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Thanks to their incredible fusion of cutting-edge technology and superior sound quality, the Sony WF-1000XM5 wireless earbuds are quickly becoming a favorite among music enthusiasts. Because of their fashionable look and compact design, these earbuds are a popular choice for those who are often on the go.
Rich audio experiences can be had with the Sony WF-1000XM5 because to its many advanced features, which include the best noise cancellation and adaptive sound control available. Whether you’re exercising, traveling, or just relaxing around the house, these earbuds redefine comfort and sound quality in the world of wireless headphones.
Key Takeaways
- Outstanding Sound Quality: Clear, balanced audio.
- Superior Noise Cancellation: Blocks ambient noise.
- Adaptive Sound Control: Adjusts automatically.
- Long Battery Life: Up to 24 hours with case.
- Comfortable Fit: Sleek, secure, and water-resistant.
Sony WF-1000XM5 OVERVIEW
For people looking for wireless earbuds that are small and lightweight without sacrificing quality, the Sony WF-1000XM5 earbuds are an excellent option. By successfully canceling out outside noise, their cutting-edge noise cancellation technology guarantees an immersive listening experience.
These earbuds have an adaptive sound management technology that modifies the sound according to your activities and surroundings. They may therefore be used for traveling, exercising, or just lounging around the house.
Description
The Sony WF-1000XM5 builds on the success of its predecessor by incorporating the lessons learned. As one of the greatest noise-canceling earbuds available, they have cemented their position with a more comfortable design, exceptional ANC performance, and great battery life.Positives
- Excellent ANC and Isolation
- Comfortable
- SBC, AAC, and LDAC support
- Great app support
- Great battery life
Negatives
- Price
- Default sound too bassy
Another benefit is the long battery life, which provides up to 24 hours of playback when the charging case is used. For customers who are constantly on the go, a quick charge feature allows for an hour of listening time with just a five-minute charge.
SPECS
| Bluetooth version | 5.3 |
| Codec support | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Noise-cancelling? | Yes |
| Battery life | 8 hours (BT + ANC), 24 hours (including charging case) |
| Finishes | x2 (black, silver) |
The ergonomic, stylish WF-1000XM5 earbuds are designed to be comfortable and long-lasting, fitting comfortably in your ears. Because they are water-resistant, they are suitable for a range of activities, including workouts and outdoor excursions.
DESIGN
The WF-1000XM5 charging case serves as the first indication of Sony’s recent design activity. You can tell that the shrinkage has spread when you flip the top open, since it is noticeably smaller than its predecessor. The earbuds are actually much smaller. According to Sony, the WF-1000XM5 is roughly 25% smaller and 20% lighter than the WF-1000XM4.
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At first, it can be challenging to remove them from their charging case, but we quickly get proficient in the process. Each earbud’s majority of the outside is made of a brand-new, glossy plastic that feels and looks expensive by today’s standards. Additionally, because of their extreme smoothness, it can be difficult to pinch the earbuds to remove them from the case. It is significantly simpler, in our experience, to remove an earbud from its magnetic shell when you pull it in your direction.
The exterior surface housing the touch controls, which descends to the outer mic configuration, is the only part of the earphones that lacks a glossy finish. That has a matte finish with much finer texture. In addition, the new model has a welcome new control option. However, more on that later. The touch controls, incidentally, function really well.
The new Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds, the older Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II, and the AirPods Pro 2 all feel and look equally as quality as the Sonys, which are a significant improvement over the prior model.
Since the external microphones are better integrated and the profile is smaller, rounder, and significantly less projecting, the XM5 is less bulky than the XM4 and has smoother lines and more subdued curves. Additionally, as gusts of wind travel across the external surfaces, a slim profile helps lessen their impact. With regard to perspiration resistance, the Sonys are also rated IPX4.
The Sonys are not only visually stunning, but we also find that they are more livable and pleasant than the XM4 over extended periods of time. We are fussy, so the fit isn’t exactly as snug as it is with the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds. As opposed to the Sonys, which rely on their polyurethane tips and the “insert and twist” method, the Bose have narrow wings that help keep them in place. The tip material, which debuted on the WF-1000XM4, has a hybrid feel of memory foam and silicone.
If the fit is perfect, you’ll obtain an excellent seal, however we wish the material had a little more grit to prevent the impression that even a small amount of sliding could ruin your seal. Four distinct tip sizes including a very tiny SS option are included in the package. Is there potential for an XL size in the future?
The installation of a brand-new driver is another significant modification for the WF-1000XM5. Compared to the 6.4mm unit found in the WF-1000XM4, the 8.4mm Dynamic Driver X, as Sony refers to it, is substantially larger. According to Sony, this lessens mechanical noise because the larger driver doesn’t have to move as much as the smaller one. Two distinct materials are also used: one for high frequencies and another for low frequencies.
Last update on 2024-12-04 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon.
CALL QUALITY & NOISE CANCELLING
Sony has tackled the XM5 from two distinct perspectives in an effort to help enhance call quality. In order to reduce noise when accepting calls in windy conditions, Sony’s new, sleeker design includes what it calls a wind noise reduction mechanism. In order to preserve clarity, the headphones also have a bone conductor sensor that recognizes when you are speaking and a noise reduction engine powered by AI machine learning.
Even now, you can use your head gestures to accept or deny phone calls: shake to decline, nod to accept. You can sample it in a brief demo through the Headphones App, and it works quite well despite drawing a few curious glances, at least. The tech and design adjustments appear to have been successful in practice. Even under the windy circumstances we encountered during testing, wind noise is mostly muted. Not often is wireless earbuds as clear, detailed, and easy to follow as our voice was.
Moving on to active noise cancellation, Sony states that the XM5 has a noise reduction of about 20% when compared to the WF-1000XM4. Three microphones are employed on each earphone of the new model (as opposed to two on the XM4), including dual feedback microphones to enhance the canceling out of low frequencies. There is an HD Noise Cancelling processor QN2e and a new integrated processor V2 (as opposed to V1 on the XM4).
When comparing the new and old versions side by side, we support Sony’s assertion. In contrast, the WF-1000XM5 appears to eliminate an additional layer of midrange noise. However, we still believe that the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II are superior. Overall, they appear to be able to block out more outside noise, however this does have a vacuum-like effect that some people may not appreciate. The effect is much more subdued with the Sony’s.
FEATURES
With the WF-1000XM5, Sony’s DSEE Extreme processing makes a comeback in an attempt to overcome detail gaps in low-quality music files. High-definition audio is available, along with 360 Reality Audio support that features dynamic head tracking for the first time. Additionally, LDAC support is available to those with appropriate sources.
You’ll be happy to hear that two simultaneous connections via Multipoint Bluetooth are available right out of the box. It’s nice to have this feature available right now because we had to wait a long time for the WF-1000XM4 to get it. It is also quite effective. During testing, we are able to fluidly transition between phone calls and viewing videos or listening to music by connecting to a MacBook Pro and an iPhone 12.
With the XM5, Adaptive Sound Control and Speak-to-Chat are now back. We’ve used these a lot, and they’ve evolved into a standard piece of Sony furniture over time.
Last update on 2024-12-04 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon.
In real-world applications, adaptive sound control is a clever feature that automatically adjusts the level of ambient sound filtered into your ears based on your location and activities. Places like the gym and the office, where you’d rather have more transparency to facilitate interaction, and where you’d prefer to have ANC powered up, can both be registered. They can even be taught when to activate particular modes.
However, the range of the touch controls is one of the most significant and intriguing upgrades for the WF-1000XM5. With the earphones, you can now control volume, playback, and sound modes simultaneously. Your options were limited to using two of the three at a time with their predecessors. The left or right earbud can now be repeatedly tapped to adjust the volume (volume down) or up (volume up).
Multiple tapping isn’t always the best option we’re not always sure touch controls are preferable to clickable buttons but it is an alternative for individuals who find it useful.
BATTERY LIFE
With Bluetooth and ANC turned on, the battery lasts for eight hours, and with the wireless charging case, that amount of time increases to sixteen hours. In testing, we see that the Sonys perform admirably in terms of living up to the stated stats, even if it’s a little frustrating that Sony hasn’t improved upon the XM4, which on paper offers comparable numbers. Similar to the six hours provided by the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds and the AirPods Pro 2, it remains at the top of the premium noise-cancelling wireless earbud market.
SOUND
This is the point at which things become very intriguing. The Sony WF-1000XM5 earbuds sound significantly different from the brand’s earlier flagship models. We hear you question, but is that different in a positive manner or in a what-the-heck-have-they-done kind of way? We are happy to inform that the former is true.
We think there’s a noticeable difference in character from what we’ve encountered in testing earlier models. If you were using a pair of WF-1000XM4 before switching to the XM5, we believe you will notice a difference. Although the new model’s bass isn’t nearly as deep or full-bodied, Sony has achieved something truly remarkable in terms of clarity and detail.
We begin by playing 15 Step by Radiohead, one of the more difficult test tracks we have available. The Sony family perseveres and manages to maintain order, so you can’t say they lack rhythmic drive. When listened to using subpar earbuds, the song can sound disorganized and disjointed. However, because the percussion is kept concise and well-organized, the XM5’s timing is spot on. From the beginning to the finish, the song makes sense.
The Sonys strike the ideal mix between quantity and quality, while The Streets Wouldn’t Have It Any Other Way boasts a powerful bassline. It is heavy, but as it pokes and prods, it is also incredibly controlled. The WF-1000XM5 produces a foggy and fatty sound compared to their predecessors and the Bose QuietComfort II earphones. Although the Sonys sound far more balanced, they both produce more bass.
This song emphasizes that newly discovered degree of detail once more. You can enjoy the percussion, bassline, piano, lead vocal, and backing vocal separately or together. We haven’t really heard this level of openness from wireless earphones before, and the clarity and richness that come through are very great. Although we believe that some of the joy that made Sony’s earlier models so enticing has been lost in the pursuit of resolution, they are still musical and have a good sense of time. As several members of the What Hi-Fi? crew will attest, we’ve continued to use the XM5 long after our initial review was published in July 2024 and have grown to like its fresh sonic approach.
Last update on 2024-12-04 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon.
We next move to Sam Smith’s “I’m Not The Only One,” which demonstrates how strong Sony’s midrange is. Each component of the song is explored and revealed in great detail. The piano note strikes have genuine harmonics, while the thwacks of the drums have a good amount of weight and substance. Even with your eyes closed, you can sense the distance or proximity of the microphone at different points during the recording.
Turning off the active noise cancellation (ANC) really produces a somewhat more natural and balanced output, as is the case with noise-cancelling in many of the earbuds we’ve tested at different price points. When ANC is on, you can hear frequencies being enhanced, but luckily the balance isn’t thrown off. Although we also hear this from competing models, it’s still important to be mindful of it.
VERDICT
There’s a lot to wrap your head around with the Sony WF-1000XM5. You’ve got a brand new design to get used to and a tweaked sonic signature. Not only that, but new rivals have driven standards even higher at this level.
Positives of the new design include their comfort, ease of use, competitive call quality, and noise-cancelling capabilities. And by a wide margin, the WF-1000XM5 delivers the clearest and most detailed audio performance available on the market at this time.
- SUPERIOR SOUND: Immerse yourself in a world of superior sound with these ear buds, the Sony...
- CRYSTAL CALLS: Experience crystal clear call quality with these ear buds noise cancelling...
- SMART FEATURES: Relish the convenience of these in ear headphones, the WF-1000XM5's smart...
Last update on 2024-12-04 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon.
Why Trust Factic
Berry Alex has been evaluating, testing, and reviewing tech, Household and travel items for several decades. He compiled all of the testers’ input, conducted extra research to assess each phone mount’s essential features and overall functioning, and reviewed professional profiles and verified customer reviews for each product.
