Sony WH1000XM5 official: top quality in a new jacket with a new price tag

Sony has announced the fifth generation of its noise-canceling headphone series. It concerns the Sony WH-1000XM5, which will be on the market for a suggested retail price of 420 euros.

Sony WH1000XM Series

The headphones in Sony’s WH1000XM series have been very popular for years because of their sound quality, noise canceling and smart functions. The design of the headphones has also remained virtually the same over the years and that also applies to the price of the last two headsets. To ‘tinker’ with the design and price of these headphones is a bold move. And Sony dares it, this is the wireless Sony WH1000XM5 with noise canceling.

All reviews in the Sony 1000 series

• Sony MDR-1000X review (list price 399 euros)
• Sony WH-1000XM2 review (list price 355 euros)
• Sony WH-1000XM3 review (list price 379 euros)
• Sony WH-1000XM4 review (list price 380 euros)
• Sony WH-1000XM5 review – coming soon! (recommended price 420 euros)

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New on the Sony WH-1000XM5

Sony has further improved the noise canceling function and the sound quality. The headphones should automatically filter out unwanted noises in any location, whether that be at a bus stop, on a train to London or a long flight to Tokyo. For this, there are now eight microphones instead of four on the headset. The specially developed 30 mm driver and the two processors are also used for the noise reduction. According to Sony, the 1000XM5 suppresses noise especially in the mid and high frequencies and the Auto NC Optimizer automatically optimizes this depending on the environment. The 30mm driver should also provide a more natural sound quality, so that every track has a clear and consistent sound.

What immediately stands out is the design of the XM5. The new design is finished with a newly developed leather fit with stepless slider. So you no longer hear a click when you adjust the size of the headphones. You slide the ear cups into the headband, as it were. The ear cups themselves are also sleeker, but you can no longer fold them to put them in the small case. The case of the XM5 is therefore a lot bigger as a result, but can be flattened like a folding crate, so that it takes up less space in your bag.

The packaging of the headphones is produced with recycled and sustainable materials, specially developed for Sony. The WH-1000XM5 uses recycled plastic material from car parts, among other things.

Known Features

Support for High-Resolution Audio thanks to LDAC and 360 Reality Audio are also present on the headphones. This also applies to Adaptive Sound Control, or noise canceling on location. This automatically adjusts ambient sound based on your preferences and location. Multi-point connection support is also there. Thus, the WH-1000XM5 can be paired with two Bluetooth devices at the same time. When a call comes in, the headset recognizes the device and connects automatically. This way you can quickly take the phone call and listen to the music or podcast on your laptop afterwards.

Another old acquaintance is Speak-to-Chat. The headphones automatically recognize your voice. Then when you start talking, the music stops and background noise is allowed in. Google Fast Pair and Find My Device are also inherited from the Sony WH-1000XM4. With the first you can connect the headphones to your phone super fast and with the second you can easily find the XM4 if you have lost it. The battery life has not been tinkered with. Like the XM4, the XM5 can last 30 hours on a single charge.

Buy Sony WH-1000XM5

The Sony WH-1000XM5 is available from this month in the colors black and platinum silver for a suggested retail price of 420 euros. This makes the new headset 40 euros more expensive than its predecessor.

Sony WH-1000XM5 specifications