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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 10, 2024·
If you prioritize sound quality and a premium music experience, the Sennheiser IE600 with its top-tier sound, good sound isolation, and excellent build might be the better choice, but they lack a mic and are not ideal for calls and meetings. They are wired, so you'll need a device with a headphone jack, but they have a detachable cable for durability. The Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones, while a bit less expensive, offer active noise cancellation and wireless convenience, making them more versatile for different environments, including travel and office use. They also provide very good mic quality for calls, and the over-ear design and long battery life make them suitable for extended listening sessions. However, they may not be as suited for exercising due to their size. If you are using headphones with a variety of devices, especially smartphones without a headphone jack, or you value active noise cancellation and wireless freedom, the Sonys might be a better option. 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 WH-1000XM5
- Very good for air travel
Key differences
Gaming
6.7
5.6
The Sennheiser IE600 is only fair for gaming, while the Sony WH-1000XM5 is poor.
Phone Calls
3.5
5.5
The Sony WH-1000XM5 and Sennheiser IE600 are both poor for phone calls, though the Sony WH-1000XM5 is somewhat better.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.4
6.0
The Sony WH-1000XM5 is only fair for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Sennheiser IE600 is poor.
TV and Video
9.3
5.8
The Sennheiser IE600 is excellent for TV and video, while the Sony WH-1000XM5 is poor.
Noise Reduction
7.0
9.1
The Sony WH-1000XM5 is excellent for noise reduction, while the Sennheiser IE600 is good.
Battery
N/A
40.3 Hours
The Sennheiser IE600 does not have a battery. The Sony WH-1000XM5 has 40.3 hours of battery life.
Cost
$500
$300
$150
$200
$250
$300
$350
$400
The Sennheiser IE600 has a price of $500 and the Sony WH-1000XM5 costs $300.
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Key similarities
Music
8.3
8.2
The Sennheiser IE600 and Sony WH-1000XM5 are both very good for music.
Build Quality
9.0
8.8
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Sennheiser IE600 to have excellent build quality, while the Sony WH-1000XM5 has very good build quality.
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How the Sennheiser IE600 and the Sony WH-1000XM5 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Sennheiser IE600 | Sony WH-1000XM5 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$500 | $300 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Sennheiser | Sony | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | June 1, 2022 | May 1, 2022 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired | Wired + Wireless | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 8.3/10 | 8.3/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 3.5/10 | 5.6/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 6.8/10 | 5.6/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 9.3/10 | 5.8/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 4.6/10 | 6.3/10 | |
PERFORMANCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Battery life | |||
Battery life | N/A | 40.3 Hours | |
Wireless charging | |||
Wireless charging | N/A | No | |
Charging time | |||
Charging time | N/A | 3.5 Hours | |
Bluetooth version | |||
Bluetooth version | N/A | 5.2 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | No | Yes | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 7/10 | 9.1/10 | |
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 | 8.5/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 9/10 | 8.8/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 8.4/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Large | N/A | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 6 Grams | 249.4 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 WH-1000XM5
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Headphonesty
Kazi Mahbub Mutakabbir | February 2023
"The Sony WH-1000XM5 are the best Sony Bluetooth headphones so far and one of the most well-rounded Bluetooth headphones around. Look no further if you need class-leading ANC with a mostly inoffensive sound signature. Just be ready to pony up the price premium."
Get a great deal on the Sennheiser IE600 or the Sony WH-1000XM5
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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Why trust us
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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CEO and Earbuds and Headphones Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
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Earbuds and Headphones Expert
Luis is a Mexico-based headphones expert. He’s been making headphone recommendations for five years and has close to 100 pairs in his personal collection.
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