Sony WH-1000XM5 Review
Wireless Closed-Back Over-Ear Noise Cancelling Headphones
Introduction
In this article, we delve into a detailed analysis of 343,308 user reviews from various languages worldwide to examine the Sony WH-1000XM5. This analysis is performed by the RR artificial intelligence and updated daily with newly submitted reviews. The RR AI utilizes a complex algorithm to first scrutinize user reviews for credibility, filtering out unreliable ones. It then proceeds to dissect and evaluate the valuable insights within these reviews, providing users with ratings regarding the features of this product. Based on these assessments, users can make informed decisions about whether this product is suitable for them or not.
Ratings Based on Features
These results are a summary of user reviews of the Sony WH-1000XM5. For example, 88% of 142,389 users who have commented on the Comfort of the Sony WH-1000XM5 have given positive feedback.
Highlighted Customer Reviews
Showing 1 to 20 of 157 Reviews
The One to Beat
Sony WH-1000XM5 Noise-Canceling Wireless Over-Ear Headphones (Black)
Reviewed by David on B&H Photo Video
Disclaimer: I am a die-hard Apple fan, fully-embedded into the Apple ecosystem, and am a bit obnoxious about it at times, honestly. So, when Apple released the AirPods Max, I bought them without reading a single review, and am still amazed by their sexy design, superb mid-range performance, noise cancelling capability, and impossible-to-beat (?) transparency mode. BUT they are not flawless: they are a bit shallow on the low-end, even with EQ and the minimal configuration options available; they are heavy and uncomfortable to use for more than an hour or so; the aluminum casing around the ear cups is susceptible to condensation (yes, it does happen, often); their mic/call quality is merely decent; and they are optimized for the Apple playground, as expected. For work, I use a Windows PC, and call quality with MS Teams is particularly horrible, both ways. When Sony released the XM5, I was hesitant to try them but ultimately compelled by all the positive reviews and my frustration with the APM faults. And I must admit: the XM5 has, for the time being, challenged my Apple dedication in the wireless headset market. Simply put, they are awesome! And, in my opinion, they provide an overall better alternative to the APM for users who are weary of the problems that I mentioned. In short, they provide most of the benefits of the APM without a lot of the problems, making a near-perfect headset: They have an attractive, modern design and are lightweight and comfortable to wear for hours. This is a huge plus for long-time users. Though they were a little bassy out-of-the-box, after using the Sony Headphones app to modify the EQ curve, they are truly hard-to-beat! They sound crisp and clear across the tonal range but still pack a low-end punch, which I appreciate. To me, very-subtle high-end nuances are still more noticeable with the APM, but that may be due to the lack of a low-end punch. Though the drivers of both headsets are excellent, their performance is limited by bluetooth bandwidth; and, with such a bottleneck, there is rarely a benefit without a cost. For me, the nice punch outweighs crystal-clear nuances. Perhaps both are achievable with some configuration that I am unaware of. The XM5 blocks out more noise in the office, though I haven't yet had a chance to compare them with the APM in other scenarios. Both headsets are awesome in this category, but I think the XM5 has the edge. The XM5 also automatically optimizes the noise attenuation based on your activity, a feature lacked by APM. The ambient mode of the XM5 is exceptional (good enough for my use) but not as good as the transparency mode of the APM. Apple has worked some real magic here. On this note, the XM5 does have a "Speak to Chat" feature, which pauses music/media and turns on ambient mode automatically for a time when you speak. This is super-cheeky in the office, when I need to periodically talk to colleagues. On the APM, pausing and turning on transparency mode must be done manually, in separate steps, and gets old after a while. XM5 call quality is absolutely superb, both ways, on every device that I've made calls on: iPhone, iPad (MS Teams), and Windows PC (MS Teams). The APMs aren't even close, even on iDevices! The Bose 700s, which I have also used, aren't as good as the XM5 either, and call clarity was their main selling point. I initially bought the black XM5; but, as other reviewers have noticed, the material surrounding the ear cups is particularly attractive to the oil in fingertips and gets pretty gross pretty quickly, unless you're prepared to wipe them periodically. So I exchanged them for the silver version, on which oil shouldn't be as noticeable. But it turns out that the ear cup casing material is completely different on the silver model and doesn't adhere to oil at all. Perfect! Other plusses: the XM5 comes with a complete case rather than a partial one :) and are charged by USB-C, like everything on the planet except the APM and iPhone. ... More
This is a Great investment for me
Sony WH-1000XM5 Over-Ear True Wireless Headphones - Black
Reviewed by Iqbal on Argos
Style Name: SingleVerified Purchase Sony WH-1000XM5 Noise Cancelling Wireless Headphones are quite simply - SUPERLATIVE! Pretty Expensive but well worth the Extra Money in my View. I have enjoyed the use of the Right Phone/Speaker to Control, Volume, Track Movement, Pause/Play etc...clever Stuff and make them very Controllable. To Test NOISE CANCELLATION the Noise Cancellation is Brilliant that is for sure. The hidden benefit was I couldn't hear a word better half was shouting at me!!! lol.. SOUND QUALITY was in my view quite Superb, Stereo Separation was Perfect, Lovely Balanced Bass Note without trying to Skullcandy your eardrums out! There is no Better Test than listening to Macca at his peak with the Beatles if you like Superb Bass play, the Sound was Superb. Vocals were so True to the Original Vinyl Release, quite Perfect. Whilst Playing a Ballad by Bruce Springsteen i could actually hear him pursing his lips as he started to sing. I never heard that really fine detail of sound - Ever. To get down that close is Phenomenal. The Treble/Percussion came across Perfectly. The XM5's are "Dynamic" in their Delivery all the way through the Range. Childs play to pair, even Better Half Managed it..oops.. Just get a QR Code Scanner on your phone for the Help Notes, they are also very well Documented. I can't comment on Alexa, Voice Assitant. I haven't Tested at all. Given the overall quality of these HPhones I am sure it is Perfect. BATTERY LIFE I am up to 25 or so hrs after full charge and they are still Banging Away. I am confident they will do what they say on the box, 30hours plus. I have found the over ear pads are brilliant and dont grip your head at all and i have a big head. I have found them incredibly easy to wear over a period of several hours. The ear pads swivel 360 degress and store really well. When you remove them they shut off Automatically which is a nice feature to preserve the Battery. All in All, Expensive BUT GREAT VALUE! SOUND QUALITY SUPERLATIVE. I am quite thrilled with these and would recommend to anyone who really Appreciates Real Quality Listening. I am going to go to my Study Turn the lights off, Shut my eyes and play "China" by Vangelis! Welcome to a whole new world with these Headphones. The "Long March" will Test any Balance, Percussion and Separation. This evocative Album took me through my Commando Training when i was in the Marines but i never heard it like this before! Thank you Sony and aargos! ... More
Excellent with a few exceptions
Sony WH-1000XM5 Noise-Canceling Wireless Over-Ear Headphones (Black)
Reviewed by John on B&H Photo Video
Noise canceling headphones always involve compromises. First, Bluetooth is a compressed format - no matter what manufacturers would like us to believe. Within Bluetooth there are various codecs to contend with each having their own limitations. Last, there is the amount of actual noise canceling available. This is the second Sony noise canceling headset I've owned. I also have the WH-1000M2. For this review I will compare the M5 with the Shure Aonic 50. The Sony offers all codecs except aptX. Why? Apparently they are promoting LDAC their proprietary codec. Your player may not support this so beware. Also it connecting to more than one device (phone and music player) it will default to AAC even if both devices support LDAC. The Shure phones can support LDAC on two devices. Sony has always offered superior noise reduction. I just used them on two 3 hour flights recently. They were excellent except that they switched out of noise reduction mode with me iPhone 14 Pro Max a couple of times. Not sure whether it was the phone or the Sony's. In comparing the music response between the Sony's and Shure's, to my ear the Shure's have the edge. I used jazz, classical and rock selections. The Sony has a little more bass response, but the Shure has more transparency in the high end. Nevertheless, the Sony noise reduction is far superior to the Shure. Sony now offers automatic noise reduction depending on ambient noise. It seems to work very well. It does offer a chat mode which will automatically turn off noise reduction when you speak. This seems to work well unless there is a lot of ambient noise. For telephone use the Sony works very well. Stopping starting the music as expected. Sound quality is very good. I don't have any reservations in recommending the Sony's. ... More
Really great but ....
Sony WH-1000XM5 Noise-Canceling Wireless Over-Ear Headphones (Black)
Reviewed by Mohamadou on B&H Photo Video
I recently got my hands on these headphones not to long ago and while it isn't a huge upgrade from the last generation it's still " Better" in way . In terms of build quality, it's so much better than the older models and I can tell it'll last pretty long , unlike the other models they'll also last long too but the headphone it self isn't as well built as this one. Now I'm terms of sound quality, I was able to do a side by side comparison easily at the B&H location I was at and while the XM4 had a little bit more bass into it , the XM5's just sounded so much cleaner if though I'm into music that has heavy bass , so I ended up going with these instead. Now aside from everything else what was my issue? I go to the gym a lot and go 1-2 hours at a time and the first few weeks was okay no issues with the headphones.( Yes I always dry my headphones after a workout) . Then the last few weeks it seems as if the right side is having some problems, don't know if it's water damage or something else , and I never had any issues like this with any Sony headphones ever . On top of that the touch controls would do things on its on while I'm in a workout or even taking a walk and that was my biggest downside with these headphones. Now I've got the insurance and everything so I'll see how it goes when it comes back but the main question is , should you buy these ? Based on sound quality? Yes! Now if you go the gym a lot , I'm still 50/50 on it , I'll just see if this was just a faulty headphone I hope . But if you're wondering if the XM4- XM5 has major differences , in my opinion yeah but just a little. ... More
Great sounding headphones
Sony WH-1000XM5 Over-Ear True Wireless Headphones - Black
Reviewed by LittleFire on Argos
I bought these recently, having had the XM3 for some years. The difference in Noise reduction in NC mode is well noticed if that is a key feature for you, as it is for me at times. The overall sound is sweet too, can really dig into instruments and listen more attentively to individual parts. I start getting pain on the top of my head after wearing them for an extended period of time, which forces me to have to shift them every so often to a different position. I use these often while playing drums. Wouldn't recommend them being used in ambient sound in scenarios where there is high impact sound as it distorts the mics, producing feedback and/or cuts off the mics for the reason I guess of protecting the mics. The added benefit of connecting to 2 devices simultaneously via bluetooth is really handy too, only thing is that I notice sometimes between my Mac and android, if I am listening on my phone it has on some occasions tried to shift the connection to the Mac, even when going into the app to change it, it would still try default to my Mac, there is of course the option to lock which device is being used in the app... A little niggle I think software updates will iron out. Awesome feature though. Overall sweet set of headphones :). ... More
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Great headphones with one catch
Sony WH-1000XM5 Over-Ear True Wireless Headphones - Black
Reviewed by Miles0070 on Argos
If you're looking for a new pair of noise cancelling headphones then Sony's latest offering are certainly worth considering. The XM5's offer class leading sound quality and award winning noise cancellation. After using these headphones over the past few weeks I've found them to be comfortable over long periods of use. Battery life lasts so long that even after 2 weeks I haven't had to charge them yet. Connecting the headphones to your phone is made simple and the Bluetooth connection is very strong and never drops out. If you're looking at upgrading from a previous version of Sony's flagship headphones I.e. the XM4's or even the XM3's then think long and hard about it. I also own the older XM3's which have larger drivers than the newer models so upgrading in some ways means taking a step back. In my opinion Sony has yet to best their award winning XM3's in any true meaningful way justifying the upgrade. If I could go back in time I wouldn't have upgraded. ... More
Great Headphones !!
Sony WH-1000XM5 Over-Ear True Wireless Headphones - Black
Reviewed by pitabread on Argos
I have previously owned both WH-1000XM3 and XM4, which were very good headphones. After a friend said they would give me £150 for my XM4s I decided to purchase the XM5s. They are better than previous versions in all aspects, sound and noise cancellation. They don’t quite have the same quality feel as previous versions, the case looks and feels of a much lower quality and doesn’t provide the same level of protection as previous versions. My main issue is they do not fold which makes them much bigger while in the case and as I use them while traveling they take up much more space in my backpack. For me to purchase any future versions they need to give us that quality look and feel again especially at this price point, but if they are not foldable I will not purchase any future versions as that omission is a big issue for me. ... More
Excellent
Sony WH-1000XM5 Over-Ear True Wireless Headphones - Black
Reviewed by lancer on Argos
I bought this item a couple of weeks ago and they are fantastic. The noise cancelling on these headphones is outstanding,it now means I can’t hear the obnoxious rat that lives next door as they really do cancel external noise. As for the sound quality that is also outstanding,when listening to music or the television I am now hearing things that I have never heard before when listening to the tv or music. It’s hard to explain the quality of sound from these headphones so the best thing I can advise is that if you are in the market for a new set of headphones these are outstanding a bit pricey but definitely worth it. It’s probably worth mentioning that they are extremely comfortable. I regularly wear these headphones for up to five hours at a time with absolutely no discomfort at all. ... More
I nearly bought Bose but glad i bought Sony
Sony WH-1000XM5 Over-Ear True Wireless Headphones - Black
Reviewed by Stefano on Argos
I almost bought a set from Bose quiet comfort se which were cheaper and on offer but an older product. Until i read the what hi-fi reviews which swayed me to buy this Sony product as all the reviews put these as the best for under £300. Very comfy. Light and pack away easy in the hard case. Exceptional sound quality at all volume levels. The app is easy to use and allows EQ configuration to suit my music. Battery life is brilliant and charges quickly. Noise cancellation is great and can be switched depending on your need. Unless on really high volume the sound doesn't leak so it wont annoy someone next to you. Only downsides i found are these are not IP rated and unsuitable for outdoor use if they get wet. And the usb charge lead is very short so i bought another off amazon. Paid £279 which i think is good value for the quality of sound and comfort. ... More
Great product
Sony WH-1000XM5 Over-Ear True Wireless Headphones - Black
Reviewed by Josh on Argos
I bought the headphones around a month ago, I must say the headphones look stunning visually, They are extremely light and soft to the point that you can wear them for hours on end As a very active user of the headphones I rarely have to charge them The audio quality is amazing, coming from an airpod user these break up the audio amazingly For such a light pair of headphones you could not ask for better noise cancelling, as soon as you put them on and the world just falls away which greatly improves immersion I also love the feature for having ambient noise as you don’t always want to be clueless to what’s going on around you, for example when walking down the road, it’s helpful to hear what’s going on around you Overall, they look really smart, they sound amazing, they come really a great hard face travel/storage pack which is slim and keeps them well protected. ... More
Recommend for anybody who goes to the gym.
Sony WH-1000XM5 Over-Ear True Wireless Headphones - Black
Reviewed by Ax33e on Argos
The headphone is amazing, however it comes with a lot of app features that you have to download to enhance its performance. I don’t like the fact that you’re not able to clean it. The touch pads didn’t really work for me and I hate the fact that it’s only on the right side of the ear. Voice detection is annoying ended turning it off, maybe in the future I hope that it can only recognise your voice and pick key words that indicates it to lower my music but maybe not completely turning it off. It became annoying when I couldn’t sing along to a music or speak without any interruption. Overall I love the quality and aesthetics of the headphones. It’s very functional and I enjoyed using it for my workouts at the gym. ... More
Amazing headset worth every penny!
Sony WH-1000XM5 Noise-Canceling Wireless Over-Ear Headphones (Black)
Reviewed by Samer on B&H Photo Video
I work at the data center and there is ALLOT of ambient noise.. I use apple headsets with noise cancelation to block out the server noises.. I have to use my apple headset with music on and volume set to 80% or more to block the noise.. but then with extended work hours inside the data center, i get tired from the music loudness.. Enter the Sony XM5s.. its a totally new experience as they separate me from the physical world no matter what the ambient noise is! They are brilliant! They also work on my LG C1 TV.. amazing stuff! Music sounds SO good and i can work at the data center with or without listening to music! Comfort wise they are amazing, very light! Whats not to like :D Get them and you will be super happy ... More
Superb for the noise sensitive
Sony WH-1000XM5 Over-Ear True Wireless Headphones - Black
Reviewed on Argos
I’m noise sensitive and work in an office next to a busy road junction. These filler out the constant road noise, car horns and most of the sirens (in conjunction with the double-glazing). They instantly calm me down when the noise stresses me. They connect to 2 devices at once so I can use my them with my laptop and take a call on my phone without having to do anything. I hardly listen to music but they are good for that and they have a handy touch control that’s more multifunctional than on AirPods. If you know a noise-sensitive person, get them these! ... More
Returned, uncomfortable and poor noise cancelling
Sony WH-1000XM5 Over-Ear True Wireless Headphones - Black
Reviewed by Deb on Argos
I got these to replace old Bose Quietcomfort headphones and had high expectations based on reviews. The noise cancelling is terrible, I could hear conversations, crying babies and general noise in public areas. I could barely tell when noise cancelling was actually on. The headband put pressure on the top of my head. Overpriced and seems too much focus on other features. Returned and went with the latest bose quietcomfort. If noise cancelling is your priority don't bother with these.
Awesome pair of headphones
Sony WH-1000XM5 Over-Ear True Wireless Headphones - Black
Reviewed by Lmeaki on Argos
I am an audiophile and have more headphones than Currys! These are the follow on from my Sony x3, which are my first go to headphones, but these are definitely better. There are a few apps that are recommended for you to subscribe to and they offer the 360degree audio experience. Whilst setting up the headphones through the headphone app, you hear a sample of normal stereo then hear a sample of 360 degree audio and the difference is amazing. They have so many positives and I am hard pushed to find any negatives. You even get a beautiful case to keep them in! ... More
Best-in-Class!
Sony WH-1000XM5 Noise-Canceling Wireless Over-Ear Headphones (Black)
Reviewed by Brady on B&H Photo Video
First off, the Sony WH-1000XM5's offers, without a doubt, the best active noise cancelling of any ANC headphones I've used so far. I was simply blown away by how well these headphones blocked out noise, especially on commuter trips (plane, subway, train, etc.). These headphones are VERY lightweight & comfortable, and the sound/build quality is superb! Wireless connectivity is very easy to setup amongst multiple devices. These also offer great battery life and quick charging capabilities. Coming from Bose 700's and Sony WH-100XM4's, I can easily say the XM5's are my new go-to headphones!
Good but missing key features
Sony WH-1000XM5 Noise-Canceling Wireless Over-Ear Headphones (Black)
Reviewed by Daniel on B&H Photo Video
The quality of the sound these headphones give are great! The noise cancelling is fantastic. No argument there. However, they don't have a setting that's not engaging the noise canceling or ambient sound. In other words, you have to have either complete noise canceling on or have it pick up sounds around you and amplify them through microphones so you can hear them. There isn't a setting to just listen to music and not have noise cancelation. Additionally, they don't work with gaming systems. I expect a $400 headphone to be able to plug into a Playstation controller and be able to transit my audio through the microphone through the wire or Bluetooth but they don't. You can't use these with Playstations. Additionally, there's no adjustment of the level of noise cancelation so it's either hear everything around you or a high level of noise cancelation. ... More
Nice sounding headphones but with poor design
Sony WH-1000XM5 Over-Ear True Wireless Headphones - Black
Reviewed by BogdanUK on Argos
First, I would like to say I had an awful experience with Argos, ordered online but received an Echo Dot instead :), called and had the item returned but the headphones were out of stock at that point so got a refund instead. Had to run and buy them from the physical store, the last pair. The headphones sound very nice, with no connectivity issues but the build doesn't feel the most reliable, a little flimsy, plus they keep my ears way too warm (I sweat if I wear them on the train) and all the marks and hand oils are visible on the outer plastic of the cans. They could have used a better design, more comfortable and better-built materials as these are not cheap. ... More
Amazing product
Sony WH-1000XM5 Over-Ear True Wireless Headphones - Black
Reviewed by bor1906 on Argos
I recently purchased the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones and couldn't be happier with my choice. The noise-cancelling feature is exceptional, blocking out even the loudest of background noises. The sound quality is incredible, with deep bass and clear treble, making every song sound like a live performance. The headphones are also incredibly comfortable to wear for long periods of time, with soft padding on the ear cups and headband. The touch controls on the ear cups are easy to use and intuitive. Overall, I highly recommend the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones to anyone looking for a high-quality, comfortable and stylish pair of headphones with excellent noise-cancelling and sound quality. ... More
Great Headphones
Sony WH-1000XM5 Over-Ear True Wireless Headphones - Black
Reviewed by James on Argos
Love these headphones - great sound, great controls / lot's of little features and a great app to control them. recommend them for excellant noise cancelling. They are EXCLUDED from the argos returns policy though - YOU CAN NOT TRY THEM AT HOME OR EVEN IN THE STORE AND GET A REFUND. THEY SIMPLY WILL NOT REFUND ON THIS PRODUCT unless faulty so be warned
