Sony WH-1000XM5 The Best Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones, Made Of Soft Fit Synthetic Leather, Integrated Processor V1, With 4 Beamforming Microphones, Up To 30-Hour Battery Life, Black

Comfortable and great-sounding
I recently bought this XM5 as a perceived upgrade from my old XM3 bluetooth cans. I had held off this purchase, thinking that by now Sony would’ve released the XM6 by now. But no, Sony decided to continue making and selling the XM5. Tired of any further waiting for something that might not happen anytime soon, I finally caved and bought the XM5 when Amazon put the price back under $300 for the October 2024 Amazon Days.
The first thing I noted was how CHEAP the packaging and the accompanying accessories were for this XM5. No stout carrying/storage case this time around. The headphone’s boxed packaging might appear to be about Sony trying to be environmentally conscious and being “green”, but I suspect that Sony was more about SAVING some green by cheapening up their packaging costs. Even at a discount price, the rudimentary unboxing process made me feel a bit cheated.
However after charging up the XM5, I have to admit that in the end it’s really only about the user experience with the headphones. And I must confess that it’s pretty great, a definite step forward from the XM3 from two generations before. The XM5 is definitely more comfortable for me than the XM3, which itself wasn’t all that bad to begin with. I still loathe the swipe controls on the right earpad, but at least I god used to them during my years of using the XM3.
I have six plus decade old ears, so a LOT of the sonic range is now denied to my brain as my ears certainly don’t perform like they used to. But I still can hear enough to say that acoustically the XM5 is a noticeable step forward from the old XM3. While initially the XM5 sound seemed a little colder and a bit on the sharp side, the soundstage imaging is better and more appealing to me, and detail recreation seems marginally improved over the older headphones. So far well-recorded live performances sound a bit more spatially realistic than what was possible with the XM3, and as the burn-in hours add up (roughly about 120 hours of burn-in so far), I suspect that these nuances with further blend, warm up and smooth out.
I don’t generally use over-ear wireless headphones for phone calls, so I can’t really comment about this feature set of the XM5 when I used it with my cellphone. It does seem to work okay, and persons on the other end seem to regularly claim that they can hear me well enough.
All in all I’m pleased with the XM5 so far. It sounds nicer than the retiring XM3 I had been using, and it fits my large noggin decently well. I do think that the headband is, if anything, a bit on the loose side. But that does seem to aid in making the XM5 wear as comfortably as it does for me. The XM3 was a difficult set to wear to sleep; any slight turn of my head at night often resulted in neck pain the next morning. I’ve not had this problem at all with the XM5. So far it’s been a 5-star experience, and I’m looking forward to continuing to use these for the next few years.

Venho avaliar o produto, depois de um certo tempo de uso, comprei o mesmo, para estudos, ouvir musicas diariamente e principalmente pelo cancelamento de ruídos. Moro em um local onde as pessoas tem cachorros e usam eles, para alarme, campainha, para cuidar da vida dos vizinhos, resumindo eles latem 24 horas por dia, e como só consigo me concentrar em extremo silencio, ou escutando sons branco, o Fone SALVOU A MINHA VIDA ACADÊMICA e minha saúde mental kkk.
Quando a musica, está ligada, não consigo escutar nada ao meu redor, (estando dentro ou fora de casa) quando a musica esta desligada ouve-se o Som bem ao longe.
O fone é lindo, é extremamente leve, confortável, as vezes passo 10 horas seguidas com ele e as vezes esqueço que estou de fone, ele tem muitos recursos para personalizar o Fone conforme suas necessidades diárias.
Quanto potência do Som, eu achei excelente, para as minhas necessidades, existe um modo de personalizar o equalizador conforme o gosto e cada um.
O vendedor é muito atencioso, responde as perguntas rapidamente, o produto chegou uns dias antes do prazo.
Tive outros 2 fones de uma marca famosa (J..) e não chega aos pés deste fone. Quem está desesperado precisando de “silencio” para trabalhar, estudar ou ao menos ficar em casa sem ser atormentados pelos vizinhos kkk ou cachorros dos vizinhos, comprem, não irão se arrepender.

Ready for the best in class noise cancelling headphones with incredible sound profiles completely customizable? I owned them all. AirPods Max, Sony XM3, XM4, Bose 700. The all new Sony XM5’s is the new king of NC headphones.
✔ Much Better Microphone (vs. XM4) – Tested with Zoom/Microsoft Teams business calls and family/personal calls. Performs much better than XM4 previous generation
✔ Long Term Comfort – I can wear them for long periods of time (several hours) without any discomfort while wearing my glasses. XM4’s felt warm/hot after long term use, XM5’s have more breathability.
✔ Touch Controls – Works flawlessly between swipes and tap. Feels like an upgrade with better sensitivity compared to previous generation.
✔Bluetooth & Connectivity – I take them off, music pauses, I put them back on, music resumes. I walk anywhere in my home while leaving my phone on my desk. Clear sound, no distortion whatsoever, signal transmission remains in-tact and stable at any given moment. I have them connected to my iPhone and MacBook Pro, I’m able to swap between both devices quickly.
✔Hard Case & Wire – The case is good quality, headphones fit perfectly with slot for USB C charging cable and audio aux cable, both included no extra charge.
✔Sony app is full of features. Can customize audio profiles or use presets. The presets are excellent for any genres of music and I often swap depending on my mood. Updates are done through the app. NC and transparency mode can be controlled in the app or by using a button on the headphones. Adaptive sound is nice, it auto detects my environment and changes from NC and transparency. It works in my favor, no complaints. Auto power off is an option, or manually turn them off using the button on the headphones.
I purchased 2 pairs of the new Sony XM5’s – one for my wife and one for myself. We absolutely love using the latest and greater wireless noise cancelling headphones – I can easily say that both Sony and Apple make the best out there. Because I own all the latest NC headphones, I created a comparison below between the 2 best: Sony XM5’ and how they compare with Apple’s Air Pods Max.
Sound Quality: Winner Tied
I tested the XM5’s using Tidal and Apple Music using both wired and wireless. I found the music quality on the XM5’s sound better on specific genres such as Jazz, Bossa Nova, Hip-Hop (90’s), Classical Rock, Symphony, and R&B.
The APM are ahead when it comes to EDM like House, Drum & Bass, along with Pop and other computerized music.
Both headphones are close for most genres, however the biggest difference I noticed between the two was Jazz like genres, with the XM5’s being leagues ahead.
This is a tie because it depends on the genre you prefer.
Audio Enhancements: Winner Air Pods Max
The XM5’s offer 360 Audio Reality which is only accessible to less popular streaming music apps like Tidal, while the APM offer Dolby Atmos and Spatial Audio. The audio library for the sound enhancement is also smaller for Sony with limited selections.
Comfort: Winner Sony XM5
The XM5 can remain on your head for long periods of time (several hours) without any discomfort given its lightweight feel. When walking around the house, or outdoors, the XM5’s remains on your head without moving.
The APM on the other hand are heavier and begin causing some discomfort after 1-2 hours. When stationary, they’re fine, but when walking around and tilting your head, they begin to slip off.
Features: Winner Sony XM5
Sony offers an headphones app accessible from the App Store or Google Play Store which allows you to heavily customize your XM5’s, from building a sound profile, selecting audio pre-sets, adjusting noise cancelling, transparency modes and a great deal more.
The APM on the other hand, do not have an app of any kind, besides the ability to select audio pre-sets from the music app you subscribe to.
Transparency Mode: Winner Air Pods Max
The transparency mode on the APM is unlike anything else; I can have full conversations that sound natural. The XM5’s on the other hand are an upgrade from the XM4’s, but it doesn’t sound as natural as the APM.
Microphone: Winner Air Pods Max
The microphone on the APM is excellent; I’ve hosted hundreds of hours of business meetings and personal phone calls; the microphone is crystal clear and professional.
The XM5’s on the other hand is an upgrade from the XM4’s and noticeable a lot better, but the APM are noticeably better. I tested the XM5’s for calls and was satisfied with the results.
Noise Cancelling: Winner Sony XM5
When wearing the APM for a long period of time, my ears feel like they’re going to explode. When I first purchased the APM on the release date, I could use the noise cancelling option for hours however, after over a year, I can no longer handle noise cancellation beyond 15 minutes it gives me severe ear pain and I must switch to transparency mode or take them off and break.
The XM5’s on the other hand, do not cause me any pain, regardless of if I’m listening for 30 minutes or 2 hours. During testing, I listened to music for a long period of time and watched a YouTube for an hour.
I feel that prolonged listening to the APM using the noise cancelling feature caused my ears to become highly sensitive after using them for over a year, with a feeling of severe cabin pressure. This is also worse if using the Bose QC35’s, with pressure being too intense.
I can wear the XM5’s for long periods of time; they manage to block loud televisions and screaming babies. The biggest takeaway is being able to keep them on for several hours without discomfort or pain.
Build Quality: Winner Air Pods Max
The APM are built to look and feel luxurious. From the band, metal, and aluminum components, they feel like the Lamborghini of headphones. The XM5’s on the other hand are made out of sophisticated plastic. Also, the APM has magnetic interchangeable ear cushions that can be purchased separately, while the XM5’s do not.
Accessories & Costs: Winner Sony XM5
Sony offers a real carrying case that protects the headphones and its accessories from damage/drops. Apple has a bra-like case that doesn’t protect the headphones at all, forcing the user to purchase a third-party case online. Also, Sony offers a headphone cable, while Apple requires a separate purchase ($45). This means between the cable and the case; you’re looking at almost $100 of added expenses with the APM.
Moreover, the price at the time of this review is $499 for the XM5’s and $779.00 for the APM. The Sony’s offer a much better value.
Conclusion:
There are many factors to take into consideration between both brands, but ultimately, my heart is with the XM5’s because they sound better for the genres I listen to (Jazz) on a daily basis, and it puts me in the musical ‘zone’. Also, the noise cancelling feature from the XM5’s don’t give me the ‘cabin pressure’ feeling found from the APM. The price difference between both is also substantial given they are close in most categories.

One of the best headphones I have ever used for music and calls.