Is Sony's WH-1000MX5 BIFL?

Submitted by sranzuline t3_10liftt in BuyItForLife

I'm considering buying one. My first and last headphones purchase. Wireless and ANC. Is it worth it?

Edit: *XM5

Edit:

Hey! Thank you very much to all those who answered. I finally got Sony WH-1000XM4 at a discount from Php 21k (383.89 USD) to Php 17k (310.77 USD).

I went with it because good ANC is really my top priority and I found WHXM5 has some issues with its auto ANC. Also, I don't like Apple products.

I actually treated BIFL not literally but those stuff that will last for quite a long time and 5-6 years already sounds very long esp. to me who's used to wired earphones with a 3-5-month lifespan. So XM4's more than good enough as my first headphones.

Thanks again!

2

Comments

You must log in or register to comment.

Shoopdawoop993 t1_j5x3r1p wrote

Headphones really arent bifl... Eventually dirt and hair get on the drivers and make them worse and worse over time.

31

sk9592 t1_j61vp7l wrote

Wired headphones can be BIFL if you're willing to disassemble them to clean them every few years. Replace the ear cups, maybe the cable.

Wireless headphones absolutely are not. The rechargeable battery deteriorates. And even if you do replace it, the circuit boards in them are cheap and fail after a few years.

8

elcordiplomat t1_j5xnz6n wrote

May be able to argue repairable ones like the sony mdr7506? Like any headphones they can get messed up, but parts for them are generally available if needed. Wired headphones though.

2

sranzuline OP t1_j5xbq6k wrote

Oh.. What do you suggest? Earphones? Wireless earbuds?

0

Hefty-Inspector8662 t1_j5yowke wrote

Anything, and i mean literally anything with a lithium ion battery cannot by definition be bifl. The batteries will eventually degenerate until unusable and are in 95% of cases not even replaceable let alone by an end user.

13

Shoopdawoop993 t1_j602jmy wrote

The same issues apply tbh. In general, the thinner bigger and finer the the driver, the better the headphone sounds, but the more delicate it is.

Imho just get headphones you like, theyll last 5-10 years. Seinheieser has p good build quality.

6

foamingatthem0uth t1_j5x27y7 wrote

No because wireless

10

foamingatthem0uth t1_j5x28iw wrote

The battery will die

8

sranzuline OP t1_j5xhfjg wrote

But it also has an audio jack...

4

Soylent_Hero t1_j6047dq wrote

And most modern phones do not.

Also most noise cancelling options still require the battery, particularly active noise cancelling, which is what Sony uses, and why their noise canceling is so good.

Further certain use cases of the Sony headphones are require the use of the Sony headphone app (which I think they recently changed the name of) and once your battery is dead, or the app is depreciated, those will just be "pretty good" headphones, which you all need some kind of adapter for if you can even find the correct adapter, to use them on a device that doesn't have an audio out.

That said I am a Sony A/V nut. That is a good product, it's just not a lifetime product. Digital A/V equipment tends not to be.

1

australisblue t1_j6ahyfg wrote

The battery on these can be replaced so that can extend the life somewhat and you don’t need the app to connect and use them. You can update the firmware with the app though.

1

AStackOfUsedNapkins t1_j5xcwtn wrote

buy the nature of being an electronic device, they do indeed have a finite lifespan, and being wireless noise cancelling, they have the shortest. I personally have a pair of XM3s, and they are my second pair after daily driving the first one into the ground (these are a waranty replacement). eventually, the battery will give out, the drivers will wear, and with ANC, the "Death Squeal" will set in (sometimes, older ANC headphones will develop a squealing in certain instances as the mics and system for the ANC start failing. I don't know the exact mechanics of it, but mine have recently begun this, and learned about it).

​

all that said, I have had good luck with sony headphones, but electronics are unfortunately consumables and need replacing, since most things, like headphones, just aren't designed to be repaired.

9

RW318 t1_j5x5vjm wrote

What even is this sub anymore..

5

sranzuline OP t1_j5xbnwd wrote

Hey it's my first time here and I thought this sub could help. Cut me some slack.

10

RW318 t1_j5yywhl wrote

Headphones and earbuds are a popular topic for the sub. I'll never understand why.

0

spectacle99 t1_j5xl5qo wrote

It's kind of unreasonable to think of an item like headphones as bifl.

I do have a pair of these that I've had for 5 years and I like them - but honestly I don't think they're better than any other wireless over ear headphone. You can get 95% of the value elsewhere for 20% of the price.

2

sranzuline OP t1_j5xm25j wrote

XM5 came out last year. All major tech review sites say it's the best currently on the market. What other wireless ANC headphones can you suggest?

1

spectacle99 t1_j5xnuii wrote

You're right, I have the XM3, which kinda proves my point. If you are connected to having the best thing, headphones will not be a lifelong satisfaction purchase.

2

sranzuline OP t1_j5xqs25 wrote

Okay but five years still sounds like a long time considering that was still XM3. Thanks!

1

tawm04 t1_j60fgpn wrote

Seeing a lot of people saying headphones are not BIFL but there's plenty of headphones out there that have lasted a very long time. r/headphones r/AVexchange are decent places to look. You just need to spend more than the bare minimum. If you are in a larger city area you can also find meetups where people show off their gear for others to try.

As for wireless and bifl. If you are handy with a soldering iron you can likely replace the battery after 5 or 10 years when it finally becomes unusable but eventually you will struggle to source replacement batteries. Sadly many can't power the drivers without a working battery.

Going with a budget of $400 here are some options:

  • Dongle and a pair of good IEM (in ear monitors) ~$100. General consensus is Moondrop Aria or Etymotic ER2SE. I love my er2s as they double as really good earplugs for working with power tools. The fit took a while to get used to. My wife loves her Arias after killing several $20 pairs of KB Eears. IEMs were originally meant for musicians on stage so do a very good job of passive (think earplugs) sound isolation.
  • There are products that will give you bluetooth to headphone jack or double as a better dongle. Personally I have a Fiio BTR 5 which can be a usb c dongle when the battery dies. I run the er2 cable inside my shirt and into a pocket and is almost as convenient as the airpods pros I ended up selling after the ANC chip died repeatedly. These can also drive higher impedence (ohm) headphones that start showing up as you go upmarket. $120
  • I worked at a radio station in college and bought a pair of Sennheiser HD280s in 2006ish for use in the studio. 3 years ago I finally got annoyed at the fake leather flakes getting everywhere and replaced them with some nice lambskin stuff. I fully expect this pair to last another 10 years at least. They are okayish as closed back headphones at passive sound cancelling. Not nearly as good as the Etymotics but have worked really well for general open office environments and all day comfort. 280s are not widely regarded as crazy good sound quality but low impedence Beyerdynamics are similar price and have a cult following. New these are $100ish.
  • I also have open backed headphones that are really nice if you have a quiet place to listen to music. Bass is a little weaker but the soundstage is bigger and they let air vent so are more comfortable for longer. They are terrible at sound isolation. Sennheiser HD600s are 200ish used and are widely regarded as a benchmark headphones need to beat. The stock pads aren't great and you'll need something more powerful to drive them but with aftermarket leather pads they definately will last you a long time. $200 + $120 for a BTR or similar.
  • Koss on ear headphones also have a cult following and are very cheap.

tl;dr: Low impedence dynamic driver headphones that have a 3.5 (1/8in) headphone connector can last a very long time.

Dankpods on youtube got me into this rabbithole a couple of years ago. Generally hilarious Australian drummer. https://youtu.be/MAevLnhaU68 Runs a very active discord server that would also be able to give more options than I've explained.

Headphones show also has a similar round up. https://youtu.be/w5EhQlmD-0Q

2

AutoModerator t1_j5x1ld3 wrote

Hello /u/sranzuline! Thank you for your submission! The AutoMod thought that your post might be a request type post and has changed the flair accordingly, but if this was wrong feel free to change it back!

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

1

phantasmicerror t1_j5y4n0x wrote

Nah. My xm2s aren't good and I rarely use them these days, back when I had them they were super good.

I now have an edifier w820nb (I am now looking at the new edifier w860, probably won't be buying it anytime soon) which sounds significantly better than my xm2s. Technology tends to improve so no point in future proofing if you get me.

Weirdly though. I have an mpow 12ipo that sounds way better than my xm2. And I got that thing for cheap.

1

ihavesomequestions93 t1_j5yd071 wrote

I've had really good experience with my Sony headphones. In 2018, I bought a pair of WH-CH700N on Prime day and didn't expect much out of them. Since then they have gotten at worn at least six hours every day, I workout in them, I walk the dog in them (and been caught in several rainstorms), they've been dropped multiple times and they still work great. The battery stays charged for days. If I took my pair and a brand new pair of the same headphones and listened to them side to side, the sound quality of mine probably has diminished, but I honestly can't really tell. I bought a pair of WF-C500 for my new gym tunes, and they've been great too. I'm not claiming that Sony headphones are BIFL, but at this point, I wouldn't be surprised if they were.

In fact, if any of my headphones finally die, I think I will buy they pair you are considering. Thanks for the tip.

1

tookerken t1_j5ziqax wrote

No

Batteries will eventually stop charging.

The ear pads will wear out.

The plastic will become brittle and crack

The Bluetooth will eventually become obsolete and stop communicating with devices.

3-7 years of life would be my guess.

That being said they are phenomenal headphones. I have the MX3s. And my dad just got the MX-5s. They are such lovely devices to use. He's replacing a pair of Bose headphones that I find to be trash.

1

bergTheBold t1_j60acth wrote

Probably not BIFL but I've had a pair for around 4 years, which I've used extensively. They are fantastic headphones

1

webilia t1_j60owoc wrote

They say that the ANC is very powerful but the sound quality isn't that good. I'd recommend getting the Sennheiser's Momentum 4, they have an amazing sound quality, not that power ANC than the Sony's but it depends on what do you prioritize more, and the price range isn't that different.

Regarding the quality of the object itself, if you can I seggest you try both in person, personally I felt the Sony's to be more cheap in the quality of the build than the M4's.

1

australisblue t1_j6agdut wrote

I have the WH-1000XM3 headphones, I love them and they are still going strong after several years of nearly daily use. In that same amount of time prior I went through about 4 pairs of wired Sony earbuds. I really liked the earbuds but the wires seemed to always break inside from the constant use.

Not sure about the 5 but the 3 you can replace the battery with some effort. The original battery is showing no issues so far.

1

CautiousSlice5889 t1_j6b5oy9 wrote

I’ve had the mx3 since 2019. Fabulous pair of headphones, still work as well as when I got them. I’ll be honest I don’t use them every day but they are definitely quality if you care for them and they have the Jack in case the wireless dies/

1

mittymatrix t1_j6cnxiz wrote

I have the XM2s that I purchased in 2017. That sucker just won’t die! Aside from only allowing one Bluetooth connection at a time (bc old model) and micro USB, I wouldn’t want to upgrade! My XM2s have been dropped a lot and are a little scratched up. (I never use the carry case provided). If you go for them, I’d suggest getting them in black. Had to replace the ear pads, and black options were the most prevalent. Tbh XM2s have made me wonder if headphones can be bifl!

1

AutoModerator t1_j6nqonm wrote

Hello /u/sranzuline! Thank you for your submission! The AutoMod thought that your post might be a request type post and has changed the flair accordingly, but if this was wrong feel free to change it back!

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

1