Sony SupportBluetooth Headphones

Article ID : 00280441 / Last Modified : 07/25/2022Print

WH-1000XM5: The noise cancelling effect feels limited or insufficient

    Does the noise cancelling effect sound insufficient on your WH-1000XM5 headphones? Can you hear more ambient noise through the headset than you expected? Here are a few quick tips you can follow immediately to optimise the noise cancelling effect.

    Have you pressed any buttons by accident? Make sure noise cancellation is turned on

    Have you pressed the NC/AMB button by accident? When you use the WH-1000XM5 headset for the first time after purchase or just after initialising the headset, the noise cancelling function is turned on automatically when you turn on the headset. Any changes made to the settings are retained from this point on. Please refer to Using the noise cancelling function for more details on the NC/AMB button.

    Wearing detection: Are you wearing your WH-1000XM5 headset correctly?

    The WH-1000XM5 headphones have built-in sensors that detect when you put them on and when you take them off. If the headphones aren’t placed on your head correctly, the sensors can wrongly assume that the headphones aren’t on your head.

    If you’re experiencing any of the symptoms below, adjust the position of the WH-1000XM5 headphones on your head:

    • The effect of noise cancellation feels weak or insufficient.
    • The touch sensor control panel or the NC/AMB (Noise cancelling/Ambient sound) button don’t work.
    • The headphones turn off automatically if Auto Power Off is activated.
    • The headphones pause the music.
    • The Speak-to-chat function is deactivated.

    Change the settings in the Sony | Headphones Connect app

    Auto Power Off

    You can prevent the WH-1000XM5 headphones from powering off automatically by changing the Auto Power Off setting in the app.

    1. Open the Sony | Headphones Connect app on your smartphone (download it to your smartphone, if not done already).
    2. With the [System] tab open, set the automatic power off function to [Do not turn off].

    Adaptive Sound Control

    When Adaptive Sound Control on the Sony | Headphones Connect app is turned on, the wearer's actions (e.g., walking or running) are detected. The noise cancelling function is then automatically adjusted and the Ambient Sound Mode may be activated according to these actions.

    If you prefer to enjoy the comfort of noise cancellation at all times, turn off Adaptive Sound Control, and try to turn on the noise cancelling function manually when you need it.

    Ambient Sound

    Open the Sony | Headphones Connect app to check the setting of [Ambient Sound Control]. If it is set to [Ambient Sound], the effect of noise cancelling is reduced. Set it to the Noise Cancelling Mode.

    When is noise cancellation most effective?

    The noise cancelling function is most effective in low frequency ranges (e.g., aeroplanes, trains, offices, near air-conditioning) and not as effective for higher frequencies (e.g., human voice). To find out more about how noise cancellation technology works, please refer to What is Noise-Cancellation and what can I expect?.

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