Short answer: the Binary 1900. Both are rated 4.4/5 for sound quality (#164 and #163 of 1291 in-ear headphones), and the Binary 1900 costs $239.99 against $248 for the Sony WF-1000XM5, with sound quality a draw, the lower price decides it.
Why pick the Binary 1900: In the median of 4 squig.link measurements it tracks the target closely from 20 Hz through 3 kHz, with every band from sub-bass to upper mids within 1 dB, for a preference score of 78.5. The tradeoff: A 5.8 dB dip near 5.7 kHz and a presence band about 4.1 dB below target take the edge off vocals and guitar attack, making some recordings sound distant.
Why pick the Sony WF-1000XM5: Mild bass emphasis, about 1.9 dB above target from 60 to 200 Hz, adds warmth without muddying the midrange, which stays within 0.8 dB of the target for a preference score of 78. The tradeoff: Treble from 6 to 10 kHz runs about 2.2 dB low, with a 4.9 dB dip near 8 kHz, so cymbals and sibilance lose some bite.
Buy the Binary 1900. Both are rated the same for sound quality, and it costs $8.01 less than the Sony WF-1000XM5.
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In the median of 4 squig.link measurements it tracks the target closely from 20 Hz through 3 kHz, with every band from sub-bass to upper mids within 1 dB, for a preference score of 78.5.
Amazon $239.99 eBay
Mild bass emphasis, about 1.9 dB above target from 60 to 200 Hz, adds warmth without muddying the midrange, which stays within 0.8 dB of the target for a preference score of 78.
Amazon $248.00 Lowest Sony $249.99 eBayPrices on this page were last checked October 16, 2026 at 5:46 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Binary 1900 | Sony WF-1000XM5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $239.99 | $248.00 |
| Ranked | #164 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones | #163 of 1291 in In-Ear Headphones |
| Form Factor | In-ear | In-ear |
| Back | Closed | Closed |
| Harman Preference Score | 78 (median of 17 squig.link measurements, calibrated to AutoEQ) | 78 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Deviation From Target | 1.59 dB standard deviation | 1.87 dB standard deviation |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.35 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) | -0.18 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-0.6 dB at 30 Hz) | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-2.6 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Connection | Wired | True wireless |
| Driver Type | Hybrid (1 dynamic + 4 balanced armature) | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 10mm dynamic + 1 x 6mm passive radiator + 4 x balanced armature | 1 x 8.4mm dynamic |
| Impedance | 10 ohms | - |
| Sensitivity | 124 dB SPL/V | - |
| Frequency Response | 8Hz - 40kHz (Manufacturer specified) | 20Hz - 20kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Built-in Microphone | No | Yes |
| Weight | - | 0 lbs (5.9 g) per earbud |
| Active Noise Cancelling | - | Yes |
| Battery Life | - | 8 hours (24 with case, Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Version | - | 5.3 |
| Bluetooth Codecs | - | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| IP Rating | - | IPX4 |
Frequency Response Compared
Both headphones’ measurements overlaid on the Harman target. Above the target sounds louder in that range, below it quieter. Each curve is the median of several independent measurements, shifted so its 500 Hz to 2 kHz average sits at 0 dB, so only the tuning is compared.
Measurement data: the Binary 1900 from aftersound, animagus, atechreviews, audioamigo, bassaudio, boizoff, dchpgall, elrics, iemocean, jaytiss, kazi, kuping-sensi, practiphile, precog, soundcheck39, superreview and tonedeafmonk; the Sony WF-1000XM5 from boizoff, cammyfi, dhrme, hbb, hu-fi, jaraba, kazi, musicafe, superreview, tgx78 and therollo9, all via squig.link.
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