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Sony WH-1000XM5: The gold standard for headphones
Some of the best headphones around, says Alex Hughes, but they don’t come cheap
Let’s get this bit out of the way, Sony’s new flagship headphones, the WH-1000XM5, cost £379. By any measure that is expensive, even when compared to the likes of Apple and Bang & Olufsen who scoff at the idea of affordable. And with headphone tech improving to the point where you can buy a decent pair for under £100, there’s no sane reason to spend nearly £400. Or is there?
If you’re not familiar with these headphones, they have a bit of a history.
Over the last five years they’ve scooped up every award in the business, becoming the go-to for anyone looking for noise-cancelling wireless headphones. But with so many competitors now, is this upgrade worth the new, bigger price tag?
A COMPLETE REDESIGN
Since the first iteration of these headphones back in 2016, Sony has relied on a singular design, only making small upgrades here and there. This time, Sony has gone for a complete redesign. The result is a sleek and slim pair of headphones, with minimal lines and uniform materials. It’s a design that’s reminiscent of the WH-1000XM5’s biggest competitor, the Apple AirPods Max.
While the redesign gives the headphones a modern look and feel, the main benefit is the comfort. They are seriously light and can be worn for hours without really noticing them – a feat many over-ears don’t manage.
Sony has also added a section of memory foam in the middle of the headband, and the headphones seem to apply just the right amount of clamping so your head doesn’t feel like it’s being squeezed.
There is one major downside. Unlike previous versions, these cannot be folded up. Instead, the earcups can be rotated to make the headphones flat. They do come with a case to store them, but chucking them in a bag without the case is more of a challenge.
TOP-TIER AUDIO
In terms of audio, the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones are a leading choice, offering a fantastic performance across genres.
An excellent test is Bad Guy by Billie Eilish. The aggressive bass kicks in hard but still with clarity. Equally, tracks like Childish Gambino’s Redbone, or Blinding Lights by The Weeknd, offer a pleasant pump of bass without muddying the midrange frequencies. Switch to tracks with a rock or metal influence and the headphones still hold up. Led Zeppelin’s Whole Lotta Love shoots fluently from the left earcup to right, demonstrating their ability around wide soundstages. Push into the grungier In Bloom from Nirvana, and the distorted instruments are crisp but still heavy.
While there is a clear proficiency with bass-heavy electronic genres and distortion-led heavier songs, clean tracks like Amy Winehouse’s Rehab shine, offering a well-balanced performance.
On top of the audio quality itself, one of the best features of these headphones is the noise-cancellation. Thanks to the V1 integrated processor in the headphones and the use of eight exterior microphones, Sony’s noise-cancellation is still market-leading.
Whether you’re on the London Underground, in a busy part of town, or sat in the office with your co-workers desperately trying to get your attention while you write a headphone review, you won’t hear a thing.
FEATURES GALORE
While by no means a deal-breaker, added features and clever tricks are always nice. Luckily, these headphones have plenty.
There are only two buttons on them: one that controls Bluetooth and power, and one for noise cancellation and ambient sound.
Everything else is handled via swipes and presses of the earcups. Tap twice to pause, swipe up and down for volume, or back and forth to skip or rewind. Our personal favourite is ‘Quick Attention’, where covering the right earcup with a cupped hand will turn the volume down and activate ambient sound. This can be used to temporarily hear surrounding noise like a train announcement, have a quick chat, or check to see if someone’s knocking the door.
Using this same tech, a setting can be switched on in the Sony app that will adjust the volume based on surrounding noise.
This utilises the exterior microphones to detect nearby sounds. If all is quiet, more exterior volume will come in. If things are louder, with lots of traffic or roadworks, for example, the headphones will let less outside sound in.
RATING: ★★★★★
PROS:
• Fantastic audio quality
• Market-leading noise cancellation
• Host of features and adjustments
• Comfortable fit
CONS:
• Don’t easily fold down
• Not the cheapest headphones
VERDICT
Like the PlayStation, The Godfather films and albums from ABBA, making an improved version of a beloved product is never an easy challenge. And yet, while the WH-1000XM5 headphones only make small improvements over their predecessor, it’s in the places that matter.
If you’re looking for a new pair of headphones and aren’t too worried about how much you’re spending, there will be few that offer a better overall package than these.
They sound incredible, whether you’re listening to bass-heavy tracks, soft acoustic melodies, or balanced pop anthems, and when combined with the impressive noise-cancelling, comfortable fit and long battery life, these headphones can cut you off from the world for hours on end, with comfort and ease.
3 EXCELLENT, CHEAPER OPTIONS
BOSE SOUNDLINK II
A slightly older pair of headphones, Bose SoundLink II have stood the test of time, still performing well against the competition despite their age. They sound great, offer a lightweight and comfortable design, and have a build that can stand some wear and tear.
£199.95, bose.co.uk
JBL TUNE 750
JBL Tune 750 are a popular pair of over-ear headphones that won’t break the bank. Of course, they won’t come near to the sound quality or noise-cancellation of Sony WH-1000XM5, but at a fraction of the cost, they still perform surprisingly well in both of these areas.
£102, uk.jbl.com
JABRA ELITE 45H
At the sub-£100 mark, the Jabra Elite 45h are easily one of the best options you are going to be able to get.
They come with a useful app and an impressive battery life, and while the audio is not going to blow you away, it does achieve a balanced sound that can still impress with bass and some heavier tracks.
£89.99, jabra.co.uk