Sony WH-1000XM5 Noise Cancelling Wireless Headphones – 30 hours battery life – Over-ear style – Optimised for Alexa and the Google Assistant – with built-in mic for phone calls – Black


1000xm5Control with a tapQuick access to your tracksCollapsible case saves spaceFast Pair feature available


Weight: 250 g
Size: One Size
Dimensions: 27.62 x 21.67 x 7.59 cm; 250 Grams
Model: WH1000XM5B.CE7
Colour: Black
Batteries Included: 1 Lithium ion batteries required. (included)
Colour: Black
Size: One Size

91 Responses

  1. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    They hands down have the best sound and noise cancellation of any headphones I’ve owned yet. Only issue is that some of the more technical features feel more a hindrance than a boon but after playing with the settings I’ve found what works for me and I love i

  2. KoreyBriseno says:

     United Kingdom

    Excellent sound quality and excellent noise isolation and cancellation. Lots of options and highly customizable. Long battery life. Very comfortable too. It’s a bit warm though, making my ears sweat after using it continuously for a while – not sure how long I will be able to use them in the summer at a time, will see.

  3. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    These sound great, are comfortable, look awful, feel cheap and fragile and the noise cancelling isn’t as good as my xm3 version. Bit of a mixed bag which is disappointing given the cost of these.. but they do sound grea

  4. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    Though not having same foldability as previous versions afraid could break it easily by snapping them, sound quality is great and the noise cancellation is amazing. Though carry case zip broke within a week of having them

  5. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    Golden Review Award: 13 From Our UsersI am a audiophile and have a lot of experience with headphones.

    Sound is ok to a little disappointing needs a good run in and most people adjust the eq with a bit of boost on both ends.

    Build quality is good, Bluetooth connection is easy and the nosie canceling is excellent.

    For 300 you can easily get better sounding headphones but not with Bluetooth and nosie canceling so that’s where the money is going.

    Comfort is good but can get warm being closed headphones

    MOMENTUM 4 sounds better and is cheaper but the ANC and software aren’t as good.

    If ANC is your focus get these, if sound quality is get the MOMENTUM 4

    4.0 out of 5 stars Sound is average to poo

  6. mbt5233 says:

     United Kingdom

    Having the headphones for a little under a year now I can confidently say they have been a life saver and have blown my mind on the improvements of noise cancelling headphones. Having come from using regular heavy headphones which lacked noise calling I was reliant on their noise suppression with the ear cups covering my ears. These headphones weight also nothing which is great for long time use, but this comes with the down side as it feels quite cheap and sometimes very brittle when it comes to expabdung and retracting the arms.

  7. ClairCorin says:

     United Kingdom

    The product sits very comfortably, the height of the headset is easy to adjust.
    Very easy to install and use.

    The sound quality, maybe its preference, was better on the previous model I would say.
    However the noise cancellation feature has absolutely no comparison to anything else.

    4.5 / 5

  8. GeorgettaIqbal says:

     United Kingdom

    The headphones cancel most noise and significantly reduces loud noises too. It would not cancel all noise making things silent, but make it quiet enough for you to focus on your work or media. The Ambient sound feature is a life saver, especially when you use it with the companion app, as it automatically switches between various modes based on your activity; such as Walking, Running and certain Location Based Setting (i.e. a Bus Station or Work Place). The microphone is also pretty good at voice pickup in a noisy place.

  9. LanceDugas says:

     United Kingdom

    At first I never really liked headphones as I found they were often not comfortable but these were a game changer for me ! Amazing battery life, I often forget the last time I charged them.

    Amazing sound, and the bass honestly blew me away! Noise cancellation is good for over ear headphones and I appreciate the touch pad on the side of the headphones meaning I don’t often have to get my phone out of my pocket when listening.

    Some of the touch gestures were confusing to get my head around fully but I admit that was a learning curve. I like the minimalistic design and even when around neck are somewhat of a statement piece.

    Let several friends use my pair and a few of them even went on to get their own sets, that’s for sure a good sign.

    Only drawback is that I wish features like switching between Ambient sound and Noise cancellation were able to be switched through the Apple control centre like with the AirPod Pros instead of having to go through the Sony Headphone app, but other than that I’ve really enjoyed these headphones so far !

  10. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    Product is incredibly easy to connect with and use. Headphones are relatively light in comparison to similar products, which of course enhances user comfort and facilitates wearing for a longer time without experiencing any sort of discomfort. In summation, for the listed price and in terms of ease of activation, the product shapes up well when in comparison to other similar products on the market.

  11. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    I like headphones (like these) that fit around my ear. (I avoid in-ear headphones). I like these Bluetooth headphones because they are wireless, and because they allow me to listen to music while walking around my home.

  12. LuzBibtoowsrx says:

     United Kingdom

    I have been a long time owner of the XM3 headphones until I had an unfortunate accident and snapped the headband. So I decided to get the latest SM5s. Sound quality is a definite improvement with ANC now even better. I never tried the XM4s but the jump from the XM3s is quite large, much tighter and lively soundstage on all types of genres.

    As comfortable to wear as before and I don’t find the phones getting quite so hot as the older XM3s. One thing I do miss is the the XM3s ability to side fold in the phones which makes them a little bit smaller to pack but that is a minor gripe they are still small enough to pack away in the decent case provided.

    I cannot say how much better than the XM4s these are, but if you have an XM3 set the XM5s are well worth the upgrade.

  13. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    Golden Review Award: 2 From Our UsersThese headphones, just like my XM3’s are absolutely stunning when it comes to noise cancelation and sound quality. I can definitely notice a difference in the quality of the microphone too, as with my XM3’s it was hard to talk on the phone with them as whenever a slight gust of wind blew, it would pick it up on the microphone and cause great disruption, the XM5’s don’t do this.

    However, I feel that the design of the XM3’s is actually better than the XM5’s, as they have the ability to fold, and also hug your ear tighter, it feels like you have added sound reduction because of this. The XM5’s are in no way poor in design, but they do mark very easily with their matt finish.

    Personally, I don’t notice a huge difference between the headphones, but I can already tell the build quality of the XM5’s is far superior to that of the previous generations, it’s just a shame they do not fold 🙁

  14. Bruce Brown says:

     United Kingdom

    A great set of headphones. Does as described perfectly.
    Only down side is the rather large carrying case, a lot of wasted space in the so it is not compact. Also, the padding inside has a tendancy to fold over under the ear pads which then crease. I’m planning on using a spot of glue to prevent this from happening.
    So 5star phones but looses 1 for the case desig

  15. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    Don’t get me wrong – the noise cancellation is top notch as is the sound quality but I’ve found them to be very problematic. I had an old pair of Sonys which I loved but they were past it, so I went for a upgrade but now wish that I’d opted for Bose instead. They keep having an issue where the right side audio goes poor & rattles if knocked. They also keep crashing (audio judders & they then suddenly turn off). They’ve been back to Sony once but they’re still not right. I’ll perceive with them for now but I can’t see myself buying another pair of Sony headphones after this experience.

  16. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    The only reason I am giving this 4 star and not 5 is because it does not include a mute button which is common place in most other headphones for a reason. So if you’re in a call and you want to mut your self for a moment, you have to go into the app you’re using to call and mute via that. Big inconvenience when you could have easily added a tap feature.

    Overall the headset is the best in terms of comfort, sound quality, noise cancelling and style. So it’s a shame about the mute but I would recommend for anyone who’s going to be using it purely for music/entertainment.

  17. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    Golden Review Award: 7 From Our UsersHad these for a few weeks now still holding up very well,

    Noise Cancellation: Noise cancellation works really well great for on the road but in very busy environments you would need to have music playing as well other wise its a bit hard to tell the difference between noise cancelling and letting sound through!

    Case: the case is really nice texture and a slick design, I wish the headphones could be packed down more the only way too make them smaller is too adjust the head strap.

    Sound quality: the sound quality is amazing (to be honest not quite as good as i expected) but for Bluetooth its very impressive! i also love the app, you can change all different settings like extra bass or in different environments i can switch through pre-sets For e.g. i have one with extra bass for music, one with special levels for movies and videos!

    2 point connection: I love this feature and its half the reason i spent the extra money on these! its so easy to come home listening to music put my phone down and start watching something on my computer! a recommendation to anyone who uses a audio interface like a M-game or go-xlr, is to use a Bluetooth transmitter plug it into the headphone port and connect to the headphones with the screen (get a good one)
    Alexa Built in: i love this feature so much its very useful when your not in the same room as a Alexa and want too ask a question or check the time hands free!

    Ear cups: i think its great having the controls to change volume change song and activate Alexa right on your ear instead of manually using a knob or button but i wish that the left cup was also usable and that it was a bit more programable for e.g. program a hand motion and then a task!

    Summary: these are amazing headphones and you should get them but only if you NEED them, i got them because they are flashy and have some helpful features but think about your priorities and why you need them (take a while to think about it like i have)
    P.s i know there are more features but i think these are the most useful!

  18. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    Golden Review Award: 32 From Our UsersI will start things off by listing the pros and cons. However, in summary, these are amazing headphones and are well worth the price in my opinion (I got them for 250 during a black friday sale).
    Pros:
    – Superb noise cancellation, the transparency mode is good enough but does not compare to Apple’s in their AirPods Max or Pros – I have the pros and have tried the max, and their transparency mode is much more lifelike with attention to the direction the sound comes from. However, for the purpose for hearing your environment around you, these are fine.
    – Very good sound quality – I am not an audiophile but I listen to a lot of music (20+ hrs a week) and have tried many different headphones. Out of the box you may not like the sound profile as it is quite bassy but I thought it was perfect as I like my music on a ‘hip-hop’ EQ which is bass-heavy. I went into the app to put it on the ‘vibrant’ mode and haven’t taken it off as it sounds like a concert/club which is perfect for me.
    – Battery life – there are no concerns here, I get 20 hours of use on a single charge. I use these for gym and travelling and rarely have to think about charging them.
    – Functionality – the touch controls on the right side are very very good, although you have to be a bit specific with your hand moves so you don’t skip a song when trying to change the volume. After some practise this is not an issue. I use the palm-over-side feature to transition from noise-cancelling to transparency mode all the time, and I don’t get weird looks from people when I do it, despite what you might think. Also, it has many of the iPhone-friendly features you would expect like battery view in widgets, auto connect, simultaneous two-device connection and so on.

    Cons:
    – Comfort – these are comfortable headphones in general, but the top band is quite thin and hurts of top of the head after about 2 hours, where I feel I need a rest from it.
    – Minor issues – the feature where it pauses music when you take it off works most of the time, it may just be my pair, but quite often I’ll take it off then put it back on and the music won’t replay, even after double tapping the side. In this scenario I have to turn them off, then on again, then double tap to play (connects automatically). I can do all this without pulling my phone out so it hasn’t been a dealbreaker.
    – Portability – unlike the previous versions, the earcups do not fold inwards towards the headband, and thus the carrying case is quite big (although it is also quite nice).

    I would recommend watching the review from Marques Brownlee on Youtube before buying these as he explores these functions very well.

    Overall, these have been great, and they look very stylish and sleek. They feel delicate because they are light but they are well-built and will last if you look after them and are gentle, always carrying them in the case when not using. If you are torn between these and other options like the AirPods Max, I think these come out on top for the price and sound quality. It is unlikely you will want to send these back.

  19. RNYJillian says:

     United Kingdom

    I have been using the Sony WH-1000XM5 Noise Cancelling Wireless Headphones for a few weeks now and I am very impressed with them. They are the best headphones I have ever owned, and here are some of the reasons why:

    The noise cancelling is outstanding. It blocks out almost all the ambient noise around me, whether I am on a plane, a train, or in a busy office. It also adapts to my wearing conditions and environment, thanks to the Auto NC Optimizer feature1. I can also adjust the level of noise cancelling or ambient sound using the Sony Headphones Connect app2.
    The sound quality is superb. The headphones deliver a clear, balanced, and detailed sound, with a punchy and precise bass. The specially designed 30mm driver unit with a carbon fiber composite material improves high frequency sensitivity for more natural sound quality1. The headphones also support Hi-Res Audio and LDAC for wireless high-resolution listening2.
    The design is sleek and comfortable. The headphones have a cleaner and more minimal look than the previous generation, with a touch-sensitive panel on the right earcup for media control3. They are also lightweight and have soft earpads and a padded headband for long-lasting comfort. They come in two colours: black and silver1.
    The features are smart and intuitive. The headphones are optimised for Alexa and the Google Assistant, so I can use voice commands to control my music, get information, or make phone calls2. The built-in mic is also clear and noise-free, thanks to the multiple microphone noise cancelling technology

  20. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    Golden Review Award: 2 From Our UsersSony WH-1000XM5 Noise Cancelling Wireless Headphones – A Refreshing Overhaul

    Review:

    Upon unboxing, the Sony WH-1000XM5 Noise Cancelling Wireless Headphones immediately signaled a premium product. The headphones were well-packaged and secure, ensuring that they arrived in perfect condition. These headphones are evidently designed for those who prioritize quality sound and noise cancellation, such as commuters, office workers, city-dwellers, and students. They are also ideal for those who frequently find themselves on numerous calls throughout the day.

    The headphones feature new drivers, an array of features, and a fresh design, solidifying their position among the leading active noise cancelling (ANC) devices available. The ANC performance is excellent, and the microphone quality is outstanding, enhancing the clarity of communication.

    Using the WH-1000XM5 was a very comfortable experience. The headphones are covered with a soft coating and vegan leatherette, which provided ample friction but remained gentle on the head. The padding on the ear cups was sufficient even for larger ears, offering a snug fit without causing discomfort. Despite their solid build, these headphones are relatively light, reducing pressure on the head during prolonged use.

    The headphones are intuitive to use, with controls easily accessible on the ear cups. This includes volume adjustments, track control, voice assistant access, and ANC mode toggling.

    However, the Sony WH-1000XM5 does come with some drawbacks. They may not be suitable for gym use or for those residing in rainy climates due to the absence of an IP rating. Moreover, these headphones cannot be used for wired digital music playback through the USB-C port, which might be a downside for some users.

    Despite these minor issues, the Sony WH-1000XM5 remains a strong competitor in the market of noise-cancelling headphones. I foresee myself using these headphones for a considerable duration, given their impressive sound quality and comfort. They are a valuable addition to my daily routine, providing excellent noise cancellation for work and leisure alike. I highly recommend the Sony WH-1000XM5 for those seeking a high-quality auditory experience.

  21. MarianneCottee says:

     United Kingdom

    Golden Review Award: 6 From Our UsersAfter six months of using the Sony XM5 headphones, I can confidently say that they have been one of my best purchases to date. From their lightweight design to their remarkable battery life, these headphones have exceeded my expectations in various aspects.

    The Sony XM5 headphones boast an exceptional lightweight design, making them effortlessly portable. Whether I’m traveling or hitting the gym, their compact form factor allows me to easily slip them into my bag without adding unnecessary weight. The adjustable headband ensures a comfortable fit, and the soft ear cups provide a snug seal for optimal sound isolation.

    When it comes to noise cancellation, the Sony XM5 headphones truly shine. During long flights, they have proved to be a game-changer, immersing me in my favorite music while effectively blocking out the engine noise and chatter around me. In the bustling gym environment, the noise-cancelling feature helps me stay focused on my workouts by eliminating distractions. It’s like having my personal sanctuary amidst the chaos.

    One of the standout features of the Sony XM5 headphones is their impressive battery life. I have been pleasantly surprised by the longevity they offer, as I typically need to charge them only once every one or two weeks. This extended battery life has significantly enhanced my daily usage, providing uninterrupted music enjoyment throughout the week. Moreover, the fast charging capability ensures that I spend minimal time tethered to the charger, getting me back to my music swiftly.

    The audio quality of the Sony XM5 headphones is exceptional, delivering a rich and immersive sound experience. The clarity of the audio reproduction is remarkable, allowing me to hear intricate details in my favorite tracks. The bass response is punchy and well-balanced, enhancing the overall listening experience. The soundstage is wide and expansive, creating a sense of depth that adds to the enjoyment of music, movies, and games.

    Comfort is paramount when it comes to headphones, especially during long listening sessions. The lightweight design of the Sony XM5, coupled with the plush ear cups, ensures a comfortable fit for extended periods. Whether I’m on a long-haul flight or engrossed in an intense workout, these headphones provide the perfect balance of comfort and performance. I can wear them for hours without experiencing any discomfort or ear fatigue.

    In conclusion, the Sony XM5 headphones have proven to be an outstanding choice for anyone seeking exceptional performance, comfort, and versatility. Their lightweight design, impressive noise-cancelling capabilities, remarkable battery life, and fast charging make them perfect companions for travel and gym use. The audio quality is superb, and the comfort they provide ensures an enjoyable experience even during extended use. The Sony XM5 headphones have truly set a high standard in the realm of premium headphones.

  22. EvanLTXxltqzmmq says:

     United Kingdom

    I recently bought these headphones because I have airpods but decided I also wanted a pair of over-ear headphones. These were definitely very good headphones, although the material made them feel a bit cheap, one thing is that the adaptive sound control was a bit annoying when I stood still for a while and the noise cancellation turned off. Another thing is that I didn’t manage to get Alexa to work with the headphones although Siri worked just fine. Lastly, The ambient noise mode is very similar to the transparency mode Apple has, however transparency mode definitely sounds more natural I suppose is the right way to describe it. I used them on my way home, with ANC to block out all the noise so i could enjoy my music and I have to say I was very impressed with the level of noise actually being blocked out! With music on at a normal level, you can’t hear anything! I also used these on my computer, I only had to charge them every 3 days. I did end up returning them because I also recently tried the AirPods Max which were also very good and decided to wait until the next generation of them comes out.
    They are definitely worth the price in my opinion, especially when you tweak the EQ in the sony headphones app!

  23. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    Golden Review Award: 20 From Our UsersThe Sony WH-1000XM5 are the latest wireless headphones since the debut of the MDR100X in 2017. The flagship product of the Japanese corporation has changed over the years and each generation has been recommended by satisfied users.

    The fifth generation continues this trend, offering great noise reduction and high sound quality enclosed in a comfortable design.

    The design is the first of the noticeable changes, which also changed the case. The rest of the fixes make the latest model perform better than its predecessor. Cost? Higher compared to the XM4, so keep that in mind.

    The WH-1000XM5s are different from the previous model in the series and may look down-to-earth at first. Over time, I began to appreciate their minimalist design.

    They may not stand out from the crowd, but in my opinion they look very good. Adjusting the size is trivial and everything happens quickly. The whole is perfectly combined with each other and looks like a one-piece construction.

    Controlling the headphones is limited to a minimum, on the left side there is a power/pairing button, ANC/contact mode button and a standard headphone jack. The outer surface of the right earcup allows you to use gestures. Their operation is a mish-mash, once they come in from the arrow, and sometimes you have to repeat them, especially double-click to start or pause playback.

    The minimalist design is designed to improve the ANC, hence the dramatic change in appearance. The ear cups don’t look impressive, but when you put the headphones on, they fit great and have good passive noise reduction.

    Sony headphones are not the lightest (they weigh 250g), but they are so comfortable that you can listen to music for hours.

    The biggest problem caused by the new appearance is the thought in the back of my mind that the adjustment system will break. It often crossed my mind, even when removing the headphones from the case.

    Sony packed all the features known from the previous generation, so when you change to a newer model you will feel at home.

    Speak to Chat pauses when it detects user speech. Thanks to this, you can carry on a conversation, and then return to listening to your favorite piece.

    There was also a sensor responsible for detecting the headphones, it was placed inside the left earcup. It works very well and pauses the music as soon as you remove the headphones, and resumes it shortly after putting them on.

    Spotify Tap can be useful if you use this app to listen to music. When you double or triple tap on the right earcup, the app will launch and start playing.

    Sony’s active noise cancellation is one of the best. This time there was a slight change, because ANC works automatically based on the location of the headphone user. Most outside sounds are muffled, but you can still hear cars driving past the pavement, people, unless you’re listening to music at the moment.

    Contact mode is also top shelf, has a 20-point scale and can be changed manually. The maximum level makes you hear everything as if you didn’t have headphones. The sound coming from the outside is natural and does not undergo digital corrections.

    Fans from all over the world turn their noses up at the implementation of active noise cancellation, because it is automatic and you cannot set it yourself. It works based on the user’s location and activity. You can even add additional places where noise reduction will be activated.

    The WH-1000XM5 never once had a problem recognizing my location and activity. If I went for a walk, it was visible in the dedicated application.

    ANC is the highest shelf, so in the case of listening it should be similar, and it is. All thanks to the new 30 mm drivers capable of creating a wider soundstage and extracting more details from each piece.

    The music genre doesn’t matter much, because pieces with strong bass “play” great. The low tones are emphasized and each of the instruments used is easy to recognize.

    The vocals have also improved, they are cleaner and you can hear them well, even when the background music is louder than them.

    The default EQ settings are enough for most, but you can change them at any time after installing the dedicated application.

    The Sony WH-1000XM5 aren’t reinventing the wheel, but they’re great headphones. Improved a lot compared to the previous version, these fit great, they fit well in the ears, the ANC and sound quality have also been improved.

    The changes are not dramatic, but you can see that the bar is set high.

    I really like the new design and I don’t feel like it lags behind because it doesn’t fold like the XM4. I didn’t have the previous model and I don’t see a problem with it, although there will be complainers. The price is not the lowest, but you have to pay the same or more for competing models.

    5.0 out of 5 stars Absolute must have but build quality is a bit questionable

  24. TommieRupp says:

     United Kingdom

    Golden Review Award: 42 From Our UsersI read and watched a lot of reviews about ANC headphones and the Sony XM5s kept coming up as one of the top picks. Even though I was tempted by cheaper, but still highly rated headphones this seemed to be the best.
    Now that I have used it for a couple of weeks I can say I am really happy with my choice.

    COMFORT *****
    This is one I can wear all day – the soft headphone cups are very comfortable and I do not feel the strap at all and I have very short hair. The headset is adjustable and it even comes with a tutorial in the app that shows you how to set it. If you don’t follow this I can see how some people could squeeze it on and feel it’s too tight or sore on the headband but just following in the instructions there is nearly no weight on the headphone strap and it is padded well enough.

    SOUND *****
    The sound quality is excellent. Out of the box it sounds good but with the app provided fine tuning the EQ it is exceptional. For music you really can hear the detail in songs. The base is super clean with no distortion and plenty of depth and mids are clear and full, not the hollow scooped out sound you get from some other headphones. The highs are crystal clear without being tinny.

    Movies are great to listen to. Even without APTX low latency it has no problems with delays or lip sync on anything I have tested on Phone (Android) or desktop (Windows). Movies with great sound design like A quiet place 2 are incredible. Note I am using the Alternative A2DP Driver from bluetooth goodies on Windows so that I can use LDAC codec for higher bandwidth and quality and Tidal for high quality music but it works very well with spotify and standard windows bluetooth connection.

    Gaming – if you really look for it you can notice a slight delay but nothing that affects gameplay for me. Explosions, atmospheric music, dialogue all sound fantastic from Single player story driven games like Final Fantasy 7 Remake to competitive multiplayer like Naraka Bladepoint or Apex legends.

    Connectivity ****
    With support for Bluetooth 5 and LDAC connection should be solid. Never had cutouts or distortion when within the advertised range even through walls. It support multi device which allows you to connect to your tablet or PC while still controlling EQ, ANC and switch between devices from your phone which works well. Sadly if you use multidevice it prevents using LDAC so I leave this feature turned off as it is still really quick and easy to switch between devices – as soon as you hit connect on a paired device it takes over the connection, you get the ding and it’s ready to go. It also remembers which of the devices it was last connected to when you turn it on.

    ANC *****
    The Active Noise cancelling is S tier – it really does work well. Cancelling out much more background noise than expected making it a dream to use in a noisy office or caf. The way they have implemented pass through is really good so you can just hold you hand to the right ear to lower the volume of your music and have the 8 mics pass the outside sound to you and amplify it so you can quickly talk to someone. I don’t use the automatic pass through when you start talking feature but I could see it being useful for some people. It also has good noise cancelling for the mic so making a voice/video call in a noisy area still sounds great for both you and the person you are calling.

    Negatives
    Of course there are some negatives but thankfully they are relatively minor.
    Firstly, they do not fold down as compact as other headphones. You’re not going to fit this into your pocket or even want to throw it into a bag but it does come with a nice case and so constatly wearing it or take a big enough bag for it in the case.

    The other is that although the soft touch material on the cups feels way better than plastic or metal and transfers a lot less sound if something rubs against it like a hood or your hand it does leave unsightly greasy marks. I am experimenting with skins for it from xtreme skins as you can see in one of the photos which solves the problem but I didn’t find the skins a good fit for the curved sides but your mileage may vary. I probably will put up with the greasy look to avoid the extra weight and faff of the stickers.

    The battery life would fall into this category as while very good it is not as long as some cheaper models offer. I can still run it all day with no issues of comfort or battery but I do find I am topping it up every other day instead of once a week as I have done with previous headsets. It’s understandable with the relatively light weight and constantly on HQ ANC or pass through (I never use ANC off completely).

    Not really a negative as I didn’t expect this from it but this is not a headset to wear while working out, jogging or in the rain. It has no water resistance. For those purposes I prefer to use earbuds anyway and find the Pixel Buds do the job just fine but of course the sound quality and lack of ANC mean it does not compare when you have the option of the Sony XM5s.

    Overall an excellent headset if you can appreciate great sound quality even if not an audiophile, with top notch noise cancelling and comfort.

    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent sound, noise-cancelling and comfo

  25. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    The sound quality of these headphones is very good, coupled with the free equaliser app that you get as a download. I’m using these with my iPad and iPhone. The mid to treble has dulled in my ears but with the equaliser I was able to customise the sound so that I can hear clearly. I listen to Audio books and watch YouTube. Lots of talking so I need to hear things clearly. I’m not saying that it’s like having a new set of ears but they’ve made a massive difference.
    I’m not so keen on the new headband because the changeable fit is too loose. It’s probably just me because I spend a lot of time in bed. I’m willing to put up with that because of sound quality.
    The noise cancel works well for me. I use a noisy oxygen concentrator but with these phones on, I can’t hear it.
    I had Xm3 phones but they were quite dull sounding which made it hard to customise the sound to my requirements. I skipped the Xm4 phones and went straight for these. Xm5 and I’m glad I did.

  26. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    Sound is great but call isn’t always the best. Noise cancellation is pretty good.

  27. ClairNeilson says:

     United Kingdom

    The best headphones you can buy.
    Within a reasonable price range amount.
    Perfect for gaming on my PS5 or streaming shows.

    Much more comfortable around my ears.
    I have big head and need to wear glasses.
    So having the ear cups being flexible around the base.

    Is a massive improvement.
    I had the Sony 3d D audio headphones before.
    And they begun to hurt and pinch around my head and ears. After a few hours.

    I couldn’t lean back comfortably with them.
    However, with these one’s (xm5) I can.
    Even more so, when I really started to grow my hair longer, again.
    I’d have to make there their was no trapped hair.
    But with the XM5’s.
    The ear cups are not ridge and tight.
    So that’s also made a positive impact.

  28. RubenCadebi says:

     United Kingdom

    Golden Review Award: 2 From Our UsersMore comfortable than putting a microwave on your head, and sounds better too! Noise cancelling works well unless you start playing music, it doesn’t cancel that, you can still hear it. It’s a beautiful shade of black, but that does mean it doesn’t work well as a spare mirror. Weighs about the same as some yoghurt, so your ears shouldn’t get sleepy if you use them for more than 13 pico-seconds.

    10/10 product, I’ll recommend them in my next best man speech.

  29. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    I love that the headphones are the most comfortable thing ever. I expected better from the noise cancellation though, not as good as Airpods. Battery life is amazing, one charge can last me a few days with constant wearing.

  30. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    Expensive but worth it, especially if they are on sale.
    Pro’s
    Very well-made.
    Fits small or in my case very-large head.
    Great sound quality with in built Google Assistant help
    Noise-cancelling is industry leading massive step up from last version which I also own
    Simple to set up on mobile
    Improved slide action headset controls
    Great Bluetooth range and connection
    Ldac support as long as you don’t use dual Bluetooth connect option
    30 hours on one charge but 2-3 on 5min charge using 40w charger
    Cons
    Don’t fold
    Don’t tell you via voice that Bluetooth had connected to your device

  31. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    Golden Review Award: 15 From Our UsersStill own a pair of XM3 which I absolutely love.
    This review is mostly comparing them.

    The first thing that was immediately apparent with the XM5:

    – they are not as comfortable, at least not for me. They’re a bit stiffer and just don’t fit quite as well. Safe to say I’m past the break-in period and I much prefer the fit of the XM3
    – I tend to wear a flatcap and noticed that there’s a tiny bit of sound leakage, it lifts right cup just enough to be noticeable
    – for some strange reason when you put them down around your neck, the cups no longer rotate and face your torso, they face outwards which is uncomfortable. I find myself taking them out and flipping them. Sounds like a minor usability thing but I find it really annoying

    Sound quality is always subjective but I definitely find them more detailed, but with a similar character. I was very happy with the XM3 and I still am very happy with these.
    Noice cancellation to be honest, was great before and it’s still great. I’m sure the tech has improved but I can’t really notice that much of a difference between them, given my normal day to day setup.
    – the touch controls are definitely better. The feel much more responsive and quicker. I never particularly liked them on the XM3 and I find them usable now (still prefer buttons though)

    So, all in all, I didn’t really need an upgrade but I tend to have two pairs of headphones, one for work and one just laying around, so decided to give these a shot. I can’t say they are a massive difference in sound quality (to my ears). Comfort is a little worse and usability too (they also don’t fold which is a shame).

    Unless you want to upgrade because you want to buy something new or just like the idea of them and don’t care much about value, I can confidently say: stick to your XM3/XM4.

    They are great of course, but feel like a marginal upgrade in sound quality and slight downgrade in the other aspects I’ve described.

  32. Make do Mum says:

     United Kingdom

    Golden Review Award: 2 From Our UsersI was a bit skeptical about this purchase, particularly given the price. But I will say these are the best pair of headphones I’ve ever owned. The noise cancellation seems like magic – public transit, crowded rooms with loud music and conversations, you’ll be amazed. I don’t even understand how it works, or what technology goes into making something like this even possible. I love the way they look. The depth and detail of sound is beyond anything I’ve used. I don’t have many points of criticism but will mention them below.

    – The headband feels like it could be a bit wider or have more cushion, at first I found it slightly uncomfortable. After adjusting the length and getting used to them a bit, it’s not that noticeable anymore.

    – After wearing these a couple hours I will develop a small headache. I think it’s because the headphones ‘squeeze’ your head a bit to create a seal of sorts. I know it’s the headphones because I’ll be back to normal a minute or two after removing them. Not saying this will happen for you, but it does occasionally for me.

    That’s all I can really think of in terms of drawbacks. I couldn’t recommend these headphones more, they’re amazing and I use them every day.

  33. kokoda_koji says:

     United Kingdom

    I really like these – they are a step up from my old Bose QC30, in terms of audio quality, noise-cancelling, and comfort. However – and this doesn’t detract from the quality – (1) The pale colour picks up marks and stains really easily. (2) The direct, touch, controls are really unintuitive for me, and I’m still finding them really hard to understand how to set the phones up to be most useful to me. So, in the end, despite all the options, I use it with full noise-cancelling on most of the time. The 3D modelling feature, again, is no good unless I want to pay a monthly premium to use Sony’s audio service (or one of the licensed providers) – typical vendor tie-in stuff from Sony. Likewise, I don’t/won’t use Alexa (etc) integration.

    I would have much preferred customisable smart-touch, rather than having to adjust to / learn Sony-engineering’s decisions.

    The bottom line, is – even without the twenty bells-and-whistles that it comes with which I will never use, the basic engineering and sound quality is excellent.

  34. NadinePalmer says:

     United Kingdom

    I think these represent very good value for money. Battery life is very good and sound quality is good. I do think that the bass could be more neutral and the highs could have a bit more sparkle. These are a lot better than my Bose Qc35 but are miles adrift compared to the 64audio u12t. I currently have the headphones paired with both my macbook pro and phone. The problem I am experiencing is that if I am using the laptop with the headphones on a zoom call /etc, the headphone will unexpectedly switch over to the phone without me being made aware.

  35. PaulaToRot says:

     United Kingdom

    Golden Review Award: 6 From Our UsersA great piece of engineering by Sony to get a noise cancelling headphone to sound this good at this price point.

    You will need an Android phone to take full advantage of the LDAC but when its connected that way and you are streaming a high res file from an exceptional source like Qobuz then the headphones are spectacular for this price point. Their timing and sonic clarity via high-res Bluetooth is something to behold at less than 300. Set Bluetooth via the developer options on your android phone to output at 990kbps. At these settings the headphones are perfectly balanced straight out of the box and there is no need to involve the Sony app to fiddle with EQ etc.

    Noise cancelling is the best I have experienced and I’ve owned most of the major brands at this price level. I love the Bose 700 but the XM5 is better in nearly all circumstances.

    You will initially think these aren’t robust and perhaps think they feel cheap. I have found it’s really good design that has translated through much lighter materials. You barely feel they are on your head. The solidity has gone yet they fit really well and the sound and noise cancelling hasn’t been compromised at all. Simply great design and inventive use of materials, although I have yet to see how this plays out long term.

    With LDAC they are 5 stars and a fantastic purchase for mobile listening. If you just have an iPhone then you won’t get that sparkling clarity and timbre from high-res through these. It’s important you listen to a good high-res master from a top quality service like Qobuz. No other service matches their clarity. All these in place and they sound close to a wired DAC at around the 200 price range running 400-500 headphones.

    Obviously everything is relative and as you go up price ranges detail and resolution increase dramatically. It’s not too much of a stretch however to say these are remarkable sounding Bluetooth headphones when running LDAC. The price is incredible given their clarity, timing and musicality with exceptional noise cancelling built in.

    Definitely a really great buy.

  36. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    Golden Review Award: 35 From Our UsersSony WH-1000XM5 Noise Cancelling Wireless Headphones are quite simply – SUPERLATIVE! Pretty Expensive but well worth the Extra Money in my View. I have enjoyed the use of the Right Phone/Speaker to Control, Volume, Track Movement, Pause/Play etc…clever Stuff and make them very Controllable. To Test NOISE CANCELLATION, I set up The Joshua Tree Album and played at “Loud” Volume through my two Desktop Logitec 2.1 Speakers from my Laptop via Amazon Music. I paired the XM5’s to my Samsung SE20 and played The Beatles – Abbey Road. You could not hear anything of U2 from 2 feet away. I then did my Standard Test playing Led Zeppelin II at Volume – It was a Whole Lotta Love for sure! Quite Perfect, Vocals, Lead, Bass and Drums. Bonham has never sounded so Good!! RIP John…It looks to me like they would blank out any Road Noise etc…not sure i would wear these in the street or underground etc…makes you such a Target for Idiots? These are valuable, sought after Phones for sure. Quite often you need to hear road noise etc anyway?..But the Noise Cancellation is Brilliant that is for sure. The hidden benefit was I couldn’t hear a word better half was shouting at me!!! lol.. SOUND QUALITY was in my view quite Superb, Stereo Separation was Perfect, Lovely Balanced Bass Note without trying to Skullcandy your eardrums out! There is no Better Test than listening to Macca at his peak with the Beatles if you like Superb Bass play, the Sound was Superb. Vocals were so True to the Original Vinyl Release, quite Perfect. Whilst Playing a Ballad by Bruce Springsteen i could actually hear him pursing his lips as he started to sing. I never heard that really fine detail of sound – Ever. To get down that close is Phenomenal. The Treble/Percussion came across Perfectly. The XM5’s are “Dynamic” in their Delivery all the way through the Range. Childs play to pair, even Better Half Managed it..oops.. Just get a QR Code Scanner on your phone for the Help Notes, they are also very well Documented. I can’t comment on Alexa, Voice Assitant. I haven’t Tested at all. Given the overall quality of these HPhones I am sure it is Perfect. BATTERY LIFE I am up to 25 or so hrs after full charge and they are still Banging Away. I am confident they will do what they say on the box, 30hours plus. I have found the over ear pads are brilliant and dont grip your head at all and i have a big head. I have found them incredibly easy to wear over a period of several hours. The ear pads swivel 360 degress and store really well. When you remove them they shut off Automatically which is a nice feature to preserve the Battery. All in All, Expensive BUT GREAT VALUE! SOUND QUALITY SUPERLATIVE. I am quite thrilled with these and would recommend to anyone who really Appreciates Real Quality Listening. I am going to go to my Study Turn the lights off, Shut my eyes and play “China” by Vangelis! Welcome to a whole new world with these Headphones. The “Long March” will Test any Balance, Percussion and Separation. This evocative Album took me through my Commando Training when i was in the Marines but i never heard it like this before! Thank you Sony!

  37. ciara says:

     United Kingdom

    Golden Review Award: 20 From Our UsersJust like the top review for this product (which I must say gave me the last push to buy these) I am neurodivergent and sound sensitive so was looking for headphones with great noise cancelling above anything else like sound quality and portability etc. I’ve now had them for two weeks:

    The noise cancelling is incredible and exactly what I needed, it blocks out most of the worst that British National Rail and London Underground throws at me. I feel mostly confident nobody and nothing will bother me while I do my thing playing on my Ipad, doing work or reading whilst listening to audiomachine etc.

    Audio Quality is superb, I particularly enjoy epic/lofi/music score music on these. I still own Sennheiser Momentums wired second generation which I maintain have better sound quality but then again they aren’t NC and are wired so have now been relegated for home usage.

    I find the controls mostly intuitive and helpful – on the right side touch sensitive for playback/volume/skipping etc and on the left the ambient sound is super useful – I find the NC is almost too dangerous to have on 100% of the time and put ambient noise on to cross the road sometimes or to just listen to the next stop announcement on the train – handy.

    The elephant in the room is of course the case, I’ve seen every review mention the bulkiness etc. To me this is a minor or almost non-issue. Would it be nice if these folded like some other equivalents – yes but I find these fit well in my daily travel bag. It also feels very premium and I feel like the size is over exaggerated by tech reviewers like MKBHD etc although i suppose I do totally understand those who used the previous generation and might find it hard to upgrade to a device with a larger case having enjoyed the portability of a small one. Having said all of the above – I’ve not yet had to fly with these so understandably the case will present a larger issue when I have to as then bag space will come at a premium and I might just have to tough it out with these on my neck. Which by the way the entire issue people mention of ear cups being upside down if you put these around your neck – I just put these away myself so that doesn’t bother me.

    In the end I’m happy with these and they will last me for a long time. If you want the headphones for noise cancelling and tuning out the world around you is the priority – go for them. If you want incredible sound quality and know your music – you’re probably better off adding another 100-150 quid and getting the Apple or Sennhesier ones. If portability is crucial just get the previous generation of these.
    <3

    What do you need from your headphones?

  38. JuniorDevereaux says:

     United Kingdom 🇬🇧

    Golden Review Award: 4 From Our UsersI got these from Currys as they price matched Amazons lowest price locally at 320.

    My previous pairs were a couple of Bose headsets from Ebay the QC45 (comfortable but unimpressive detail and bass) and the NC700 (Not so comfortable and highly annoying to keep triggering the touch controls plus sound only marginally nicer than other Bose headset)

    I also have a Jabra 85H which is a lovely looking and feeling headset but the sound quality lags a little behind all of the other headsets but the smart features on it rival the XM5 and the buttons are fantastic. I often give up ultimate sound resolution for the luxury of travelling with the Jabra. The luxury was also present on the Master and Dynamic MW65 I once owned when they did a 50% sale a few years back but the sliders on those kept moving and the sound was middling.

    More recently I went into an expensive hifi shop and paired the new Mark Levinson no.5909 as my recently paired list reminds me and honestly for 999 I am surprised at how the Sony is more comfortable and lighter and doesn’t heat up your ears like those did. The no.5909 also was tuned like this xm5 headphone but at more than double the price.

    This new XM5 is definitely the best sounding of all the headsets with defined and extended bass with more than a hint of sub-bass backing up the notes. The app can be set to a wonderful EQ and saved to the headset for use on a computer or tv. The magic EQ stolen from a paid Patreon is: +2 +6 +8 +4 +4 and clearbass as high as you like.

    The sensor for pausing music and video is connected to the left earpad and plays when your ear completes the resistive circuit so running and sweating in these is not possible, in fact they are not even shower proof and will die if you go outside in even slightly damp weather or sweat so please do not use these for this purpose. Primarily these are for home use and commuting by bus plane or train.

    Talk to listen is a great feature and I can confirm it works great for asking my Son to do something and gives 15 seconds before music resumes to continue speaking although one tap on the right cup resumes early. Now headphones and family are once again compatible so I can let the family watch their loud movies and absorb myself in something else while working and still have the option to communicate without pressing any buttons or stopping what I’m doing. Obviously if you sing along to music turn this off.

    I cannot get over how light these feel to wear and how comfortable they are. The earcup holes are quite small and shallow but the material has been comfortable on my earlobes so far on long listens. The NC45 from Bose were similarly comfortable but were an inferior headset in all other ways like noise cancelling and smart features.

    This is overall the best NC headset I’ve tried and looks to be a keeper. Unless Sony go back to the ported subwoofer chamber or add APT-X Adaptive or lossless to the XM6 I’ll be sticking with these through the next generation too.

  39. BlytheMadera says:

     United Kingdom 🇬🇧

    Golden Review Award: 4 From Our UsersThe XM3 and XM4 already had industry leading noise cancellation so that you could enjoy your music, podcasts, videos and games withouit the noise from the outside world. However, when used as a headset in a call, correspondents would complain that every noise around you would sound like some builders were remodelling the area around you! A major distraction during calls.

    Almost every bluetooth headset is awful for phone calls. The noise cancellation traditionally only applies to the noise going into your ears. Traditionally, noise cancelling headphones do no favours for the person on the other end of the line, to the contrary, they normally make the noise around you so so very much worse.

    The XM5 accomplishes both admirably! Whilst noise cancellation for your media is good (comparable to previous Sony WH1000 versions) IMHO the star of the show in the XM5 the noise cancellation is when used in calls!

    Making calls with a bean to cup coffee machine, running water through the system to clean and prime the system, grinding beans, pumping water, and delivering a coffee, in the background? Previously, no way. Your correspondent would have difficulty making out what you say. With the XM5 people have no problem hearing me! Making a call from the road, as cars go by? Previously, major annoyance for your correspondent. With the XM5, they might believe you are still in a quiet hotel room!

    A worthy upgrade IMHO. So glad I waited for this feature to come out before moving from my XM3. Fabulous. Game changing.

    I am no affiliated with Sony, and bought these with my own money.

  40. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom 🇬🇧

    Golden Review Award: 2 From Our UsersI really love these. You can answer the call and talk normally very clear. Works with amazon and Google etc. Very light and fit great. Yes expensive for a great make but they really are fab.

  41. CalebG55eazke says:

     United Kingdom 🇬🇧

    Golden Review Award: 2 From Our UsersI have spent the last 3 months reading different reviews as I have never spent this kind of money on a set of cans, but I have to say they are easily worth the money. When people say they heard new elements of tracks they had heard a hundred times, I called BS, but genuinely that really is the case. The bass is absolutely fantastic and I have been delighted with the purchase. I heard lots of people complaining about the app, but I haven’t expereinced any issues so far. Expensive but definitely worth it.

  42. humarashid says:

     United Kingdom

    Golden Review Award: 144 From Our UsersOf all the noise cancelling headphones I’ve tried, the Sony WH1000XM5 (I’ll be referring to them as the XM5 from this point) are by far the most life changing of all headphones. As an autistic person with an intense auditory processing sensitivity these headphones gave me so much relief the second I turned them on and the active noise cancelling turned the volume of the world right down to almost nothing. Felt like the sensory pain my brain was experiencing had been lifted away from me & my body was able to relax – something I don’t often get to experience otherwise.

    Playing music with the active noise cancellation uses a little more power does take the battery life time down a bit but not by much. I find that I only need to charge these every couple of days & I’d describe myself as a heavy user of these headphones. There is an ANC button under the left ear cup next to the power on button. This allows you to switch from ANC to Ambient, in case you need to hear the environment around you whilst listening to music. Taking calls whilst active noise cancellation is on is incredible because the person you’re calling cannot hear any noises that are around you either. It’s a crisp clear call.

    The headphones are made of a lightweight material, making it comfortable to wear them for many hours or a whole day if you wanted. The ear cups are a soft leather material which feels gentle on the skin, the headband is also made of soft leather material on the underside. The headphones are a tubular adjustment which is a smooth glide and they stay in position during use.

    The carry case they come in is firm and foldable. I was surprised to see a firm pocket with a flip lid, and inside there is an aux cable and a small charging wire that is USBC. The headphones are suitable for fast charging and there are widget available on iPhone that show battery level. By pressing the power off button briefly a voice will speak in the headphones telling you what your battery level is. You can also get the battery level from the app made for the XM5 which you will need to download to set up your headphones. The XM5’s charging being USBC allows for fast charging too, so it doesn’t my take too long to recharge to a full level.

    Another feature of the XM5 is the touch pad on the right ear cup. You can use the app to set the taps to mean what you want them to. For axample I can tap twice to pause and twice again to replay. Swipe forwards to skip a song, swipe back to play the last song again, swipe up to turn up the volume, swipe down to turn it down. If a call comes in, I can tap the middle once to accept the call, and tap again to hang up. There is also the option of voice activation, however, if like me you live to sing along to your fave songs, you won’t be able to if that feature is on as it will assume you’re talking with someone and pause the music, or it will be paused for a command. Personally I’m not a fan of that feature anyway, so I keep that turned off.

    Though you can Bluetooth link the headphones to a number of devices, the app has the option to link to two devices as your primary devices that will allow you to switch between the two. I have mine linked to my iPhone and my Apple TV box as I live in an area where there is heavy traffic and that noise makes it hard to watch and enjoy TV or listen to music. Having the headphones able to switch on command to the device means I can take a call during watching a TV show, and the TV show will automatically pause. The headphones also pause music if you lift them off your head for a few minutes, and return to playing automatically when you put them back on. They will automatically switch off if left off the head for a prolonged period in order to conserve battery.

    The app also allows for 360 listening which is a whole new experience. The option for the music to alter int he headphones in alignment when you in movement is also a pretty cool feature.

    Should you choose the safe listening option which does require access to your location, the data the headphones collect is to do with the volume levels of the world around you, so they will automatically adjust the level of sound and ANC so that your ears aren’t damaged listening to music louder in a noisy environment. With my old headphones I had to turn up the volume to drown out noise and hear my music, which isn’t healthy for ears in general, the ANC and music being automatically when in busy noisy environments is doing my ears some good as I don’t need to risk hearing loss and it helps with the sensory processing issues I have.

    My only irritation with the headphones really is personal preference – as much as a cushioned headband is so comfy, I would prefer a flatter style. But as they are the are pretty effective. Maybe not suitable for the head banging motion some metal rock fans enjoy doing, but on the whole, the XM5’s are by far the best headphones I’ve ever owned.

  43. DollyWFIHgox says:

     United Kingdom 🇬🇧

    The sound quality of the Sony XM5’s is excellent and the Noise Cancelling even more so. The switches are still a bit fiddly. Great case as well. Strongly recommended.

  44. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    Great sound and easy to use; the only cons is the material feels like low quality

  45. AndresTimm says:

     United Kingdom 🇬🇧

    Golden Review Award: 3 From Our UsersPreviously had the XM3s which stopped powering up after about 6 years of constant daily use – can’t compare these new XM5s to the 4s but if you’re considering upgrading from the 3s then it’s fully worth it. All round crisper sound (although not a gigantic difference), comfier, better to look at (in my opinion) and they generally feel quicker to use in terms of connecting/disconnecting from devices. One thing I love which is a tiny tiny thing – the low power notification is now much quicker which means less distraction if watching or playing or listening to something.

  46. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    When I first got these headphones I simply followed the quick start instructions and got great sound and noise cancellation but when I started to try and add voice activation etc to the mix I found it difficult. I finally found a guide online on the Sony website which made life a lot clearer. There is an app that you download which allows you to control the more hi-tech options on these headphones, such as identifying your location so that it can use a noise cancellation profile that matches your surroundings. You can turn noise cancellation on and off using the app. There are many other functions that I still haven’t discovered because I’m happy with the quality I’ve got and the control I’ve got over Alexa. Updates to software etc are also done via the app.

    The headphones themselves aren’t adjustable but they seem to sit perfectly over your ears and are comfortable for hours at a time. It’s a very clever design. The manual controls use a touch pad on the right ear. The pad covers the whole back of the right headphone. You can adjust volume, pause, play, skip backwards and forwards on tracks. However I noticed that it’s easy to mess up your playing experience in you are reaching overhead for something and your shoulder brushes the touch pad!

    These are by far the best quality, most comfortable and hi-tech headphones I’ve ever had and I’m delighted with them.

  47. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom 🇬🇧

    Golden Review Award: 3 From Our UsersUpgrade from the XM3 and worth every single penny. The sound quality is simply phenomenonal. I find them very easy to listen to… The sound quality is wonderful even at a very low volume. I don’t think the ANC is quite as good as the XM3s, but the trade off for the music quality . If you stream your tunes, I highly recommend a Tidal subscription otherwise a bit of a waste. 360 audio!

  48. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    These are, I think, my new favourite headphones and brand.

    Everything about these headphones has been carefully thought out. Despite being over-ear they are not overly bulky. They arrive in a sleek aesthetic case. The feel of the cups that go over the ear is… oddly smooth.

    The headphones are easy to pair (have tried with iOS and W10).
    The indicator noises for connected/not connected/using voice assist is clear and obvious.

    Battery life actually works as stated – I am basically surgically attached to these headphones from first thing in the morning til the end of the working day, and only need to charge them once a week.

    Lightweight with EXCELLENT sound quality, they are great for listening to music and for using modern communication software such as Teams.

    Overall astonishing quality and for me, for the aesthetic, feel, sound, usability… these are worth every penny.

  49. CJ Garcia says:

     United Kingdom

    Negligible pressure on my head and ears after 2-hour listening. I wear glasses and it still felt quite comfortable.

  50. MarkoGouin says:

     United Kingdom

    So far so good, does everything I want for high end classical music

  51. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    These headphones are awesome. Sound is great, and cancelling works very nicely.
    Having had previous generations, though, I was disappointed with the travel case provided. The case just feels cardboardy and a littile bulky compared to previous versions.
    I’m still delighted with the phones themselves – comfortable, and the sould is great.

  52. ArielleArchibal says:

     United Kingdom 🇬🇧

    Golden Review Award: 3 From Our UsersNoise cancellation is really good. Sound quality amazing not quite happy with transparency mode.

    Good produc

  53. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    Golden Review Award: 2 From Our UsersI have no hesitation in recommending these headphones, even with the premium price tag!

    The headphones themselves were easy to set up and connect to my phone – so simple that I think even someone with the most basic smart phone skills could manage it. There is an app which is helpful for extra features and for keeping an eye on battery life (battery life is excellent, by the way), but it is not strictly necessary to use this to enjoy the headphones.

    In the past, I have opted for “on-ear” style headphones, but this “over-ear” style is far superior when it comes to comfort. The head strap is soft on the top of my head and the ear piece fits snug around my ear. The only thing that I would say is that, using them on a hot day, they did get a little hot and sweaty but that will be the case for all over-ear headphones.

    One of the most amazing features of the headphones is that if you are listening to music but then take them off, it pauses the music automatically for you and then restarts it when you put them back on again. Very useful if you want to pause and have a quick chat with someone. They also worked really well when taking a call with the headphones on – both the caller and I could hear each other really clearly.

    The most important thing, and the reason you will be splashing out on these headphones, is the sound. It is truly outstanding. Even older tracks are brought back to life, with crystal clear audio and deep base. I am no expert, but I have no complaints – they sound as good as anything that I could imagine and put a pair of other headphones, which I had considered really good until this point, right in the shade.

    The only slight down-side is that these headphones do not fold to take up less space in storage, like the previous version of these headphones did. The reason for this is apparently better noise cancelling performance. This does mean that the case is larger than the previous versions. If the size of the case is important to you, you may want to skip this upgrade and stick to the older model. Fortunately for me, this was not an issue. The case itself looks very smart, matching the premium look and feel of the headphones, and I have no concerns about whether it will be able to stand the test of time in my bag.

    You will not be disappointed, these headphones absolutely live up to the 5* reviews that they are getting in the online reviews from specialist tech websites. So what are you waiting for?

  54. DoreenDavies says:

     United Kingdom

    I am absolutely in love with the sound and overall quality of these Sony WH-1000XM5 Noise Cancelling Wireless Headphones. Although one of the biggest cons I know people feel about these are that they’re not foldable compared to older gens, I found the case really allows them to slim down and slot into a bag very easily.

    Starting with physical design and aesthetics, I am in love with the futuristic and minimal design these headphones have to offer. They are lightweight and come in two colours, grey or silver. The headphone case is also really well-designed and offers great protection to the headphones when travelling.

    Next the sound, the sound is amazing, hands down the best headphones I have used so far, and they’re wireless too! The sound is so clean and I do wish I could get more quality music apps than Spotify, but even with that it sounds like such an upgrade to what I’ve used before. The headphones can connect to Sony’s ‘Headphones’ app, which is a nice app to allow to tweak settings, although I’m not a fan of the gamified activity badges and find them a bit pointless.

    The noise-cancelling feature is also next level in my books. It doesn’t give the insane switch feeling from turning it on, but still does a great job of blocking outside sound. I love that when you start talking, the noise cancellation will turn off temporarily, so I don’t need to do this manually. When I have something playing, I absolutely cannot hear my surroundings, which can be absolute bliss.

    I am so happy with these and really don’t have anything to complain about, the price is steep, but they really are the best of the best!

  55. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    oise cancelling, wireless technology, and audiphile sound quality combined into one outstanding closed back headphones.

  56. Larry Elliott and nRichard Partington says:

     United Kingdom

    Let me start this review by saying, that without a doubt, these are by far the best sounding headphones i have ever had.

    The box they come is is really simple, it’s a custom shaped hardshell case with a small compartment for the charger and a 3.5mm audio jack.

    For the headset itself, it’s of great quality, sadly it doesn’t fold to make it more compact, but what it lacks on that it more than makes up for in other aspects.
    It is an over the ear headset and it is really comfortable to wear, the ear cups are soft and made of fabric so is the head band, although thin, it still is comfortable. The main reason i made a note to mention that the foam padding in the ear cups are made fabric is that in the past i’ve always had headsets use faux leather, which in time disintegrates and looks awful, the solution has always been to replace them but i can see that this time, Sony has improved their design from the get go.

    Features wise, you have usb C, a 30h battery life, only 2 buttons, active noise canceling, a touch area on the right ear cup and an internal sensor to sense when you removed the headset.

    This is what a premium top range headset should be like, having been a big Sony fan and still having a lot of their top range headsets i can say that this 1000xm5 is improving everything and taking things to the next level, sound quality is supreme, comfort is great and the features are just phenomenal.

    It’s great when you take off your headset to have the music or video you are listening to just automatically pause and resume once the headset if back on, i usually have trouble with headsets with a lot of buttons which makes me confused as to what button does what, so i can appreciate only having 2 buttons here, one to turn it of and on, also tells me the battery level and the noise canceling button, everything else i can do by the touchpad on the side by doing simple gestures.

    Audio quality wise, it’s a premium high fidelity sound, Sony are the best in the media business for a reason, the audio quality of this headset is like nothing else i’ve ever experienced before, i was listening to a video i had recorded from my iphone 13 and when playing it back i had to pause it and replay several times, as i was convinced that the sound on the video was coming from the room i was in, i couldn’t believe how real it sounded, the lower tones are much more deep here and well produced, even things like footsteps and just basic background noises can sound so much more vivid, the deep bass is very much distortion free and the general quality is why this headset costs what it does.

    Lastly, the noise canceling, it is the best i’ve experience as well, dangerously good, as when i do turn it on i get lost in my own world and can’t hear anything around me, i lose complete sense of my surroundings, even if there’s someone shouting next to me or a loud lawnmower right outside. The headset has 4 different mics all around the ear cups so it picks up all manner of sounds and effectively blocks them.

    If you are an audiophile and want the best of the best, this headset is for you. This is what premium top notch sounds like, it’s all wireless and compact with a high compatibility range.

    Highly recommended if you have the funds and are looking for the next level of sound.

    Premium Sound

  57. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    Golden Review Award: 19 From Our UsersPositives
    From the outset you know this is a classy product. The box is made of recyclable packaging and my silver headphones looked great. The king of noise cancellation headphones. The App is easy to use and enhances your overall enjoyment of the headphones. It has various permutations to customise your and if your share your headphone a second custom setting. I use the two options to set up for Rock / Classical. For those who like their headphones with maxed out volume, this is not for you. Sony’s concern for health means that volume is set to comfortable levels. There are one or two quirks about the app in that a repeated message appears on the tutorial. It gets annoying after a while especially if you owned the previous XM3 & XM4. Though some of the controls it is pretty much as is, including the ability the XM4 where it allows the music to fade / stop if you need to talk to someone. Also if you pair this with Sony’s Xperia phones or one of their portable hi res players you get the benefit of LDAC which I am informed is better than Aptx HD for hi resolution. As much of my music is hi res the wired option ( if you want the music delivery via DAC ) then that’s a plus. An incremental improvement on XM4 and a giant step up on XM3. As for battery time, never listened to music 30 hours on the go but I understand that Is only possible if all software gizmos are turned off

    Negatives.
    This is a major one. Sony needs to fix with a software update, asap. Bluetooth stability on both Android and iPhone is terrible. In less than 6 hours of listening, first on Sony’s own Android Music player it dropped connections – despite using the app to focus on Bluetooth stability. Same on my iPhone 12. 3 times in 6 hours of listening. That’s despite patiently doing the out of box software upgrade (it takes approx 40- 45 mins)
    Never had an issue on XM4 of dropped connections or on their earbuds.For a 380 headphone is just not acceptable. I also had prioritised Bluetooth stability in settings and my headphones as well my devices were fully charged up.
    The other small bugbear is unlike the XM4 this is not one for bundling up in your bag and go. You need to put it in the carrying case. A
    the nice looking box.

    So in summary, a classy head phone with the best noise cancellation. An app easy to use, with a few quirks. Comfortable sound out put. So if you are on XM3,this is worth an upgrade. XM4 users if you want to see improvements to the class leader on noise cancelling headphone, this is worth investigation. For my part, only if Sony sorts the stability of Bluetooth connection will it gain the 5th star, this would deserve.

  58. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    Golden Review Award: 2 From Our UsersMy husband is a former sound engineer and says these are the best headphones he has used when it come to sound quality and comfort.

    The ear cups and the profile of the headphones take up so much less room.

    The noise cancellation is superb – to the extent I can stand behind him and almost shout and he still does not notice.

    There is a long battery life as well.

    These are expensive but if you are a sound fanatic you should definitely consider these

  59. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    Golden Review Award: 2 From Our UsersGreat earphones if a little uncomfortable.

    I should start by saying these are my first over the ear style earphones so have no benchmark other than the in ear type.
    The sound is amazing as is the ANC the earphones look great and the battery has lasted well so far, they are packaged nicely and have everything you need. I found them a little uncomfortable but this is me and most likely because I’m not used to this style of earphones.
    Overall I’m more than satisfied with these earphones.

    Great Earphones

  60. AlfonzoHutchens says:

     United Kingdom

    Amazing NC. Best I’ve used on a plane. Upgraded from the XM3s and it’s a massive step up.

  61. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    Not as user friendly as others I have used. It beeps when you turn it on or off. But each beep sounds the same. For example another one I have tells when you have turned it off by announcing sound off.

  62. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    Golden Review Award: 3 From Our UsersThese headphones are a fantastic upgrade if you’re uxing the older XM3. However there are some drawbacks that seem strange for Sony to overlook.

    Contents – In terms of what is suppled, you have the case, headphones, 3.5 inch cable and USB-C charging cable. I’m a little confused why a relatively cheap airline adapter is no longer provided particularly at this price range, and given these headphones seem well targeted to travellers.

    Packaging – Is good from an eco-conscious perspective but not ideal if you’re the sort of person that likes to keep packaging to re-sell in the future. Pretty much the packaging is asking to be thrown away, as the sleeve cannot be reattached once opened. It protects the headphones well but just be aware of this

    Case – The case looks intially similar to the size of the XM3 case but put side to side and it is significantly bigger. I’ve had no problems getting the XM3 into any backpack or bag, however these are an awkward shape and take up much more space in a bag. A change needed to accomodate the new non-folding design of the headphones – but unwelcome nonetheless for those that like to put their headphones back in the case on each use. Secondly the zip is very annoying and often gets stuck when trying to open. The only positive of the case is that it now has a magnetic compartment making transporting cables less risky, previously I worried about the cables falling out of the XM3 case. The case is supposed to flatten when headphones are not in the case – but this is extremely marginal, you might be able to squeeze in a thin magazine as a result of the space you save….seriously why did they bother!

    Headphone design – Really nice design, looks very premium, quality of materials is much better than XM3, leathers feel softer to the touch and redesigned notchless headband much better to get that perfect fit

    Comfort and sound quality – Comfort is exceptional and made what was already a very comfortable experience with the XM3 shoot to another level. I don’t get any ear-ache sometimes encountered during 2 hour plus sessions and wore these for pretty much 8 hours of a 12 hour flight without any discomfort issues, or sweating ears. Sound quality is just amazing, definitely a different sound than the XM3 – with much more range to the music than the flatter sounding XM3. This however is comparing side by side.

    Other features – Some additional features aren’t particularly useful such as having a dedicated spotify button but there were plenty of improvements that I wished for the XM3 which are here now.
    Key ones include:
    – pausing playback when speaking and being able to set a timer (incredibly useful)
    – Automatically detecting environment and optimising headphones to environment and ear-shape
    – connecting to 2 devices at the same time and knowing which to use as the playback source when you get e.g. incoming phone calls
    – much improved voice calls (to the point it’s possible to use these for outdoor calls or Teams calls now)

    Cleaning – Big drawback with this unit vs XM3 are the oils. For somebody very conscious about oil and fingerprints – this is unavoidable with this unit. It seems to attract the lightest oils and my unit was covered in smudges after a few hours. Unlike the XM3 which seem to be oil resistant allowing smudges to easily be wiped off, you need to get a good microfibre cloth here to clean properly. I’m unsure how this got back QA.

    Ultimately if you’re using the older XM3, then this is an upgrade that should tick most upgrade boxes, e.g. better sound, materials, build quality, comfort, useful features. There are some drawbacks but they aren’t enough to result in this being a bad upgrade. If coming from the slightly newer XM4 – I’m not sure too much the differences but if I were given the choice, there is a lot more upgrade between things like design and comfort that the XM4 likely can’t match.

  63. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    Excellent product not sure the if the up-charge from xm4’s is worth it. Excellent non the less

  64. oursayonbluray says:

     United Kingdom

    Golden Review Award: 2 From Our UsersOmg where do I start – these are amazing!!!! It is pricey, but worth it. This is case when you definately paying for the quality and features. These headphones are best ones on a market at this minute, great sound and call quality, great battery life, light and comfortable.

  65. chestionaredrpciv says:

     United Kingdom

    The best noise cancellation I have experienced so far in headphones. The noise cancelling is adjustable to pick up voice which is kinda spy esq. highly recommend, battery is super long lasting. Have t had to charge mine for days.

  66. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    Coming from the xm3 these were definitely an upgrade but to be honest I felt like it could have been better. Better microphone quality and also a better case design. The one major gripe about this whole product is that it doesn’t fold dow

  67. SusannaClaude says:

     United Kingdom

    Golden Review Award: 3 From Our UsersI love these headphones. I am a huge fan of Sony headphones and I have the WH-1000MX3 and they changed my life, literally – no more interuptions when needing to focus, great sounding music, perfect for wearing while travelling. So, the WH-1000MX5 have big shoes to fill…..and I am happy to say they do that and more!

    I like the style, there is a noticeable redesign since previous versions and it looks good. They are a good fit and very comfortable to wear, almost unoticeable. I can wear these happily for hours on end without even realising.

    Sound quality is superb. I love being able to escape with these headphones on. You can also really hear the mix of sounds and vocals are really clear. I listen to a range of genres and these headphones can handle all of them. Noise cancellation is excellent, these are the best I have tried and are the reason I love these headphones. They are perfect for a busy office environment, can block out all noise around you.

    Battery life is amazing, about 25 – 30 hours and you get enough warning to pop on a charge so you don’t get an unexpected cut-out.

    The headphones have been designed with the listener in mind. Simple little things like stopping music when you take them off for a minute (e.g. to talk to someone) and then music starting again when you put them back on – no fiddling around with buttons. It’s a nice touch. Speaking of touch, the touch controls are very responsive and very intuitive. I turned off the adaptive sound control (which changes the sound as you move between locations) as I found it distracting but I can see how others might appreciate it. I like the speak to chat function – when this is turned on the music stops if you start talking so this is handy for an office environment. It is easy enough to turn this off in the app if you don’t like it. The app is simple and easy to use. It doesn’t have loads of features, but I am not one for tweaking the sound settings too much anyway so it fits the bill for me.

    Call quality was always an issue with the 1000MX3 and its clear that Sony have been working on this. Still not perfect, but it is a considerable improvement. I don’t tend to use these for calls anyway so it isn’t something that bothered me, but its good they have put more attention into this.

    They come with a nice carry case, but to be honest I prefer the case with the 1000MX3 – it hooks nicely onto my backpack and easy to carry while travelling, but this one feels a little less tough so I would want it inside a bag. Not enought to drop any stars though – personal preference.

    I highly recommend these. Everyone should have a pair!

  68. VelvaParedes says:

     United Kingdom

    I’ve got the Sony WH-1000XM4, and they’ve been fantastic for the last couple of years I’ve had them. So I was very excited to try this latest WH-1000XM5 version from Sony.

    In a nutshell, they are fabulous!

    Sound quality is second to none. I’ve got headphones from Technics, Panasonic, Beats, Schure and Jabra … but the Sony are king in my book for audio quality, especially when using Sony’s LDAC Bluetooth technology when I listen when connected to my Sony Xperia phone. Clarity of sound is incredible. The bass has real depth and the balance is spot on. Of course, the EQ is adjustable, but out of the box the settings are great.

    They are very comfy to wear for extended periods, especially with the memory foam top section. I like that they don’t fold curled up weirdly in a box like some do, but just sit flat in their stylish hard, but textile covered case. THe new design over the 4 series helps minimise external noise. The headset is really light.

    The noise-cancelling function is outstanding. The technology is very impressive, and the controls e.g. talk over work really well. New to this series 5 is adaptive noise cancelling which can automatically adapt to your environment as you move around. It is so impressive.

    I love that you can connect to 2 devices simultaneously. It’s perfect for listening to music from my laptop while working, but can take calls on my phone if one comes in.

    Battery life is excellent, and they charge really quick if you need a boost.

    You will not be disappointed!

  69. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    The last set of over the ear headphones I had was back in the mid 90s and they were tethered to our big Sony component tower system of amplifier, dual compact tape deck, 5 CD turn table and record player deck, all sitting on a small coffee table sized sub woofer. When I wanted to listen to music without disturbing everyone with the giant speakers, I settled into the “Easy Boy” recliner with the headphones on and got immersed in my own world of music. It is a truly nostalgic, yet cutting edge experience to again listen to my music choices with these over the ear Sony WH-1000XM5 Noise Cancelling Wireless Headphones. These Sony headphones more than match their description and have exceded my expectations. They are excellence at a price and I believe it’s a price worth paying.
    The quality of the sound is so good that I’m tempted to think that it is produced by wizardry, not technology. My last set of over the ear headphones were forsaken because of technology. The reasonable price and convenience of the CD Walkman, giving unfettered, portable access to music whenever and wherever I liked and the fashionable downsizing of music systems to small units and numerous small wall mounted speakers led to the big Sony system going for a song in the garage sale.
    The small Walkman headphones were nowhere near as good, but back then, convenience meant compromise. Now, the WH-1000XM5 banishes compromise and excels in all audio aspects. The ipod revolution of having your whole music collection on one portable device has been succeeded by streaming, where you have access to all music and the WH-1000XM5 provide a superb means of convenient, quality listening (I never liked earbuds). This Sony headset is by far the most comfortable headphone set I’ve ever had, the touch controls are easy to use because they’re intuitive, the battry life is excellent, recharging is really quick and Sony’s overall quality is second to none.

  70. LydaStrouse says:

     United Kingdom

    Golden Review Award: 2 From Our UsersThese Sony WH-1000XM5 noise cancelling wireless headphones works excellent with no any errors. Very good noise cancellation, sound quality is really clear and laud, high resolution audio, precise voice pickup, comfort for hours on end, adaptive sound control, speak to chat, multipoint connection. The WH-1000XM5 wireless headphones keep out all sounds, from airplane noise to people’s voices. Adjusts to your lifestyle-when activated it learn to recognize location’s and tailors sound to suit the situation. The item weight is 250gram so they are very comfortable to wear it. This price at the moment (379) is really high but for this quality, sound and everything I can easily recommend them to anyone.

  71. EdisonBoser says:

     United Kingdom

    Golden Review Award: 2 From Our UsersA winning recipe in the fierce market of premium range of HIgh Quality Noise cancellation headphones.
    I own the Apple Airpod Max too but this one is definitely few steps ahead of it.
    Noise cancellation works fantastic and gesture control by taping on the headphones works fantastic and is very useful to do all the functions.
    Headphones are also voice ready to integrate with Siri or goole to do voice commands.
    Sony app is also super useful to set the headphones as per your usage but not mandatory,
    The headphones AI function helps to detect when you speak and if there is sudden change in ambient noise outside it turns off the noise cancellation function so you will be aware of the surroundings.
    One more AI function is it pauses the music when you speak and plays them back when you are normal and back to listening to music automatically.
    360 music is a whole dofferent world of you haven’t experinced before . It is a whole new experience to listen music and I don’t think I will be everbe able to go back again to listen normal music.

    Sony WH-1000XM5, best one in the category mic drop 🖐️🎤

  72. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    Golden Review Award: 3 From Our UsersThe noise cancellation on these is second to none.

    The highs and mids are sweet and clear. The bass is thumping and I personally like the excited EQ. There is plenty of other settings to choose from the though.

    I find the way the noise cancellation changes from walking to sitting distracting and wish I had better control over the setting from using just the button. Maybe I should turn it off on the app. I can see how others may find this useful but for me it is not

    The headset is super light and does not feel like a chore to wear. I hope to see an improvement in durability from the removal of the folding of the headphones but only time will tell.

    The carry case is simple and doesn’t look like a bra so I am happy.

    I was really excited to try the 360 audio but my trial code took me to nugs but when I chose the 360 option it reverted to a 7 day trial. Disappointing.

    Overall they are really good noise cancelling headphones. They deliver full rich sound which doesn’t diminish much with noise cancelling on. I just don’t know if I’d be happy paying full retail for these. 299 or less and I would totally be on board

    Block out everyday noise

  73. Clara McMichael says:

     United Kingdom

    Golden Review Award: 2 From Our UsersThe sound quality for these are fantastic! Can’t find any faults with these! They’re ideal for most activities, work really well when running! Comes with all the necessary wires and charges really fast! No problems here!

  74. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    Wow… just WOW! I’ve had my Bose QC15 noise cancelling headphones for years now, and I always considered Bose to be the pinnacle of audio technology, especially when it came to noise cancellation. At the time I felt so guilty about spending so much on a pair of headphones, but over the years they’ve never let me down.

    But now come the Sony WH-1000XM5 Bluetooth Noise Cancelling Headphones, and I am utterly blown away! Like the Bose, these come packed inside a really good quality hard case, with a compartment for the wired jack cable and USB charging cable. Just looking at the headband, I wasn’t sure how comfortable these would be, but the design really works well. I have always preferred full over-the-ear headphones to the ‘on-ear’ type, and these completely encompass my ears and are so light I barely feel like I’m wearing them.

    Charging was fast, and pairing with my Amazon Fire TV television worked flawlessly, so I am now able to watch films at my chosen volume from the comfort of the sofa without disturbing my wife or the neighbours. I wasn’t, however, able to get it to pair with my Android phone (an LG ThinQ G7). Not sure of why, but I will continue to look into this and see if there’s a solution posted online. I thus connected it to my phone using the jack cable instead, to test out the sound quality. Again – Wow! Deep rumbling bass, but without any distortion or loss of clarity, rich mids, and clear crisp high tones.

    And the noise cancelling…? This blows my Bose QC15s out of the water. I always like to have a small fan blowing on me, be it a desktop fan for my workshop, or a floor fan in the living room, and that also, obviously, generates a certain amount of constant white noise, audible through pretty much all headphones (and definitely earbuds). But the moment I switched on the NC, every single ambient sound disappeared! There was no sound from the fan, no noise from traffic going past outside. It was almost pure silence. And here’s the kicker – with my bose, while listening to music, when the NC is turned on, there is a slight but noticeable degradation in the quality of the audio, as if the NC is having a kind of muffling effect on it, and that has always bothered me slightly. With these, as you turn on the NC, there is a drop in the volume and clarity of the music, but that only lasts about 1/4 of a second, and then it returns to its original level and quality. It’s stunning how that works.

    These are now my new go-to headphones! They are so unbelievably comfortable with superb audio quality and amazing noise cancellation.

    Better Than Bose QC Headphones!

  75. shopblogs411 says:

     United Kingdom

    Need some premium headphones? How about an improvement on the award winning XM4’s? Get these…

    These are the Sony WH-1000XM5 Noise Cancelling Wireless Headphones, 30 Hours Battery Life, Alexa / Google Assistant Enabled, Available In Black Or Silver, Measuring 27.62 x 21.67 x 7.59, Weighing 250g.

    This is not my first rodeo with this range, I had the previous XM4’s, and they were superb, so these have a lot to live up to! First thing I notice is out with the shiny box and in comes the plain recyclable number. It may look less pleasing on the eye externally, but it’s what’s on the inside that counts yeah? When you open the box you can’t tell this is a premium product, but the packaging is very minimal, supplied is one pair of headphones (that fold flat), 3.5mm stereo jack, charge lead USB to USB C and a dark grey flat carry case with rose gold zipper. There is no aeroplane double 3.5mm adapter included this time, just when we’re all travelling again, doh!
    Luckily there is enough charge on these to do all the necessaries and have a good listen. If there is not enough charge, don’t panic as just 3 minutes charge will give you a whopping 3 hours from a fast charger. You can max out at 30 hours which is more than enough, and similar to the predecessor XM4 model.

    The headphones have evolved from the XM4’s, gone are the jagged sharp edges and the annoying folding system, in comes a more rounded design that folds flat, smoother. They even adjust easier, the fit feels more comfy and so much lighter! Only 2 buttons here, on / Bluetooth and NC / AMB, everything else is controlled via touch of the right ear piece.

    You will need to install an app to your phone, the Sony / Headphones Connect from either Apple App Store for iOS or Google Play for Android. Once installed launch, connect to your WH-1000XM5 headphones via the Bluetooth button this will perform the necessary firmware update, just follow the onscreen prompts. Once this is completed it will take you through the bespoke personalisation that includes Noise Cancelling Optimizer, Personal Optimizing (which involves taking pics of your ears, honest!) and then optimize which 360 music service you will be using. You get the choice of four (Amazon, 360 Deezer, nugs.net or TIDAL), whichever you choose you will get a music service free trial of 3 months (4 with Amazon), which you will have to pay for after. The 360 Deezer sound is fantastic, but it really is, but is it worth it if you already subscribe to another provider? So you can register, then cancel so it won’t automatically charge you after. But do give the Deezer 360 a go, it really is something else, but there are not many artists available on it, but more than enough to keep you happy. I have gone through, marked out my favourites like Coheed & Cambria, Run DMC, Tom Grennan, Foo Fighters etc.

    When you have completed the set up it is time to see what the Sony WH-1000XM5 can doone of the first things you need to do is either link it to your Google Assistant on your phone, you can use your headphones for the usual suggestions like news, searches and weather. The headphones are also smart enough to pause when removed, you can change this to power off if needed. There is also an option called Speak To Chat which if the headphones detects a voice it will pause the music (you can alter the length of pause from 5 secs, 15 or 30 seconds, which I find very useful, as it saves fiddling around if you receive a call or someone is shouting you.
    The noise cancelling is really that good, you feel like you are in your own little soundscape, it drowns out everything from a loud TV to a barking dog, bliss! There are 2 processors powering 8 microphones to ensure nothing is disturbing your listening pleasure. When you are fully immersed in listening to music you don’t want to be fiddling around with your phone skipping tracks, these headphones make life so easy, it is all controlled via the outside of the right earpad. Yes that is right the right earpad has a touch sensor on the outside, you can double tap to play / pause swipe forward for next track, swipe back for previous track, swipe up / down to change volume levels, long press for Google (or Alexa) Assistant, long press double fingers to activate / deactivate Speak To Chat and if you want to quick attention to lower the sound level just cover the whole touch sensor with your hand and it lowers it. These features are really good, the sensor is very responsive and so much better than cheap imitations we have all experienced in the past.

    The sound is the main reason I have invested in these, so let’s see what they are made of… I have owned so many pairs of headphones in my lifetime, as my previous other job I used to be a club dj, so I should know what is good or not, whether it be build quality or sound. The first thing I noticed was the difference between the 360 surround sound and normal, it is mind blowing. Like when you first see iMax from normal cinema, the layers and the sound IS amazing, you can hear every key / note / riff / beat / vox. If you don’t believe me, just listen to Alive by Pearl Jam, mind blowing, never heard it so good, that opening riff, goosebumps! This really gets the most out these headphones, as it really is 360 sound, I can almost feel myself looking out for the band in my room. After listening to the 360 sound I went back to my usual music streaming service, selected the exact same song Alive by Pearl Jam and the difference was incredible. From the opening riff you can tell, the sound is good but not that panning around sound, as you can either go with the pre-sets or set the graphic equaliser to your preference. I have tweeked the Treble Boost and added more Clear bass for my custom. But the Excited preset is also really nice for more electronics stuff.
    But I cannot state how much depends on what service you use, as if you are putting average in, OK it will try to upscale, but why? Why not just use a quality 360 service for a premium set of headphones?

    Overall I’d thoroughly recommend these premium wireless headphones. OK you can pay more for more highbrow brands, but check the reviews and awards the XM4’s got, and these are BETTER!
    Sony have improved perfection through evolution, my mind is blown…cue standing ovation.

    Better than the XM4's by a country mile!

  76. SherrilLaster says:

     United Kingdom

    Golden Review Award: 2 From Our UsersAbsolutely awesome headphones. I have previously used sets of Bose and Sennheiser ‘over ear’ headphones, both of which provided excellent sound quality, but are inferior to the Sony WH-1000XM5.

    The noise cancelling aspect of these is surreal; by far the best set of headphones that I have used. Fantastic tone, bass is rich and undistorted at volume…. Really can’t fault them in any way.

  77. TechDecisions Staff says:

     United Kingdom 🇬🇧

    Golden Review Award: 2 From Our UsersThis is a great set of headphones from Sony,currently selling for 379 on Amazon.This model is available in both white and black-my review relates to the black version of these.The headphones look smart and offer a comfortable fit,enclosing the ears.
    I am happy with the sound quality it is sharp and refined and the noise cancelling work very well as well.These headphones also perform well with call quality,helping to eliminate background noise.
    Battery life is good, these headphones over circa 30 hours of battery life.
    On the downside these headphones are on the expensive side and my other minor gripe is that they do not fold in half,which is a little disappointing as they require more storage space.
    Happy to recommend -my rating is 5 Stars.

    Superb Set of noise cancelling headphones from Sony

  78. SheritaFuqua says:

     United Kingdom

    Eep, up until now, I’ve been using Avantree ANC031 headphones, and I thought they were great. They’re a few years old, and comfy enough and the sound is good and loud so I didn’t really know what else was out there. And then I got sent the Sony WH-1000XM5 and am in love.

    Oddly enough, one of my ear piercings got slightly infected recently and it was painful as all get out, and it’s meant I couldn’t bear to wear my former headphones. But I put a plaster over it (keeps things sanitary, savvy?) and tried the Sony headphones and they didn’t bother it even a touch. They’re so much roomier, and softer and more gentle and comfortable than any headphones I’ve ever tried before. Also, they’re light as a feather, and I don’t understand how they’ve done that.

    I know so little about headphones (and techy things in general) so folks that know about this stuff won’t find this review helpful in the least… and I suppose if you’re willing to spend 379 (at the time of writing) on a pair of headphones, you’re probably pretty serious about them, and probably know way more about it than I do.

    But. All I can tell you when I use the noise cancelling function, it cancelled the exterior sound of a Dremel I was using… it’s not like I suddenly felt like I was in a vacuum, it wasn’t as silent as that, but the sound pretty much disappeared. Kind of amazing.

    The sound quality of my music was wonderful, too – far, far better than anything I’ve ever used before. It changes slightly whether you have the ANC on or not, and I don’t think my Avantree did that, but the sound is gorgeous either way. I pretty much exclusively listen to 80s music and classical, and both sound sublime. You can connect them to an app to tweak and customise everything and control them but am a pathological troglodyte so I just use them as is… if you’re an app kinda bod, though, being able to connect these to them is brill.

    The only *only* minor issue is they don’t fold… I expect the trade-off is how comfortable and light they are. Honestly, their not being foldable is the very smallest of quibbles – barely a quibblet – but it’s worth mentioning in case you carry your headphones in your bag.

    All in all, if you have the money to get them and you’re on the fence, they’re amazing. Granted, am a completely rube when it comes to these things but, still… they’re amazing.

  79. Anna Tims says:

     United Kingdom

    Golden Review Award: 2 From Our UsersI’ve used sony headphones for a long time and I have found this latest version just isn’t as comfortable as previous models, the new design is a step backwards. The thin headband digs on the top of the head. If you wear glasses then the leather around the ears makes a squeaking rubbing sound that is super annoying, none of the previous models did this.

    The fact you can’t use LDAC on multiple devices defeats the purpose of buying such expensive headphones. You have to downgrade to a lower quality codec.

    Sounds quality is very good, noise cancelling is good and has some interesting features in the app.

    So comfort let’s these down significantly for me sadly which leaves me a little disappointed.

  80. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom 🇬🇧

    Golden Review Award: 2 From Our UsersThese Sony headphones are very comfy to wear and the sound quality is very good. They don’t fold however which is a bit of a pain. I’m just not sure at the current price of 379 they are so much better than cheaper ones to justify the price. Music sounds great and also podcasts are very clear with them so I’m happy.

  81. Cecila87Bpvp says:

     United Kingdom

    Golden Review Award: 3 From Our UsersVery good quality Bluetooth wireless headphones.

    Finished with matte black, these headphones look and feel really nice. With the large padded leather ear cushions they are really comfy on the ears giving you maximum comfort whilst enjoying the music.

    The headphones are fold-able making it more compact when carrying it around. The music quality is actually really good, giving out strong bass and transforming it into a crisp sound. 55 hours playtime in Bluetooth mode.

    Enjoy music all the time. Charging about 30 mins to 1 hour, 30 hours music play time varying by the volume and music type, up to hours of talking time and long lasting standby time.

    Reduce distracting ambient noise by up to 99% with the flick of a switch. Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) technology effectively reduces the noise of city traffic, drone of a plane cabin or hubbub in a busy office

    I would recommend this to people who love music that feels like they are in their own world.

  82. CHSThaddeu says:

     United Kingdom

    Golden Review Award: 2 From Our UsersOk, at first I was little bit underwhelmed with the sound quality but the more I listen to them the more refined the sound is. And yes I will now say that they are better than my good old Bose QC35ii’s but not by a huge margin.

    Supremely comfortable and light – even with glasses on, and I really like the touch controls. Noise cancelling is very good but not massively better than my QC35s, but they are far more comfortable. However they do get a bit warmer on the head as the cups have a better grip on the ear – guess that helps with noise cancelling – and the headband is leather / leather like (not sure).

    Sony App is easy to use and intuitive – not the slickest and most concise of apps, but still very effective.

    Soundwise they are excellent, great on the high and mid range and not massively bassy which I really like. Better than the QC35’s but not by much – the difference being you hear the finer detail in the music. However what works for me might not suit all.

    Voice calls are very good and better than the great Bose headphones which I heard were the voice call leaders in this field ,- until now! Clean and crisp sound both ways which doesn’t suffer too much with external noise like wind.

    I love the minimalist look even if the matte black plastic does mark a bit with fingerprints. Doesn’t bother me one bit but I appreciate that it may for others.

    Yes they are expensive but overall I’m happy so would say go for it.

  83. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    Golden Review Award: 2 From Our UsersSony have a fantastic reputation when it comes to ANC headphones, and these really do live up to that standard.
    I’ve used a pair from another top brand for years, and the WH-1000XM5s were coming in to compete with them. I’ll be honest, there’s no contest.

    First off, even the packaging is great. It’s fully recycled and sustainable, which is apparent in the lack of junk when you open the parcel. There’s no clutter – only the necessities: the headphones in their lovely box, and some documentation.

    The carry case for the headphones is great, it’s sturdy, protective, and a nice grey colour that fits in with almost anything. I love the internal magnetic pocket in the case, as you can store the cables or other little items in there snugly. The inside of the case is so soft and nice, protects the headphones well, and is a perfect fit for them.

    The headphones themselves are beautifully built, ultra lightweight on your head, and look sublime. The matte black finish is above all, and I love the overall minimalistic styling. The buttons don’t stick out, and there’s no flashing lights to be ware of. Only gripe is the threat of fingerprints, but I can handle that with a quick clean.

    The functionality is pretty good. I have an iPhone and Apple Music. The app for the headphones works really well, and I was surprised at what you can do with it. One of my favourite features has to be the voice chat detection, in that the headphones automatically detect your voice whilst in ANC mode, then switch to ambient sound whilst you’re having a conversation, and then swap back to ANC once you’re finished talking – brilliant! Perfect for the tube or shopping.

    The ANC and ambient sound features are very clever. You can ask for voice clarity, so that the headphones know to focus on voices when in ambient mode, and the headphones have learning built in that recognises your behaviour patterns using your location to accurately switch between modes and sound types. Unbelievably smart stuff, but it’s expected from a pair of headphones at this price. The ANC on its own is very effective, and cancels out all the noise you’d want it to. I also love the ability to hold your hand on the side pad when in ANC mode to switch to hear through whilst talking, and then let go and it’ll flick back to noise cancellation. There’s an abundance of handy features that help you between the modes.

    The 360 degree sound functionality was somewhat a disappointment. It’s only supported by a handful of never-heard-before music streaming services, not including Apple Music or Spotify, so I haven’t been able to try that out. However, the EQ in the app is really great and easy to use, and can really add to the style of sound you’re listening to.

    The sound quality is fantastic, as expected and is the norm from Sony, and I absolutely love using these headphones. Every genre from hard rock to indie acoustic is well articulated, and the different modes in the app allow you to enhance some styles fantastically.

    Overall, totally recommend these headphones, they’re perfectly fit for the 21st century. Everything from the build, to the comfort, to the sound, to the functionality is fantastic, and I have no doubt that they’ll last me a long time.

    The best I've ever had

  84. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    On removal from the minimal and recyclable packaging, the immediate impression with the case and the headphones as a unit is how sleek and minimalist they are. The copper Sony emblem on the headband is small and discreet and mirrored by the copper zip-tag on the case. Buttons and the associated silver text are almost invisible along the lower left cup ridge. A very elegant affair.

    On start-up and Bluetooth sync with your phone the phone will automatically prompt download of the Sony headphone connect app from the Google Play store, this is of course your choice as they work with limited functionality as generic Bluetooth commands.

    The app is fairly standard but lets you check the battery life of the headphones remotely (handy!) mine was 60% on taking it out of the box so kudos for charging and battery longevity to Sony. The equaliser in the app allows you to pick from presets and even tune the bass, mid and treble levels yourself to optimise the sound to the way you want to hear it. As far as apps go its fairly unintrusive and only tried to sell me a subscription to Sony’s music service just the once.

    Most importantly, this is the best sounding headset I have ever listened to music on. The sound seems to ‘marry’ up incredibly well in the middle of your head providing a smooth unified sound source rather than two simultaneous separate sources. I think this has to be a combination of the speaker quality and the unparalleled noise cancellation giving this effect. This type of sound allows you to hear notes and elements of your music collection that you may not have even noticed on your previous headset, breathing fresh life into your firm favourites. The voices are impressively distinct and even whispers that are usually drowned out are clearly audible.

    There is no noticeable lag on the wireless quality and I don’t experience any ‘blips’ when moving my phone around which sometimes happened with my previous set. The battery life certainly does live up to the hype as I regularly forget to charge them. Call-quality is excellent and can be controlled with the tap function on the RHS cup – you can also use the app to change what a double or triple tap does, being able to assign function to this is a very cool touch.

    All in all, this is a truly incredible pair of headphones that every single aspect of feels well designed whilst respecting the minimalist form-factor. Strongly recommended.

  85. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    Less portable. No NFC. Bluetooth connection drops out a bit.

    Sometimes noise cancelling seems a bit better than the XM4s, sometimes it’s no better.

    Still impressive, but I think I’d get the XM4s.

  86. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    Golden Review Award: 5 From Our UsersI didn’t have the XM4’s and I’m really upgrading from my Beats Studio 3 wireless (though I do also have a pair of AirPods Pro in ear)

    Comfort wise these are amazing. Super light, and of the different headsets I use (pc gaming vs music), these are by far the most comfortable (vs Razer and Steelseries)
    Sound wise I love that I’m able to get good bass from the headset to pair with some EDM / D&B whilst I work (though the Skullcandy Crusher Evo win the bass competition)
    Noice cancelling wise, best I’ve experienced. I was able to vacuum, have a fan running, and have the windows open whilst I listened to the F1 race – only heard the race. Great for immersion into movies/tv shows

    But they are pricey (as is everything at the moment) so do think if these will be worth the investment (especially with the XM4’s available). I’m going to use these for work, music, tv, regular travel, and for tuning out my noisy neighbours – so they’ll be in use continuously (and will hopefully last a long time)

    If you’re going to use them infrequently, then you’ll find better value else where / in a sale

  87. BTMLesleyavwoj says:

     United Kingdom 🇬🇧

    Golden Review Award: 3 From Our UsersI’m so impressed with the vivid sound and distinct bass! Thank you Sony

  88. ThanhYkdpqwendz says:

     United Kingdom

    Golden Review Award: 2 From Our UsersThose are by far the best ANC headphones available on the market today. They beat Apples, Boses, BWs and others by miles. Build quality feels cheaper comparing to competitors, if they are sturdy and light and comfy as well. Get them today – it’s an amazing buy. The only reason I would wait for price to drop is if you already have previous generation XM4s – as the sound improvements are relatively small comparing to otherwise still excellent predecessors. Spectacular achievement from Sony.

  89. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom

    Golden Review Award: 24 From Our UsersI would give these 5 stars when the cost drops to 300. At the moment, I feel that 380 is too much. Having said that, I am still going to keep them, because I enjoy them so much.

    ——————————————————–
    Firstly, yes – they are quite a nice upgrade from the M4. I much prefer the style and fit – the ear cups and pads in particular.

    First impressions, compared to previous model, and a similar priced wired headphone with portable amp:

    Good points
    – they look and feel more modern and sturdy
    – the ear cups are bigger / wider and more comfortable
    – the sound is more detailed and less bassy than my WH1000M3
    – I would describe the sound as dark and relaxed, not detailed, and very little treble
    – the controls work perfectly
    – the ANC is incredibly good – even with high sharp noises

    Not so good
    – the plastic REALLY attracts finger marks – worse than any other Sony earphones
    – headband is slightly less comfortable than before
    – quality of sound still less than headphones costing half the price
    – they don’t fold

    Compared to the same money options (380)
    – my Sennheiser Momentum 2 (in the photo) pared with the ifi HipDac 2, sounds significantly better – more detail, much wider soundstage, better separation, and more punch.
    So, my initial conclusion after listening and comparing for 3 hours is .
    Over priced, and still no where near the sound of a decent quality wired headphone. But, I love the look and feel of them, and the sound is very relaxing for just listening when traveling.
    They are a definite keeper for me. Although I will test them some more over the weekend.
    ————————————————————-

    Quick update on the morning of day 2:
    Turning up the volume brings a lot more resolution and dynamics to the sound.
    It raises the quality of sound closer to the Momentum 2 with HipDac 2.
    However, it remains disappointing that they lack so much detail at lower volumes.

    Good and Bad - After 2 Days

  90. Anonymous says:

     United Kingdom 🇬🇧

    Golden Review Award: 5 From Our UsersGreatest headphones i have ever tried, somy have once again outdone themselves. I listen to a lot of metal but also R&B such as the weekend and the tighter more refined and not just over punched like a lot of others.

    I was considering the apple airpods max but i found these much more comfortable and to my ears better sounding.

    Couldnt recommend them more!

  91. MissP says:

     United Kingdom

    Golden Review Award: 16 From Our UsersAs my headline (similar to countless others over the years) suggests- Sony have done it again.

    I owned a pair of XM4s and when I first saw reviews online I wasn’t sure if it was worth making the trade-up. IT ABSOLUTELY IS!

    Sound Quality: It sounds so rich and so clean. The soundstage is wider and refined, yet it still manages to pack a punch at full volume. The bass is still present and although it has been ironed out by comparison to the XM4, it is still there, it is still just as punchy- just less muddy. It feels like you are listening to a true premium pair of headphones. No matter your taste in music or sound preference, this is the best headphone for you hands down. Voice clarity is amazing, the XM4 muddiness is eradicated and you pick up so many more instruments in songs you’ve heard a thousand times.

    Noise cancelling: Sony really stepped it up. There is such a noticeable improvement. I couldn’t hear my son shouting (I asked him too) which is something I’d have hteard faintly on the XM4. XM5s really block out everything.

    Comfort: Oh my God! You have to try it to believe it. The new leather around the ears feels so soft and I could easily wear it all day. It’s the same feeling you get when you go to un upmarket hotel and put your head on the pillow.

    Call Quality: This is probably the biggest improvement. Call quality is garbage on noisy environments on most headphones. XM5 manage to cancel out all the background noise so it feels like you are somewhere very quiet or in some cases silent. I called my wife from the supermarket to test the call quality and she said zero background noise.

    My only negative is that these do not fold meaning I’ve had to adjust my home storage and also make room in my bag for the case. It is a trade off I don’t mind due to the overall experience. I’m certain this will be addressed in the next edition as it is a universal complaint.

    Overall: Get these! You will love them, regardless of your preference as the Sony App will allow you to customise. They are so good. If you are an XM4 user who is pondering whether you should make the jump, the answer is 100% yes. Still baffled by all reviews that say the sound improvements are incremental. There’s a next generation worthy jump.