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Sony WH-1000XM5 · Photo source

Sony WH-1000XM5
Photo 1 of 75

Sony WH-1000XM5 · Photo source

Sony · WH headphones

WH-1000XM5

Released May 2022

The WH-1000XM5 are Sony's previous-generation flagship noise-cancelling over-ear headphones, suited to commuters and travellers who want strong noise cancelling and LDAC at a lower price than the WH-1000XM6.

Model history · 5 models, 2016–2022
  1. 2016MDR-1000XCompare
  2. 2017WH-1000XM2Compare
  3. 2018WH-1000XM3Compare
  4. 2020WH-1000XM4Compare
  5. 2022WH-1000XM5
Type
Over-ear
Noise cancelling
Yes
Battery
30 h
With case
–
Best codec
LDAC
Weight
250 g

What reviewers say

Reviewers agree the noise cancelling is class-leading and the sound clear, balanced and engaging, a clear step up from the WH-1000XM4. The common complaints are the higher price and the redesign, which no longer folds up and is less portable, with What Hi-Fi? finding the build less premium; SoundGuys and TechRadar missed water resistance, and Tom's Guide found them warm on the ears.

From whathifi.com, techradar.com, soundguys.com and tomsguide.com

Specifications

Report a wrong or missing spec

Sound

Type
Over-ear
Noise cancelling
Yes
Transparency mode
Yes
Driver size
30 mm
Bluetooth codecs
SBC, AAC and LDAC
Lossless over USB-C
No
Chip
QN1
Drivers
30 mm driver unit with a carbon fibre composite dome, soft edge and neodymium magnet; 4 Hz to 40,000 Hz (JEITA, wired, switched on); sensitivity 102 dB/mW switched on, 100 dB/mW switched off; impedance 48 Ω switched on, 16 Ω switched off (1 kHz)
Chip
HD Noise Canceling Processor QN1 and Integrated Processor V1
Noise cancelling detail
Eight microphones for noise cancelling (four on each ear cup); Auto NC Optimizer adjusts noise cancelling to the fit and surroundings, including air pressure; Ambient Sound Mode; Quick Attention Mode; Speak-to-Chat
Audio features
LDAC up to 990 kbps (Hi-Res Audio Wireless); Hi-Res Audio over the headphone cable; DSEE Extreme upscaling; 360 Reality Audio

Battery

Listening time (maker's claim)
Up to 30 hours
Battery life detail
Up to 40 hours with noise cancelling off (AAC); with LDAC, 26 hours with noise cancelling on or 36 hours off; with SBC, 28 hours on or 38 hours off; talk time up to 24 hours (32 hours with noise cancelling off); up to 28 hours on the headphone cable with noise cancelling on (38 hours off); can't be used while charging
Fast charging
3 minutes gives about 3 hours of playback with a USB PD adaptor (9 V/2.3 A or more), or about 1 hour with a standard 1.5 A adaptor; 10 minutes gives about 5 hours; full charge in about 3.5 hours

Design

Weight
250 g
Bluetooth
5.2
Two devices at once
Yes
Headphone cable
Yes
Controls
Touch sensor control panel on the right ear cup (double-tap to play, pause or answer calls; swipe forwards or backwards to skip; swipe up or down for volume; cover with your hand for Quick Attention Mode); power and NC/AMB buttons on the left ear cup; a proximity sensor in the left unit pauses music when the headphones are taken off and switches them off after 15 minutes
Microphones
Eight microphones for noise cancelling; four beamforming microphones with AI-based noise reduction for calls; MEMS, omnidirectional
Fit and ear tips
Closed, over-ear; Soft fit leather headband and earpads; stepless slider; ear cups swivel flat for the carrying case
Water resistance detail
No water resistance rating; Sony says the headphones are not waterproof
Works with
Sony | Headphones Connect app (now Sony | Sound Connect) for iOS and Android; multipoint connection to two devices; the headphone cable also works with the headphones switched off, without noise cancelling
Colours
Black, Platinum Silver, Midnight Blue, Smoky Pink (Sony Australia; colours vary by region)
In the box
Headphones, USB-C cable (USB-A to USB-C, about 20 cm), headphone cable (about 1.2 m, gold-plated L-shaped stereo mini plug), carrying case, documents

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Up to 30 hours per charge with noise cancelling on (40 hours with it off)
  • LDAC, multipoint and a 3.5 mm cable input that also works with the headphones switched off
  • 3 minutes of charging with a USB PD adaptor gives about 3 hours of playback

Cons

  • Ear cups swivel flat but don't fold up, so the carrying case is bulky
  • No audio over USB-C, and no LE Audio (LC3)
  • Not water resistant, with no IP rating

Closest rivals

Model
TypeNoise cancellingBatteryWith caseBest codecWeightReleased
Anker soundcoreSpace Q45
Over-earYes50 h–LDAC292 gAug 2022
BeatsStudio Pro
Over-earYes24 h–AAC260 gJul 2023
BoseQuietComfort Headphones
Over-earYes24 h–AAC236 gSept 2023

Previous model: WH-1000XM4. Newer model: WH-1000XM6.

Sources

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  2. sony.jp/headphone/products/WH-1000XM5/spec.html
  3. sony.com.au/electronics/headband-headphones/wh-1000xm5
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  6. helpguide.sony.net/mdr/wh1000xm5/v1/en/contents/TP1000534515.html
  7. helpguide.sony.net/mdr/wh1000xm5/v1/en/contents/TP1000534502.html
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  42. helpguide.sony.net/mdr/wh1000xm5/v1/en/print.pdf
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Photo: sony.com.au

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