Fake Sony WH-1000XM5 Review and Teardown
I always wondered how the fake Sony WH-1000XM5’s compared to the real thing, and if users could be fooled by them. So I bought a pair of fake WH-1000XM5s and took a closer look.
Opening the box of the fakes, shows this inside, a stock photo with the headphones photoshopped in. Here is the original stock photo, thanks to a comment.
The text on the left is the specs:
- Bluetooth version: 5.4
- Wireless range: 30FT (10M)
- Music play/talk time: up to 7 hours
- Standby time: about 300 hours
- High performance acoustic
- Rechargeable
- Aux Option for when battery is low (3.5mm aux cable included)
The included accessories include a 3.5mm cable and a USB type-C to USB type-A cable for charging, with no pouch or case. A small manual has instructions on functions and how to connect to the headset. There is no mention of noise cancellation anywhere on the box.
Opening the box, the fake is cradled in a plastic form inside, which is a major red flag as Sony has moved away from plastic in their packaging. From a distance and with logos, the fake could pass for a real WH-1000XM5, but once you take it out and hold it, the cheap plastic gives it away. The weight is significantly lower as well, 180g for the fakes, where as the real model is 250g. Tapping on the earcups produces a hollow sound absent in the real model.
The plastic material is cheap and shinny. It is not uniform, with random blemishes in many areas. These blemishes do not come across as well in photos as in real life. The real WH-1000XM5’s plastic is more soft and matte. The headband material is soft, and feels fine. The material on top of the headband is not glued down, so it can freely move over the underlying support.
The earpads are not smooth like the real ones, but wrinkly and ruffled on the sides. The pads are soft and comfortable. There is no unpleasant smell either, as with some cheap polyurethane (PU) materials. I am assuming the pads are PU. The left earcup on the backside has the On/Off button for pairing, volume +/-. and play/pause buttons. On the bottom of the left earcup is the 3.5mm connection, a USB type-C port, and a small notification LED. There is nothing on the right earcup..
