Sony WH-1000XM5

Sony's new cans can block out the sound of a hurricane while delivering music to your ears

- SIMON LUCAS

Since launching the WH-1000XM3 active noise-cancelling headphones back in 2018, and updating them with the WH-1000XM4 in 2020, Sony has led the field. The WH-1000XM5 is aiming for the hat-trick.

The WH-1000XM5 use Bluetooth 5.2 for wireless connectivity and offer compatibility with SBC, AAC and LDAC codecs; aptX codec support would be nice but is missing here.

Once those full-fat digital audio files are on board, they're handed over to your ears by a couple of 30mm mica-reinforced cellular full-range dynamic drivers. That's an unpromising number when compared to the size of the drivers in every other pair of headphones that might be judged realistic competition. Fingers crossed, then, that it's not all about the size of your drivers...

Fortunately, the WH-1000XM5 sound excellent. Their tonality, for example, is very nicely judged. From the top of the frequency range to the bottom, they're detailed and naturalistic nothing's overplayed or understated, and consequently the impression of unity is strong. The low end is punchy and controlled, the top end is politely aggressive, and in between there's more than enough fine detail revealed to make a singer sound characterful.