Sony WF-1000XM5 Wireless Noise Cancelling Earphones
The Sony WF-1000XM5 Silver closes you off from your surroundings. These earbuds have active noise canceling. This means that the noise canceling reduces most of the ambient noise, so you're not bothered by your colleagues talking as much. You can turn the noise canceling on or off with a tap on the left earbud or adjust it in the Sony Headphones app. In the app, you can adjust the equalizer too. This allows you to adjust the bass to your liking, for example. Your music will sound more powerful as a result. You can enjoy your favorite music for along time. The earbuds have an 8-hour battery life, and the charging case has a 16-hour battery life. That way, you can listen to your music an podcasts for a long time. Thanks to the foam-rubber ear tips, you can enjoy a high-quality carrying comfort.
The Sony WF-1000XM5 Silver closes you off from your surroundings. These earbuds have active noise canceling. This means that the noise canceling reduces most of the ambient noise, so you're not bothered by your colleagues talking as much. You can turn the noise canceling on or off with a tap on the left earbud or adjust it in the Sony Headphones app. In the app, you can adjust the equalizer too. This allows you to adjust the bass to your liking, for example. Your music will sound more powerful as a result. You can enjoy your favorite music for along time. The earbuds have an 8-hour battery life, and the charging case has a 16-hour battery life. That way, you can listen to your music an podcasts for a long time. Thanks to the foam-rubber ear tips, you can enjoy a high-quality carrying comfort.
The Sony WF-1000XM5 Silver closes you off from your surroundings. These earbuds have active noise canceling. This means that the noise canceling reduces most of the ambient noise, so you're not bothered by your colleagues talking as much. You can turn the noise canceling on or off with a tap on the left earbud or adjust it in the Sony Headphones app. In the app, you can adjust the equalizer too. This allows you to adjust the bass to your liking, for example. Your music will sound more powerful as a result. You can enjoy your favorite music for along time. The earbuds have an 8-hour battery life, and the charging case has a 16-hour battery life. That way, you can listen to your music an podcasts for a long time. Thanks to the foam-rubber ear tips, you can enjoy a high-quality carrying comfort.
The Sony WF-1000XM5 Silver closes you off from your surroundings. These earbuds have active noise canceling. This means that the noise canceling reduces most of the ambient noise, so you're not bothered by your colleagues talking as much. You can turn the noise canceling on or off with a tap on the left earbud or adjust it in the Sony Headphones app. In the app, you can adjust the equalizer too. This allows you to adjust the bass to your liking, for example. Your music will sound more powerful as a result. You can enjoy your favorite music for along time. The earbuds have an 8-hour battery life, and the charging case has a 16-hour battery life. That way, you can listen to your music an podcasts for a long time. Thanks to the foam-rubber ear tips, you can enjoy a high-quality carrying comfort.
in 4 offers
The lowest price for Sony WF-1000XM5 Wireless Noise Cancelling Earphones right now is $247.95 at Buy Mobile Australia, compared across 4 retailers.
The all-time low was $225.00 on 23 Feb 2026 — today's price is 10% above the lowest ever. That's a little above the best price we've seen.
Prices last updated 26 June 2026.
Last updated at 26/06/2026 15:44:58
Sony - WF-1000XM5 True Wireless Earbuds Silver/Audio and HiFi/Silver
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Sony WF-1000XM5 Wireless Noise Cancelling Earphones, Silver
Delivery between 3–10 July $14.95
Sony WF-1000XM5 Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones Silver
Free delivery
Sony WF-1000XM5 Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones Silver
Free delivery
originally posted on bestbuy.com
While there are a couple of things keeping me from giving the Sony WF-1000XM5 a 5-star review, if you're after sound quality in wireless, noise cancelling earbuds, I don't believe you can do better. The WF-1000XM5s rich, immersive, and full-bodied. While sound quality is certainly subjective, I found them significantly more pleasant to listen to music on than Apple's second generation AirPod Pros.Voice call quality in on par with the best wireless earbuds out there, and noise cancelling is also among the best I've used.Battery life is about 8 hours, and extends to about 24 hours with the charging case.Featurewise, Sony has packed all kinds of extra functionality into its companion app, Sony Headphones Connect, for Android and iOS, such as Adaptive Sound ... MoreWhile there are a couple of things keeping me from giving the Sony WF-1000XM5 a 5-star review, if you're after sound quality in wireless, noise cancelling earbuds, I don't believe you can do better. The WF-1000XM5s rich, immersive, and full-bodied. While sound quality is certainly subjective, I found them significantly more pleasant to listen to music on than Apple's second generation AirPod Pros.Voice call quality in on par with the best wireless earbuds out there, and noise cancelling is also among the best I've used.Battery life is about 8 hours, and extends to about 24 hours with the charging case.Featurewise, Sony has packed all kinds of extra functionality into its companion app, Sony Headphones Connect, for Android and iOS, such as Adaptive Sound Control and Spatial Audio, but this is where they fall behind a little bit the Samsung or Apple counterparts have integrated these things into the Operating System of their phones, whereas the Sony as to do it in a companion app. While I'm sure Sony has done the same integration with their phones, how many people own Sony cellphones? Not many, I'm sure given their market share. While pairing AirPods to an iPhone, or Galaxy Buds2 Pro to a Samsung phone, these features are baked right in to the OS of the respective phones to exist natively, the Sonys require an external app that you must register, then grant numerous permissions to in order to enable these features, which at times I found their setup up somewhat tedious, and their functionality a bit erratic at times. This gives Samsung and Apple a bit of an ecosystem advantage over Sony. They are also both available at a lower price point than the Sonys.The bottom line is that If budget is not a concern and all you’re after is a great pair of noise-canceling earbuds that sound amazingly rich, immersive, and full-bodied with great call quality and top of the line noise cancelling, the Sony 1000XM5s certainly won’t leave you wanting.
originally posted on jbhifi.com.au
I have had these earbuds for 3 weeks now, the size and design of these earbuds is excellent, packaging is world class. Sound quality is very well balanced with little emphasis on heavy bass. These buds do have better overall sound quality as the new drivers give better separation of sound across the frequency range and there is definitely more detail across all genres of music. There is a definite loss of the sub bass that the WF 1000XM4's had, using the app to change the EQ settings helps to increase the sub bass emphasis. Setting them up via the Sony app allows for better customisation for sound, noise cancelling, and the adaptive sound control allows for full control with the AI learning as you wear them in different listening scenarios.Seamless switching ... MoreI have had these earbuds for 3 weeks now, the size and design of these earbuds is excellent, packaging is world class. Sound quality is very well balanced with little emphasis on heavy bass. These buds do have better overall sound quality as the new drivers give better separation of sound across the frequency range and there is definitely more detail across all genres of music. There is a definite loss of the sub bass that the WF 1000XM4's had, using the app to change the EQ settings helps to increase the sub bass emphasis. Setting them up via the Sony app allows for better customisation for sound, noise cancelling, and the adaptive sound control allows for full control with the AI learning as you wear them in different listening scenarios.Seamless switching between 2 devices while maintaining connection to both devices. I have found that I need to adjust them periodically to stay in the ear canal and this can be a little frustrating as there is a tendency for outside noise to creep in. This may not be a problem for other people as each ear canal is different. As good as the noise cancelling is it cannot cope with this slight movement out of the ear canal letting in some outside noise.The tips are much better than the XM4 tips and give a better seal. Case form factor is better than the XM4, the magnet strength could be stronger as the buds can drop out of the case if dropped. Comfort is helped by the smaller form factor of the buds and allow for very long wearing sessions. LDAC, DSEE and noise cancelling do take a toll on battery life, I have received a little over 6.5 hours use before requiring a recharge. Overall, these are a top tier pair of TWS earbuds with excellent noise cancelling, high quality sound performance and are a good value purchase with all the new electronics added. Call quality is something that is unimportant to me as I never use it for phone calls and purchased these for the audio quality. As a pure upgrade they have proven to be a great choice and I can very highly recommend them to anyone thinking of purchasing these over the XM4 buds.
originally posted on sony.co.uk
These Sony IN-Ear headphones come supplied in a very lightweight and smart looking case. They are supplied with a selection of quality earbud tips in various sizes ensuring you can obtain the best possible fit for your ear size and shape. I was impressed with the quality of the design and the finish on these in ear headphones.I found these in ear headphone to be extremely comfortable when wearing fitting snug in my ear without any pain and they really did feel secure and that it would take a lot for them to fall out (which they didn’t).These headphones connected instantly and without issue to several of my devices and I downloaded the app (link provided with the headphones) to enable me to fine tune my listening experiences through these headphones. This includes ... MoreThese Sony IN-Ear headphones come supplied in a very lightweight and smart looking case. They are supplied with a selection of quality earbud tips in various sizes ensuring you can obtain the best possible fit for your ear size and shape. I was impressed with the quality of the design and the finish on these in ear headphones.I found these in ear headphone to be extremely comfortable when wearing fitting snug in my ear without any pain and they really did feel secure and that it would take a lot for them to fall out (which they didn’t).These headphones connected instantly and without issue to several of my devices and I downloaded the app (link provided with the headphones) to enable me to fine tune my listening experiences through these headphones. This includes adjustments to the ambient noise levels and also the 360 Reality Auto settings. You can also get the app to survey your ears and adapt for a better individual experience.I was able to take these headphones away on holiday with me where I was able to see how good they are in a number of different situations. These included on a flight, around a busy hotel pool and walking through busy streets.I found that the noise cancelling properties were superb allowing the sound of either the music or the audiobooks to come through very clearly, without distraction.I was able to make and receive calls whilst using these headphones quickly and easily and again the quality of the call was really good.I found that functionality of these headphones was excellent and intuitive, pausing play, skipping tracks, taking calls etc.My experience is that the sounds through these headphones was clear and of really good quality, although for me personally I prefer a slightly deeper bass sound in my music that I could find / adjust to through the app. I am still looking within the app to try and make this fine tune adjustment.This would be my only negative find (but as stated this is a personal preference) on these otherwise excellent in ear headphones and I would recommend these quality headphones.
Sony - WF-1000XM5 True Wireless Earbuds Silver/Audio and HiFi/Silver
Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a small commission for purchases made through this link at no extra cost to you. This helps support our site. Thank you!
Sony WF-1000XM5 Wireless Noise Cancelling Earphones, Silver
Delivery between 3–10 July $14.95
Sony WF-1000XM5 Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones Silver
Free delivery
Sony WF-1000XM5 Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones Silver
Free delivery
While there are a couple of things keeping me from giving the Sony WF-1000XM5 a 5-star review, if you're after sound quality in wireless, noise cancelling earbuds, I don't believe you can do better. The WF-1000XM5s rich, immersive, and full-bodied. While sound quality is certainly subjective, I found them significantly more pleasant to listen to music on than Apple's second generation AirPod Pros.Voice call quality in on par with the best wireless earbuds out there, and noise cancelling is also among the best I've used.Battery life is about 8 hours, and extends to about 24 hours with the charging case.Featurewise, Sony has packed all kinds of extra functionality into its companion app, Sony Headphones Connect, for Android and iOS, such as Adaptive Sound ... MoreWhile there are a couple of things keeping me from giving the Sony WF-1000XM5 a 5-star review, if you're after sound quality in wireless, noise cancelling earbuds, I don't believe you can do better. The WF-1000XM5s rich, immersive, and full-bodied. While sound quality is certainly subjective, I found them significantly more pleasant to listen to music on than Apple's second generation AirPod Pros.Voice call quality in on par with the best wireless earbuds out there, and noise cancelling is also among the best I've used.Battery life is about 8 hours, and extends to about 24 hours with the charging case.Featurewise, Sony has packed all kinds of extra functionality into its companion app, Sony Headphones Connect, for Android and iOS, such as Adaptive Sound Control and Spatial Audio, but this is where they fall behind a little bit the Samsung or Apple counterparts have integrated these things into the Operating System of their phones, whereas the Sony as to do it in a companion app. While I'm sure Sony has done the same integration with their phones, how many people own Sony cellphones? Not many, I'm sure given their market share. While pairing AirPods to an iPhone, or Galaxy Buds2 Pro to a Samsung phone, these features are baked right in to the OS of the respective phones to exist natively, the Sonys require an external app that you must register, then grant numerous permissions to in order to enable these features, which at times I found their setup up somewhat tedious, and their functionality a bit erratic at times. This gives Samsung and Apple a bit of an ecosystem advantage over Sony. They are also both available at a lower price point than the Sonys.The bottom line is that If budget is not a concern and all you’re after is a great pair of noise-canceling earbuds that sound amazingly rich, immersive, and full-bodied with great call quality and top of the line noise cancelling, the Sony 1000XM5s certainly won’t leave you wanting.
I have had these earbuds for 3 weeks now, the size and design of these earbuds is excellent, packaging is world class. Sound quality is very well balanced with little emphasis on heavy bass. These buds do have better overall sound quality as the new drivers give better separation of sound across the frequency range and there is definitely more detail across all genres of music. There is a definite loss of the sub bass that the WF 1000XM4's had, using the app to change the EQ settings helps to increase the sub bass emphasis. Setting them up via the Sony app allows for better customisation for sound, noise cancelling, and the adaptive sound control allows for full control with the AI learning as you wear them in different listening scenarios.Seamless switching ... MoreI have had these earbuds for 3 weeks now, the size and design of these earbuds is excellent, packaging is world class. Sound quality is very well balanced with little emphasis on heavy bass. These buds do have better overall sound quality as the new drivers give better separation of sound across the frequency range and there is definitely more detail across all genres of music. There is a definite loss of the sub bass that the WF 1000XM4's had, using the app to change the EQ settings helps to increase the sub bass emphasis. Setting them up via the Sony app allows for better customisation for sound, noise cancelling, and the adaptive sound control allows for full control with the AI learning as you wear them in different listening scenarios.Seamless switching between 2 devices while maintaining connection to both devices. I have found that I need to adjust them periodically to stay in the ear canal and this can be a little frustrating as there is a tendency for outside noise to creep in. This may not be a problem for other people as each ear canal is different. As good as the noise cancelling is it cannot cope with this slight movement out of the ear canal letting in some outside noise.The tips are much better than the XM4 tips and give a better seal. Case form factor is better than the XM4, the magnet strength could be stronger as the buds can drop out of the case if dropped. Comfort is helped by the smaller form factor of the buds and allow for very long wearing sessions. LDAC, DSEE and noise cancelling do take a toll on battery life, I have received a little over 6.5 hours use before requiring a recharge. Overall, these are a top tier pair of TWS earbuds with excellent noise cancelling, high quality sound performance and are a good value purchase with all the new electronics added. Call quality is something that is unimportant to me as I never use it for phone calls and purchased these for the audio quality. As a pure upgrade they have proven to be a great choice and I can very highly recommend them to anyone thinking of purchasing these over the XM4 buds.
These Sony IN-Ear headphones come supplied in a very lightweight and smart looking case. They are supplied with a selection of quality earbud tips in various sizes ensuring you can obtain the best possible fit for your ear size and shape. I was impressed with the quality of the design and the finish on these in ear headphones.I found these in ear headphone to be extremely comfortable when wearing fitting snug in my ear without any pain and they really did feel secure and that it would take a lot for them to fall out (which they didn’t).These headphones connected instantly and without issue to several of my devices and I downloaded the app (link provided with the headphones) to enable me to fine tune my listening experiences through these headphones. This includes ... MoreThese Sony IN-Ear headphones come supplied in a very lightweight and smart looking case. They are supplied with a selection of quality earbud tips in various sizes ensuring you can obtain the best possible fit for your ear size and shape. I was impressed with the quality of the design and the finish on these in ear headphones.I found these in ear headphone to be extremely comfortable when wearing fitting snug in my ear without any pain and they really did feel secure and that it would take a lot for them to fall out (which they didn’t).These headphones connected instantly and without issue to several of my devices and I downloaded the app (link provided with the headphones) to enable me to fine tune my listening experiences through these headphones. This includes adjustments to the ambient noise levels and also the 360 Reality Auto settings. You can also get the app to survey your ears and adapt for a better individual experience.I was able to take these headphones away on holiday with me where I was able to see how good they are in a number of different situations. These included on a flight, around a busy hotel pool and walking through busy streets.I found that the noise cancelling properties were superb allowing the sound of either the music or the audiobooks to come through very clearly, without distraction.I was able to make and receive calls whilst using these headphones quickly and easily and again the quality of the call was really good.I found that functionality of these headphones was excellent and intuitive, pausing play, skipping tracks, taking calls etc.My experience is that the sounds through these headphones was clear and of really good quality, although for me personally I prefer a slightly deeper bass sound in my music that I could find / adjust to through the app. I am still looking within the app to try and make this fine tune adjustment.This would be my only negative find (but as stated this is a personal preference) on these otherwise excellent in ear headphones and I would recommend these quality headphones.
Using a new pair of earbuds for the first time, out of the box, after years of using wired headphones is a revelation. I was expecting some discomfort and loose fit, but no. Not once did the ear buds come loose or cause discomfort, indeed after a while I forgot I was wearing ear buds at all. It is obvious how much thought has gone into the design and functionality of these buds that it is hard to find any faults at all. The design is sleek, functional and very compact, they do not look cumbersome in use and store in the compact case well. Sound quality is amazing, I am hearing elements of music I didn't know were there previously! Noise cancelling is excellent, cutting out the sound of running water with one touch of the earbud. Ambient mode is useful when moving ... MoreUsing a new pair of earbuds for the first time, out of the box, after years of using wired headphones is a revelation. I was expecting some discomfort and loose fit, but no. Not once did the ear buds come loose or cause discomfort, indeed after a while I forgot I was wearing ear buds at all. It is obvious how much thought has gone into the design and functionality of these buds that it is hard to find any faults at all. The design is sleek, functional and very compact, they do not look cumbersome in use and store in the compact case well. Sound quality is amazing, I am hearing elements of music I didn't know were there previously! Noise cancelling is excellent, cutting out the sound of running water with one touch of the earbud. Ambient mode is useful when moving around or outdoors to stay informed of what is happening around you. Using the app (iOS and Android) makes using the many features easy and along with the touch controls on the earbuds gives full control at any time. I would recommend downloading the full user manual to access the full range of features of the earbuds. Battery life is good at 5 hours between charging in the storage box which extends this to 24 hours, but a 3 minute charge in the storage box gives around an hour of use. Charging the storage box takes around 2 hours. Battery levels of the individual ear buds and box are shown in the app, very useful. Using the earbuds is very straightforward and simple, especially using the app. The ear buds feel solid and have a little weight to them so I'm sure they will survive regular use and abuse with no problem.In my mind these earbuds are surprisingly easy to use(even as a 70 yr old), considering the range of features, excellent value for money and I would definitely recommend them to others as a versatile, functional and satisfying product.
I have owned previous iterations of Sony's true wireless earbuds, and these are a definite improvement. Just aesthetically, they're better looking: smaller, and they don't protrude as much from your ear. Plus the case is smaller and now charges wirelessly. They use the same app to manage and control their performance. These are now touch sensitive, so no buttons to push. The touch controls can be annoying when you inadvertently turn the noise cancelling off when trying to adjust the fit, but that's an issue with nearly all touch-sensitive earbuds. I was initially disappointed with the sound. The highs and midrange were great - crisp and clear - but the low end performance was weak. I expect less from earbuds than over-the-ear headphones, but these were still a ... MoreI have owned previous iterations of Sony's true wireless earbuds, and these are a definite improvement. Just aesthetically, they're better looking: smaller, and they don't protrude as much from your ear. Plus the case is smaller and now charges wirelessly. They use the same app to manage and control their performance. These are now touch sensitive, so no buttons to push. The touch controls can be annoying when you inadvertently turn the noise cancelling off when trying to adjust the fit, but that's an issue with nearly all touch-sensitive earbuds. I was initially disappointed with the sound. The highs and midrange were great - crisp and clear - but the low end performance was weak. I expect less from earbuds than over-the-ear headphones, but these were still a letdown. None of the preset equalizer settings in the app did enough to boost the bass, but I was able to get good performance when I created my own settings with the low end turned way up and the "clear bass" maxed out. The noise cancelling performance is excellent. And as noted previously, it's easy to turn on and off with a tap of the left earbud. These fit me great out of the box, but there are three sets of tips to adjust the fit to your ear precisely. There are also some new updates to the app, including the ability to sense your location and automatically adjust settings depending on where you are, for example, turning off noise cancelling at work. However, you need to be signed into your Sony account to use that feature, and the app was very buggy about letting me sign in. Another thing the app can do is "find" your preferred equalizer settings by running through a series of choices where you pick what sounds better to you. Overall though, the app adds a lot to the performance of the buds, and once you get them tuned just right, the sound is really, really good.
I was expecting a little better with this product. Although I do find these earbuds are not quite as good as my Technics they do have their good points.The one area where I find my Technics perform a bit better is in the volume. The volume limitation with these buds is a fair bit lower than that of my Technics. One other area that needs improving for these buds is the connectivity. I am fully aware that BT (Bluetooth) signals can be interfered with by other devices, machinery and even badly earthed car engines but the Techics do have an advantage over the SonyXM5 in that they tend to pick up much less of that interference thus when listening to music I don't get that constant drop out that makes a track appear like a vinyl record that is jumping a lot. Just as a ... MoreI was expecting a little better with this product. Although I do find these earbuds are not quite as good as my Technics they do have their good points.The one area where I find my Technics perform a bit better is in the volume. The volume limitation with these buds is a fair bit lower than that of my Technics. One other area that needs improving for these buds is the connectivity. I am fully aware that BT (Bluetooth) signals can be interfered with by other devices, machinery and even badly earthed car engines but the Techics do have an advantage over the SonyXM5 in that they tend to pick up much less of that interference thus when listening to music I don't get that constant drop out that makes a track appear like a vinyl record that is jumping a lot. Just as a jumping vinyl record one is enjoying the music and the lyrics for it to skip some of that music and lyrics albeit not too badly. To make it even better there are sometimes even a sound like a vinyl scratching which for listening to older tracks of 60s, 70s or 80s gives the authentic effect like listening to an original 45rpm single that is being played with a blunt needle. So, the BT connection between the buds and the phone does need a bit of attention.However, going back to the good points I do find these earbuds far exceed the performance of my Techics in sound as the latest Sony software with the 360 effect does give the impression that one is emersed in the middle of the action. It's like being on a stage with the drummer and the instrumentalists being seated around oneself with the phone and buds working good enough together to pick up all the background instruments that one normally would not hear.When making calls these buds are good for eliminating background noises so the audio is crisp and clear so a conversation is as one would experience face to face. The option to block out noise from the wind also works well. The downside is that when one is using the buds for voice calls, with the noise elimination active, some people do complain about feedback and echoing on their phones. That maybe so but I don'y believe it is the buds that cause the feedback or echoing as I believe it is their phones that does it. They do have one thing in common and that is that they are still users of Samsung and Apple phones, which I have been telling them for years that their phones, even the latest models, are the cause of things such as bad reception, echoing, feedback and with Samsungs even making ghost calls (calling numbers in the contacts list randomly and without the user being aware). I find it's a common thing and when they use their samsungs / Apple phones with buds, headphones or using the phone's speaker the call quality is very poor through not only these buds but also through the phone itself when held to the ear. So, in call quality with these is good but sadly there are two brands of mobile phones that simply don't work well when in calls with their competitor's phones. Additionally, this is also an issue when I use my Technic buds so it certainly isn't the buds to blame for poor call quality.For comfort, these earbuds are comfortable to wear but one must make sure that one tries all the tips that are provided to find the most comfotable and best fitting ones. I made the error of using those with the size that are factory fitted and one did fall out of my ear, which prompted me to do what I should have done immediately I started using these.With the buds being black they look good, maybe not as good as my silver Technics but I do prefer the black over silver.When comparing the two sets of earbuds, these Sony ones and my Technics, I do find that these Sony ones do just have the edge and they are both around the same price. However, I did expect these to perform much better with my Sony phones so the development team do need to tweak these a bit to get them working with their own products much better than they do. My Sony phones are high end so should these buds have better BT connectivity that prevents much of the interference in the communication between devices then they will obviously appear to perform even better with competitor's phones if they have the Sony audio software installed.I have used these buds around the home, when walking, running, travelling and recently on a windy beach and they have been consistent in their performance each time.Considering the pros and cons with these and even comparing them with my Technics I can recommend these Sony buds as like I have already stated... they "do have the edge" but I would like to have a bit more volume. These are a good quality product that charge easily and for the upper end of the market they are good value but one thing I would really like to see is a LED display on the charging case, rather than the one LED light, so I can see the percentage of charge that is available. If low budget buds that cost a tenner can have a LED display showing the percentage of charge that the case currently has then surely it can't be much to put the same on high end ones.
These earbuds helped preserve my sanity. I understand that statement may come across as hyperbole, so let me explain...The day that these headphones came in the mail, I had a family member experience a significant medical event that necessitated me spending multiple nights in their hospital room with them as they recovered. The active noise cancelling (ANC) from these earbuds helped drown out the "hospital" noise at night and enabled me to get some good, quality sleep during a stressful time.You're probably not reading this review because you're about to spend multiple nights in a hospital room, but you probably are here because you're interested in some great ANC. And this is not just great ANC, it's fantastic.I'm not sure what exactly is happening, but when ... MoreThese earbuds helped preserve my sanity. I understand that statement may come across as hyperbole, so let me explain...The day that these headphones came in the mail, I had a family member experience a significant medical event that necessitated me spending multiple nights in their hospital room with them as they recovered. The active noise cancelling (ANC) from these earbuds helped drown out the "hospital" noise at night and enabled me to get some good, quality sleep during a stressful time.You're probably not reading this review because you're about to spend multiple nights in a hospital room, but you probably are here because you're interested in some great ANC. And this is not just great ANC, it's fantastic.I'm not sure what exactly is happening, but when you put these earbuds in, there's a slight calibration to your ears. I hear it as a faint hum in the background for a few seconds, and then all background noise is gone. It happens automatically, and it is incredible. I'm excited to try these on an airplane for the first time because I'm pretty sure they will even block out that sound.Another great ANC feature is the ability of the earbuds to determine what you're doing and adjusting the levels based on that activity. There are settings for "staying," "walking," "running," and "riding in a vehicle." You can also program the headphones through the app to switch to the various modes based on your location. I have one setting for when I'm at my desk at work and another when I'm having lunch in a local park, for example.To get past the ANC, the audio quality is top notch as well. It's super rare to find some in-ear headphones that have quality bass and that's present here. There are also highly adjustable EQ settings in the app.Battery life has been amazing too. I mentioned earlier that I was able to have these in throughout the night while with my relative, and even with those lengthy sessions, I was able to go multiple days without needing to recharge.If you're looking for a set of headphones that sound great, last a long time, and have top-notch active noice cancelling, I doubt you can do better than these.
Minimalist design came for our headphones many years ago, eschewing the large hoops and earmuffs that would sit on or around our heads for tiny, in-ear headphones with an iconic white cord. It was even more recent than that where the cord became obsolete, and today it seems a tiny device that sits comfortably within our ear is all we need to show. With dozens of brands offering wireless earbuds that run the price gamut, it’s difficult to stand out in a saturated market.Sony’s latest earbuds, the WF1000XM5s, are the latest iteration of Sony’s highest-end wireless earbud offerings, claiming to offer big sound, long battery life, and a sophisticated noise canceling system that other brands can’t touch. As someone who detested earbuds for the longest time due to their ... MoreMinimalist design came for our headphones many years ago, eschewing the large hoops and earmuffs that would sit on or around our heads for tiny, in-ear headphones with an iconic white cord. It was even more recent than that where the cord became obsolete, and today it seems a tiny device that sits comfortably within our ear is all we need to show. With dozens of brands offering wireless earbuds that run the price gamut, it’s difficult to stand out in a saturated market.Sony’s latest earbuds, the WF1000XM5s, are the latest iteration of Sony’s highest-end wireless earbud offerings, claiming to offer big sound, long battery life, and a sophisticated noise canceling system that other brands can’t touch. As someone who detested earbuds for the longest time due to their historically low quality sound and lack of comfort, I thought I would quickly pass these aside. Now, they’re the only headphones I’ll take with me when I’m traveling.A disclaimer: headphones are a tough item to review when comfort and sound are the two major factors that influence the buying decision. Though things like frequency response can be measured, sensations of comfort and sound are extremely subjective. My impressions will be different from someone else’s, and as such I would recommend finding an avenue where you can sample these prior to purchase - as difficult as that may be.- Unboxing & SetupShipping in refreshingly minimalist, fully recyclable packaging that ensures little waste, Sony includes everything you need with the WF1000XM5s to quickly get started. The packaging directs you to an online manual or the Sony Headphones Connect app, both of which provide instructions for pairing the headphones for the first time along with fitment guides for the included range of in-ear tips. Setup took me about ten minutes as pairing without the app is less intuitive than I’d hoped, and I had the headphones initially inverted which made registering button presses difficult, but after correcting these and learning basic controls I was off and running.- Comfort & ControlsThe WF1000XM5s surprised me greatly with how comfortable they are. I almost universally detest earbuds, but the combination of light weight (just 5 grams per earpiece), contoured design, and a properly fitting eartip let me enjoy using these. Wearing these for a few hours, I felt minimal discomfort and virtually no fatigue on my ears. The fit and weight balance is solid enough that I could aggressively move or shake my head without the earbuds shifting or feeling like they were going to fall out of my ears. Very impressive stuff.The headphones’ controls take some getting used to. Each earpiece incorporates a single capacitive touch button that is a little higher up than you will naturally reach to trigger them, and each performs a half dozen unique functions based on how many times you tap it (up to 5 taps per ear) or hold your finger against it. Unfortunately the most common option you would use on a headset - volume adjustment - is threetaps away, while single taps enable/disable noise canceling or start/stop playback. Expect quite the learning curve here and accidental triggering of functions you don’t want.- Sound Quality & Noise CancelingIn a word? Fantastic. The WF1000XM5s are incredibly clear, crisp, and can get loud without any noticeable distortion. Frequency response is tuned towards bass, but mids and highs are clear and don’t get drowned out.. What shocks me the most is just how deep the bass sounds, which is usually a troublesome area for earbuds just from how small they are and how little room there is for drivers. Interestingly, there’s both “punch” and “boom” to the bass, where nearly every set of headphones I’ve used previously has one or the other. Clearly this is where most of the cost of the WF1000XM5 comes from - these are excellently engineered drivers.The highlight of these headphones is the active noise canceling, which works way better than it has any right to for the size of these earbuds. When enabled, I found the noise canceling was on par with over-ear and on-ear headphones I’ve used with such functionality, even despite a lower quality pair of microphones than the other headsets. What surprised me the most is just how little the noise canceling distorts the audio you’re listening to - on or off, the audio comes through crystal clear with no noticeable change in frequency response.The high quality sound from the drivers (and crucially, good fitment in the ear canal) goes a long way here, but the onboard processors within the headset have been expertly programmed and tuned. Sony’s software engineers deserve heaps of praise here.- Microphone & Call SidetoneThe reason I’m pleasantly surprised with the quality of the noise canceling is in part due to how mediocre the microphones within the headset sound. Obviously there isn’t much that can be done with such a small form factor that puts the microphone as far away from the mouth as possible, but I was expecting the onboard processors to compensate more. Voice quality is just passable - very tinny and light, but usable in a quieter environment. At the very least, the sidetone (slight echo back into your ear) has no latency and isn’t overbearing.- Range & Battery LifeHaving put the headphones in and nearly forgetting about them during my initial testing, I managed to walk nearly 50 feet and two storeys away from the headset charging case and my phone before I realized the connection was still crystal clear and didn’t skip a beat. Your mileage may vary depending how much interference is in the way, but you should have no issue maintaining a solid connection in the same room at all times.Sony advertises 8 hours runtime on a single charge of the earbuds, with another 16 hours available from the charging case. I was unable to find or properly test these claims prior to review, but at even half their rated runtime these would still be decent figures. The charging case accepts USB-C and takes less than half an hour to refill from most charging sources.- Bottom LineThough I still generally dislike earbuds, Sony’s WF1000XM5’s are the exception I’ll make - they are, in fact, That Good. The sound quality and comfort are top notch, which help offset their frustrating controls. The noise canceling is similarly excellent, arguably some of the best I’ve used, and thus I can’t find any significant fault against these worthy of dropping a rating. Recommended!
...and so it is with Sony's WF-1000XMF earbuds which, despite their diminutive size, are BIG on sound-quality and dramatically diminish extraneous and distracting background noises.It is worth mentioning that these come packaged in an environmentally-responsible and well-designed cardboard case. This opens to reveal the charging case - much smaller and more ergonomic than previous versions and easy to slip into a jeans pocket. They come with a USB-C charging cable, instructions, and 4 sets of differently-sized earbud tips. These tips are critical to achieve the best fit and noise-cancelling properties, so do take the time to experiment and ensure you have the right size.For noise cancelling I have traditionally used a pair of over-ear headphones, but these buds ... More...and so it is with Sony's WF-1000XMF earbuds which, despite their diminutive size, are BIG on sound-quality and dramatically diminish extraneous and distracting background noises.It is worth mentioning that these come packaged in an environmentally-responsible and well-designed cardboard case. This opens to reveal the charging case - much smaller and more ergonomic than previous versions and easy to slip into a jeans pocket. They come with a USB-C charging cable, instructions, and 4 sets of differently-sized earbud tips. These tips are critical to achieve the best fit and noise-cancelling properties, so do take the time to experiment and ensure you have the right size.For noise cancelling I have traditionally used a pair of over-ear headphones, but these buds are just as good and also have the advantage of being small, light and easily-transportable. They can connect via Bluetooth to two devices concurrently and, using Sony's Headphone App, you can easily adjust the sound to suit your taste and see at a glance how much battery-life you have (both in the buds and it's charging case).Smaller and better-designed than my old Sony WF-SP800n earbuds, these are far less likely to fall out of your ears when exercising, gardening or washing the car! They're capable of spacial audio (360 Reality Audio) if you are an audiophile - but just streaming music from the usual sources provides impressive sound reproduction across a wide frequency-range.On iMessage and WhatsApp, call quality was clear, both for me and my callers. You can also set-up these earbuds so that when you're listening to a playlist, this will pause automatically when you begin talking to someone - a really useful feature.For all of these reasons I am delighted with these WF-1000XM5 earbuds and would highly recommend them.
The new Sony WF-1000XM5 earbuds arrived nicely packaged, small and very distinctive, with gold grilles on the earbuds and gold Sony label on the black matt small USB-C / wireless charging case. From the start, it looks a real quality product and connected immediately without any input, to my mobile phone. The box contains a USB-C/A charging cable and four sizes of earbud tips, including super small. The earbuds were really comfortable and connected to my mobile without any issues, so I started to listen to my music straight away, but to get the best out of them I downloaded the Sony Headphones Connect App and signed into my Sony account to gain access to Headphones Connect. The App controls are very self-explanatory and can set to detects actions and locations to ... MoreThe new Sony WF-1000XM5 earbuds arrived nicely packaged, small and very distinctive, with gold grilles on the earbuds and gold Sony label on the black matt small USB-C / wireless charging case. From the start, it looks a real quality product and connected immediately without any input, to my mobile phone. The box contains a USB-C/A charging cable and four sizes of earbud tips, including super small. The earbuds were really comfortable and connected to my mobile without any issues, so I started to listen to my music straight away, but to get the best out of them I downloaded the Sony Headphones Connect App and signed into my Sony account to gain access to Headphones Connect. The App controls are very self-explanatory and can set to detects actions and locations to automatically adjust the ambient sound and is needed to conduct firmware updates and gain control of all the available functions. Noise cancellation is a blessing and I found the sound to be really immersive enjoying music from my mobile phone much more than I expected. The ease of automatic chat to speak when joined by others worked flawlessly, automatically returning to music when we had finished chatting. The battery lasted eight hours listening to music when I was busy all day at work on my laptop and because they are so comfortable, I hardly knew they were there. I tried the three minute charge and they provided a further 60 minutes of music. Listening to music whilst working was a welcome distraction allowing me to ignore office noises, but tapping the left earbud once helped me to hear others when needed. Making and receiving calls and messages was very straight forward, tapping the right earbud and then using Google assistant. Wearing these earbuds, I never missed an alert or call. Yes, it is quite expensive but I feel that you get what you pay for, and this product, being so comfortable all day and providing a quality sound, works for me.
