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Sony has been one of the largest audio companies in the world since its founding in 1946 – its name comes partly from Sonus, the Latin word for sound – and its latest headphones have maintained that tradition in 2021.
The company continues to innovate, adding new features like Bluetooth wireless connectivity, active noise cancellation and battery life throughout the day without sacrificing audio quality or comfort.
Although these values are reflected in all Sony headphones, we found four pairs that are above the rest and have proven that their equipment is competitive, and better in many cases, than the cutting edge equipment of any other company.
What are the best headphones from Sony?
There are many factors to consider when choosing the best Sony headphones for you; below are the most important ones, which we considered while researching this list.
Bluetooth: All Sony headphones in this guide use Bluetooth to connect wirelessly to your phone, tablet, computer or TV. Bluetooth is an open standard, which means that you can use these headsets with devices manufactured by any company.
Battery life: Bluetooth headsets run on rechargeable batteries and need to be connected regularly to continue working. This can be an inconvenience, so we chose wireless headphones that last between six and 20 hours.
Weight: Since headphones are on your head or ears for hours at a time, it is important to take weight into account. Wireless headphones weigh much less than a large pair, over the ear, but we guarantee that our heaviest recommendation weighs just over a pound.
Active noise cancellation: Some of the Sony headphones that we recommend are compatible with ANC (active noise cancellation) technology, a feature that uses the headphones’ microphones to block certain frequencies.
When ANC is activated, you do not need to increase the volume of the headphones so much, which can prevent damage to the ears. The downside is that this feature drains the battery life of the headphones much more quickly.
Backup with cable: All headphones in our guide have a 3.5 mm audio-out port, which allows you to connect them to an airplane phone, tablet, computer or media console with a 3.5 mm audio cable.
1. Best headphones: Sony WH-1000XM4
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Sony’s WH-1000XM4s are the company’s latest audiophile series headphones, the first to give Bose’s noise cancellation a run for its money.
Bluetooth headsets have up to 30 hours of music playback on a single charge. If you connect them for 10 minutes, you will have five hours of music playback; almost enough for an intercontinental plane ride. Many over-ear Bluetooth headsets last 20 or more hours of battery life, so the WH-1000XM4s stand out.
Sony achieved world-class noise cancellation by placing two microphones in both headphones to block out irritating sounds (an office fan, airplane engine, etc.) before they reach your ears. The first headset in the WH-1000XM series surprised everyone, and this fourth generation does an even better job of putting a barrier between you and the outside world.
We tested the WH-1000XMs by ourselves and really liked the way they sound. You will hear a lot of detail in your music, without overly loud bass or treble treble. You can customize the headphones equalizer in the Sony Headphones Connect app (iOS and Android) to adjust them to the right sound for your ears.
One of the main reasons why audiophiles often avoid Bluetooth headsets is that Bluetooth compresses music files, which reduces audio quality. The WH-1000XM4s use artificial intelligence to “enhance” low bit rate music files so they sound better.
At 8.9 ounces (ounces), these are the heaviest headphones in this guide, but are lightweight for Bluetooth ear models, which can weigh up to 12 ounces. The headphone and headband padding is soft and also provides more comfort than we expected.
If you’re buying headphones from Sony, the WH-1000XM4s sound great, are comfortable and last a long time.
2. Best headphones: Sony WHXB700
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Sony’s WHXB700s offer the sound quality you would expect from a pair of ear, in a thinner and lighter design.
It inherits the best features of the WH-1000XM4: 30-hour battery, soft earmuffs, a padded headband and the ability to adjust the sound through Sony’s Headphones Connect app. But at 6.9 ounces, it is lighter and even easier to use for long periods of time.
These WHXB700s are part of Sony’s Extra Bass line of headphones, which provide a pleasant boost to low frequencies without overcoming mid or treble. You’ll notice the difference, especially on heavy bass tracks, but it’s never enough to be annoying. We tried some of Sony’s Extra Bass headphones, and they make the music seem a little more artificial, but fun to listen to.
The only major feature that WHXB700s do not have is active noise cancellation. Virtually no headset has them – Marshall’s Mid ANC is a notable exception – but it is something to consider.
In addition to this minor disappointment, the WHXB700s are an excellent pair of versatile Bluetooth headsets from Sony. Their size and battery life are especially noteworthy because they allow you to use them all day without getting tired.
3. Best headphones: Sony WF-1000XM3
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The WF-1000XM3s are the latest premium headphones from Sony, completely wireless, and outperform Apple’s AirPods in some important areas.
They offer up to eight hours of music playback per charge, which is two to three hours more than we expect from fully wireless headsets. Its charging case adds up to an additional 18 hours of battery life, and you have up to 90 minutes of playback time on a 10-minute charge.
Sony designed the WF-1000XM3s with digital noise cancellation, which uses a custom processor and microphones to isolate the sound. It is different from active noise cancellation, but the result is similar. The Sony chip also optimizes the audio quality of your music while listening, but does not increase the resolution.
The biggest benefit of fully wireless headphones is the size, and the WF-1000XM3s don’t disappoint. They weigh only 3.5 ounces. You can touch the buttons to activate your phone’s smart assistant (Siri, Google Assistant, Alexa) or touch them to play and pause your music. You can also slide the buttons to adjust the volume.
The WF-1000XM3s are also water resistant, with an IPX4 rating which means they will not be damaged by sweat or splashing water (think rain). This means that you can use them while exercising indoors or running smoothly.
Sony’s WF-1000XM3s are not only the best all-wireless headphones in the company’s portfolio, they are one of the best options in this entire category.
4. Best budget choice: Sony WH-CH510
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If you want a pair of high-quality headphones for casual, everyday listening, the WH-CH510s from Sony have everything for you.
Bluetooth headsets offer up to 35 hours of music playback on a single charge. You can get up to 90 minutes of music playback if you connect them for 10 minutes. These features come in a pair of headsets that weigh 4.6 ounces – little more than Sony’s Bluetooth headsets.
The WH-CH510s are up to the high audio quality you would expect from Sony, but they don’t have many extras. They cannot increase the resolution of your music, they do not support any form of noise cancellation or customization through Sony’s headphone connection application.
They may look basic compared to other Sony headphones, but they get the basics right and cost less than $ 40. For headphones in your price range, the Sony WH-CH510 offers.