Sony WH-1000XM5 Review

The XM5 made huge strides forward compared to the previous Sony WH-1000XM4, including eco-conscious packaging.

Sound Quality

Despite its 30-millimeter driver, the XM5 has a well-balanced mix with rich lows, beautifully warm mids, and bright highs that maintain outstanding clarity across volumes. The Sony appeals to the average consumer with an artificially enhanced experience with prominent bass.

The lows are dialed up and punch through other frequencies despite genre differences. Some of our favorite listening was R&B and hip-hop artists like Doja Cat, Kendrick Lamar, and H.E.R. The emphasized lows sound excellent in country artist Riley Green's “When She Comes Home Tonight.” The hearty bass and robust kick drum add an earthiness to the sound in bluesy country ballads. Green's rough-hewn vocals and twangy, playful electric guitar dance over the heavier low frequencies. The clarity is great, and little details are easy to hear, like the lovely bass that happens at 1:29. However, to critical ears, the lows can sound muddied, and for bass lovers, they may lack strength. Sony's optional Digital Sound Enhancement Engine (DSEE) and Clear Bass features clean and crank up the lows, but it's subtle.

The mids, particularly the high-mid frequencies, are most impressive. They sound forward, with great textural differentiation, sparkling clarity, and great expressiveness for vocals. This held true across blues, folk, and country songs like “Pride and Joy” by Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble or “Remember Me (When Candlelights are Gleaming)” by John Prine. However, the low-mids occasionally get muddy from the turned-up lows. It isn't debilitating, and some users may not notice. Some acoustics lovers may prefer toning down the lows and boosting the mids with the Vocal equalizer (EQ) setting. It dramatically changed the sound.

The highs have excellent clarity and presence. They sound detailed and bright while listening to jazz and pop tracks from the Charlie Parker Quartet, Whitney Houston, and Sabrina Carpenter. In the acoustic song “Roadtripsong,” Abby Cates's high-hitting vocals are pleasantly forward and precise. But, in some dense synth-heavy pop tracks like “Style (Taylor's Version),” vocals sound masked behind the bass and sparkly synths. Our expert says, “They don't lack detail, but they sound like I'm in the middle of the classroom, not the front row.” The treble range is outstanding, but we wish the highs were more reliably forward.

Soundstage

The soundstage on the XM5 is incredibly wide, allowing you to hear fine details. They create a big enough space, giving instruments room to breathe, even in dense tracks, such as “God Only Knows” by the Beach Boys. Optional 360 Reality Audio adds even more dimensionality.

Frequency Response

Our frequency response analysis of the XM5 shows the sound profile has a U-shape, pushing the lows and highs forward. The lows trend above our Target Response Curve, while the mids and highs are below. The lows are more dominant, but not overpowering, somewhat spilling over into the mid-range, partially explaining some low-end muddiness.

A peak in the middle and at the end of the mid-range pushes vocals and instruments delightfully forward, creating a pleasing experience across genres.

Comfort and Fit

For some, the XM5 are pretty comfortable. The mild clamping is comfy with glasses and feels stable. They withstand moderate headbanging and sneezes. However, a tester with a narrower face felt their ears ached and were squished after an hour. Even on the smallest setting, the XM5 is a bit large, creating a downward force that causes the earcups to shift. The whole headphone can sometimes slide off if you have a narrow or small-sized head.

The earcups and headband are vegan leatherette and softly padded, but the padding is thin and compresses easily. They don't feel as luxurious as high-end competitors. We noticed sweat buildup on a stroll, but for most non-active uses, they breathe well enough.

Noise Cancellation

The active noise cancellation (ANC) is pretty outstanding, blocking a whopping 31 decibels, making it one of the best for ANC. The XM5 has eight microphones and two processors for noise cancellation, so this result isn't surprising.

Our tester said, “Noise blocking is amazing! I can't hear my hands typing.” You can be fully encapsulated in a musical bubble with minimal disturbance, but they aren't silent without music. Listening at low volumes, we heard soft nearby conversations and whirring fans, but a garage door was only a whisper.

We heard more high-pitch sounds than low-pitch because ANC typically works in the low to mid-frequency range. Below the 500-Hertz mark, noise blocking is provided by ANC. Past the 500-Hertz mark, passive noise blocking kicks in. Sony claims the WH-1000XM5 was engineered to have ANC more active in the mid to high ranges, but our results show differently, aside from a small bump in the 2,000-4,000 Hertz range. However, the noise blocking is outstanding across the frequency spectrum, and voices are removed even without ANC.

In Ambient mode, the XM5 relays external sounds naturally and at a pleasant volume. We could hear keys, desks squeaking, and phones being set down. It's highly customizable, letting you choose your desired transparency. In noise-canceling mode, you can get quick temporary access to external sounds by placing your palm over the earcup to activate Quick Attention mode.

Ease of Use

Incredible customization and reliable Bluetooth connectivity help make the Sony easy to use, even if the touch controls are finicky.

Controls

Most of the actions on the XM5 are touch gestures, with a button for noise cancellation and another for Power/Bluetooth. The NC/AMB button switches between Noise Cancellation and Ambient modes, while the Power/Bluetooth button pairs, powers, and provides battery level status.

The touch controls are easy to use, but the large variety of tap and swipe options are hard to remember and tricky if you haven't mastered them.

Tapping the center touchpad with two fingers activates Speak-to-Chat, automatically pausing the music if you talk. Some users may love it, but it is sensitive. Clearing your throat or mumbling to yourself can pause the music. It also responded to people not talking to us. Another unique feature is Quick Attention mode, which temporarily puts the headphones in a transparency-like mode when you place your palm over the touchpad. The media is dampened, and exterior sounds pass through.

The XM5 supports head detection when you remove the headphones and automatically pauses the music, so you'll never miss a key point in a podcast or the chorus of your favorite song.

Customization

The XM5 shines in customization, offering useful and effective sound-tailoring.

The equalizer settings are amazing. Many competitors' presets don't do much, but Sony's 8 presets do. Our favorites were the Bass Boost, which packs a punch and adds extra thump; Vocal pushes vocals and mid-range instruments forward; and Excited is theatrical. Or you can make your own.

Sony's 360 Reality Audio adds extra depth and dimensionality. It analyzes ear shape and tracks head movements to simulate a concert-like experience. However, it only works with compatible paid streaming services like Amazon Music Unlimited, nugs.net, PeerTracks, and 360 Reality Audio Love, requiring additional payments.

If you want more detail and clarity, the XM5 has a Digital Sound Enhancement Engine (DSEE) and supports Hi-Res Wireless Audio. The DSEE is good; it uses AI to enhance low-resolution, compressed files. It works with any connected device and any file type. While you can hear the difference, it isn't a game-changer. Hi-Res Audio is only accessible when connected to a device that supports the LDAC Bluetooth codec.

[media to come = ANC slider]

You can also customize noise cancellation by adjusting the amount of ambient sounds you hear. You can create complete transparency for certain places and less in others. With optional Adaptive Sound Control, the headphones track movements and automatically adjust the level of awareness based on activity or location. You can pin-drop on a map and set specific settings for different locations.

Connectivity

The XM5 showed a strong and reliable Bluetooth 5.2 connection with multiple users, devices, and environments. We even had no issues using Multipoint.

This feature allows swapping between two simultaneously connected devices (even between Apple and Android). Plus, Google Fast Pair makes connecting to Android easy.

Battery

The Sony falls short of the average battery life with a 25-hour limit. The XM5's battery life isn't bad compared to other noise-canceling headphones.

According to Sony, 10 minutes of charging provides five hours of use, while 3.5 hours gives a full recharge. If your battery runs out, you can plug into your device even when the headphones are powered off.

Call Quality

Sony delivers world-class call quality in the rowdiest environments.

In calls from a subway or office space, the XM5 minimizes background sounds while keeping callers' voices loud and clear. Similarly, in quiet real-life settings, the XM5 relayed voices with a natural, pleasant quality.

According to Sony, the headphones were engineered with Precise Voice Pickup Technology developed using AI learning of more than 500 million voice samples. The algorithm works with four beamforming microphones to deliver the best call quality we've ever tested.

In our busy office, the low-frequency fan hums were removed, and background voices were dulled to mumbles or better. Some clicky sounds came through, especially with the female voice, but they didn't overpower the caller.

Our mock callers' voices sound incredibly natural without background interference, but there is a subtle white noise at 0:03.

That white noise was stronger in real-world calls, resulting in a slightly hollow and echoey quality. Still, the overall sound was clean and crisp.

Should You Buy the Sony WH-1000XM5?

The XM5 is best for an immersive and lively listening experience, topped with industry-leading noise cancellation and call quality. While it's a hefty investment, we think most users will be blown away. The built-in sound mix complements a wide range of musical tastes; the only crowd we think may be less enthused is those who favor natural sound reproduction. When the headband fits, the XM5 is comfortable, but those with a narrow or small head may find it unpleasant. Overall, the WH-1000XM5 is an excellent choice.

What Other Wireless Headphones Should You Consider?