Sony WF-1000XM5 Review

Given the stellar reputation of Sony's WF-1000XM5 earbuds, we were excited to test them. Unfortunately, while their sound quality is far from the best sound mix, though they are comfortable with stellar battery life.

Sound Quality

Our audio experts listened to an extensive playlist ranging from banjo-laden country tracks to bass-heavy hip hop and pop's treble-happy vocals. We found the out-of-box equalization of the WF-1000XM5 pleasant, if a little flat. These earbuds settled into the middle of the pack, falling short of other options with similar prices.

Sony's neutral sound mix works well for atmospheric pop like Miki Fiki's “Just Fine” and the folksy feel in “I Am California” by John Craigie. But, the low-end bass frequencies lack power and warmth, which is especially noticeable when listening to EDM or hip hop. Music that relies more on rhythm and melody, like “You Don't Know” by Leon Bridges, fares better, with the disco beat clean and distinct but not overpowering.

The middle frequencies are full, warm, and punchy in rhythm and blues songs like “Blue Mesas” by Leon Bridges and classic pop-rock like “As Long as You Follow” by Fleetwood Mac. They sound clear and accurate without feeling overly sculpted.

High treble tones are similarly crisp and well-developed — the cleanest frequency range for these earbuds. When you listen to “If It Feels Good (then It Must Be)” by Leon Bridges, the high percussive clink throughout the track sounds distinct, not sharp or thin.

At high volumes, the bass remains clear without muddying, while the treble avoids any overly sharp sounds. We needed to keep the volume a notch or two higher on these earbuds than on other models. Wearing them to the gym or store without the ANC turned on left the music hard to hear.

Soundstage

Due to their small, in-ear design, earbuds typically create an internalized audio experience. The Soundstage is the perception of where your music seems to be coming from in the space around you.

The WF-1000XM5 create a focused soundstage rather than an expansive one. The smaller stage sometimes creates a cluttered soundscape. These earbuds lack the full, clean, powerful sound that the best provide. Though they don't create the stunning immersive soundscapes we've come to expect, they maintain clarity and definition in the vocals and instrumentals at all levels.

When listening to atmospheric songs like “Impatient” by Sebastian Paul and “Kiss City” by Blondshell in active noise-cancelling mode, the music feels immediate and clear without causing the stuffy, on-an-airplane feeling that some earbuds carry.

While these earbuds failed to wow us, the frequency response curve we generated from SoundCheck calculations aligns well with our preferred curve. The comparison chart shows the relative loudness of each frequency for the WF-1000XM5 in its factory settings compared to our idealized curve. They are strikingly similar, with the Sony earbuds emphasizing the middle and treble frequencies a bit more.

Comfort and Fit

Over a dozen people with different shapes and sizes of ears tested these earbuds, and they all agree that they are some of the most comfortable. These Sony earbuds manage to be more comfortable than the rest by replacing silicone tips with moldable foam and providing four size options. The malleable foam, similar to protective earplugs, contours to your ear, avoiding common pressure points and ensuring a good fit for everyone regardless of their ear size.

The downside is that foam isn't as durable as silicone. After smashing them into my ears a few dozen times, we noticed some wear and tear, which is frustrating for a pair of high-priced earbuds.

Stability

The snug foam tips also ensure a secure fit. These earbuds remained firmly in place despite ridiculous attempts to dislodge them. Our tests included running, walking, climbing, pulling hoodies on and off, headstands, and headbanging. Nothing dislodged them, not even a day of route setting at the climbing gym. They also don't mind a little sweat. With an IP of X4, they can withstand water splashes from any direction, though there's no protection rating for dust.

Noise Cancellation

The WF-1000XM5 earbuds offer active noise cancellation. It works well to showcase the music you're listening to, but it is less effective when blocking out the office, airport, or subway.

We test noise cancellation by listening to each set of earbuds with it turned on and off. We also have SoundCheck, Listen Inc.'s specialized audio software, which calculates how much ambient sound gets past. Their active noise cancelling isn't as powerful as we'd like, but it does a lot to help enjoy music.

Since these earbuds can be quiet to begin with, our favorite songs can be hard to hear without ANC. Once activated, the listening experience is substantially improved. While it doesn't create a completely tranquil environment, it does diminish background noise, allowing the lyrics, notes, and melodies to shine.

Thankfully, these earbuds do a great job of blocking noise passively. Since active noise cancellation reacts to the environment, it's often a step behind. That's why it works best for consistent, low-frequency sounds, like the rumble of a plane's engine or the background chatter you hear in the cafe example above. Passive noise isolation is best at blocking high-frequency sounds, like clattering plates.

Ease of Use

Lightweight, secure, with a great seal and a user-friendly app, they're a pleasure to use at work, the gym, and during daily commutes.

App Features

The earbuds' intuitive app pairs easily with any device, Apple or Android. You must have the case to pair them, which adds a reassuring level of security. The case is sleek, secure, and clearly defines the slots for the left and right earbuds.

The app includes useful features, like an ear fit test to optimize listening, adjustable equalization settings for bass, mid, and treble tones, and the ability to turn active noise cancellation on or off, let in ambient sound, and use voice commands via “Ok Google” or “Alexa.”

They also offer a spatial or surround sound audio feature that Sony calls 360 Reality Audio. However, to access it, you must subscribe to compatible streaming services, including Amazon Music Unlimited, nugs.net, PeerTracks, and 360 Reality Audio Live. Most require a monthly fee, so while the feature is included, it only works if you pay monthly.

Sony has packed a lot of technology into these little buds. They track your head movements to optimize your listening experience and use AI to adjust your ambient sound settings and restore musical details lost to compression. While innovative, these features don't outperform other similar competitors.

Connectivity

We did not run into any notable connectivity issues. They were simple to connect and did not cause trouble after pairing. Because connectivity can be affected by so many factors, we find it helpful to supplement our in-house tests with crowdsourced information.

To check for frequent issues, we analyze Amazon user reviews and keep a count of the ones citing connectivity issues. We compared this number to the total number of user reviews to find the ratio of issues for each model.

Battery Life

We turned the earbuds on, turned the active noise cancellation off, set the volume at 75%, hit play, and walked away. A long 14 hours later, the batteries finally died.

That's two hours past the twelve hours that Sony advertises without ANC. (Sony claims that the earbuds last a workday, eight hours, with the ANC feature running.) Honestly, nothing else came close to logging in that staggering time stamp. The WF-1000XM5 earbuds clearly dominated this test, and their case provides two additional charges.

If you frequently fly across oceans, listen to audio all day at work, or are a hiker with a fondness for audiobooks, these earbuds are an excellent choice. They offer wireless charging, and Sony claims that three minutes in the case provides an extra hour of listening.

Call Quality

Sony has gone to great lengths to make it easy for you to call friends and be heard, even as you move through a noisy world. Unfortunately, the bone conductor sensors and artificial intelligence (AI) machine learning didn't handle our test protocol that well.

Talking to friends using the WF-1000XM5 can be challenging. The AI-driven signal processors designed to separate your voice from background noise sometimes fail. When we staged a phone call with a recording of the subway in the background, all was lost. The voice audio sounded terrible and cut in and out. It was one of the worst performers we tested.

The tech worked better in our office. The voices of the male and female testers still oscillated between low and high volumes, but the Sony earbuds nearly eliminate the light office buzz.

When we tested a quiet room call, the voices began sounding clear and strong, only to fade.

Sony claims that the earbuds pick up the vibrations that travel along your bones as you speak, which helps it translate your voice. Our Bruel and Kjaer 5128-B head simulator doesn't have bones, so we also tested with real humans; the results were still poor.

Should You Buy the Sony WF-1000XM5?

The Sonys are a great choice if you prioritize comfort and all-day battery life over the best sound quality and can tolerate some volume and phone call quirks. They are pricey, and several alternatives offer better audio and noise-cancelling quality, fit comfortably, but are similarly priced or cheaper. Some even come close to matching Sony's impressive battery life. If you need every minute of battery life you can get and love the sound and feel of soft foam tips, we think you'll enjoy these.

What Other Earbuds Should You Consider?