Sony WH-1000XM5 Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones

About The Sony WH-1000XM5 Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones

With two processors controlling eight microphones, Auto NC Optimizer for automatically optimising noise cancelling based on your wearing conditions and environment, and a specially designed driver unit, WH-1000XM5 headphones with industry-leading noise cancelling rewrite the rules for distraction-free listening and call clarity.

From airplane noise to people's voices, Sony's WH-1000XM5 wireless headphones with multiple microphone noise cancelling keep out more high and mid frequency sounds than ever. And with Auto NC Optimizer, noise cancelling is automatically optimised based on your wearing conditions and environment.

Industry-Leading Noise Cancellation: With four microphones on each earcup, this is Sony's biggest ever step forward in noise cancelling. Ambient sound is captured even more accurately for a dramatic reduction in high frequency noise. Thanks to Auto NC Optimizer, noise cancelling performance is always and automatically optimised based on wearing conditions and external environmental factors such as atmospheric pressure.

Specially developed by Sony, the Integrated Processor V1 unlocks the full potential of the HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN1. This unique combination of technology controls eight microphones to deliver unprecedented noise cancelling quality.

Specially Designed 30mm Driver Unit: The specially designed 30mm driver unit with a light and rigid dome using carbon fibre composite materials improves high frequency sensitivity for a more natural sound. Sony's unique technologies include a premium lead-free solder containing gold for excellent conductivity, fine sound resistors for even power distribution, and optimised circuitry for an improved signal-to-noise ratio to ensure clear, consistent sound.

Enjoy High-Resolution Audio With & Without Wires: The WH-1000XM5 supports High-Resolution Audio and High-Resolution Audio Wireless, thanks to LDAC, Sony's industry-adopted audio coding technology. LDAC transmits approximately three times more data than conventional Bluetooth® audio for exceptional High-Resolution Audio quality.

Real-Time Restoration Of All Your Compressed Files: Using Edge-AI (Artificial Intelligence), DSEE Extreme™ upscales compressed digital music files in real time. Dynamically recognising instrumentation, musical genres and individual elements of each song, it restores high range sound lost in compression.

Industry-Leading Call Quality: Sony's Precise Voice Pickup Technology uses four beamforming microphones and an AI-based noise reduction algorithm to isolate your voice precisely. A newly developed wind noise reduction structure minimises wind noise during calls. Wherever you are, you'll always hear and be heard clearly.

With Precise Voice Pickup Technology and advanced audio signal processing, the person on the other end of the call will hear your voice clearly, even when you are in noisy situations. Sony's noise reduction algorithm was developed with AI machine learning using more than 500 million voice samples to suppress ambient noise and extract your voice clearly in a wide range of environments.

All Day Comfort With A Noiseless Design: These lightweight headphones are beautifully finished in newly developed "Soft fit leather". This material fits snugly around the head with less pressure on the ears while keeping out external sounds. The noiseless design with a step less slider, seamless swivel and hanger makes WH-1000XM5 a pleasure to wear.

Adaptive Sound Control Automatically Adjusts To Whatever You Do: Adaptive Sound Control is a smart function that senses where you are and what you're doing, then adjusts ambient sound settings for the ideal listening experience. When activated, it learns your behaviour and recognises locations that you frequently visit, such as your workplace or a favourite café, and tailors sound to suit the situation.

For Everyday Convenience, Just Speak-To-Chat: As soon as you start a conversation, Speak-to-Chat automatically stops your music and lets in ambient sound – handy if you want to keep your headphones on or talk hands-free. This smart feature uses microphones built into your headphones and advanced audio signal processing to recognise and react to your voice. Once your chat is over, your music starts playing again automatically.

Instant Pause - Instant Play: Just take the headphones off and the music stops – a capacitive sensor knows when you are wearing them. It also helps improve detection accuracy and design. Put the headphones back on and the music starts again.

Quick Access To Your Favourite Music: With Quick Access, you can configure these headphones to resume Spotify music playback with two or three taps – no need to touch your smartphone.

Control With Your Voice: Get hands-free help – Just say "Hey Google" or "Alexa" to activate your preferred voice assistant. Listen to music, connect with friends, get notifications, set reminders, and more. You can even control your headphones features like noise cancellation with your voice, listen to and interact with emails in Microsoft Outlook, and join Microsoft Teams meetings using Google Assistant or Siri.

Listen Safely With Sony | Headphones Connect App: Check how safely you're listening to music by comparing sound pressure data recorded by your headphones with guidance of the World Health Organisation (WHO). Receive OS notifications when listening levels are too high.

Multipoint Connection: For total convenience, these Bluetooth® headphones can be paired with two Bluetooth devices at the same time. So when a call comes in, your headphones know which device is ringing and connects to the right one automatically. You'll also be able to quickly switch your headphones to either of the two devices at the touch of a button.

Find Your Headphones With Fast Pair: The WH-1000XM5 supports Google's helpful new Fast Pair feature. It lets you easily locate where you left your headphones by tone sound, or checking their last known location in Google's Find My Device app on your smartphone.

Easy Pairing With Your Computer: Swift Pair makes it quick and easy to pair your headphones with your Windows 11 or Windows 10 laptop, desktop PC or tablet. Pop-up pairing guidance appears on nearby Windows 11 or Windows 10 devices when pairing mode is selected.

All Day Power & Quick Charging: With a huge 30 hours of battery life you'll have enough power even for long trips. If you need to top up in a hurry, you can get 3 hours' worth of charge after just 3 minutes with an optional USB-PD compatible AC adapter.

Everything's At Your Fingertips:  The WH-1000XM5 headphones feature intuitive touch control settings – for example, push the button on the left side to switch from Noise Cancelling to Ambient Sound or use the touch panel on the right side to play or pause music, skip tracks, change volume and much more.

Collapsible Case, Saves Space: Carry your headphones effortlessly in the soft matching case. Take them out and collapsible the case for easy storage in a bag.

In The Box: Open up the packaging of your WH-1000XM5 headphones and you'll find a carrying case, headphone cable (approx. 1.2m) and a USB charging cable.

Better For The Environment: There's no plastic in the WH-1000XM5 packaging, which is designed based on low toxicity design principles and a 'Made to be Remade' philosophy that's more socially responsible. The product box is produced using recycled and sustainable materials developed specially for Sony. WH-1000XM5 also uses recycled plastic materials from automobile parts.

So Immersive - So Real: Immerse yourself in sound all around you. As real as if you are there at a live concert or with the artist recording in a studio. With 360 Reality Audio, music has never been so immersive and so real. These headphones let you enjoy 360 Reality Audio.

360 Spatial Sound Personalizer: With the Sony | 360 Spatial Sound Personalizer app, you'll enjoy a sound experience that's optimised for you. The app captures and analyses your ear shape, allowing these headphones to create your own personal spatial sound field when using the optional Sony WLA-NS7 wireless transmitter to connect to Sony BRAVIA XR TVs.

Dolby Atmos Experience: With a separately available Sony WLA-NS7 wireless transmitter connected to a BRAVIA XR TV your headphones create the ideal arrangement of phantom speakers all around you so you can enjoy a Dolby Atmos experience. Be immersed in the scene and feel right at the heart of the action.

About Sony

In 1946, Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo K.K. (Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering Corporation, The predecessor of Sony Group Corporation) started as a small company with capital of just 190,000 yen and approximately 20 employees. Founder Masaru Ibuka said the purpose of setting up the company was to establish an ideal factory that stresses a spirit of freedom and open mindedness that will, through technology, contribute to Japanese culture. Symbolizing Sony's spirit of challenge to do what has never been done before, the company has continued to release countless "Japan's first" and "world's first" products.

Sony has released many ground-breaking and significant products throughout its history which include Japan's first transistor radio in 1955 followed 2 years later by the first pocket sized portable transistor radio. The Cassette Walkman in 1979, the world's first direct-view portable transistor TV in 1960, followed by the first Trinitron TV in 1968. The first Beta VCR in 1975, Japan's first audio reel-to-reel tape recorder in 1950 and Sony's first cassette tape recorder in 1966. World's first compact disc player in 1982, the first Super Audio CD (SACD) player in 1999. First stereo headphones in 1964, the first in-ear headphones in 1982 and the world's first digital noise cancelling headphones in 2008. Sony's original PlayStation launched in Japan in 1994 and the latest PlayStation 5 was released worldwide in late 2020.

This very short list merely scratches the surface of what Sony has achieved over the last 75 years. This multi-national corporation continues to innovate and produce cutting edge products in almost every audio visual category for you to enjoy in your home.

A headphone you'll always want to take with you, the WH-1000XM5 finds Sony fine-tuning its flagship wireless active noise cancelling design to great effect. A new-look, lightweight chassis features comfortable, cushioned earcups that keep unwanted sounds out without applying too much pressure. Inside, 30mm drivers have been designed with noise-cancelling in mind and deliver a refined sound with remarkable detail in the mid and higher ranges – codec-wise you can choose from LDAC, AAC and SBC. Four microphones ensure crisp voice calls, with another quartet deployed for recognition and reduction of external noise, so this headphone triumphs in the busiest of environments. Sony's smartphone app leverages a wide range of functions, turning the WH-1000XM5 into the ultimate daily workhorse.

Sony WH-1000XM5 Review

"So you have read how the WH-1000XM5 deal with noise and voice calls, but can you rely on the headphones to make the most of your music collection? Most definitely. They possess all the elements that have made the previous generations class-leaders at the money, including that effortlessly musical sound. But this latest generation manages to deliver even greater clarity and a more open presentation. It's actually quite a jump.

With low frequencies, the WH-1000XM5 also display a newfound precision. It's not that the previous model didn't deliver, but the WH-1000XM5 make even the XM4s sound a little thick in the lower mids and bass. The new headphones expose greater detail and can differentiate between notes more easily. Move higher up the frequency range and these Sonys continue to extract more information thanks to an extra sense of clarity. Notes are also dispatched with unerring precision – the XM5 headphones don't miss a beat when it comes to timing.

It can be tricky for a manufacturer to push the sound performance of a product consistently from generation to generation; but that is what Sony has managed to do with the WH-1000XM5 wireless headphones. Not only that, it has been achieved while executing a major redesign.

… the jump in sound quality from the previous generation is a big one, and rivals could once again have their work cut out. If you are looking for a new pair of wireless noise-cancelling headphones, your auditioning should start here." What Hi-Fi?

Our Take On The Sony WH-1000XM5

A new release in Sony's "XM" noise-cancelling headphone series is always a huge deal. But the WH-1000XM5 wireless over-ear headphones mark the company's first major makeover to the much-beloved line. They sport a sleek, industrial design that's completely new, while still maintaining, and in some cases enhancing, much of what we loved about the super-popular WH-1000XM4 headphones. So along with the new cosmetic design, Sony's added a second processor chip and extra mics, and they've redesigned the drivers. Taken together, these upgrades give you better sound, phone call clarity, and noise-cancelling performance. We think these are some of the best wireless over-ears on the market and a serious bargain compared to other high performance options out there. For the sound, the noise cancelling, the comfort and all the convenience features, we say, just buy 'em.

Main Features & Specifications

• Design: Wireless Over-Ear Noise Cancelling Bluetooth Headphones
• Closed-Back, Over-The-Ear Headphones with active noise cancellation
• Flexible Headband with large, breathable earcups
  • Generous Cushioning on headband and earpads
  • Headband does not fold up
• Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity for wireless music listening and phone calls with compatible smartphone
  • LDAC, SBC, and AAC decoding provides high-quality music streaming from compatible devices
  • NFC-Compatible for one-touch pairing with compatible devices
  • Multipoint Connection for pairing to two devices at once

Sound Features

• Dynamic 30mm Drivers with carbon-fibre composite diaphragm domes
  • Tuned for clear, consistent sound across a wide frequency range
• DSEE Extreme™ (Digital Sound Enhancement Engine) processing restores high-frequency signals to compressed digital formats
  • Uses artificial intelligence to dynamically recognize song elements and restore in real time

Auto NC Optimizer

• Dual-Chip System includes the QN1 HD Noise Cancelling Processor and V1 Integrated Processor
  • Strengthens noise cancellation for human voices and other higher-frequency sounds
• Active Noise Cancellation circuitry adjusts to the level of external sound
  • Four Microphones in each earcup to capture ambient noise
  • QN1 Chip senses and adjusts to music and noise signals up to 700 times per second
• Free Sony Headphones Connect app for Apple® and Android™ lets you adjust settings
  • Customize the sound and choose level of ambient sound
  • 20 steps of ambient sound control for allowing external sounds in
  • Personalized Sony 360 reality audio experience with select music services (firmware update required)
• Adaptive Sound Control uses movement sensors to adapt noise cancellation
  • Detects whether you're running, walking, standing still, or riding in a car (app required)
• Barometric pressure sensor optimizes noise-cancelling and sound to your altitude when in flight

Controls

• Summon Alexa or Google Assistant by voice (on your smartphone)
  • Ask questions, dictate texts, and control music by voice
  • Available for Apple® and Android™
  • Only one voice assistant can be set up at a time
  • Requires one-time setup through the Headphones Connect app
• Earcup touch controls let you answer calls, play/pause music, skip tracks, and control volume
• Ambient Awareness Features
  • "Quick Attention" turns off noise-cancelling and engages ambient when you cover the right earcup with your hand
  • "Speak-to-chat" detects when you're speaking and automatically cuts off music and lets in external sounds
• Built-In Microphone system for making calls with a smartphone
  • Four-Mic system filters out background noise for clearer calls
• Music automatically pauses when headphones are removed

General

• Built-In rechargeable battery offers up to 30 hours of wireless use with noise cancellation (40 hours without)
  • 3 minutes of recharging provides enough power for 3 hours of listening
• Included Accessories: USB-C cable for charging, 1.2m Audio Cable with 3.5mm plug for wired use, Carrying Case
• Frequency Response
  • 4-40,000 Hz (wired)
  • 20-40,000 Hz (wireless, LDAC mode)
  • 20-20,000 Hz (wireless, non-LDAC)
• Available Finishes: Black & Silver
• Weight: 250 grams
• Manufacturer's Warranty: 1 Year

Note: Features & Specifications Subject To Change Without Notice. E&OE