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Focal Elex vs Sony WH-1000XM5

Side-by-side comparison — scores, specs and which one fits your setup.

HIGHER SCORE
Focal Elex
9.0
/ 10
Over-earHigh end
Sony WH-1000XM5
8.4
/ 10
Over-earHigh end

Specs comparison

9/10
SCORE
8.4/10
80Ω
IMPEDANCE
48Ω
104dB
SENSITIVITY
102dB
Yes
NEEDS AMP
No

Analysis

The Focal Elex scores 9/10 with 80Ω impedance and 104dB sensitivity. At 80Ω, it benefits significantly from a dedicated amplifier.

The Sony WH-1000XM5 scores 8.4/10 with 48Ω impedance and 102dB sensitivity. At 48Ω, it can be driven directly without extra hardware.

Based on our scoring, the Focal Elex scores higher overall. However, the right choice depends on your full audio chain — use our analyzer to see which fits your actual setup.

Own one of these headphones?

A high headphone score doesn't mean your audio sounds great. Your DAC, amp or source might be the real bottleneck.

Analyze my setup →Focal Elex details →Sony WH-1000XM5 details →

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