Sony is one of the leading consumer audio companies, making some of the best Bluetooth headphones on the market.
Here are the best Sony headphones and Sony earbuds you should consider today.
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| Rating | Price | Design | Type | Battery life | Noise cancelling | More info | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Sony WH-1000XM5
Best noise cancelling
 |
4.4
|
$380
|
Over-ear
|
Bluetooth 5.2
|
40.5 hours (28h with ANC)
|
 
|
|
|
Sony WF-1000XM4
Best true wireless
 
|
4.4
|
$280
|
True wireless
|
Bluetooth 5.2
|
8 hours + 16h in case
|
|
|
|
Sony MDR-7506
Best for monitoring
 
|
4.8
|
$87
|
Over-ear
|
Wired – 3.5mm & 6.3mm
|
/
|
 
|
|
|
Sony WF-SP800N
Best for sports
 
|
4.2
|
$198
|
True wireless
|
Bluetooth 5.0
|
13 hours + 13h in case (ANC off)
|
|
|
|
PlayStation PULSE 3D Wireless
Best for gaming
 
|
4.7
|
$99
|
Over-ear
|
Wireless & wired – 3.5mm
|
12 hours
|
|
|
|
Sony WF-C500
Best under $100
 
|
4.3
|
$78
|
True wireless
|
Bluetooth 5.0
|
10 hours + 10h in case
|
|
|
|
Sony IER-Z1R
Best audiophile
 
|
4.4
|
$1,698
|
In-ear
|
Wired – 3.5 & 4.4mm
|
/
|
|
Introducing the best Sony headphones you can get today. Find a bargain among all the options and make an educated decision. See all the Sony headphones below and compare them instantly in the comparison table.
Sony Wireless Headphones
Best Sony headphones are known for having amazing active noise cancelling, with their premium Bluetooth headphones performing equally, if not even better, than those from Bose, Apple, and Sennheiser. Top-notch technology that can compare to the best headphones in the world.
To explain further, you can find various noise levels around you that limit your listening experience. Noise cancelling reduces background noise so you can hear more of the music.
1. Sony WH-1000XM5
BEST NOISE CANCELLING HEADPHONES FROM SONY
Flagship WH-1000XM5 are the best Sony headphones out there.
Connection:
Bluetooth 5.2
Driver size:
30mm dynamic
Frequency range:
4-40.000Hz
- Fun sound that can become natural after EQ
- Modern, comfortable & stable design
- Class-leading active noise cancellation performance
- Excellent battery life of more than 40 hours (with ANC)
- The best call quality in consumer BT headphones
- Not the most detailed sound
- Too much plastic for the price
Hear the Sony WH-1000XM5 A/B Sound Test:
The sound performance is above average but not quite audiophile-grade. They’re a bit uneven out of the box, but after applying custom EQ, their sound becomes much clearer and airier. All of that is accompanied by a pretty good imaging and a rather intimate soundstage.
These Sony headphones are very comfortable, with just enough space for the earpads to go around your ears. Furthermore, they provide a very stable fit if you’re accustomed to wearing headphones during workouts.
Housing is entirely plastic, but it feels premium to the touch. They come with a taller but flatter carrying case since they no longer fold inwards. Also, they have long battery life, lasting 40.5 hours (with noise cancelling).
Active noise-cancellation performance is an industry-standard and works almost flawlessly, eliminating outside noise from engines to human speech. Adaptive Sound Control can even adjust the background noise cancelling based on whether you walk, run, or commute.
2. Sony WF-1000XM4
BEST SONY TRUE WIRELESS SONY EARBUDS
By far the best true wireless earbuds for sound quality, noise cancellation, and additional features inside the Sony app.
Connection:
Bluetooth 5.2
Driver size:
6mm dynamic
Frequency range:
20-20.000Hz (20-40.000Hz with LDAC)
- Audiophile-grade sound quality
- Unique, sweatproof design
- Great battery life
- Excellent active noise cancellation and ambient mode
- Feature-rich app
- In-depth custom EQ
- Comfortable hybrid ear tips
- No official ear tip replacements
- Limited touch control customization
- Poor microphone performance in loud places
- Too bulky to fit smaller ears
Hear the Sony WF-1000XM4 A/B Sound Test:
Sony decided to tune their new TWS XM4’s to an almost neutral frequency response, making these buds an appealing choice for a wider range of users, even audiophiles.
The sound is tight and detailed, with smooth highs that avoid getting harsh or sibilant. While the soundstage is spacious, the imaging could be better.
Earbuds are surprisingly comfortable, despite their housing being a bit bulky. If you wear them correctly, you can use them for hours without experiencing fatigue. An above-average battery life also means long listening sessions.
Their special foam-silicone hybrid ear tips ensure great passive isolation and stability. Let’s not forget the active noise cancellation and ambient sound mode, both working splendidly.
Inside the Sony Headphones app, there are many more features to play with, from EQ, 360 Audio, adjusting active noise cancelling sensitivity, and more. While they don’t support aptX HD, they do use LDAC Bluetooth codec.
Find the best pairs of ANC models in the best noise-cancelling earbuds guide.
3. Sony MDR-7506
BEST SONY HEADPHONES FOR MONITORING
An iconic set and the best Sony headphones for sound engineers to monitor their audio.
Connection:
Wired – 3.5mm / 6.3mm
Driver size:
40mm
Frequency range:
10-20.000Hz
- Accurate and powerful sound
- Lightweight & foldable design
- Long cable good for studio work
- Decent noise isolation
- Fits well with larger head sizes
- Non-detachable cable
- Foldable design feels a bit flimsy
The Sony MDR-7506 are great classic Sony headphones used in media production all around the world. These closed-back over-ears are a staple Sony product for many years due to their excellent quality and value for money.
You’re getting great professional sound with clear treble and punchy bass, combined with the long-lasting build quality. Big ear cups also ensure good comfort. All of this makes them one of the best headphones under $100.
You can see them on television and radio stations all the time since they’re technicians’ favorite headphones. The design might be a bit outdated compared to modern Sony headphones, but that’s because it works.
If you want tested, “no-brainer” professional Sony headphones for studio use, get the MDR-7506.
4. Sony WF-SP800N
BEST TRUE WIRELESS SONY HEADPHONES FOR SPORTS
Best Sony earbuds for sports with a water-resistant design and ear fins to prevent them from falling out of your ears.
Connection:
Bluetooth 5.0
Driver size:
7mm
Frequency range:
n/a
- Fun sound
- Stability for sports
- Class-leading battery life
- Unreliable touch controls
While they have decent sound out of the box, it isn’t the most engaging. You can correct it inside the Sony Headphones app. That way, you can bring out extra punch and sparklines.
The latter is exactly what you want from workout earbuds such as WF-SP800N. These are more premium sports headphones with a comfy design and ear fins for a stable fit.
They even come with active noise cancellation. Unfortunately, it isn’t as effective at blocking ambient noise from the outside world as they lack a high-end ANC chip. Their touch-sensitive controls are also a bit unreliable when skipping tracks and calling Google Assistant.
On the other hand, the WF-SP800N have a fantastic battery life, providing up to 13 hours of playtime on a single charge and another 13 hours of extra charge inside the charging case.
5. Sony Playstation Pulse 3D
BEST SONY HEADPHONES FOR GAMING
The best Sony headphones for gaming if you own a PS5 gaming console.
Connection:
Wireless 2.4GHz & 3.5mm
Driver size:
n/a
Frequency range:
n/a
- Big, skull-rattling bass
- Impressive surround sound (for supported titles)
- Attractive design
- Mediocre microphone performance
The sound experience is tuned for gaming in particular, with a strong bass presence (it can get a bit muddy at times) to amplify in-game effects. This sound profile is also suitable for watching movies.
What makes these a great set for PS5 is their integration with the console. On top of wireless connectivity, they support Sony’s Tempest 3D AudioTech, which boosts the surround sound effect.
The minimalistic, lightweight design and generous padding provide comfort. On the right ear cup, you find multiple physical buttons for muting the mic and adjusting the volume of music and chat.
You get a decent battery life of 12 hours on a full charge. You can always use a 3.5mm connection if you don’t have time to leave them charging.
Strangely, despite being geared towards multiplayer gamers, the microphone could’ve had a better call quality.
Check out the best PS5 wireless headsets to pair with your PlayStation 5.
6. Sony WF-C500
BEST SONY EARBUDS UNDER $100
New affordable in-ears from Sony that keeps the pleasant, warm sound usually found on their products, but cut away all the extra features.
Connection:
Bluetooth 5.0
Driver size:
5.8mm dynamic
Frequency range:
20-20.000Hz
- Good sound quality
- Comfortable fit
- Great battery life per charge (10h)
- App with custom EQ
- Barebone feature set
For the budget range below $100, the sound quality is more than adequate. It’s punchy and warm but also quite bright in the upper mid-range and treble.
Thankfully, WF-C500 can connect with the Sony Headphones app, giving you a choice of tweaking EQ to your liking.
You’ll also like how comfortable they feel in your ears. Thanks to their ergonomic design, they even stay in quite well during sports activities, whereas their good battery life will make sure they don’t die during exercise.
Controls are physical and offer fixed commands. Fortunately, you can access anything, from play/pause, skip tracks, volume controls, and calling voice assistant.
Earbuds lack tangible features like noise cancellation and ambient sound mode, which for the lower price point is to be expected.
You can find the best budget noise-cancelling headphones in our separate guide.
7. Sony IER-Z1R
BEST SONY HEADPHONES FOR AUDIOPHILES
Sony’s Signature Series is highly respected among audiophiles, and the IER-Z1R in-ear monitors are one of the best Sony earbuds on the market.
Connection:
Wired – 3.5 & 4.4mm
Driver size:
12mm + 5mm + BA
Frequency range:
3-100.000Hz
- Exceptional clarity
- Meaty bass response
- Luxurious build quality
- Some might find them uncomfortable
The sound signature tilts slightly towards the V-shape, with excellent extensions on both ends. Everything sounds tight but not bass-heavy, and a detailed retrieval is outstanding.
They achieve this exceptional, Hi-Res audio by using two dynamic drivers, one 12mm and the other 5mm, and one balanced armature. It also helps to use the included silver-coated balanced cable.
The housing of these Sony earphones is made of zirconium alloy and magnesium, providing excellent sturdiness.
Two included cables are silver-plated and have pre-formed arches to contour your ears better.
Sadly, they don’t feel comfortable for everyone, and it’s better to try them out before buying. Earbuds are also a bit hard to drive, so you need an amp if you want to squeeze the most out of them.
Looking for the best workout headphones?
Or maybe the best bass earbuds?
FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions About Sony Headphones
What kind of brand is Sony?
Sony is a company from Japan that made a ton of influential products, from Walkman, CDs, Blu-Rays, and of course, high-quality headphones. They make everything from super cheap ones to expensive ones that can cost over $2000.
However, they don’t have a reputation of a premium brand but something in between. They’re more of an average consumer brand with some premium models for those that want more.
Are Sony WH-1000XM4 worth It in 2023?
Sony WH-1000XM4 are still worth it in 2023 thanks to their discounted price and overall similar performance to the WH-1000XM5. Furthermore, they might even be more comfortable for longer listening sessions. The new model primarily looks sleeker, has better battery life, and much-improved microphone quality.
Are Sony WF-1000XM4 worth it?
Yes, if you’re looking for premium TWS earbuds with high-end features and sound, these are the best out there.
Active noise cancellation and ambient mode work excellent, and the audio quality is superb for a product like that. Compared to the competition, they’re worth every penny.
Is Sony or Sennheiser better?
Sony makes better-sounding and more attractive consumer-focused audio products, whereas Sennheiser is still a king for more serious, audiophile products.
Therefore, which one is better really depends on what kind of product you’re looking for.
Are Sony WF-1000XM4 or Sony WF-1000XM5 better?
The newer Sony WF-1000XM5 model has slightly better technical audio performance but a relatively similar active noise cancelling performance. They’re also smaller and more comfortable than the bulkier Sony WF-1000XM4.
What Sony headphones have the best sound quality?
Looking at the very high-end, you can’t go wrong with Sony IER-Z1R in-ear monitors. These multiple-driver earbuds are tuned to sound fun and punchy but come packed with tons of details.
For a more reasonable price, you might want to check Sony WF-1000XM4 as they have close to neutral tuning and sound excellent for wireless earbuds.
What makes Sony headphones different from other brands?
Generally, the best Sony headphones are well made and have good durability. Of course, there are cases where a specific headphone model is badly made (MDR-1000X…) but they update them fast enough and have a decent responsibility to the consumer.
When it comes to the audio you can find 2 distinct sound signatures.
- The “Extra Bass” Sony headphones have emphasized bass, like best bass headphones, and are geared towards bassheads and people liking strong lows.
- The second is the general Sony sound signature which is usually balanced or slightly V-shaped. This is audio quality that sounds great for all music types.
They make headphones that sound good for the general taste in music to catch the biggest market group.
Additionally, the best Sony headphones are made to be popular with the masses. This is why they offer a lot of wireless headphones with a sleek design and all the latest new features at many different price points.
What about the value for money?
You pay a fair price in most cases. If it’s a cheaper model it’s going to show in features and design. And if it’s a premium headphone you will have to pay a premium price that’s normal in the category.
They aren’t the cheapest and neither more expensive. Sony headphones have overall good value for money.
Matija Ferjan is a seasoned audio enthusiast reviewing headphones since 2015. He has personally tested hundreds of headphones and earbuds. He’s an active member of the Headphone Audio community and a true nitpicker, always looking for the “best-value-for-money” headphones.
