

Sony WH-1000XM5
1 of 2 would buy again
2 owners · owners report ~40 h per charge vs 40 h claimed
The noise cancelling beat their expectations
Expected more from comfort
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1 / 10Sony has another bargain champion on its hands.
At 7.9, its noise cancelling beats 31% of over-ear headphones we've measured.
Measured on 61 of the 240 we've cataloged.
No one has reported on this pair yet.
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above average for over-ear headphones — based on 157 of 240 we've cataloged.
6.0 appears on 6% of the 148 over-ear headphones we've cataloged (of 240).
Bluetooth is the most common — on 43% of the 244 over-ear headphones we've cataloged (of 240).
below average for over-ear headphones — based on 198 of 240 we've cataloged.
Objective measurements from the SoundGuys test lab — overlay other models to see how this one compares.
Measured frequency response (dB relative) against the SoundGuys Headphone Preference Curve. When the measurement goes above the dashed line, that frequency is louder than our preference curve, and when it goes below: it's quieter. Use the curve for comparison purposes only, as your taste may vary.
| Frequency (Hz) | Response (dB) |
|---|---|
| 20 | 5.3 |
| 25 | 6.3 |
| 32 | 7.1 |
| 40 | 8.0 |
| 50 | 9.1 |
| 63 | 9.2 |
| 80 | 10.3 |
| 100 | 9.7 |
| 125 | 8.5 |
| 160 | 6.6 |
| 200 | 4.8 |
| 250 | 3.5 |
| 315 | 3.0 |
| 400 | 0.6 |
| 500 | -2.3 |
| 630 | 1.1 |
| 800 | 2.1 |
| 1000 | 0.1 |
| 1250 | -0.4 |
| 1600 | 3.2 |
| 2000 | 5.3 |
| 2500 | 6.4 |
| 3150 | 7.7 |
| 4000 | 9.1 |
| 5000 | 9.4 |
| 6300 | 9.3 |
| 8000 | 3.9 |
| 10000 | 2.0 |
| 12500 | -5.0 |
| 16000 | -1.5 |
| 20000 | -21.3 |
Passive isolation (dB) with ANC off — how much ambient noise the fit blocks on its own. Higher on the chart means more attenuation.
| Frequency (Hz) | Attenuation (dB) |
|---|---|
| 21 | 1.1 |
| 26 | 2.2 |
| 33 | 1.2 |
| 41 | 0.6 |
| 52 | -0.3 |
| 65 | 1.1 |
| 82 | -1.9 |
| 103 | -1.9 |
| 130 | 0.4 |
| 163 | 1.7 |
| 205 | 2.2 |
| 259 | 5.4 |
| 325 | 7.4 |
| 410 | 6.7 |
| 516 | 6.7 |
| 613 | 9.1 |
| 772 | 12.1 |
| 972 | 12.8 |
| 1220 | 19.1 |
| 1540 | 23.3 |
| 1940 | 25.5 |
| 2440 | 28.0 |
| 3070 | 23.3 |
| 3870 | 33.0 |
| 4870 | 38.0 |
| 6130 | 36.5 |
| 7720 | 38.6 |
| 9720 | 35.7 |
| 12200 | 38.2 |
| 15400 | 40.5 |
| 19400 | 37.0 |
Total attenuation (dB) with ANC on — passive isolation plus active noise cancelling. Higher on the chart means more attenuation.
| Frequency (Hz) | Total attenuation (dB) |
|---|---|
| 21 | 6.8 |
| 26 | 8.5 |
| 33 | 8.6 |
| 41 | 11.2 |
| 52 | 8.5 |
| 65 | 18.6 |
| 82 | 14.3 |
| 103 | 18.4 |
| 130 | 22.2 |
| 163 | 25.4 |
| 205 | 24.8 |
| 259 | 21.1 |
| 325 | 15.0 |
| 410 | 9.9 |
| 516 | 11.3 |
| 613 | 15.6 |
| 772 | 19.3 |
| 972 | 19.0 |
| 1220 | 25.1 |
| 1540 | 26.2 |
| 1940 | 27.5 |
| 2440 | 30.3 |
| 3070 | 22.4 |
| 3870 | 30.4 |
| 4870 | 39.5 |
| 6130 | 33.0 |
| 7720 | 38.4 |
| 9720 | 34.9 |
| 12200 | 38.1 |
| 15400 | 40.3 |
| 19400 | 36.9 |
The verdict
The Sony WH-CH730N may not be perfect, but it will make many happy right out of the box. For bargain hunters, this is a good deal.
✓Liked: Price, Decent performance, Battery life, Up-to-date hardware
✕Could be better: Somewhat weak ANC, Odd tuning
Nobody who owns the Sony WH-CH730N has written in yet.
Owner reviews are not paid for, not solicited from specific owners, and not rewritten by us: at most we proofread typos, which is shown on the review’s own page and which the author can undo. The commission SoundGuys may earn on this page comes from retail links, never from owner reviews.
Own the Sony WH-CH730N?
Three answers, four quick reads, one sentence nobody tells you before buying. Shown under a pseudonym.
Video reviews and comparisons for this product.
Commentary and deep dives from the SoundGuys editorial team.


1 of 2 would buy again
2 owners · owners report ~40 h per charge vs 40 h claimed
The noise cancelling beat their expectations
Expected more from comfort


1 of 1 would buy again
1 owner
Nothing surprising about comfort





0 of 1 would buy again
1 owner · 1 photo-verified
Expected more from comfort



