Headphones · 2022 · Sony
The WH-1000XM5 is Sony’s over-ear wireless noise-cancelling headphone released in 2022: two processors (QN1 and V1) manage eight microphones, it uses 30 mm drivers and supports LDAC. It runs 30 hours with noise cancelling on, gives 3 hours of playback from a 3-minute charge and weighs 250 g. Owners praise comfort, noise cancelling and battery life; the non-folding design, an over-sensitive Speak-to-Chat feature and the price are frequent criticisms. On Sony communities some owners report that the left hinge or the headband joint broke and was treated as out of warranty.
WH-1000XM5; colours vary by region: black, silver, midnight blue, pink and platinum. The later WH-1000XM6 is a separate product.
| Specification | Value |
|---|---|
| Driver | 30 mm dynamic driver, closed back, neodymium magnet |
| Frequency response | Bluetooth: 20 Hz–20 kHz (44.1 kHz), 20 Hz–40 kHz with LDAC (96 kHz/990 kbps); wired: 4 Hz–40 kHz |
| Bluetooth and codecs | Bluetooth 5.2; SBC, AAC, LDAC; A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP; multipoint (two devices) |
| Noise cancelling | Active noise cancelling; Integrated Processor V1 and HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN1; 8 microphones in total (4 noise-sensing per earcup) |
| Call microphones | 4 beamforming microphones; AI-based noise reduction, wind noise reduction |
| Battery | 30 hours of music with noise cancelling on, 40 hours off; 24/32 hours of calls |
| Charging | Full charge in about 3.5 hours via USB; about 3 hours of playback from 3 minutes with a USB-PD adapter |
| Controls and sensors | Touch panel on the right earcup; NC/Ambient button on the left; wear sensor; Speak-to-Chat |
| Spatial audio | DSEE Extreme upscaling; 360 Reality Audio support |
| Impedance and sensitivity | 48 Ω when on, 16 Ω when off; 102/100 dB/mW |
| Weight and in the box | About 250 g; soft collapsible carrying case, 1.2 m L-shaped cable (3.5 mm), USB charging cable |
| App | Sony Sound Connect: equaliser, shortcut settings, listening history, Safe Listening |
Sony presents the WH-1000XM5 as a headphone offering industry-leading noise cancelling, clear calls and all-day comfort with its two processors and eight microphones. Sony Thailand
On Best Buy’s black WH-1000XM5 page, 17 of the 20 visible reviews are 5 stars and two are 4 stars. Owners praise the noise cancelling, light weight for long wear and battery life; one says they finished a Houston-to-Orlando road trip on one charge. Repeated negatives: the headphones do not fold, so the case is bulky (three reviews), Speak-to-Chat triggers on coughs or sniffs (two reviews), and price (four reviews). Single criticisms: pressure on top of the head in long sessions, loose clamp force, over-sensitive touch controls, a buggy app at launch and LDAC switching off in dual-device mode.
Best Buy: Sony WH-1000XM5 wireless noise-canceling over-the-ear headphones (black) customer reviewsOn Sony Community, an owner writes that after one year of normal use the left swivel hinge fell apart while taking the headphones off; Sony treated the repair as user damage and quoted a fee. The community team says physical damage is not covered but that an inspection decides whether it is a defect.
Sony Community: Sony WH1000-XM5 hinge flawIn a separate thread, an owner in Poland writes that after about six months the headband snapped at its fastening, that Sony Poland treated it as physical damage outside the warranty and asked a high fee for a new headband. The user points to a UK review describing a break in the same place. This is a different part from the hinge failure.
Sony Community: WH-1000XM5 broken headband