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Sony's flagship over-ear noise canceller pairs new 30 mm carbon-fibre drivers with a dual-processor (V1 + QN1) ANC engine and an 8-microphone array — for class-leading hush, refined sound, and 30 hours of wireless playback.
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Quick Specs
The reference over-ear ANC headphone: best-in-class noise cancelling, refined sound, and all-day battery — if you can accept the no-fold redesign.
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| Announced | May 12, 2022 |
|---|---|
| Released | May 20, 2022 |
| Market Status | Available |
| Style | Over-ear (circumaural), closed-back |
|---|---|
| Weight | 250 g |
| Folding | Swivel-flat only (does not fold inward) |
| Headband | Stepless slider with synthetic-leather padding |
| Earpads | Soft-fit synthetic leather |
| Controls | Touch sensor panel + physical buttons |
| Colors | Black, Silver, Midnight Blue |
| In the box | Hard case, USB-C cable, 3.5 mm cable, flight adapter |
| Driver | 30 mm dome, carbon-fibre composite |
|---|---|
| Frequency Response | 4 Hz – 40,000 Hz (wired) |
| Frequency Response (BT) | 20 Hz – 20,000 Hz (44.1 kHz), 20 Hz – 40,000 Hz (LDAC 990 kbps) |
| Impedance | 48 Ω (wired, power on) |
| DSP / EQ | DSEE Extreme upscaling, 5-band EQ + Find Your Equalizer |
| Processor | Integrated Processor V1 |
| 360 Reality Audio | Supported (with head tracking) |
| Type | Active, hybrid feed-forward + feed-back |
|---|---|
| ANC Processor | QN1 + Integrated Processor V1 (dual) |
| Microphones (ANC) | 8 total (4 feed-forward, 4 feed-back) |
| Auto NC Optimizer | Adapts to fit, glasses & air pressure |
| Ambient Sound | 20 adjustable levels + Speak-to-Chat |
| Wind-noise Reduction | Optimized mic placement & mesh |
| Playback (ANC on) | Up to 30 hours |
|---|---|
| Playback (ANC off) | Up to 40 hours |
| Quick Charge | 3 min charge = ~3 hours playback |
| Full Charge | ~3.5 hours |
| Charging Port | USB Type-C |
| Standby | Up to 200 hours |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.2 |
|---|---|
| Multipoint | Yes (2 devices simultaneously) |
| Codecs | LDAC, AAC, SBC |
| Profiles | A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP |
| Bluetooth Range | Class 1, approx. 10 m |
| Fast Pair / Swift Pair | Google Fast Pair, Microsoft Swift Pair |
| Wired | 3.5 mm analog (passive, ANC/EQ off) |
| Call Mics | Beamforming array (4 used for voice pickup) |
|---|---|
| Voice Processing | Precise Voice Pickup + AI noise reduction |
| Wind Handling | Wind-noise-reducing mesh structure |
| Voice Assistant | Hands-free Google Assistant / Alexa |
| App | Sony Headphones Connect |
|---|---|
| Adaptive Sound Control | Auto-switches modes by activity/location |
| Speak-to-Chat | Auto-pause when you start talking |
| Quick Attention | Cover right cup to lower volume & let sound in |
| Wearing Detection | Auto play/pause on removal |
| Multi-device Memory | Up to 8 paired devices |
Configuration
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The WH-1000XM5 is the headphone most rivals are measured against. Sony's dual-processor ANC engine and 8-mic array deliver the quietest, cleanest hush in the category, while the new 30 mm carbon-fibre drivers tune in a more refined, even-handed sound than the XM4. Battery, comfort and call quality are all excellent, and Bluetooth 5.2 multipoint plus LDAC round out a complete wireless package. The only real catch is the redesign: the XM5 no longer folds, so the bundled case is bigger — a fair trade for what is still the most polished over-ear ANC headphone you can buy.
The noise cancelling is on another level
Used these on a Dhaka–Singapore flight and the engine drone just disappeared. They are so light I forgot I had them on. Battery comfortably lasted the round trip with plenty to spare. Easily the best headphone I have owned.
Brilliant sound, but I miss the folding design
Sound is clean and balanced over LDAC, and Speak-to-Chat is genuinely handy at work. My only complaint is the case — it is big because they no longer fold, so it eats up bag space. Otherwise a fantastic pair of cans.
Multipoint and call quality are excellent
Connecting to my laptop and phone at the same time just works, and people on calls say I sound crystal clear even on a noisy street. The 3-minute quick charge has saved me more than once before heading out.
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It is class-leading. Sony pairs two chips — the Integrated Processor V1 and the QN1 ANC processor — with eight microphones (four feed-forward, four feed-back) to cancel a wider band of noise than the XM4, especially mid-range frequencies like voices. Auto NC Optimizer also tunes cancellation to your fit, glasses and altitude in real time.
Up to 30 hours of playback with noise cancelling on, and up to 40 hours with ANC off, over Bluetooth. A 3-minute quick charge via USB-C delivers about 3 hours of listening, and a full charge takes roughly 3.5 hours.
No. Sony redesigned the headband and hinges, so the XM5 only swivels flat — it does not fold inward. As a result the bundled hard case is larger than the XM4's. The earcups still rotate to lie flat for storage.
LDAC (Sony's hi-res codec, up to 990 kbps), AAC and SBC. There is no aptX or aptX HD support. Bluetooth is version 5.2 with multipoint, so it can stay connected to two devices — for example a laptop and a phone — at once.
Yes, an analog 3.5 mm cable is included and works even when the battery is flat. Note the wired connection is passive: active noise cancelling, the EQ and the touch controls are disabled while listening through the cable.
Speak-to-Chat uses the microphones to detect when you start talking and automatically pauses your audio and lets ambient sound in, so you can hold a quick conversation without removing the headphones. Playback resumes automatically a few seconds after you stop speaking.
No. The XM5 carries no IP rating, so it is not rated against water or sweat. It is built for commuting, travel and office use rather than running or gym workouts.
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