Sony WH-1000XM5 key points at a glance, according to the Japanese company:
- Industry-leading noise canceling with eight microphones and Auto NC Optimizer
- Exceptional sound quality and industry-leading call quality that can be tailored to your world
- Super comfortable wearing and all-day listening with a new design and up to 30 hours battery life
A successor to the highly praised WH-1000XM4, the XM5 bring an updated, more minimalist and stylish design, and as is to be expected – improvements over the already well-regarded XM4s. Most notably…
“The best noise canceling just got better”
Indeed, Sony’s XM5s are claimed to bring an even better noise canceling experience, thanks to them having dual processors controlling eight microphones. Those help “dramatically reduce noise especially in the mid-high frequency range”.Also worth noting is something Sony calls an automatic noise canceling (NC) optimizer, which tunes the NC based on the user’s environment.
Whether you’re trying to zone into your work in a busy cafe or aiming to relax during a hectic morning commute, the WH-1000XM5 create an immersive listening environment. With the help of the Integrated Processor V1, the WH-1000XM5 unlockthe full potential of Sony’s HD Noise Canceling Processor QN1, while thespecially designed 30mm driver unit enhances noise canceling. These features improve sound clarity and bass reproduction, creating incomparable noise cancellation that allows you to totally switch off theworld around you.
Other Sony WH-1000XM5 features
- High-Resolution Audio support for both wired and wireless playback
- DSEE Extreme, a feature that upscales lower-quality digital music
- Voice Pickup technology and AI-based noise reduction for better voice isolation during calls
- Google Assistant and Alexa compatible, including voice wakes
- Fast Pair for quick pairing with Android, Swift Pair for easy Windows 10 and 11 pairing
- Up to 30 hours of battery life
Let’s get into detail about that battery life. Sony claims the WH-1000XM5 can reach an impressive 30 hours of battery life, and charging the headphones for just 3 minutes can deliver up to 3 hours of extra playback.In our Sony WH-1000XM4 review, which are these headphones’ predecessors, also rated for 30 hours of playback on a single charge, we were able to confirm that they do last a long time. So we can expect that the XM5 will also deliver on the promise of long, reliable battery life.
Sony WH-1000XM5 official price, release date, colors
We now have the official release date for the Sony WH-1000XM5, and that would be May 20, 2022. Unfortunately the price for the XM5s has jumped from the previous model, from $350 to $399.99 (or €420 if you’re in Europe).
In terms of color options, the Sony WH-1000XM5 will come in two colors:
So, there we have them – Sony’s newly-announced over-ear headphones, that are very likely to join our list of the best high-end Bluetooth wireless headphones later this month.
Stay tuned for our WH-1000XM5 review in the coming weeks, and let us know in the comments what you think about these!
