Sony INZONE H9 II Influencer Review Video [2:57]

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• Rated 4 out of 5 stars

  A Surprise for Sure!

  • Tech Insider Network Member
  • Top 100 Contributor

  The Sony INZONE H9 ll gaming headset is part of Sony’s INZONE gaming gear lineup. This headset is certainly pricey, and I wasn’t expecting anything new that has already been done. But Sony hit it out of the ballpark with this headset. I was left overall surprised, but there are a couple of drawbacks. This is my review of the Sony INZONE H9 ll’s. *TLDR at the bottom ========= IN THE BOX/SET-UP: In the box, you get the H9 ll, a soft fabric zipper case with a smaller zipper compartment for your accessories, USB-C to USB-A cable, a detachable boom mic, a USB-C wireless receiver, and some documentation. I will now go over the setup. This will differ depending on what device you have, but I will cover a PC setup in this case. Sony does provide great instructions through their online manual if needed. Simply scan the online manual QR code located on the box. I first plugged in the wireless receiver into my USB-C port on my computer. The wireless receiver has a physical switch where you can switch between “PC” and “Other.” The Other option is recommended for any device that is NOT a PC. Next, I turned on my headset and waited a couple of seconds, and noticed that the flashing light on the receiver stopped. Once I saw that, I knew the headset was connected. After that, I plugged the detachable boom mic in, and the headset was ready to go. Finally, I downloaded the INZONE Hub software (for headset settings) and switched audio input. This took less than 10 minutes to complete. ========= DESIGN/COMFORT: The H9 ll has that typical gaming headset design, but without the boom mic attached, the average person likely will think this is a typical over-the-ear headset. I have the all-black H9 ll’s and love how they can blend in as a normal headset. If I had to travel, I would seriously consider taking this on a plane as my choice of headset. One of the first things I noticed was how light the headset was. The headset felt so light that it almost felt cheap. Obviously, this isn’t the impression Sony was attempting to make. The headset, by design, is light for comfort, which I will go into more detail about in the next paragraph. The headset is adjustable via a button you press down. It's straightforward to use, and it's a simple but effective design. There are many buttons and ports on this headset. The following will list these items. Left Side of Headset: - A physical mute mic button (makes an audible sound when you press it – cool!) - The scroll volume wheel - A button to switch between Noise Cancelling, Ambient Sound, and Normal Mode - USB-C charging port - AUX port - Mic port (not a fan of the mic and AUX ports being next to each other, I sometimes found myself trying to plug the mic into the AUX port) Right Side of Headset: - The power button - A button to initiate Bluetooth pairing - Two buttons to increase/decrease game and chat volume In terms of comfort, this headset is tremendously comfortable. I have worn this headset for 5+ hour-long gaming sessions, and no discomfort was ever felt. The light weight of the headset helps with comfort. On top of that, the head strap can barely be felt resting on the top of your head. I sometimes wear glasses, and most glasses owners know that over-the-ear headsets can be uncomfortable after a while. I can attest that this won’t be the case with this one! This headset is designed well and ergonomically. Kudos to the Sony team in charge of this! ========= SOUND/MICROPHONE QUALITY: In terms of sound, the H9 ll sounds incredible. The surround sound is remarkable, regardless of whether you are playing an intense FPS game like COD or are neck deep into an immersive game like The Last of US II. The lows are noticeably lacking outside the box, but the built-in EQs in the Sound Connect or INZONE Hub app can fix some of that, if needed. Voices from voice chat sound clear and amazing, too. Something I wanted to highlight is the game/chat button on the headset. I love this feature as it allows you to prioritize the sound of the game or voice chat. The microphone quality is great, too. You can do mic tests within the INZONE Hub app. All testing went perfectly, and I sounded as clear as day. I’m pretty sure the people I was playing COD with were hearing me loud and clear, too, as they were able to listen to some of my ranting and respond accordingly. ========= FEATURES/OTHER NOTES: Below are some key features and notes about the H9 ll: - 3 listening modes available: Active Noise Cancelling, Ambient Sound, and Normal Mode - ANC is decent, I could still hear my keyboard typing and voices of people at home, but it does an excellent job at blocking out white noise like a PC hum, and an AC unit - Ambient works just as expected, and is perfect if you are having someone over and still want to communicate - The headset supports dual connections; one device can be connected to the wireless receiver and the other one via Bluetooth - Both audio sources in a dual connection setup can be played at the same time, I found myself using this while gaming and watching sports on my phone - When the mic is muted, there is a small LED that lights up red (neat to have!) - Works great with consoles such as the PS5, just verify that the wireless receiver is set to “Other” - The wireless receiver is too long, on the PS5, if it is plugged into the front, the receiver will cover the USB-A port - It would’ve been nice to include a USB-C to USB-A adapter for those with limited USB-C ports - Incredibly fast charging, about 10 minutes of charging brought the headset up to 50% from 20% - The Sound Connect app on Android and the INZONE Hub app on Windows are available apps that can be used to manage the headsets’ settings - I would’ve liked large L and R indicators inside the headset, as the tiny letters above the ear cups are small and can be hard to see in a dark room ========= CONCLUSION/TLDR: Overall, the H9 ll was a surprise. I wasn’t expecting anything new from this headset. But many excellent features and design choices were made that surprised me. The various physical buttons to control the headset are great to have. The lightweight design choice is brilliant for comfort. On the other hand, I found ANC to be subpar, and the lows were lacking outside the box. But this is still an impressive headset. If you are looking for something versatile and packed with features, I wholeheartedly recommend you give this headset a shot!

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  This review is from Sony - INZONE H9 II Wireless Noise Canceling Gaming Headset for PC, PS5, Switch, and Mobile - White

  Posted 1 month ago by BarackObama

• Rated 5 out of 5 stars

  The Best Gets Better

  • Tech Insider Network Member
  • Top 10 Contributor

  The original INZONE H9 has been my go-to gaming headset since it was released over three years ago, mainly due to its seamless integration across PC and PS5 as well as its excellent audio quality, comfort, and noise cancellation. The original headset was bulky and had a non-detachable microphone. The H9 II addresses both of those issues and improves on the best aspects of the original headset. === PROS === - Compared to the original H9, the H9 II is 57 grams lighter, a significant difference that is immediately noticeable. It is very comfortable during long gaming sessions and I can hardly tell it’s on my head. - Similarly, the headband has been completely redesigned to be freely adjustable and place less pressure on your head. The height of the headband can be adjusted on both sides. The earpads are also more breathable than the original H9 headset, and my ears don't seem to get as warm. The earpads are detachable and replaceable in case they wear out. Even better - the earcups can rotate flat so you can comfortable put the headset around your neck when you don't need it. - Sony says that the H9 II uses the same audio drivers as its high-end WH-1000XM6 headphones, and I believe it. Audio quality is superb with a balanced soundstage, but these drivers have certainly been tuned for gaming and clearly highlight sounds like footsteps. You’ll probably want to change the equalizer settings in the INZONE Hub app if you plan to use these for intensive audio/music editing tasks. Still, I think the default tuning is great for most people. - Like the previous model, the H9 II can simultaneously connect to a primary device via the USB-C dongle (2.4 GHz) and a secondary device via Bluetooth. This is a rare feature in most gaming headsets and allows you to hear audio from your phone and gaming PC at the same time. - Noise cancellation is improved over the previous model. It's not as good as the XM6 headphones, but it effectively blocks low-frequency droning and noise from fans, air conditioning units, etc. - The microphone is detachable, which is a welcome improvement for those of us who rarely need it. On the previous model, the mic was not detachable and you could only flip it up to mute it. Now, there is a large mute button on the left earcup. Sony says that this new microphone cuts out more background noise and allows for more detailed vocal sound. I can certainly notice the improvements and I think the mic is perfectly fine for game chats and work calls. But if you're a hardcore streamer of podcaster, you'll probably still want a dedicated, high-end mic. - Another nice touch: the H9 II includes a soft carrying case in the box, which is great if you need to travel with the headset. === CONS === - Battery life is decent, but not great. Sony says the headset can get up to 30 hours of battery life. But in my experience -- with noise cancelling enabled, volume at about 50%, and the headset simultaneously connected to 2.4 GHz and Bluetooth -- I can get about 25 hours. That's usually enough for 2 full days of use, but it still seems like I have to charge the headset daily to avoid the "low battery" warning. Luckily, it charges quickly via USB-C. - I'm not a fan of the INZONE Hub app, at least on Windows. It often fails to recognize the H9 II headset, even with the headset turned on and the dongle plugged in. Sometimes, I will open the program only to stare at a blank interface with no options. I usually have to restart my PC to get the app to work properly. This was a problem with the original H9 headset and apparently the bugs still haven't been fixed. - Unlike other gaming headsets, the H9 II uses audio chimes (rather than voice cues) to indicate various settings, such as Bluetooth On/Off, Noise Cancelling On/Off, etc. All of these audio chimes sounds very similar to me. Unless you memorize the locations and functions of all the buttons on the earcups, you might not understand what the chimes are indicating. - The headset charges via USB-C, but the USB-C port can't be used for wired audio transmission (that can only be accomplished via the 3.5mm audio jack). ===OVERALL=== If you game on both PC and PS5, look no further: the INZONE H9 II headset is pretty much unbeatable in terms of features and seamless integration. PC-only gamers have many other options to consider, but the H9 II offers a huge improvement in comfort compared to the previous model and allows for simultaneous 2.4 GHz and Bluetooth connections. The balanced sound quality out of the box is better than most gaming headsets I've used. If you're familiar with Sony's popular WH-1000 series headphones and are a fan of their comfort, audio quality, and noise cancellation, then you'll feel right at home with the INZONE H9 II.

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  This review is from Sony - INZONE H9 II Wireless Noise Canceling Gaming Headset for PC, PS5, Switch, and Mobile - White

  Posted 1 month ago by ryanmcv

• Rated 4 out of 5 stars

  My Choice for Gaming and Music Listening

  • Tech Insider Network Member

  Sony has recently introduced their next generation of gaming headset - INZONE H9 II with wireless noise canceling features. This headset has also borrowed some features from their bestseller XM6 series NC headphones thanks to the 30mm drivers, these sound pretty good, but let's dig into a few things first. Number 1 thing a gamer is always looking for in their choice of headphones is Comfort. No matter how any of the headphones sound if you are not comfortable wearing them, you won't be happy playing. So the comfort level for these is very good in my book. Due to the headphone's light weight (260 grams!), soft padded cups and nice band to adjust on top of your head, you will be happy to know these headphones feel amazing. The flexible band itself has been redesigned according to Sony for low-tension and a secure fit without discomfort. It is very easy to adjust too and Sony found an innovating way to do it. The set comes with a removable microphone which is also a nice feature as I don't always use one and having it always stick out could be an annoyance to some gamers. So the headphones are nice to use and super comfortable. The Build - Sony used plastic for the cups to make the whole set lightweight. There are a number of responsive buttons available, the Volume wheel is located on the left cup with nice tactile steps in it. There is Noise Cancelling and Ambient button as well. With active noise canceling feature eliminates background distractions (noise canceling works in both wireless and wired modes by the way.) If you would like more awareness of your surroundings, toggle Ambient Sound Mode to adjust how much outside noise you’d like to hear. USB-C port for charging is also right there and provides up to 30 hrs of game play and pure sound. Now I mentioned the microphone is detachable and there is also a 3.5 mm port that can be used with power and without. I would absolutely encourage to use Sony's INZONE Hub PC software to personalize your audio experience. There are so many options to adjust EQ settings, mic sensitivity, spatial sound, and more. This allows for a truly customized gaming environment that suits your play style. The Sony app for your phone is also convenient to have and provides similar settings like EQ, Find your EQ, 360 Reality Audio Setup, etc. It simply helps you unlock precise audio positioning with INZONE’s 360 Spatial Sound, designed to help you hear opponents before they see you. As with any other high end gaming headsets Sony also offers Dual Wireless Connectivity: 2.4GHz + Bluetooth. So pretty much you can seamlessly connect to your PC or console via 2.4GHz wireless, while staying paired with your phone via Bluetooth. I like the fact that this dual connectivity allows you to take calls, listen to music, or chat on Discord without interrupting your gameplay. This headset is pretty tech packed in my opinion and lets your game play to be more enjoyable. Sound stage is balanced and the bass is pretty good and somewhat subdued. I truly wanted XM6s however when these showed up I am pretty happy with them as they are excellent for easy music listening and impactful game playing.

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  This review is from Sony - INZONE H9 II Wireless Noise Canceling Gaming Headset for PC, PS5, Switch, and Mobile - White

  Posted 1 month ago by stanmed