The Sony WF-1000XM6 finally launched this February to great fanfare and rave reviews – but no early discounts.
However, the deal hunters among us knew this meant only one thing: an imminent price drop for the WF-1000XM5.
And we have been rewarded – firstly with a discount in the Amazon Spring Sale, and an even better saving available now. You can currently get the Sony WF-1000XM5 for £160 at Amazon.
That's very nearly £100 off the price we tested them at, and the lowest price we've seen so far. It's also a good £90 cheaper than their XM6 successors!
The Sony WF-1000XM5 might not be the newest Sony earbuds on the block, but they're no slouch in the audio department – or any department for that matter.
A listen to the beefy bassline of Wouldn’t Have It Any Other Way by The Streets showcases a balance of quantity and quality, as well as several other sonic strengths.
"There’s an openness which we haven’t really heard from wireless earbuds at this level before, and the definition and texture that shines through is quite exceptional," our Sony WF-1000XM5 review reads.
On the features side, there's hi-res audio support and Sony 360 Reality Audio spatial audio, as well as dynamic head tracking, LDAC support and Bluetooth Multipoint.
Sony’s DSEE Extreme processing tries to fill in the detail gaps in low-quality files, while Adaptive Sound Control automatically alters the amount of ambient sound you hear based on where you are and what you're doing.
Speaking of ambient sound, noise cancelling is superb. It's not quite the powerful vacuum-like effect of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen), but a more subtle, less intrusive approach that some might prefer.
Battery life is a solid eight hours with ANC activated, with another 16 hours available from the case. This lags behind the 28 hours total of the Technics EAH-AZ100, but is still in the top end of premium noise-cancelling wireless earbuds.
The aforementioned Sony WF-1000XM6 do make several improvements, specifically in the sound, noise-cancelling and call quality categories. But with a firm £249 price tag, the cheaper XM5 buds make for an enticing proposition.
The Sony WF-1000XM5 boast five stars, multiple What Hi-Fi? Awards and a clear, musical sound that's still extremely competitive.
Don't miss the chance to get flagship performance for a heavily discounted price of £169 at Amazon.
MORE:
Read our Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) review
I spoke to Sony’s audio experts about how they tune the WF-1000XM5 earbuds' stunning sound
Sony WF-1000XM5 vs WF-1000XM6: which wireless earbuds are better?
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