Sony has finally released the WF-1000XM5 earbuds which boast active noise cancellation and “next-level immersive sound”.
The latest Sony WF-1000XM5 has been announced, available to buy in August 2023 at the price of $299 / £259 / €320.
The Sony WF-1000XM4 scored 5 stars from our TV & Audio Editor, who wrote that they featured an impressively rich sound and excellent noise cancellation. You can read what we thought of the WF-1000XM5 in our review.
Since its predecessor is so well-regarded, we compared these two Sony wireless earbuds to see what the critical differences and similarities are between them.
New Integrated Processor V2 on the WF-1000XM5
The WF-1000XM5 feature the newly developed Integrated Processor V2. Sony claims this latest processor has unlocked the potential of the also new HD Noise Cancelling Processor QN2e to deliver unprecedented noise-cancelling quality that adapts to any environment.
With the ability to process audio up to 24-bit and with high-performance analogue amplification, the aim is to provide low distortion and clear reproduction of audio.
The WF-1000XM5 are smaller and lighter
The WF-1000XM4 featured a design that some felt were on the bulky side. With the WF-1000XM5, Sony has reduced them by 25% in size and also made them 20% lighter than its predecessor. Sony says this offers a more stable and secure fit for all-day comfort.
They also come with newly shaped earbud tips that come in a new extra small size, which should make them more accessible to a wider audience.
Promise of better call quality on the new earphones
For call quality, the new earphones use bone conduction sensors that the WF-1000XM4 had, but also features a new noise reduction engine combined with A.I. learning machine learning that makes use of a Deep Neural Network (DNN). The aim of all these features is to provide even better call clarity and less noise than before.
New Dynamic Driver X on the WF-1000XM5
In terms of sound quality, the WF-1000XM4 used 6mm dynamic drivers but it’s all change with the WF-1000XM5, which sports a completely different design for driver.
The Dynamic Driver X features new structured diaphragm made from several materials, and Sony claims that this new structure will allow for a wider reproduction of the frequency range. This should allow for finer detail to vocals, and richer, more accurate bass frequencies.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
