When we think of the best times for outrageous deals, Black Friday and Prime Day usually spring to mind.
However, it seems the Labor Day sales have pipped them to the post for this particular deal. The Sony WH-1000XM5, a What Hi-Fi? favourite and the recipient of multiple Awards over the years, are down to $198 at Amazon.
That's officially 50 per cent off for Sony’s superb premium noise-cancelling headphones, and a fair bit cheaper than the previous lowest price we've seen of $248.
So what are you waiting for? If you haven't upgraded your headphones in a few years, this is an incredible value deal for a former flagship pair.
While this model has been superseded by the Sony WH-1000XM6, the XM5 are still a highly recommendable pair of wireless headphones and a fair bit cheaper than the XM6's current price tag of $398.
We gave the XM5 five stars at full price, so with this discount the cans are an excellent performance-per-pound proposition. Their engaging sound quality, impressive noise-cancelling, great call quality and comfortable fit make them a match for any rival at this price level.
The XM5 have had a complete revamp compared to previous entries in the series, with a slimmer “noiseless design” that folds flat into their carry case.
It's a design that certainly works when it comes to comfort, with our expert testers ranking them among the best with just the right amount of clamping force.
Noise canceling is impressive, thanks to the Integrated Processor V and eight microphones. Automatic noise canceling optimisation is also available, adapting the ANC as you move around without any manual fiddling needed.
Bluetooth Multipoint and LDAC Bluetooth support are also included - the latter allows streaming of high-quality audio from compatible devices at bitrates higher than conventional Bluetooth, while the former allows two devices to be connected to the headphones at the same time.
The XM5 also debuted some new features for the premium headphone line: Speak to Chat pauses playback when you start talking, Quick Attention lowers the volume when you cover the right earcup, and Wearing Detection automatically pauses your audio when you take the headphones off, restarting as soon as you put them back on.
And the all-important sound quality? Hugely musical and entertaining, with more detail than previous generations.
"With low frequencies, the WH-1000XM5 also display a newfound precision," our Sony WH-1000XM5 review reads. "It’s not that the previous model didn’t deliver, but the WH-1000XM5 make even the XM4s sound a little thick in the lower mids and bass. The new headphones expose greater detail and can differentiate between notes more easily.
"Move higher up the frequency range, and these Sonys continue to extract more information thanks to an extra sense of clarity. Notes are also dispatched with unerring precision – the XM5 headphones don't miss a beat when it comes to timing."
With a reduced price of $198 at Amazon, you'll be hard-pressed to find better value at this price point. With impressive sound quality, punchy delivery, an impressive feature set and a substantial 30 hours of battery life all packed in, the Sony WH-1000XM5 still have a lot to offer for a lot less money.
MORE:
Read our full Sony WH-1000XM5 review
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