Sony’s new in-ear flagship – WF-1000XM5 is put to the test

What does Sony want to improve with the newest headphone flagship? Innovations are few and far between at the moment, and most of them are a waste of time anyway. Display on the case? I don’t get it. Health functions? I don’t want to be monitored by my headphones too. Fortunately, Sony does without such gimmicks. Instead, the new shape of the Sony WF-1000XM5 is striking.

I was allowed to test Sony’s new True Wireless flagship five days before release.
There’s not a lot of mind-blowing technology in the headphones. However, if you compare the current Sony model with its two-year-old predecessor, you’ll notice: the WF-1000XM5s have not only shrunk – they also have better features. For example, noise cancelling and call quality. So an innovation after all. Just less noticeable.

Small but impressive construction

The WF-1000XM5 comes in a kind of teardrop shape, making them 25 per cent smaller than the previous version. This makes them sit really comfortably in my ear. A product manager from Sony explained to me at the launch event that the company has opted for a glossy surface for the sides of the earphones in model 5 instead of a rough one like in the predecessor. The reason: shiny surfaces are more comfortable in the ear. From a direct comparison I can confirm that too. But I thought the model 4 already sat comfortably.

The shrunken shape has an impact on weight. The new earbuds are 20 per cent lighter than the previous model. These were a little over seven grammes – with the new ones, my kitchen scale (not really suitable for these purposes) shows six grammes. That makes them 0.6 grammes heavier than Apple’s AirPods Pro. For me, the WF-1000XM5 sits so comfortably – even after wearing them for ages. Once I almost forgot that I still had the buds in my ear when I went to go swimming in the lake. The mishap probably wouldn’t have been that bad. After all, the buds are IPX4 certified, so they’re splash and sweat-resistant. However, you shouldn’t go swimming with them, since they won’t tolerate being immersed in water.

The sound is worth listening to

The sound from the WF-1000XM5 is easy on the ears, warm, well-tuned and bass-heavy. I like it, just the bass could be reduced. On my test track, Burn The Witch by Radiohead, the headphones kick in nicely with the violin intro – the trebles don’t clang, but are crisp and clean. The mids are clear, it’s only when the bass starts too that I think they could be more noticeable.

Speaking of bass, it’s rather distinct, as all new mainstream headphones tend to be. I’m able to fix it by using the «Clear Bass» function in the app equaliser. I like the sound the most when it’s set to minus two. If you like a lot of bass, you can also adjust it in the opposite direction with the equaliser. There’s also three manual presets available for saving, plus eight templates.

Compared to the predecessor, Sony claims to have installed a slightly larger driver. This one is supposed to focus more on clear bass notes and voices. When I make a direct comparison and explicitly pay attention to it, I imagine I hear a very slight improvement. Since I already liked the sound of the 4, this is no game changer.

Sony’s «360 Reality Audio» head tracking is new – that means the sound should be even more like a live concert coming from all directions because the position of your head is recognised. I was only able to test the function briefly; the sound is fuller and more detailed, but there are still very few supported tracks available on Tidal, and none at all on Spotify.

Active Noise Cancelling at a high level

As always with a new flagship model, Sony claims to have installed the best Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) in the industry. I can’t prove this claim without conducting complicated re-measurements, like we did with the AirPods Pro in cooperation with the company Rocket Science. On the one hand, the tests are very complicated. On the other hand, the results are difficult to compare – which is why we’ve left them for the time being.

Compared with the previous model, Sony states that the noise cancelling has been improved especially in the low frequency range. This includes, for example, noise on airplanes, trains, or from passing cars. I did my own practice test with the music at half volume and I can confirm it works. On one of the busiest streets in Zurich – Seebahnstrasse, where the daily newspaper «Tagesanzeiger» once [measured] a value of 70 decibels(https://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/hier-ist-zuerich-am-laermigsten-521830780859) – I only hear isolated engines of particularly loud vehicles. Therefore the noise cancellation does a good job. Even in the office, I can hardly hear my colleagues’ very loud mechanical keyboards and can concentrate on my work.

And the best thing about the WF-1000XM5’s Active Noise Cancelling is that there’s no annoying noise floor – something that many other manufacturers still can’t get rid of in 2023. I can finally listen to podcasts again without getting annoyed.

The aware mode is slightly distorted

The opposite of Active Noise Cancelling is aware mode. Also called transparency mode by some manufacturers, the function does exactly the opposite of noise cancelling: it lets all sounds through and even amplifies them slightly. This is handy, for example, when you’re out and about in the city and want to know if a tram is about to approach from behind and you need to get out of the way quickly.

So far the mode has been working on the 1000XM5. Sony has also managed the spatial representation so the sounds don’t sound much closer than they actually are. I just notice that the sounds are slightly distorted – altogether, they’re a few frequencies higher than in reality. In the headphones app, you can also focus on voices, so you could have a conversation whilst wearing the headphones.

From software to hardware: Sony has already delivered relatively strong passive noise cancelling by way of the foam attachments included with flagship headphones. The reason? The attachments seal the ear canal well. Compared to the predecessor, the XM5 also comes with foam attachments in the size XS. This is an advantage for people with small or sensitive ears.

Call quality – see for yourself

One thing that’s always a pain when using True Wireless headphones is the sound quality during phone calls. Often, wireless headphones make you sound like you’re talking into a tin can. Sony also seems to have cottoned on to the problem, equipping the headphones with three microphones instead of two. Not only that, but several technologies (a bone-conduction sensor, AI noise reduction and wind reduction) are supposed to achieve better quality.

In a moment, you’ll be able to see for yourself whether Sony has pulled this off. I recorded myself in quiet and noisy environments with the XM5, doing the same with the XM4 for comparison.

I still don’t feel the sound quality is optimal with the WF-1000XM5 – I still sound tinny. Even so, the new model is audibly better than its predecessor. In noisy surroundings especially, the latest version performs much better, with the background noise barely audible. My recording using the old version, however, is barely understandable at points.

Multipoint and LDAC Bluetooth connections included

When the Sony WF-1000XM4 was released two years ago, it didn’t have Multipoint Bluetooth. Multipoint allows you to maintain a connection to two devices at the same time, making it easy to switch playback devices. Though Sony later delivered the feature in an update, it wasn’t exactly a tour de force. This time, the feature has been included from the get-go.

When I try it, Multipoint works reliably most of the time. When I receive a Teams call via my laptop, the music on my phone stops so that I can answer it. You can also switch connections manually in the app, where you can select either player. What sometimes didn’t work was switching my Spotify connection. When I was playing music on my PC, I wasn’t able to switch over to my phone, and vice versa. Attempting to do so often caused the music to stop for no apparent reason. Given that I’ve also experienced this when using my Sonos system, it’s probably more of a Spotify issue than a Sony one. Even so, it’s annoying.

The headphones can be paired with a device via LDAC Bluetooth. LDAC stands for Low Latency and High-Definition Audio Codec – it’s a standard that allows for the almost lossless transmission of music. There is one big but: you only get LDAC by setting it in the app, within the slightly hidden «Priority on sound quality» menu. If you don’t, Sony prioritises a good connection, only transmitting using the standard AAC or SBC codecs.

This definitely doesn’t do anything for the sound quality. When I prioritise LDAC, the connection really does drop out more often, especially when I’m out and about. In places with a lot of signals, say Zurich main station, I can only hear my music in staccato fashion. Meanwhile, the Bluetooth connection falters again and again when I’m out running. Switching to the standard codecs immediately gets rid of the problem, and the connection holds.

Still, it’s too bad – in 2023, end-to-end connectivity with an appropriate Bluetooth codec should be possible. It raises the question of why Sony still doesn’t support Bluetooth AptX – a reasonable compromise to LDAC and the standard codecs.

The WF-1000XM5 transmits using Bluetooth 5.3, the latest Bluetooth version. This establishes a faster connection when you start using them, something I also notice during everyday use. Any time I take the headphones out of the case, they pair instantly with my phone. This, at least, works reliably.

The app now features a Spotify tab

So, full disclosure: Sony provided me with a beta version of the Headphones app for this review. The company might well make changes or improvements to the app before it goes on sale.

One of the app’s new features is the Spotify tab; if you double tap on the earpiece, Spotify will play you a song from your music preferences. It’s a nice feature. The not so nice thing? The fact that the tab appears in my notifications, although I’m unable to do anything with it. The tab just says it’s there, at least in my beta version of the app – and that bugs me.

Sony has slightly revised the controls on the earpiece. With the previous model, you had to press down on it for a long time to change the volume of the music. Now you have to tap four times to adjust it. Fortunately, however, the controls are accurate enough to get this to work. All you’ve got to do is keep count.

Besides this, there are a few features in the app that I didn’t use. For one, you can accept or reject calls by nodding or shaking your head. Plus, with «Adaptive Sound Control», you can define ambient noise presets for Active Noise Cancelling. For example, you can keep noise cancellation at a maximum in the office, but dial it down for use at home so you can still hear what your kids are doing, for instance.

Same battery as before

Although the 5 model is a bit smaller than its predecessor, Sony has managed to keep the battery life the same. The headphones themselves run for eight hours with noise cancelling activated. You get an additional sixteen hours of battery out of the case.

There’s also a fast-charging function, and the case can be charged wirelessly. At first glance, both versions’ cases look very similar. The new one, however, is a little narrower. As a result, it can fit into the pocket of a pair of women’s jeans too.

Verdict: small, superb and practically perfect

The Sony WF-1000XM5 has got smaller yet better. Until now, Sony’s flagship headphones have often been too big for me. The 5 version is smaller, lighter, and has better noise cancelling and call quality. Sony has also done some work on the sound. I can live with the fact that the battery life hasn’t changed. Eight hours should do the job.

It’s nice that Bluetooth Multipoint is now available from the get-go, and mostly works reliably. Shame the connection has trouble with LDAC. When I’m out and about, I have to listen to audio using the standard codecs. However, I’m happy with the accurate controls – let’s face it, there’s almost nothing more annoying than earpiece controls that don’t do what they’re supposed to.

All in all, Sony’s WF-1000XM5 are great headphones. While they may come at a price (299 francs / 319 euros as of 24 July), nigh on perfect features put them on a par with the competition – and they absolutely deserve the title of flagship headphones.

The Sony WF-1000XM5 will soon be available to order. Sony says they’ll be available in August

Header image: Livia Gamper