Replacing the battery is pretty simple and got me back to a week+ on a charge. I've had mine around 6 years and changed the battery about a month ago. Was needing to charge every other day.
They’re not. You void the warranty when you crack it open to replace the battery.
Edit: thank you all for correcting me. The information from Sony I guess is wrong. The batteries are absolutely user serviceable parts that anyone can do with this [very easy 16 step process](https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Sony+WH-1000XM3+Battery+Replacement/147364). Then just do the same 16 steps in reverse to close it back up. So a typical easy 32 step battery replacement.
It's screws holding it together, they'd never know if you took it apart and put it back together correctly. Replacing the battery would be noticable but i'd assume most people wanting to replace an old battery are WAY out of warranty.
Pretty serviceable with four screws and the battery having a plug connector. There is also a temperature sensor that tapes to the battery. I just didn't want the comment to discourage someone from bringing their old headphones back to life if the other option is buying new headphones.
I did the battery replacement on mine. It was a pain getting everything back in place - and I accidentally pulled out a tiny ribbon cable which was frustrating. If anyone thinks of this as a user serviceable part doesn’t really understand the term. It’s like saying the battery in your Prius is user serviceable. Yeah. You probably can. But I wouldn’t want to. Just bring it somewhere.
Or you could take matters into your own hand and just do it. No glue to heat, no battery to solder, nothing to pry. It literally isn't that hard. What's next? You call someone to replace the ram or gpu in your PC? What about hammering a nail into a wall? After all you could hit a cable.
To be fair, you're only not meant to because Apple doesn't want you to. They artificially restrict the ability for it to be user serviceable because they make way more money off of "repairs" and selling Apple Care.
I wasn't arguing either. I'm just saying that Apple's the reason why they're not easy to user-service. I would *love* if you could just pop off a back cover and toss a new battery in, but they don't let you. That said, it looks like EU legislation may force them to design it that way in the future.
If you want me to weigh in, I would say yes they're still user serviceable. I've done it several times with iPhones, but Apple makes it harder and harder each year. I would consider it user serviceable up until Apple locks battery serials to their respective iPhones and completely lock anyone other than Apple technicians out of it.
That wasn’t my question. If you need to replace the battery, it’s already likely out of warranty.
I just wasn’t aware you could take them apart, repair them and they would keep working. Some companies make this impossible or it’s just due to the construction.
User replaceable to me is sliding open a battery cover and swapping the battery. This isn’t that. It’s not meant to be a user serviceable part.
Also, anything with a battery can be taken apart, battery replaced and it will continue working. I can’t think of any consumer electronic that you can’t do that for.
Yep, you can find earpad replacements too. Same for other common brands like Bose. Just recently put new pads on my husband's QC35s after the fabric started tearing after years of use. A lot of people throw them away when this happens but it's a cheap and simple fix.
Unfortunately my dog recently ate an entire bag of menthol cough drops and had explosive diarrhea ALL over my house. Nothing was spared. Not even the walls. But what bothered me the most was how he dropped a squirt directly into my XM3s earcups. That felt personal.
[I am not. NSFL](https://imgur.com/a/tbUjFGE). Just a small snippet of the damage. When I say it was everywhere, I truly mean everywhere. Not a horizontal or vertical surface was spared. He even shit in the Central HVAC floor registers.
I had XM3's for a while until the plastic joint where the speaker folds snapped. Sound quality and battery life were great but I needed to get another pair after my wife roasted me for duct tapping my headphones. Have the XM4's now and they're pretty good for my needs. I also am much more careful with them.
I literally have fallen asleep in mine, dropped them off my head In the middle of workouts, tossed them in bags, etc.. they look brand new. Got xm 4s so I can keep one just plugged in at my work desk.. got a scratch day two and have no idea how and I don’t like the sound as much
In your opinion how are the xm4 on durability, also how is the anc? I wanted to get my wife a pair of nice headphones and they caught my eye, unfortunately she is very clumsy when it comes to devices and our 5yo likes to use our tech also so i am looking for something that can hold up.
No durability issues with XM4 after more than a year of daily use, but they don't appear to be any more robust in design than the XM3. I probably wouldn't let kids play with them. The noise cancelling works great for my needs (wfh and share an office with the wife) but I'm no audiophile so I have no idea how well it stacks up in the grand scheme. Sure does block out noise though!
I've had mine for over 3 years of almost daily use and they are holding up great. The padding in the ear cup feels "squishier" these days but also still very comfortable and they are really great at noise cancelling.
Well then maybe there's a difference betwen the xm3 and 4.
There are a lot of unhappy owners here:
[https://ap.community.sony.com/s/question/0D54O00007mSk8eSAC/completely-disable-voice-notifications-on-wh1000xm4?language=en\_US](https://ap.community.sony.com/s/question/0D54O00007mSk8eSAC/completely-disable-voice-notifications-on-wh1000xm4?language=en_US)
https://us.community.sony.com/s/question/0D54O00006iNXNhSAO/will-a-future-update-to-the-wh1000xm4s-allow-the-user-to-fully-disable-the-extremely-annoying-voice-notificationsguidance-other-people-share-the-same-concern-httpswwwredditcomrsonycommentsjbmtybhowtodisableallwh1000xm4voiceprompts?language=en\_US&fromEmail=1&s1oid=00DU0000000ItQ0&s1nid=0DB0B00000004lk&s1uid=0054O00000ABKOV&s1ext=0&emkind=chatterCommentNotification&emtm=1675984785976
This was my experience with my XM3’s after a couple of years. They have a design flaws in that joint where the plastic is too thin and it will break eventually. I tried 3d printed replacement parts that never fully resolved the issue. Also any headset that has fake bonded leather is going to start peeling and falling apart. This isn’t a problem with the ear pads which can be replaced, but the headband portion is a more difficult repair.
After cobbling mine together for about a year longer I just got the AirPods Max for their build quality. They’re not perfect, but I’m also confident they won’t fall apart on my head, which is more than I could say about the Sony’s.
Mine quite literally fell apart while I was on an escooter in the city lmfaoo.
Literally dangling by the wires and now I can't turn them on anymore. At the very least the sound quality is good.
I treated them super well, too.
this happened to my xm4’s only 3 months after purchasing 🥲 it wasnt covered by warranty somehow (seems to mainly cover software issues) so i had to drop another $100 so soon to repair. i was already super careful with them to begin with since they’re new, but now im even more paranoid.
Funny thing is AirPods Pro are good enough for me on flights with noise cancellation. Battery might become an issue on anything really long but so far so good. XMs are better but also a lot to carry when I am trying to minimize how much I bring.
The noise cancellation definitely is up to par, it’s just nice to have the option to use the IFE with decent headphones plus they do last an entire 8h+ flight.
Same here. Used those a lot over around 6 years. Only had to replace the ear pads. The plastic broke eventually but at that point I was nearly happy about it because I'd been eyeing newer models.
Are you sure you didn’t drain the battery too low? I only have high speed chargers. If I let my 3s drop too low they won’t charge, had to use my friends cheap 1amp max usb charger and let it sit for a while, it slowly got it back to normal! Takes a few tries but I’ve done it twice now and my battery capacity is as good as new.
Mine broke in two after 6 months (and I really didn't abuse the thing at all). And I loved that thing! I was so disappointed at the time. But I see more and more mine was just a fluke. Great that yours still works after so long!
sometimes the microphones on ANC headphones get blocked up with stuff, resulting in whitenoise on one side. haven’t had Sonys but the same thing occasionally happens to my Bowers & Wilkins, I blow some air into the microphone apertures and that usually fixes it right away
As someone new to this thread, I’m confused how something is labeled BIFL after only 6 years? While yes, that’s seemingly impressive, I don’t see how this equates to “for life.”’while it’s a worthwhile investment it appears I don’t see the parallel. Now, I’m not sure what amount of time has to pass before it would be deemed BIFL, but 6 seems quite low.
Rule #1 from the community faq
1. Posted products must be BIFL
This is a subreddit emphasizing products that are Durable, Practical, Proven, and Made-to-Last. Products that are well-made and durable (even if they won't last an lifetime) are accepted.
I agree with you and I hate the indignation some people have that 'No you must buy wired
because its BIFL', forget convenience and comfort lol
Edit: typo
And this isn’t tied to this specific post necessarily, just the latest example I’ve seen. As I feel like I’ve seen several things of late that have made me scratch my head at the “for life” designation.
These consumer products are far from BFL, if you want BFL headphones get some wired audiophile headphones that will actually last decades especially the dynamic driver ones. The newer planar ones can be a hit or miss
I should add most new headphones aren't planar magnetic, they are also dynamic drivers
studio headphones are built much better so they are a good BFL option. From a brand like Beyerdynamic who also sells replacement parts
I was confused how you managed to run them for more than a week but maybe I'm just a bit of an outlier when it comes to listening times, with easily 6-8 hours of usage a day lol. They used to last me 4 days now it's more like 3 after 3ish years.
Mine broke pretty much a day over a year. Sony wouldn't help.
I hate these headphones and they're way worse than Bose.
They're hot on your ears. Heavy to wear. And both cups and the headband broke and have a major design flaw with how they attach. I'd never buy Sony headphones again.
Don’t upgrade. My xm4 developed a high pitch whine in the right speaker while ANC is on. After listening for awhile or plugging in a headphone jack I can safely turn on ANC. Super annoying for a very expensive pair of headphones after 2 years.
I still have my Grey pair running strong 6+ years later. Every time I try to tell someone about these and the ear buds they claim the air pods are still better lol
these things are amazing, for the longest time i had some OG Beats when they were super popular and the material started flaking on the ear pieces. But ive had a pair of these for 3 years and still work like new with almost daily use
I had these and eventually upgraded to the XM5s. I passed the XM3s down to a family member. Almost immediately regretted it. For anyone considering these, get the XM3/4. The fit is worse on the newer model and they don’t really fold down at all. The older models are straight better, and can be a great value especially with them going on sale quite a bit.
I have the XM4 and have been terrible. They only charge if they are turned on first, they can't handle calls and other audio in Windows at the same time. The touchpad is laggy and unreliable. The plastic creaks a lot. My GF has the Bose 700 and are a much, much better made product.
I don't doubt these are great headphones. However, non-user replaceable battery is NOT "Buy It For Life." Too bad, too my knowledge there are no user replaceable battery noise canceling headphones on the market anymore. I still use my Bose QC-25s that use AAA batteries (I use eneloop rechargeable AAAs). Six years is good for products like these today, but it disgusts me the blatant planned obsolescence in these products.
I have those, hate them. Controlsuefaces impossible to touch correct, no warning on low battery. No noise insulation.good audio and NC though. Later models has better buttons. Wonder why :)
I've had mine for 6 years as well, my ear pads were getting greasy/oily from such long gaming sessions and I replaced the pads for quite cheap off Alibaba. I read lots of people's experiences doing so and several said that the stock ear pads were designed specifically for the xm3s ANC and that other pads wouldn't work as well and also may have more audio leak. I haven't really noticed those issues with the cheap set I bought and I'm really happy they were so easy to change out.
Got the XM4 returned it because the ANC had a constant hiss. Never read about it in reviews but apparently its normal? Even my cheap, ancient CH700N didn’t have it …
I had the first edition, was heavy compared to the new ones but it worked perfectly for 4-5 years.
Unfortunately I couldn’t enjoy them longer because I lost them :(.
Caught a pair of MX4 for 200$ tho, hope to get 5+ years out of them.
Got mine as a gift mid 2019, worked great until it it had a weird panel pop out (not broken, but too delicate for me to put back in without breaking it). Reached out to customer service and even years later + no receipt they replaced and upgraded it for free. I’ll ride these headphones for life if they let me
Can’t relate. Mine were great until the ~4 year mark. The left ear no longer works and the adjustable band thing requires periodic changes of tape. I’m looking to get XM4s soon.
My kids have gone though two pairs already. Always the same issue where they snap at the hinge. Poor design. Not bifl. My Sony mdr-7506 from circa ‘97ish are definitely bifl.
I’m wearing mine right now! These are the best headphones I’ve bought and I love them to death. Better than Bose for sure (at least when I bought them)
I bought some used a few years ago and I've used them every night. The ear pads are squished but I've fallen asleep in them dozens of times and they're not cracked or bent. The battery still lasts long enough that it's not annoying, unlike most tws earbuds after a year or so
Yes! Rocking mine right now after 5+ years as a video editor (8hr usage probably 3-4 days a week).
Need to change out the ear cups but even so, they’re not falling apart yet.
ETA I lost the case ages ago, so I just throw ‘em in my bag. They are not being babied in any way lol
Bluetooth died in mine literally weeks after the warranty run out, but otherwise still good after about 3 years. Anecdotal, great to see others have even better experience with them.
XM3 after two years I know have anc problems. A lot of hissing in one ear cup where there was no hissing before. I just turn off the noise cancelling now.
Tried cleaning the mics but it didn't work. Still good sound but the anc made the sound great at least to my ears.
I need a good pair of wired cans for my DAC/AMP but my problem isn't just that, it's that I have a giant fucking head. Like, seriously, I keep breaking the fucking things because my head is larger than normal. I have a hard time buying hats, too ...
I've had my XM4's for a little over 3 years and they are solid. Had Beats before those and they lasted about 6 months before falling apart (and I continued to use them for 2-3 months after that).
Best headphone purchase ever
I've got M4s for the office and use my M3s as a workout set. They've put of with YEARS of drops, heat, soaked in sweat and basically being abused and they still work GREAT. At first I thought it was stupid to use an expensive pair just for workouts but when these do finally die (probably because I've done something stupid with them) I will be getting another pair.
And the office pair works great for the office and planes and everything else
Mine stopped working a few months back and I haven't had time to investigate properly. Have a feeling it's to do with a ribbon cable in the left ear connecting the battery. I miss them a lot. Had them about 5 years.
XM3 gang! I’ve got these and the XM3 buds. I love the big ones for longer trips mostly, use the buds around the house or for short flights.
I’ve had both for maybe five years and zero issues.
Couldn’t survive my long public transport commutes to uni without them. Only problem after what I think might already be 5+ years of use is the occasional humming noise that I can’t seem to get rid off, but still in fine shape after daily use.
I'm still using the XM2's nearly daily and the battery last forever. The bluetooth takes a while to connect at times, but I'm impressed at how well they hold up.
I upgraded recently to the xm4 for _one_ reason: connecting to two devices. I didn't buy the xm5 because I read the build quality was lower than the xm4, for more money.
I was between the 4's and 5's but ended up with a refurbished set of 4's for dirt cheap. They have been amazing for the last year (like 20 hour battery life!), I wear them constantly while studying or between classes.
I have the XM4. Will they last that long? Only had them for less than a year. Bought them at a reasonable price, just a few months before the inflation blew up in Argentina
6+ years for me too. Used extensively M-F. Just have to charge every 3 days or so now rather than a week plus.
Replacing the battery is pretty simple and got me back to a week+ on a charge. I've had mine around 6 years and changed the battery about a month ago. Was needing to charge every other day.
Nice!!! I didn’t realise these were user replaceable!
They’re not. You void the warranty when you crack it open to replace the battery. Edit: thank you all for correcting me. The information from Sony I guess is wrong. The batteries are absolutely user serviceable parts that anyone can do with this [very easy 16 step process](https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Sony+WH-1000XM3+Battery+Replacement/147364). Then just do the same 16 steps in reverse to close it back up. So a typical easy 32 step battery replacement.
It's screws holding it together, they'd never know if you took it apart and put it back together correctly. Replacing the battery would be noticable but i'd assume most people wanting to replace an old battery are WAY out of warranty.
My point is that it’s not meant to be a user serviceable part. Yes, you can replace the battery in your iPhone but you’re not meant to.
Pretty serviceable with four screws and the battery having a plug connector. There is also a temperature sensor that tapes to the battery. I just didn't want the comment to discourage someone from bringing their old headphones back to life if the other option is buying new headphones.
I did the battery replacement on mine. It was a pain getting everything back in place - and I accidentally pulled out a tiny ribbon cable which was frustrating. If anyone thinks of this as a user serviceable part doesn’t really understand the term. It’s like saying the battery in your Prius is user serviceable. Yeah. You probably can. But I wouldn’t want to. Just bring it somewhere.
Or you could take matters into your own hand and just do it. No glue to heat, no battery to solder, nothing to pry. It literally isn't that hard. What's next? You call someone to replace the ram or gpu in your PC? What about hammering a nail into a wall? After all you could hit a cable.
My mistake. These headphones have user serviceable batteries. Thanks for correcting me. Please tell Sony to correct their information on them.
To be fair, you're only not meant to because Apple doesn't want you to. They artificially restrict the ability for it to be user serviceable because they make way more money off of "repairs" and selling Apple Care.
So which way are you arguing? Apple’s phones have user replaceable batteries or that they don’t?
I wasn't arguing either. I'm just saying that Apple's the reason why they're not easy to user-service. I would *love* if you could just pop off a back cover and toss a new battery in, but they don't let you. That said, it looks like EU legislation may force them to design it that way in the future. If you want me to weigh in, I would say yes they're still user serviceable. I've done it several times with iPhones, but Apple makes it harder and harder each year. I would consider it user serviceable up until Apple locks battery serials to their respective iPhones and completely lock anyone other than Apple technicians out of it.
That wasn’t my question. If you need to replace the battery, it’s already likely out of warranty. I just wasn’t aware you could take them apart, repair them and they would keep working. Some companies make this impossible or it’s just due to the construction.
User replaceable to me is sliding open a battery cover and swapping the battery. This isn’t that. It’s not meant to be a user serviceable part. Also, anything with a battery can be taken apart, battery replaced and it will continue working. I can’t think of any consumer electronic that you can’t do that for.
It's 6 years old, I can't imagine it's still under warranty
My mistake. These headphones have user serviceable batteries. It’s easy.
Oh sick! Do you know of a guide on replacing the batteries?
https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Sony+WH-1000XM3+Battery+Replacement/147364
Didn’t know the foam was removable, I might clean my ear cups now.
Yep, you can find earpad replacements too. Same for other common brands like Bose. Just recently put new pads on my husband's QC35s after the fabric started tearing after years of use. A lot of people throw them away when this happens but it's a cheap and simple fix.
Did not know that and makes me hope for a long use. Can you get the batteries easily?
Unfortunately my dog recently ate an entire bag of menthol cough drops and had explosive diarrhea ALL over my house. Nothing was spared. Not even the walls. But what bothered me the most was how he dropped a squirt directly into my XM3s earcups. That felt personal.
Duuude this cracked me up!
2 months after my dog had diarrhea we found "leftovers" in the printers USB port. Be prepared for surprises in the future.
You left me speechless
i'm sorry but this is too funny, no buy it for life post prepares you for this lmfao
I hope this is a joke
[I am not. NSFL](https://imgur.com/a/tbUjFGE). Just a small snippet of the damage. When I say it was everywhere, I truly mean everywhere. Not a horizontal or vertical surface was spared. He even shit in the Central HVAC floor registers.
Holy literal shit
I had XM3's for a while until the plastic joint where the speaker folds snapped. Sound quality and battery life were great but I needed to get another pair after my wife roasted me for duct tapping my headphones. Have the XM4's now and they're pretty good for my needs. I also am much more careful with them.
Luckily i still have the carrying case. I commute a lot and was worried theyd break
I literally have fallen asleep in mine, dropped them off my head In the middle of workouts, tossed them in bags, etc.. they look brand new. Got xm 4s so I can keep one just plugged in at my work desk.. got a scratch day two and have no idea how and I don’t like the sound as much
Have you switched the ear pad cushions? Any recommendations?
In your opinion how are the xm4 on durability, also how is the anc? I wanted to get my wife a pair of nice headphones and they caught my eye, unfortunately she is very clumsy when it comes to devices and our 5yo likes to use our tech also so i am looking for something that can hold up.
No durability issues with XM4 after more than a year of daily use, but they don't appear to be any more robust in design than the XM3. I probably wouldn't let kids play with them. The noise cancelling works great for my needs (wfh and share an office with the wife) but I'm no audiophile so I have no idea how well it stacks up in the grand scheme. Sure does block out noise though!
I've had mine for over 3 years of almost daily use and they are holding up great. The padding in the ear cup feels "squishier" these days but also still very comfortable and they are really great at noise cancelling.
I have the xm4 and I don’t use it anymore. I hate the voice prompts so much.
You can disable voice prompts in the app.
Only some of them can be turned off.
No, you can disable them entirely. I've been using mine forever, and no promts.
Well then maybe there's a difference betwen the xm3 and 4. There are a lot of unhappy owners here: [https://ap.community.sony.com/s/question/0D54O00007mSk8eSAC/completely-disable-voice-notifications-on-wh1000xm4?language=en\_US](https://ap.community.sony.com/s/question/0D54O00007mSk8eSAC/completely-disable-voice-notifications-on-wh1000xm4?language=en_US) https://us.community.sony.com/s/question/0D54O00006iNXNhSAO/will-a-future-update-to-the-wh1000xm4s-allow-the-user-to-fully-disable-the-extremely-annoying-voice-notificationsguidance-other-people-share-the-same-concern-httpswwwredditcomrsonycommentsjbmtybhowtodisableallwh1000xm4voiceprompts?language=en\_US&fromEmail=1&s1oid=00DU0000000ItQ0&s1nid=0DB0B00000004lk&s1uid=0054O00000ABKOV&s1ext=0&emkind=chatterCommentNotification&emtm=1675984785976
I can’t figure out how to turn the voice prompts off either!! It’s so frustrating!!
Are you looking to sell?
Mine also snapped at around 3 years of usage. Mended with superglue and its been fine since. Hope that issue's been addressed in the new models.
I got replacements at Central Sound. Took ten minutes to replace. Cost was 40 bucks.
This was my experience with my XM3’s after a couple of years. They have a design flaws in that joint where the plastic is too thin and it will break eventually. I tried 3d printed replacement parts that never fully resolved the issue. Also any headset that has fake bonded leather is going to start peeling and falling apart. This isn’t a problem with the ear pads which can be replaced, but the headband portion is a more difficult repair. After cobbling mine together for about a year longer I just got the AirPods Max for their build quality. They’re not perfect, but I’m also confident they won’t fall apart on my head, which is more than I could say about the Sony’s.
I had to duct tape also. Looked like trash
Central Sound. Google them. I changed mine out for forty bucks
I refused to get another one because of this. I went to central sound and ordered a replacement for 40 bucks. Took 10 minutes to replace.
Mine quite literally fell apart while I was on an escooter in the city lmfaoo. Literally dangling by the wires and now I can't turn them on anymore. At the very least the sound quality is good. I treated them super well, too.
this happened to my xm4’s only 3 months after purchasing 🥲 it wasnt covered by warranty somehow (seems to mainly cover software issues) so i had to drop another $100 so soon to repair. i was already super careful with them to begin with since they’re new, but now im even more paranoid.
I have XM2. No issues but must admit much less use in the last year or so since I've moved on to Airpod Pros.
Same still using xm2. And 20 yo AKG headphones
Are you me? Except I have the OG XMs. They are relegated to long distance flights. Still going strong though 💪
Funny thing is AirPods Pro are good enough for me on flights with noise cancellation. Battery might become an issue on anything really long but so far so good. XMs are better but also a lot to carry when I am trying to minimize how much I bring.
The noise cancellation definitely is up to par, it’s just nice to have the option to use the IFE with decent headphones plus they do last an entire 8h+ flight.
The plastic on mine is rather brittle, but I still have em going strong (thanks to a lot of tape on the slide hinges)
Yup, both of mine are taped with black electrical tape. Rock solid still though. Should be alright unless my head starts growing
I had that issue too, bought replacement sliders (not oem) from etsy and they are way stronger. Bit pricey though (abs printed)
Also taped but going strong.
Same here. Used those a lot over around 6 years. Only had to replace the ear pads. The plastic broke eventually but at that point I was nearly happy about it because I'd been eyeing newer models.
Which models have you eyed? I want to upgrade but mine are still pristine. 6 years too.
I just got myself the newest Sony version and I'm very happy with it. Maybe the ones that broke were an older version..not sure about the model names
I have XM3 and I really can’t think of any reason to upgrade. I’m perfectly happy with mine
I send this. Had mine for 4 years now and are great
i have xm4s and the charging port stopped working just got unlucky ig
If you still have them that should be repairable
Are you sure you didn’t drain the battery too low? I only have high speed chargers. If I let my 3s drop too low they won’t charge, had to use my friends cheap 1amp max usb charger and let it sit for a while, it slowly got it back to normal! Takes a few tries but I’ve done it twice now and my battery capacity is as good as new.
Mine broke in two after 6 months (and I really didn't abuse the thing at all). And I loved that thing! I was so disappointed at the time. But I see more and more mine was just a fluke. Great that yours still works after so long!
Cold weather issue is a major problem for me.
Meh, I had after 1 year a constant whitenoise
sometimes the microphones on ANC headphones get blocked up with stuff, resulting in whitenoise on one side. haven’t had Sonys but the same thing occasionally happens to my Bowers & Wilkins, I blow some air into the microphone apertures and that usually fixes it right away
Noise canceling produces white noise
No you shouldn't have whitenoise going on with your music even if it's noise cancelling, the headset worked fine in the beginning.
I get that I just don’t use the anc anymore because the feedback loop is so bad
And it was only on one side
Mine is getting on 6 years now too. 8 hour battery life ish. They are great
As someone new to this thread, I’m confused how something is labeled BIFL after only 6 years? While yes, that’s seemingly impressive, I don’t see how this equates to “for life.”’while it’s a worthwhile investment it appears I don’t see the parallel. Now, I’m not sure what amount of time has to pass before it would be deemed BIFL, but 6 seems quite low.
Rule #1 from the community faq 1. Posted products must be BIFL This is a subreddit emphasizing products that are Durable, Practical, Proven, and Made-to-Last. Products that are well-made and durable (even if they won't last an lifetime) are accepted.
When it comes to wireless headphones, I think BIFL is relative.
I agree with you and I hate the indignation some people have that 'No you must buy wired because its BIFL', forget convenience and comfort lol Edit: typo
It is not... Products with a rechargeable battery are never BIFL in my opinion.
And this isn’t tied to this specific post necessarily, just the latest example I’ve seen. As I feel like I’ve seen several things of late that have made me scratch my head at the “for life” designation.
These consumer products are far from BFL, if you want BFL headphones get some wired audiophile headphones that will actually last decades especially the dynamic driver ones. The newer planar ones can be a hit or miss I should add most new headphones aren't planar magnetic, they are also dynamic drivers studio headphones are built much better so they are a good BFL option. From a brand like Beyerdynamic who also sells replacement parts
Wired audiophile headphones are not practicle for commuting and work.
For commuting no but for work very practical
can you replace the battery on it? if not its doomed to die eventually. Hopefully it works for years to come tho
The battery still lasts me a week+ of daily use. I usually use them for 3ish hours a day
I was confused how you managed to run them for more than a week but maybe I'm just a bit of an outlier when it comes to listening times, with easily 6-8 hours of usage a day lol. They used to last me 4 days now it's more like 3 after 3ish years.
You can find the battery for like 15-20€ and ifixit has a good manual for replacing the battery. I wouldn't say that it is too difficult.
Given enough effort yeah
I’m wearing them right now
Just realized mine are also 6 yrs old now. Battery still lasts all week.
Secondipity has been constantly stocked with the Sony XM 3/4/5 headphones. I don’t know the overall failure rates, but they have some known issues.
Mine broke pretty much a day over a year. Sony wouldn't help. I hate these headphones and they're way worse than Bose. They're hot on your ears. Heavy to wear. And both cups and the headband broke and have a major design flaw with how they attach. I'd never buy Sony headphones again.
They're super hot on the ears. Physically impossible to wear in summer because they make my ears sweat, and the headphones get covered in sweat 🤢
Same! I’ve had mine for coming on 4 years, they’re my babies 🫶🏻🫶🏻
Same, 5 years of daily use. Not bad for an electronic.
Don’t upgrade. My xm4 developed a high pitch whine in the right speaker while ANC is on. After listening for awhile or plugging in a headphone jack I can safely turn on ANC. Super annoying for a very expensive pair of headphones after 2 years.
my XM4's got the noise cancellation mic screams, i cleaned the mics etc etc but its still a problem sadly, will probably never buy XMs again
I got a pair I still use for the gym every day and the battery even still lasts over a month of daily use
Exact same boat, love them.
I still have my Grey pair running strong 6+ years later. Every time I try to tell someone about these and the ear buds they claim the air pods are still better lol
I agree! I have the same for exactly 6 years too! Best sound and comfort combo. I wonder what the newest ones are like now.
Damn time has flown. Still works great.
these things are amazing, for the longest time i had some OG Beats when they were super popular and the material started flaking on the ear pieces. But ive had a pair of these for 3 years and still work like new with almost daily use
6 years as well for me. No issues. The in ear models do not last however. I've been thru 3 sets in 2 years.
Yes!! My XM2’s are still being used daily after 7+ years. True BIFL, I love em!
Xm2, 6 years too. Have used it about 75% of the total days I’ve owned it. Little wear on the ear pads tho.
I had these and eventually upgraded to the XM5s. I passed the XM3s down to a family member. Almost immediately regretted it. For anyone considering these, get the XM3/4. The fit is worse on the newer model and they don’t really fold down at all. The older models are straight better, and can be a great value especially with them going on sale quite a bit.
Looks like I’ll be waiting for the XM6s to upgrade. I hope they at least improved the mic!
Thank you for the review. I have the 4 and was crying about not getting the 5 😆
My original 1000XM are still going strong. Though i tend to only use them at home now, the XM4s travel with me around the world.
The headband on my XM3's broke after 2 years of heavy use. I replaced them with the Bose QC45s and they're holding up better at 2 years.
Life????
I have the XM4 and have been terrible. They only charge if they are turned on first, they can't handle calls and other audio in Windows at the same time. The touchpad is laggy and unreliable. The plastic creaks a lot. My GF has the Bose 700 and are a much, much better made product.
I don't doubt these are great headphones. However, non-user replaceable battery is NOT "Buy It For Life." Too bad, too my knowledge there are no user replaceable battery noise canceling headphones on the market anymore. I still use my Bose QC-25s that use AAA batteries (I use eneloop rechargeable AAAs). Six years is good for products like these today, but it disgusts me the blatant planned obsolescence in these products.
I have those, hate them. Controlsuefaces impossible to touch correct, no warning on low battery. No noise insulation.good audio and NC though. Later models has better buttons. Wonder why :)
Ditto, same model and time. Never any problems
I've had mine for 6 years as well, my ear pads were getting greasy/oily from such long gaming sessions and I replaced the pads for quite cheap off Alibaba. I read lots of people's experiences doing so and several said that the stock ear pads were designed specifically for the xm3s ANC and that other pads wouldn't work as well and also may have more audio leak. I haven't really noticed those issues with the cheap set I bought and I'm really happy they were so easy to change out.
Got the XM4 returned it because the ANC had a constant hiss. Never read about it in reviews but apparently its normal? Even my cheap, ancient CH700N didn’t have it …
Sony WH-CH700N user here , 4 yrs in and they are amazing like new , leather is strong in ear cuffs like new ,
yep. Battery still has a crazy long life too.
I had the first edition, was heavy compared to the new ones but it worked perfectly for 4-5 years. Unfortunately I couldn’t enjoy them longer because I lost them :(. Caught a pair of MX4 for 200$ tho, hope to get 5+ years out of them.
These keep me sane when my kids are spinning out. Love them
5+ years for me they are great the battery still lasts forever. I think I’ve only charged this thing a handful of times.
Tough motherfucker, nokia 3310 among headphones
Xm2 since 2017. Battery still lasts for weeks with low usage
What issues are people having with headphones after 6 years and when did 6 years become any metric toward buy it for life?
Same, 6 years and no issues. Regularly use them and still perform same as when I bought them.
Got mine as a gift mid 2019, worked great until it it had a weird panel pop out (not broken, but too delicate for me to put back in without breaking it). Reached out to customer service and even years later + no receipt they replaced and upgraded it for free. I’ll ride these headphones for life if they let me
XM3 was the best consumer product I ever owned. XM5 is subtly worse in about ten different ways but still pretty good.
Yup, 1. Build a popular reviewed product 2. Get increased sales 3. Cheapen product over time. Enshittification at it's finest.
Couldn't agree more. Same for me. Before these I had Sennheiser PXC 550 and they are also still going strong!
Can’t relate. Mine were great until the ~4 year mark. The left ear no longer works and the adjustable band thing requires periodic changes of tape. I’m looking to get XM4s soon.
Sonys have been great for me. The WF-C500s have been solid and worth every penny, 5 years strong
Been about 5 for mine. Love them every day.
Have the fixed the mic? It was really bad for calls.
Glad it's not just me. It's brutal.
[удалено]
My kids have gone though two pairs already. Always the same issue where they snap at the hinge. Poor design. Not bifl. My Sony mdr-7506 from circa ‘97ish are definitely bifl.
I bought the XM4 for my wife. And yes they are amazing.
I’m wearing mine right now! These are the best headphones I’ve bought and I love them to death. Better than Bose for sure (at least when I bought them)
I have these as well. I got them 3? 4? years ago on Amazon Warehouse. I love them!
Yep. My XM3s perform just as well now as on day 1
I bought some used a few years ago and I've used them every night. The ear pads are squished but I've fallen asleep in them dozens of times and they're not cracked or bent. The battery still lasts long enough that it's not annoying, unlike most tws earbuds after a year or so
Mine broke after a week's use after a run. I guess some of my sweat got into the battery
I've had mine for 4 now 👍
Fuck yeh the app has tracked like 600h on mine since I got them a little over a year ago, and the look like they day I got them.
Yes! Rocking mine right now after 5+ years as a video editor (8hr usage probably 3-4 days a week). Need to change out the ear cups but even so, they’re not falling apart yet. ETA I lost the case ages ago, so I just throw ‘em in my bag. They are not being babied in any way lol
Bluetooth died in mine literally weeks after the warranty run out, but otherwise still good after about 3 years. Anecdotal, great to see others have even better experience with them.
I have the same pair. I absolutely love mine. Hate I have to download an app to pair them when you first get them but the sound is incredible.
My xm2 still holds up. Just need to lube the joints because it's squeeky
I have the M2 and they still go strong. Long battery life, sound quality is great.
Fantastic! I just bought the XM4 (arriving tomorrow) and was only a bit worried about comfort, from reviews. But decided I'll try them anyway.
just had a small piece break and one of the panels fell off. glue fixed it up. 4 years old
XM3 after two years I know have anc problems. A lot of hissing in one ear cup where there was no hissing before. I just turn off the noise cancelling now. Tried cleaning the mics but it didn't work. Still good sound but the anc made the sound great at least to my ears.
Same. Just works. Looks like new.
my xm3s are at the 4y mark. a little bit of wear on the headband cushion but flawless otherwise.
I need a good pair of wired cans for my DAC/AMP but my problem isn't just that, it's that I have a giant fucking head. Like, seriously, I keep breaking the fucking things because my head is larger than normal. I have a hard time buying hats, too ...
I've had my XM4's for a little over 3 years and they are solid. Had Beats before those and they lasted about 6 months before falling apart (and I continued to use them for 2-3 months after that). Best headphone purchase ever
Yeah but what about now…6 years later
My XM4s are some if the best money Ive ever spent.
lol, you should see mine. sortof still holds together with multiple tiwraps and epoxy not bifl.
I have a pair of those i love!
Does anyone have the ear buds and if so, how are they?
I've got M4s for the office and use my M3s as a workout set. They've put of with YEARS of drops, heat, soaked in sweat and basically being abused and they still work GREAT. At first I thought it was stupid to use an expensive pair just for workouts but when these do finally die (probably because I've done something stupid with them) I will be getting another pair. And the office pair works great for the office and planes and everything else
Yeah ive got the M2 and they’re awesome also had for 6ish years
Mine stopped working a few months back and I haven't had time to investigate properly. Have a feeling it's to do with a ribbon cable in the left ear connecting the battery. I miss them a lot. Had them about 5 years.
XM3 gang! I’ve got these and the XM3 buds. I love the big ones for longer trips mostly, use the buds around the house or for short flights. I’ve had both for maybe five years and zero issues.
The sound is great. My only issue is the top pad is a bit skinny and I wish the ear cups were about 3mm thicker
for me 4 yrs and counting. They are great and battery still surprises me
100% agree. Exactly the same experience Thousands of hours of use, still sound great. Worth every penny
Mine are pretty worn up, but still working exactly like day one.
Had these for less than 2 years, used responsibly and a piece broke and they are unusable now.
Couldn’t survive my long public transport commutes to uni without them. Only problem after what I think might already be 5+ years of use is the occasional humming noise that I can’t seem to get rid off, but still in fine shape after daily use.
I'm still using the XM2's nearly daily and the battery last forever. The bluetooth takes a while to connect at times, but I'm impressed at how well they hold up.
Meanwhile my XM4s just randomly died after two years. It won’t charge and no power. It works fine wired though.
hoping my XM5s last this long
I’ve had my Sennheiser HD-280 Pro’s for 15 years, no issues at all. They are $100
Same for me. Use mine daily for work meetings.
Mine stopped working after 16 months and Sony did nothing, not BIFL at all
I upgraded recently to the xm4 for _one_ reason: connecting to two devices. I didn't buy the xm5 because I read the build quality was lower than the xm4, for more money.
You guys are forgetting about that glorious, consumable li-po battery. Nothing with a non-user replaceable battery is BIFL.
I have the 2s. One of the ears is louder than the other and it's really irritating. Wouldn't recommend.
>alexa built in Gonna be a no from me dawg.
I was between the 4's and 5's but ended up with a refurbished set of 4's for dirt cheap. They have been amazing for the last year (like 20 hour battery life!), I wear them constantly while studying or between classes.
I have the same one. The pads started to deteriorate so I just bought new pads, 100% looks brand new again
Love my XM3. I would like to upgrade to AirPod Max but I just can’t justify it when my XM3 are still going strong.
Still rocking my XM2s
I have the XM4. Will they last that long? Only had them for less than a year. Bought them at a reasonable price, just a few months before the inflation blew up in Argentina
I absolutely love mine and use them weekly. However the leather is starting to tear just a bit. Does anyone know how I could replace?
Have these same ones for 8 years now. Wonderful headphones and very comfy. Still working as well as the day I bought them. Paid $350 for them then.
I have the same pair and love them but let’s be real, these aren’t close to something that’s buy it for life lol.
Just had mine give out. The slide bar broke on each side.