Listening to Crosswalk by Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, the WH-1000XM5 instantly springs to life with verve and enthusiasm. Perhaps a bit too much, which may or may not be a bad thing, depending on your musical preferences. The highs show a bit of emphasis that can be controlled via the app EQ but overall, it manages to pipe your ears with plenty of crisp detail and definition. Compared to the more expensive AirPods Max, they do give up a little refinement and depth but for half the asking price, the WH-1000XM5 are the value kings. Especially given its ANC performance, which served well on a long-haul US flight by completely blocking off the A380’s massive engine like it wasn’t there! It is an audible improvement over the previous generation and works well across a broader range of frequencies too, increasing its efficacy. The biggest improvement can be felt in the overall sonic balance, which is a lot more neutral now, compared to the bass-heavy nature of the M3, which I had on hand for comparison. This alone makes it a reason to upgrade from the M3 to the M5. If you’re a recent owner of the 1000XM4 though, the differences would be less audible.