ？
@@LK-xq2jy Have the XM5s now and on vacation. The sound is much louder and has good bass. The ANC is better and love the ambient mode by placing my hand over the right side. Yeah, definitely worth the upgrade to me. Plus the ear cups are just a bit larger and fit my ears better.
Ate you deaf? 🤣 I always used my 35' at 40%
is the xm5 more comfortable than qc35 ii?
I might choose between qc45 and xm5
I now had QC45 and XM5 for testing - QC45 has always a significant hiss - XM5 has minimal hiss - for me, the ANC of XM5 was better - telephone on XM5 was better, wearing comfort on QC45 was better -- QC45 had balance problems - AARON, YOU ARE RIGHT - i can confirm - i sent back my QC45 - but i like the handling, design, quality and sound of the QC45 much more - most important thing was good ANC - so i will check some more days the XM5
i agree Bose is way more comfortable, i also think ANC is better on Bose especially voices but i own XM5
@@techbasics6142 I tried both out in a cafe... I think the xm5 has better noise cancellation... especially for voice , and chatter... but... xm5 also has bad anc.... it is not stable.
The bose actually has room for your ears where the Sony’s your is pressed right up against the driver. Very shallow ear cups. That does not translate to comfort for me.
Yea I have the xm4 and I‘m sending them back because of that reason. Can’t wear them over half an hour without my ears hurting. The Qc 45 I eventually forgot I got them on even tho I have very big ears and I’m quite a big guy with 6,3ft.
@@dricebaker6594 yes why can’t Sony actually make real noise cancelling with room in the ear cup without having to pad the ear pads full thick synthetic material and press ear up against it all the time. That foam in the ear cups is worse for sweat then polyester ! Bose has very thin lay ear of cotton over driver with room. Guess that speaks to quality of real noise cancelling. Acoustic noise canceling is better quality then their chip
@@dricebaker6594 I understand I have both. Regret buying the xm5 they are not comfortable to me. No room for ears to breath in xm5 more sweet city then before.
thats why ive always chose bose. love that room for your ears
Just ordered the QC45's as my ears touch the back of the ear cups on the XM5's. Hope the QC45's are more comfortable.
Just bought both for comparison. The qc45 sounds very balanced and nothing jumps out and hits very hard. Excited for the XM5’s to come on because I prefer fuller sound and from all the reviews I’ve watched, I think that’s what I’ll be getting. Good review tho!
let us know which u prefer!
Ayo give us an update Riley!
Ended up returning the Bose ones because they sounded sooooo boring and lacked the punch that the Sonys did so well
@@RileyBiggins Thanks Riley. Soon after I commented asking for an update, I bought the Sony WH 1000 XM4's, because the XM5's seemed a little too pricey. I'm satisfied with the noise cancellation and bass. The noise cancellation works well for low rumble or droning/continuous steady noises, but not so well for voices I think, right?
if you want a fuller sound you should not get an ANC headphones, you should get an hifiman 400 se with an topping l30 amplifier!
Weird thing about the QC 45 is that when I have these on without playing anything , I hear some white noise. When I do the same with the QC 35 II, I don't hear this. So despite cancelling out more external noise, the ANC of the 45 generates noise inside.
My old pair of qc15 did that too, I quite liked it though.
Great video again!! I just received the QC45 for fathers day & they are good so far, ANC is amazing.
Great to hear!
Good comparison, I bought the QC45s and I can confirm that they don’t have any software or hardware issues with the sound being higher on one earcup than the other. I really believe you have a faulty pair.
I agree that Bose should update the QC45s to allow us to use them with the ANC turned completely off, but honestly I don’t get your point in having the option to lower or adjust the level of ANC. Why would I ever want to lower the ANC level? I either want full ANC on, Aware mode or hopefully with an a update, turn the ANC off completely, but I would never want to use ANC at 60% let’s say or whatever.
The QC45s are much more comfortable as well, no comparison, if people disagree then go yourselves and try them on in the store if you can. If you want to listen to headphones for hours or you’re going on a flight over oceans then get the QC45s because the XM5s get extremely uncomfortable.
No one wants to listen to any headphones if they get uncomfortable after an hour of usage, it defeats the purpose of spending that much money on a pair of ANC headphones.
Plus, did anyone know that the headband on the QC45s and QC35s is metal all around? Did you know that you can literally cut the cushions on the headband with scissors and literally buy and change the headband yourself in 2 years if it starts to look like crap? I really want to see XM5 owners doing that in 3 years. I don’t really see it to be possible. Plus because the Bose’s headband is metal under the plastic and under the cushioning, it can flex very easily and it can literally never snap in two or crack or whatever.
Research all of that before you throw your money at any headphones that cost more than $300 or even more in Europe.
P.S. we all know that Sony has payed almost all influencers on TH-cam to review their XM5s because Sony themselves have thanked them for the reviews in the comments sections. I hope they didn’t pay you to say anything and I appreciate the honest and straightforward review you made here.
Like in qc35ii or 700 if u set anc to 50-60% u can cancel wind. I have some problems with qc45 when I walk against the wind and I can barely hear the music. With nc at the max level u won’t remove wind noise but just lower noises like engines and stuff.
@@notValtrax Good point, I too did notice the wind but for some reason if it’s a windy day for example, I can hear the wind on the headphones for the first 5 minutes of being in the wind, after which the wind is suppressed a bit, I believe the processor in the headphones are working to adapt to the wind and reduce the sound it causes a bit and it works for me.
It doesn’t really bother me that much anyway since this only happens on windy days and I’m also usually just getting out of the house and then down the subway then up downtown where there’s not that much wind anyway and then shopping and so on and so forth. So wind isn’t exactly a huge issue. But as I mentioned before, if Bose would update them and allow us to completely disable it he ANC all together then that would definitely fix the wind issue for good.
@@Squidboyy I agree with that but I have a pair of QC45 and in a windy day, for me at least, even after 10-20 min the wind won't be canceled or suppressed. I watched a comparison on yt 2 months ago where the TH-camr was pointing just at that thing I said in the previous comment. It's a downgrade for me, even the qc35 ii has better functionalities..
high ANC can cause cabin pressure. I bought the anker q45s. Great noise cancellation at the highest level but unfornately had terrible cabin pressure for me so had to return, otherwise those are hard to beat for 150 dollars.... sound is good as the xm4s
Aaron, great video as usual. 1 thing, even though the Sonys bass are great for a closed back noise cancellation headphone. ,But as an audiophile I find that the XM5 sounds dark. The bass bleeds to the midrange a little bit . It doesn’t have treble details as well. Bose is much neutral in sound a little bit. Yes they don’t hit hard on bass, but they are much balanced
Thanks, and thanks for sharing!
I definitely agree! I have the xm4 and the qc45 on hand right now and I am tending to send the sonys because of that reason. Especially with the new eq tweaks the qc 45 sound much more refined and well tuned. No matter what I do in the eq of the xm4 that bass really hits into the mids and also quite significantlly distorts the highs. Its a win win for me: Better sound and MUCH BETTER Comfort with the qc45.
Which one feels closer to Audio Technica ATHM50??
Hello everybody. I would also like to share my experience with you. I don't know about Sony owners, those of you who have a series 4, but I'm really disappointed with them. After a month of using the headphones, they stopped charging. I looked under the user help to reset them but nothing better. Then one day I connected them to the cable and they started smoking. So I'm really desperate. It's great that they still have 10 months of factory warranty, so I'm going to take them to the store where I bought them and let them deal with the service. Yesterday I bought a Bose45. I'll see if the headphones are any better. I hope so, because the price is high for both.
did you prefer?
Hi Aaron, another great video! Thanks! I have the Sony XM5, and had the Bose QC45. XM5 are for me a way better headphones, especially sound and call quality. But, didn't you notice a creaking sound when wearing glasses? It's the cushion's material slipping over the glasses leg.
Thanks! Not at all for me
I use my Sony's with glasses, no noise/creaking at all!
I wear glasses , no issue with the xm5s
I have both. The Sony have better comfort and call quality. The QC 45 have better noise cancelling and sound quality!
I have the same problem with the qc 45, where the right ear cup is louder. I have a Samsung, and I can go into my advanced sound settings and slightly move the sound over to the left earcup to even out the sound.
Hi
I have a Bose QC 45. I have a mix feeling with this headphone.
on the plus side: it very comfortable, easy to use and have a very good battery life. The sound quality is, for me, not the best, but good for simple usage. (youtube or phone calls)
On the down side: it does not work properly with Microsoft Teams. My voice is very low, people can hear background noises and in a very noisy environment (datacenters) it doesn't work.
I have to go back to my old Jabra for Teams.
PS I don't have the same issue with sounds on the right.
Yes, for phone calls the QC45 is even inferior to the QC35 and crappy on its own even without comparing it with other headphones. As of now, no other ANC headphone elimates all background noise like the XM5 does.
I have the xm4 but I had to get the xm5 just for the mics quality alone.
Best in the market are the moment
Besides apple AirPods max maybe
If you want complete silence like from noisy neighbors who are constantly fixing their houses I suggest getting silicon earplugs. You can find them cheap online. I got mine at my local hardware store for like 6 dollars in a big pack. And then wear the headphones over the ear plugs. You won't hear as much noisy neighbors anymore. You can also blast the volume on the xm5 or xm4 too it seems smaller but that's because you put the earplugs inside your ears first. But it reduces outside world sound greatly. I have this issue where people tend to ruin my weekends with labor work. I live in a crowded area and this is what has to be done with me because people don't know how to relax.
Are you talking about the molding ones
Like the silicone wax or?
I put apple's airpods pro with little music inside wh1000xm4 . Does a good job :)
I just bought the xm5 to replace my xm4 headphones i see these experiences are somewhat true but future updates may help the sound part
I thought the xm5 has the more quiet noise cancelling?
i own bose qc45 and im just contented of what intend to do fuckin comfort and pleasant engaging smooth sound.
As someone that uses anc headphones for studying (no music or only background sound, and I use them for more then 10 hours daily) i had to return the xm5, sheesh that headband is harsh after a while, I went back to the qc45 :/ great anc though
The very noticeable hiss and white noise doesn't bother you? That's what put me off plus the poor call quality.
@@azuremain what you prefer the bose or sony ?
@@TN7. I have both the QC45 and XM5 amongst many other ANC models of Bose and Sony. None of them is perfect.
@@azuremain between them what do you prefer?
@@TN7. For phone calls nothing beats the XM5 at the moment. The rest is not as clear cut, but the QC45's hiss and white noise and cabin pressure effect can be bothersome if used without music running.
Thanks Aaron. I replace the xm4s for the bose qc 45 ✌️👍👍 and yeah the anc is awesome but they are super comfortable
Was there difference in sound quality?
Which one is better in terms of ANC and Sound quality?
I had the XM4 and XM5. Now I have the QC45 and it's way more comfortable that's for sure.
I'm a producer&sound engineer and had the chance to use many headphones for traveling and work. In the headphones ANC world, I have/had the XM5, XM4, Bose 700/35 II and Airpods Max. Honestly, it sucks that these XM5 do not let us chose how much ANC we want, I'm sure they'd be better than the Bose 45 if they were in high ANC mode in your test but you can't choose. The XM4 are better than the XM5 when the XM5 are in the medium mode, and they unfortunately are in medium ANC 75% of the time. Another thing I dislike about the XM5 is that they constantly switch between medium and high ANC mode when commuting (train or plane) because the noise level constantly goes above or below the said threshold. I'm all for machine learning taking over those kind of decisions, but they should either optimize more or give us the option to chose how much ANC we want. Let's see how they deal with it in the future. Love your work Aaron!
Does that mean there's no way to set the Sony to highest level anc as standard at all times?
@@MajorAMinor Not on the XM5, the headphones decide what's best for you lol.
@@JiDeyZwex That sucks. That's a deal breaker for me then. I'll stick to my Momentum 3 Wireless and XM3 and maybe go for the next Momentum Wireless if they up their game on the anc and comfort level.
@@MajorAMinor the ANC will improve on the Sennheiser according to insiders but no where in the top like Sony's
Why don't you just turn off adaptive sound control in the app so you don't have to deal with the headphones switching between settings? You can control the noise cancelation by switching to ambient noise in the app and control the level from their. It has 3 modes: noise canceling (max noise cancelation at all times), ambient (starts slightly lower than max and it's adjustable noise cancelation/ambient sound with 20 levels), and both noise cancelation/ambient sound completely off.
A big thank you for your video! 👍🏽
When you use the headphones (Bose QC35, QC45) with noise cancellation activated without listening to music while you work, does the headset automatically turn off or disconnect after a certain period of inactivity?
No :(
Your videos are amazing! I need a pair of high quality noise cancelling headphones for a long haul flight that I'll be taking in the next week.
Been on a few with my old QC35's. They've been great. Just in the process today of likely getting the QC45's to replace these old headphones. I also like they provide the cable as well. Useful on planes. I was just on a flight recently and ended up using the cable to connect the onboard infotainment. Works awesome.
I’ve got the Bose QC 45 Headphones and they are amazing better than anything else out there in my opinion
Bose sadly just has a very underwhelming sound quality and they feel significantly cheaper than anything else on the market. Can't see myself spending $280 when you can get the XM4 for a similar price.
I got two of the bose qc 45 and love them they nc and sound amazing !
How is the hiss with ANC on compared to Sony XM5 firmware 1.1.1 and Bose QC45 firmware 2.0.4 ? Which one has less hiss? - Thank you!
No audible hiss on both as far as I can tell
@@aaronloudnwireless had an QC45 yesterday with 2.0.4 -- there is sadly significant hiss and i returned the unit on the same day -- XM5 wit 1.1.1 has minimal hiss, but i can hear it. -- best hp would be a mixture of qc45 and xm5 🤡
Qc45 - Can i turn bluetooth *completely* off (airplane mode style) and have ANC on at the same time?
Hi Aaron
I am thinking of purchasing one of the two anc headphones as I can't stand subwoofer noise from neighbours.
Which done do you think works better for that purpose?
i have the same vocal on the right issue too. Should I sent them to Bose and they may give a replacement?
Recently got the M5 and I had the QC45s and people would normally complain about how they weren’t able to hear me. I don’t have any of those complaints with the Sony
Hey Aaron! Would you please review the STAX Spirit 3 wireless Planar headphones? Great video by the way!!
I do not have that issue with my Bose QC 45s and I’m thinking about buying the Sony but I’m not sure would you buy them if you already have the balls or would you just save your money
It would be great if you would test a recent pair of NC 700s. The new ones (built late 2021/2022) have a newer firmware (2.0.4, same name as QC 45 which is probably a coincidence). This suggests something has changed in the NC 700, perhaps hardware, NC capability, bluetooth version or something?
I do have a recent pair
@@aaronloudnwireless Any information on what's different in 2.0 4 vs. 1.8.2?
my QC45 frequently causes sound gaps when connected to my macbook - basically bluetooth "pauses" for about 300-400ms at a time every few minutes, it's annoying but manageable.
Hi Aaron. Love your videos. Just want to confirm with you if the headband from the XM5 starts to cause pain after a certain amount of time. Some people seem to complain about it and some don't really notice it. So I would like to know if the headband causes a significant amount of discomfort for you.
Not at all
@@aaronloudnwireless Thanks!
I also don't feel any inconvenience from the XM5 headband, although I would agree that those of the QC series and the previous XM models make you feel them less due to the thicker and wider padding.
@@azuremain Thanks! Just got them. They are really good.
The story is simple: NC I can't speculate between two.. but: 1. For mic's background noise reduction Sony is clear winner. 2. For wind reduction / listening experience (at the same time) Sony is winner. 3. For sound quality MX5 is nowhere close to QC45. If QC45 had the same mic noise reduction / wind handling like Sony, I'd be wheeling to pay 380 dollars .. unfortunately it is not an option (at least at this point). Superb Sony's base came with price of keeling treble crisp. On top of it it sounds more like 'mono' as oppose to QC45 great sound separation and clarity.. Unfortunately Apple overkill making it's treble sound more like a plasticky digitized crap, sorry Apple.
maybe i havent tired adjusting the ear cups properly or my ears are just not for the sonyxm5s, but ive gotten the opportunity to try both and if comfort is ur main goal bose is the winner, i like sonys aesthetics and touch screen but i can feel the mesh on my ears and when i move i can hear the mesh on my ears ;-;
Really appreciate this! I'm looking to replace my OG QC35's (not the II's). Really been happy with the comfort of these, so will hopefully remain with the QC45's as well. Thanks for the feedback.
do the QC45 still get software updates? When was the last update on these
Ciao, potrei sapere tra Sony wh 1000xm5 Bose QuietComfort c45 e se le hai provate Sennheiser Momentum 4, quali tra queste sono più adatte per guardare Film su Netflix con vari audio Dolby Atmos per esempio. Grazie e complimenti per il tuo video sei davvero molto Bravo!!!
the qc 45 has the best noise cancellation on the market? Thx
I was ready to buy the QC45 but I came across a deal so good, I couldn't pass it.
US$ 77 for the QC35 ii (open box new product)
what a steal! 🤩 I almost feel guilty.
You made the right choice. I have both the QC 35II and the QC 45. The 45 generates some white noise while idling whereas the 35ll doesn`t.
@@Tjoppy wonderful info
I own the 35 and will keep them for 2 more years now or more , thanks 👌🏻😅
I own the AirPods Pro when I make calls so I can use them when I want good call quality
Hi great vid as always from you Aaron thank you. You dont mention white noise/hissing or pressure differences between the two. I use headphones for ANC only (due to sensory sensitivities) so if the QC45s generate their own sound inside then the benefit of better outside sound reduction would be outweighed.
Am trying to get things as quiet as possible. I have the NC700s but they arent good at dealing with mid range/chatter which is what i am mainly trying to deal with. So would love to get your take on whether the sony/QC45 have hissing etc internally when ANC is on
Thank you! As far as I can tell they both have unoticeable hiss.
Did you purchase a headphone that has helped? Im looking for one for the same reason.
Hi! Were you able to decide on which to get? I am looking for the exact thing as well - as little sound as possible.
@@angelulloa717 so sorry i didnt see your comment. I got the XM5 they have no hiss and they do reduce sound well, ... I still prefer my BOSE 700 ones though
@@Camelia-DenisaBalan i got the XM5s the noise cancelling is pretty good and no sound that i can discern when just the ANC is on.
Hello, greetings from Indonesia.
Just got back from a mall where I tested both of these. I am open to some discussion and some insights from u guys. Personally, I think that bose somehow sounds more neat and clear, some may say it's flat, but for me, all the elements are there with just enough and sweet harmony. Well let me explain my experience :
- NC : yes sony has a stronger NC compared to Bose ; but somehow I did feel Bose's NC gives more pleasant 'vacuum' feel, whereas sony (even though the NC is indeed stronger) feels weird and make my ears less comfortable.
- SQ : as I mentioned earlier, Bose has a more pleasant sound in terms of the composition of every elements, they are just on the right spot, I guess. Sony has more length in terms of character but with the stock setting right off the box , I think bose sounds more sweet and more comforting.
-comfort : well both of them offered some kind of the same level of comfort on my head.
BUT GUYS this is what I want to ask..... when I tested Bose ; there is no changes with the sound quality & character when I played music with NC on or Off ; BUT with sony, I notice quite a big difference when NC was on or off, with sony NC On it feels like closed back headphone with powerful bass and body but when NC was off it feels less powerful and feels weak. Do you have any insight on this case?
thankyou
Sony came a long way with mics.
I have both headphones at home atm... I'm quite shocked, that your pair of qc 45 outperformed the xm5 in noise cancelling... I've A-B'd both, and the xm5 completely outclassed the qc 45s, be it airplane noise, music, streets sounds etc... And in all frequency ranges, low mid and high. Don't get it really... could it be a new software update, that makes such a difference?
Yes the software update did
I use hear aid what should I go for if I got q45 Bose I do got m4 but not good on the ear with ear aid
Does the AUTO ANC OPTIMIZER in the xm5 suck? Does it ruin the headphones?
Not really, seems better now after the last update 🤔
@@aaronloudnwireless its still extremely iffy for me, id much rather be able to control it on my own, I find my air condition in my room doesn't make enough noise to kick the anc up to a higher level but is definitely loud enough to be heard even with music playing when the anc optimizer doesn't work
which is your chair? You could put your setup in the description. Nice work!
Thanks! It's the Vertagear PL6000 😁
I recently bought the xm5 and I can’t hear my voice at all during calls. I also did the background noise test and my voice gets cancelled out completely . I think I might have gotten faulty headphones
My personal progression with Bluetooth overear headphones:
Beats Studio > Bose QC35ii > WH1000-XM3 > WH1000-XM4
Also ran: Sennheiser Momentum 3
Summary of each:
Beats: lipstick on a pig (big marketing, subpar quality)
Sennheiser: best sounding, too impractical for a daily driver (super stiff metal headband compromises comfort, heavy weight can cause headphones to slide off head when leaning forward or back, software issues when connected to dual devices simultaneously (when playing music on one device, notifications on the secondary device can pause music on the primary device)
Bose QC35ii: 2nd to Sony in terms of ANC and Bluetooth range, physical controls which I prefer, supports dual device connection (Bluetooth range is noticeably inferior to Sony. ANC on Sony is also better)
Sony XM3 & XM4: Overall best Bluetooth range, and ANC. Touch controls are awful (I initially enjoyed the move from Bose to Sony primarily to the superior Bluetooth range. Only upgraded from the XM3 to the XM4 as Sony adopted multiple device connections. Touch controls are involuntarily triggered regularly. Simply turning my head while wearing a hooded coat can initiate the touch input as the right outer ear cup comes into contact with the coat. This contact can enable Sony's speak-to-chat function which disables the noise canceling when the mic detects audible voices. Touch controls can be disabled but this requires nearly all functions to require phone input)
Overall summary: Sennheiser is not a real player in practical daily use wireless headphones. I have thoroughly enjoyed Sony's XM series but the touch controls remain a constant annoyance. I am strongly considering returning to Bose for my next headphones purchase.
Hi, with the sound not balanced with qc45, have they fixed this with the latest update?
Sounds like he had a faulty pair as mine don't have that issue.
- QC 45 for me. Like the balanced sound way more.
I was waiting for this one Aaron!
Nice! Thanks for watching!
I am wondering will the ANC on xm5 be promoted after a firmware update? cuz the qc45 was released before the xm5
Sometimes ANC performance will be affected by firmware. We'll have to see
The mx5 may have better noise cancelling, but the bose headphones are the better all rounders I.e. have better sound quality!
Like always, awesome video!
Two questions:
1. Which one has less ANC pressure?
2. Which one has lower hiss noise?
Thanks in advance!
ANC pressure is almost similar but Sony feels more comfortable and has less Hiss noise.
I currently have the Bose and I really don't see the noise ppl are talking about lol, u wont notice anything with music on
@@itslmd That goes without saying.
It still doesn't change the fact that if I pause a song or a video, I shouldn't be hearing any noticeable hissing whatsoever.
@@PSYCHOV3N0M Just pretend to be an audiophile listening to vinyl records, man.... That hiss is a feature, not a bug... 🤪 Agree it's annoying though. Currently researching this as I'm still on my old Bose QC35's. Not the QC35 II, the OG baby :) I've gone through one battery and two sets of ear pads on these to keep them going last 6 years or so. I've gotten my mileage out of them for sure.
I am no audiophile, and I don't truly believe in bluetooth audio over wired. BUT I recently got a pair of Bose QC45's and I am beginning to get buyers regret with how many reviewers stand by the XM5. I am curious tho, from a normal person not in the audio space, is the difference THAT dramatic to say one should return the Qc45 for the xm5? Are the differences so minimal that it really just comes down to personal preference?
Try them out in the store. I find xm4/xm5 to be muffled even with some eq, but the bass is good if you like that.
I went from the XM5 to the QC45 because of comfort issues. Sound is better on the Sony if you prefer a fuller sound but some people prefer Bose because it sounds more balanced. ANC is a bit better on the QC45. I'm much happier with the QC45 though because I can actually wear it for an extended period of time.
I ｈａｖｅ qc45, and xm5 as well, and my unit is also louder on the right ....wth.... lol.... and the noise cancellation is also a bit stronger on the right.... but i still prefer it to the xm5, xm5 is too hot, and the anc is not stable... no peace of mind.
Hello 😊
I'm using Bose now and I must say that it's very good headphone 🎧
Just only thing why I'm not totally satisfied is the Bass, 😕 otherwise all is ok, very confortable 👌🏻, sometimes I'm sleeping with it 😴 ( with Quiet confort, that's amazing )
Ps: I love Bose so much also I can't really admit Sony is better 😂
And now my brother want it so I offering it to him, I think I want to pass to Sony WH1000-XM5 to have more fun on Music ( bass 🤯🤤 )
Only things I'm 😶 with that Sony is: it's not foldable 😢 And I doubt it's even more comfortable than Qc45, 😕
( Sorry, I don't speak English very well )
I am not sure what to think. I have been watching reviews and trying to make up my mind while learning more about the products. I went in to try all of the headphones, including the sennheiser momentum 4. The XM5 sounded like someone had strapped 2 loud speakers to my head (not fun or enjoyable, i don't think they were too loud either), the sennheisers sounded tinny (they were what i had my bet on being the best) and the bose sounded beautiful and like i was listening to the music being played live in the room i was in. I stress that you go try them for yourself, i am still considering and will test again before i purchase.
What store did you go to that had all of those headphones available to try??
@@PSYCHOV3N0M JB HIFI. It’s an Australian store. Where are you located? I ended up buying the Bose QC45 and I’m happy. A few things could be slightly better but on sale for $340 down from $500 I’m happy
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS VIDEO......I got for my B-day Master & Dynamics MH40 Head Phones from my Daughters. I was thinking to buy one of these Head Phones for my computer, watching Movies., online, etc.......once again, thanks for the video..........especially the part about the gun........in which my girlfriend might do to me......LOL.......!!....................{just kidding]......!!!
How can you flip the ear cups down when people are reporting that they only flip upward?
It's more comfortable for talking when i'm wearing them in reverse
Interesting comparison. For those of us most interested in listening to music how about comparing the XM5 to the super cheap Sony WH-CH510?
Do the XM5s' sound ten times better?
I can answer that without a video or having either. No, they do not. There will always be diminishing returns as u go up in price.
What @PhilNEvo said
@@aaronloudnwireless thank you
Does the Bose has the option to use with cable?
Yes, but no ANC when wired
@@JB.zero.zero.1really? I want to use it with my Xbox wired into my controller.
I would be interested to know how the pressure is on the temples of the glasses. I often have problems with this and am looking for a perfect headphone that does not press. The Bose 700 headphones were very uncomfortable for me.
The QC45's clamp is just as tight if not tighter.
I'm sorry Dave, I can't answer your question right now... 🙂 Totally digging the HAL9000 "eye".... I wear my old QC35's(older version) with glasses and i think they're fine, but definitely better when I have my contact lenses in. Might want to give contacts a try. I gave them up about 25 years ago and returned to them about 6 years ago. The new ones are amazing and don't dry out your eyes as much. Sorry for the tangent subject :)
In the previous video with the Bose NC700 the Sony sounded much better than in this video. Is it possible that something went wrong in this test? Here they sound unreasonable worse especially at the low frequencies. I also cannot hear any audible ANC adaptation. I can easily feel it when I put them on.
Compared to when I shot the NC700, the recording environment is different this time because the studio has moved
@@aaronloudnwireless Mmm maybe you could redo the test with all the three headsets in this room? It would be great also to get the recording outside the headset as a reference...
Great review Aaron!
Thank you!
But you cant turn the ANC off on the bose....
what is better sound quality ?
WIRED...
My experience with Sony is that they don't last long.
Me too bro. Sony 1000 xm3 died within 3 months, and 1000 xm4 died within 3 and half months.. Very much depressed and annoyed regarding a such big brand
My XM4 has been good for 4 years with about 5 hours use per week. My previous QC35 had the on/off switch mechanically fail after about 5 years. The slider on the Bose is a weak point IMHO.
I have the xm4 and they sometimes screech because of sweat getting into the speaker
Same here. Three years of using it every night. Never dropped or carried around. Just didn't clean properly. Loud buzzing sound appeared.
Same, sony's plastic build, especially the hinge is very bad. Google xm3/4/h910n hinge issues.
Could you possibly do a review on the Creative Zen Hybrid headphones please? Thanks.
Wish the XM5 had slightly bigger and deeper earcups.
Great video but i dont like having 50% a.n.c and think its a waste of tech but yeah
Can the Sony XM5 be used for mixing & mastering songs, ie, sound engineering?
Thanks
It's not tuned flat for studio use though, that could influence your final product
Excellent objective comparison.
great comparison, good man, thank you very much
Watching this video with my new Sony XM5s!!
Bose QC 35 have been great but the call quality and noise in the background made it hard for mg work envirornment.
Now I’m using the Sonys XM5 and the quality is better, so is the NC and the battery.
Overall it was an improvement but I still think the overall sound isn’t separated enough as I’d like super high quality music like you get from apple AirPods max.
I think Bose will update his headphones soon, you need to wait a bit with the purchase of Sony))
Qc45 are superior to xm5. Plastic on xm5 is low quality. And when you put that xm5 are costing way much that qc45.... xm4 vs qc45 maybe then you could say that sony might be a better choise, but xm5 no way. But I understand, I follow you for years now and I can tell you are a fan of sony since xm3 ;). Cheers!
Cheers! I'm a fan of anything that's good. Bose had a chance to make me a fan there, maybe next time
yeah that's problem with sony's built quality since the xm1 the plastic feels cheap compare to bose qc35,ii,45s bose built way premium to me.
If i use the auxiliary cable on my bose qc45 instead of Bluetooth, the headphones turn off noise cancelling. Also at half the price of the Sony. I'd rather have the bose. I just dont see a pare of noise cancelling headphones being worth $400 dollars. That is where i draw the line.
Bose for $180 >>>>> Sony xm5 for $350
I really don't understand that if you are doing a side-by-side ANC comparison of two headphones, why can't you do the same when testing sound quality?
I suppose everyone hears audio differently. Everyone has a different taste. Only hearing your opinion does not serve the purpose of watching your videos because there are a million videos which just talk and talk about all the headphones. Very few channels do real-time side-by-side sound quality testing.
I hope you will consider this
Appreciate the feedback. I have done it before. Got lots of flak for it, comments like "I have those headphones and it sounds nothing like the recordings." No wonder, there are too many variables at play. The recording microphones have coloration, the listening equipment you use have their own coloration - depends on what gear you use - Earbuds? Headphones? Speakers? And what kind? Even your own ears have coloration. Word of advice - you'll never be able to experience the sound like listening to the actual headphones. Not dissing on others who provide sound samples but if you want authentic Japanese food, go to Japan. If you want to hear the sound quality of headphones/earbuds, listen to the actual thing. Best that any reviewer with trained ears can provide is a description of what we're hearing supported by graphs. Cheers!
@@aaronloudnwireless Oh. Firstly thank you so much for your reply. Yeah I watched your earlier videos and found the real-time audio samples. But lately, that segment is absent.
The problem in my country (India) is that there is no shop in my area which offers me to "try" the headphones before buying. They are sealed. I am literally in a helpless situation when making a choice of buying headphones. Due to this, I really appreciate a creator/video when they put a sound sample of the headphones.
With due respect, I criticise people for their hate/criticism to you because, given that you give timestamps (thank you for this), people have the liberty to skip this segment of audio testing if they do not like how the recording quality is!
I really love this style of recording. I can understand that recording does have some variation when compared to the actual hearing but that's okay to me.
Please consider reinstating the real-time audio testing in your videos.
Thank you for your time in replying and your efforts in making content. ☺️❤️
@@mr.chinmayajoshi2688 It won't make a difference.
You want to know which one is better than the other?? Save up and BUY BOTH. That's literally the only way you can make an ACTUAL informed decision on which one to keep and which one to return.
from purely noise canceling point of view(which for me is the top priority), i was wondering wouldn't it be more effective to buy soft earplugs(the ones you can comfortably wear for hours) and combine it with passive noise isolation headphones( like audio technica ath-m50x or alike) ? advantages of this could be: 1. saving a bit of $$$(passive noise isolating headphones are way cheaper), 2. not having noises ANC headphones produce and also 3. earplugs would protect you ear drums from music which would allow to play music at higher volume(if inclined to do so) ??? anybody tried it?
Yes, this is fairly standard for loud work environments that still require outside noise or total isolation.
The idea should work in terms of overall noise reduction. I haven't gone shooting in quite a while, but when I used to shoot at the indoor range, I'd double up my earplugs and my electronic noise cancelling muffs. It was a good combo due to sounds being louder indoors (sound reflections off the walls).
For your purposes, I'd be concerned about variability in noise reduction relative to sound frequency. The same amount of foam will attenuate high frequencies much more than low ones. I'm thinking it would destroy the sound quality for music. It will likely sound very muffled with no top end, but if you can buy a set and try it, it will satisfy your curiosity for a few bucks.
@@hondahirny in my case top priority is to reduce the outside noise as much as possible, quality of music sound is secondary. I just bought sennheiser hd 280 pro which has great passive noise isolation and decent sound quality, also got some simple earp plugs. so far the headphones have been enough though even when used on pretty low volume....
I cannot use earplugs anymore. They start hurting me after a few hours interrupting my sleep while I remove them. I use tissue paper after wrinkling it in to a ball and expanding them twice to make them softer. They're cheaper and cleaner. I use ANC headphones above them. A 3D sleep eyemask helps tighten it in place.
Both are great headphones, gonna tip my hat off to the Bose QC45 for its sound quality but the Sony has excellent battery life!
Left right is easily adjustable in andriod phone.
What’s the best gaming headset for apple
There is no way on earth QC45 cancels more noise than XM5. Not sure how he deduced that.
I have both and the sony's noise cancelling is way better than the qc 45.
Wow, you really work for it. Cheers mate.
QC 45 all day AND you can sleep in them.
LDAC makes Sony the clear winner here, it's not even a competition. The QE 45 just sounds dull and compressed no matter what you do since they decided to go with outdated sbc/aac codecs.
9:38 I have the same issue, does anyone else?
The fact that u say the qc45 are not bad for calls..man
Gotta be diplomatic
My unit the vocals pare Centred.
Mine's just faulty then
@@aaronloudnwireless Maybe. Rtings had the same issue with their pair.
QC45 is just more practical. Bose ftw!