Sony WH-1000XM5 Noise Cancelling Wireless Headphones – 30
Sony WH-1000XM5 Noise Cancelling Wireless Headphones – 30 hours battery life – Around-ear style – Optimised for Alexa and the Google Assistant – with built-in mic for phone calls – Midnight Blue
WH-1000XM5 headphones
Industry-leading noise cancellation* and high-res sound
Looking for headphones that do not compromise? The WH-1000XM5 headphones rewrite the rules for distraction-free listening. Made up of two processors, eight microphones and a specially designed driver unit, it’s no wonder the 1000X series won the What Hi-Fi Awards two years in a row.
Distraction-free listening
The WH-1000XM5 wireless headphones keep out all sounds, from airplane noise to peoples’ voices.
Superior sound, engineered to perfection
Our unique technologies and materials ensure clear, consistent, natural sound.
Industry-leading call quality*
With 4 microphones and AI-based noise reduction algorithms, you’ll always hear and be heard clearly.
All-day comfort with a noiseless design
These lightweight headphones fit snugly with less pressure while keeping out external sounds.
Adjusts to your lifestyle
When activated, it learns to recognise locations and tailors sound to suit the situation.
For everyday convenience, just Speak-to-Chat
Start a conversation. Speak-to-Chat automatically stops your music and lets in ambient sound.
Connect easily to multiple devices
Pair with two Bluetooth devices at the same time. Switch with the touch of a button.
Better for the environment
Our commitment: headphones made from plastic-free packaging, recycled or sustainable materials.
Control with your voice or your fingertips
Easy pairing to your computer
Swift Pair makes it quick and easy to pair your headphones with your Windows 10 or 11 PC or tablet. Just follow the instructions that pop-up.
How they compare with other Sony noise-cancelling headphones
 WH-1000XM5 |  WH-1000XM4 |  WH-XB910N |  WH-CH710N | |
| Noise cancelling | Industry-leading NC | Digital Noise Cancellation | Digital Noise Cancellation | Digital Noise Cancellation |
| Battery life (NC ON) | 30 hours | 30 hours | 30 hours | 35 hours |
| Quick charging | 3 mins = 3 hours (with USB PD) | 10 minutes = 5 hours | 10 minutes = 4.5 hours | 10 minutes = 1 hour |
| Hi-Res Audio | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Touch control | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Speak-to-Chat | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Wearing detection | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Built-in voice assistant | Yes (Wake words available) | Yes | Yes | No |
| Hands-free calling | Yes (4 beamforming mics) | Yes (2 beamforming mics) | Yes | Yes |
| Carrying case | Yes (Collapsible) | Yes | Yes | No |
| Weight: | 250 g |
| Size: | One Size |
| Dimensions: | 24.5 x 21.3 x 7.3 cm; 250 Grams |
| Model: | WH1000XM5L.CE7 |
| Colour: | Midnight Blue |
| Batteries Included: | 1 Lithium Ion batteries required. (included) |
| Manufacture: | Sony |
| Dimensions: | 24.5 x 21.3 x 7.3 cm; 250 Grams |
| Origin: | Malaysia |
| Size: | One Size |
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.
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 !
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.
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.
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.
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 🙁
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
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.
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.
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!
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.
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
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.