Sony WH-1000XM5

Sony WH-1000XM5

By Sony · Noise-Cancelling Headphones · Audio & Electronics

  • Industry-leading noise cancellation with Auto NC Optimizer
  • Up to 30 hours battery with quick charge
  • Two processors for noise cancellation and call clarity
  • Multipoint pairing, foldable lightweight design

Lowest price seen
$198.00
from $198.00 at Abt · Checked Oct 9, 2026

Prices are snapshots. Check the current price with the store.

Summary

The Sony WH-1000XM5/B is the black version of Sony’s 2022-generation flagship over-ear noise-canceling headphones, with excellent measured isolation, strong battery life and LDAC on compatible sources. Inspect the hinge and buy from an authorized seller with a dated receipt, because owners report cracks at the cup-to-headband joint and warranty acceptance varies.

Strengths

  • RTINGS finds excellent isolation of train engines and office chatter.
  • Beamforming microphones are fairly clear on calls and separate a speaker from ambient noise.
  • Independent tests show roughly 27-32 h with ANC, and the 3.5 mm cable rescues listening when the battery is empty.
  • Multipoint, app EQ, LDAC, wearing detection and Speak-to-Chat cover daily office use.
  • Light for a flagship over-ear, with soft cushions and a firm supplied case.
  • An official fixed-price broken-headband repair exists through Sony’s partner.

Weaknesses

  • The headband does not fold, so the package is larger than the WH-1000XM4 or WH-1000XM6.
  • No water resistance; sweat and rain can damage it, so it is not a workout headset.
  • Owners report hinge cracks, including one whose both hinges snapped within a week after about seven months.
  • Warranty coverage for a cracked hinge is disputed by individual owners.
  • Aftermarket pads change the ear seal and can change ANC and sound.
  • No wired microphone through the included 3.5 mm cable, and Bluetooth latency rules out low-latency gaming.

Verified specifications

Formclosed-back wireless over-ear, with swiveling earcups, non-folding arms, a slim headband and a supplied carrying case.
Weightabout 250 g (8.82 oz).
Drivers and processing30 mm dynamic drivers, Sony’s Integrated Processor V1 plus HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN1 driving eight microphones.
ANC featuresadaptive Auto NC Optimizer, Ambient Sound and Speak-to-Chat.
Bluetooth5.2, with SBC, AAC and LDAC codecs and two-device multipoint (devices do not play at once).
Analogplays through the included 3.5 mm cable, works wired while switched off, and keeps ANC when wired and powered on.
Controlsright-earcup touch surface, left-earcup Power and NC/Ambient buttons, proximity detection and optional Speak-to-Chat.
Battery (Sony)AAC 30 h with ANC on / 40 h off; LDAC 26 h on / 36 h off; SBC 28 h on / 38 h off.
Chargingabout 3.5 h from empty; with a compatible USB-PD supply, 3 minutes gives about 3 h of playback.
Independent batterySoundGuys measured 31 h 53 m with ANC on and 53 h 06 m off; RTINGS measured about 27 h.
Temperaturescharging 5-35 °C (41-95 °F), operating 0-40 °C (32-104 °F).
Water protectionnone; Sony warns that moisture, sweat and rain can cause damage.
In the boxshort USB-A-to-USB-C cable (about 20 cm), 3.5 mm analog cable (about 1.2 m) and a carrying case.
FirmwareSony US listed 2.5.1, dated December 18, 2025.
Full research notes and sources

Hinge breakage and repairs

The dominant ownership concern is the cup-to-headband hinge. A long-running thread collects reports of the earcup hanger cracking, and a July 2026 owner said both hinges snapped within one week after about seven months, while others reported failure at around ten months or later. These are self-selected reports and cannot establish a per-unit rate or a median time-to-failure. Sony does offer a fixed-price repair: a broken headband can be replaced through partner Encompass for $99.99 plus tax, covering the replacement headband, labor and two-way shipping (Sony, 2025); Sony says it cannot schedule this itself, so arrange it directly with Encompass. That rate applies only to a broken headband, not to any fault. Home repair is possible but difficult, with ribbon and connector routing that one owner described as taking several hours. For a new unit, contact the seller or Sony with a dated receipt and photos before paying, since some owners report a physical-damage classification or refusal.

Battery, charging and running costs

There is no mandatory subscription and no Sony-prescribed annual part; earpads and the internal battery are wear or failure items. Sony’s own figures run from 26 h on LDAC with ANC on to 40 h on AAC with ANC off, and independent testing landed at 31 h 53 m with ANC on and 53 h 06 m off, with RTINGS at about 27 h. A full charge takes about 3.5 h, and a high-output USB-PD adapter can give about 3 h from a 3-minute charge; neither a fast charger nor a wall adapter is included. For pads, a black aftermarket pair from Wicked Cushions is $22.95 (2026), though those are not OEM and can change the seal. An OEM replacement battery is listed as Sony part 1-012-782-11, superseded by 1-012-782-31, but no live US price was verifiable and self-service risks the connector and the lithium cell. A charging electricity figure cannot be verified without a measured wall-energy per charge and a local tariff, so treat any yearly estimate as a guess.

ANC, calls and the app

RTINGS’ February 2025 review, retested July 2026, rates isolation of train engines and office chatter as excellent, and SoundGuys measured similarly strong rejection. Glasses or a poor seal reduce low-frequency isolation, so fit matters. The beamforming mics keep calls clear in moderate noise, though sustained loud noise can gate speech; there is no wired mic through the supplied 3.5 mm cable. The Sony Sound Connect app carries EQ, DSEE Extreme, multipoint, firmware updates and automatic behavior. Speak-to-Chat pauses music when you talk, hum or sing, which is useful in shops and annoying in meetings; it can be turned off. The adaptive Auto NC Optimizer cannot be pinned to a fixed intensity, and the default tuning is warm and bassy rather than neutral.

Is it worth it?

Sony US displayed $198 for the black model against a $399.99 reference (October 2026), but the page also showed an email-when-available indicator, so that figure was not confirmed stock. Best Buy indexed offers ranged from $198 to $298 across snapshots (October 2026), and Target listed new black units at $299.99, with a Certified Refurbished unit at $189.99 and a stated one-year mechanical warranty. At $199 or less from an authorized seller with a receipt this is an excellent buy; $200-$239 is strong; $240-$275 is conditional on its sound, call and ANC suit; and $280-$300 is worth comparing carefully, because the Bose QuietComfort was $169 direct from Bose with a promotion through October 11, 2026 and folds into a smaller package. Above $300 it is generally hard to justify unless you specifically want LDAC and Sony’s tuning. The newer Sony WH-1000XM6 is $459.99 from Sony, with a redesigned folding hinge and improved midrange ANC, so its value gap over a discounted XM5 is large.

Which model this is

This page covers the WH-1000XM5/B, the black US variant of Sony’s 2022 over-ear noise-canceling headphones, with a non-folding headband, 30 mm drivers and eight microphones. Do not confuse it with the WF-1000XM5 earbuds, the older WH-1000XM4, the newer WH-1000XM6, or the WH-1000XM5SA package, which ships with a pouch instead of the full case.

Sources

Manufacturer:

Independent reviews:

Owner reports:

Parts and stores:

Buying guides for this category

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