Sony WH-1000XM5

Coolblue review by Idris Van Nuffel (original Dutch). Disappointed in quality: software updates slow/unreliable; during dialogue-only audio the noise cancelling starts to fail with interruptions and robotic sounds, so the headphones get put aside. Touchpad on the sides mostly does not work, yet brushes against the arm still trigger the assistant.

Coolblue review by Louka (original Dutch). Right-ear touch controls do not work as they should: sometimes work, sometimes do not. Said that is unacceptable on a new product.

Coolblue review by Athena (original Dutch). Headphones sent to Tech Repair four times; the last two times nothing was found, yet the headphones keep cutting out or losing the Bluetooth connection. After being sent back and forth four times, gave up; Techrepair.nl would not share repair details citing privacy rules. Says the issue has been known for years on forums and still not fixed.

Sony WH-1000XM5 bought in February 2025 developed a cracked hinge under normal careful use with no drops. Sony denied the warranty claim as physical damage and directed the owner toward paid repair despite an active U.S. federal class action alleging fragile hinge mounting points.

Best Buy 1-star review by Ellen (title: "Good Sound, for a Short Time"). After less than 60 days of normal use, the joint above the earcup failed and the headphones became unwearable. Sony called it "cosmetic or accidental," denied warranty coverage, and refused escalation. Owner noted the same failure pattern on Sony's own community forums.

Best Buy 1-star review by SaltySailor (title: "Sony Headphones GARGBAGE!"). Purchased Jan 25, 2026; the slider adjuster broke after three months. Sony wanted the headphones shipped in for a ~$100 paid repair on top of the ~$300 purchase price. Owner refused and said they would not buy Sony again.

Best Buy 1-star review by Gabe (title: "XM-5: Great features but poorly constructed"). After owning about nine months with under ~10 hours of use, the up/down hinge broke while putting the headphones on normally. Sony support said there was nothing they could do despite it being a common issue and still within the warranty period. Owner said they would switch brands.

Best Buy 1-star review by DanielV (title: "Read this before you purchase the XM5s"). After about a year and a half of normal use with no drop or misuse, the left hinge nearly snapped off. Owner found the hinge break is a widely reported XM5 defect. Sony customer service and customer relations refused warranty coverage as "physical damage" and offered a ~$100 repair with a multi-week wait.

Best Buy 1-star review by RezDogDre (title: "Manufacturer defect/Sony wont honor warranty"). Owner said this was their second XM5 pair with the same known hinge break under normal desk-to-head use. The first pair failed one day after warranty; the latest lasted about six months. Sony refused to honor the one-year manufacturer-defect warranty and offered a paid ~$100 repair instead.