WF-1000XM5 The WF-1000XM5 feature cutting-edge technology to deliver premium sound quality and the best noise-cancelling performance on the market. Real-time audio processors and high-performance mics power the specially-designed driver unit, for wide frequency reproduction, deep bass and clear vocals. They are designed to immerse you in a sound so good, it feels like you’re in the studio with your favourite artists. The WF-1000XM5 headphones raise the bar for distraction-free listening and clarity.
The Best Noise Cancelling The WF-1000XM5 reduces external noise over a wide bandwidth, from low to high frequencies. It contains two proprietary processors that cancel more external noise than ever, a new high-performance driver unit Dynamic Driver X, dual feedback microphones, and innovative Noise Isolation Earbud Tips for a more stable fit. Real-time noise-cancelling processing can be optimised to provide the best performance for your environment, so you will hear a big difference, especially in aeroplanes, trains, or buses.
Astonishing sound quality The specially designed driver unit Dynamic Driver X provides wide frequency reproduction, enabling deeper bass, subtle vocals and enhanced fine detail, especially on high-pitched instruments. The consummate performance, across the full range of frequencies, delivers a smooth and natural sound regardless of what you're listening to.
Sony‘s best-ever call quality Thanks to an AI-based noise reduction algorithm based on Deep Neural Network (DNN) processing, and bone conduction sensors, your voice will come through clearly and more naturally, even in a noisy environment. And if you’re outdoors, the noise reduction structure will minimise any wind whooshes, so you always know you’ll be heard.
Small and beautifully designed With an improved glossy texture and a more luxurious feel, these earbuds fit comfortably in your ears while keeping out external sounds. By downsizing the headphone body and optimising the placement of the components, the earbud is now approximately 25% smaller and 20% lighter than the WF-1000XM4. We’ve also reduced the size of the charging case, so it will sit even more sleekly in your pocket.
I bought 2nd gen. Ear Pods but have been disappointed or maybe expected too much. I had swayed back and forth over the Sony option and finally accepted that not all of the 5 star reviews can be wrong so I finally bought the 5 XM’s ! WOW !!!! They are simply superb all round with a fullness and clarity I never thought possible on buds or pods. Treat your ears - if not your wallet ! Support and service from Richer Sounds staff has been First Class which reinforced my belief that I have finally made the right choice.
I owned the XM4s prior to this which I loved so I was in 2 minds to upgrade or not. I’m so glad I did, I didn’t buy these for comfort but I hadn’t realised how uncomfortable the XM4s were. These things barely feel like they’re in your ear and as a result I’m wearing/using them more than the XM4s. The sound quality is very different but much better than the XM4s, sounds more balanced and professional. The ANC is noticeably better and they feel premium. Being able to adjust the volume with taps on the buds now is great and intuitive- something I never understood why the XM4s were without. All in all a great upgrade.
I've had the Sony 1000X Mark series going back to the M3's. Sony has come a long way since then. These are top of the line TW earbuds, but everyone's ears are different, so your mileage may vary. I also have the Bose Quietcomfort Earbuds II and the AirPods Pro 2. Each excel at some things, while struggling with others. I've yet to find one that is perfect. Noise Canceling - My opinion is that this is impacted by active and passive, The passive aspect cannot be discounted. So much of how well the noise canceling works depends on the seal you get with the earbuds. For me, the Bose QCII works best because it gives me the best seal. And I would say it is not even close. Second goes to the APP2 and the Sony comes in last. For whatever reason, my ears just do not do well with the foam eartips that come with the Sony's. I hear sounds at all frequency's leaking in. If you get a good seal, the Sony's may rise to the top of the list. I do feel they are better than the APP2 with the right seal and would rival the Bose QCII in my ears if I had a better seal. Airplane use - I will say this, when I am going on a flight, for a short haul (maybe up to 2.5 hours), I am taking one of these three. They do the job well enough and fit into my pocket. For a longer haul, my WH-1000XM5's or Bose NC700 (or even QC45) go with me. Their noise canceling is obviously better, and so is the battery life, but comfort for a longer time is why I'm taking one of these. Fit - The APP2 win here. They are just light and very comfortable. I can wear them for hours and just forget that they are there. The Sony's come in second. While the foam eartips are not good for me from a noise canceling standpoint, they are very comfortable and stay in my ears without issue. I do not, however, forget that they are there. The smaller size than the XM4's helps, but I still know I have something in my ear. Having said that, I would actually prefer the Sony's while working out or doing anything active. The Bose QCII comes in last for me. While they are very comfortable for the first 30-45 minutes, I start to get ear fatigue after that and find myself continually removing and putting back in only to have the same pain in a few minutes. Sound Quality - To my untrained ears, the Sony's win this. The equalizer allows unlimited customization, and the base resonates with my ears. The APP2 and Bose QCII both sound very good, just not quite as good as the Sony's. App - Sony wins this by a landslide. The number of things you can adjust and customize is amazing. Multidevice - All three can connect to multiple devices, but only the Sony's connect to two at the same time. The APP2 offer seamless device switching, while the Bose QCII only connect to one device. If you live in an Apple ecosystem, the APP2 win this. It works so easily and efficiently. The Sony's work great with two devices, but not quite as good as the APP2. Phone Call Quality - APP2 win this one. They sound good in all conditions, noisy and quiet environments, and even windy conditions. The Sony's sound much better than their predecessors (and when compared to the Mark 3 have come a long way) but still are not as good as the APP2. The Bose QCII sounds good too, but a little weaker and tin-canny than the other two. Transparency Mode - Apple wins this one. The squeeze hold on the stem and how clear everything is just works. The Bose QCII's are not bad, but not quite as clear. I just can't figure out what Sony is doing with their transparency mode. It does not let much in and what you can hear is hard to understand. That coupled with the fact that it randomly resets from a 20 setting (letting everything in) to a 1 (almost nothing in) after taking them off, putting them in the case and then taking them out again. I had this same problem with the XM4's and it still appears to be there with the XM5's. Doesn't happen all the time, but is very annoying when it does because then I have to get my phone out and go back into the app. Touch Controls - APP2 and Bose QCII are great. Play/pause, skip forward/back, increase or decrease volume. Each are very easy to use and work well. Sony? 4 taps to increase or decrease the volume. Really?? Who is going to do this? And this is just one level increase. If I want to increase 4 levels it takes 20 taps. This will never get used. How is it that every TW manufacturer has figured out on-board volume controls but not Sony? I hope they figure this out. Battery Life - I know there are probably minute differences between the three, but I've never had an issue with TW earbuds in a couple generations for any of these manufacturers. I just don't use them for periods of time that are long enough or where I do not have an ability to charge. Cost – APP2 win this. They are listed less and have been on sale more. Having said that, the Sony’s will likely see some sales soon and even at full-price, they are still worth it. Summary - If you live in an Apple ecosystem, the APP2 are the obvious choice, though both the Sony's and Bose QCII have many positives. If you live in an Android ecosystem, well, I can't answer that as I do not live in an Android ecosystem and never have. However, the Sony's might be the better choice for those with Androids. At the end of the day, it just might depend on what is most important to you. But as I said in my title, it is a crowded market, and I don’t think you can go wrong with any of them.
For a long time, I have been looking for some true wireless earbuds to replace my older PowerBeats. After trying many alternatives, the WF1000XM5 is the first one that really works for me. The WF1000XM5 uses a tip that is a little different than most earbuds. I would say it is a combination of standard silicon tips and spongy foam tips. Four sizes are included, so it should be easy to find ones that are a good fit for your ears. The sound from the earbuds is excellent. They have a good bass that is never too overpowering. With the EQ, you can really adjust how much treble or bass you get. The earbuds provide good separation and make individual instruments really stand out in the music. The Sony Headphones app is an integral part of using the earbuds. If you do purchase a pair of these earbuds, I would spend some time exploring all the settings you can customize for the earbuds. The Sound tab is where you configure Noise Canceling and Equalizer. I really like that they allow you to choose between a set of pre-configured EQs, create a custom EQ, and even have a beta feature to help you find your ideal EQ. The system tab has options to customize the touch buttons and the "Determines optimal Earbud Tips" brings you into a test to ensure the tips are appropriate for your ears. Note to Sony: it took me some exploring to find this, so I would recommend that it is easier to find. I used the earbuds for a few Zoom calls, and they seem to work well. I didn't hear myself speaking but the voice clarity from other participants was very good. It did take me a little experimenting on the proper orientations to insert the earbuds in my ears. The proper way to wear them is to have the dot at the bottom of the earbud. That seems to keep them the most stable and easiest way to get touch controls to work. One of my primary use cases with the earbuds is for use on my Peloton. With almost every other earbud from Bose, Apple, and Beats, the earbud would fall out after a few mins on the ride. These ones were the first one I could complete a full ride without them falling out.
Having previously owned the Jabra Elite 85T, I was eager to give the Sony WF-1000XM5 a try when they were launched. In terms of comfort, I found the Sony model to be lacking, with a noticeable sensation of something lodged in my ear. On the software front, they also don't quite measure up to the Jabra. However, they certainly shine when it comes to noise cancellation, delivering an impressive performance. Call quality is commendable, and the sound quality is more than satisfactory. No Value for the cost unfortunately
The WF-1000XM5 are a very impressive upgrade from my last pair of headphones. The most obvious gain for me is in sound quality and volume. These XM5 give such a great low end that I had to stop using my custom EQ profile and go back to standard settings. My current headphones (both in ear and over ear) are usually run with extra bass raised to keep me happy listening to Rock & Blues music. The WF-1000XM5 does not need any boost on the low end, I find it perfectly balanced as it is. The noise cancelling is impressive. So impressive that I am big fan of the easily switchable Ambient Sound mode, turned on with a single press of the left ear bud. Without this mode turned on, it is not easy to talk to shop assistants while shopping. Ambient Sound mode lets you have a normal conversation without removing the buds from your ears. Since using the WF-1000XM5 I have set up ‘Head Gesture’ on the Sony Headphone App. This feature allows me to answer phone calls by simply nodding my head, or reject the call by shaking my head. It works very well and so far has not failed. The shape of the earbud is very ergonomic with no corners or sharp edges. When first trying to remove them from the charging case it can be interesting, but practice does pay off. They fit well once inserted and are comfortable. They come with 4 different size earbud tips making it easy to find the right fit. If you are now referring to the picture take note of the non plastic packaging, it all helps. Bluetooth Multipoint connection may not be something that everyone can use. If you occasionally make video calls via a computer, it is a brilliant feature. I have the XM5 setup on this PC as an audio device and can switch between PC and phone easily. No more swapping headset. My last in ear phones were Sony WF-SP800N and I have had a number of years enjoying those, I love them. The WF-1000XM5 are better in lots of ways. I know I will love these even more.
Recently got the XM5 and after using them for a few days, I'm satisfied with my purchase. The sound quality is a bit better, ANC has been improved and the additional features added to these new headphones are a bonus, although I don't necessarily use them all the time. I noticed a minor issue with the batteries as they seem to be draining faster compared to my XM4. Probably a software update might fix it. As for the eartips provided, the hybrid silicon tips are not comfortable in my ears and I'll most probably have to get some 3rd party ones. Overall, it's a decent upgrade from the older models.
Performance:the sound quality is truly exceptional! Super love this!! Quality:the black case feels quite premium! Active noise canceling: The isolation from the foam ear tips is supplemented by electronic noise cancellation that minimizes your perception of an outside sound. Ambient sound mode: This feature actively pipes in outside noises to allow you to, say, walk safely down a road with traffic. Touch controls: The body of the earbuds is touch-sensitive, so you can activate basic controls like pausing or restarting content or forwarding to the next track with just a light touch. Speak to Chat: In an unusual feature, these Sony earbuds listen for when you’re talking and momentarily pause your content to allow you to continue your conversation. In-app equalization: You can adjust the sound profile of these Sony earbuds with a virtual graphic equalizer in the app, although the out-of-the-box sound is stellar. Android and iPhone compatibility: The Sony WF-1000XM4 earbuds work fine with both iPhones and Android phones with easy pairing and access to a wide array of settings through the Sony app.
After a couple of weeks debating whether to go for Bose, Sony or something else I chose the new Sony XM5. The reason for this was the LDAC codec. I listen to a lot of music, mostly hi-res 24-96. My Xaiomi droid phone and these earbuds connected seamlessly. It took a while to get from AAC to LDAC on the app but now I can listen perfectly. The sound stage is better than the wired Shure SE315 the XM5s will work with which surprised me. I can get about 12m away from the phone before the signal drops off, quite impressive. The talk to speak function is very good if you don't have a cough, cough and it switches the music off. It works when you do speak. They are slippery little things so do be careful picking them out of the charging box. They have also paired to my Fiio X3iii but this is restricted to AAC or SBD as the Fiio does not support LDAC but the sound from24/44.1and MP3 files is immense through the XM5s
The product itself is technically brilliant! The noise cancelling works perfectly. The touch sensitive tap controls are great and make them really easy to use. The sound quality is fantastic, deep bass and crisp treble. Well balanced without adjusting the eq The app is average, its functional and does the job, but isn't as smooth and intuitive as it could be. The case is a little bit disappointing. Fornthe price point, it just has a little bit of a plasticky feel about it. I appreciate there is a balance here between weight and feel, but I feel it has landed on the wrong side of it. The case could do with feeling a little bit more solid. Overall, fantastic earphones with great functionality.