- Sony WH-1000XM5 has finally arrived in India at an introductory price of Rs 26,990, with an MRP of Rs 34,990.
- It competes with the Bose NCH 700, QC45 and Airpods Max.
- The XM5 are clearly among the best premium headphones money can buy.
After a long wait, Sony has finally launched its flagship WH-1000XM5 over-ear wireless headphones in India. For those unaware, Sony’s WH-1000XM series have been among the best over-ear headphones on the market since their inception and the brand’s most premium offering. As expected, the headphones are full priced and will retail for an introductory price of Rs 26,990, with an MRP of Rs 34,990.
The headphones were released in mid-2022 and brought a significant design overhaul after four generations. It is now lighter and more elegant and is made of recycled and recyclable materials. In addition to looks, it also introduces improvements in sound profile, mic performance, and noise cancellation.
Before we start the review, note that these headphones are best suited for commuters, office workers, students, and the like who want superior high-fidelity sound over Bluetooth. Whether it’s a music producer or sound engineer, these or any other wireless headphones are not recommended; Instead, it would be best to opt for studio-grade wired audiophile headphones.
It gets a new hingeless design
The Sony WH-1000XM5 sports a different design and look, and you can easily tell them apart. The headband has become rounder and the ear cups now have a slightly new look. However, the most noticeable change is the missing hinge that allows the XM4’s ear cups to bend and rotate. This time it’s a single piece similar to the AirPods Max, so the cups don’t fold inward; they just rotate to make it lay flat in the case.
The cans are made from recycled plastic and have a smooth finish that looks premium. Most of its parts are made of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), which has a satin texture, unlike its predecessor. Although it feels lighter, the texture felt more premium over the predecessor.
The build quality is impressive, but some might prefer the XM4 design. I asked a few friends and colleagues, and they got mixed reactions. The choice of design is therefore subjective, but practically the new design does the job well. It’s also quite sturdy and seems to be able to take a few drops unless crushed forcefully.
Finally, the XM5 also comes with a new carrying case. It has a fabric finish and a sleeker profile that fits better and also appears to be a sturdy material to protect it from damage and scratches. My only complaint with the platinum silver color I have is that it started picking up dirt after about ten days of use. So, if you go for this one, make sure to protect it from dirty hands or just keep it on a dusty surface.
Comfort, Control and Connectivity: How does it look like in use?
Sony has consistently advertised the comfort of these headphones since the first model, and the XM5s are no different. These headphones are designed to be worn for long periods of time, so fitting them is important.
In the last week I’ve used them for over 15 hours, and it’s fair to say that it feels like one with my head, even with prolonged use. These are adjustable, exert the right amount of pressure, are stiff enough to stay on your head while running, and are lightweight. The padding of the XM5 is thicker than its predecessor, as is the headband. I liked the band’s new design more than last year’s or even the Airpods Max.
In terms of controls, it is simple and intuitive to use and gives good feedback. You get touch volume control, call/music control, ANC on/off, voice assistant and talk control. It all works as expected. You get a touchpad on the right ear cup and two physical buttons on the left.
Here are all the touch controls-
Double tap: Plays/pauses audio and answers/ends a call.
Slide forward/backward: skips to the next/previous track.
Slide forward and hold: Fast forwards the track.
Slide backward and hold: Goes backward on the track.
Swipe up/down: increase/decrease volume.
Swipe up and hold: turn the volume up continuously until you release the tap.
Swipe down and hold: Decreases the volume continuously until you release the tap.
Cover the headset with your palm: lowers the audio volume so you can talk.
It is unacceptable to have touch controls that are unresponsive or slow; Sony took care of that in this one. However, it would be interesting to see if it retains the same responsiveness over the long term.
In terms of connectivity, it connects to Bluetooth in a jiffy. You can also use a TRS cable and a USB Type-C port for charging. Additionally, the WH-1000XM5 can connect to your Bluetooth-enabled devices via LDAC, AAC, and SBC Bluetooth codecs. Unfortunately, Sony hasn’t returned aptX support, which was last seen on the XM3.
Finally, you can use Sony’s Headphones Connect companion app for iOS and Android to get the most out of these headphones. You can optimize ANC, record 360 Reality Audio, use custom equalizer and update firmware. Not sure about the rest, but the last part makes it necessary.
There are more options like find my headphones and ear scan for 360° audio. While the former asks for access to your location, others require photos of your ear to set it up for best results. Sony is a reliable name and gives logical reasoning for collecting this data, but if that tickles your anxiety, you’ll have to compromise on these features.
Impressive battery life and charging speeds
The headphones are difficult to empty. I had to force use them to drain the battery, and it provided just over 30 hours of backup with ANC on. But here’s the best part – it can last over 52 hours without ANC, and that’s practically a week’s worth of battery life even if you use it for seven hours a day. So if you use your cans for 5 hours a day with ANC, you’ll be sorted for six days on a single charge or for a long flight.
Yet when it dies, just three minutes of charging can provide 3 hours of ANC playback. In the worst case scenario, if you’re stuck without a battery or charging option, you can use the 3.5mm cable for direct playback.
Audio, ANC and microphone performance
The WH-1000XM5 continues on the same sound signature known from Sony’s WH headphones. However, it places more emphasis on bass, strong highs and lows, and softer mids. While some may like the default preset, especially with high energy music, audiophiles may need to adjust the EQ to get the sound profile they want. For example, rock music fans may need to adjust the mids and highs to boost vocals and instruments like guitar and horns.
Personally, I like heavy bass, so I stuck to the default settings where the bass is heavy but still very tight and precise. It is always advisable to experiment with the equalizer settings to find the best one according to your tastes. If you’re an audiophile, you could probably relate to the problem I noticed with the treble emphasis. Take Kendrick Lamar’s N95, for example – the track starts out with clean vocals and snare drum, but as soon as the bass is introduced, the snare drum seems to fade below the bass and vocals. It becomes more important as you move into multi-instrument genres like rock or metal, with more high-frequency instruments.
However, it’s pretty impressive if you like pop, Bollywood or EDM. There’s a track called Beat Freak by Chris Lake and Riva Starr, which has a variety of basslines and a mix of different sound effects – which handles it impressively. But again, the lows and mids are suppressed a bit if you listen at high volumes. So songs with softer tones, like the title track from Kal Ho Na Ho or Hey Jude from The Beetles, are best suited for coming out of the box. Plus, everything from The Weekend sounds great on it without altering the EQ. Finally, what I like is the soundstage. Put on the headphones, close your eyes, and it’s very close to listening to a concert.
Sound isolation has improved dramatically, meaning you’re physically isolated from noise even when the headphones are turned off. It therefore blocks the noise before canceling it.
Coming to the ANC is excellent. After using the two competitors – Aipods Max, Bose QC45 and Bose NCH 700 – I doubt there is hardly any alternative to the noise cancellation of the XM5. It can cancel out distant noises and people talking next to you, and it’s so good that you can cut yourself off from your physical surroundings by closing your eyes. So it’s fair to say that these are the best ANC headphones out there.
The microphone doesn’t seem to have any noticeable improvement, but that doesn’t mean it’s terrible. That’s still pretty good for a high-end can set. Call quality is excellent, whether via Zoom, Meet, or a phone call. But if you plan to record professional voiceovers, it may lack performance.
Verdict
If you’re looking for premium headphones for the office, on the go, or even working from home, the Sony WH-1000XM5 is a no-brainer. The highlights are ANC performance, battery life, a good microphone, connectivity and, of course, audio quality. The only problem you might face is the lack of IP rating and its high price. However, that doesn’t mean it’s not worth the price. The only expert recommendation is to either buy it at the launch price or wait for prices to drop during a sale to get even more bang for your buck.
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