The 1000XM5s feature a distinct design from their previous predecessors. Sony has gone for a cleaner aesthetic, using a stem-style slider and relocating the microphones (there are now eight of them) around the ear cups. The 1000XM5s also includes a new type of synthetic leather on the headband, which is slightly thinner than previous models. The controls haven’t changed: you can still control audio with tap and swipe motions, and there’s a physical button to toggle between ANC and ambient modes.
Internal components have also been altered. Sony has replaced the 1000XM4s’ 40-millimeter drivers with new 30-millimeter drivers that, according to Sony, sound more natural and “enhance the sound clarity and bass reproduction.” One of the complaints about the 1000XM4s was their muddy bass, which Sony appears to have addressed with the latest generation.
