Sony WF-1000XM5 review: finally arrived?

Besides WH-1000XM5 there is also the Sony WF-1000XM5, with which the manufacturer covers its in-ear range. I tested these for you.

tl; dr: The just mentionedprochenen WH-1000XM5 are located in the high-end range at Sony and with the WF-1000XM5 you can clearly see that this is no different here. The sound quality is excellent and the ANC is outstanding. In addition, the design is more compact and the in-ears are therefore significantly more comfortable than the predecessor are. There are also handy features like Find Your Equalizer and adaptive noise canceling. Technologically, the headphones are also state-of-the-art.

However, I do have a few things that I would like to improve. The wearing comfort could still be a little better, and I still find various competitor models more comfortable than this one. I am not entirely satisfied with the materials chosen. The workmanship fits, but I don't like the look that much. I would also like a more flexible adjustment of the touch surfaces, a revision of the now somewhat outdated Headphones Connect app, a better transparency mode and a double-sided USB-C cable in the scope of delivery.

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Unboxing and initial setup

The Sony WF-1000XM5 come in a small cardboard box. This is wrapped in paper on which you can see everything important about the product, including pictures and logos. After removing the seal and lifting the lid, you will find the in-ears resting on top in their case. Underneath, Sony has packed a small charging cable with USB-C, various attachments and various notes. There are three different adapters in total and one pair is already installed. The predecessor had one pair less, so that's a good thing. As I mentioned at the beginning, I would have liked a double-sided USB-C cable, as many power supplies nowadays only have this connection. In addition, the cable is again very short, which I don't like.

The packaging content is similar to its predecessor. (Picture: TechnikNews)

The setup can be completed in three different ways, with one possibility being the guided setup in the Sony Headphones Connect app. To do this, you put the plugs in your ear and start the couplingprozess in the app. My headphones and smartphone found each other pretty quickly, I just had to confirm the connection with a tap. In the next step, you can optionally enter a name for the device and then go to the adaptive noise suppression settings.

Adaptive noise cancellation works based on what you're doing (lying down, walking, or similar) and adjusts ANC and transparency mode accordingly. You can also specify locations where a defined mode should definitely be active and the headphones can also automatically learn preferences for noise cancellation. Among other things, it is possible for the adaptive ANC to turn up the noise suppression when going for a walk at night if you did it manually a few times before, while the transparency mode continues to run by default during the day.

The last step is the configuration of "360 Reality Audio", i.e. the feature for spatial sound. For this you scan your ears and only have to open a compatible app like Tidal so that it is optimized for the function.

Alternatively, the WF-1000XM5 support Google Fast Pair with Android smartphones or the well-known manual setup.

Design, workmanship and comfort

At first glance, it is clear that these are in-ears from the manufacturer Sony. The appearance is similar to that of its predecessor, the WF-1000XM4, and has been further developed in several ways. The product is available in beige and black.

The plug body is smaller, lighter and more unobtrusive compared to the previous model. I was never able to use the predecessor for a long time due to its bulky shape, but this is completely different. Even after a few hours I had no pain in my ear. There is still room for improvement, even if not much. Furthermore, it immediately stands out that the microphone no longer protrudes from the housing on the sides.

The choice of materials doesn't really appeal to me this year. The WF-1000XM5 are still made of plastic, but this time Sony gave them a piano finish. My biggest concern is that you'll quickly get scratches with it. In other tests, it is also claimed that it is no longer so easy to get them out of the case, which I cannot subscribe to. The trick here is to push the in-ears out to the side and not pull them out. So it's all a matter of getting used to it. The workmanship is decent and there is also an IPX4 certification.

There are other innovations in the essays. All are made from a mix of memory foam and silicone. I'm not sure if the adapters on the WF-1000XM4 were made out of this material, but it certainly felt new to me. The material is very soft and comfortable in the ear. Unfortunately, the in-ears often slipped out during use and had to be readjusted.

When it comes to the case, I hardly have anything to complain about. It's smaller and rounder than the last generation and can be charged wirelessly or via USB-C. My only criticism is that grease marks are very easily visible.

The case also shrank a little. (Picture: TechnikNews)

The touch-sensitive areas on the sides are largely unspectacular and work largely the same as with other in-ear headphones. However, I didn't know two things: "Quick Access", with which Spotify or Endel with just one tap and the ability to temporarily switch on the transparency mode by pressing and holding.

Specs and battery life

The drivers in the housing are 8,4 millimeters in size and support a frequency range from 20 Hertz to 20.000 Hertz (up to 40.000 Hertz via LDAC).

Bluetooth 5.3 and the codecs SBC, AAC, LDAC and LC3 are on board for the connection. Also, the WF-1000XM5 have a feature called DSEE Extreme. This promises to increase the audio quality of compressed files and signals with the help of AI and should therefore also be able to slightly minimize losses in Bluetooth transmission. In everyday life, however, you hardly notice it.

The battery life is rather average with a total of 24 hours. In addition, the runtime in everyday use doesn't quite live up to the promise, it usually ended after about 21 hours. In other words, I didn't go a week without plugging in my usual use of earbuds. They are charged within 1,5 hours with the USB-C cable.

Motion sensors are also integrated, allowing answering calls by nodding your head if desired. Calls can be rejected by shaking the head if this function is switched on.

sound quality

The sound of the Sony WF-1000XM5 is outstanding, but it still fails in the last meters to the absolute 1st place. He is very distinctive and strong. Bass is plentiful, which is perfect for house, EDM and similar genres. For songs like anti hero by Taylor Swift, it doesn't bother me personally, but I can imagine that some people want to turn it down in the equalizer. The vocals weren't bad for me at first, but they were a little muffled. Adjusting the equalizer solved this problem. I just miss the last little details in various songs. If you want those, Sennheiser is a better choice in a similar price segment.

The ANC is just as satisfactory as the WF-1000XM4. Normal or constant noise is filtered out almost completely. Only things like hammering on a construction site come through, for example, but that's to be expected from the competition. The transparency mode is not as natural as with the AirPods Pro 2, because a noise is constantly audible. Conversations are muffled above it. The adaptive noise cancellation works accurately in most cases, but I still prefer the manual setting.

Smartphone connection

As has been mentioned several times now, the Sony Headphones Connect app plays a major role in using the WF-1000XM5. It can be found free of charge in the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. If you already own or have had Sony audio products, you will be familiar with it, as it has hardly changed at all in recent years.

It's still not the prettiest app as it relies on an outdated look of Android apps and thus looks out of place on iOS. The app is divided into three tabs, with the main tab being divided into four sub-areas. The structure is very simple and the features are easy to understand.

Some more thoughts:

• The control surfaces on the sides of the in-ears cannot be configured as flexibly as I would like. You can only assign a fixed range of functions at a time, but you cannot define each gesture separately.
• There are several factory presets in the equalizer and you can also create them yourself. However, this is not as understandable as with Sennheiser, which means that you have to know exactly what the individual controls do.
• Find Your Equalizer is great for that. Here you can find the perfect setting for the sound in several steps using a specially selected song, which is particularly suitable for amateurs.
• The app sends you a notification when the battery is running low. And not only when the charge is at 10 percent (looking at you, Apple!).

Sony WF-1000XM5 Pricing and Availability

The Sony WF-1000XM5 costs 319 euros (RRP). They are available from Sony itself and from Amazon.

• Buy from Sony
• Order via Amazon