Sony WF-1000XM5: New driver and improved noise cancellation

Sony presented an update to its flagship TWS headphones. The headphones are expected to be called the WF-1000XM5 and includes an updated emitter, a new sound processing processor and promises improved noise reduction.

With the WF-1000XM5, Sony focused on two key aspects: sound quality and noise cancellation. The use of a new driver, Dynamic Driver X, provides “wide frequency reproduction, deep bass and clear vocal parts,” according to Sony. Special emphasis is placed on the improvement in low frequencies, although the Sony WF-1000XM4 already had impressive characteristics in this aspect. If Sony has been able to make significant improvements in this area, that’s admirable.

The Dynamic Driver X speaker diaphragm structure combines several different materials for the dome and edge, which Sony claims helps reduce distortion.

Noise cancellation should be improved by the addition of two more microphones (one for each earcup), for a total of three microphones per module now. Sony promises improved low-frequency noise cancellation and calls it “the biggest step forward in noise cancellation” in their history.

In addition, there is a new processor – Integrated Processor V2, which takes the place of V1, which was in the XM4 model, and works in tandem with the HD Noise Canceling Processor QN2e. This provides “unparalleled” noise cancellation that adapts to your environment. It seems that the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II headphones have received a worthy competitor.

Also new to the XM5 is head tracking, although it’s limited to Sony 360 Reality Audio tracks and only available on Android devices. This automatically adjusts sound fields to compensate for head movements, similar to Apple’s Spatial Audio technology. So, if you’re watching something on your smartphone and turn your head, for example to look out the window, the sound will stay connected to your phone. This is especially important when playing games with augmented reality.

Sony promises that the XM5 will provide the brand’s “best call quality”, your voice will be clear no matter the situation. This is achieved using a noise reduction algorithm based on artificial neural networks (DNN) and bone conduction sensors. And like the XM4 model, the wind noise reduction structure will help reduce any wind noise.

The exterior has also been updated. Although it’s not as radical as the full-sized WH-1000XM5 compared to the WH-1000XM4. Now the headphones have a new glossy texture and their size has become smaller by about 25 percent, and the weight is 20% less compared to their predecessors. This will provide greater comfort during long-term wear. There is also a new, smallest size of ear pads – SS.

Some things have remained unchanged from the XM4 model, and that’s not a bad thing. Ear pads for noise reduction are made of the same material – polyurethane foam, which reduces noise in the high frequency range. The headphones support the same LDAC codec for high-quality audio transmission (not surprising, since they are produced by Sony), DSEE Extreme technology to improve the quality of upsampling and virtual sound volume 360 ​​Reality Audio. They also share many of the same features, such as Adaptive Sound Control, Speak-to-Chat and Multipoint, which allows you to connect two Bluetooth devices in parallel and switch between them. Quick connect, Swift Pair and voice assistants are also available and working properly.