Eighteen Months With the Sony WH-1000XM5
Our audio critic spent a year and a half with Sony's flagship noise-cancelling headphones — on planes, in offices, and at a writing desk. The verdict is mixed in interesting ways.
How this piece was assessed
- Format
- Editorial guide
- Reviewed by
- Theo Marchetti — Audio Critic
- Fact-checked by
- Imogen Hale — Editor-in-Chief
- Evaluation
- Real-world use over months or years. Hearthline does not lab-test or instrument-bench products. Read our methodology.
- Review date
- 8 April 2025
- Last reviewed
- 2026-05-15
Noise cancelling is now table stakes in this category. What separates flagship headphones is everything around the noise cancelling: the tuning, the calls, the app, the firmware behaviour over time.
Our reviewer has used the WH-1000XM5 daily for eighteen months across travel, office, and home use.
We first published this piece in April 2025 and have revisited the recommendation through 2026-05-15. What follows reflects what survived that review window — the observations we still stand behind, the caveats worth knowing before purchase, and the small ways the piece has aged in ordinary use.
The summary
The Sony WH-1000XM5 is the most capable consumer noise-cancelling headphone we have tested. It is also the one whose strengths most clearly depend on whether you can tolerate Sony's software ecosystem.
In its favour
- Best-in-class noise cancellation on aircraft and in open offices.
- Comfortable for genuinely long sessions — no hot spots after eight hours.
- Call quality is materially better than the previous generation.
Where it falls short
- Sony's app remains a frequent annoyance: required for some features, opinionated about updates.
- Folding hinge is gone — case is larger than its predecessor's.
- Default EQ skews warmer than neutral; most listeners will tune it down.
Who it's for
- — Frequent flyers and open-plan office workers.
- — Listeners who value comfort and isolation above pure neutrality.
Who should skip it
- — You refuse vendor apps on principle.
- — You need a foldable headphone for a small bag.
Buying guidance
- Tune the EQ once and forget the app exists.
- The carrying case is the actual size you will live with — measure your bag.
- Plan for the trade-off most new owners only notice in the second month: sony's app remains a frequent annoyance: required for some features, opinionated about updates. It is workable, but it is easier to design around at the point of purchase than to discover afterwards.
- Take the second caveat above seriously when comparing across price tiers — folding hinge is gone — case is larger than its predecessor's. The cheaper alternatives in the category usually share the same limitation, so paying more rarely solves it.
- Buy where the piece can be repaired or replaced part-by-part rather than discarded whole. The version we keep recommending is the one we would re-purchase today on its merits, not the cheapest unit that met the spec sheet.
Alternatives we considered
Bose QuietComfort Ultra
More neutral default tuning; slightly weaker low-frequency cancellation.
Sennheiser Momentum 4 Wireless
Better default sound for music; less effective noise cancellation in flight.
Reader questions
- Does the noise cancellation degrade over time?
- Not in our testing across eighteen months. Pad wear is the more likely long-term issue.
- Are the ear pads replaceable?
- Yes, by an authorised Sony service centre. Self-replacement is possible but voids warranty.
- How does Sony WH-1000XM5 Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones hold up over time?
- A full year of ownership has produced no failures we would consider disqualifying. The wear patterns are visible — that is true of anything used daily — but the piece continues to do the work we bought it for. We last revisited the recommendation on 2026-05-15, and the verdict held.
- What maintenance does it actually need?
- Most of the upkeep is preventative rather than corrective. Follow the manufacturer's care notes for the first six months; after that, the routine you settle into matters more than the one printed on the box. The "Where it falls short" column above flags the specific points worth being attentive to.
Editorial verdict
If your priority is silence on a flight and comfort across a long working day, this is still the recommendation. If you want a headphone that disappears from your attention entirely, the Bose alternative may be a better fit.
Update history
- 2025-10-15Added notes on the firmware update that changed the EQ default.
- 2025-04-08Initial publication.
Written by
Theo MarchettiAudio Critic
Theo is a former mastering engineer. He covers headphones, speakers, and listening rooms — and writes about audio without resorting to mysticism.
Edited & fact-checked by
Imogen HaleEditor-in-Chief
Imogen spent eleven years at trade publications covering domestic design and materials before founding Hearthline. She edits the publication's reviewing standards and oversees fact-checking across every desk.
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