With how loud and crowded the world has gotten, having a solid pair of headphones to keep all the noise out can be really helpful. When it comes to active noise cancellation (ANC), our pick for the best headphones on the market is the Sony WH-1000XM5, which easily competes with the likes of the AirPods Max. That said, the XM5s can get really expensive, which is why we’re happy to see this deal on Amazon that brings the price down to $329 from its original $400 price, saving you a solid $71, which may not seem like much, but it’s a great amount for one of the best headphones you can grab.
There is a lot to love about the Sony WH-1000XM5, and the excellent audio fidelity is one of them. Ironically enough, it has smaller drivers than the previous generation, and yet it still manages to upgrade the audio quality with a balanced overall sound and a surprisingly great bass response that makes it thumpy but doesn’t muddy the sound. Realistically, you can pretty much listen to any genre of music you want on the XM5s, although it does slightly favor those who prefer a more neutral sound rather than something a bit more bass-heavy.
As for the ANC, as mentioned earlier, it’s one of the best in the business since it’s able to easily handle both the din of a busy coffee shop and the sound of a deep rumbling engine, such as on a bus or a plane. The transparency mode is also pretty great, although admittedly, the AirPods Max still edges the XM5s out on that front, although the difference is truly minimal. When it comes to battery life, you can expect an impressive 30 hours or so with ANC on and 40 hours with it off, so it should last you quite a while, at least a day and a half if you’re listening continuously.
All in all, it’s hard to understate how great the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones are, and with the deal from Amazon that knocks the price down to $329, they are well worth grabbing. On the other hand, if they aren’t quite right for you, then you can consider some of these other headphone deals, too.
Instagram is making its way to yet another screen, and this time, Apple TV is getting a taste of the Reels rabbit hole. The company has launched a dedicated Instagram app for Apple TV, bringing Reels, longer videos, and live shows to the big screen. So, if watching one quick clip on a phone somehow turns into an hour of scrolling, there's now a much larger screen for that.
Instagram brings Reels and more to Apple TV
Audio-Technica, a brand well known for making some of the best studio and professional headphones on the market, has just come out with the ATH-AWX7000, which the company itself claims to be its "finest headphones ever." The new flagship closed-back headphone has debuted at an eye-watering price of $3,799. It combines hand-finished Japanese woodwork with a newly developed 58mm driver.
The earcups are made from Kiso cypress, a prized wood historically used for Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. Each housing is finished by hand with traditional Echizen lacquer, which brings out the grain and is expected to darken over time. The frame and sliders are finished in a deep navy kachi-iro shade traditionally associated with samurai.
This post is brought to you in paid partnership with Best Buy.
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