The Perfect Headphones Do Not Exist
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- čas přidán 16. 07. 2024
- Tamron 150-500mm: www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...
Soundcore Q30: amzn.to/3xreGhA
Bose QC 35 II: amzn.to/3H9cBv2
QC 45 - bhpho.to/3hiPu8i
BOSE 700 - bhpho.to/3hiPu8i
SONY XM4 - bhpho.to/3DVk67r
SONY XM5 - bhpho.to/3zXCBXO
BEATS STUDIO 3 - bhpho.to/3G38mTo
APPLE AIRPODS MAX - bhpho.to/3NU2my3
5daydeal: 5daydeal.com/partner/fstoppers
Fstoppers store: www.fstoppers.com/store
In this video, we compare the highest-rated wireless noise canceling headphones. These are the best wireless headphones in 2022.
0:00 Intro
2:24 List of Headphones
3:24 Sound Quality
7:11 Comfort
9:41 Ergonomics
13:10 Noise Cancelling
14:32 Wind Noise
17:09 Fashion
18:16 Conclusion/Recommendations - Věda a technologie
![Sony’s best headphones just got [a little] better 🎧](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/PBIbsvZSp24/mqdefault.jpg)
Soundcore Q30: amzn.to/3xreGhA
Bose QC 35 II: amzn.to/3H9cBv2
Bose QC 45: amzn.to/3H9o3XA
Bose 700: amzn.to/3H8CV8B
Sony XM4: amzn.to/3H9AUsA
Sony XM5: amzn.to/3HdUYKl
Beats Studio 3: amzn.to/3xmZD8w
Apple Airpods Max: amzn.to/39mNQPl
5daydeal: 5daydeal.com/partner/fstoppers
Fstoppers store: www.fstoppers.com/store
Test the Momentum 3 True Wireless from Sennheiser
I own a pair of those Q30s, they are alarmingly good for the price!
@@samyfantis8086 Right. The sound of the Momentum is leagues ahead of the Bose QC series.
I'm a bit of a sony fanboy and I just got the Xm4
Wanted to know if you tested the app because I think that's a big part of the sound quality.
The app allows you to customize to a sound that is for your taste. And you can easily get rid of that muddy sound.
@@samyfantis8086 the momentum 4's are coming!!
"I thought I'd throw a pair of cheapos in there" me listening to this on my q30's
Me too.
But ... See my post 😜
@@rogerstarkey5390 Q30s sound amazing for their price (especially with ANC on). I’d go as far to say that they sound way better than the more expensive headphones in this video (except the AirPods max)
Well .. they're all very cheap tho
So since i have q35 is That mean in cheapos list too?
@@thewavefafa if it's wireless, it's mostly cheapos, mostly
In the Sony headphones app, adjusting the EQ even just a little bit (I tend to increase the 'clear bass' and the highs a little bit) can make a HUGE improvement in sound quality, and I'm confident it would put the XM4 in the top spot for you. I have the XM4 but I would imagine it's the same story for XM5. If you didn't try the sony headphones app, you might be missing a trick there.
Also there's a specific anti-wind noise setting in the noise cancellation settings of the app, move the noise-cancelation slider to the 2nd notch! Makes a world of difference.
Seriously play around with the app and you may change your overall opinion, there's a ton of customisation in there
Great video though!
Yes, I was wondering if he'd looked at the app at all.
But if it was uncomfortable to him, it didn’t make sense to try the app.
Absolutely agree, I still have my V3 and honestly I do think they are way better than the rest, maybe the apple one is a bit better but it cost almost double….
@@jackd.ripper9216 i think 5 or older devices dont get support anymore
wh1000xm s are very EQ sensitive . just make it bright laike +5 6 mid +3 treambles and it's night and day difference
An often forgotten about pair of headphones on the market that I own and absolutely love are the Microsoft Surface 2 headphones. I’ve had them for quite a while and I absolutely love them. You can tune the EQ to your liking (which saves to the headphones), the noise canceling is insane, physical dials on each ear for noise canceling and volume adjustment + touch controls on the side, long battery life and fast charging, great lowkey design, and a 3.5mm audio jack which I use at my desk plugged into my audio interface to remove latency while making music or gaming. Best headphones I’ve ever owned.
These reviews are so great. You really go in depth and notice things that don’t sound important when you buy headphones, but definitely have effect on listening experience down the road
The Soundcore Q30 are surprisingly popular among audiophiles, BUT with an EQ.
So changing it sound settings a bit completely transforms it to something accurate and balanced
And the price to sound ratio is the best.
I wonder if he played with the different ANC settings as well, I think that could've improved the experience in wind a bit
if you have to eq a pair of headphones to sound good, they arent good (i own several pairs of audiophile headphones and a pretty decent hifi setup for reference)
@@fezzes428 With battery headphones it's a bit different thing. I own arroun 100pcs of corded "real" headphones. They don't come with EQ app.
@@MrJabinho yea they dont come with an app but people do eq them. oratory is a great example of whats becoming the "standard" for headphone eqs
I have the QC35 iis as well and have been thinking about upgrading to the Sony's. I have a feeling I would end up buying a bunch of different ones like you did and still think the QC35s are the best in their own way. Saved me the time and money!
Patrick here, my biggest gripe was it took 30-60 seconds to disconnect and reconnect each set of headphones between listens and most of the time you'd forget what you were just referencing. Shocked Lee didn't mention this in his tests as surely I wasn't the only one who suffered from the connectivity issues. I didn't think the Beats sounded that bad but the strange thing is they had the worst/lowest bass of any of the options and I always thought Beats was known for TOO MUCH bass. Not sure what to make of that. -P
Lee here. Nobody had as hard of a time as you. I easily got to hear each one within 3 seconds of the other.
@@FStoppers 😂😂😂
That bass comment was very true many years ago - the sound was so unbalanced and though they had a lot of bass, it wasn’t particularly good. A lot of people have carried that view over the years but the reality Beats have gotten much much better over time.
While it was mentioned that the beats had issues with squishing people’s ears, I think it would be worth saying that having a good seal around the ear is important to sound quality for these type of headphones. Maybe it’s not unfair to judge them with an improper seal, due to it sorta being their own fault, but it does stand to be mentioned.
Completely agree! The comfort is unparalleled in the QC 35IIs.. I got the xm4 and then returned them
I am so happy you covered wind noise, when I upgraded from the QC35 to the Bose 700, I was shocked how much worse they were outdoors with wind noise and nobody mentioned it, so much so I thought mine were faulty!
and 45s are way worse than that!
@@FStoppers that's very disappointing. I like going on a nice walk with my headphones and the 700 are crap, my new AirPods max are... ok, not amazing, no where near as good as my old QC35 which unfortunately failed after many years of faithful service (right headphone has no sound at all).
As a fellow video creator I have to use wired connection when editing due to the Bluetooth ~150-200ms latency. How do they perform wired? Is the ANC as good? Can it even be on? How is the audio quality? Is there still a latency due to internal buffering? Someone mentioned a 80ms latency wired on some of those which would be bizarre and destroy the use case. Very curious about this. (Wired latency is usually 5-10ms from computer application to sound in your ear on an analogue pair of earphones, but they don’t have ANC.)
Hey, Lee! Love your content! I agree with you that the AirPods are the best sounding among those but, as you found out in your test, audio is really subjective and, in any case, all of those headphones are very artificial sounding (even the APs, which I still love BTW).
I'd love to see you try some proper reference headphones, such as Sennheisers HD600, HD560S or, better yet, a pair of properly driven HD800S. Maybe, even, a cheap but good sounding IEM, such as a Moondrop Chu or CCA CRA. I reckon they would give you a whole new perspective on headphones. The audio hobby is a rabbit hole.
And I can already see a bunch of snobs coming to criticize this video, but in my opinion you're just giving your opinion and impressions as a regular consumer, not a hobbyist, and I loved the video for what it is. Keep 'em coming!
I too am interested in this and I would do it at someone else's house/store but 99% of people today, including myself, want wireless headphones so that's why I didn't do a super high-end test.
Você por aqui!
@@FStoppers I know! But experiencing those would almost certainly affect how you perceive the ones you tested in the video :)
Add to the list some Beyerdynamic, like DT770, DT990, DT1990
@@FStoppers just use a Bluetooth Dongle with a Closed Back Full Size Headphone or in Ears, which do "passive"Isolation like a Charm. For example Focal Elegia with Fiio BTR5 dongle
This was a refreshing headphone comparison video.
So many people talk about sound and comfort without understanding an obvious fact.
Everyone has different head and ear shapes and sizes. What's comfortable to one person may be uncomfortable for another person.
Sound is affected by these factors too.
And let's not forget sound preference. Just like ear and head sizes; not everyone has the same sound preferences.
This video is an excellent example of that.
Impossible to not give a like taking into consideration the effort that went into making this. Nice, informative video!
QC 35 2s are still my favourite because of overall experience and volume but the Bose 700 is definitely a step up in sound quality.
I switched from bose qc25's to airpod max's and i found that they were pretty heavy at first and was honestly about to return them but after a couple long flights I got used to them and it didn't bother me nearly as much. I also found they were a lot more comfortable to wear when my head is resting on a pillow either on the side of my head or the back, that was something that annoyed me about my bose headphones as well. I think I might buy some leather earcups for the AirPods and that might fix the slight annoyances I have. The case is by far the most annoying part about them tho and still kind of a pain to put them in my backpack and honestly a little worried they might break cause of it.
really enjoyed watching this.
I wish you had included B&O H95 in there. I wonder if you’d think they sound better than Apple’s.
Wait for your comment
From the reviews, the h95s are miles ahead of airpods max for sound
@@shaunbrady15 I tried them.. I didn’t like them. bought the air max.
H95’s were too quiet and I wasn’t wowed by sound for $900. Returned
Sound quality is incredibly personal and 100% subjective as it’s totally dependent on users prior experience and how they use headphones. Also short term impressions are usually wrong/different when compared to long term usage. But this is very informative video as it features so many test subjects and testers, so thank you for this. 👍
so grateful for this video - summarising my own dilemma of moving on from QC35s and trying a lot of these out include the Bowers and Bangs which don't stack up to the reliable day to day working of the Bose QCs.
Awesome review. I really appreciated getting the diversity of opinions on this, as the video showed headphones are super subjective, and getting multiple perspectives really helped lend some objectivity.
I would love to see something similar with in ear headphones - I see more people using AirPods and such in their day to day life than any over ear headphones.
Totally agree! I have the in-ear Sony 1000XM-4 and I totally hate them. Is the worst purchase I've made just by guidance on reviews and tech aspects rather than comfort and use case. All ears are different, so is a completely subjective topic
@Iris Rodriguez I can understand you might not have a use for them but hate?
The noise cancelling is some of the best, and the battery life is top class too
great review! thanks! I have Soundcore Q35 and I like it.
I’m with you man, big fan of my qc35 2, I love the physical buttons rather than sensored gestures, I’ve had them for years and still love them but have to agree AirPods Max have the best sound quality/noise canceling. Having said that don’t like how heavy they are or the “case” ( if you even want to call it that) so I’ll just stay with my qc35s
I have the XM5s, and they sound very muddy indeed (default EQ preset). Good thing is that the equalizer can fix that to make them sound close to the Airpods Max's SQ.
Hmm I'll have to try that before returning them.
@@FStoppers do tell your findings!
Watching thread this to hear your thoughts Lee.
Agreed, I have the XM4s and the EQ did wonders.
You guys should have really considered ear-sound fatigue. Should have tried one each day or 4 everyday or something with gaps in between. Great video by the way! I own the old faithful Bose headphones and I love them. They also have a gaming version that comes with a extension microphone, good for gaming and working at home. Love them. ❤️
Fantastic review Lee!! Thanks for putting in all the work on this one. I know people give you shit a lot for your reviews. I love hearing your perspective. I also LOVE how wrong Patrick got it. Maybe his ear fitting into the Beats made a better sound experience 🤷🏻♂️?
I own the QC35II and the NC700 for all the traveling I do. But I find myself just using AirPods 80% or the time in everyday life.
To fix the wind noise on MX4, you need to activate ambient sound an then back to noise-canceling again. I don't know why but that fixed it for me.
Funnily enough the AirPods Max are the most comfortable headphones I have ever used. I think that’s for one reason only. The mesh fabric adjusts so nicely to my head that my head doesn’t even touch the actual frame of the headphones.
And I can actually feel through the mesh that there’s a pretty big bump on my head that is kind of sharp and that was the main reason why my head always hurt like crazy after an hour or two with headphones on.
Well, now I know that my headshape probably wouldn’t look very nice bald and also I can finally sit down for a long time and just enjoy music 😅
I’ve still got my Bose QC 35’s, I’ve just replaced the pads for peanuts off eBay. I was on my first flight for 26 months so I tried out my iPhone ear pods for the first time, not a patch on over ear for flying. It also seems that I am not missing out on any newer over ear units either. I always though Beats were just loud not good.
Thanks for the comparison, Lee! I personally love my Sennheisers. Worth looking into!
Thank you for your work. I honestly thought about replacing my beloved QC35 II - but after watching your video: never!
Haha, the little cut to Patrick at the end saying "The beats sounded really good to me" was gold, great video Lee!
❤️ the refreshing honesty and effort that's gone into this. Thank you
As someone who owns, and surprisingly enjoys their Beats Studio 3s, I have small ears, and compared to my friends and family, they certainly are designed to fit feminine heads like mine.
I honestly enjoy them for their sound separation, and noise cancelling. I can't hear myself snap my fingers, and I have never gotten that same experience.
There are cons however, coming from a fan of them:
- Their micro USB port
- They're a sweat collector
- My ear cups haven't given out yet, but they are known for cracks and deterioration
- Headband has little cushion at all
- No transparency mode (you turn off noise cancellation via clicking the power button twice)
I suppose I don't relate to most heads, but for mine, these fit great.
Thanks for the video guys! Loved it and even made me laugh at some parts 😂🙏🏼
I bought the QC45’s and thought they were good, but after wearing them for a while my ears would get really hot. The AirPod Max’s were on a crazy nice sale, so I grabbed a pair and found them, like you, to sound amazing. As far as comfort, my ears don’t get as hot, but I do wish they offered a softer material. I returned the QC45’s and kept the AirPod Max’s. Someone has got to make a softer earcup eventually. Not sure what to do about the stupid case though. Here is to hoping they fix these issues with the next gen version.
Thanks for the review. I have really enjoyed the X4M for almost 1.5 years.
My God how can you enjoy that sound firm. Too dark, no sound stage, horrible Metallic sounding treble...
An excellent, thorough comparison! Very nicely done!
Bought the XM5’s noise canceling was amazing! Sound was amazing, lots of good mid/ low bass. The “ ambient sound” mode (transparency mode) was a little robotic for me, but still not too bad.
I'm a bit of a sony fanboy and I just got the Xm4
Wanted to know if you tested the app because I think that's a big part of the sound quality.
The app allows you to customize to a sound that is for your taste. And you can easily get rid of that muddy sound.
@@ljeans531 Yes I did. The XM5’s right out of the box sounded OK, but once you start messing with the EQ settings in the app it really helps make the sound quality so much better.
I got mine as well and with few adjustment of EQ, it was perfect
THANK YOU! Someone else mentioned how the XM4 and XM5 are uncomfortable. Everywhere I read a review, they talk about how comfortable they are. In both cases, and even worse in the XM5, the earcups are shallow and they touch and cramp your ears. They heat up super fast and get uncomfortable 20 min in. Other than that, they're amazing.
I’ve used the XM4s for years and love them, so much I decided not to even both upgrading to the XM5’s.
I agree. I hate the Sony headphones, they are sooooooo uncomfortable!
I know he did kinda mention this at the very end of the video but something you have to remember when looking at the soundcores is that all the other headphones cost $300+ and those are only $80 so you have to look at the quality in context to the price.
thank you, great review! what about microphones? did i miss it?
No comparison, Apple is the best
Great review, let me throw a dark horse into the ring if you're still on the hunt: Orosound Tilde Pro. The design focus is a little more office/home-office worker end, but along with that you get many levels active noise reduction to try with your wind troubles, manual buttons, replaceable on _or_ around ear muffs, fantastic mic that'll beat out anything including the AirPod Maxs, and if your battery is going down you can even use them as a wired headset unlike those Maxs and many other wireless headsets.
Your review is the only one I've seen that discussed the size of the ear cups. Thank youuuuuuuuuuuuu.
WHY can't reviewers simply place the headphones "cups up" and lay a ruler on them in both directions?
Easy
Informative.
The Q30’s sound great but you have to apply a custom EQ setting to them with the app, before I realised that I thought they sounded horrible. Now I love them, I just wish they were more comfortable.
Sony's have a dedicated wind noise cancellation, in the ambient slider just one slide right to noise cancellation. It works really great with wind cancellation.
When I was looking for a pair of wireless nc headphones two years ago I had a similar problem. I first bought the Bose 700’s. It was annoying that they didn’t fold and I couldn’t tune the audio. So I changed them for the Sony XM3’s (which were the newest Sony model at the time). Just couldn’t get used to the sound signature of those and the transparency mode just felt way too artificial. Also there was a very audible hiss in transparency mode. I eventually settled on the Marshall Monitor II ANC’s. I love the sound it makes, controls are the best I’ve seen on headphones and they are so well built that they don’t even come with a case but with a denim pouch instead. They fold up super tiny. Only compromise was on noise canceling. It’s just not the best around. The Bose and the XM3 were better in that area. Couple of months ago I went on a plane for the first time since the pandemic. The Marshall’s were not enough to cut out the airplane noise. Solution: use my AirPods Pro and wear the Marshall’s as an additional noise shield over them.
I don’t have much experience by way of comparison but one piece of input I have is on the Beats discomfort problem (7:30). When I first got my pair they were way uncomfortable but once the leather softens up it gets WAY better. I’m not saying they are any better or worse than the others but if that is your primary reason not to buy it isn’t as much of an issue as you might think when trying a new pair on. That being said, if I am buying today I would get the AirPods Max next time it comes on sale.
Man you're the best reviewer I just wish you were a full-time tech reviewer I just like personal experience than collective opinions that gives a perfect sense of real life usage of a product.
No Sennheiser momentum? Missing the best
The Sony ones have an option to prioritize wind cancelation that makes them a lot better when in windy places, I have the xm3 and that option helps
Exactly!!
Great video! Thanks for talking about the wind. I can not believe Bose can't work their way around that problem.
Curious if you did a break in of these before you tested ? I have Sennheiser HD595 ( bought many years ago ) and they sounded better after 24 hours of use and even better after about a month of use.
I agree so much. It's just so sad that removed the ANC low on QC45. I just hope they bring it back.
I have had the QC 35s for about 5 years now and they are awesome and still work! They have some issues turning off but they were great. I recently upgraded to the Bose 700s and from the start I couldn’t tell too much of a difference in sound quality. Noise cancelation was much better on the plane with the 700s. But I wore the 700s for a couple months and I tried on the QC 35s again to see if I could tell a difference. The only difference I found were the 700s have a much better build quality. Both are absolutely great headphones.
ive had the og qc 35's since 2016 and in terms of sound and build quality, they are still great. i have the same problem as you with the on/off button not being consistent as well. the only caveat is that they arent made for well for computer compatibility, which is what i use them on 99% of the time
The sound leakage on the q35s are terrible
Awesome review, it was really nice to hear different opinions about each headphone!
Thanks for the video!
this is seriously such a nice review. i think i’m gonna go with the bose 700 i think they might have the best sound leak test from what i’ve found. (which would be really nice if you did a sound leak test for all of them 👀) also i like that they’re light and comfortable. and despite not folding they have a good profile case. i think the microsoft headphones are really cool tho with the round toggle things on both earcups
I've had Bose nc700 for 2 years. Honestly, I've given them way too long of a chance and now regret choosing them. (1) Never-ending Bluetooth connectivity issues, (2) the app absolutely sucks and is extremely unreliable, (3) frequent, randomly clicking/popping, (4) when placed around my neck, they literally bend the opposite direction of common sense, and, they randomly start/stop whatever I'm listening to due to capacitive touch.
I love my Bose QC35 II headset. Sound quality is very good for consumer grade audio. They are very well built. The battery still lasts for hours and hours and recharges quickly. I’m on my second set of earcups which are very comfortable and durable. The built-in microphone is handy. The noise reduction is amazing. They are lightweight and you’ll forget you’re wearing them. Easy to select different sound sources (BT sources), pairing works well. Available for purchase almost anywhere. Got mine at Costco. Highly recommend.
😂 You'd expect this review to be the most confusing of them all, but it was actually one of the most helpful I found in that it made things MORE focused and LESS confused for me 😂
Well done.
Great review. Wish there was more like this one.
huge difference if you're connecting your hp to an android/apple device. secondly if you're using the most suitable bt audio codec. 3rd if you're (can) using EQ. With the 2nd half I can agree. So the 1st half is very cloudy. the 2nd half is helpful.
Amazing video!
I have the Bose qc 25, 35 and nc700!
Thé qc35 (not the II) is just marvellous! Still wear it most of the time over the nc700 (which is better software wise, the design is nice and the surround quality is awesome, got it cheap too)
But what I’ve noticed is the noise cancelling tends to drop as the cushions wear off! I’m already at my third pair for the qc35 and 4th for the qc25! Maybe try to change them to see if the nixie cancelling on your qc35 II gets better!
Anway! I will jump the qc45 for now hahaha I’m very happy with what I have now
I like the way the whole sound test experiment on these headphones were set-up. Please include some other brands in an another video if time allows. i.e. Bang & Olufsen Beoplay HX, Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless and Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT2.
Well I loved your review, I hope you can try out the Bowers and Wilkins PX7s, in my opinion they would be better than anything on that table, but it takes you to tell us what you think about them, I’m a XM4 owner, for sole reason I bought them before having tried the Bowers and Wilkins, I’m planning on getting them when I’ll find a good deal on them
I totally agree with you and I deeply hate touch control too. You can image my life is deeply hard, yes. BTW thank you for your review, it's exactly what I was looking for to replace my old Bose QC35. Gonna buy the QC 45, of course.
Amazing. Can we please get a 2023 edition with some Sennheiser and Audio-Technica throw in?
It’s weird, my Beats Studio 3s are extremely comfortable, and I’m a pretty big dude, the noise cancelling works very well in my loud office (sometimes my colleagues talk to me and I don’t even notice them)
great review.
Great video!
Quick note for anyone with xm4's. I had the original ear pads, and they did touch my ear fully. It was fine, until they got old and flat. I got wicked cushion ear pads, and they are BY FAR better than the original. They're deeper, much more padded, and a lot more comfortable than the original. Not sponsored at all, just a happy customer trying to spread the word.
Where I can find dose?
I'd be interested to know if you considered the Microsoft Surface Headphones 2 and why they weren't one of the headphones you included in the video. I have a pair of those and I really like them. Like you said, headphones are pretty much completely objective.
Thank you for the wind test!!
I bought the QC45 and they're perfect for me in almost every single way, much clearer sound signature than the Sony headphones which sound so muddy in comparison but in my opinion the Bose sound better even than the airpod Max because the Max are more of a V shaped than the Bose which are by far the flattest sounding ones which is in fact nicer to listen to without overly emphasizing sounds which should not get emphasized.
If the QC45 will get an update to allow us to lower the ANC or to completely turn it off which will fix the wind noise issue, then they will be unbeatable because they're also by far one of the few most comfortable headphones money can buy and I honestly wouldn't spend any amount of money on any headphones if they're not comfortable to wear for hours and hours on a plane, it would defeat the whole purpose of getting comfortable ANC headphones, which unfortunately the Sony's kinda messed up both on comfort and sound.
Plus with the new Bose Music app update, you can EQ them to your personal taste. Bose QC45 FTW.
OH MY GOD - THANK YOU FOR SAYING THIS!!
I've been using Bose QC15 (the brown special edition), and I STILL use my QC35 mk1!! (simply no point upgrading to mk2 for the extra assistant button)
I've spent like an hour and a half on Sony XM3 when they were launched - and got the EXACT same feeling as you did.
And I AM CONSTANTLY on the lookout for a potential upgrade - but these DAMN QC35 are STILL simply the best overall package for me!
(also checked the 700, the Apple, the XM3, XM4, and I think even the soundcore, and Beats is just a piece of !#$%).
BTW - for the XM3/4 - you can tune the EQ to ROCK or some other over-enhanced preset - and the sound will surpass QC35.
I'm also a huge fan of the physical keys layout in the QC35 - I was literally looking to buy an extra pair, just in case my old beat up pair suddenly dies on me.
And yes - EVERY single review out there says the XM4/5 are the most comfy, but I just don't agree - the QC35 are still the best overall comfort level over time (I can sometimes sit for 5-8 hours with them with no issues).
I really wish they could simply keep the QC35 design specs, and just bump up the noise cancellation capabilities.
I'm even willing to stay with the current sound quality (which is not something amazing, but is more than enough for casual background listening).
Such a good video! Keep it up
I did own the xm4, qc35II and returned all of them for my AirPods Max. Imo they have the best sound and also connectivity to my iOS devices. Also the build quality is high class and personally I even do like ‘em on my head.
me too!
You should have reviewed the Sennheiser momentum fours as well. I think you would be pleasantly surprised.
Lmao these clips with Patrick at the end really cracked me up. Great test, thanks.
The transparency mode (airpods Pro and Max) is for me the biggest game changer, compared to all other I have tested) they add so much use-ability in a social setting - I simply can’t go back. As to turning the air Pods max off, as far as I know, it has been a while now that they turn of completely a short while after you just put them down, no more need to put them in the sleeve for that)…
Must say (in their defence)
The Q30's have scrolling through....
Normal
Active noise
Transparency
Via the left side button
And switchable between "last mode" and transparency. "touch and hold" the right side.
Nice casual review and comparison. If you revisit, could you look at some Sennheisers and Bowers-Wilkins or similar? Also, some allow wired direct connect as well as blue tooth. There is a difference in sound. Apple's beautiful headphone would fail on the wired as they do not provide that option.
Hi, did you try the wind reduction mode in the sony app for the sony xm4's?
great review!! smart it all makes sense. So many different opinions 👍
Loved your cast of zany testers and laughed all the way through your review. Like you, I bought a pair of Bose QC 35 IIs a few years ago and have used them every day until recently, when the ear cups finally deteriorated so badly I had to make an upgrade. I bought the Sony XM5s a few weeks ago (roughly a month before the Sennheiser Momentum 4s came out, duh) and - like you - I'm not exactly thrilled with the touch controls. Or the comfort factor of the ear pads. It's not terrible but my ears do touch the earpads, as you mentioned. The Bose QC 35 IIs also had more high-end volume - and the bass sounded better. On the XM5s, I've managed to adjust the bass upwards a bit with my media player's equalizer, but the Bose just had better separation, whereas on the XM5s, it's a little muddled. Weird how tech companies seem determined to take one step forward and two steps back. Thanks for making me chuckle through one of the best headphone reviews I've seen in a long time.
And you can probably forget about a Christmas card from Beats this year. 😂 lol
Kind regards,
Kent F. Kruhoeffer
Please review the new Sennheiser Momentum 4. I hear they have excellent wind noise magic.
I like how I can plug my Massdrop HD6XX into my MBP 16 and they sound pretty good however, they are even better with my FIIO Q5 in between the laptop and headset when listening to the highest quality music from Apple Music.
Hey Lee, thanks for the review. Sound can be heavily affected by differing ear shape and canal and sound drums. Might want to check out Nura Phones. Also, the Drop Panda (no ANC, but it does closed back right). Also, open back phones usually have an easier time sounding good, but maybe that wasn’t included because of work environment?
Open back…check out the Drop Sennheiser HD 58x Jubilee and HD 6XX. The Jubilee is more portable/computer friendly (does not require an amp, but can benefit from it.)
@@ericchang7759 these were all wireless, noise-cancelling, travel headphones though. I have 58X's and love them, and they disappear on my head when I put them on, but they're not travel headphones.
My XM4s have a wind reduction mode, but I think it's only accessible through the app like the other granular noise cancelling levels
Big shout out for the Anker Soundcore Q30s. Bought them as a budget option a few months ago and it's been one of my best tech purchases of all time.
I bought them in Christmas and I want to love them but they sound too bassy. They sound kinda good after equalizing them but you better don't use them wired because they sound like trash!
Keep your receipt!!
Read my post.
I would suggest that despite the look you put a strip of strong tape around the headband just above the sliders. My pair broke. Then the *replacement* pair broke.
.
Just sayin'
@@rogerstarkey5390 Good to know. Thanks for the heads up!
I have the Bose 35 i and ii and also the 45, just because of the comfort and the handling. The 35 i is still my favorite (I ride my bike and escooter daily) and I returned the bose 700 and sony xm 4.
I thought I was going to replace my Bose QC 35II for my shiny new AirPods Max 🎧 but I guess I’ll keep them both. Best of both worlds. Thanks for the awesome review. Best so far.
Do you think Bose ones would be good for on construction sites? I like the sound, wanna know about the noise cancellation features. Plus too much bass aint good
Incredible test! Thanks so much. 💜
The Sony XM3 headphones are also still available, for cheap. Best bang for the buck, even if you factor in the two drops of super glue to (easily) fix the infamous design flaw of the XM3 (that was fixed with the XM4).
What's the design flaw? I've had my pair for years and they still look brand new.
@@shadowscollide44 Lucky you.
The plastic caps on the headband legs have tiny plastic straps that hold the caps together. But (at some point) they can’t take the tension that builds up when the headphones are used on larger heads. Those tiny straps just snap and after that the headband caps start coming off pretty easily and frequently.
This defect happens to lots of XM3 owners, including me and some people I know. But you can just glue the caps back on: problem solved: really. It’s almost unnoticeable. Or you can buy or even 3D-print replacement cap sets. On the XM4s these parts are (visibly) sturdier and won’t break.
Chances are your straps have broken as well, but the caps just stayed on.
I have had the XM3s for nearly 3 years and have beaten the crap out of them...recently replaced the worn ear pads for slightly thicker ones....I use them while cutting the grass, landscaping etc in FL and love 'em
Awesome review!
I have seen many headphone comparison videos and yours was the best and most entertaining. Very well done! 🙂 I chose the Bose 45/SE. Best value for money.
Great video my man! You should’ve tested the JBL under armour project rock. You might be pleasantly surprised
Bowers and Wilkins Px7 headphones, they are great ! And I’ve tried my fair share of headphones including the Bose and Sony ones you tried.
Thanks
i heard about something called Cleer Enduro ANC. It's supposed to be like a better version of the Ankers here, but it's problem was that the ear cups were too small. Why is there always something?
Just bought and returned the Anker Q20's. Cheap but sounded good. Downside is that both the q20 and q30 no longer allow noise cancelling to work when plugged in using the cable. Sooooo no noise cancelling when plugging into in flight entertainment systems (confirmed by Anker). Major reason for purchase in the first place.
Did you try the wind noise reduction mode on the xm4s? They are amazing when they work