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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated January 10, 2024·
For immersive music listening at a friendlier price, the Sennheiser CX300S is a solid choice, but if you're looking for advanced features like active noise cancelling and wireless connectivity, the Sony WF1000XM5 is superior, though at a higher cost. The Sennheiser has no microphone, meaning it won't serve for calls, while the Sony has a decent mic, though not the best for calls. If you're a frequent traveler or exercise enthusiast, the Sony's better noise isolation and suitability for exercise might be worth the extra expense, plus they offer a significantly longer battery life and convenient wireless charging. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Sennheiser CX300S
- Good for TV and video
Advantages of the Sony WF1000XM5
- Very good for music
- Very good for air travel
Key differences
Music
6.9
8.0
The Sony WF1000XM5 is very good for music, while the Sennheiser CX300S is only fair.
Gaming
6.1
5.1
The Sennheiser CX300S is only fair for gaming, while the Sony WF1000XM5 is poor.
Phone Calls
3.0
5.0
The Sony WF1000XM5 and Sennheiser CX300S are both poor for phone calls, though the Sony WF1000XM5 is somewhat better.
TV and Video
7.3
5.4
The Sennheiser CX300S is good for TV and video, while the Sony WF1000XM5 is poor.
Noise Reduction
7.0
8.7
The Sony WF1000XM5 is very good for noise reduction, while the Sennheiser CX300S is good.
Battery
N/A
9.0 Hours
The Sennheiser CX300S does not have a battery. The Sony WF1000XM5 has 9 hours of battery life.
Cost
$50
$298
$0
$100
$200
$300
$400
The Sennheiser CX300S has a price of $50 and the Sony WF1000XM5 costs $298.
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Key similarities
Podcasts and Audiobooks
4.7
4.9
The Sony WF1000XM5 and Sennheiser CX300S are both poor for podcasts and audiobooks.
Build Quality
8.0
8.5
The Sony WF1000XM5 and Sennheiser CX300S both have very good build quality.
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How the Sennheiser CX300S and the Sony WF1000XM5 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Sennheiser CX300S | Sony WF1000XM5 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$50 | $298 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Sennheiser | Sony | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | February 1, 2019 | July 1, 2023 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 7/10 | 8.1/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 3.1/10 | 5/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 6.1/10 | 5.2/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 7.4/10 | 5.5/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 4.2/10 | 6.2/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | N/A | 9 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | N/A | Yes | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | N/A | 1.5 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | N/A | 5.3 | |
Case Battery Life | |||
Case Battery Life | N/A | 18 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | No | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 7/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Virtual Surround | |||
Virtual Surround | No | Yes | |
Android App | |||
Android App | N/A | Yes | |
iOS App | |||
iOS App | N/A | Yes | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | N/A | 6.5/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 7.6/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Small | Medium | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 12 Grams | 6 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | N/A | Integrated | |
Shopping
Sennheiser CX300S
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Dig into reviews and images
Major HiFi
Carroll Moore | April 2019
"Sennheiser offers impressive bang for your buck when it comes to the CX 300S. Built like a tank and sounding surprisingly good for such a budget-minded earphone, the CX 300S out-classes many of its would-be competitors. Functional but beautiful, it’s the perfect in-ear listening solution for anyone who wants to hear everything and look good doing it."
Sony WF1000XM5
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Sound Guys
Harley Maranan | July 2023
"The Sony WF-1000XM5 is among the best noise canceling earbuds currently on the market, and they aren’t cheap. These earbuds aren’t the best choice for budget-conscious listeners. But if you prioritize active noise cancelation, sound quality, and extensive software support, the WF-1000XM5 is worth its premium price tag."
Get a great deal on the Sennheiser CX300S or the Sony WF1000XM5
About Sennheiser
A family-owned company, Sennheiser is a German, high fidelity, audio equipment manufacturer founded in 1945. Their consumer audio division is now owned by the Swiss hearing aid and cochlear implant manufacturer Sonova. Sennheiser offers a wide variety of, very high quality, audio equipment solutions, from headphones to earbuds, full sets of monitoring speakers, amplifiers and microphones. They also make what is widely regarded as the best, and most expensive, headphones in existence, the HE-1 Orpheus, costing a whopping $59,000 dollars.
About Sony
Sony is a multinational corporation, based out of Japan, with over 75 years of experience in the consumer electronics industry. In the audio market, Sony has been a trendsetter several times throughout its history. In 1979 they released the first-ever portable music player, the Sony Walkman, followed by the Discman 20 years later. Today, Sony is one of the leaders in the wireless headphone and earbud market, especially in terms of Active Noise Cancellation technology.
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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec earbuds & headphones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest earbuds or headphones information and makes it digestible for you.
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About the Earbuds or Headphones team
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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