Sony - INZONE H9 II Wireless Noise Cancelling Gaming Headset for PC, PS5, Switch, and Mobile - Black

I’ve been using the Sony INZONE H9 II for a few weeks now, and as a music producer and Fortnite streamer, I’m incredibly impressed. The first thing I noticed was the weight—at roughly 260g, these are light enough for marathon gaming sessions without the usual "headset fatigue." Sound Quality: The audio is crisp and vibrant. I’ve noticed a huge difference in spatial awareness in Fortnite; I can hear footsteps much more clearly than with my previous set. Since these use the same drivers as the flagship WH-1000XM6, the bass is punchy without being muddy—perfect for when I’m checking my own hip-hop tracks. Noise Canceling & Mic: The Active Noise Canceling (ANC) is top-tier. It blocks out my PC fans and background noise perfectly so I can stay in the zone. The new detachable cardioid mic is also a massive upgrade; my squad says my voice sounds much more natural and clear during streams. Compatibility: I love that it works seamlessly with my PS5 and PC. Being able to save EQ presets directly to the headset through the Sound Connect app is a game-changer for switching between devices. Verdict: If you’re looking for a "do-it-all" headset that handles pro-level gaming and high-quality music playback, this is it. Worth every penny!

They are super lightweight and extremely comfortable with a good battery life.

These works very well with a PC but when using it with the PS5 is a different story. When using with the ps5 the chat to game audio mixer will only be available to be changed when it wants to for some reason. I hope there is a software update for the ps5 and/or the headphones. They sound better than the previous generation inzone h7/h9. The best part is being able to listen to TikTok’s in your phone while waiting in game lobbies.

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.

As a gamer who has spent years buying gaming peripherals, I was excited to see Sony get serious about gaming with their INZONE series. I still listen to one of my favorite sets, the Sony WH-1000 XM3 headphones, so I was excited to hear that they are built on the same drivers as the newest WH-1000XM6 headphones. Sony’s ANC has always been superb and top class too. The Sony INZONE H9 II is the second iteration of its gaming headset and on paper it’s making waves with its new drivers and partnership with a major pro E-sports organization. I was curious to see if they were all hype or if they could deliver to an already crowded field. *Design/Build/Unboxing* The packaging is clean and professional. The box includes the headset, the detachable mic, a 2.4GHz USB-C transceiver, and USB-A to USB-C charging cable and a 3.5mm audio cable for wired connections. There’s also a soft fabric travel pouch with a side pocket to hold the mic and cables. When you pick up the headset, you will notice how light they are in your hands. My first few wireless gaming headphones were so heavy it was always a complaint and sometimes it would hurt my head during gaming sessions. This is frankly the lightest set I’ve picked up. The official weight is right at 260 grams (270 grams with the mic attached.) These are significantly lighter than the 1st generation H9 headphones. This means lighter and longer gaming sessions. There is a leather cushioned headstrap that makes contact with your head. There are adjustment buttons on each side you can use to adjust the fit. I haven’t seen anything like it but they do the job. Tip: When adjusting these, hold the headband at the top and it’s much easier to make adjustments. The padding on the earcups is soft and breathable. I will note my ears stayed comfortable and cool once I got the headstrap properly adjusted. If you have a big head or big ears though, you might have trouble getting a good fit from the earcup. I would say I have a medium build and these were just about right, with not much more room. The headphones have a smooth matte black finish that looks great, but it will visibly pick up a lot of oil and dust. *Specs/Features* The Sony INZONE H9 II headphones have 30mm Carbon Composite Dynamic drivers and as I said before they are based on the WH-1000XM6. They can connect with 3 different types of connections: 2.4GHz wireless with the USB-C dongle, Bluetooth, and 3.5mm wired. The USB-C dongle will connect to PC, PS5, and Nintendo Switch. For everything else there’s Bluetooth, which does include the LE Audio standard, or the 3.5mm wired jack which you can use to plug into controllers or devices with headphone ports. You can connect to 2 devices simultaneously with wireless and bluetooth which is great when you want to use your phone too (bluetooth.)The boom mic is detachable and bendable which helps you make microadjustments when necessary to get it dialed in. The microphone is a unidirectional Cardoid boom mic with AI noise canceling. Battery life is around 30 hours with ANC, and about 48 hours with ANC off. If you run out of battery you can charge for 5 minutes to get a couple hours more of playback (useful if you’re mid-game and you’re out of battery.) Sony does Active Noise Cancellation so good and it’s superb with the H9 II model. It will drown out all of the low to mid noises around you. The , buttons are basic. There’s a volume dial, game, chat, ANC/ambient, bluetooth, power button, and a USB-C port for charging. *Performance* Specs will only tell you so much. The true measure of this gaming headset is how it will perform in a gaming environment. Most of my gaming is on the PC, but I will game on consoles too. Out of the box the Sony INZONE H9 II are tuned for gaming and they sound exceptional, while the active noise cancellation is the best in the business. The tuning really shines when you're playing FPS. I personally play Overwatch and COD and the footsteps, positional sounds, and all of the minor things like reloads and environmental noises have excellent clarity. Outside of gaming, for movies and music, I would recommend you tune them in with the INZONE Hub software equalizer. This will help with lower bass and give you more balance. I’ll say it again, Sony’s active noise cancellation is top of its class for gaming. It will knock out all of the low to mid frequencies allowing you to focus on the game. The mic made my voice sound natural and clear, and it’s nice to be able to bend it. The nice thing about having a detachable mic is you can take these anywhere with you whether it be the airport, bleachers, or a coffee shop. The game chat balance works perfectly on the PC. This can help you focus on chat when you need to, such as organizing your team right before the round starts. Overall, the gaming sound performance is impressive, for all other practical uses such as movies and music I would dial the sound in with the equalizer or you might be disappointed. *Pros/Cons* *Pros* * Great design, comfortable and light * ANC is as good as it gets * Gaming sound is excellent * Mic performs well * Connectivity was well thought out *Suggestions/Needs Improvement* * Movies and Music need to be dialed in * Might be a little small for large heads/ears * Matte finish is a fingerprint/oil/dust magnet The gaming sound performance of the Sony INZONE H9 II is extraordinary. I would highly recommend them for competitive gamers or casual gamers looking for premium gaming sound. For those that want an all-around set of headphones for gaming/music/movies you will most likely be adjusting the equalizer frequently. Still, my primary use is gaming and these are excellent gaming headphones.