Best for: studying, late-night listening, travel, and “I want silence” moments.
Verdict
One of the highest-ROI purchases if you live around noise. They don’t just make audio better — they make life quieter.
Comfort
Comfort is what decides whether you actually use headphones daily. XM5s are light and stay comfortable for long sessions.
Noise canceling
- Best: constant noise (fans, HVAC, plane hum).
- Okay: random voices (helps, not magic).
- Tip: low-volume background music masks voices.
Sound
For long sessions, you want smooth mids and non-spiky treble. Use EQ to aim for “pleasant,” not “impressive in 15 seconds.”
My default approach
- Reduce harsh treble.
- Keep bass controlled so it doesn’t mask vocals.
- Lower volume first, then tweak.
Apartment use cases
Late-night PS5/TV
Headphones solve the neighbor problem instantly.
Studying
ANC + low volume beats cranking speakers.
Who shouldn’t
- You only listen at a desk (wired can be better value).
- You hate charging anything.
Related