TLDR Review: Sony WH-1000XM5 Headphones
Pros
- •Sound quality is superb, delivering smooth, detailed midrange and authentic vocals that particularly enhance worship, classical, syntop, and rock genres.
- •Bass is tighter and more detailed compared to previous Sony models, enriching the overall listening experience.
- •Noise cancellation is excellent for background sounds like airplane noise and general ambient noise, outperforming many competitors.
- •The large, soft ear cups and lightweight design provide very comfortable lonerm wear with minimal pressure on the skull.
- •Battery life is impressive, offering up to 24 hours of continuous playback with noise cancelling on, and up to 32 hours with it off.
- •The headphones have a premium build with durable materials and detachable cables, plus they come with a handy carrying case.
- •Ambient sound mode works well under ideal conditions, allowing for situational awareness without removing the headphones.
- •Bluetooth connectivity is strong and supports quick pairing with devices, including multevice simultaneous connection.
- •Customizable sound features via the companion app enhance user control over audio profiles and noise cancelling behavior.
Cons
- •Noise cancelling can be inconsistent, especially with adaptive noise cancelling modes that cannot be fully disabled, leading to some unwanted sound leakage.
- •Touch controls are notoriously unreliable and overly sensitive, causing phantom touches, unwanted commands, and random beeps particularly in moist conditions.
- •The thin headband, while stylish and lightweight, can cause discomfort or irritation during extended use for some users.
- •Moisture tends to accumulate inside the right ear cup, worsening both touch control issues and ambient sound glitches.
- •Design durability concerns arise from fragile hinge mechanisms that are prone to breaking after relatively light use.
- •US charging while simultaneously playing high-quality audio produces a loud hissing noise, which is a frustrating firmware or hardware quirk.
- •Sensors meant to autause playback when removing the headphones often fail, causing unexpected interruptions or playback failures.
- •Command and notification sounds are intrusive, with double blips and unclear signals that detract from the listening experience.
- •The headphones do not fold, which increases durability but reduces portability compared to many competitors.
- •Some users encounter severe feedback/reverb issues when pairing with certain TVs, notably Samsung models, making the headphones unusable in that context.
Bottom Line
The Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones excel in delivering top-tier sound quality, premium comfort, and effective noise cancellation that make them a strong contender at the high end of wireless ANC headphones. However, if you are sensitive to touch control quirks, durability concerns, or require perfect adaptive noise cancelling, you might find these limitations frustrating. For those prioritizing flawless noise cancelling and robust reliability, considering the Bose QuietComfort 45 for better noise isolation or the Sennheiser Momentum 4 for improved control stability could be worthwhile alternatives. Otherwise, the WH-1000XM5 remains an excellent choice for most users looking for rich audio and solid ANC performance with extended battery life.
How we researched this
About this review: We pulled together findings from professional reviews and hundreds of user reviews, and cross-referenced them with ShopSavvy's pricing data from 64 retailers to give you the short version.
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