Design and features:This noise-canceling Bluetooth true wireless portable ear-insert model provides excellent sound and excellent active noise reduction. The WF-1000XM5 has touch controls for play/pause/skip forward and backward, volume, digital voice assistant activation, and noise cancelation/ambient sound monitoring. Additional features include a carrying case/charging cradle with built-in rechargeable battery that the manufacturer claims can be used to add an additional 16 hours of play time for a total of 24 hrs. Qi wireless charging support. Manufacturer claimed water resistance (IPX4). Auto-pause (pauses music when at least one earphone is taken out of ear and resumes when the earphone is put back in). Support for Amazon Alexa, Apple Siri, and Google Assistant voice commands when used with mobile devices that have those features. Allows simultaneous connection of up to two Bluetooth source devices. Compatibility with Sony's 360 Reality Audio virtual surround sound, which is available on several streaming services (Deezer, Tidal, Nugs.net, etc.). Quick charge feature: 3 min of earphone charging will provide 1 hr. of playtime. The Sony Headphones Connect app download for Apple and Android mobile devices has adaptive sound control function that is claimed to automatically switch between noise canceling and ambient sound monitoring based on the user's location. It can be used to adjust the level of ambient sound that is heard when the monitor function is used, and can focus the monitor function on the voice tonal region. Has Speak-to-Chat conversation feature that automatically pauses the music when the user speaks switches to ambient sound monitoring mode. The app can also act as a audio program player, provide tonal balance presets and equalization, optimize the Sony 360 Reality Audio feature, disable the automatic pause and shut-off functions, change the touch control functions, update the earphone's firmware, and more.
Sound quality:The WF-1000XM5 provides excellent active noise reduction and delivers sound quality that falls in the excellent range - while no earphone is perfect, the shortcomings of this model are minor. The overall sound can best be summarized as a bit bassy and hazy with a warmish overall character. With the noise cancelling mode engaged and the Sony Headphones Connect app set with the Equalizer off and clear bass set to 0 (the as received state of the earphones) the bass (as in bass drums, bass guitars, stand-up bass, etc.) has good impact and goes deep, but is a bit prominent and boomy. The midrange (voices, guitars, horns, etc.) is even, but a bit hazy and a touch grainy. The treble (cymbals, the upper range of violins, etc.) is extended, but is a touch sizzly (sounds that should have a delicate shimmer have a sound reminiscent of bacon frying). The sound also has a good sense of liveliness and is open--sound-wise it seems like you don't have anything plugging up your ears. It also does a good job of recovering the room ambience of recordings. The Sony Headphones Connect app EQ controls had a noticeable effect on the sound. The sound of the WF-1000XM5 is very similar to that of the Sony WF-1000XM4 that it supersedes but is a touch more neutral. These earphones provide excellent noise reduction across the entire frequency range with low frequencies reduced the most; they also provide more than typical noise reduction of higher frequencies. The noise cancelling electronics do not produce noticeable background noise even in low ambient noise environments. The noise canceling performance is also very similar to that of the Sony WF-1000XM4.
Comfort and Fit:As typical of in-ear models they produce a sense of pressure in the ear canal opening that might be uncomfortable for some.
Small
Users with small ear bowls might find that the earphone body feels bulky in their ear bowl and that they stick out too far and feel like they may lever out of place, but that they will stay in place during casual use and are stable during vigorous head movement.
Medium
Users with medium sized ear bowls will probably find that this model stays in place with no problems for casual use and that they are stable during vigorous head movement.
Large
Users with large sized ear bowls will probably find that this model stays in place with no problems for casual use and that they are stable even during fairly vigorous head movement.
Incidental contact with the touch controls can cause unintentional playing/pausing or noise canceling engagement/ambient sound monitoring.
