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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 10, 2024·
If you prioritize supreme sound quality and don't mind a wired connection, the Sennheiser IE600 would be an excellent choice, especially for TV and music listening due to its best in class audio and excellent soundstage. However, if you prefer the convenience of wireless earbuds, a good fit for exercise, active noise cancelling, and app-based features like an equalizer and sound customization, the Sony WF1000XM5 is a more versatile option that's also often significantly less expensive. Keep in mind, the Sony earbuds are better suited for air travel and portability due to their active noise cancellation and compact form, but they have lower mic quality, making them less optimal for calls and meetings. 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 IE600
- Excellent for TV and video
Advantages of the Sony WF1000XM5
- Very good for air travel
Key differences
Gaming
6.7
5.1
The Sennheiser IE600 is only fair for gaming, while the Sony WF1000XM5 is poor.
Phone Calls
3.5
5.0
The Sony WF1000XM5 and Sennheiser IE600 are both poor for phone calls, though the Sony WF1000XM5 is somewhat better.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.4
4.9
The Sennheiser IE600 and Sony WF1000XM5 are both poor for podcasts and audiobooks, though the Sennheiser IE600 is somewhat better.
TV and Video
9.3
5.4
The Sennheiser IE600 is excellent 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 IE600 is good.
Battery
N/A
9.0 Hours
The Sennheiser IE600 does not have a battery. The Sony WF1000XM5 has 9 hours of battery life.
Cost
$600
$298
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
$400
The Sennheiser IE600 has a price of $600 and the Sony WF1000XM5 costs $298.
Build Quality
9.0
8.5
The Sennheiser IE600 has excellent build quality, while the Sony WF1000XM5 has very good build quality.
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Key similarities
Music
8.3
8.0
The Sennheiser IE600 and Sony WF1000XM5 are both very good for music.
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How the Sennheiser IE600 and the Sony WF1000XM5 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Sennheiser IE600 | Sony WF1000XM5 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$600 | $298 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Sennheiser | Sony | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2022 | July 1, 2023 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired | Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 8.3/10 | 8.1/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 3.5/10 | 5/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 6.8/10 | 5.2/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 9.3/10 | 5.5/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 4.6/10 | 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 | 2.5/10 | 6.5/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 8.5/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 8.4/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Large | Medium | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 6 Grams | 6 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | N/A | Integrated | |
Shopping
Sennheiser IE600
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Dig into reviews and images
Soundguys
Jasper Lastoria | August 2023
"If you've got the bucks, the Sennheiser IE 600 is a nice, upscale set of in-ear monitors made of a lightweight metal with an unusual texture. It comes with a suite of extras, and performs well at virtually every task."
Sony WF1000XM5
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Dig into reviews and images
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 IE600 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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