Representative image (stock photo); not the exact product.
Cancellation Is What You Are Buying
Over-ear active cancellation works better than in-ear cancellation because there is more space for microphones and more passive isolation for the electronics to build on. The XM5 is at the top of that category and the difference on an aeroplane against mid-range headphones is not subtle.
It works best on continuous low-frequency noise — engine drone, cabin rumble, air conditioning, train wheels. It does far less for speech and sudden sounds, which is inherent to how cancellation works: predicting a repeating waveform is tractable and predicting a voice is not.
The practical benefit is being able to listen at a sane volume in a loud environment. Without cancellation, people push volume up to mask noise, and over years that is a genuine hearing risk rather than a comfort issue.
It No Longer Folds
The XM4 folded flat at the hinges; the XM5 does not. The cups swivel and the headband does not collapse, so the case is considerably larger and less accommodating in a bag already containing a laptop.
Sony made the change for acoustic and design reasons and the sound is better for it, and anyone who travels with a full bag will find the case a genuine irritation rather than a detail. It is the single most common complaint from people upgrading.
Anyone for whom packed size matters more than the last increment of cancellation should look at the XM4 while it remains available, or at competitors that still fold.
App Dependency And Multipoint
A substantial part of the product lives in Sony's app: cancellation profiles, equalisation, adaptive behaviour that changes settings by location, and multipoint pairing configuration.
Multipoint — being connected to a phone and a laptop simultaneously and switching automatically — is genuinely one of the most useful features here and is worth configuring properly rather than leaving at defaults.
The dependency is worth being aware of for a device likely to be used for several years. The headphones work without the app; the features that distinguish them from cheaper ones largely do not.
Comfort, Battery And Call Quality
They are light for the category with soft pads and modest clamp, and comfortable for long flights, which is the scenario they exist for.
Battery life is long enough to cross an ocean several times and they charge over USB-C, and they can be used wired with a cable, which matters when the battery does eventually die mid-journey.
Call quality is good rather than exceptional. Multiple microphones and processing help in moderate noise and struggle in wind, which is true of essentially every headset and worth knowing before relying on them for calls outdoors.
Against The Alternatives
Against Bose, Sony generally cancels marginally better and offers far deeper app control; Bose is often found more comfortable and more natural sounding in transparency.
Against wired reference headphones, these are vastly more convenient and clearly behind on sound quality per pound, with batteries that degrade.
Against cancelling earbuds, over-ear cancels more and is far less portable.
The Verdict
The best cancellation available in an over-ear headphone, comfortable enough for long flights, with genuinely useful multipoint and deep control.
It no longer folds, which is a real loss for travel; much of the value lives in an app; and the battery will degrade with no user replacement.
If packed size matters more to you than the last few decibels of cancellation, look at a folding alternative — that is the honest trade here.
At a glance
Pros
- Class-leading active noise cancellation in an over-ear design
- Useful multipoint pairing between phone and laptop
- Light and comfortable enough for long-haul flights
- Can be used wired when the battery dies
Cons
- No longer folds flat; the case is bulky in a full bag
- Key features depend on the manufacturer app
- Battery degrades with no user replacement
- Call quality struggles in wind
Frequently asked questions
Does it fold like the XM4?
No, and it is the most common complaint from people upgrading. The cups swivel but the headband does not collapse, so the case is considerably larger. If packed size matters in a bag that already holds a laptop, that is a real consideration.
Will it block people talking?
Only partly. Cancellation is very effective against continuous low-frequency noise like engine drone and much less so against speech, which is irregular and higher frequency. That is inherent to the technology rather than a limitation of these headphones.
What happens when the battery dies?
They can be used with a cable, which is genuinely useful mid-journey. Over years the battery degrades and cannot be user-replaced, which makes them a multi-year product rather than a durable one like wired headphones.
Specifications
| Type | Over-ear wireless, active cancellation |
| Cancellation | Class leading |
| Best against | Continuous low-frequency noise |
| Folding | No; swivel only |
| Multipoint | Yes, configurable in app |
| Wired fallback | Yes |
| Charging | USB-C |
| App | Required for most features |
The bottom line
The best over-ear cancellation, comfortable for long flights, with genuinely useful multipoint. It no longer folds — weigh that against the cancellation.
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