As one of the leading brands in audio, Sony offers a superb range of headphones that come with premium craftsmanship, high quality audio, excellent active noise cancellation and so much more. Whether you’re after over-ear headphones, in-ear earbuds, wireless or noise cancelling headphones, there’s something for you. To help make the choice easier, we’ve pulled together a list showcasing our top recommendations. This is our take on the Best Sony Headphones of 2022!
Sony WH-1000XM5 Over-Ear Headphones
At the top of our list is Sony’s WH-1000XM5 Over-Ear Headphones – it is their flagship after all. The XM5s have the best Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) of the lot. This is thanks to eight microphones and a 30mm driver unit which are capable of keeping out more high, mid and low frequency sounds than ever. It even has Auto NC optimiser that’ll automatically optimise the performance based on your wearing conditions and environment.
As great as the noise cancellation is, there’s no way the WH series would be so popular unless they had amazing sound too. Well, it gets better with the XM5s! In addition to enhancing noise cancellation, the specially designed 30mm driver unit improves sound clarity and high frequency sensitivity, resulting in more natural, superlative sound quality. These headphones have also seen an improvement in call quality. Thanks to four beamforming microphones, these headphones will give you ultra-clear noise-free calls, even in noisy situations.
Safe to say, if you’re after the best pair of Sony over-ear headphones as far as sound, performance and noise-cancellation goes, the XM5s are it!
Sony WF-1000XM4 Noise Cancelling Earphones
Sony’s award-winning WF-1000XM4’s takes the cake if you’re looking for the best pair of True Wireless earbuds. They’re known to provide an exceptional listening experience that serves up dynamic, detailed and balanced sound. This is thanks to specially designed 6mm drivers, a high compliance diaphragm which reproduces a rich bass sound, and the integrated processor V1 that enhances sound quality, reduces distortion, and enables LDAC codec processing and DSEE extreme.
These also play a part in providing the best Active Noise Cancellation you’ll find on a pair of Sony true wireless earbuds. With the WF-1000XM4s, you can stay fully immersed on your music whether you’re in city traffic, in the office, or at the gym. Additionally, the noise isolation earbud tips help to insulate sound, reduce noise further, and improve adhesion to the ear canal for a more stable and comfortable fit. You get up to eight hours of battery life on a single-charge with these which is class-leading for a pair of ANC TWS earbuds!
The WF-1000XM4s are not just Sony’s best true wireless earbuds but they’re one of the best true wireless earbuds on the market right now.
Sony WH-1000XM4 Over-Ear Headphones
Sony’s WH-1000XM4 Over-Ear Headphones are a super popular option and have consistently been a number one seller. They’re the predecessor to the WH-1000XM5s so while they still have that flagship quality to them, they have slightly older technology and are at a lesser price point. If you’re a fan of the series but don’t want to splash out on the latest iteration, the XM4s are a superb buy!
They offer wireless, premium sound along with industry-leading noise cancellation. While the noise cancellation isn’t quite at the level of the XM5s, the XM4s still do an excellent job at blocking out the noise around you, whether you’re flying on a long-haul flight or working in a café. With a 30-hour battery life and a comfortable design, these headphones are perfect for long days and nights. Even if you’re low on battery and in a hurry, they’ll take just 10 minutes to get up to 5 hours charge.
Sony LinkBuds S True Wireless Earbuds
A new release from Sony, the LinkBuds S are super comfortable and lightweight – perfect for all day wear! In fact, as of the writing of this article, they’re the world’s smallest and lightest noise-cancelling, high-res true wireless earbuds. Designed with comfort in mind, they combine a shape that matches the human ear with an ergonomic design for a more stable fit that avoids discomfort.
Considering their size, you’d think you’d be missing out on things like Active Noise Cancellation but that’s not the case here. The earbuds automatically switch between Ambient Sound Mode and Noise Cancelling depending on where you are and what you’re doing, but of course you can take control of these options yourself too. A 5mm driver unit, featuring a high-compliance diaphragm, reproduces powerful bass and clear vocals, bringing out the best in your music, movies and podcasts – this makes these earbuds a fantastic ally for all types of content.
Sony MDR-7506 Professional Studio Monitoring Headphones
We’re finishing off with an iconic pair that’s been in production since 1991 – Sony’s MDR-7506. These popular professional studio monitoring headphones aren’t designed for casual use or everyday listening but if you like to mix and record music, these could be perfect for you! The MDR-7506s have long been the standard for mixing and recording so as you can imagine, they offer clear, accurate and well-balanced sounds of vocals and instruments.
Thanks to the low impedance and closed ear design, they also do an outstanding job of cutting down background noise while providing plenty of volume in the studio or in the field. Additionally, the closed design helps to eliminate “headphone bleed” when overdubbing. The MDR-7506s have an around-the-ear design and is ideal for use with MIDI workstations, camcorders or other equipment with less than powerful headphone amplification. A comfortable and lightweight design also makes them well-suited for long hours in the studio.
Sony has some pretty solid options to choose from for your next pair of headphones - we hope this list helped! To check out their entire range of headphones and audio, head over to Sony's brand store.
