Test: Sony WH-1000XM5 - certainly among the best in the world

This is a family of headphones that can be said to be learning, evolving and listening to user feedback. Each generation has been better and therefore each is eagerly awaited. The Sony WH-1000XM5 are also two years old and their successor can be expected sometime in 2025. There is still some time until the release, which means that the fifth generation is still relevant and will remain so after the release of the XM6.

I tested them for a good month and during that time I found out why they are so praised.

Sony WH-1000XM5 price?

Their retail price when released was €420, now they can often be found for around €300 or even less.

Sony WH-1000XM5 – simplicity and beauty go hand in hand

When you first look at them, you think that not much is happening on them. They have a very simple appearance, which is also part of their charm. The Sony logo is only on the hinges that keep the ear cups attached to the headset ring. I really like the "dirty" white or beige-gray color, although black headphones are also a feast for the eyes. They also have a lot of curves and if I compare them to their predecessors, they look like they were made from one piece. There are fewer of these visible spaces between components, giving a sense of wholeness. The openings for the microphones are barely noticeable, the ring is extremely thin, but richly covered with memory foam.

The ear cups are made of vegan leather, which has become somewhat of a trend lately. We also come across "faux" leather on phones more and more often, especially from Chinese manufacturers. The leather and consequently the cups are extremely pleasant to the touch, and even more importantly, they are incredibly comfortable. I used them several times even for 8 hours a day and during this time, apart from a little sweating towards the end, I didn't feel any discomfort. Comfort is really taken seriously at Sony. Due to the texture, you can also clean them very easily.

The superior comfort is clearly contagious because I have no complaints about the foam on the rim either. If I encounter an error already when testing the headphones, it is usually the foam on the ring, which many people skimp on.

The headphones rotate, turn, but cannot be completely folded like, for example, the Sony WH-1000XM4. Because of this, the portability is worse, even the included travel bag is a bit bigger, so it will be more difficult to put it in a backpack or carry it in your hand. You should also be careful not to get caught in a storm or downpour during use. The Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones do not have an official waterproof certificate. Small drops and splashes of water will not cause problems, but try to keep them dry.

For management, you first have physical buttons on the left earpiece for switching between noise cancellation (ANC) and transparent mode, which lets in ambient sound. The second button is for power and Bluetooth pairing. Three clicks on the ANC button is a shortcut to playing music from Spotify if you use it. The feature wasn't always reliable, at least for me, I often had to repeat the move to get Spotify to wake up.

The right earpiece has no buttons, but has a touch-sensitive outer casing. Sliding up or down means adjusting the volume, two clicks to answer a call or pause a song, and if the entire handset is covered with the palm of the hand, transparent mode is activated. The music also stops automatically when the headphones are taken off.

There is also a 3.5 mm jack for cable connection and a USB-C port for charging on the right earpiece. For a while, I was forced to use the headset to play games on the computer, and since the computer does not support Bluetooth, I used the cable that came with it. What surprised me was the drop in sound quality, or how unsuitable they are for playing serious multiplayer games, where distinguishing sounds is extremely important. In wireless mode, after a long period of rest, the headphones will automatically turn off when connected with a cable, you have to do it manually. If you forget, you can go back to the computer and come across empty headphones. Fortunately, they charge in a few minutes for hours of use.

Sound, ANC and features

I was lucky, if I may call it that, that I was able to try them on just as workers were clamoring under my living room window. There was a lot of noise, from the demolition hammer (counter) to the concrete mixer and the general exuberance of the workers, but if I wanted to get away from the direnda, I didn't have to leave the room. You put the headphones on, turn on ANC, connect to the TV and enjoy the series as if nothing is happening outside. They cancel sound so well. I was particularly surprised by the meter's low-end softening. I may have only heard a few more of her whispers, or felt the vibrations more than heard her sound.

I also took them on day walks and weekend trips where I wanted to test how they reacted to the roar of the crowd around me. There was a lot of bass on the construction site, and more treble in the clarity, which he had even less trouble with. The ANC is therefore at an extremely high level.

But they do have one annoying feature that works handily on paper. If you speak while listening, transparent mode is activated and the music stops. If you like to sing during music, or for example when I used the headphones to play games and expressed my opinion out of anger or joy, it can be annoying. Fortunately, we can turn the feature off.

The Sony WH-1000XM5 support connection to two devices at the same time, like all decent headphones. The application has an equalizer, a bass enhancement function, an ear analysis function for better surround sound, ANC adjustment options and a safe listening section that analyzes the use of headphones and warns with the collected results whether we are too attached to the headphones or the music we listen too loudly and the like. I admit that I peeked into this section a few times, but I didn't follow the advice given.

What about the sound? This one is top notch. They changed the drivers (from 40 mm to 30 mm) and despite the smaller size, they did not lose their pomp. The bass is very decent, the soundstage is spacious and more than capable of bringing out every sound element. Everything is somehow in its place. They are not considered one of the best on the market for nothing.

The battery lasts a good 25 hours with ANC on, and without it an additional 7-8 hours. It is far from the best in this segment, but I conclude that it is long enough that there will be no comments from users. Considering that the competition (such as the Sennheiser Momentum 4) also offers 60 hours and more, I suspect that Sony will want to beef up the battery with the next generation.

Sony WH-1000XM5 – for those looking for the best sound

Sony WH-1000XM5 are among the best, where we also find giants such as Sennheiser Momentum 4, Sonos Ace, Bose QuietComfort Ultra... You will get excellent sound, comfort, easy management and very attractive headphones.