ultrarunner2018
100+ Head-Fier
Hey guys;
I have owned a pair of Sony WH-1000XM5 for about 18 months. I have loved everything about these cans. The ANC is the best I have ever experienced, and the sound quality is excellent (for my ears), but not as good as my Senn HD600's with Schiit Magnius/Modius stack.
Now for the problem:
When I bought my first Alexa devices - the Echo Show 8 and several smart bulbs and plugs - I installed the Alexa app on my Android phone. At the time, my phone was a Samsung Galaxy A51 running Android 12.
I was able to pair the WH-1000XM5 with the phone and use Alexa through the headphones, using only my voice to activate Alexa (using the Alexa wake word).
I later switched to a Pixel 6 with Android 13, then upgraded to Android 14.
Everything worked fine until one day when Alexa stopped responding to my voice. She would not wake when I spoke the wake word with the WH-1000XM5 on.
I have checked everything on the phone, reset the headphones many times, uninstalled and reinstalled both the Sony Headphone Connect and the Alexa app, and have disconnected and 'forgotten' the WH-1000XM5 on the phone, then re-paired and set up with Alexa again. No luck!
I even tried the same on the old Galaxy A51 with the same result; no Alexa by voice.
I can activate Alexa by tapping the right earcup.
If I set up the WH-1000XM5 for Google Assistant, it will respond to my voice without touching the earcup, but not always.
I have checked the microphones on the WH-1000XM5 and they appear to be working fine. After all, the mics will pick up my Alexa commands once I have touched the earcup sensor.
I have tried to contact Sony about this, but their support appears to be almost non-existent.
I have been wondering whether there was some sort of complaint about the Sony headphones listening to your voice when not intended, so they might have disabled the voice activation of Alexa in the latest update, but I have read nothing about this.
I have the latest firmware installed in the WH-1000XM5, but attempted to re-flash the firmware, but the app will not allow the same version to be installed.
It's looking like I have to wait for the next Sony firmware release for the headphones. If that doesn't fix the problem, I guess I just have to live with having to tap the right earcup.
It's not a really big deal, but I am very annoyed that a feature that was working perfectly just stopped working without my having done anything.
I would appreciate any info anyone can provide on this problem.
Thanks
Ultrarunner
I have owned a pair of Sony WH-1000XM5 for about 18 months. I have loved everything about these cans. The ANC is the best I have ever experienced, and the sound quality is excellent (for my ears), but not as good as my Senn HD600's with Schiit Magnius/Modius stack.
Now for the problem:
When I bought my first Alexa devices - the Echo Show 8 and several smart bulbs and plugs - I installed the Alexa app on my Android phone. At the time, my phone was a Samsung Galaxy A51 running Android 12.
I was able to pair the WH-1000XM5 with the phone and use Alexa through the headphones, using only my voice to activate Alexa (using the Alexa wake word).
I later switched to a Pixel 6 with Android 13, then upgraded to Android 14.
Everything worked fine until one day when Alexa stopped responding to my voice. She would not wake when I spoke the wake word with the WH-1000XM5 on.
I have checked everything on the phone, reset the headphones many times, uninstalled and reinstalled both the Sony Headphone Connect and the Alexa app, and have disconnected and 'forgotten' the WH-1000XM5 on the phone, then re-paired and set up with Alexa again. No luck!
I even tried the same on the old Galaxy A51 with the same result; no Alexa by voice.
I can activate Alexa by tapping the right earcup.
If I set up the WH-1000XM5 for Google Assistant, it will respond to my voice without touching the earcup, but not always.
I have checked the microphones on the WH-1000XM5 and they appear to be working fine. After all, the mics will pick up my Alexa commands once I have touched the earcup sensor.
I have tried to contact Sony about this, but their support appears to be almost non-existent.
I have been wondering whether there was some sort of complaint about the Sony headphones listening to your voice when not intended, so they might have disabled the voice activation of Alexa in the latest update, but I have read nothing about this.
I have the latest firmware installed in the WH-1000XM5, but attempted to re-flash the firmware, but the app will not allow the same version to be installed.
It's looking like I have to wait for the next Sony firmware release for the headphones. If that doesn't fix the problem, I guess I just have to live with having to tap the right earcup.
It's not a really big deal, but I am very annoyed that a feature that was working perfectly just stopped working without my having done anything.
I would appreciate any info anyone can provide on this problem.
Thanks
Ultrarunner
