The saga of Sony's WH-1000X series headphones continues with the M5, the new flagship of the Japanese manufacturer.
With a slightly revised design and some technical improvements, it becomes a new benchmark.
But this model, sold for 419 euros, still struggles to justify its additional cost of 40 euros compared to its elder, when it was launched two years ago and which is found today for much less.
It's the new flagship in Sony's headphone range.
Succeeding the WH-1000XM4 launched two years ago, the M5 takes off at the start of the summer holidays.
A godsend for travelers looking for noise reduction headphones to take off to their summer vacation spot?
The editorial staff of "20 Minutes" was able to test it.
A winning saga
In the now large family of Sony WH-1000X headphones, I would like the M5!
This fifth version of a model that has become the absolute reference in terms of reduction headphones (with the Bose Headphones 700), does not modify its winning formula, but does make a few changes despite everything.
These can be seen with the naked eye.
Less massive than its predecessor, the M5 adopts a more rounded design.
Its arch (which now slides without a notching system) is also narrower and the new helmet has lost 5 grams in passing (250 g).
Downside: it is no longer foldable.
Very pleasant to handle with its soft-touch plastics, the M5 is also pleasant to wear.
Not squeezing the head too much, being less bulky, you can consider wearing it for hours.
What we have done.
An equalizer to personalize listening
Once paired with Sony's Headphones Connect app, the headphones can be personalized.
It is in this app that we find a five-band equalizer.
Twelve settings are available: Disabled;
Vivid ;
Enthusiastic ;
Calm ;
Laid back;
Song;
Increase
treble;
Increase
serious;
Speech ;
Manual ;
Personalized 1 & 2. Do not hesitate to use it according to the musical register listened to.
The “Enthusiastic” mode is probably the one to apply by default, which rather harmoniously adjusts the bass, midrange and treble, while highlighting the voices.
A (slightly) improved noise reduction
It is also in the Headphones Connect application that you can activate and adjust the headphones' active noise reduction system.
There, Sony knows how to do it.
The manufacturer offers an improved process compared to the M4, by doubling the number of microphones and embedded processors for processing surrounding sounds.
At work, the sounds of voices, keyboard clicks almost completely disappear now.
In transport, the M5 immerses us in a bubble that only manage to pierce a few very loud noises.
Outside, very high-pitched noises can remain, as we observed near a construction site.
But it's hard to really say if the M5 does better than the M4 in the field of noise reduction...
On the street, the "Ambient Control" mode can always be dosed on a scale of 1 to 20 to stay connected with the outside world.
In “Ambient sound” mode, a “Concentration on voice” checkbox reduces noise while privileging external voices.
The result is quite fine and relevant.
And we always find the function (which we like) “Speak to chat”.
Activated, this immediately interrupts the music broadcast when you speak.
It resumes after about fifteen seconds if you do not speak again.
Failing that, you can simply put the palm of your hand on the right atrium so that the listening volume drops drastically, which allows you to take part in a conversation.
Lower than its predecessor
It all works well.
Very well even.
If we enjoy these headphones which offer an extremely effective noise reduction system, we love its perfect listening quality, totally customizable (and probably a little more bassy than that of its elder).
But observation: if the cosmetics of the WH-1000XM5 evolves positively, its technical improvements become so subtle that the layman will probably hear only few differences.
Too little in any case to justify an additional cost of 40 euros compared to the M4 at its launch (nearly 11% increase!).
Claiming 419 euros for its M5, Sony hits hard at the wallet.
Too strong.
Which inevitably invites, if you want to equip yourself in these economically difficult times, to see if the M4, which was frankly excellent, is still on sale, and if so, how much.
Answers: yes, and at “only” 279 euros!
We can expect that until the stock runs out, this old model will really be a bestseller.
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