Best Sony headphones in 2024

Sony is one of the best headphone brands in the business. With years of experience in the music and film industries, the company continues to leverage its audible and visual experience in designing some of the top headsets (and top earbuds, too). We’re betting you’ve seen one or two pairs of Sony headphones in your lifetime, and there are more than one or two worth considering. If you’re in the market, this list has them. Models include everything from signature products to unique alternatives.

Top Sony headphones available

When the WH-1000XM4 headphones were first released, they introduced a new world of listeners to Sony audio. Renowned for their supreme sound quality, terrific ANC performance, Bluetooth multipoint support, and rock-solid battery life, they have yet to be dethroned by newer headsets. It’s easy to see why they’ve become such a mainstay, and why the company has kept them around.

With a frequency response range between 4Hz and 40,000Hz, and support for SBC, AAC, and LDAC codecs, the XM4s are great for casual listening, but they’re also a headset of choice for audiophiles. We tested the XM4s when they first released, and we’re still singing their praises over four years later. And of course, Sony wouldn’t leave us without a customization app. Headphones Connect is now widely compatible with other Sony headsets, but fine-tuning the XM4s with the multi-band EQ is still one of the best ways to personalize a near-perfect set of headphones.

One area where the XM4s struggle (along with many other picks on this list) is phone call quality. The XM4s use the combined powers of ANC and microphone-amplified conversation to achieve the best-sounding dialogue the headphones can muster. Unfortunately, “best” is nothing more than “passable” here. If you’re in a quiet space, the person you’re chatting with should hear you, and you should hear them. But once you start adding in environmental noise, the XM4s have a tough time cancelling unwanted frequencies, while still honing in on human voices.

This isn’t to say you shouldn’t make phone calls with the XM4s, but maybe plan to be in a quieter location when it’s time to start chatting. That being said, we are big fans of the automated talk-through feature. This automatically mutes what you’re listening to and focuses on a person’s speaking voice. To activate this feature, press and hold two fingers on the touch panel control sensor for two seconds.

The XM5s are another great addition to Sony’s audio collection, and with all hyperbole aside, these are some of the best noise-cancelling headphones ever made. We tried them out a couple of years ago and were simply wowed by numerous important headphone must-haves. The XM5s check all the boxes on bright, beautiful sound quality, class-leading ANC, and battery digits that hang around the 30-hour mark.

We’re also glad to see a couple of improvements over the Sony XM4s. For starters, the phone call system received some love, leading to clearer-sounding conversations. Mind you, it’s not perfect-sounding dialogue, but a decent upgrade. The automatic talk-through mode makes its triumphant return, too. We were also glad to see a boost in the bass department. The XM5s feature notably more low-end when you first power them on, which some folks will love. For those seeking less rumble, you can always hop into the Headphones app to dial things down.

The icing on the cake? The XM5s received a nice cosmetic upgrade. The matte shell is made of recyclable materials, and you can purchase the headphones in Black, Silver, or Midnight Blue colorways.

SBC, AAC, and LDAC support returns, along with Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity. We’re also big fans of the tough-as-nails carrying case that Sony provides in the box. Considering how expensive these puppies are, they may not be the Sony headphones for everyone. But those who don’t mind spending a little extra will be handsomely rewarded.

How about something a bit more casual? Fortunately, when it comes to Sony, “casual” never means “lackluster,” so allow us to direct your attention to the Sony WH-CH520. The younger brother of the WH-CH510 headset that came before it, the WH-CH520 model comes in a few colorways, including Black, Blue, White, and Cappuccino. And for a value pick, we think you’ll be surprised by how this headset sounds.

By default, the headphones provide solid mids and bass response. You can also customize your audio experience via the Sony Headphones app. We recommend slightly boosting the treble frequencies, a natural weak point for the WH-CH520. One thing that’s sorely missing here is mic-powered noise cancellation. Even though the WH-CH520 features a closed-back design, a lot of environmental noise will creep its way in. So, while functional during phone calls, you may notice a lot of extra noise when chatting with friends or family. We also don’t recommend these headphones for any console or PC gaming. While you may be able to wirelessly pair them to your PS5 or PC, the Bluetooth connection will likely bring some latency to the table.

Still, for such a low price, there are other things to love about the WH-CH520. They deliver up to 50 hours of battery life, support quick charging, as well as Bluetooth multipoint for pairing two devices simultaneously. The Sony WH-CH520 may be outdone by other Sony headsets, but they still offer a ton of bang for your buck.

Traditionally, Sony headphones offer a nice balance of bass, mids, and treble, but some of us like a little more rumble in our tunes than others. If this sounds like you, we’re betting the Sony Ult Wear Headphones will get you grinning from ear to ear. But the Ult isn’t just a pair of woofers for your ears, they’re also designed to proudly stand alongside Sony cans like the WH-1000XM5 and WH-1000XM4. We also got to try them out not too long ago, and we’re still impressed.

Keep in mind that there’s a literal Ult button to engage that extra low-end, and it’s the kind of bountiful bass that may be overwhelming for some listeners. Beyond the big boom, though, these headphones deliver exceptional ANC noise cancellation, solid sound quality, and access to Sony’s intuitive Headphones app for dialing in the frequencies that matter most to you.

Even if you can pair the headset to a game console, you’ll probably experience too much latency for enjoyable gameplay. To that end, you can always connect directly to your hardware using the TRS port. We actually recommend using these for gaming if you can manage an extra wire hanging out near your PS5 or PC because that extra bass is terrific for action-heavy games and creepy survival horror titles.

Did you see we’ve singled these headphones out for battery life? So, they don’t actually deliver the best battery life of any Sony headset, but when you consider the happy balance between ANC, sound quality, and listening hours that the Sony WH-CH720Ns deliver, receiving up to 38 playback hours becomes a lot sweeter. We’re also glad to see support for the Headphones Connect app, a feature missing on the WH-CH710Ns that came before them.

When it comes to call quality, the 720Ns do a nice job of removing heavy bass tones, especially plane engines and HVAC systems. The Bluetooth multipoint connectivity is another nice carryover from higher-end Sony headphones, so you can pair the headset to more than one device at a time, allowing for seamless switching between everyday gadgets.

This wouldn’t be a complete headphone roundup without a dedicated gaming option. Enter the Sony Inzone H9, a pair of cans that borrow cosmetics from the PlayStation 5. It makes a lot of sense, as these cans won’t work with an Xbox. However, if you do most of your gaming on a PS or PC, you’re in luck. A supplied wireless dongle, engineered for latency reduction, connects to a console or computer in seconds flat. The supplied boom mic is another terrific gaming tool that delivers crisp, clear dialogue, perfect for online MMORPGs and other web-connected titles.

The Inzone H9 can also pull double-duty as a go-to workplace headset, with features like ANC and a boom mic ideal for phone calls and video conferences. They also offer up to 22 hours of battery life, so you won’t have to worry about them dying during an intense battle. Out of the box, you may find the EQ to be a little boomy, but like most Sony headsets, sound can be customized in the Headphones Connect app.

Open-back headphones may not be the most affordable cans in the corral, but if you’re glued to multi-band equalizers regularly, the Sony MDR-MV1 might be the reference headphones you’ve been waiting for. The idea behind all open-back cans is full-on immersion for the listener. The MDR-MV1 are designed to hone in on the decibels that normally escape us. We’re talking 5Hz to 80kHz, on top of an acoustic architecture that’s tailor-made for complete 360-degree sound.

Like the Sony reference-grade headsets that came before it, the MDR-MV1 are also exceptionally comfortable. That doesn’t mean we recommend toting these around as your everyday wear, though. In fact, you’ll have a pretty difficult time listening to these in any uncontrolled space, especially city streets, trains, planes, and the workplace. Why? There’s no noise cancellation and lots of audio leakage. Still, if you’re a connoisseur, or need headphones that can hone in on details other pairs simply can’t, the Sony MDR-MV1 should be at the top of your list.

While the Sony XB910N cans cost more than the signature XM4 model and aren’t too far away from XM5 pricing, they’re not on the same level as those other pairs. Instead, Sony focuses on bass-heavy audio. We’d go as far as to say that these headphones share more in common with the newer Sony Ult. So, what’s all the fuss about, then? They still give us everything we’d want from a pair of Sony headphones and are a bit more of a rarity these days.

Features like Quick Attention Mode allow you to zero in on conversations without removing the XB910Ns. Just stick your hand over the right ear cup, and your tunes will automatically lower, so you can easily hear environmental noise. You also get a carrying case and that oh-so-cherished compatibility with the Headphones Connect app.

Experience audio like never before with Sony

As far as over-ear headphones go, Sony certainly shows no signs of stopping. Frankly, it’s pretty cool that, even after four years, the Sony XM4s are still topping the charts. It’s hard to beat something so good, and the XM4s are truly a perfect example. Comfy to wear, a pleasure to listen to, and even better when paired with the Headphones Connect app, there’s no denying the decibel-driven gravitas of the XM4s.

If you want to crank things up a bit further, you can always shoot for a pair of Sony XM5s, though. They’re not leaps and bounds better than the XM4s, but a new appearance, along with some fine-tuning in several other key departments is what makes Sony’s new flagship the cat’s pajamas (people still say that, right?).

Of course, if you’re looking to grab some solid headphones for a reasonable price, the Sony WH-CH520 headphones are nothing to shake a stick at. Sure, they lack the more advanced features of other Sony options on this list, but they still sound great, and fit pretty comfortably, too.