Sony WH-1000XM5 Wireless Industry Leading Headphones with Auto Noise Canceling Optimizer, Crystal Clear Hands-Free Calling, and Alexa Voice Control, Silver

The factory ear pads are a bit crowded for larger ears. Only negative I could come up with.

*Disclaimer: I bought mine used like new or very good I bought these because theyre rated one of the best headphones on the market, I HIGHLY disagree. Are they bad headphones? No. Are they worth the money? No, not even on sale lol. I returned mine and bought the Sony WH-1000XM4, and heres why: **Noise Cancellation (6/10): This feature was ok at best. The Apple AirPods Max are still top of the line for noise cancellation - I hear nothing when I wear them. With the Sony WH-1000XM5, I can still hear a lot of sounds around me. Id say it cuts out maybe 60-70% of noise. My biggest issue here was that the noise cancellation would turn off randomly - so I would have to manually turn on/off the noise cancellation and ambient noise, which was just irritating. **Sound Quality (7/10): Sound quality was fine, it was nothing exceptional. The first day I received them, something really weird happened and the sound went completely muffled - like I was underwater. I looked up the issue and there have been similar issues for other customers who bought these headphones. The sounds went back to normal the next day, but I was already skeptical about their performance. **Comfort (9/10): I think they were really comfortable. I wear plastic framed glasses, so headphones that work with them can be a mission. The Apple AirPods Max do not work with my glasses at all, they pinch my frames and move them around - I need to wear contacts with them. With the Sony WH-1000XM5, this really isnt an issue. I needed to adjust my glasses every once in a while, but maybe once in like 3 hours. I think theyre one of the best fitting headphones for people with glasses. Also, when I went to adjust the headband portion to make them shorter/tighter, they would slip - they just would not stay adjusted to where I needed them (this could be because I bought them slightly used, so it could have just been from previous wear - but still an issue if they become loose over time). **Product Quality (6/10): The headphones themselves are cheap plastic and just feel flimsy. For almost $400, you would expect them to feel a little better or more sturdy. I was constantly worried I was going to break them. The case is nice and hard, and I personally think they store nicely and are easy to travel around with. I bought the beige ones (again, I bought them slightly used), but the case was dirty and it stains easily since its made of cloth material. The foam on the ear part is very soft, so its kind of just your preference there. I think they felt a little cheap, but I also think that they added to the comfort. **Battery Life (9/10): The battery life is fine, they last pretty long. Im studying for the Bar right now, so I used them for about 10 hours a day. They would last like a little over 10 hours for me before needing to be charged, and charging only took max 3 hours. **Connectivity (5/10): I had huge problems with connecting them to my Mac, I have no clue why. But, just so everyone knows, you need to download the app (Sony Connect) to connect it to your phone and your other devices. They just werent discoverable on my Mac. I restarted my laptop and the the headphones, downloaded the app, connected them to my iPhone, updated my Mac, etc. It took me like 2 hours to get them connected to my laptop. Im not sure if I am just technologically challenged or if they just arent compatible with Apple products, but this process alone made me feel rage that I never thought I would feel. **Aesthetic (7/10): The headphones looked ok on. The ear part was kinda too clunky for my liking. They stick out a little more than other headphones, so I kind of felt like a bear when I wore them. **Overall (7.5/10): I think the headphones are meh. I just wasnt impressed for headphones that are rated sooooo highly in every article online. I did a lot of research and was torn between Sony WH-1000XM5, Sony WH-1000XM4, and the Bose QuietComfort 45. I decided against the Bose only because you cannot turn on/off the noise cancellation with buttons. So between the XM4 and XM5, I picked the XM5 because they were rated so well in online articles, I liked the look of them more (from pictures), and I figured I would just get the most up-to-date model. I returned them mainly because of the connectivity problems, noise cancellation, and sound quality. I just dont think theyre worth the money, especially retail price. I just got the Sony WH-1000XM4 and they are SO MUCH BETTER. The sound/product quality, noise cancellation, connectivity, etc. Final Thoughts: If you want top of the line headphones and have the money to spend, get the Apple Airpods Max. If you want great headphones for a better price, Sony WH-1000XM4. The Bose are apparently SUPER comparable to the Sony WH-1000XM4 and are cheaper in price too. So, if having buttons to turn on/off noise cancellation is irrelevant to you, then get the Bose QuietComfort 45. The end.

Buttons on side are in a bad place

They’re expensive, but I definitely have gotten my money’s worth. Great sound quality and noise cancelling.

After use this headset for a while, I found it is just a perfect headset except one thing. It create noise by itself. If you wear it , slightly shake your head, you will hear the leather itself tweak, make uncomfortable noise. like some one squeeze plastic bag near your head. If you like squeeze plastic bag sound, this headset is your perfect choice!

Overall a good bluetooth headset. I own the XM4 and other Sony, Bose Quitecomfort, Sennheiser HD 600-800 devices. Comfort is a little better than the XM4. Wearing glasses I still have discomfort within an hour. Without glasses they dont overheat my ears for longer periods of time. The headband is slightly less comfortable than the XM4. Sound quality is an improvement that was noticeable. I did dropped down the 16khz to hear vocals better. The 360 on Tidal was barely noticeable in the difference. I would not pay for this feature alone when picking a streaming provider (my opinion). I use my wired open back Sennheiser HDs when at the computer, dac, etc.. Portable the XM4 shines. The way these collapse around your neck could have been designed to at least flip the ears down vs up. Case is nice, but similar to the bulky Bose. The do feel more durable than the XM4s, but not by much. Assistant - Google doesnt play well with the iphone, so Alexa is your best option for IOS users. I also have a pixel 6 pro and it worked as expected with both. Battery - Same as the xm4 which is great. Noise cancellation - Great and slightly better than the XM4s. Overall I think Sony sacrificed portability which is where I put these headphones purpose. Ill keep them, but the XM4 I personally wouldnt upgrade to the XM5 for the slightly better sound and cancellation.

I was confused between the purchase decision of Bose and Sony headphones as I wanted to upgrade from Bose QC 35 2. It came with hefty price tag of near 400. But I would say thus is worth it. I am now more confident to take my office calls on bluetooth device. I love listening to music on it. The noise cancellation is top notch. I love its speak to chat feature. I do not have to remove it to talk to others. Its almost on my head for 8 hours a day and i forget that its there. Very comfortable. I will recommend this headphone to people who can afford its price tag.

This was a gift for my wife and she literally cant stop using it. Work, gym (which I advise her not to), airplane she loves and more. Huge success for Christmas gift!

I am so impressed and satisfied with this product. They have excellent noise cancellation, great sound quality and they are super light. The app is very useful and easy to use. As a plus, they have oval pads which makes them super comfortable even with multiple piercings and kinda large, I’ve worn them 6 hours straight with no issues. Totally recommend.

I bought these initially for air travel as I no longer appreciate the loud “white” noise of the cabin. I finally was able to sleep going to Europe. I bought these “Used, Like New” for about 1/2 price and it was a bargain! They included everything, even the packaging that looked new. Oh! I also wore these in the hotel when I slept and they were comfy. Basically, I bought these for one purpose, but ended up using them more often than what I intended.