MASTER OF ALL, JACK OF NONE

Sony nails it when it comes to their headphones but is still trying innovations with their TWS. Remember the cool-looking Sony wf-1000xm4?

They were bulky, but the 6mm drivers were absolute bangers in some tunes. The xm5 improves the design, making them slightly more approachable, but the new 8mm drivers made me listen to more music than I usually do for a review.

DESIGN

The newer design is a welcomed iteration of the wf-1000xm series. The older design was bulkier and heavier than the rounded and relatively lightweight XM5. The case, too, is redesigned, and it retains wireless charging. Overall, the new design can be summarised in one word – smooth. The Sony wf-1000xm5 is excellent to use visually and physically as a pair of daily audio drivers.

AUDIO PERFORMANCE

Here is where I had to listen to this pair for the longest time. The new 8mm drivers are different from the older 6mm drivers. Sony has managed to keep the sound stage as impressive as the earlier XM4, and just about every frequency is tuned perfectly for a relatively louder, clearer-sounding pair of earphones. My biggest issue was the excursion from the newer pair compared to the older ones. The 6mm drivers of the xm4 produce deeper bass, while the 8mm drivers of the xm5 produce a much tighter bass that audiophiles would appreciate. This is the pair’s highlight; it has become so precise that it seems like a pair of flat monitor speakers unless you customise it.