Newly designed royal road Bluetooth headphones “WH-1000XM5” review

　I purchased the latest high-end wireless headphones "WH-1000XM5" announced by Sony in May 2022, so I will review them while comparing them with the previous WH-1000XM4.　I purchased it at the Sony online store for $315 including tax, including discounts. A 10% discount coupon was given to new members, so I was able to purchase at a great price.

Opened

　The WH-1000XM5 has an overall eco-friendly product design, with the outer box made entirely from recycled materials such as bamboo, sugarcane and recycled paper. 　When you open the outer box, the case of WH1000XM5 comes out immediately. The texture of the case has not changed much from the WH-10004, but the shape has changed slightly due to the design change, and the size has increased.

　Then, from inside the case, the WH-1000XM5 appears. Two accessories are a USB Type-A to C cable for charging and a 3.5mm stereo mini plug for wired connection. It is put in the magnetic storage part in the center of the case.

design

　Sony's high-end wireless headphone series has adopted a nearly unified design from the first generation MDR-1000X to WH-1000XM4.

　The WH-1000XM5 has undergone a major design overhaul for the first time in the series. The width of the headband has been narrowed overall, and the part that connects the speaker and headband has also been changed from the previous Y shape to a straight shape.

　In addition, the entire headphone has a matte finish. All the microphones attached to the flat surface of the speaker are placed on the side, and the NFC mark has disappeared because the connection by NFC has been abolished.

　The design was the deciding factor for me to purchase the WH-1000XM5. BOSE's Noise Canceling Headphone 700 and Beats Studio Wireless were also attractive headphones in the same price range, but they didn't suit my taste in terms of design.

　Although there were pros and cons to the WH-1000XM5 design revamp from the time it was released, I decided to buy it because I thought "simple and luxurious headphones" were my ideal. I am quite satisfied with the design.

Featured features

Redesigned slider

　One of the major differences between the WH-1000XM5 and its predecessor is the slider design. Whereas the WH-1000XM4 had a slider that moved with a fixed step, the WH-1000XM5 has no steps.　There seems to be pros and cons regarding sliders, but I prefer the WH-1000XM5. In addition to being able to make more detailed adjustments, I felt that it was convenient to be able to quickly change the length when I felt that it was not suitable.

Shape change of ear pads

　Compared to the WH-1000XM4, the shape of the ear pads has been changed to an "elliptical shape with straight lines". The material that comes into direct contact with the skin has been changed to a material with fewer wrinkles, but the fingerprints are quite noticeable here as well.　In addition, since the ear pads are fixed to the main unit, the user cannot remove them, and if they want to replace them, they will be repaired.

Improved microphone performance

　What surprised me the most was the improvement in microphone performance. Compared to its predecessor, the sound quality has improved considerably, and the wind noise has been overwhelmingly cut, so even if you are talking outside in a noisy environment, only your voice will be clearly transmitted to the other party. increase.

　It was also a good opportunity to realize once again that the built-in microphone of independent wireless earphones is far from headphones.

Adaptive sound control

　Continuing from the WH-1000XM4, it is equipped with an adaptive sound control function that automatically switches between noise canceling and external sound capture depending on your actions.　There are four situations: "sitting", "standing", "running", and "riding a vehicle". There are 3 to choose from.　It is also possible to register any location (My Place), and when you are in the location registered on the Headphone Connect app, the headphones will be in the preset mode.

Spotify Tap

　"Spotify Tap", a convenient function for Spotify users, has also been added. If you assign this function to the "NC/ANB" button, music will be played via Spotify simply by pressing the "NC/ANB" button while connected to a smartphone that has Spotify installed and setup completed.

　I find it very convenient that I don't have to take out my smartphone, open the Spotify app and press play.

Worry

Fingerprints are sticky

　As mentioned above, the exterior of the WH-1000XM5 has a matte finish. Everything from the headband to the connecting part to the speaker part is matte, so fingerprints will remain sticky. My hands often get a little sweaty in hot weather, and I couldn't help but worry about leaving fingerprints on the headphones every time I touched them.

not compact

 　With the WH-1000XM4, it was possible to fold the speaker unit and store it compactly in the included case. However, with the WH-1000XM5, a major overhaul of the design has taken its toll, making it completely unfoldable.

　When storing in the case, adjust the size to the shortest and put it in as it is. Putting headphones in your bag takes up a lot of space, which discourages you from carrying them around.

Noise cancellation is subtle

　The noise canceling performance is quite impressive. The noise canceling strength is all automatically adjusted, so you can clearly see the difference between when it works and when it doesn't. Also, with the WH-1000XM4, the noise canceling strength could be adjusted in two steps, but with the WH-1000XM5, it was only one step.

　I feel that the sound is not completely eliminated compared to the WH-1000XM4, and I am a little dissatisfied with the noise canceling performance. However, compared to the WH-1000XM4, I felt less uncomfortable with the noise canceling, and I think it was a good point that the noise was reduced naturally.

Light but feels heavy

　Due to the change in design and shape, the feeling of wearing has also changed, but in terms of feeling of wearing, the WH-1000XM4 is the winner.

　The big difference from the predecessor is the width of the headband. The weight of the main unit itself is 4g lighter, but the thinner headband concentrates the weight on the head directly under the headband. Therefore, when worn for a long time, the headphones feel heavier than the WH-1000XM4.

Headphones Connect App

　In order to connect the WH-1000XM5 to a smartphone and operate more detailed settings, it is necessary to continue using the "Headphones Connect" app. However, this app is very difficult to use.

　It's hard to see which setting is where, and you need to tap several times to find the desired setting. I don't feel the need to place large "Activities" and "Notifications" in the navigation bar at the bottom of the screen, and I wonder why they don't put settings such as the equalizer here.

Overall review

　The WH-1000XM5 is a headphone that has a lot of superficial changes compared to its predecessor. In other words, it can be said that there are not many internal changes.

　To be honest, the big difference between the WH-1000XM4 and WH-1000XM5 is the design. For those who are attracted to the sound quality and noise canceling of SONY's high-end wireless headphones and are hesitant to buy them, we definitely recommend the WH-1000XM4, which is the most cost-effective.