Description
Industry Leading noise cancellation-two processors control 8 microphones for unprecedented noise cancellation. With Auto NC Optimizer, noise canceling is automatically optimized based on your wearing conditions and environment.
Magnificent Sound, engineered to perfection with the new Integrated Processor V1
Crystal clear hands-free calling with 4 beamforming microphones, precise voice pickup, and advanced audio signal processing.
Up to 30-hour battery life with quick charging (3 min charge for 3 hours of playback)
Ultra-comfortable, lightweight design with soft fit leather
S. J. Hargreaves (verified owner) –
The 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. 42 people found this helpful
Sylia (verified owner) –
I 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 café. 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. 153 people found this helpful
Nery del Valle (verified owner) –
I 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. 111 people found this helpful
Lisa Scott –
May 2022 Style Name: Standard Version Verified Purchase The binoculars are a good size and have a decent set of functions to adjust so the viewing is comfortable. The stabilisation works really well and colours are maintained even on longer distance viewing. I bought these to look up at the night sky while seated and I am impressed with clarity and stability. I have only just received the product so have been experimenting with it and am interested to know how long the batteries will last as the manual suggests 8 hours of continuous use. I was surprised that there are covers for the eye cups but not for the lenses although the case will keep these clean. The strap is robust and so overall the product is good. The price is the big issue however I believe it is worth it if you use the binoculars regularly. Read more 9 people found this helpful Helpful Report var metricsName = “DesktopCredibleBadgesInTopReviewsDetailPageCount” if(window.ue) { ue.count(metricsName, 0) } Driftfree Good clear image and the Stabilisation is excellent. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 8 December 2017 Style Name: Standard Version Verified Purchase from Driftfree on 07 December 2017 These were delivered within the stated delivery time and were well boxed for protection. They are well made and are of solid construction with a nice soft feel to the weatherproof rubber casing. I use these at home for plane spotting mostly (clouds permitting) as I live on a main plane route to London. They are well worth the cost for the clarity and brightness of the image when you set them up correctly using the clear information/instructions provided. The soft rubber eye pieces are ajustable for width and the soft rubber eye cups can be folded back to accomodate people who wear glasses like myself. The stabilisation is excellent when you press the button and is one of the main reasons I purchased these.Being of solid construction they are probably a bit heavy to carry about in the field for long periods, but I do not use them for this purpose. They were considerably cheaper from Gadget Tree than other outlets and I am very pleased with this purchase to date. Read more 8 people found this helpful Helpful Report var metricsName = “DesktopCredibleBadgesInTopReviewsDetailPageCount” if(window.ue) { ue.count(metricsName, 0) } Peter Canon 18 x 50 image stabilising binoculars Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 23 August 2014 Style Name: Standard Version Verified Purchase I would like to thank all the people who answered my question concerning restricted FOV on these high magnification binoculars, I had a pair of compact zoom binoculars some time ago which went to 18x, when on high magnification the restricted FOV made them difficult to use, the small lenses made them very dark to look through, so because of this bad experience I had concerns about these, the positive answers to my questions put my fears at ease and I have finally bought a pair. Sure enough the Narrower FOV does have very little effect and the large lenses means that the image is bright, I can look at an aeroplane which to the naked eye is a small speck in the distance but through these I can make out the logos on the aeroplane, now these binoculars are quite heavy and very comfortable to use, consequently I find them easy to hand hold and keep steady without the image stabiliser, but when I do push the IS button, there is a slight delay then the difference is incredible, I can actually read the writing on the side of that aeroplane, superb binoculars, fantastic quality, wish I had bought them a long time ago. Read more 20 people found this helpful Helpful Report var metricsName = “DesktopCredibleBadgesInTopReviewsDetailPageCount” if(window.ue) { ue.count(metricsName, 0) } David Pierce Very clear stable image the best binoculars I’ve ever used Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 19 August 2017 Style Name: Standard Version Verified Purchase Very clear stable image the best binoculars I’ve ever used. The only drawbacks are the price even with the special price on Gadget Tree they’re not cheap, the case could do with a strap of its own as when you take it off the bino’s you have to stuff it in a pocket or something, also they’re quite heavy.Overall though I’m very satisfied with them, a quality product. Read more 3 people found this helpful Helpful Report var metricsName = “DesktopCredibleBadgesInTopReviewsDetailPageCount” if(window.ue) { ue.count(metricsName, 0) } Jon65 Very impressive Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 12 March 2018 Style Name: Standard Version Verified Purchase Mine arrived only today, so I can only give a brief first impression. Which is that they are very good indeed. I have poor mobility now and can mostly only watch birds from my windows. Using my scope on a tripod is just not practicable, so high powered bins was the only way of getting a larger image. My birding bins are Swarovski top of the range 10×42 SVs, with a pair of Zeiss Conquest 8×32 HDs for when I do get out in the field and need lighter weight, or when I want a wider field of view. So the Canons face stiff competition in terms of image quality.. The Canons give a less bright image than my other bins, which is inevitable given the small exit pupil diameter, but brightness is still not at all bad. The sharpness is very good: perhaps a touch less sharp than my Swaro or Zeiss. but more detail is visible because of the larger and steadier image. Maybe there’s a slight yellowish colour cast, but you quickly cease to notice it. The image stabiliser is VERY impressive, and as effective as that of my Canon 100-400mm Mk2 camera lens. In fact, I can get a steadier image than with my Swaro 10x42s. My hands are less able to keep bins steady as I approach 70, so this is very much appreciated. They are heavy and I wouldn’t want them around my neck for hours on end, but they’ll be fine when exploring the wide vista viewable from my flat. The only reasons for not giving 5 stars are (1) the field of view is quite restricted, though again that would be because of physical restraints imposed by an instrument of this kind, and (2) there’s some noticeable chromatic aberration in the outer part of the image; however, the centre part of the image is fine. All in all, an excellent piece of kit. Read more 38 people found this helpful Helpful Report var metricsName = “DesktopCredibleBadgesInTopReviewsDetailPageCount” if(window.ue) { ue.count(metricsName, 0) } Markus Thomi Initially Impressed Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 8 November 2024 Style Name: Standard Version Verified Purchase But after. Week of light usage the IS keeps shuddering and introducing blur. New batteries. I will have to contact support. Apparently some of these are badly collimated. Read m
laumo –
These Sony XM5s are constructed beautifully. I am not an audiophile, but I appreciate good sounds, and these deliver strongly. The basses in mid-range are deep and clear, and the treble gives a defined sound that is usually hard to pinpoint in other brands. Battery life is very good, quoted approximately 30 hours. Charge times are also very quick, with a quick charge function where you get around 10 hours for a 15-20 minute charge. The noise cancelling is active, and I took these on board a plane, full of people, long haul, and it cut out at least 70% of the noise. Granted, it doesn’t cut out everything, but the drone from the engines and people talking were more or less subdued to a point where it was comfortable enabling peaceful rest and sleep. It’s constructed well. The ear muffs give enough space so your ears are breathable, and the headband is comfortable enough so that you can wear it for long sessions without major discomfort. My head is average size, and I can wear these for hours each stretch without issues. The headphones come with a well made carrying case, great for travelling, and it’s not too heavy. Pairing is very straightforward. You press the power button, and you keep the button depressed for approximately 5 seconds to be in Bluetooth mode. It connected to my Android phone very easily, and without any hiccups. You download the Sony app, and from there you can tweak the equaliser settings. I usually increase the bass to around plus 5, and I go max on the treble. With that set, the sound is amazing. The clarity is crisp, and the music sounds amazing. All in all, these headphones are superb value compared to others in the market just now. The active noise cancelling is perhaps the best offered by Sony. Do I recommend these headphones? 100% yes. Although I would advise waiting for special deals as these often come down in price, for example during Black Friday. Highly recommended. 3 people found this helpful
PC East Anglian (verified owner) –
Having tried a lot of headphones over the years, I can say the Sony WH-1000XM5 delivers one of the best audio experiences available, which is why they still deserve five stars from me. They’re not without their downsides: they’re comfortable but not the most comfortable (the XM4s might have the edge there), and the noise cancelling, while good, isn’t the absolute best if you’re after total world-blocking. But the audio quality is exceptional, the battery life is fantastic, and while some have had issues with durability, I’ve found mine to be reliably sturdy. If you want high-end sound quality and a solid overall performance, the XM5s are a great choice, even with a few minor flaws. 30 people found this helpful
Noemí7 –
I bought these headphones about two months ago and I feel in a position to make a review now. 1. Packaging The headphones come in a beautiful fabric case and bring two cables inside – one to connect to your laptop/computer and another one to charge. Some people are displeased that the case doesn’t fold, but that doesn’t bother me at all. 2. Colour and dirt/stains I bought them in the silver color. One of my concerns was that makeup might transfer over and that they might become dirty over time. This has not happened. When makeup does transfer, you can easily wipe it with a wet cloth. I also tend to wipe the whole headphones every now and then to ensure they don’t become dirty over time, especially because if you wear them for a long time, it gets a bit sweaty on the leather bits. The pictures were taken today, and as you can see, they look brand new. 3. Noise cancellation This feature is not perfect. I have not tried other headphones in order to compare; however, when traveling on the London Underground, I can still hear the loud noise that the carriage makes along the tunnels, unless I put the music really loud. 4. Microphone This is where they excel. I had Apple AirPods previously, and the microphone was terrible. The Sony XM5 microphone is brilliant. I am told by the people I’m calling that it cancels noise around me pretty well. I use it for casual phone calls and for work as well. It only doesn’t seem to work so well if you’re sending a WhatsApp voice message – not sure why. 5. Sound This was one of the most important features for me, and it didn’t disappoint! You install an app on your phone that will allow you to make some changes to the sound on the Equalizer. I have attached a picture of how I listen to mine. I recommend searching on Reddit for more recommendations on how to play with the Equalizer to listen to music the way you like. One of the first songs I decided to listen to was “Wish You Were Here” by Pink Floyd. Close your eyes, and it’s like Roger Waters is singing it right in front of you. My dad was amazed when I gave him the headphones to try with that same song! It’s like I can now hear sounds in songs that I couldn’t before with my AirPods. But, as I mentioned above, you do need to play with the Equalizer a bit to get to the perfect sound! 6. Comfort I find these headphones very comfortable, but it takes a few tries the first time to fit them the way you like. Once you get used to it, you’ll be fine. I have worn the headphones for about three hours in a row, and the only thing that starts getting a bit fatigued is the top of your head, but you can always adjust the headphones back or forth to relieve the pressure. The fit is perfect, and they embrace your ears entirely. 7. Battery life The battery lasts a really long time; I seldom need to charge the headphones. Just make sure you switch them off when you remove them to put them in the case by clicking the on/off button continuously for a few seconds, as it happened to me not doing that, thinking they would switch off automatically, but they actually stayed on, and the next day there was no battery left. They do charge very quickly, so I just had to charge them for ten minutes to enjoy several hours of music. 8. Buttons and system These headphones have two buttons on the left side – one that allows you to switch on/off and if you press it once while using it tells you the amount of battery left, and one to activate or deactivate noise cancellation. The right headphone is the one where you can tap with your fingers to play/pause the music; swipe up or down to increase/reduce the volume; swipe left or right for the next/previous song; swipe continuously left or right to move forward or move back on the same song; cover it with the palm of your hand, and it will deactivate noise cancellation while you’re covering it (perfect if you just want to listen to the environment around you really quick and then get back to your music). The headphones are a bit sensitive, though, and sometimes when I’m just fixing their position on my head, I accidentally touch the right headphone and end up moving to the next song or to the beginning of the one I was listening to, which is annoying. I am still getting used to this system. 9. Overall opinion I would give these headphones a 9 out of 10. They’re not perfect, but they’re pretty close to it, in my opinion. These are headphones that I intend to keep for years to come. I think they offer a good price/quality ratio, and from the reviews I read before buying these, they are superior to many other popular brands. I did consider buying the XM4, but the reviews stated the microphones were not as good. If you intend to use the headphones for phone calls, video calls, work, etc., I believe the XM5 are the best choice. 33 people found this helpful