Having used and broken both XM3 and XM4, I can say that the XM5 headphones offer an overall improved headphone experience compared to their predecessors.
The noise cancelling is excellent, as one would expect, although the noticeable improvement from XM4 is marginal, I have to admit.
The comfort of wear is really improved; the set is lighter, and the ear pads are bigger. After wearing the headphones for hours, the area around my ears was noticeably less strained and sweaty than usual with my XM4.
The actual game changer for me is the microphones. Both with XM3 and XM4, during a call, I was often asked to repeat myself, even in calmer environments. I called a friend through my XM5 while walking down the road, and the experience was smooth and effortless - which has rarely been my experience before when walking in public.
I must admit, I miss the headphones being able to fold, and I do not like how big the new pouch is. It consumes a lot of space in my commute backpack, and I think travelling will be less convenient.
To conclude, XM5 is an excellent set of headphones, and the microphones' improvement is, to me, what really differentiates it from XM3 and XM4. Noise cancelling, overall built quality, comfort, sound quality, app functionality, and what have you are all improving as we move from XM3 to XM4 to XM5, but the improvements are not something to get out of bed for as long as your current headset is functional. I picked XM5 over XM4, after I broke my XM4, mainly for the improvement in call quality.
Pluspunten
- Great noise cancelling
- Improved wearing comfort (light and hugging)
- Outstanding improvement in voice call quality
- Stylish design
Minpunten
- Pricey
- Headphones do not fold / Bulky pouch
- Still not resistant to sweat
- Still not waterproof
