Is VMK25.2 a good alternative to Sony WH-1000XM5?
Yes. Not for everyone and not for everything, but for many, yes.
VMK25.2 is a good alternative if you want long stated battery life with noise cancelling, physical buttons, versatile Bluetooth codecs, a 3.5 mm connection and the possibility to use a boom microphone. Sony is the stronger choice if you want a ready-made app, lots of automation, touch controls and reportedly lighter headphones.
This comparison was written by Valco. So we do want you to buy Valco and give us money. The role of an impartial consumer magazine does not really fit, and we would not even have the right lab coat for it.
Valco is not a cheap Sony copy
VMK25.2 does not try to copy every Sony feature for less money. The idea is different: make high-quality headphones that do not require a degree in setup science to use.
Valco has physical buttons. When you want the volume louder, you press a button. The headphones do not have to simultaneously figure out your location, your mood, and whether you are once again heading to the fridge without any real plan.
Simplicity also means giving something up. Sony Sound Connect is a ready-made app with Ambient Sound mode, automatic noise cancelling optimization and more settings. Valco's future app with EQ functions is under development and internally testable, but not yet ready for customers. Here Sony wins for now. No need to pretend it is a tie.
What do you get and what do you give up?
VMK25.2:
up to 55 hours of stated use time with noise cancelling on
Class AB amplifier
Bluetooth 5.4
AAC, SBC, aptX Adaptive, aptX Lossless, aptX Lite and LC3
3.5 mm AUX and multipoint
physical buttons
replaceable magnetic covers
wired boom microphone and compatible wireless USB-C boom microphone
stated weight about 300 grams
Sony WH-1000XM5:
up to 30 hours of stated use time with noise cancelling and 40 hours without
Bluetooth 5.2
SBC, AAC and LDAC
stereo mini jack and multipoint
touch controls
ready Sony Sound Connect app and automation functions
stated weight about 250 grams
In battery life, the manufacturer's stated figure for VMK25.2 with noise cancelling is longer. Real-world use time depends on volume, connection, calls and other conditions. Even batteries do not read marketing copy.
Codecs also depend on the phone, computer and operating system. A long list does not help if the other end of the connection does not support the same codec. Sony offers LDAC. Valco offers the listed aptX options and LC3.
Class AB is VMK25.2's verified amplifier type. That still does not prove that Valco will sound better than Sony in every listener's ears. A universal winner in sound quality and noise cancelling is not decided by Bluetooth version, amplifier class or by whose marketing department got to work first.
You get the headphones and us as friends
When you buy Valco, you get us as friends along with the headphones. You can send us a message, and here a human answers who knows what is going on in the company.
You might even get to go for beers with the CEO. Try going for beers with Sony's CEO. The calendar may be full.
A small company does not win every feature list. At least you can talk to it without your message going off to an international customer management system to spend its retirement days there.
When the headphones break
All electronics break sometimes. Valco too. Our solution is not to be offended at the customer but to repair the headphones.
Valco services its own headphones that meet the warranty conditions during the warranty period and also offers a paid repair service in the EU after the warranty. Worn ear pads can be replaced by yourself. Up-to-date terms and prices are checked from Valco repair service, because service terms are not part of the laws of nature.
We are not guessing here what service routes Sony offers in different countries and different situations. We know for sure what we do, and that is enough to justify this alternative.
Do you save money?
You will probably save a good chunk right away. Prices and offers do change, so check today's prices on Valco's and Sony's own websites before making any major economic policy conclusions.
If Valco costs less today, the difference stays with you. There will surely be use for the money. We would certainly find a use for it too, but that is exactly why we want you to buy the headphones from us.
An outsider noticed the same idea too
Ilta-Sanomat highlighted the older Valco VMK25 in its 2025 Sony WH-1000XM6 test as a good alternative for someone who wants high-quality but intentionally simple headphones without constant adjustment of settings.
The article was not a VMK25.2 test or a WH-1000XM5 comparison, so we are not pretending it was. It still matches Valco's basic idea: headphones should play sound well, work without unnecessary fiddling, and leave the owner with something else to do.
Which one do you choose?
Choose Sony WH-1000XM5 if a ready-made app, automations, touch controls, LDAC or lower stated weight decide it. It is a sensible choice.
Choose VMK25.2 if long stated battery life with noise cancelling, physical buttons, broad codec support, AUX, boom microphone options, Valco repair service and an accessible small company matter more. You will probably also have money left for something else.
We of course recommend Valco. The Death Star does not fund itself. You can send the beer invite to Sony's CEO yourself.
