Customer Reviews for Sony - Refurbished Excellent - WH-1000XM5 Wireless Noise Cancelling Over-the-Ear Headphones - Silver
Customer Rating
5
Great headphones
on April 25, 2025
Posted by: in2caffeine
Gender:Male
Great soinding headphones! really nice soind and mics.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Response from sony.comBy Sony North America Customer Support, April 26, 2025
Hi In2caffeine, thanks for the fantastic 5-star rating! We are thrilled to hear you're enjoying our industry-leading noise canceling Sony - WH1000XM5. These headphones have been engineered to perfection, to produce magnificent sound with ultra-comfortable and lightweight design. Thank you for choosing Sony, and enjoy the music! Regards, -Dominick
Written by a customer while visiting sony.com
Customer Rating
3
Good sound disapointing strength
on September 4, 2025
Posted by: bhpbop
Overal good pair of headphones, but the build quality is mid at best.
I am no audiophile, and have not purchased a headset this expensive before. I have used several other mid to low-range devices and can appreciate the difference. The price is for the noise-canceling function. The quality of the music is notable in comparison to other devices. It is very noticeable when I am in public/noisy environments.
For the price, the build is disappointing. The controls work most of the time, but start to act up the longer I wear them. I suspect the pressure pad is either getting humid or depressed as I wear them. I have to turn off the control features if I wear them for more than an hour. The hinge also broke while wearing for normal use. I will admit to being a more blunt person, but I cannot point to any major drop/pressure that would explain the break. Search the internet for "1000XM5 hinge" and you'll see what I mean. For hundreds of dollars and version 5 you would think these issues would be better and not worse.
Response from sony.comBy Sony North America Costumer Support, September 4, 2025
Hi bhpbop, Thanks for your honest and detailed review of the WH-1000XM5 headphones. We genuinely appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback, as it's crucial for us to understand the customer experience. We appreciate that you've highlighted the strengths of the XM5s, including the industry-leading noise cancellation and the high-quality audio performance. These features are a direct result of our focus on delivering the best possible listening experience in noisy environments. We're very sorry to hear about the issues you've faced with the build quality and the touch controls. This is certainly not the experience we want for our customers, especially with a premium product. As a valued customer, we would like to offer our support. Please visit our repair center at https://sony.encompass.com/parts-accessories/Sony-Repair-Services
We want to apologize again for the bad experience, and appreciate you choosing Sony! Sincerely, Jenn | Sony North America.
Written by a customer while visiting sony.com
Customer Rating
2
Good sound quality but broke
on February 1, 2026
Posted by: K2subra
Gender:Male
I bought this 6 months back and the ear cups broke near the rotating hinge. Its unusable now :(
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Response from sony.comBy Estefany, Sony North America Customer Support, February 2, 2026
Hi K2subra, Thank you so much for sharing all the details about what happened with your headphones. We're really sorry to hear that your WH-1000XM5 broke near the hinge.
Based on the information you provided, this kind of damage isn’t considered normal wear and tear, so it isn’t covered under the terms of the warranty. We know that’s disappointing and we apologize for any inconvenience this causes.
However, we want to help. We’ve partnered with our parts supplier, Encompass, to offer a low-cost repair. This special offer is just for a broken headband on the WH-1000XM5 model and doesn’t apply to other headphone models or different types of issues.
Here is Encompass’s contact information so you can reach out to them directly for this repair: Phone: 1-866-835-1146 Email: service@encompass.com Hour of Operations: Monday - Friday: 8:00 am - 6:00 pm EST
Thanks for considering Sony headphones and letting us know about this issue. Warm regards, Estefany
Written by a customer while visiting sony.com
Customer Rating
1
Arm snapped after just over a year of light use
on February 3, 2026
Posted by: Anonymous
I am honestly pretty peeved about this - I paid these headphones off over a year, and as soon as I did and the warranty expired one of the arms cracked and they’re completely unwearable because they don’t fit right anymore. I had the XM3 version of these previously and actually still have them, although the noise canceling no longer works, so I’m really disappointed in the quality of these. Their build is significantly cheaper and less sturdy than their predecessor. And the only option for repair is to send to a third party - who will charge you whether or not they can fix them. I’ve been a big Sony fan for years but I will be switching companies.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Response from sony.comBy Estefany, Sony North America Customer Support, February 4, 2026
Hi there, Thank you for sharing your feedback. We're truly sorry to hear about the trouble with your WH-1000XM5 headphones.
Regrettably, damage like this isn’t considered normal wear and tear, so it isn’t covered under the terms of our warranty. We know this isn’t the answer you were hoping for and we're truly sorry we can’t offer a different solution.
Right now, the only way to get your headphones repaired is to send them to our parts supplier, Encompass. They’ll be able to assess the damage and let you know the repair options and costs.
We really appreciate your feedback and support of Sony over the years. We're sorry again for the situation. Warm regards, Estefany
Written by a customer while visiting sony.com
Customer Rating
3
meh
on February 9, 2026
Posted by: emeb
Gender:Female
Sounds fine. Not the best noise canceling. if you are trying to make calls, don’t buy these - the microphone does not function at all. the automatic turn off stopped working and battery power time shortened about six months in so they die constantly if you don’t remember to turn them off immediately.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Response from sony.comBy Fred, Sony North America Customer Support, February 10, 2026
Hello Emeb,
Thank you for considering Sony products.
We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience you've experienced with your WH1000XM5 headphones, particularly regarding the microphone functionality during calls, the automatic turn-off feature, and the reduced battery life. We’re glad to hear that the sound quality is good.
To help get your device back in working order, we suggest trying the following troubleshooting steps:
Check "Auto Power Off" Settings: Open the Sony Headphones Connect app and verify that the "Automatic Power Off" function is enabled. You can find detailed instructions here: https://helpguide.sony.net/mdr/hpc/v1/en/contents/TP0002935917.html
Call Issues: For microphone and call-related problems, please follow the troubleshooting steps outlined in this guide: https://helpguide.sony.net/mdr/wh1000xm5/v1/en/contents/TP1000534697.html
Reset the Headset: Try resetting the headphones to resolve minor glitches. Instructions are available here: https://helpguide.sony.net/mdr/wh1000xm5/v1/en/contents/TP1000541012.html
Initialize the Headset: If resetting doesn’t help, you can initialize the headset to restore factory settings. Learn how here: https://helpguide.sony.net/mdr/wh1000xm5/v1/en/contents/TP1000541013.html
Firmware Update: Ensure your headphones are updated to Firmware Version 2.5.1, which includes important fixes. You can download the update here: https://www.sony.com/electronics/support/wireless-headphones-bluetooth-headphones/wh-1000xm5/software/00278246
If the issues persist after these steps, we encourage you to contact our dedicated support team for further assistance and advanced troubleshooting. You can find all contact options and resources here: https://us.esupport.sony.com/support/s/support-contact?language=en_US&category=headphones
WH-1000XM5 has a more balanced frequency response compared to the WH-1000XM3. It also does a better job with noise canceling. I really enjoyed the fact that you don't feel as much pressure in your ears due to the ANC, and I find myself using the headphones microphone this time around due to the improved microphone and it does a decent job at canceling the surrounding noise. The added features makes this headphones easier to use and it seems to be more responsive to inputs.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Response from sony.comBy Sony North America Customer Support, June 4, 2022
Hi Sergon,
Amazing! We're thrilled that you are enjoying the sound quality, noise canceling function, fit, mic, and responsiveness of the headphones. The WH-1000XM5 headphones have 2 processors that control 8 microphones for unprecedented noise cancellation and exceptional call quality. With a newly developed 30mm driver, DSEE – Extreme and Hi-Res audio support they provide awe-inspiring audio quality. Our Voice Pickup Technology uses 4 microphones that are calibrated to only pick up your voice, resulting in crystal clear calls. The automatic Speak to Chat feature will stop your music once you start talking and let in the ambient sound. With up to 30 hours of battery life and a quick charge feature. The new lightweight WH-1000XM5 headphones provide all day comfort in an elegant design. Thanks for choosing Sony!
Bought this a month ago. Works great sounds great. First Sony product and I am pleased.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Response from sony.comBy Sony North America Customer Support, June 3, 2022
Hi Kylek,
You made the right choice! We're glad that you like the sound quality of the headphones. The WH-1000XM5 headphones have 2 processors that control 8 microphones for unprecedented noise cancellation and exceptional call quality. With a newly developed 30mm driver, DSEE – Extreme and Hi-Res audio support they provide awe-inspiring audio quality. Our Voice Pickup Technology uses 4 microphones that are calibrated to only pick up your voice, resulting in crystal clear calls. The automatic Speak to Chat feature will stop your music once you start talking and let in the ambient sound. With up to 30 hours of battery life and a quick charge feature. The new lightweight WH-1000XM5 headphones provide all day comfort in an elegant design. Thanks for choosing Sony!
I bought it and sounds good but one issue is the noise cancellation is an average and has no foldable flaps like in xm4. But, superior sound and great features for xm5.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Response from sony.comBy Sony North America Customer Support, June 3, 2022
Hi Jythin,
Thank you so much for your review.
We are thrilled to hear you are satisfied with the amazing features and incredible sound quality of our WH-1000XM5. We truly appreciate your input with the design and noise canceling function of these headphones.
For the noise canceling, you may find the following link helpful: https://helpguide.sony.net/mdr/wh1000xm5/v1/en/contents/TP1000534745.html
The WH-1000XM5 headphones have 2 processors that control 8 microphones for unprecedented noise cancellation and exceptional call quality. With a newly developed 30mm driver, DSEE – Extreme and Hi-Res audio support they provide awe-inspiring audio quality. Our Voice Pickup Technology uses 4 microphones that are calibrated to only pick up your voice, resulting in crystal clear calls. The automatic Speak to Chat feature will stop your music once you start talking and let in the ambient sound. With up to 30 hours of battery life and a quick charge feature. The new lightweight WH-1000XM5 headphones provide all day comfort in an elegant design.
Should you need more information or technical assistance with our product, please feel free to contact us and we'll be more than happy to assist you. You may send us an email at socialsupport@am.sony.com with the following:
Name: Sony.com Username: Model Number: Issue: Telephone Number:
Thank you so much for your purchase and for choosing Sony!