New over-ear headphones: Sony launches the WH-1000XM5
13.5.2022
Translation: machine translated
Sony has completely redesigned its best over-ear headphones with Active Noise Cancelling. The innovations in the WH-1000XM5 sound promising. Unfortunately, the new model is no longer foldable.
Sony releases a new top model in over-ear headphones. The WH-1000XM5 is the successor of the extremely popular WH-1000XM4. However, it does not replace it - the XM4 remains available. The XM3, which is also still available, will henceforth no longer be produced.
New outside ...
Externally, the XM5 presents itself in a new guise. You can see at first glance that it is a new headphone. This was not the case with the XM4. It is currently offered in black and light gray - Sony calls the light gray variant "Silver". It is quite possible that other color variants will be added, just like with the XM4.
The new design looks seamless and more elegant than the predecessor, but the headphones can no longer be folded for transport. Instead, the case can now be folded to save space - only when it is empty, of course.
... inside as well
Sony says that this time, more has happened on the inside than with the last model update. The noise cancelling, which was already excellent in the XM4, is said to have been significantly improved once again, especially in the low frequencies. Sony also claims to have improved the previously not so excellent sound quality during calls. And music is also supposed to sound better.
Sony has upgraded the hardware to achieve this. There are now four instead of two microphones in each ear cup. Ambient noise is supposed to be detected more precisely to reduce high-frequency noise better. According to the manufacturer, the automatic noise-cancelling optimization always adjusts automatically to the fit and environmental factors such as air pressure.
There are two processors in the headphones: the QN1 noise-cancelling processor and the V1, which Sony says fully exploits the potential of the QN1.
The driver is also new. It measures only 30 mm instead of 40 mm as in the XM4. Nevertheless, it is supposed to sound better, not only in the trebles, but also in the bass.
The battery life has remained about the same: It is 30 hours with noise cancelling and 40 hours without. However, the following is new: With a USB PD power supply, 3 minutes of charging is enough to run an empty pair of headphones for 3 hours. Even without a PD power supply, the headphones charge within 10 minutes for 5 hours of operation.
The WH-1000XM5 features Bluetooth 5.2 and can connect to two devices simultaneously. The Bluetooth codec aptX is still not supported. Sony fully relies on the in-house LDAC. Besides that, the headphones support the codecs AAC and of course SBC.
I will test the new headphones in the near future and also have the opportunity to compare them directly with the XM4.
David Lee
Senior Editor
David.Lee@digitecgalaxus.chMy interest in IT and writing landed me in tech journalism early on (2000). I want to know how we can use technology without being used. Outside of the office, I’m a keen musician who makes up for lacking talent with excessive enthusiasm.