Sony WF-1000XM5 missing wind noise reduction option (ANC not as good as XM4) draws criticism from some early adopters

The Sony WF-1000XM5 has come under criticism from early adopters due to the missing wind noise reduction option and ANC not being as good as the WF-1000XM4.

The wind reduction feature helps limit the interference of wind noise picked up by the device’s microphones.

It is especially handy when utilizing earphones for activities such as listening to music, podcasts, or making calls outdoors. It’s even much handier for bike riders.

However, multiple Sony WF-1000XM5 owners (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10) are disappointed as the wind noise reduction option is missing from the latest earbuds.

They allege that the slider to switch on wind noise reduction is no longer available on the newest pair of earbuds. Users are unsure whether the setting has been moved elsewhere or is no longer available.

Some argue that the wind suppression feels less effective at its job than the previous generations of earphones.

Some people also claim that the older WF-1000XM4 model has an effective feature for automatic wind noise reduction with ANC.

However, the new WF-1000XM5 do not have this feature, resulting in a noticeable problem during windy days. People claim that even with a light breeze, it feels as if a constant stream of air is rushing straight into their ears.

And due to this, they have to deactivate ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) to prevent discomfort.

I noticed there no longer is a slider to switch on wind noise reduction for the newest pair of earbuds in comparison to those on the last generation. Has anyone else with these earbuds found out whether the setting was moved elsewhere or whether it was completely discontinued.
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Users are also experiencing sporadic sound drops when their earbuds are in close proximity to other devices, during windy weather, or in busy places.

A few speculate that the general wind noise reduction capabilities have been baked into ANC mode. However, they do agree that the XM5 performs slightly worse than the XM4 in windy conditions.

I was using these in the kitchen with ANC enabled not listening to anything. My brother was doing schoolwork near me, and I could easily hear his mouse clicking. I can also hear my fan in my room while it’s on high.
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On the other hand, a section of users (1,2,3,4,5,6,7) is happy with the ANC performance and the sound quality of the new earbuds.

So there seem to be some light at the end of the tunnel after all. Could software updates address some of these issues? That’s our hope.

That said, we’ll keep an eye on this topic and let you know if there is an update.

Note: There are more such stories in our dedicated Accessories section, so make sure that you follow them as well.

Featured image source: Sony WF-1000XM5.

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