Sony WH-1000XM5. The name continues to be not particularly easy to remember but never mind. The features of the product are enough and advance to take it to the Olympus of over-ear headphones with active noise cancellation. We are in fact facing the evolution of those WH-1000XM4 which until now have been a reference for the entire sector. For sound quality, convenience, ANC effectiveness and smart functionality. Let’s find out what has changed and what new the M5s offer.
What’s new?
Sony has worked to improve virtually every aspect of its new flagship headphones, starting with one of the key aspects of the product: active noise cancellation. To take care of it we find two processors that control 8 microphones, flanked byAuto NC Optimize; these elements allow to contrast the noises on the medium-high frequencies and to optimize the ANC according to the surrounding environment.
Of course, great attention is also paid to audio quality, with driver da 30 mm designed for the WH-1000XM5, with a light and rigid dome made of carbon fiber-based composite material, which improves sensitivity to high frequencies, generating more natural results; the solder on the other hand is lead-free and includes a share of gold to improve connectivity while the circuits have been optimized for a crisp and consistent rendering on any track.
There is no lack of support for the codec LDAC, with the DSEE Extreme which upgrades digital music files in real time.
Complete the picture on 360 Reality Audio, for an immersive acustic experience.
Of course, headphones aren’t just for listening to music and watching video content. Most of us also use them for managing phone calls. Also on this front the Japanese giant has improved what is offered by the previous model, with the Precise Voice Pickup technology that he uses four beamforming microphonesan AI-based noise reduction structure and a revamped design that minimizes wind noise.
The design is also new. We always find premium materials, with the leatherette upholstery which makes the Sony WH-1000XM5 very comfortable even in the long run, but this time the headband becomes thinner near the pavilions, thus distinguishing the newcomers from the M3 and M4.
The Japanese company also winks at the environment, with headphones also made with recycled plastic materials from cars e the packaging which instead is made of recycled paperwithout any plastic elements.
There are also all the smart features that we have come to love and know about other Sony audio products. L’Adaptive Sound Control, for example, it automatically adjusts the audio parameters by recognizing the places frequented most often and setting its ambient accordingly. Quick Access allows you to resume playback on Spotify with a couple of taps, while it Speak-to-Chat pauses content when engaged in conversation.
Plus we have compatibility with the Google Assistant and Alexa for using voice commands.
Finally, we conclude with autonomy: Sony promises 30 hours of playbackwith the presence of the USB Power Delivery counter that gives 3 hours of listening in just 3 minutes.
Sony WH-1000XM5: price and availability
The WH-1000XM5 headphones will be available in black and platinum silver from the end of May 2022 for the price of 420 €.