When you want to shut out the world,Sony’s WH-1000XM5headphones may be the best option. They offer premium sound quality, a killer battery life, and world-class noise cancelation. And now, a new firmware update allows the WH-1000XM5s to better compete with Apple’s AirPods Max.

The Sony WH-1000XM5s now feature head-tracking spatial audio, which mimics a “real-world” surround sound system by placing your head in a virtual room. This creates an immersive environment for movies—as you turn your head, the audio will react accordingly.

Of course, head-tracking spatial audio only works in compatible streaming apps. Most streaming platforms support spatial audio, so this shouldn’t be much of an issue. The bigger problem is that head-tracking spatial audio requires a device with Android 13 (or later Android versions), and it simply doesn’t work on Samsung phones (as Samsung wants you to use its head-tracking tech).

Some people will enjoy head-tracking spatial audio, but others won’t. It’s really a matter of preference. For what it’s worth, I suggest testing this feature on a high-budget movie or television series that you’re already familiar with.

This firmware update also allows you to stream thehigh-quality LDAC codecwhilemultipoint Bluetoothis enabled. Previously, you had to choose between one or the other.

Related:What Is Multipoint Bluetooth, and How Does It Work?

For reference, LDAC is a high-bitrate wireless audio codec developed by Sony. Because LDAC is open-source, it’s supported by several platforms. And multipoint Bluetooth is a technology that allows you to connect with two audio sources at the same time—when it works properly, it allows you to skip the pairing process when switching between devices, and it’s especially useful if you get a lot of phone calls.

Note that these features previously rolled out to theWF-1000XM5 earbuds. We assume that this firmware update is limited to the XM5 family, though it could arrive on other Sony headphones and earbuds in the future.

If you’re interested in the Sony WH-1000XM5s, check out ourdetailed review. You’ll be surprised by everything these headphones have to offer. And while they are a bit expensive, they’re much more affordable than AirPods Max.