If you don’t have Sony’s 1000X series of headphones near or at the front of the ANC headphone pack, you’ve not been paying attention. The series has been at the forefront of Active Noise Cancelling and great sound delivery for years. The 2022 update, the WH-1000XM5 (herein XM5) is sending a big message to consumers and competitors alike that it’s time to upgrade.
Quiet listening pleasure
The noise-cancelling capabilities have been upgraded again with eight microphones and two processors to maximise the peace. There is also an onboard automatic optimiser that increases and decreases the noise-cancellation to suit your environment.
The QN1 processor and 30mm driver don’t just reduce the noise, they bring it too, it’s just wanted noise. Encase in a new look dome manufactured from carbon fibre composite, the XM5 offers lightweight and high-performance listening. Complemented by LDAC3 you’ll be able to hear stunning detail in your chosen listening, from crisp highs to deep and punchy bass.
Call clarity
If you’re enjoying the peace and quiet, while listening to your music an important point is that the noise cancelling also extends to your calls. The beamforming microphones included cancelling background noise to give your callers a pleasant calling experience too. Street noise, wind or even the background noise of a train while commuting will be suppressed.
Comfort, convenience and quality
The best tech in the world doesn’t make up for an uncomfortable experience with headphones. Sony has again, invested heavily to ensure that the hardware doesn’t just look the part, it feels great for long listening sessions too:
An all-new noiseless design is beautifully finished in a newly developed soft fit leather with a stepless slider. The new synthetic soft fit leather material fits snugly around the head taking the pressure off your ears and blocking out external noise, so you can keep listening all day, free of discomfort.
That comfort creates a very easy trap of leaving your headphones on all day, preventing incidental conversations. But with the inbuilt sensors, your playback automatically pauses when you remove the headphones and resumes when you put them back on.
Adding in the multiple device connectivity, including fast pair and smart assistant (Alexa and Assistant) capabilities, the XM5 is a winning formula. Furter adding the convenient and collapsible carry case, your investment will be protected during your adventures.
The WH-1000XM5 comes with a reported battery life of up to 30 hours and if you’re caught short, 3 minutes of charging will get you 3 hours of playback. Now the bad news is, that all of these features and advancements come at a cost: $649.95 which is a pretty hefty cost for headphones. That being said, if you’re investing in something like the XM5 you appreciate good sound and are likely to see the longer-term value.
They look pretty impressive, will certainly sound the goods and sell well once available. They’ll be landing in Australia in late June 2022 through the usual sales channels for the aforementioned $649.95
