£179 for some of our favourite earbuds is great, even if we think the Sony WF-1000XM5 might drop even further

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If you're looking for some of the best wireless earbuds currently on sale, you should certainly consider the Sony WF-1000XM5. The five-star buds have dropped to £179 at Amazon and various other retailers courtesy of Black Friday, though we suspect that they could drop even lower as the day itself (Friday the 28th of November) looms.

There's no guaranteeing that they'll go lower, of course, and an £80 saving on some of the best premium wireless earbuds we've ever heard is hardly to be sniffed out.

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The Sony WF-1000XM5 have scooped multiple What Hi-Fi? Awards since they arrived in 2023, earning a reputation as some of the best wireless earbuds on the market and cementing their legacy as possibly the finest wire-free in-ears Sony has ever made. That's high praise considering the legacy of the esteemed WF-1000X line.

The WF-1000XM5 have earned those flowers. The flagship buds offer a comprehensive feature set and a sonic performance that is clearer and more detailed than their price-compatible rivals. Getting a decent seal can be tricky, but if you can get them in your ears, the sound they produce really is class leading at this level.

As we said in our review: "If you’re looking for the clearest and most detailed sonic performance on the market right now, then the WF-1000XM5 produce it, and by quite some distance". That's before we mention just how musical, dynamically capable and spacious they sound; it's a tough balance to strike, but the XM5 manage it superbly.

For features, they're packed out. There's hi-res audio and Sony 360 Reality Audio spatial listening, as well as dynamic head tracking, LDAC support and Multipoint Bluetooth.

Sony's DSEE Extreme processing algorithm is also onboard to try and fill in the gaps of detail found in low quality music files, while Adaptive Sound Control automatically alters the amount of ambient sound you hear.

While we're on the subject, noise cancelling is superb, and while it won't cocoon you in silence quite like the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) will, it's a comprehensive, professional effort from Sony.

Add in an eight-hour battery life from the buds and a further 16 hours from the case, and you're looking at a hugely attractive package. Wherever you choose to get them (the Smoky Pink finish isn't available at Amazon), we're confident in the WF-1000XM5s' talents.

We do wonder if the XM5 will drop lower during the coming days, as £179 isn't their lowest-ever price and the retirement home is beginning to beckon for the much-loved flagship buds. It's perhaps worth holding fire for a few days, and then pulling the trigger if you just can't wait any longer.

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Harry McKerrell is a senior staff writer at What Hi-Fi?. During his time at the publication, he has written countless news stories alongside features, advice and reviews of products ranging from floorstanding speakers and music streamers to over-ear headphones, wireless earbuds and portable DACs. He has covered launches from hi-fi and consumer tech brands, and major industry events including IFA, High End Munich and, of course, the Bristol Hi-Fi Show. When not at work he can be found playing hockey, practising the piano or trying to pet strangers' dogs.

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