Sony recently officially launched in the Taiwan marketNew flagship Bluetooth active noise-cancelling headphones WH-1000XM5, and active noise reductionNew true wireless earphones LinkBuds S, the author also actually obtained two headphones for comparison.
Currently, WH-1000XM5 is available in black and silver in Taiwan, with a suggested retail price of NT$11900, while LinkBuds S WF-LS900N is available in black, white and light brown, with a suggested retail price of NT$5590.LinkBudsEnvironmentally friendly packaging is used, so the box is not only made of recyclable materials, but also has a highly simplified cutting design.
The sound quality is significantly improved, but there are also some regrets about the WH-1000XM5
One of the biggest changes in the WH-1000XM5 is that the overall appearance has been significantly adjusted. The original foldable storage mechanism has been removed, leaving only the left and right earmuffs flipped horizontally. At the same time, a new fitted leather design is used on the earmuffs to enhance the passive sound insulation effect.
Regarding sound, the WH-1000XM5 utilizes a newly designed 30mm speaker driver, compared to the previous 40mm size. This lightweight carbon fiber composite sphere design allows for more natural and detailed high-frequency sound reproduction, while also combining softer edge vibrations to produce rich low-frequency sound. Furthermore, the circuit system utilizes the same gold-containing, lead-free solder technology used in Sony's premium Walkman products, minimizing resistance that can affect sound quality and further reducing noise.
As for the body, it continues to use the V1000 chip used in the previous generation WH-4XM1, paired with the QN1 noise reduction processing chip for a more complex and faster audio processing process, and is equipped with an 8-group microphone reception system for noise reduction, emphasizing the ability to filter out more high-frequency and concentrated external noise. The call part uses 4 groups of microphones for beamforming reception to ensure the clarity of calls through the headphones.
Other specifications also correspond to Hi-Res Audio and Hi-Res Wireless Audio high-resolution sound quality. In addition, it also supports the playback of encoded content, and corresponds to 360 Reality Audio audio technology and DSEE Extreme digital sound quality restoration technology. The Speak-to-Chat function that can switch the sound output mode by speaking directly is still used, and it also supports digital assistant services such as Google Assistant. In addition, it includes the ability to use spatial stereo sound when paired with BRAVIA XR series TVs, and automatically adjust the volume performance when listening in different environments, making it more convenient for users to use headphones.
In terms of power performance, the battery life can reach 30 hours when the noise reduction function is turned on, so it can meet most usage needs. The headset itself can also provide 3 hours of power through 3 minutes of fast charging. The overall weight of the headset is 250 grams, so there will not be too much problem in actual wearing. This is mainly because the top strap and left and right earmuffs increase the pressure relief and weight reduction effect.
In addition, the WH-1000XM5 also supports Google's Fast Pair technology, which will enable faster pairing with Android phones. It also supports multi-device connection mode, making it easier for users to switch between different devices.
LinkBuds S, designed for lightweight use and bridging the future LE Audio standard
LinkBuds S is the successor to the WF-1000XM4 true wireless earbuds. It features a smaller and lighter design, weighing only 4.8 grams. It uses a newly developed 5mm single-piece and, like the WH-1000XM5, uses Sony's self-developed V1 audio processing chip. It also emphasizes that it can be supported through future firmware upgrades.Bluetooth LE Audio playback function, thereby corresponding to higher digital audio transmission bandwidth, and can also correspond to application functions such as LE Audio audio sharing.
As for digital audio, they support LDAC, DSEE Extreme, and 360 Reality Audio formats. They maintain a closed-loop design for active noise cancellation, unlike the previously released LinkBuds, which feature a special surround-type dynamic driver and open-loop listening mode.
In addition, LinkBuds S also supports adaptive playback mode, which can automatically adjust the volume according to different usage environments and switch to usage modes such as active noise reduction. It can also cooperate with the sensor element to identify the user's wearing status, automatically play music when the user wears it, or pause playback when the headphones are removed. It also provides higher call quality through multiple sets of microphones and supports Google Fast Pair fast pairing function.
In terms of battery life, LinkBuds S can provide 6 hours of continuous music playback on a single charge, and can extend the battery life by an additional 14 hours when used with the storage charging box.
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To be fair, these two headphones are designed to meet different usage needs, so the sound quality performance and wearing experience are naturally different. The WH-1000XM5 is targeted at those who want more solid sound quality and listening experience, while the LinkBuds S provides a higher sound quality experience based on lightweight use. Both support Google Fast Pair, so pairing and connecting with mobile phones and other devices is very intuitive and simple.
However, to provide a more secure fit, the WH-1000XM5 sacrifices the foldable storage mechanism of previous models, making them slightly more inconvenient to carry around. While Sony touts the new storage case as being compact enough to fit easily into a backpack, practically speaking, it's limited space. Instead, they offer a more secure fit and an angled design that better aligns with most ears. However, whether this truly meets your needs remains to be determined by actual wearing.
As for the sound quality performance, the noise reduction effect of the WH-1000XM5 is indeed better than that of previous models. However, whether the timbre performance of the new 30mm speaker unit is better than the previously used 40mm speaker unit obviously depends on the user's listening preference. Especially in the case of someone like me who prefers a rich sound output, the previous generation WH-1000XM4 is obviously more suitable. However, if you prefer spatial sound performance, the newly launched WH-1000XM5 may be more suitable.
The newly launched true wireless earphones LinkBuds S can basically be regarded as a fusion of the LinkBuds earphone features with the WF-1000XM4 design, but they lack the fun of using special ring-type dynamic drivers and open-architecture listening modes. They are more like improving the previous true wireless earphone experience, providing a lighter wearing experience, and are pre-prepared to add Bluetooth LE Audio application functions.
The overall listening experience is enhanced by Sony technology, so the sound quality performance is quite good. Compared with the WH-1000XM5, it emphasizes overall ease of use and is more suitable for frequent music listening on the move. The WH-1000XM5 may be more suitable for long-term listening scenarios at a fixed point.
