> I've heard great things about the XM5 series, but are the over-ears too bulky for high-intensity movement? sooo tbh the xm5s arent sweat-rated and moisture basically kills the drivers over time. seriously dont risk it!! for the gym i always suggest the Sony WF-C500 Truly Wireless In-Ear Headphones. they're usually around $60 and have ipx4 water resistance which is industry standard for safety. they're lightweight and way more stable for burpees than bulky cans. amazing value and honestly safer for your wallet too!

Get Sony WF-C700N Noise Canceling Earbuds. Before I suggest more, what's ur budget?? Unfortunately, my XM5 drivers DIED from sweat. These are cheaper, have IPX4, and actually stay in during burpees.

100% agree

look, i been through this cycle too many times. whatever you do, dont take the high-end over-ear models into a high-intensity session. honestly, those pads are basically sponges and they will start smelling funky within a month, plus the electronics arent sealed at all. its a huge waste of money to bring a $300 or $400 pair of headphones into a place where they're gonna get drenched. for stuff like burpees, you really want something with a proper sweat rating. even if you love that signature sony sound, the flagship over-ears just wont survive the salt and moisture long-term. stay cost-conscious here... its better to get a cheaper pair of buds that are actually built for movement than to keep replacing expensive gear every few months because the drivers fried or the hinge snapped during a heavy set. basically, if it doesnt have an ipx rating, keep it out of the gym.

Re: "100% agree"

• Honestly, I feel like Sony's current lineup is kinda failing the hardcore gym crowd lately. I spent months testing the Sony LinkBuds S Noise Canceling Earbuds thinking they'd be the perfect mix of light weight and features, but unfortunately they just dont handle high-salt sweat as well as I expected. I had two pairs develop this weird high-pitched feedback in the ANC mics after just a few months of heavy cardio... super annoying given the price point. If you really want to stay in the ecosystem, the only thing that actually stayed in my ears during box jumps and burpees was the Sony LinkBuds Open-Ring Truly Wireless Earbuds. Since they have that unique donut shape, they dont create that pressurized suction that usually fails when you start dripping. The 12mm drivers are decent, but you lose all the sub-bass which is not as good as expected for heavy lifting sessions. They literally cannot fall out because of how they tuck into the ear fold tho. Just dont expect any noise canceling since they're totally open by design... kinda sucks if your gym plays bad music loud, but for stability they're the only Sony buds that actually work for high-intensity stuff.