Sony's Upcoming WH-1000XM5 Headphones Leak Alongside LinkBuds S

[TheLostSwede]

When it comes to Bluetooth headphones with ANC, Sony is one of the best in the business and the company appears to be preparing to launch a couple of new products, if the most recent leaks are anything to go by. First up is the WH-1000XM5, which is an entirely revamped product and doesn't resemble its predecessors in the WH-1000XM series. The LinkBuds S on the other hand is something of a budget version of the WF-1000XM4s, rather than another peculiar design like the LinkBuds.

The WH-1000XM5 aren't as big of a move in a different design direction as Bose's 700-series was compared to the QuietComfort, but they're still different enough to make it obvious that we're looking at a new generation of product here. Sony has slimmed down the headband, but at the same time increased the area of the headband that's covered by soft materials, even though it might not actually touch your head. The earcups have a new design, but it looks like the touch control remains, since the only physical controls that are noticeable in the pictures consist of a power/Bluetooth slider and an NC/AMB button for switching between noise cancelling and ambient mode, as well as presumably turning off noise cancelling.




The leaks don't provide too much in terms of spec, but the battery life with ANC on is said to have increased by 10 hours, for a total of 40 hours. The WH-1000XM5 is said to take three and a half hours to charge, which is thirty minutes longer than its predecessor, but this seems like a fair tradeoff for an extra 10 hours battery life. Charing is via USB-C and Sony has retained the 3.5 mm jack. Finally Bluetooth 5.2 is said to be supported, but it's unclear if Bluetooth LE Audio will be supported.

As for the LinkBuds S - also known as the WF-LSN900, not much is known with regards to the technical specs, but they're said to feature some kind of AI feature that can change from ambient sound mode to ANC mode, as well as enable automatic playback. There's also a sensor that detects when the earbuds are in your ear or not. A charging case is unsurprisingly also part of the package here. Both products are expected to be launching sometime in the near future.



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[Just Some Noise]

So is this *got leaked* a new trend in headphone marketing?
I mean Sennheisers new products got *leaked* and now the new Sony products. Hmm

But still, looking forward to trying these new headphones. Especially when it comes to latency.

 

[Pan]

I like the design on the XM5 headphone, looks much better than the XM4 in my opinion.

 

[Space Lynx]

I like the design on the XM5 headphone, looks much better than the XM4 in my opinion.

I think I am going to get one of these. I really need a proper ANC setup once and for all. Issue for me is I hate having stuff on top of my head, but also dislike having something in my ears. Both annoy me.

ANC is most important thing to me though, so I will probably do the proper headphone sized one. I just hope it has options in the software app to set ANC to max level, I really want the noise of those loud ass lawn mowers in my area to just vanish 100%...

 

[Xajel]

I really hope they improved the call audio quality this time, and please please add better support for multi-device pairing.

In a perfect world, I would like to connect at least two devices using the same profile (like listening to music), I just hate replacing/removing the headphone just to listen to the other device. But BT is still not providing such an option unless the maker adds a separate BT chip and AFAIK, there is no such thing in the market. Yes, you can have different devices to connect to a different profile (like one for calling, the other for music), but not the same profile.

 

[Devastator0]

I really hope they improved the call audio quality this time, and please please add better support for multi-device pairing.

In a perfect world, I would like to connect at least two devices using the same profile (like listening to music), I just hate replacing/removing the headphone just to listen to the other device. But BT is still not providing such an option unless the maker adds a separate BT chip and AFAIK, there is no such thing in the market. Yes, you can have different devices to connect to a different profile (like one for calling, the other for music), but not the same profile.

omg yes this! The call audio quality has always been an issue with these. If they fix that I would be so happy to upgrade from my WH-1000XM3's. Multi-device pairing improvements would also be great but the call quality is the largest pain point for me.

 

[Crackong]

No SONY
The donut linkbuds are fine.
Please don't go back to the old style in-ear approach

 

[Frick]

I think I am going to get one of these. I really need a proper ANC setup once and for all. Issue for me is I hate having stuff on top of my head, but also dislike having something in my ears. Both annoy me.

ANC is most important thing to me though, so I will probably do the proper headphone sized one. I just hope it has options in the software app to set ANC to max level, I really want the noise of those loud ass lawn mowers in my area to just vanish 100%...

Sadly this is not possible. You can try to wear some high quality ear protection PLUS ANC plugins underneath them. The only way to eliminate sound is to not be near it.

My XM3's are great though, but they don't eliminate everything. I still hear kids yelling outside and barking dogs and the neighbours fighting and whatever but they sound very far away, and if I listen to something those sounds really almost vanish. I sometimes wear them without listening to anything because of how relaxing it is (I'm bad at filtering input, probably an autism thing).

 

[Space Lynx]

Sadly this is not possible. You can try to wear some high quality ear protection PLUS ANC plugins underneath them. The only way to eliminate sound is to not be near it.

My XM3's are great though, but they don't eliminate everything. I still hear kids yelling outside and barking dogs and the neighbours fighting and whatever but they sound very far away, and if I listen to something those sounds really almost vanish. I sometimes wear them without listening to anything because of how relaxing it is (I'm bad at filtering input, probably an autism thing).

I am pretty sure these high end ANC's have eliminated things like lawnmowers in the past. I will have to try to dig up some reviews, actually hold on, lets ask the TPU headphone reviewer!

@VSG If you have a pair of high end Bose or Sony ANC's laying around, care to max out the ANC setting and see if you can hear a lawnmower running about 10-15+ yards away?

 

[VSG]

I am pretty sure these high end ANC's have eliminated things like lawnmowers in the past. I will have to try to dig up some reviews, actually hold on, lets ask the TPU headphone reviewer!

@VSG If you have a pair of high end Bose or Sony ANC's laying around, care to max out the ANC setting and see if you can hear a lawnmower running about 10-15+ yards away?

No Bose or Sony here, sadly. I have a few other brand products here and will keep an ear out for lawnmovers next time! Your best bet would be ANC IEMs though, not the over-ear headphones, for this regard.

 

[Just Some Noise]

I am pretty sure these high end ANC's have eliminated things like lawnmowers in the past. I will have to try to dig up some reviews, actually hold on, lets ask the TPU headphone reviewer!

@VSG If you have a pair of high end Bose or Sony ANC's laying around, care to max out the ANC setting and see if you can hear a lawnmower running about 10-15+ yards away?

I worked with Bose and Sony in the past and tried both the Bose 700, QC35 and the Sony XM2 up to the XM4 with various different backgroud noises.
I can guarantee, that if the noise is a deeper, more linear noise, like an aircraft engine, it will get filtered out.
So i'm certain that a lawnmower will also be nearly completely silent. And if you listen to music at mid levels with ANC on, you won't be able to hear it at all.

 

[Frick]

I worked with Bose and Sony in the past and tried both the Bose 700, QC35 and the Sony XM2 up to the XM4 with various different backgroud noises.
I can guarantee, that if the noise is a deeper, more linear noise, like an aircraft engine, it will get filtered out.
So i'm certain that a lawnmower will also be nearly completely silent. And if you listen to music at mid levels with ANC on, you won't be able to hear it at all.

I spent some time on an airplane with my XM3's recently and the engines were aboslutely not completely filtered out.

 

[Just Some Noise]

Have you used the Ambient/Voice ANC mode? If so, the ANC gets much weaker in comparison to full ANC.

 

[TheLostSwede]

I spent some time on an airplane with my XM3's recently and the engines were aboslutely not completely filtered out.

Agreed, have a pair of XM2's and they're far better than at least the older B&O headphones at blocking out the droning of the airplane engines, but they're by no means blocking it out entirely.
It also depends a bit on where in the plane you sit and what type of plane it is. Still, I'd rather have ANC than not when flying.

 

[Krazybone]

No SONY
The donut linkbuds are fine.
Please don't go back to the old style in-ear approach

Agreed.
Them linkbuds are fine just improve the battery.
And dominate drain.

Also I think it is supposed to read "charging" not "Charing" or am I missing something.?

 

[Space Lynx]

Thank you for the replies everyone. I flew recently on a Airbus NEO plane and it was surprisingly more quiet in the cabin than even the newer Boeing 787 Dreamliner was. This was without ANC at all or headphones/earbuds... I intend to pay even a little extra in the future if I must on taking the NEO planes, very lovely experience it was. Plenty of legroom, very relaxing lighting, and the biggest bonus was indeed the cabin was not as loud as the 787 Dreamliner. I still would want ANC though in the future.

 

[iiee]

The carrying case seems bigger than previous version. I hope aptX will come back.