Sony WH-1000XM5 Black

With the Sony WH-1000XM5, Sony is releasing its new flagship headphones. This model has a new premium design and strongly dampens ambient noise through noise canceling. However, the new design also has drawbacks.

New design When unpacking, I immediately notice the new design of the headphones. Thanks to its construction and the materials used, this model looks a lot more premium than its predecessors. I like the design, but it also has drawbacks. This way I don't fold the headphones compactly, so that they don't fit in my bag as easily and I don't put them in my jacket pocket.

Great noise canceling When Sony releases a new pair of headphones in the XM line, I always wonder whether the previous model can be surpassed. The previous XM headphones were all king of what they did; muffle ambient noise. That is no different with the XM5, so that it simply knocks its predecessor off the throne. On the train, at the office, in the supermarket. I put on music, switch on noise canceling and I am completely in my own zone.

Typical Sony sound With the Sony WH-1000XM5, the low tones are very prominent, just like with the previous XM models. This sound is perfect for me. The bass is powerful and deep, allowing kicks in dance music to come through. Music with more of a focus on the mid and high tones, such as pop and rock, gets me just as excited. Instruments and vocals sound crystal clear and are detailed.

Nice smart functions The XM5 has a few smart functions, such as wear detection and speak-to-chat. The wearer detects my music automatically when I take off the headphones. The sensor for wear detection is in the right ear cup and always works. Thanks to the speak-to-chat function, I automatically switch from music to a conversation. When I start talking, the music pauses and ambient noise is amplified.

This was an upgrade from the WH-1000XM3 to the XM5. I have always been very satisfied with the XM3, which is still doing well after 3 years, but is now being used by someone else. The XM5 is even more luxurious than the XM3. The controls work flawlessly. The headphones have sensors that register when you take off your headphones. It's a pricey thing, but if you want rock-solid material, then these are the headphones you want.

The Sony WH-1000XM5 is the successor to the WH-1000XM4. After using the XM4 for about two years, now switched to the XM5. After using these headphones for a few weeks, my assessment is mixed. Because I have used its predecessor intensively, I can also compare these two models well. In my opinion, the XM5 is both an advancement and a regression for Sony that shouldn't have been.

To start with the positives of the XM5; The sound quality of the XM5 is better than that of its predecessor. As I am used to from Sony, the low tones come out well in the sound. The bass is very powerful, but also easy to adjust if you don't like it. The middle and high tones come into their own better than with its predecessor. In addition, just like with the XM4, a lot can be set in the app. Although the effect of all the "sliders" seems to me a bit bigger than with its predecessor. The Active Noise Canceling is also an improvement over its predecessor. Especially when you also play music. Without music, especially the dampening of low tones is a bit disappointing. Certainly male voices sometimes want to be audible. Other smaller advantages of the XM5 are the Bluetooth pairing speed (which is smoother and faster than its predecessor) and the adjustable physical button. For example, you can program the button for setting the ANC to launch Spotify twice quickly.

Then the negatives of the XM5; The main flaw is really the design. The XM5 has changed considerably compared to its predecessor, and not in a positive sense. An often mentioned drawback is the fact that the headphones are no longer foldable. Personally, I find that surmountable, but you can no longer easily put the XM5 in your jacket pocket, for example. A more important drawback of the new design is the new mechanism for adjusting the ear cups. This feels very cheap. The new mechanism is stepless (without clicks), but therefore does not stay "set" properly. In addition, the cushions of the XM5 are also a lot thinner and actually fall into the plastic housing of the ear cup. In practice, this means when your head rests against something (cushion, sofa, etc.) that the plastic housing presses against your head, which quickly starts to irritate. The main flaw of the new design is that the headphones creak. The movable parts creak quite quickly when you move your head, which is disturbingly audible. This is really annoying, especially in combination with wearing glasses. I never experienced this problem with its predecessor. A final flaw is the sensitivity of the touch controls on the ear cup. Where its predecessor sometimes did not respond well or slowly, I personally find the XM5 too sensitive. A small tap against the shell (for example because you want to place the headphones properly on your head) immediately gives a response.

A final conclusion; In terms of sound and ANC, the XM5 is certainly an improvement over its predecessor. Unfortunately, Sony has really taken a step back in terms of construction and wearing comfort. The question is whether the progress in sound quality outweighs the decline in construction and wearing comfort. Personally, I don't think the improvements afterwards are enough to choose the XM5, especially considering that the XM4 is a worthy opponent (high-quality headphones) that are also currently available and a lot cheaper.

As far as I'm concerned, the XM6 will be a combination of the design of the XM4 and the sound quality of the XM5. Can't wait to see what Sony will do...