Customer reviews from sony.com
Sony - Refurbished Excellent - WH-1000XM5 Wireless Noise Cancelling Over-the-Ear Headphones - Black
Average customer rating
4.1
(351 Reviews)
Rating breakdown 351 reviews
5 Stars
230
4 Stars
39
3 Stars
21
2 Stars
13
1 Star
48
79%of customers recommend this product.
(
261 out of
331)
Customer Reviews for Sony - Refurbished Excellent - WH-1000XM5 Wireless Noise Cancelling Over-the-Ear Headphones - Black
Customer Rating
1
Designed horribly, breaks from natural use
on August 13, 2026
Posted by: Vin64
Gender:Male
I bought the headphones 9 months ago liked them but they didn't feel much better from the wh-1000xm4, until 3 months ago they started breaking. The speaker cup broke off where the headphones twist from just normal use, I fixed it with hot glue then recently the other side broke. I am very careful with my headphones I dont even put them in bags, only on my head or case/stand so there is no reason for them to break easily. Even my wh-1000xm4 have lasted over 3 years of constant use with no physical issues. The cherry on top I contact Sony since i have a warranty and they denied it admitting it broke from natural use and still wouldn't be covered. Would not recommend this gen of the wh, find a refurbished xm4 or better another company.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Response from sony.comBy Fred, Sony North America Customer Support, August 14, 2026
Hello Vin64,
Thank you for considering Sony products.
We are truly sorry to hear about the issues with your WH1000XM5 headphones, especially after you have taken such careful care of them. We understand how frustrating it is when a product does not last as expected, particularly compared to your previous model.
Based on the description of the damage, this type of breakage unfortunately falls outside the coverage of Sony’s warranty. However, we want to support you with a repair option through our Authorized Servicer, Encompass. They can repair your headphones for a flat rate of $92.49 plus tax, which includes shipping back to you after the repair.
If you choose to use this service, we are here to help with the process. You can also reach Encompass directly at (866) 835-1146, Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 6:00 pm ET, or by email at service@encompass.com.
We appreciate your feedback and are committed to assisting you as best we can.
Best regards,
-Fred
Thank you for considering Sony products.
We are truly sorry to hear about the issues with your WH1000XM5 headphones, especially after you have taken such careful care of them. We understand how frustrating it is when a product does not last as expected, particularly compared to your previous model.
Based on the description of the damage, this type of breakage unfortunately falls outside the coverage of Sony’s warranty. However, we want to support you with a repair option through our Authorized Servicer, Encompass. They can repair your headphones for a flat rate of $92.49 plus tax, which includes shipping back to you after the repair.
If you choose to use this service, we are here to help with the process. You can also reach Encompass directly at (866) 835-1146, Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 6:00 pm ET, or by email at service@encompass.com.
We appreciate your feedback and are committed to assisting you as best we can.
Best regards,
-Fred
Written by a customer while visiting sony.com
Customer Rating
1
Defective unit and painful replacement process
on July 18, 2026
Posted by: john2196
Gender:Male
Sound quality and noise cancellation are excellent, but my unit developed a strange issue, faint background audio bleeding through even when nothing was playing, with no clear cause after multiple troubleshooting steps and a firmware update. Sony support confirmed it needed a replacement, but the process was a hassle: I had to purchase a shipping label myself, print it out, and drop the package off in person. Now I'm looking at roughly two more weeks without headphones before a replacement arrives. For a premium-priced product, I expected either better quality control or a smoother, more customer-friendly replacement process.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Response from sony.comBy Fred, Sony North America Customer Support, July 20, 2026
Hello there,
Thank you for considering Sony products.
We are sorry to hear about the issue you experienced with your WH-1000XM5 headphones, especially the faint background audio bleeding through despite your efforts with troubleshooting and the firmware update. We understand how frustrating the replacement process must have been, including the need to purchase and print a shipping label and arrange the drop-off yourself. We recognize that being without your headphones for an extended period adds to the inconvenience. This situation does not reflect the high standards we aim to uphold, and we truly appreciate you sharing these concerns. We will pass your feedback on to the appropriate Sony team as we continue to work on improving both our products and service experience.
Best regards,
-Fred
Thank you for considering Sony products.
We are sorry to hear about the issue you experienced with your WH-1000XM5 headphones, especially the faint background audio bleeding through despite your efforts with troubleshooting and the firmware update. We understand how frustrating the replacement process must have been, including the need to purchase and print a shipping label and arrange the drop-off yourself. We recognize that being without your headphones for an extended period adds to the inconvenience. This situation does not reflect the high standards we aim to uphold, and we truly appreciate you sharing these concerns. We will pass your feedback on to the appropriate Sony team as we continue to work on improving both our products and service experience.
Best regards,
-Fred
Written by a customer while visiting sony.com
Customer Rating
1
Do Not Buy Sony
on June 30, 2026
Posted by: Customer3
Gender:Male
I received these headphones about 6 months ago as a gift. I absolutely loved everything about them until the hinge broke and I was then told to go pay money to fix it. It seems everywhere I look this is considered a known issue and that Sony is deciding to just ignore everyone it is happening to. This has been about the worst possible product experience I have ever had and I plan to continually tell people to avoid Sony products because of it. Quite the wild move to ruin your reputation as a company over not owning up to poorly made plastic.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Response from sony.comBy Gus, Sony North America Customer Support, July 1, 2026
Thank you for the detailed feedback!
We are so glad to hear you absolutely loved everything about the sound and experience at first, but we are incredibly sorry about that broken hinge. We want our headphones to be as durable as they are smart, so we are definitely passing your notes about the hinge structure straight to our engineering team to look into for future design tweaks.
Since our limited warranty only covers internal factory defects and doesn't cover physical damage to the exterior structure, we unfortunately aren't able to offer a different support outcome on the repair costs. We really appreciate you sharing your experience so we can keep improving our build quality moving forward.
Thank you for choosing Sony!
Best regards,
Gus, Sony Social Media Team
We are so glad to hear you absolutely loved everything about the sound and experience at first, but we are incredibly sorry about that broken hinge. We want our headphones to be as durable as they are smart, so we are definitely passing your notes about the hinge structure straight to our engineering team to look into for future design tweaks.
Since our limited warranty only covers internal factory defects and doesn't cover physical damage to the exterior structure, we unfortunately aren't able to offer a different support outcome on the repair costs. We really appreciate you sharing your experience so we can keep improving our build quality moving forward.
Thank you for choosing Sony!
Best regards,
Gus, Sony Social Media Team
Written by a customer while visiting sony.com
Customer Rating
1
Poor build breaks super easy.
on June 21, 2026
Posted by: Nav12
Gender:Male
I bought this and as ANC headphones they are great. What's not great is the same hinge issue that has plagued this series. Hinge broke within a couple of months of purchase. Not even do to poor handling or over filding. These headphones sat on my head or desk untill they just snapped. Terrible build quality for the price. Made me not ever want to buy the product line again.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Response from sony.comBy Sony North America Customer Support, June 22, 2026
Hi Nav12,
Thank you for taking the time to share your detailed feedback regarding your experience with the WH-1000XM5 headphones. We completely understand how frustrating it is to encounter a structural failure like a broken hinge, especially given your careful handling and daily use of the product.
While we take all reports of material concerns seriously, our limited warranty is designed to cover internal manufacturing defects rather than external physical damage or structural breaks. Please know that we genuinely value your perspective, and we have shared your observations regarding the hinge reinforcement directly with our design and engineering teams for future product considerations.
To help you get your headphones back to working order, we have partnered with Encompass to offer professional out-of-warranty repair options.
Phone: 1-866-835-1146
Email: service@encompass.com
Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM EST
They will be able to provide you with the most efficient repair solutions available.
Thank you for considering Sony!
Regards,
Dominick
Thank you for taking the time to share your detailed feedback regarding your experience with the WH-1000XM5 headphones. We completely understand how frustrating it is to encounter a structural failure like a broken hinge, especially given your careful handling and daily use of the product.
While we take all reports of material concerns seriously, our limited warranty is designed to cover internal manufacturing defects rather than external physical damage or structural breaks. Please know that we genuinely value your perspective, and we have shared your observations regarding the hinge reinforcement directly with our design and engineering teams for future product considerations.
To help you get your headphones back to working order, we have partnered with Encompass to offer professional out-of-warranty repair options.
Phone: 1-866-835-1146
Email: service@encompass.com
Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM EST
They will be able to provide you with the most efficient repair solutions available.
Thank you for considering Sony!
Regards,
Dominick
Written by a customer while visiting sony.com
Customer Rating
1
Poor quality and no customer support
on June 19, 2026
Posted by: LarryC827
Gender:Male
I bought a second pair in less than a year because the original pair broke. Thought my 18 year old daughter may have been rough with them. Second pair broke within 6 months even with extended warranty no assistance. Although the sound and noise canceling is awesome I do not recommend buying Sony headphones they are expensive for the quality and no help other than charging for repairs on a common issue from what I see online.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Response from sony.comBy Estefany, Sony North America Customer Support, June 20, 2026
Hi there,
Thanks for the feedback. We're truly sorry to hear that both pairs of headphones broke so quickly, especially since you love the sound and noise canceling features. We completely understand your frustration with the warranty situation.
We highly recommend reaching out directly to the store or company where you bought that extended warranty to reconfirm your coverage.
If they can't help, we want to make sure you're taken care of. We've partnered with our parts supplier, Encompass, to offer a low-cost repair option. If you want to give that a try, here is how you can reach them:
Phone: 1-866-835-1146
Email: service@encompass.com
Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 6:00 pm EST
Thanks for considering Sony. We appreciate you sharing your experience.
Warm regards,
Estefany
Thanks for the feedback. We're truly sorry to hear that both pairs of headphones broke so quickly, especially since you love the sound and noise canceling features. We completely understand your frustration with the warranty situation.
We highly recommend reaching out directly to the store or company where you bought that extended warranty to reconfirm your coverage.
If they can't help, we want to make sure you're taken care of. We've partnered with our parts supplier, Encompass, to offer a low-cost repair option. If you want to give that a try, here is how you can reach them:
Phone: 1-866-835-1146
Email: service@encompass.com
Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 6:00 pm EST
Thanks for considering Sony. We appreciate you sharing your experience.
Warm regards,
Estefany
Written by a customer while visiting sony.com
Customer Rating
1
Another failed hinge point
on May 28, 2026
Posted by: Tommy1957
Gender:Male
I had great hope in this redesigned headset. Every high-end Siny headset I have purchased failed at the hinge point. My experience with this redesigned hinge point was very sad, as this hinge also broke.
When they break they become unwearable.
I really don't want to continue buying high-end products from Sony only to have them keep failing.
I an done with Sony. Grrrrrrr.
When they break they become unwearable.
I really don't want to continue buying high-end products from Sony only to have them keep failing.
I an done with Sony. Grrrrrrr.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Response from sony.comBy Estefany, Sony North America Customer Support, May 28, 2026
Hi Tommy1957,
Thanks for the feedback. We're so sorry to hear that the headband on your WH-1000XM5 broke, especially after your loyalty to our headphones. We completely understand your frustration, and we want to help make this right.
We have partnered with our parts supplier, Encompass, to offer a low cost repair specifically for a broken headband on this exact model (please note this special offer doesn't apply to other models or different issues).
You can reach out to them directly to get this sorted out:
Phone: 1-866-835-1146
Email: service@encompass.com
Hours: Monday - Friday: 8:00 am - 6:00 pm EST
We appreciate you giving Sony a chance with this product. We hope we can win back your trust.
Warm regards,
Estefany
Thanks for the feedback. We're so sorry to hear that the headband on your WH-1000XM5 broke, especially after your loyalty to our headphones. We completely understand your frustration, and we want to help make this right.
We have partnered with our parts supplier, Encompass, to offer a low cost repair specifically for a broken headband on this exact model (please note this special offer doesn't apply to other models or different issues).
You can reach out to them directly to get this sorted out:
Phone: 1-866-835-1146
Email: service@encompass.com
Hours: Monday - Friday: 8:00 am - 6:00 pm EST
We appreciate you giving Sony a chance with this product. We hope we can win back your trust.
Warm regards,
Estefany
Written by a customer while visiting sony.com
Customer Rating
5
Really Great
on April 17, 2026
Posted by: MWeb
Yesterday I biked into a railing on a highway overpass and the headphones launched off my head and I watched terrified as they soared and landed on the shoulder. I managed to retrieve them and besides very minimal scuffing, they are still performing excellently.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Response from sony.comBy Sony North America Customer Support, April 18, 2026
Hi there,
We are elated to hear that your headphones survived such a harrowing fall and are still performing excellently for you. It is a testament to the premium build quality of the WH-1000XM5 that they could endure such an impact and continue to deliver industry-leading noise cancellation and exceptional audio clarity without missing a beat. We are relieved that you were able to retrieve them safely and that their durable design kept your music playing despite the accident.
Thank you for trusting Sony to keep up with your active lifestyle!
Regards,
Dominick
We are elated to hear that your headphones survived such a harrowing fall and are still performing excellently for you. It is a testament to the premium build quality of the WH-1000XM5 that they could endure such an impact and continue to deliver industry-leading noise cancellation and exceptional audio clarity without missing a beat. We are relieved that you were able to retrieve them safely and that their durable design kept your music playing despite the accident.
Thank you for trusting Sony to keep up with your active lifestyle!
Regards,
Dominick
Written by a customer while visiting sony.com
Customer Rating
1
Design Flaw
on April 5, 2026
Posted by: AMejiaG
Gender:Male
I got these headphones less than a year ago and the hinges have snapped out of place on both sides of the headphones. Initially i glued the hinge back into place the first time it happened and now it had happened on the other side. Extremely upset as I paid full price and anytime i speak with anyone about repairs I am told that it does not fall under the warranty. I recommend you save yourself the time and money and invest in other headphones by other companies because this design flaw appears to be common with Sony headphones. I originally enjoyed the sound quality of the project and was certain that the headphones were the ones for me but now that this has happened to both sides and I find it it has happened to many others it makes me question my overall purchase
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Response from sony.comBy Fred, Sony North America Customer Support, April 6, 2026
Hello there,
Thank you for considering Sony products.
We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience you have experienced with your WH-1000XM5 headphones. We understand how frustrating it must be to have the hinges snap on both sides, especially after investing in what you expected to be a durable product. Please note that the warranty generally covers manufacturing defects and does not include accidental damage or wear over time. However, to assist you further, we recommend reaching out to our authorized repair partner, Encompass, who can offer repair options that may be more affordable for you. You can find more information here: https://sony.encompass.com/item/15214669/Sony/WH1000XM5-HBR/.
We hope this helps you get back to enjoying your headphones soon. Thank you for your understanding, and please don’t hesitate to contact us if you need further assistance.
Best regards,
-Fred
Thank you for considering Sony products.
We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience you have experienced with your WH-1000XM5 headphones. We understand how frustrating it must be to have the hinges snap on both sides, especially after investing in what you expected to be a durable product. Please note that the warranty generally covers manufacturing defects and does not include accidental damage or wear over time. However, to assist you further, we recommend reaching out to our authorized repair partner, Encompass, who can offer repair options that may be more affordable for you. You can find more information here: https://sony.encompass.com/item/15214669/Sony/WH1000XM5-HBR/.
We hope this helps you get back to enjoying your headphones soon. Thank you for your understanding, and please don’t hesitate to contact us if you need further assistance.
Best regards,
-Fred
Written by a customer while visiting sony.com