Poly Voyager Free 60+ vs Sony WF-1000XM5 Comparison

Compare Poly Voyager Free 60+ vs Sony WF-1000XM5 side by side: specs, ratings, pros and cons, and which one fits your room best.

On this page
Sony WF-1000XM5 product image
Sony WF-1000XM5
Launch price $299.99

At a Glance

Poly Voyager Free 60+

The Poly Voyager Free 60+ UC are business earbuds with hybrid adaptive ANC, three microphones per bud, a BT700 USB adapter and a touchscreen charging case that controls calls and streams audio from a 3.5 mm source.

Best For
Travellers who take PC and phone calls
Launch Price
—
IP Rating
IP54
Codecs
SBC, AAC, aptX, mSBC, LC3 (with BT700)
ANC
Hybrid adaptive ANC
Battery
8 h
With Case
24 h
Multi-pt
Yes
Sony WF-1000XM5

The Sony WF-1000XM5 are flagship noise-cancelling earbuds with 8.4 mm Dynamic Driver X units, two processors for ANC, LDAC Hi-Res Wireless support and bone-conduction call pickup.

Best For
Commuters who want top ANC
Launch Price
$299.99
IP Rating
IPX4
Codecs
SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3
ANC
Adaptive ANC (dual processor)
Battery
8 h
With Case
24 h
Multi-pt
Yes

Review Scores Compared

Expert Score

  • Poly Voyager Free 60+8.7/10
  • Sony WF-1000XM59.0/10 Leads

Voice & Call Noise Isolation

  • Poly Voyager Free 60+8.1/10
  • Sony WF-1000XM59.5/10 Leads

ANC & Transparency

  • Poly Voyager Free 60+9.5/10
  • Sony WF-1000XM59.5/10

Battery & Case Charging

  • Poly Voyager Free 60+8.6/10
  • Sony WF-1000XM59.1/10 Leads

Fit, Stability & Portability

  • Poly Voyager Free 60+8.1/10
  • Sony WF-1000XM58.5/10 Leads

Connectivity & UC Integration

  • Poly Voyager Free 60+9.9/10 Leads
  • Sony WF-1000XM57.0/10

Sound & Audio Quality

  • Poly Voyager Free 60+8.6/10
  • Sony WF-1000XM59.2/10 Leads

Editorial Reviews Comparison

Voice & Call Noise Isolation

  • Poly Voyager Free 60+8.1/10
  • Sony WF-1000XM59.5/10Leader

Poly Voyager Free 60+

Each bud has three microphones that steer toward your mouth, with WindSmart processing for outdoor calls. Poly also lets you set sidetone to low, medium or high, so you can hear your own voice naturally. Walking along a busy road, I would expect the voice to stay clear with traffic reduced, and WindSmart helps with gusts.

Sony WF-1000XM5

Each bud combines three microphones with a bone-conduction sensor and AI noise reduction trained on a large set of real-world sounds. That helps separate your voice from traffic or café noise. Calls sound clear in most places, with your voice held up well against background noise. Wind still reaches the mics on very gusty days.

ANC & Transparency

  • Poly Voyager Free 60+9.5/10
  • Sony WF-1000XM59.5/10

Poly Voyager Free 60+

Hybrid adaptive ANC uses inner and outer microphones and adjusts for how well the buds fit. A transparency mode lets surrounding sound through when you need it. On a plane or bus the cancellation is respectable for business buds, cutting steady engine noise well. It is weaker against voices and sudden sounds, where Apple and Bose are ahead.

Sony WF-1000XM5

The Integrated Processor V2 and QN2e chip drive three microphones per bud for noise cancelling. Adaptive Sound Control adjusts ANC automatically as you move between places. On trains and planes the low-frequency rumble almost disappears, and mid-range sounds like voices are well reduced. Fit matters, so try every foam tip size, because a poor seal undermines the ANC more than anything else.

Battery & Case Charging

  • Poly Voyager Free 60+8.6/10
  • Sony WF-1000XM59.1/10Leader

Poly Voyager Free 60+

Poly lists up to 5.5 hours of talk time per charge, or 16.5 hours with the case. With ANC on, music runs up to 8 hours, or 24 hours in total. A 15-minute charge gives about 1 hour 12 minutes of talk time, and standby lasts up to 30 days including the case.

Sony WF-1000XM5

Sony quotes up to 8 hours with ANC on, or 12 hours off, and up to 24 hours with ANC including the case. Three minutes of charging gives about an hour of playback. That covers a long workday of mixed music and calls, with the case topping up over lunch.

Fit, Stability & Portability

  • Poly Voyager Free 60+8.1/10
  • Sony WF-1000XM58.5/10Leader

Poly Voyager Free 60+

Each bud weighs 5.8 g and measures about 16 x 26 x 38 mm, with a short stem. Poly includes S, M and L ear tips and a pressure-relief design. The shape takes some experimenting before it sits securely, and smaller ears may feel the stem touching. Once settled they are fine for a long afternoon of calls, though not as invisible as stem-free designs.

Sony WF-1000XM5

Each bud weighs about 5.9 g and is noticeably smaller than the XM4. Sony includes foam tips in four sizes, XS to L. For most people the fit is comfortable for several hours, and the small shape does not press on the ear. Some find foam tips warm or tight over a long day, and silicone tips are a common swap.

Connectivity & UC Integration

  • Poly Voyager Free 60+9.9/10Leader
  • Sony WF-1000XM57.0/10

Poly Voyager Free 60+

The buds use Bluetooth 5.3 with multipoint to two devices and remember up to eight. The BT700 adapter extends range to about 30 m and supports Microsoft Swift Pair on Windows. The touchscreen case shows battery, mute state and volume, and lets you switch between the two active devices. Plug the included cable into a seatback socket, and the case streams that audio to the buds at up to about 3 m.

Sony WF-1000XM5

Sony pairs Bluetooth 5.3 with two-device multipoint and has added LE Audio support through firmware. Google Fast Pair and Microsoft Swift Pair make the first connection to a phone or Windows laptop quick. Multipoint means a phone and laptop can stay connected together, although using LDAC can limit it on some devices.

Sound & Audio Quality

  • Poly Voyager Free 60+8.6/10
  • Sony WF-1000XM59.2/10Leader

Poly Voyager Free 60+

Each bud has a 10 mm speaker, larger than most business earbuds use. Poly applies a dynamic EQ that switches between wideband voice, up to 7 kHz on PC calls, and a full 20 Hz to 20 kHz media mode. In media mode they have more bass punch than the Jabra Evolve2 Buds, and music sounds fuller.

Sony WF-1000XM5

Each bud uses an 8.4 mm Dynamic Driver X, and Sony supports LDAC for Hi-Res Wireless on Android, plus AAC and SBC. DSEE Extreme upscales compressed music. The sound is rich and detailed, with deep bass that never swamps vocals. Next to the AirPods Pro 3, the Sony has more bass weight and a wider-feeling stage, especially with LDAC on Android.

Why Poly Voyager Free 60+ Beats Sony WF-1000XM5 (and Vice Versa)

Why Poly Voyager Free 60+ beats Sony WF-1000XM5

  • Better connectivity & uc integration: 9.9 vs 7.0 out of 10
  • Bud Weight: 5.8 g vs 5.9 g
  • Dust/Water Rating: IP54 vs IPX4
  • Water Resistance: IP54 splash and dust resistant vs IPX4 equivalent
  • Driver Size: 10 mm vs 8.4 mm
  • Wireless Range: 30 m vs 10 m

Why Sony WF-1000XM5 beats Poly Voyager Free 60+

  • Better voice & call noise isolation: 9.5 vs 8.1 out of 10
  • Better sound & audio quality: 9.2 vs 8.6 out of 10
  • Better battery & case charging: 9.1 vs 8.6 out of 10
  • Case Weight: 39 g vs 80 g
  • Bluetooth Codecs: SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3 vs SBC, AAC, aptX, mSBC, LC3 (with BT700)
  • Call Noise Reduction: AI noise reduction vs Noise-blocking algorithms

Review-score leads of 0.5+ points out of 10 first, then specs where only one comes out ahead.

Full Specifications

General

Poly Voyager Free 60+Sony WF-1000XM5
Best ForTravellers who take PC and phone callsCommuters who want top ANC
Fit TypeTrue wireless in-earTrue wireless in-ear
Release Year20222023
Launch Price—$299.99

Design & Build

Poly Voyager Free 60+Sony WF-1000XM5
Bud Weight5.8 g Better5.9 g
Case Weight80 g39 g Better
Dust/Water RatingIP54 BetterIPX4
Water ResistanceIP54 splash and dust resistant BetterIPX4 equivalent
Ear Tip SizesS, M, LFoam, four sizes (XS, S, M, L)
ColorsCarbon Black, White SandBlack, Platinum Silver
Bud StyleShort stemStem-free
Ear Hooks / WingsNo—
Case Dimensions54.5 x 72 x 33.1 mm64.5 x 39.9 x 26.4 mm

Audio

Poly Voyager Free 60+Sony WF-1000XM5
Driver Size10 mm Better8.4 mm
Driver TypeDynamicDynamic Driver X
Frequency Response20 Hz – 20 kHz (media); up to 7 kHz (PC voice)20-20,000 Hz (44.1 kHz); 20-40,000 Hz (LDAC 96 kHz / 990 kbps)
Bluetooth CodecsSBC, AAC, aptX, mSBC, LC3 (with BT700)SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3 Better
Spatial Audio—Yes (360 Reality Audio)
Custom EQ—Yes
Hi-Res Certified—Yes (Hi-Res Audio Wireless)
Hearing Health FeaturesSoundGuard Digital (G616)—

Noise Cancelling

Poly Voyager Free 60+Sony WF-1000XM5
Noise CancellingHybrid adaptive ANCAdaptive ANC (dual processor)
Active Noise CancellingYesYes
Transparency ModeYesYes (Ambient Sound)
Adaptive ANCYesYes
Wind Noise ReductionYes (WindSmart)—

Microphone

Poly Voyager Free 60+Sony WF-1000XM5
Microphones66
Microphone SetupThree microphones per earbudThree microphones per earbud plus bone-conduction sensor
Call Noise ReductionNoise-blocking algorithmsAI noise reduction Better
Bone-Conduction Sensor—Yes

Battery & Charging

Poly Voyager Free 60+Sony WF-1000XM5
Battery (Buds)8 h8 h
Battery (With Case)24 h24 h
Fast ChargingYes (15 min = 1 h 12 min talk)Yes (3 min = about 1 h)
Wireless ChargingYes (Qi)Yes (Qi)
Charging PortUSB-CUSB-C
Battery (Buds, ANC Off)—12 h
Charging Time2 h1.5 h Better
Case Battery580 mAh—
Bud Battery70 mAh—
Call Time5.5 h6 h Better

Connectivity

Poly Voyager Free 60+Sony WF-1000XM5
Bluetooth Version5.35.3
MultipointYesYes
Wireless Range30 m Better10 m
LE Audio / AuracastLC3 with the included BT700 adapter (mono and stereo telephony)Yes
Google Fast Pair—Yes
Microsoft Swift PairYesYes
Paired Devices8—
Bluetooth ProfilesA2DP, AVRCP, HSP, HFP, SPPA2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP, TMAP, CSIP, MCP, VCP, CCP
USB DonglePoly BT700 (USB-C, USB-A adapter) BetterNo
Single-Bud UseYes—

Controls & App

Poly Voyager Free 60+Sony WF-1000XM5
ControlsButton plus touch gestures; touchscreen caseTouch
Companion AppPoly LensSony Sound Connect
Wear DetectionYesYes
Voice AssistantSiri, Google—
Custom ControlsYes (gesture control on the buds; touch display on the case)—

In the Box

Poly Voyager Free 60+Sony WF-1000XM5
In the BoxEarbuds, touchscreen charge case, BT700 adapter, USB-C cable, 3.5 mm audio cable, S/M/L ear tipsEarbuds, charging case, foam tips (XS, S, M, L), USB-C cable
Warranty2-year limited1-year limited

Identifiers

Poly Voyager Free 60+Sony WF-1000XM5
Model NumberVoyager Free 60+ UCWF-1000XM5

Compatibility

Poly Voyager Free 60+Sony WF-1000XM5
OS CompatibilityWindows 10/11, macOS, iOS, AndroidiOS, Android, Windows, macOS
Works WithMicrosoft Teams, Zoom and other UC apps—

Takeaways

  • It's a tie on our rating (4.5/5) between Poly Voyager Free 60+ and Sony WF-1000XM5, so choose on the rows that matter most to you.
  • Choose Poly Voyager Free 60+ for travellers who take PC and phone calls.
  • Choose Sony WF-1000XM5 for commuters who want top ANC.

Pros and Cons

Poly Voyager Free 60+

PROS

  • Touchscreen charging case
  • Three mics per bud with WindSmart
  • Adaptive ANC
  • BT700 USB adapter and Qi charging

CONS

  • Per-charge talk time is still earbud-class
  • Larger case than minimalist buds
  • Premium price versus simpler UC buds

Sony WF-1000XM5

PROS

  • Excellent noise cancelling
  • Detailed, punchy sound with LDAC
  • Small, light buds
  • Multipoint and wireless charging

CONS

  • Foam tips do not suit every ear
  • IPX4 only
  • No USB dongle for PC calls

Similar Comparisons

Quick Verdict

  • Poly Voyager Free 60+ 8.7Leads in Connectivity & UC Integration
  • Sony WF-1000XM5 9.0Best overallLeads in Voice & Call Noise Isolation, Battery & Case Charging, Fit, Stability & Portability