Sony’s WH-1000XM6 wireless headphones recently launched to great success, but they’re expensive in every sense of the word. At full price, a pair of WH-1000XM6 headphones will run you about $460. That’s firmly in the premium segment. You might not know that Sony still sells the last-generation Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones at a much more palatable price point, and they’re still an outstanding set of cans.
For the final day of Amazon’s Big Spring Sale, the retailer is dropping the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones to their lowest price ever. You can snag them for just $243, which is 39% off the typical price of the WH-1000XM5 and is more than $200 cheaper than the WH-1000XM6. If you’re in the market for a new pair of active noise-canceling headphones, don’t miss this deal — only hours remain.
✅ Recommended if: you want high-quality ANC performance at a budget price; you need a full-size 3.5mm headphone jack; you want LDAC hi-res audio support.
❌ Skip this deal if: you’d rather pay more for the Sony WH-1000XM6; you need headphones with support for USB-C audio.
When we reviewed the Sony WH-100XM5, we called the headphones “the ones to beat.” Sure, things have changed in four years, and new releases like the Sony WH-1000XM6 and the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Gen 2 headphones have elevated the experience. At the end of the day, the Sony WH-1000XM5 are still great for the reasons they were beloved at launch, especially thanks to their discounted price.
Sony offers LDAC support for hi-res audio listening, and it’s a much more compatible format than LHDC or aptX Adaptive. The headphones offer 30mm dynamic drivers for sound quality and have a customizable EQ in the companion app. Eight microphones power the active noise-canceling features along with Sony’s custom Integrated Processor V1.
I only have two gripes with the WH-1000XM5, and they’re really minor. The matte finish of the headphones attracts fingerprints easily, and the USB-C port doesn’t support wired audio input. That last one isn’t much of an issue, because the Sony WH-1000XM5 have a 3.5mm headphone jack for wired audio. All together, the Sony WH-1000XM5 are as complete a package as you’ll find at this discount sub-$250 price point.
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