Sony WH-1000XM5 REVIEW: Best headset in Rs 35,000 audio segment?

Sony WH-1000XM5 review: The Japanese tech giant Sony recently launched the successor of the popular WH-1000XM4 headphones, -- WH1000XM5 --  in India recently. Both predecessors -- Sony WH1000XM3 and Sony WH1000XM4 headsets are one of the best audio products from Sony. Now, this newly- launched WH1000XM5 model also offers prefect noise cancelling and decent audio quality, taking listening experience to a whole new level.

Sony WH-1000XM5 price in India 

Priced at Rs 34,990 in India, Sony WH-1000XM5 comes with the Integrated Processor V1, 30 hours of battery life,  so you can enjoy superlative sound even on long travels. The latest premium headphones from Sony comes in two colour options - Black and Silver. We tested the black colour variant and here's what I have to say about this device. In terms of design, Sony's WH-1000XM5 is little different from WH1000XM4. Instead of a 40mm driver, the WH-1000XM5 comes with a smaller 30mm driver that has a light and rigid dome that uses carbon fiber composite material that improves high-frequency sensitivity for more natural sound. 

Sony WH-1000XM5 design 

The latest headphones from Sony has a neat and clean design and it definitely offers premium design and looks appealing. The comfortability factor is really good as the brand used synthetic leather cushions on the earcups and the headband. The earcups are designed very smartly and they fit easily with any size of ears. The head cushion at the top of the product is very comfortable. Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones feels heavy when you use the product for longer durations. Howeve,r in terms of design, the WH-1000XM5 scores really good marks, featuring a similar design to its predecessor.

On this Sony headset, there are just two physical buttons and a 3.5mm audio jack on the left bottom side - one for power, connectivity and the toggle button for ambient mode and noise cancellation. On the bottom of the right side, you can find a Type-C port to charge the headphones. Also, The right side of headset consists of all the touch control features where you swipe up to increase the volume, and swipe down to decrease it and centre option enables the voice assistant. You can also swipe forward and backward to change the track and double tapping in the center to pause/resume the track. The touch was smooth, I did not face any problem while using it. In terms of connectivity, Sony WH-1000XM5 easily pairs with Android and iOS devices.  It supports Google's helpful new Fast Pair feature, allowing you to effortlessly pair with your Android devices. I used it on Apple iPhone 14 and Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, and the headset connected smoothly without taking too much time but for better controls and sound experience, you should download Sony Headphones connect app. The headset can connect to Bluetooth-enabled devices through AAC, LDAC, and Bluetooth codecs. 

Sony WH-1000XM5 specifications 

The new Sony WH-1000XM5 has an improved voice assistant. Both Alexa and Google Assistant can be activated by using their respective trigger commands. The voice assistant can answer calls or dial a number and can control music too without any problem. The specially designed 30mm driver unit with a light and rigid dome uses carbon fibre composite material that improves high frequency sensitivity for more natural sound quality. These new headphones are 360 Reality Audio Certified that allow you to enjoy a custom immersive music experience with personalisation. The WH-1000XM5 headphones deliver Sony's best noise-cancelling performance, reducing high and mid-frequency sounds. The good part is -- headphones react immediately – be it for pausing songs or picking up calls.

Sony WH-1000XM5 performance

Audio performance: Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones deliver superb noise cancelling performance thanks Sony's HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN1, a new integrated processor V1 and a 30mm driver. The performance of the Sony WH-1000XM5 is truly exceptional. I played hours of music on the headset and the experience was good. The headphones cancels out all external noise/sound which improves calling quality when compared to its predecessor. The new Sony WH-1000XM5 packs a battery life of 30 hours and in my review, the product was able to deliver the time of nearly 30 hours with a single charge. When ANC is disabled, the Sony WH-1000XM5 can last for more than 35 hours. The charging speed is bit slow, the headphones take more than 1 hour to get fully charged. 

Sony WH-1000XM5 review: Verdict 

Priced at Rs 34,990 in India, Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones will be a good option of those exploring headsets in the premium category. This latest headset from Sony comes with the Integrated Processor V1, 30 hours of battery life, Sony's HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN1. If noise cancellation is what you are looking for, Sony WH-1000XM5 can be a good option to buy in 2022.