Sony WF-1000XM5 Premium Noise Cancelling Truly Wireless Earbuds, Silver

There’s a bit of possible Sony hate going on in some reviews, like others I got burned on a pair of WF-10004XM refurbished and one of the batteries started failing after a year. Wasn’t worth the cost of repair. Have others from QCY and Soundcore that were surprisingly good for less cost. Also had trouble with refurbished headphones WH-1000XM4, luckily had added insurance. Cut to buying a new pair that have been flawless. Got the Sony WF-C700N a couple months ago to scratch my earbud itch. Very good for the price. If you’re not ready to throw down $300 for the XM5 they’re a great alternative. Not quite as musical, but no gripes anyway. You can get picky about the throwback buttons but oh well. One comment before I get more specific on the XM5. I fully agree with another review that calls out Sony for how complicated their Sony Connect app has become. It could be simplified for people who don’t want to get into the tech so much. Now, how do they sound? I’m impressed and I’m not using them to their full potential. Using with iPhone so Bluetooth SBC codec is the most basic and lowest quality solution (after digging into the codec question a bit more it does appear that the iPhone has the AAC codec also). However, with the help of Sony’s equalizer and DSEE function I’m very happy with the sound. I almost don’t want to try them with a better codec and then have to go back. (Still applies with AAC, DSE does improve sound) I need treble boost for my old ears and having played bass no surprise I like a lot of bass. These don’t disappoint. I did an A-B comparison with the XM4 headphones and they didn’t have quite the low end but good and punchy with good definition between bass and drums.both can become nice and “growly” on the low end. Noise cancellation is very good, not as good as the headphones but after only a couple days I have been quite satisfied so far. Comfort level is better than the XM4 buds, but I’m so pissed I wasted the money now I don’t want to dig them out to compare audio! I think Sony really improved the fit and design to be lighter, more comfortable, and have impressive sound. Let’s just hope they found a better battery. Used overnight and had battery left in the morning but playing audiobook on timer so i couldn’t say how long continuous playback. I’ll update after I’ve had them longer. (Update) battery life seems to be very similar to the XM4. Sometimes I have battery left in the morning sometimes it comes up short. Another follow up, comes with 4 sets of tips but apparently I have very large ear canals as I’m unable to get a complete seal with the included buds. The large felt good at first but when I used the connect app to check for airtight seals I could not get them to seal. Fortunately I have many tips I’ve saved over the years and by mixing, matching, and testing I have a couple that seal. I even tried ordering extra large tips from a couple vendors and they didn’t work either. Nice that Sony is including extra small but what about us with extra large needs! I do have a possible solution on the way, find a video on YouTube that shows how to use Sugro glue rolled up and inserted in the mushroom part of the tip. Press in the ear to get a fit and then allow to cure over night. Hoping it works, I have a few tips I’d like to try this on. Was even investigating custom molded tips but for $150 plus I’ll try the Sugro hack… 8/5/23 tried the Sugro hack yesterday. Still have to work to get an airtight fit but it definitely helped. My opinion on the sound has not diminished. Excellent with what I listen too. A lot of classic rock but also new material from Elle King and others. Listening to Lourdes “Royals” a very deep bass which presents low, solid, and clear. You can easily distinguish the bass and drums. The low rumbling bass of Pink Floyd “Welcome to the Machine” couldn’t be much better in any buds. Almost like I could feel it. I’m now using the WF-C700n as my workout and dog walking buds. Sound signature is very similar but the bass is not quite as good. One thing they are lacking is the airtight fit check in the app. I had to use other tips and the Sugro mold hack to get a good consistent fit in both. The included tips are worthless to me and my big ears. I see a lot of criticism of the noise cancellation for the XM5. I have no way to measure so it’s pretty subjective but I’m not disappointed. At least as good as the XM4. But with any ANC earbuds the airtight seal is critical. If you’re not ready to throw down $300 the WF-C700n are a very good alternative, but are not touch controlled, a single button on each side. Not quite as good on the low end but not disappointing either. In direct comparison you can hear the difference. I still think these are 5 star worthy. I’d take off half a star because of the somewhat complex app but if you like to tinker with the sound and features, give it back. People who are not “technical minded” may find it intimidating. I find it useful but jammed with some features I wouldn’t normally use, like automatically changing settings depending on location as an example. Some might find it useful but not me. The equalizer and clear bass functions are excellent. DSEE function makes a noticeable difference in sound quality. Happier with these than I was with the XM4. Just hope the batteries last, I would hope Sony changed from the $70 replacement cost batteries (not including labor) used in the XM4 as apparently so many people had problems with them dying out after a few months. 9/22/23 Used these today instead of the WF-C700n for my indoor cycling and to walk the dog. Usually I do those activities with the cheaper buds as for $300 I want to take every precaution to protect them. So…more feedback on the ANC. Definitely a difference on the bike with 2 pretty loud blower fans on. The WF-C700n does a very good job in the same situation but I could definitely tell a difference. Could hardly hear the fans at all and the WF-1000XM5 does have the superior sound performance. Note these blowers are loud enough that if I have my Apple Watch to close to them I get the over 90db warning. They’re not 90db from the bike but they are loud. These cancelled almost all the noise. With volume on my music I don’t hear the fans at all.

I bought these because I had a gift card to spend, and in hopes that I could completely separate from my Airpod Pro’s (1rst gen). I wanted to get rid of my Airpod pro’s because I have become so completely fed up with popping them in my ears and having only one earbud connect. That happens about 25% of the time I use them, and of course it’s always right when I’m in a hurry and need them now. I have to reset them every time it happens and frankly I’m fed up with it – unacceptable reliability. So, it’s only been a little more than a week but I haven’t had this happen once. Nor has it ever happened on any of my other true wireless earbuds (Soundcore Liberty 4 NC’s and some cheap no-name sports hook-style earbuds). The Sony’s have had stellar reviews, but my one reservation was that I’m in a full Apple ecosphere, and I had read that if you’re in the Apple ecosphere, you’ll want the Airpod Pro series II. Using anything else would mean missing out on that typical Apple integration – things work great together. Well, I’ve never tried the Airpod Pro II’s, but I couldn’t get myself to reward Apple by ordering another pair of headphones from them after my dissatisfaction with the AirPod Pro I’s. So, how are the Sony’s? Absolutely fantastic and boy, am I glad I went with them! First of all, in terms of integration/functionality with my Apple world, best I can tell so far its flawless. Transitions between my iPhone 15 and iPad Pro are just as smooth as my AirPods were. I can send/receive calls just as easily, and the Sony has one feature I don’t think AirPods have – you can just nod your head to answer calls! I also find the touch sensor vastly superior to Apple’s squeeze surface (or whatever it’s called). Much more intuitive to me, and it works every time on the first try. Another big advantage the Sony’s have over the Airpod Pro I’s is battery life. One reason I picked the Sony’s was better sleep. My wife makes quite a racket sleeping at night and I had read that these were great for sleeping. My Airpod Pro’s were also quite good at that, but they wouldn’t last through the night – only about 4.5 hours (w/NC on). Not sure how long the Sony can last, but I’ve gone over 8 hours (w/NC on) – and they still had some battery left! As for the noise cancelling, I’d say it’s slightly disappointing. I also own the over-ear WH-1000XM5’s, and they have AWESOME noise cancelling! I’d say the WF-1000XM5’s are nowhere near that level – I’d say they are about the same as my Airpod Pro I’s. Good enough to attenuate my wife’s snoring (at least enough that I can sleep), but not completely block it (so I hear nothing at all) as on the WH-1000XM5’s. But of course, the WH-1000MX5’s are way too big to sleep with (full size over-ear headphones). Another minor disappointment is no “find my earbud” functionality, which makes me a little paranoid about losing them, but hopefully not a big deal. Saving the best for last is the sound quality. I bought the big-brother WH-1000XM5’s a year ago and was quite surprised at their sound quality. Same thing here – these sound fantastic! I’m a fairly serious audiophile and have quite a collection of high-end headphones, including one pair of earbuds that are more than triple the cost of these Sony’s (JH Audio J13 v2’s). And all the electronics to go with it (DAP’s, DAC’s, amps, cables, etc.). They took a while to break in properly (maybe 30-50 hours) but they are really wonderful. They are among the most natural sounding earbuds I’ve heard and I’m a bit stumped how that could be possible since it uses crappy Bluetooth. My high-end headphones are fed almost exclusively high-rez files. Bluetooth AAC (can’t use LDAC on an iPhone) is the best I can run, which of course are only a small fraction the bitrate resolution of true high-rez files. But somehow these sound absolutely wonderful – just a natural “rightness” that’s hard to describe. BY FAR the best bass I’ve ever heard from an earbud. They have a confidence, an “assertiveness” (yes, that’s a new audio metaphor) – not aggressiveness - that I just love. I’m not saying that they are flat-out better than my high-end earbuds (my Shure M535’s are my favorite), but I will say they are at least in the same ballpark. I can pop these in and really enjoy listening for hours – and not feel like I’m missing out in not using my much more expensive earbuds. Very high compliment indeed! So, great job Sony! BTW, I read that Sony bought Audeze (high-end true audiophile headphone brand), which means I can’t wait to see what they come out with in the future – if these are as good as they are, I can’t wait to find out what the XM6’s or XM7’s will sound like! Update 4/16/24: Just wanted to mention one more remarkable thing about these. I am an avid cyclist and I’ve been on a long search to find the best earbuds for cycling - which for me, is mostly about reducing WIND NOISE. That is by far my biggest goal for cycling headphones. These are downright spooky in their ability to hugely reduce wind noise - BY FAR the most effective I’ve ever tried, and I’ve tried quite a few (AirPod Pro’s, Soundcore Liberty 4 NC, etc…). So now I face an interesting dilemma - do i dare use a $300 pair of earbuds for cycling? The problem with using them for cycling is that cycling is of course brutal on earbuds (constant sweat). So I’ll have to decide if I dare to do that long term, but I can say that these are by far the best headphones I have ever used in terms of wind blocking. So these really are amazing - fantastic sound, powerful noise cancelling, long battery life and the best wind noise blocking I’ve ever heard…

Sony WF 1000XM5 Even the name is pretentious, they are earbuds, not an experimental fighter jet. I had Jabra earbuds and loved them. The only reason I bought the Sonys is because I lost one of my Jabra earbuds while cycling and the Sonys had great reviews as their top of the line earbuds. I unboxed, charged them, then went through the pairing process. Cumbersome right off the bat, you have to pair with the earbuds in their case with the lid open and press and hold a small button on the case. The Jabras can pair with them in your ears, and they TELL you when pairing was successful. Every time you put them in your ears, the Jabras then tell you how many devices are connected, the Sonys don’t. The next problem with the Sonys was simply putting them in my ears without touching the touch sensitive pads. Because if you do, you change the setting on the earbuds. The Jabras have a pad that is a button the needs to be pushed. By the time I’ve got them sitting properly in my ears, I’ve touched the pads so many times that I have no idea what settings I’ve changed. Then once they are in your ears, any time you happen to touch them, by accident or if you want to adjust the bud, you inadvertently change a setting. The touch sequences are ridiculously complicated. You have to touch 4 times in rapid succession just to change the volume and if you don’t touch 4 times fast enough, you’ve changed some other function. I use earbuds for two devices: my TV and my phone. Both of which worked well with my Jabras. After pairing the Sonys with both, I take them out of my case and there is no audible confirmation that they are connected. If two devices are paired, the buds should only play the device that is on. But the Sonys immediately wake up the phone and start playing the last music app that I had, even though it was closed and the TV was on and paired. If I want to hear the TV, I have to stop the music on the phone and try to connect to the TV. The most frustrating thing, and the “final straw” for me was that once connected and playing sound from the TV, they would randomly cut out after maybe a minute. OK, so maybe I have some setting in the app wrong, so I go to the phone, open the app, and it says, “Sony Earbuds not connected”. What? They were just blaring music in my ears a second ago. When I go the phones Bluetooth setting, they are connected according to my phone. Go to Sony Troubleshooting (oh yes, the manual is only available on line, you can’t download it, so if you don’t have an internet connection, good luck reading the manual). Are your earbuds fully charged? Are you close enough to the Bluetooth device? Are the devices correctly paired? Yes to all three, I’m not stupid. Finally, these two devices worked perfectly with the Jabras so it is not a problem with the phone or TV. Perhaps there is some setting that is not right in the overly complicated app, but frankly I don’t have the time or inclination to mess with them any more. I’m sending them back and buying Jabras again.

Update 5/2/25 Honestly, I'm happy with the sound and features. Two things to update on 1)Battery life is so so. Not the best not the worst. I can see somebody who uses these at least 10-12 hrs would get two days, maybe out of a fully charged case and buds. 2) They're very very very slippery. I seriously cannot count the times they have slipped from between my fingers. If you sweat or get your hands slightly moist or wet, forget it, these buds will turn into projectiles. I'm. Sure one of these days I'm going to damage them. Even the case itself is slick. For this reason, I cannot recommend them anymore and will not be purchasing a new pair. I seriously doubt that in QC and testing they didn't notice this. This actually sad because the sound and features and really great. The best for this price segment. Here's the short version : Sound is as good as it's gonna get without you shelling out $500+ for studio quality IEMs. Keep in mind the sound is 50% hardware and 50% Track quality, meaning if you're interested in getting the most out of the earbuds you have to play tracks at 16-24 bit of between 1121 kbps and 9923 kbps playing at 44.1 khz to 192 khz Flac files. Otherwise you're wasting your money. Call quality : Mid, sometimes people tell me I sound a bit far or tinny. This happens with both an iPhone and my Pixel, the Pixel is TMo and the iPhone on Verizon. So network or phone model aren't the issue. Features :Great you can control volumes with the master volume on the app. Change tap presets set up active and passive cancelation (using active microphones to listen when someone or you start speaking) and 360 sound. Battery life: Mid, if you use the earbuds all day with noise or active cancelation on you will definitely need to use the case to charge the earbuds at least twice during a 10 hr period or three times after 15 hours. After which you will need to charge the case. You'll get roughly three charges from 20% battery life on earbuds to 100%. Charging takes some time, at least 2-3, hours as it seems to not fast charge. Compatibility : They have no issues pairing with my iPhone 12Pro or my Pixel 7 Pro. But you can notice a n audio performance difference from the iPhone and the Pixel. As one only uses AAC (iPhone) and one can use any format (Pixel). You also have more control over audio quality vs connectivity quality on Android. They also have no issue pairing with my tablet (Samsung) or my PC (Asus). Would not recommend using these for gaming as the microphones are really sensitive. Personal dislikes : Both the case and earbuds are incredibly slippery. Especially the earbuds. Theyre like wet ice cubes. I don't know who thought that would be a great idea, but they should be given a few roundhouse kicks to the noggin. This is a serious gripe with these. The amount of times they have slipped from between my fingers...... Not good. Although they are able to be added to find my device on Android, it's no where near as usable as airpods finding feature. Would definitely recommend using a BT tracker. These have a knack for slipping around and getting lost. The foam tips are great for passive noise cancelation. But they wear out quick and tend to get dirty easily. They should at least send one replacement pair of each for the price. So I would recommend getting silicone tips on here. They can function as great IEMs to use when outdoors like at most a brisk walk or the office. Just not for active outdoor tasks, Gym or anything that requires a lot of physical movement. I think if you're using for just noise cancelation, there are better ones out there. I would recommend these for Audiophiles that need a daily driver when out and about. The price is bit high, they're more expensive than airpods Pro. So I would the value for the money depends on who and what they're using it for. For the audiophile it's a good value, for the regular Doe and Joe they're not.

First, I just received these a day ago, so this is very limited first impressions. I have used many different earbuds, most much cheaper. My first impressions are: Noise cancellation and Ambient Sound are the best I have ever used. I have never been impressed with Ambient Sound. Generally, I find it to be too much and annoying. However, these achieve a balance that is close to perfect. When in ambient sound mode I can hear the birds, cars and all the normal sound my ears would hear without ear buds in. Since I use these to walk the dog, being aware of cars and other sounds is very important. I listened to a Podcast and some music with these in this morning and found the sound quality excellent while in ambient sound mode. Since I have never been happy with the ambient sound mode on other earbuds, I made sure I could use one earbud at at time. In actual use I have found the single bud use to be seamless and a very good experience and can use right or left with no problem. The noise cancellation is excellent, if you have the correct in ear fit. I have only experimented with it a little, but the sound with listening to music while in sound isolation mode to be very full and rich. (Of course my 69 year old ears may not hear all the frequencies and tones younger ears might pick up on. While I have installed the app on my iPhone, I have not used it except for setup. At this point the app does not seem as if it provides much value, similar to all the other earbud apps I have used. Sometimes it seems like earbud manufacturers make an app because other earbuds do, but don't seem to be able to increase the listening value of the earbuds with the app. I do plan on exploring it and will update my impression if it changes. Having to bounce between the web site and the app to set the app up was more than a little annoying. That process should be much more seamless on a product of this caliber for a company that knows how to do electronics. Update: So far these are working great for me. The only downside is when you tap on the left earbud to go from ambient sound to noise canceling they only make a tone, so the only way to confirm what the status is, is to check the app. For example, when putting the left earbud in I may tap the earbud and unknown number of times, thereby switching mode any number of times. This can be confusing and I get confused which tone is for noise cancelling and which is for ambient sound. That said, these are still the best earbuds that I have used.

I've wanted a pair of Sony XM earbuds for years since they were always at or near the top of almost every list for best pair of wireless earbuds. I was lucky enough to grab these on sale for $198 instead of the regular $298 price. I'll say right off the bat that these earbuds sound amazing! They have a good amount of bass along with that broad sound that makes you feel like you're inside the music (and I don't mean surround sound). It sounds like the instruments are right next to you and I absolutely love that! Furthermore, these are very comfortable to wear once I took off the foam ear tips and put on silicone ones. You almost forget that you have them in. Wonderful! I also like the feature that pauses whatever you're listening to and turns on transparency mode when you start talking to someone so you can hear the other person. I did find it a little too sensative sometimes because it would often activate if I sneezed, coghed, or cleared my throat. A bit annoying but I could live with it. Now for the reason why I'm only giving these 2 starts. The sound cuts out on these XM5's even at short distances. They have even cut out a couple of times while I'm sitting at my desk with my phone right in front of me. But the sound cuts out more often when I'm at least 10 feet away from my phone, which is unacceptable. I've had 6 or 7 pairs of wireless earbuds over the years that were much cheaper than these and none of them cut out nearly as often as these do. I could walk to the other side of the house and the music would keep playing no problem. With the XM5's I can't go to the next room without it glitching. There is no excuse for this given that they retail for almost $300. This is my biggest problem with these earbuds. The other negatives include the fact that the companion app has a design that looks outdated and things aren't organized as well as you would expect from a modern app. Also, the controls on the earbuds are not very good. It takes 4 taps on the left bud to turn the volume down and 4 taps on the right one to turn the volume up and you can't change that in the app. Who came up with that? It's a terrible design. I was really frustrated with these so I also baught a pair of Soundcore Liberty 4 Pro's, which were much cheaper, to compare with the XM5's. I have none of the issues with the Liberty 4 Pro's that I have with the XM5's and the sound quality is also amazing with even deeper bass (I love deep bass). That pretty much sealed it for me. As amazing as these XM5's sound they just are not worth the $198 I paid for them much less the $300 they normally cost. I'm 90% sure I'm going to return them. The only reason it's not 100% is because the sound quality is incredible and they are very comfortable to wear so that makes me hesitate a little. I still have a few days to decide. I will definitely be keeping the Liberty 4 Pro's though.

First off I'll say that these are good ear buds. If you don't have something comparable and just want the latest and greatest then these will be a fine purchase. With that said however, they are a disappointing "upgrade" to previous generation and even somewhat for other sony true wireless earbuds. I try out a lot of earbuds. So I have tried a ton of stuff on the market from basic low end stuff to Bose QCs and the Sony offerings. I've always been a fan of the sony line of truely wireless earbuds since the first time I tried them. The sound profile has always been much to my liking and I've always felt like the noise canceling worked pretty well. These XM5s however just miss the bar. The bass from these is terrible. There are better bass notes on the lower priced Link Buds S. That said, the sound is generally clearer and higher quality than the Link Buds S otherwise. In fact other than the bass these are definitely some of the clearest and high quality sounding ear buds I have ever tried. As for noise canceling, I really don't know what Sony did here but it's seems to be a step down from the XM4s. If I compare them back to back sitting in the same location with the same ambient noises and noise canceling on, I hear a lot more sounds getting through on the XM5s. I can hear the AC unit in my room with them on where as with the XM4s I cannot. I'm positive I'm using the best ear bud fitment for me (as I said before I buy and try out a lot of different earbuds, so I know how to chose the correct bud size). I don't know if it's just an inferior chip with them trying to reduce size and extend battery, or if it's just bad firmware that needs to be patched. As for the fit / weight, they are more comfortable than the XM4s. I've worn them now for multiple 3 - 4 hour sessions and never had any discomfort from them. They are noticeably lighter and smaller than the XM4s. I will mention the glossy exterior and smaller size does make them a tad tricky to get out of the case. Could also be the magnet holding them in is stronger, but I've slipped trying to pull them out a couple of times now. Battery life I would call on par for modern day ear buds. Nothing amazing, but definitely would consider it good. Even after a 4 hour session with ANC on the lower of the two earbuds was still at 33%. They claim 8 hours but that is only if you have ANC and everything off. Overall as I said, these are good ear buds, just disappointing that the ANC seems worse, and the bass tones are so bad.

I was hesitant to buy these earbuds because of the high price, but since I listen to so much music, podcasts and audiobooks, I figured might as well invest a bit extra on a product that I will use every day. Wireless earbuds have always been hit or miss for me. I once bought a pair of expensive Beats earbuds, but even after hours of trying I could only get one of them to connect at a time, so they were a total waste of money. Other wireless earbuds randomly stay turned on when you put them in the charging case, which is annoying. Or they might cut off the audio as soon as I put my phone in my pocket. Fortunately I haven't had any of those problems with these Sony earbuds so far. The sound quality is good and the earbuds connect immediately when you take them out of the case (after the initial setup, of course). The associated app has some neat settings that you can use to control the audio or customize the user experience. The noise cancelling is easy to toggle and works well. These also sound and fit much better than the $200 Sony Pulse earbuds, which I also own and exclusively use with my PS Portal. As a nice bonus, these were delivered overnight, so I got to use them right after my previous pair of cheap Skullcandy earbuds bit the dust.

Fones de ouvido excepcionais. Atender telefonemas com esse aparelho é muito confortável, nem se compara com as versões anteriores.

Item arrived in perfect condition, brand new for a discounted price. The earbuds have great noise cancelling features and come with multiple sizes of buds making them fully adaptable. The case of the earbuds does run out of charge faster than my previous pair (which are gen 1 airpods), but with the addition of noise cancelling I knew this may be likely.

Sound quality is phenomenal, but you have ensure they sit securely inside your ear, and gap will severely affect the noise cancelling and sound quality. THey have worked well on runs, rides, and in the gym. So overall great product.

The best buds I have ever owned, and I have owned many, incuding the top brands.They have all the features I've always wanted but never managed to find. Comfortable to wear, excellent noise cancelling or if you prefer, excellent pass through if you need to hear around you. Deep satisfying base tones as well as excellent response in the higher ranges. Long battery life and a charging case that can extend usage and itself can be wirelessly charged. And many more features.

خامه وصوت ممتازه وعمر بطاريه في الاستخدام يصل الي اكثر من ٨ ساعات مكالمات وصوت الموسيقي واضح بها جميع النغمات ومحكمه في الاذن