Best Sony headphones

Of all the headphones out there, few are more iconic than Sony headphones. A fixture of portable personal audio since the release of the Walkman in the late 20th century, Sony knows a thing or two about squeezing performance out of consumer products. If you’d rather make your buying decisions based on reputation rather than whatever is the popular choice at the moment: Sony headphones have been around for decades, and the choice of production professionals and consumers alike for a long time.

Of course, Sony makes one of the consensus best picks in the ANC headphones category: the WH-1000XM3. If you’re looking for Sony headphones that’ll work well in just about any situation, these are the cans to get. Despite the fact that they’re the least expensive ANC headphones among the top-tier, they’re still $349—a hefty sum if you’re pinching pennies. While it’s well worth the price, you may want to grab something less expensive if you’re worried about making rent.

Objectively, these are some of the best headphones you can buy, period. Not only is their noise canceling among the best in the business, but the sound quality is very consumer-friendly. On top of that, the huge battery and USB-C charging means battery life will seldom be an issue, unless you like to go weeks at a time without charging.

A chart detailing the noise canceling performance of the Sony WH-1000XM3 showing a much higher cancellation between 100Hz - 1000Hz when compared to the Bose headphones.

The Sony WH-1000XM3 noise cancelling does a great job of quieting general ambient noise like chatter.

Those working at home, or prone to taking meetings outside of a perfect environment, the Sony WH-1000XM3 is a decent companion. Unfortunately it works best when there’s little outside noise, as it tends to pick up minor sounds surrounding you. However, it does very well indoors: better than most Bluetooth headsets.

Sony WH-1000XM3 microphone demo:

If you’re looking for headphones for a specific purpose, we always recommend finding headphones designed for that particular purpose. That may sound a little obvious, but you want an expensive set of headphones for studio monitors, knock-around tracking headphones, and workout buddies. The Sony WH-1000XM3 are great for commuting or at home, but other applications will leave you with a fair bit of anxiety—they’re not indestructible.

Next up is the WH-CH700N. This represents Sony’s attempt to get some of its ANC and sound quality pedigree into a more affordable headset. However, this particular model is now older and has been superseded by the WH-CH710N. As that set of Sony headphones just hit market, we haven’t been able to give it a test yet. However, its release means that you can grab the WH-CH700N on the cheap.

Sony WH-CH700N microphone demo:

The WH-CH700N doesn’t have as many features as the WH-1000XM3, but it offers decent wireless performance via aptX HD. These are a great option if you only care about listening to music on the go, but aren’t ready to plunk down $300+. These Sony headphones are a decent middle ground between “cheap” and “premium.”

If you’re willing to spend a little more (but aren’t willing to part with $300+), the Sony WH-XB900N is a great pickup as well. They offer far more bass than the WH-CH700N, and they have a few more creature comforts like touch controls and equalizing in Sony’s Headphones app. However, they do come at a high pricetag; comparatively speaking.

Students, video producers, and the budget-conscious will find a trusted ally in the Sony MDR-V7506. Built off the 35-year-old Sony MDR-V6 design, these Sony headphones haven’t changed much from the original formula; outside of a folding band, that is.

These headphones have seen a decent level of popularity over the years because they offer a fairly neutral sound at a very competitive price. Additionally, they’re durable, and several third-party vendors make replacement ear pads for these headphones. If you wear glasses, look into fabric or velour pads for best results. If you’re looking for noise canceling, a microphone, or voice assistant features, unfortunately you’ll have to open up the wallet a little bit to get one of the Sony headphones that do.

Sony WI-C400

Sometimes all you want is a cheap set of in-ears, and the Sony WI-C400 is about as inexpensive as you get without straying into “really bad” territory. While these neckband earphones won’t exactly light the world on fire with their performance, they are a little better than their price would suggest, even if they don’t have access to the latest and greatest codecs out there. If you’re looking to save yourself some money, these represent some of the best value in the Sony headphones lineup.

As far as true wireless options go, the Sony WF-1000XM3 (notice a pattern here?) offers probably the best experience you’re going to get with true wireless earphones. They’re not AirPods, but that’s not really a bad thing—especially given that AirPods are extremely poorly-designed for the needs of most people. The WF-1000XM3 is built around sound quality, active noise cancellation, and battery life first; so it’s not going to give you all the features people love with Apple’s ubiquitous earphones.

Sony WF-1000XM3 microphone demo:

That’s really fine, though, and Android users will probably prefer the Sony WF-1000XM3 to either the AirPods or AirPods Pro. I say this because not only is the noise canceling more effective, but the software features of the AirPods family only works on the iPhone. If you use an Android phone, there’s no advantage to using AirPods over these Sony earphones.

What should you know about Sony headphones

One of the biggest perks about buying a set of headphones from a bigger manufacturer is that they can afford to earn your dollar through support, continually-updated software features, and a long product life. That’s true of just about all of the new Sony headphones. Additionally, Sony headphones enjoy a 2-year limited manufacturer’s warranty in the US, which covers manufacturing defects in materials or workmanship. While it’s not going to get you a brand new headset if you dunk yours in water, it will have your back if it turns out there’s an issue you couldn’t have foreseen.

Pictured are the Sony WH-XB900N lying flat on a desk.

The minimal design is very reminiscent of the WH-1000XM3 headphones, with a touch sensitive earpad for controlling music playback.

As I mentioned above, Sony is one of the more trusted brands of personal audio equipment, as they’ve been at the forefront of a lot of portable and home-centered audio tech since the late 20th century. Some of their accomplishments include the Walkman, 360 Reality Sound, and they’ve been the second-largest music production company for decades. Sony knows audio.

However, that’s not to say the company is perfect or that they’re the best out there. You’ll probably find that because they deal in huge volumes, there’s no shortage of complaints online of some issues. Headphones—like any other sector of tech products—are not immune to fanboying, easily antagonized customers, or weird manufacturing issues. We encourage you to read around a bit and get as much information as you can before settling on buying anything (Sony headphones, or otherwise).

Why you should trust us

A photo of a woman wearing the Sony WF-1000XM3 earbuds and reaching for the touch panel of the left earbud. Meant to illustrate options for Sony headphones.

We don’t toss out recommendations unless we have experience with a product.

Not only is SoundGuys all of our day jobs, but each and every full-time writer here has had several years’ experience covering the personal audio market. Not only can we provide an uncommonly-focused perspective on the subject, but we also adhere to a draconian ethics policy. We don’t even allow ads or sponsored content on our site in an age where that’s more and more commonplace. Our income depends almost exclusively on people being happy with the products they buy after researching them.

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