Sony WH-1000XM5 Review: Premium Noise-Canceling Headphones

The Sony WH-1000XM5 are premium over-ear wireless headphones focused on excellent Active Noise Cancellation, strong sound quality, clear calls, and long battery life.

They use two processors controlling eight microphones, a custom 30mm driver, LDAC support, and Sony’s DSEE Extreme audio processing.

Sony WH-1000XM5 Specs

Sony officially rates battery life at up to 30 hours with noise cancellation enabled and 40 hours with ANC disabled.

Sound Quality

The WH-1000XM5 use a specially developed 30mm driver together with Sony’s DSEE Extreme processing and support for High-Resolution Audio.

Sound is detailed with strong bass and works particularly well for:

• Music
• Movies
• Podcasts
• Travel
• Office work
• Everyday listening

Sony also supports the LDAC codec for higher-quality wireless audio with compatible devices.

Active Noise Cancellation

Noise cancellation is one of the WH-1000XM5’s biggest strengths.

Sony uses two processors and eight microphones together with an Auto NC Optimizer that adjusts noise cancellation depending on the environment and how the headphones are being worn.

Independent RTINGS testing also found the XM5’s noise isolation excellent across office chatter, transportation noise and other everyday environments.

Call Quality

Sony uses four beamforming microphones with Precise Voice Pickup technology to focus on your voice during calls.

Call quality is strong for:

• Phone calls
• Zoom
• Microsoft Teams
• Remote work
• Video conferences

RTINGS also found microphone performance good, although very loud background noise can still affect voice quality.

Battery Life

The WH-1000XM5 deliver:

Up to 30 hours with ANC ON
Up to 40 hours with ANC OFF

With a compatible USB-PD charger, around 3 minutes of charging can provide up to 3 hours of playback.

That makes them particularly good for long flights and travel.

Multipoint Bluetooth

The WH-1000XM5 support Multipoint Connection, allowing them to stay connected to two devices simultaneously.

For example, you can connect them to both:

• Laptop
• Smartphone

and switch between music, work calls and phone calls without manually pairing again.

Speak-to-Chat

Sony’s Speak-to-Chat feature automatically pauses or lowers your music and activates ambient sound when you begin talking.

Quick Attention also lets you temporarily hear your surroundings by placing your hand over the right earcup.

Comfort & Design

The WH-1000XM5 use a lightweight over-ear design intended for long listening sessions.

The soft earcups work well for travel and office use, although comfort depends on head shape. RTINGS found that some users with smaller heads may experience pressure from the headband during extended listening.

One drawback is that the XM5 do not fold inward like the older WH-1000XM4, so the carrying case takes up more space.

Pros

✓ Excellent Active Noise Cancellation
✓ Strong sound quality
✓ Up to 30-hour ANC battery life
✓ LDAC and Hi-Res Audio support
✓ Clear call quality
✓ Multipoint Bluetooth
✓ Comfortable over-ear design
✓ Excellent for travel
✓ Fast charging
✓ Useful Speak-to-Chat feature

Cons

✗ Premium price
✗ Does not fold as compactly as WH-1000XM4
✗ No official water-resistance rating
✗ Sony WH-1000XM6 is now the newer model
✗ Fit may be less comfortable for some smaller heads

Sony WH-1000XM5 Rating

Sound Quality: 9.3/10
Noise Cancellation: 9.7/10
Call Quality: 9.1/10
Comfort: 9.0/10
Battery: 9.3/10
Features: 9.4/10
Value: 8.8/10

Overall: 9.2/10

Verdict

The Sony WH-1000XM5 are excellent premium wireless headphones for travel, work, music, and everyday listening.

Their biggest strengths are outstanding noise cancellation, strong audio quality, 30-hour ANC battery life, Multipoint Bluetooth and excellent call features.

The main drawback is that Sony now offers the newer WH-1000XM6, so the XM5 makes the most sense when available at a good price.