Widely regarded as the world’s best truly wireless headphones, the Sony WF-1000XM5 bring features & quality that leaves the competition wondering what happened.
The older WF-1000XM4, the predecessor of the WF-1000XM5, introduced features and quality that left the likes of Apple & Bose in their dust. With the new WF-1000XM5 (let’s just call them Sony Buds from here on), Sony showed why this product is widely regarded as the best truly wireless headphones in the world by pushing the envelope even further.
The new Sony Buds does come with a slight bump in price, but if we look at the international market to estimate the South African price, it remains very competitive with its main competitors and definitely worth every cent. The old model sold at R5’999.
Keep in mind, that the AirPods Pro 2 from Apple goes for R5’999 & Bose’s QuietComfort Earbuds II is selling for R7’999. So even if Sony bumps the price up by R1’000, they are still great value, considering what you get from these buds compared to the competition.
The new units will have pricing as soon as they land in South Africa.
Pricing and availability – End September 2023
The WF-1000XM5 feature cutting-edge technology to deliver premium sound quality and the best noise-cancelling performance on the market. Real-time audio processors and high-performance mics power the specially designed driver unit, for wide frequency reproduction, deep bass and clear vocals. They are designed to immerse you in a sound so good, it’s feels like you’re in the studio with your favourite artists. The WF-1000XM5 headphones raise the bar for distraction-free listening and clarity.
- Noise Cancellation
- Sound Quality
- Call Quality
- Design and Wearability
- New Listening Style
- Intuitive Operation
- Functionality
- Sustainability
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The best in their class?
Pricing aside, dozens of reviews will tell you that these buds wipe the floor with the competition. So let’s dive in deep and discover what all the hype is about.
The Best Noise Cancelling Earbuds
The best noise cancelling earbuds, with two proprietary processors that cancel more external noise than ever, a new high performance driver unit, dual feedback microphones and Noise Isolation Earbud Tips.
Experience astonishing sound
The specially designed driver unit, Dynamic Driver X, provides wide frequency reproduction, so you can enjoy richer, more detailed vocals.
Sony’s best ever call quality
Noise reduction algorithms developed with AI machine learning suppress ambient noise and ensure the person on the other end of the phone can hear your voice clearly even in noisy situations.
Small and beautifully designed
With improved glossy texture and luxurious feel, these headphones fit comfortably in your ear and come with a smaller case, so they fit even more sleekly in your pocket.
Discover what the latest and greatest from Sony can do for you
10/10, 5-stars from the E-piphany team these Sony Earbuds definitely fall into the “would recommend” category.
With these earbuds it seems like the Sony engineers had carte blanche and the marketing team, also the budget, just had to deal with that fact. Sony nailed sound quality, nailed noice cancellation, nailed voice quality and pumped as many features into these units as is available to do so.
Discover our favourite of these features below:
Unbeatable Noise Cancellation
Exclusively developed by Sony, the Integrated Processor V2 unlocks the full potential of our HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN2e. This unique combination of technology controls the six microphones, across both ears, to deliver unprecedented noise-cancelling quality that can be adapted to provide the best performance for your environment.
Multi Noise Sensor technology
Three microphones on each earbud, including dual feedback mics, improve low-frequency cancellation performance. This is our biggest ever step forward in noise cancelling, resulting in ambient sound captured even more accurately. So you can enjoy one of our purest sounds.
New high-quality sound and noise cancelling driver unit
The specially designed driver unit Dynamic Driver X able to reproduce lower frequencies has been improved using a dome-edge separation structure that combines different materials, allowing for a more accurate generation of cancellation waves in the lower frequencies.
Feel a more stable fitting earbud
Noise Isolation Earbud Tips feature a unique polyurethane foam material which reduces noise in the high-frequency range. Soft and elastic, they maximize the contact area between the earbud tip and the ear canal, insulating your sound and reducing noise. It also improves adhesion to the ear canal for a more secure, stable fit.
Enjoy brilliant, more detailed vocals
Thanks to a specially designed driver unit Dynamic Driver X for wide frequency reproduction, you will experience richer vocals and enhanced fine details. The diaphragm structure combines several different materials for the dome and the edge, achieving low distortion and a clear sound quality.
Enjoy High-Resolution Audio
The WF-1000XM5 supports High-Resolution Audio Wireless, thanks to LDAC, over industry-adopted audio coding technology. LDAC transmits approximately three times more data than conventional Bluetooth audio for exceptional High-Resolution Audio quality that is closer than ever to studio recording.
AI technology for precision sound
Using Edge-AI (Artificial Intelligence), DSEE Extreme™ upscales compressed digital music files in real-time, including those from popular streaming services8. It dynamically recognizes each song’s instrumentation, musical genre and individual elements, and restores high-range sound lost in compression.
A = Expanded audio dynamics (strings and whisper-quiet subtleties)
B = Restored high frequencies (acoustic and vocal instrument realism)
Comfortable and secure
Our WF-1000XM5 earbuds feature a shape that perfectly matches the human ear with an ergonomic design for a more stable fit. We’ve designed the WF-1000XM5 utilizing extensive ear-shape data collated since introducing the world’s first in-ear headphones in 1982. Our continuous evaluation of different ear shapes and sensitivities has helped us design an ideal earbud shape, secure and comfortable for almost everybody.
Detects speech vibrations to enhance clarity
Bone conduction sensors pick up the vibration of your voice directly from your skull bones, helping to isolate your speech from ambient sounds and background noise, for clear calls in even loud environments.
Control with your voice
Get hands-free help by saying “Ok Google” or “Alexa” to activate your preferred voice assistant. Then, listen to music, connect with friends, get notifications, set reminders, and more. You can even control the features of your headphones, like noise cancellation with your voice
Head-tracking function
Head tracking ensures a realistic and compelling listening experience by automatically adjusting sound fields to compensate for your head movement. Sounds are precisely aligned with your smartphone screen, even as you move, to completely involve you in your viewing by connecting to compatible smartphones/services.
Control headphones with head gestures
You can operate your earbuds using natural head gestures like receiving or declining calls or operating Auto Play by nodding or shaking your head.
Listen all day, charge in minutes
You can enjoy up to 8 hours of charge on your headphones and store another up to 16 hours in the case for a total of up to 24 hours of listening every time you leave the house. And, for your convenience, a 3-minute quick charge will give you up to 60 minutes of play. The Sony | Headphones Connect app will notify you when your charging case drops below 30%.
Water resistant for everyday use
With an IPX4 water resistance rating, splashes and sweat won’t stop these headphones – so you can keep moving to the music
