DSEE Extreme is one of those features that sounds like marketing fluff but actually works. It's Sony's audio upscaling tech that makes compressed music (like Spotify streams) sound closer to high-resolution quality.

What It Actually Does

When you compress music into MP3 or stream it, you lose information. The algorithm tosses out frequencies and details to shrink the file size. You can't hear what's not there.

DSEE Extreme tries to put it back. It uses AI trained on tons of music to predict what the original uncompressed audio probably sounded like. Then it adds those missing pieces back in real-time while you listen.

It's not magic. It can't perfectly recreate what was lost. But it can get surprisingly close, and the difference is audible.

When You Should Turn It On

Use DSEE Extreme for:

• Spotify (yes, even premium Spotify is compressed)
• YouTube Music
• Apple Music (non-lossless tracks)
• MP3 files
• Podcasts

Basically, if your audio source compresses the music, DSEE Extreme can help.

Turn it off for:

• Hi-res streaming (Tidal Masters, Amazon Music HD, Qobuz)
• Lossless files (FLAC, Apple Lossless)
• When you specifically want unaltered audio

If you're already listening to high-quality sources, DSEE Extreme has nothing to restore. It might actually introduce subtle processing artifacts you don't want.

Does It Really Work?

Yes. When A/B testing with Spotify tracks, the difference is noticeable. Listen to a familiar song, toggle DSEE Extreme on, and you'll hear it.

The improvements are subtle but real:

• Vocals sound clearer, less "flat"
• Cymbals and high-frequency details have more shimmer
• Acoustic guitars have better texture
• The overall sound has more "air"

It won't turn a 128kbps MP3 into a vinyl recording. But it noticeably improves streaming audio. The difference is most obvious on well-recorded acoustic music and vocals.

How to Enable It

Open the Sony app, go to Sound, find DSEE Extreme, toggle it on. That's it.

The Battery Thing

DSEE Extreme does use some battery because it's constantly processing audio. It's not dramatic. Maybe you lose 15-30 minutes over a full charge. For most people, the audio improvement is worth it.

My Take

If you're a Spotify listener (which is most people), leave DSEE Extreme on. It genuinely improves the listening experience with no real downside for compressed audio.

If you pay for Tidal HiFi or Apple Music Lossless specifically for high-quality audio, turn it off. You're already getting the good stuff. You don't need AI guessing what it should sound like.

The WF-1000XM5 supports multiple Bluetooth audio codecs, and which one you're using makes a real difference in sound quality. Here's the breakdown.

The Four Codecs Explained

SBC - The Basic One

Every Bluetooth device supports SBC. It's the universal fallback. Quality is fine but nothing special. The WF-1000XM5 only uses this if nothing better is available.

AAC - The iPhone Standard

This is what iPhones use. It's good quality and efficient. If you're on iOS, this is what you're getting, and honestly, it sounds quite good for most music.

LDAC - The Good Stuff

LDAC is Sony's own codec, and it's the whole reason audiophiles love these earbuds. It can push up to 990 kbps of data. That's nearly three times what SBC can do. The result? Noticeably better audio quality, especially with hi-res music files.

The catch: it only works on Android, and you have to enable it manually.

LC3 - The Future

This is part of the new Bluetooth LE Audio standard. It's more efficient than older codecs and enables features like audio sharing. Support is still rolling out, so you probably won't use this much yet.

Which Codec Am I Using?

Check the Sony app. Under Sound settings, it shows you the active codec. Most Android users default to AAC or SBC until they enable LDAC manually.

Getting LDAC Working on Android

This is a two-step process that trips people up:

Step 1: Sony App Open the Headphones Connect app, go to Sound, and select "Prioritize Sound Quality" instead of "Prioritize Stable Connection."

Step 2: Android Settings Go to Developer Options (tap Build Number 7 times in About Phone to unlock this), find Bluetooth Audio Codec, and select LDAC.

Both steps are required. Skip either one and you won't get LDAC.

The iPhone Reality

Bad news for iPhone users: iOS doesn't support LDAC. Apple controls Bluetooth codecs tightly, and they only allow AAC.

Is AAC bad? No, it's actually quite good. You're not getting the absolute best the WF-1000XM5 can deliver, but you're still getting very good audio quality. Most people can't tell the difference in everyday listening.

When LDAC Causes Problems

LDAC pushes a lot of data over Bluetooth. In environments with a lot of wireless interference (crowded offices, busy streets, airports), you might experience:

• Audio cutting in and out
• Stuttering or skipping
• Brief connection drops

If this happens, switch to "Prioritize Stable Connection" in the Sony app. You'll trade some audio quality for reliability. For most situations outside a quiet room, stable connection might actually be the smarter choice.

The WF-1000XM5 has touch controls on both earbuds, and you can customize exactly what each tap, double-tap, triple-tap, and hold does. The defaults are fine for most people, but tweaking them to match how YOU use the earbuds makes a big difference.

Where to Find the Settings

Open the Sony Headphones Connect app, go to System, and look for "Change the touch sensor function." From there you can configure the left and right earbuds separately.

What You Can Control

You've got four gestures per earbud:

• Tap (one quick touch)
• Double tap (two quick touches)
• Triple tap (three quick touches)
• Touch and hold (press and keep your finger there)

Each one can be assigned to something different.

The Functions Worth Knowing About

Playback stuff: Play/pause, next track, previous track. The basics.

Volume: This one uses touch and hold. Keep your finger on the earbud and volume gradually goes up or down. You'll need to assign volume up to one earbud and volume down to the other if you want both.

Noise control: You can cycle through Noise Canceling, Ambient Sound, and Off. Super useful if you need to quickly let sound in.

Voice assistant: Works with Google Assistant, Alexa, or Siri depending on your phone and preferences.

Speak-to-Chat: Instantly pauses music and turns on ambient sound for a quick conversation.

The Default Setup

Out of the box, Sony configures them like this:

Left earbud: Tap toggles noise control modes. Hold triggers Speak-to-Chat.

Right earbud: Tap plays/pauses. Double tap skips forward. Triple tap goes back. Hold activates your voice assistant.

This is actually a pretty solid setup for most people.

My Favorite Customization

I like putting volume control on the hold gestures:

• Left hold = volume down
• Right hold = volume up

That frees up the taps for playback and noise control. Being able to adjust volume without pulling out my phone is really convenient.

Some Tips

Dominant hand gets the important stuff. If you're right-handed, put your most-used controls on the right. You'll naturally reach for that side.

Keep quick access to ANC/Ambient. The ability to instantly switch noise modes is one of the best features. Don't bury it under triple-taps.

You can disable touch completely. In the app, there's an option to turn off touch controls. Handy when you're cleaning the earbuds or if you keep accidentally triggering gestures.

Fair Warning

Touch controls on earbuds are not perfect. Sometimes you'll accidentally tap when adjusting fit. Sometimes a double tap registers as two single taps. It's just the nature of touch-sensitive surfaces in your ears. You get used to it.