ENDGAME 🔥 Sony The ColleXion vs B&W PX8 S2 vs Sennheiser Momentum 5

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Let’s settle this once and for all! Which headphones in this comparison is the best, the Sony 1000X The ColleXion, the B&W Px8 S2, or the Sennheiser Momentum 5? We’re going to compare their sound, of course, but also their mics, noise canceling, transparency, and which one I like more. So buckle up!

Sound Quality

In terms of how their default sound quality compares, they all sound great in their own way. The ColleXion has the most midrange emphasis, so there’s more fullness to vocals and instruments, and I like that. But for people who’re used to headphones with high resolving power, the Sony’s might sound a little dull and mellow. On the other hand, the Sennheiser will sound crisper.

It is a bit more recessed in the lower mids so the timbre of vocals leans a bit thinner, but it resolves track separation and background details better, and overall, it sounds crisper, more lively.

The PX8 S2’s tuning is the most V-shaped, and the most recessed in the mids, so if you’re someone who prefers a flatter, fuller midrange you might not like the B&W so much. But these are the most resolving of this group. Bass has more texture, instruments sound like they have more shape and clarity, and transient details are brighter. They’ve also got the best track separation, and the best layering which makes the sound feel more ‘3-dimensional’. All of these headphones offer a different experience, sound-wise, but in my opinion, the Sennheisers are the best compromise if you want a bit of the B&W’s clarity and staging, and a bit of the Sony’s full and mellow mids.

👉🏻 Have a listen to the sound quality samples

Microphone Quality

As for their microphone pickup, the Sonys have the best microphone here. In quiet conditions my voice sounds the crispest, and in noisy conditions my voice sounds the loudest and most intelligible. The PX8 S2 has decent mic pickup also, but in noisy conditions, my voice sounded a little more muffled than the Sony. The Sennheiser performs well in quiet conditions, but in noisy, windy conditions it didn’t deal very well with the wind, and its voice filtering struggled to leave my voice intact. (Tested in both quiet and noisy conditions using really loud cafe noise, and wind noise from a fan)

👉🏻 Llisten to the mic quality samples

Active Noise Cancelling

In terms of their active noise canceling, in this group the Sony has the strongest noise canceling, able to provide a deeper sense of silence in various situations. The Px8 S2 is a little less quiet dealing with everyday sounds, so you can hear a bit more of the sound of keyboards, traffic, and human voices. It also applies a bit of white noise masking so there’s a faint, but noticeable hiss.

But, it seems to cancel the lower frequencies better than the Sonys, which applies more to intense rumbling sounds from machinery and public transport. The Momentum 5’s noise canceling is more gentle in general, but it’s still a very effective noise canceler for most.

👉🏻 Listen to the Active Noise Canceling samples

Transparency Mode

As for their transparency mode, the ColleXion’s transparency sounds the clearest, with almost no occlusion so it feels like not wearing headphones at all. The Sennheisers have the second-best transparency.  Although it’s a bit more hissy in mids and a bit more occluded in the highs, it’s got awesome passthrough in the vocal range so face to face conversations feel natural, and ambient sounds are also well amplified.

While the PX8 S2’s transparency is decent enough for quick awareness and face to face conversations, its transparency feels the most occluded and least natural in this group.

Why buy the Sony 1000X The ColleXion?

What I like most about the Sony The ColleXion is that it supports LDAC codec which is the most common Hi-Res codec, and it’s got a very capable 10-band graphic EQ which makes their sound a bit more customizable. They’re also the most comfortable headphones in this group, with clamping pressure that’s more gentle, and earcups which feel more spacious than either the Sennheisers’s or B&Ws.

They also have the best noise canceling, mic pickup and transparency mode of this group. That said, I do feel that the others sound better out of the box, and they don’t support USB-C audio, which is supported on the Momentum 5 and PX8 S2.

Why buy the Sennheiser Momentum 5?

The Sennheisers are mostly a very capable all round performer, and I do think it sounds a little better than the Sonys by default. I also like that it supports USB-C audio so it can charge the headphones while listening, but in my opinion, it stands out for its super long battery life, about twice the battery of the Sony, and its battery is also user-replaceable. So if its battery life starts wearing out, you can purchase the battery from Sennheiser and replace it yourself.

No need to send it to the service center, and you won’t have to upgrade to the latest model if you don’t want to. Just replace the battery. What can be better is definitely its mic pickup. Hopefully Sennheiser can improve it via firmware update.

Why buy the B&W PX8 S2?

Aside from its premium build quality and styling, and its great all round performance, in my opinion, the PX8 S2’s main appeal is its sound quality, because I do think they sound the best in this group. It’s also the loudest, just at 30% volume it’s already like 50% on the Sonys and 60% on the Sennheisers. Aside from that, some people would also prefer it for its full button controls which is more tactile and better for cold weather, since you can operate it while wearing gloves.

It’s not the most comfortable headphones, though. In this group its clamping pressure is not as gentle as the Sonys, and its cushions are firmer than the Sennheiser’s. Also its eq settings are relatively limited so Its sound is also not as customizable as either the Sennheisers or Sonys.

Conclusion

For me, it depends. I like the Sonys noise canceling and comfort, the sound quality of the PX8 S2, but the Sennheisers are the best compromise, plus it has that replaceable battery. But based on what you seen today, I want you guys to tell me in the comments which one would you pick!

Check latest price:
Sony 1000X The ColleXion - https://amzn.to/4vLVmYE
B&W Px8 S2 - https://amzn.to/4q0Pjxu
Sennheiser Momentum 5 - https://amzn.to/4xBkfZ4

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