We’ve reviewed many Sony headphones so we’re very familiar with what makes them tick. If you’re a Sony fan too, you’ve come to the right place for advice on the best Sony headphones
Each pair has been tested for its performance in real world settings. Like any other pair of headphones, we test features such as noise-cancellation and transparency modes: how good the wireless performance is, carry out battery drains, test out the call quality, as obviously put them through our listening tests.
With our thorough process, you can be confident that headphones that feature on this list have passed the muster in terms of performance. So whether you’re looking to upgrade from an older pair of Sony headphones or want to know what all the fuss is about with the latest release, this list features a summary of each pair, along with pros, cons, and links to in-depth reviews.
If you’re open to other brands, we recommend checking our other audio best lists, which include the best headphones, best over-ears, best noise-cancelling headphones, and best wireless earbuds.
For gamers, we have the best gaming headsets, while fitness enthusiasts will want to check out our guide to the best running headphones.
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Learn more about how we test heaphones
Not just anybody can review a pair of headphones. You don’t need superhuman hearing to tell what’s good, but you do need to know what to listen out for.
Our headphone tests are done by some of the best and most prolific reviewers in the industry, with years of experience listening to everything from the plasticky freebie earbuds that come with your smartphone, to five-figure beasts of glass and marble. We love music and we want your tunes to sound good, too.
So we listen every pair of headphones we can get on or in our ears. We use a variety of sources, from basic MP3s playing on a laptop to high-quality tracks on dedicated hi-res audio players.
Our test tracks are wide-ranging to give headphones a thorough challenge. They’re also familiar, so we know every track backwards, and we know which bits might trouble the lesser performers.
The Sony WF-1000XM6 are a refinement rather than a reinvention of the XM5, but like with the WH-1000XM6, these rule the root in the true wireless earbuds market.
There is one area of frustration, which is that getting a proper seal with the Sony Sound Connect app isn’t always reliable. We found it better to adjust the fit manually until it felt correct and the outside world melted away.
Getting that seal right matters because it unlocks the full potential of the ANC, which with the right fit is excellent, dismissing sounds to leave you in a world of your own.
Sound quality is also a step forward from before. Compared with the WF-1000XM5, there’s a livelier, more dynamic character to audio. Treble is clearer and brighter, while the bass is both punchy and weighty, but it’s the midrange that steals the show with a detail rich performance.
The water resistance remains at IPX4, and usability with the app can feel clunky in places (there’s simply too much that these headphones offer!).
Despite those gripes, the feature set is deep enough and the overall performance strong enough to make the WF-1000XM6 Sony’s best wireless earbuds ever.
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Foldable design is back
-
Improved noise-cancellation
-
Clearer, more balanced sound
-
Stacked with features and convenience
-
Strong battery performance
-
New fast-charging feature requires ‘optional’ cable
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Px7 S3 beats it for sound
-
‘Modern’ appearance is arguably bland
The WH-1000XM6 are Sony’s best wireless over-ears right now, building on the already-strong WH-1000XM5 with a set of well-chosen improvements that make them one of the best headphones to buy.
The most welcome change is the return of a folding hinge, a feature dropped on the XM5 that made those headphones less portable for travel. The WH-1000XM6 also receive re-designed earcups that are deeper and more angular, with a clamping force that’s gentle enough that during extended wear comfort is good.
The step up in ANC isn’t as pronounced as between earlier generations, but the cancellation sounds less artificial and more natural. It handles the most common offenders — plane hum and train rumble — with confidence and ranks as the finest noise cancelling from Sony’s over-ears so far, even better than the more expensive 1000X The Collexion.
Features are plentiful with the Sony Headphones app providing plenty of ways to adjust and personalise the performance, with spatial audio support provided in 360 Reality Audio.
Sound quality is an area that’s a step forward, with the WH-1000XM6 pushing a more neutral, balanced presentation with clearer, more detailed highs, clearer bass and a wider soundstage. They are Sony’s best-sounding wireless over-ears, and the best for overall performance.
The Sony WF-C710N are an easy recommendation for anyone looking for affordable wireless earbuds without spending a lot.
While they cost more than the WF-C510, you do get better sound and noise cancellation for the extra charge. The ANC, along with the fit and seal, performs a great job of shutting out traffic, as well as the noise of trains and buses, making daily commuting a quieter experience.
Transparency mode isn’t the clearest, but it’s capable enough when you need a quick awareness of your surroundings. Call quality is a genuine improvement over previous Sony wireless earbuds, with voices coming through clearly on the other end, though a slightly artificial quality to the voice is the one caveat to note.
Battery life is better than the WF-C510 too, and that model was already no slouch. Our tests showed that 10 hours of battery life is possible, more than the 8.5 that Sony quotes.
Touch controls replace the physical buttons found on the WF-C510 which we found prove responsive in use, there’s a Glass Blue finish that we really prefer over the black and white versions (there’s also a pink version). There’s Spotify Tap, making it easier to pull up a playlist on the go if you subscribe to that music streaming service.
The earbuds deliver good bass presence and the trademark smoothness in the midrange that we’ve come to expect from Sony, though treble can sound a touch subdued.
That said, these are a cracking pair of wireless earbuds from Sony, who’ve shown that they can produce excellent performance at both premium and budget prices.
The WF-C510 build on the foundation the C500 set and push the performance and feature set forward, all for pretty much the same price as before ($55 / £50).
The WF-C510’s audio offers a spacious and balanced performance. We complained about the lack of bass with the previous model but this pair delivers more weight and punch. The mid- to high frequencies feature good clarity and detail and while they’re not the most dynamic, they are wholly enjoyable for the asking price.
Build quality is solid and functional for the money. They offer an excellent fit that blocks out most external sounds and they come with physical controls, which we feel are better than touch controls at this price. An IPX4 rating means they’re protected against some sweat and water, so, if you fancied, you could use the C510 for exercise too.
There’s no noise-cancellation support, which at this price we’re not too fussed about. Sony has added an Ambient Sound mode that lets outside sounds in, and it’s a performance we found to be loud and clear, making it easy to listen announcements and get a better sense of the environment around us.
Bluetooth 5.3 covers SBC and AAC streaming, so these headphones lack wireless Hi-Res Audio but again, like ANC, we don’t that’s a big miss at this price. Sony says the battery life has gone from 10 to 11 hours per charge but in our tests we found the battery life was the same as the original.
Still, 10 hours is plenty enough, and if you do run out of battery, there is fast-charging support but no wireless charging.
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The most comfortable entry in the WH-1000X series
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Mature, balanced audio performance
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Stacked with features and customisation over price rivals
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Better noise cancelling than price rivals
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Excellent call quality
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Px8 S2 beats it for overall sound
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Reduction in battery life
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Less powerful ANC than WH-1000XM6
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No USB-C audio
The 1000X The Collexion are not your typical headphone release from Sony.
They’re not what we’d normally classify as the flagship pair for the 1000X Series, but something a little different. They’re a pair of over-ears aimed at buyers who care more about a crafted look and the best sound from Sony’s wireless headphones.
In focusing on the design and sound, that has meant slight losses in other areas. The noise-cancelling isn’t as strong as the WH-1000XM6, which should be viewed as the very-day, workhorse pair.
And because of the change in design, the battery life takes a hit too. The shape is familiar, but the platinum silver and black finishes look sleek and distinctive, with the matte faux leather feeling lovely to touch, with the aluminium accents easy on the eye and the brilliantly designed carry case pushing these headphones into fashion accessory territory. In terms of comfort, these are the most comfortable wireless headphones we’ve tested from Sony.
Sound is also a real step up from the WH-1000XM6. Bass is dialled back a touch compared to the XM6, but what you get in return is better clarity, more nuance in vocals and a wider soundstage. It’s a more balanced, mature sound from Sony, offering more fidelity from the tracks you listen to. You can probably do without the 360 Upmix modes, but they’re a fun extra to play with.
Feature-wise, the 1000X The Collexion mirrors the WH-1000XM6, with Bluetooth multipoint and LE Audio, LDAC on board, although these are the first pair of Sony wireless over-ears to feature the DSEE Ultimate algorithm that restore the dynamics in compressed tracks with AI.
Battery life does take a hit at 24 hours, which is less than the XM6 and some rivals at this price. Noise cancelling isn’t quite on par with the WH-1000XM6, but it still outperforms close rivals.
If you’re shopping at the £500 / $500+ price range, the 1000X are the headphones we’d recommend for the best noise-cancelling performance. For the style-minded listener who puts comfort and sound quality first, these are the Sony headphones we suggest you go for.
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Super comfortable to wear
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Surprisingly big bass for an open-back pair
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Easy to drive
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Fun, spacious and dynamic performance
We don’t get the opportunity to test many wired headphones from Sony, so we were intrigued when we were offered the chance to test the MDR-MV1. They did not disappoint.
They are primarily designed with sound mixing and mastering in mind, but for high quality listening at home, the MDR-MV1 deliver a fun, energetic performance. The soundstage is very wide thanks to the open-backed design, with plenty of midrange detail. Like with Sony’s wireless headphones, there’s excellent clarity with voices; while for an open-backed pair, there’s impressive levels of bass.
For a wired pair of headphones, there’s not much to speak of in terms of features, but they are well specificed. The impednace is just 24 ohms, which makes it easy for them to be driven by a smartphone or laptop.
Sensitivity is 100db, so the headphones can get solidly when with the volume is upped, and the frequency range covers 5Hz to 80kHz. You won’t be able to hear all of that in the audio, but there’s certainly more impact with the bass and high frequencies.
They are very comfortable to wear, which made it easy to listen to these headphones for hours on end. The lightweight design is also very practical for long sessions with no fatigue settling thanks to the soft earpads and headband.
For what are a pair of reference headphones, they’re a surprisingly fun listen.
The WH-CH720N are Sony’s most affordable noise-cancelling over-ears, putting in a strong performance for its sub-£100 / $100 price.
The sound quality is similar to the WH-CH520 on-ears with it’s smoothness with an emphasis on bass. The bass performance is punchy, the midrange described with clarity and detail, while treble is bright and clear enough to impact. They’re certainly not in the same league as the WH-1000XM4, but these headphones were never going to be. For those whose budget can’t stretch to a purchase of these headphones, the CH720N is our recommendation for the best affordable ANC headphones from Sony.
When we tested the battery life we found it could go as far as 40 hours with noise-cancelling on. Features for a headphone of this price are extensive, with active noise-cancellation and transparency mode, as well as Bluetooth multipoint, app support (for customisation) and voice assistant support in Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa.
Noise-cancellation is rarely strong with budget headphones, but it’s solid enough at this price. The ANC focuses on reducing low frequency sounds and clearing away ambient noise, making the daily commutes and journeys more tolerable.
The headphones are mostly constructed from recycled plastic, and the quality is good with no noticeable creaks or groans when we bent the frame. The use of plastic keeps the headphones lightweight at 192g, and the CH720N felt comfortable to wear thanks to the padding on the headband and earcups.
The Sony Inzone H9 II is a follow-up to the original Inzone H9 and it keeps most of what worked while refining enough of the smaller details to place it among the best wireless gaming headsets we’ve tested.
Weighing in at 260g, it’s a full 70g lighter than the H9. That drop in weight makes a real difference during long sessions. The clamping force never felt too aggressive during our time with it, and the plush fabric earcups sealed nicely without pressing in uncomfortably.
Physical controls are laid out across both earcups so you can adjust the basics without pulling up the software, which is a thoughtful touch.
Bluetooth 5.3 also brings LE Audio into the picture, which means a better wireless experience on recent Android phones and, to a lesser extent, iOS devices. The microphone is where you’ll notice the biggest step forward from the H9.
The new ultrawideband mic sounds crisper and cleaner, and it still does a decent job of reducing background noise during calls and in-game chat.
Audio performance impressed us too: detail comes through clearly across the frequency range, stereo imaging is sharp, and the soundstage feels wide and open. The Inzone Hub app packs some genuinely useful tuning options for those who want to tailor the sound, though it isn’t as feature-rich as rival offerings.
Battery life sits at 30 hours, which is perfectly functional but falls short of being standout at this price.
That said, if comfort and sound quality are what you care about most, the Sony Inzone H9 II is a strong choice that’s hard to argue with.
The Sony LinkBuds Fit are easy to overlook on name alone, since these don’t share the open-ear concept of the original LinkBuds.
They’re a more traditional in-ear design, and a far better option for workouts than their sibling. Comfort and secure fit are the main selling points here.
Every pair comes with Sony’s Air Fitting Supporters, soft rubbery tails that tuck into the outer ear to keep the buds locked in place during runs and gym sessions. Sony also includes five colour options for those supporters in the box, with more available separately if you want to switch things up. In our testing, the fit held up well throughout workouts, with no sense that they were about to come loose.
Water and sweat resistance sits at IPX4, which is standard for true wireless earbuds at this level and covers most workout scenarios without issue.
Bluetooth 5.3 handles wireless connectivity, and Sony’s Sound Connect app opens up a range of familiar features including voice controls and multipoint device switching.
The Background Music Effect feels a little limited in practice, and the noise-cancellation, while present, is not as powerful as the WF-1000XM6.
That said, the broader feature set is solid for earbuds aimed at an active audience. Sound quality is balanced and smooth. The midrange is well conveyed, bass is warm and clear, but treble lacks a little sparkle and fine detail. They’re still an enjoyable listen for everyday and casual use.
For anyone who struggles to get a reliable fit from most true wireless earbuds, the Sony LinkBuds Fit are a strong all-rounder.
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Comfortable to wear
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Long battery life
Open-ear buds carry a small risk: because they don’t seal the ear canal, they offer no protection against sudden loud noises.
Sony addresses this in two ways with the LinkBuds Open. First, an air-fitting supporter locks the earbuds in place for a more secure hold.
Second, the Adaptive Volume feature monitors the surrounding environment and adjusts volume accordingly. On a busy street it cranks things up; step into a quieter space and the level drops so you’re not disturbing those around you. At least this is the case in theory.
Sound quality is solid, though not quite the strongest on this list. High frequencies come through cleanly, the midrange picks up more detail than the original LinkBuds, and bass carries genuine punch. They deliver an enjoyable listen and are an improvement on the original.
Battery life runs to eight hours, which is up from the first-generation model and enough to cover a long podcast or a good stretch of an audiobook. If you’re caught short on charge, three minutes buys another hour of playback.
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Lightweight design
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Very good call performance
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Good feature set and customization options
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Robust wireless performance
The WH-CH520 are one of the cheapest pairs of Sony headphones we’ve reviewed at just £50 / €70. They’re in the impulse buy column if you’re looking for a pair of on-ear headphones.
In terms of their sound quality we found these headphones to be a smooth listen, but they don’t offer as finessed a performance as other similarly priced headphones, with a slight lack of definition and sharpness to instruments and voices not helped by a soundstage that sounds small. Bass is decent for an on-ear and there’s some nice brightness to high frequencies, while the midrange is handled in a smooth, clear manner.
We found they were comfortable to wear, though the on-ear design can pinch on the earlobes. Passive noise isolation isn’t as good as true wireless and over-ear pairs, so external sounds mesh with what you’re listening too.
The build quality is predominantly plastic, but it keeps the weight down to just 147g, making them light to wear on our heads. There’s no carry case so you’ll either need to wear them around your neck or stuff them in a bag when not using them.
The WH-CH520 doesn’t have access to the same level of features through the Sony Headphones Connect app, but what it offers is very good for its price and for on-ears in general. Battery is rated at 50 hours and in our testing we found that the battery goes for a very long time. A nine-hour battery drain didn’t result in any loss of battery whatsoever.
There is Sony’s 360 Reality Audio format for immersive audio, and Bluetooth support equates to SBC and AAC codecs. The wireless connection with our phone was great during testing with no stutters or dropouts even in busy areas. Call quality is also very good in terms of clarity, though in busy areas it can become harder for the other person to hear what’s said.
Full Specs
| |
Sony WF-1000XM6 Review |
Sony WH-1000XM6 Review |
Sony WF-C710N Review |
Sony WF-C510 Review |
Sony 1000X The Collexion Review |
Sony MDR-MV1 Review |
Sony WH-CH720N Review |
Sony Inzone H9 II Review |
Sony LinkBuds Fit Review |
Sony LinkBuds Open Review |
Sony WH-CH520 Review |
| Manufacturer |
Sony |
Sony |
Sony |
Sony |
Sony |
Sony |
Sony |
Sony |
Sony |
Sony |
Sony |
| IP rating |
IPX4 |
Not Disclosed |
IPX4 |
IPX4 |
No |
No |
No |
– |
IPX4 |
IPX4 |
No |
| Battery Hours |
24 |
30 00 |
30 |
22 |
24 |
– |
35 |
30 00 |
21 |
22 |
50 |
| Wireless charging |
Yes |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
| Fast Charging |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
– |
– |
– |
Yes |
Yes |
– |
| Size (Dimensions) |
– |
– |
– |
x x INCHES |
– |
x x INCHES |
x x INCHES |
x x INCHES |
– |
– |
x x INCHES |
| Weight |
60 G |
254 G |
– |
40.2 G |
320 G |
223 G |
192 G |
260 G |
– |
– |
47 G |
| ASIN |
– |
B0F2TSQL21 |
– |
B0DBLN4C47 |
B0GY4RH3MX |
B0C33VF7KM |
B0BTDX26B2 |
– |
B0DBLP95PC |
B0DBLMGP2F |
B0BTJ8ZXG5 |
| Release Date |
2025 |
2025 |
2025 |
2024 |
2026 |
2023 |
2023 |
2025 |
2024 |
2024 |
2023 |
| First Reviewed Date |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
06/09/2025 |
– |
– |
– |
| Model Number |
– |
– |
– |
– |
WH-1000XX |
– |
WH-CH720N |
– |
– |
– |
WHCH520L.CE7 |
| Audio Resolution |
SBC, AAC, LDAC |
SBC, AAC, LDAC, LE Audio |
SBC, AAC |
SBC, AAC |
SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3 |
Hi-Res Audio compatible |
SBC, AAC |
– |
SBC, AAC, LDAC, LC3 |
SBC, AAC |
SBC, AAC |
| Driver (s) |
8.4mm |
30mm neodymium |
5mm |
6mm |
30mm |
40mm |
30mm dynamic |
30mm dynamic drivers |
8.4mm |
– |
30mm |
| Noise Cancellation? |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
– |
Yes |
– |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
– |
– |
| Connectivity |
Bluetooth 5.3 |
Bluetooth 5.3, Auracast |
Bluetooth 5.3 |
Bluetooth 5.3 |
Bluetooth 6, Auracast, Google Fast Pair, Microsoft Swift Pair |
Wired |
Bluetooth 5.2, 3.5mm jack |
Bluetooth 5.3, BLE, 2.4GHz receiver, USB-C and 3.5mm wired |
Bluetooth 5.3 |
Bluetooth 5.3 |
Bluetooth 5.2 |
| Colours |
Black, Platinum Silver |
Midnight Blue, Black, Silver |
Pink, Glass Blue, White, Black |
Yellow, Black, Blue, White |
Platinum Silver, Black |
Black |
Blue, Black, White |
Black, White |
Green, White, Violet, Black |
Black, White, Violet |
Black, Blue, Beige, White |
| Frequency Range |
20 20000 – Hz |
4 40000 – Hz |
20 20000 – Hz |
20 20000 – Hz |
4 40000 – Hz |
5 80000 – Hz |
20 20000 – Hz |
5 20000 – Hz |
20 40000 – Hz |
– Hz |
20 20000 – Hz |
| Headphone Type |
True Wireless |
Over-ear |
True Wireless |
True Wireless |
Over-ear |
Over-ear |
Over-ear |
Over-ear |
True Wireless |
– |
On-ear |
| Sensitivity |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
100 dB |
– |
-100 dB |
– |
– |
– |
| Voice Assistant |
Siri, Google Assistant |
Google Assistant |
– |
– |
– |
– |
Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant |
– |
Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant |
– |
– |
| Frequency response |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
520000 Hz |
– |
– |
– |
| Polar patterns |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
Om |
– |
– |
– |
| Compatibility |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
PC, PS5, Bluetooth mobile |
– |
– |
– |
| UK RRP |
£250 |
£399 |
£99 |
£54.99 |
£549 |
£339 |
£99.99 |
£299 |
£179.99 |
– |
£49.99 |
| USA RRP |
– |
$399 |
$129.99 |
– |
$649 |
$399 |
$149.99 |
$349.99 |
$199.99 |
– |
TBC |
| EU RRP |
€300 |
€450 |
€89 |
– |
€630 |
€399 |
€119 |
– |
€169 |
– |
€70 |
| CA RRP |
– |
TBC |
– |
– |
– |
– |
CA$249 |
– |
– |
– |
TBC |
| AUD RRP |
– |
TBC |
AU$189.95 |
– |
– |
AU$599 |
AU$249 |
– |
– |
– |
TBC |
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