Sony WH-1000XM5/B Wireless Industry Leading Noise Canceling Bluetooth Headphones (Renewed)

This “B” (renewed) version of the Sony 1000/5’s is probably one of the best values for a top quality Bluetooth headphone currently available. It’s a no-frills presentation with the Sony “B” when it arrives. Brown Amazon box, zippered headphone case in a plastic bag, 90 day warranty info, the plug-in cord (yes, you can plug these in AND use them as Bluetooth phones!) and the power cord - see the photo. For a really in-depth review of these phones, refer to John Darko’s review of them on Darko Audio on the web. John’s review covers all the finer points in great detail. John’s video was recorded on 10/11/22 and compares the Sony WH-5000XM5’s to Bowers and Wilkins Px7 s2’s which are also $399 - the same price as the new Sony model. My take on the Sonys - - they fit well and are comfortable for a few hours - they can be used as a corded phone by leaving the power off and just plugging them in - the fold flat but they don’t fold up like the version 1-4 did. That’s not a big deal for me, I travel with ear buds, not over ear phones. - the app has a LOT of flexibility for adjusting the sound and system. - the controls work well on the right ear cup. Volume up and down, play/pause, track back or advance to name a few. - audio evaluations are inherently subjective. I have a pair of Meze 99’s Classics that I use daily as well. The Sony have great bass, the Meze phones do as well. The mid-range on the Meze seems more refined but I’m using the Ifi Zen Can amp tuned for the Meze 99’s so it’s not really a fair comparison. - not a mark or any visible defect anywhere on the “B” version that I bought. They look and sound brand new. For rhe $130 off off list for the “B” versus new, I don’t think you can get a better sound quality and app flexibility from a closed, over ear cordless phone for the price. Hope that helps!

If you want a quality over-ear headphone that doesn't crush your wallet, then here you go. They look and feel premium, without the super high premium price tag. I take these on my international trips for the noise cancelling function on the airplane. They are comfortable and the audio quality is solid, and you can enable the audio passthrough which allows you to listen to your media and still hear your surroundings, making them a safer headphone to wear while walking in public or riding public transportation. The earcup gensture controls are super convenient, which allows you to adjust volume, pause, play, next track, and prev. track all without touching your device. 10/10 recommend

In my very subjective option, these are the best value by far! I like an "exciting" sound profile - pretty much a "V" EQ so long as bass isn't muddy and treble isn't taxing. These are BY FAR better than the following I tested (even with dedicated headphone amplifiers): HDB 630, Momemtum 4 (close but not as good), Meze Audio 99 NEO, Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro 250 ohm, DT 990 600 ohm. I actually just ordered them on a lark - glad I did. Noise cancellation isn't a priority - so my review isn't really about that - just music listening.

I got these for $250 with amazon refurbished and I've had them for a year now and experienced no issues. For the most part they are great headphones, they have good sound quality and noise cancelling as well as a long battery life. I also enjoy that there is an app you can use to control the settings for them. That being said I definitely wouldn't go out and spend $300+ on them because they aren't anything amazing and still have their cons. For me i find them to not have the best fit and when being walking around or being active they tend to move around or fall off easily, so if you are needing gym or running headphones you might be better off with something else. Also, the touch controls are very sensitive and can be somewhat confusing + annoying since they make a sound effect when you touch the outside of the earphone (this tends to be an issue when lying down especially if you want to turn on your side). Overall I think most people would enjoy the quality of these compared to other over the ear headphones and I say they are worth it if you can get them for a good price.

Great set of headphones. I could just not commit to 450.00 for a new set of xm6 so went with the renewed xm5 and surprisingly happy about purchase. Got a wonderful set of headphones without the crazy price. Very comfortable on the ears and head. Noise reduction is so good that you can't even hear your own breathing. App is kinda awkward. Good purchase so far. Only time will tell.

I got some silicone covers for them just to make sure they last forever, but these are the best headphones I've ever heard. I used to run live sound, and I tune pianos, so I know a decent amount about the physics of sound. I love that you can create your own EQ in the app, and you can literally hear every single instrument. The mic on these is the best for Bluetooth headphones, and while Bose might have slightly better noise cancellation, it does not compare in sound quality or microphone quality. The "B" aspect of this showed absolutely no signs of wear, damage, or distress. Top of the line headphones for half the price!

I am not an audiophile. I was looking to upgrade from AirPods and a very inexpensive pair of "noise cancelling" off-brand headphones. I looked at many top brands and wanted the lesser expense of refurbished before committing to the more pricey, "new" options out there. These are delivering for me! I was a bit confused about getting them started and initially thought they were defective - until I downloaded the app. That was required before I was able to use the headphones. Since then, I do not use app except for software updates and rare adjustment to equalizer in the app - not really necessary for how I use them (streaming music and videos, noise cancelling; haven't used them much for calls yet). These are very predictive and anticipate and automically change based on sound environment for noise cancelling. Music playback is worlds better than anything I have experienced with buds or my cheap headphones. If you are on the fence about upgrading to some better quality headphones, bite the bullet and go for these. The battery life is best of anything I own that runs on batteries. They appeared to be brand new out of the box (and come with a super nice case!) Incredibly happy. (Have owned them for about a month; if I remember I will update 6 months from now!)

Pretty good and software adds additional features but will still not charge when in use like my older XM-900, seems to fit better, lots of microphone slots and the LEDs are pretty useful. Sound is good unlike that Bose crap and no static. Also allow HD protocols, like DSEE, for better quality, BT5.(whatever I forget 5.2 or 5.1) makes secure connection while walking about the house to another room if wanted. Also has, an automatic pause function so of you take them off the music will pause, pretty cool. Now, if activated then you will have to shut off Bluetooth since power off will not fully power down while still paused, but fortunately it seems to use very little power while paused so the will not run down quickly. Pretty comfortable but still too loose for active use. OK for in bed or a chair or a couch or while standing. I sometimes wear them in the kitchen while cooking. The talk to chat feature is extremely annoying !!!