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It’s time for an Apple AirPods Max vs. Sony WH-1000XM5 face-off: airport edition. We’re testing these headphones at JFK and Heathrow airports, two of the busiest hubs in the world. Both are top-tier headphones with high-resolution sound quality, transparency mode, and active noise cancellation.
Which one is better for travelers? At the airport, transparency mode was put to the test to hear important announcements over the PA system. On the plane, active noise cancellation was crucial to block out the noise of crying babies. After flying from New York to London with both headphones and testing them on the iPhone 14 Plus, we’re ready to compare noise cancellation, comfort, sound quality, and transparency mode.
Apple AirPods Max vs. Sony XM5: price and specs
The Apple AirPods Max have an MSRP of $549 on Apple’s website, but you can find them for $449.99 on Amazon. They come with the Apple H1 headphone chip, 9 microphones, active noise cancellation, transparency mode, personalized spatial audio, and adaptive EQ.
The Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones have an MSRP of $399.99, but are available for $349.99 from Sony or $314 on Amazon. They feature Sony QN1 and V1 dual-processor chips, 8 microphones, active noise cancellation, transparency mode (Ambient Mode), 360-degree spatial sound personalizer, and adaptive EQ.
From the pricing alone, you might lean towards the Sony headphones, but a closer look at the specs may change your mind.
Apple AirPods Max vs. Sony XM5: design and comfort
The design of the AirPods Max may trigger anxiety for some users. The mesh headband and knit-mesh ear cups are not ideal for rough handling or workouts. The breathable material can collect sweat and grime, making it hard to keep clean, especially if you wear makeup like Estée Lauder foundation. Restoring them to a pristine state may prove challenging.
The Sony XM5s, on the other hand, have synthetic leather. Compared to the AirPods Max’s ear cups, the Sony XM5s don’t absorb as much crud. I knew that I could unconcernedly wear makeup at JFK, and by the time I landed at Heathrow Airport, I could wipe down the Sony XM5s’ ear cups with a warm, wet towel – and they’ll be as good as new.
The Sony XM5s are more comfortable
I’d also argue that the Sony XM5s are far more comfortable. They’re so lightweight, I could sleep peacefully with them on the British Airways plane. Weighing just 0.56 pounds, I began to forget the Sony headphones were on my head after just a few minutes of wearing them. The AirPods Max use more premium materials with its anodized aluminum ear cups and stainless-steel headband. While the AirPods Max look and feel more high-end, they come at the price of comfort. I never felt quite comfortable wearing the AirPods Max on the plane. There’s some unsettling pressure between the ear cups – somewhere in the upper region – and my head, likely due to the metal headband. No, it’s not a dealbreaker, but it’s an important difference between the Sony XM5s and AirPods Max, making the former more comfortable.
AirPods Max are arguably more attractive
Fashionability is a deciding factor for me when it comes to headphones. In fact, the reason why my daily driver is the Sony WH-1000XM4, and not the current-generation XM5s, is because it looks sexier. The Sony XM5s, on the other hand, are an eyesore. It’s the ear cups that make them hideous. They’re so bulky, I wouldn’t be surprised if someone mistook me as one of the air traffic controllers at JFK airport. The AirPods Max, though heavier on the head, have sleeker ear cups, making them far more sophisticated and fashion-forward than the clunky Sony XM5s. The AirPods Max come in five colorways: Space Gray, Pink, Green, Silver and Sky Blue. I opted for Space Gray. I have black hair – and I prefer headphones that don’t stick out like a sore thumb. I love how the AirPods Max blend in with my dark, curly tresses, camouflaging it with my locks. The Sony XM5s come in three colorways: Silver, Black, and Midnight Blue. I chose the latter because the navy-blue hue contrasted beautifully with the bold-and-gold “Sony” logo on the hinges. Winner: Sony WH-1000XM5
Apple AirPods Max vs. Sony XM5: Noise cancellation and transparency mode
If you’re looking for the best noise cancellation, get the AirPods Max. I’ll tell you why. As luck would have it, a crying baby made its way onto my British Airways flight. Typically, I’d be fuming in annoyance at such a misfortune, but it’s the most ideal environment to compare the AirPods Max and Sony XM5s. For what it’s worth, using my Apple Watch Series 9, the decibels on the London-bound plane climbed to nearly 80 before I tested both headphones. I could still hear the wailing baby on both headphones with ANC on, however, the AirPods Max did a much better job at suppressing the noise than the Sony XM5s. Furthermore, when the baby stopped crying, the AirPods Max impressed me with how well they muffled the monotone drone of the humming plane engines. Could you still hear them? Yes. But the constant hum sounded slightly louder on the Sony XM5s compared to the AirPods Max.
Upon landing in London, I had my fiancé test the noise cancellation feature of the AirPods Max. He remarked that he couldn’t hear me at all, even though I was right beside him on the couch. In contrast, with the Sony XM5s, he could hear everything I was saying. This was a disappointment for him, as he enjoys pretending to have selective hearing with me. The Transparency Mode on the AirPods Max, known as “Ambient Mode” on the Sony XM5s, also proved to be superior on the Apple headphones.
Listening to Sabrina Carpenter’s “Espresso” while keeping an ear out for announcements, I was able to utilize the Transparency Mode on the AirPods Max to adjust the volume based on boarding calls. While the Sony XM5s also allow external sounds to come through, the Apple AirPods Max presented a more prominent external audio experience.
In terms of touch controls and ports, the Sony XM5s feature touch controls that I found to be easily accidentally activated while adjusting the headphones. On the other hand, the AirPods Max do not have touch controls, relying on the digital crown for various functions. One downside of the AirPods Max is the absence of a 3.5mm headphone jack, unlike the Sony XM5s which come with a cable for in-flight entertainment.
The call and voice quality comparison between the Apple AirPods Max and the Sony XM5s involved enlisting the help of my fiancé. Without revealing which headphones I was using, he noted that “Headphones A” (AirPods Max) had a background noise issue and a distant microphone sound quality. Ultimately, the call and voice quality test favored the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones over the Apple AirPods Max.
After testing two different sets of headphones, the Apple AirPods Max emerged as the winner in terms of voice clarity and definition according to the feedback from the author’s fiancé. The Apple AirPods Max and Sony XM5 were compared for their music quality, with the AirPods Max providing a more balanced and warm sound while the Sony XM5 offered more prominent highs. In terms of case design, the Sony XM5s come with a full-coverage storage case while the AirPods Max case has been criticized for looking unattractive and leaving the headphones exposed. The Sony XM5s were deemed the winner in this category.
When it comes to battery life, the Sony XM5s are claimed to last 30 hours compared to the 20 hours claimed by Apple for the AirPods Max. In a real-life test scenario, the Sony XM5 had 69% battery left after a round trip from JFK to Heathrow and back, while the AirPods Max had only 60% battery remaining. The Sony XM5 was declared the winner in terms of battery life.
In the noise cancellation category, the Apple AirPods Max were deemed superior, offering better noise cancellation and call quality compared to the Sony XM5. However, the Sony XM5 was praised for being lightweight, comfortable, and more travel-friendly. Ultimately, the Apple AirPods Max were chosen as the winner in this category as well.
