Customers have good things to say about the ULT WEAR Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones, particularly praising the sound quality, comfort, and bass. Many are impressed with the battery life and lightweight design. Some customers feel that the volume could be improved.
This summary was generated by AI based on customer reviews.
The vast majority of our reviews come from verified purchases. Reviews from customers may include My Best Buy members, employees, and Tech Insider Network members (as tagged). Select reviewers may receive discounted products, promotional considerations or entries into drawings for honest, helpful reviews.
Page 3 Showing 41-60 of 713 reviews
Pros mentioned:
Sound quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Great
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Posted . Owned for 2 weeks when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Easy and quick to going to and from noise canceling,love the sound boost button, great sound very loud
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from SonyListens
Posted .
Hi Chuck, Great! We're glad that you like the sound quality and noise canceling function of the headphones. Thank you for choosing Sony! -Carl
Pros mentioned:
Sound quality
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
Headphones
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Posted . Owned for 4 months when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Really nice great for traveling it get rid of turbulence or fan noises but you can still hear people talking.
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from SonyListens
Posted .
Hi Desum,
That's great to hear! We're so glad you're finding the ULT WEAR headphones perfect for travel and that the noise cancellation is effectively handling ambient sounds like turbulence and fans, while still allowing for clear conversations. We designed them to provide a versatile and immersive listening experience in various environments.
Thanks for choosing Sony . -Eliab
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Great headphones
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I love using these headphones everyday they are reliable
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from SonyListens
Posted .
Hi Daniel,
Thank you so much for the 5-star review! It's fantastic to hear that you love using the Sony - ULT WEAR headphones every day. We designed them to be a reliable and enjoyable part of your routine, so your feedback means a lot to us. We hope you continue to love them!
Thank you for choosing Sony!
Regards, Dominick
Pros mentioned:
Bass
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Great Value
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Posted . Owned for 3 weeks when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
For a person who loves alot of bass this is one best choices in my opinion.
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from SonyListens
Posted .
Hi Fahim,
Amazing! We're thrilled that you are enjoying the sound quality of the headphones. Thank you for choosing Sony!
-Ralph
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Best choice for music
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Posted . Owned for 11 months when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
My go to headphones for music around the house. Excellent.
Hey ArlenR24, thanks for that great 5-star review! We are so happy to hear you enjoy your WHULT900N.
Your great headphones come with an amazing feature, the ULT to enable the extra bass, making them ideal for music genres with heavy bass lines and low-end frequency sub-bass. The ANC that will let you hear your music with no distractions.
Thanks so much for choosing Sony!
Gus
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
I was disappointed but that changed quickly
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
At first the sound wasnt to good the sound wasnt to loud or impressive but after messing with for an hr these headphones are the best ive owned. Much better then the beats studio pros
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from SonyListens
Posted .
Hi DarrellB, Thank you for the positive review! We're very happy to hear that you were able to adjust the sound of your new Sony ULT WEAR to your personal preference for an optimal listening experience. Thanks for choosing Sony! -Sam
Pros mentioned:
Battery life, Comfort, Sound quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Sony Won't Let You Down
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Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
As an audiophile, I love (may even be addicted to) noise canceling (NC) headphones whether over-the-ear or in-ear buds. This is my fourth pair of over-the-ear Sony NC headphones, having previously owned and reviewed the Sony WHCH720N, Sony WH-1000XM4, and Sony 1000XM2. With each release, Sony ups the game. My 1000XM2 headphones sounded amazing, but unfortunately did not hold up as well as I had hoped and cracked, thus leading to my 1000XM4 (purchased and reviewed in 2020) which I still wear on a regular basis. That alone should speak to the improvement in construction, comfort, battery life and quality of Sony's higher-end NC headphones.
My interest in the Sony WH-ULT900N was the "ULT" (I am assuming it stands for ULTimate bass) element. My music tastes are fairly wide ranging from 60s/70s hippie and classic rock, 80s hair bands/rap/pop, 90s grunge/alt/rock/pop/hip hop, 00s alt/rock/club/rap/hop/metal and modern alternative/rock. This means I run the gamut on bass. Obviously, the 60s-80s music is a bit lacking in bass. The 90s introduced more prominent bass lines in rock and hip hop and rap. Modern music has found a way to tighten and strengthen bass without being overwhelming...usually.
When I am in full-on "dad mode" (i.e. riding the lawn mower and shuffling nearly nearly 7 decades of music) I often have the desire to quickly change the bass EQ--especially when my shuffle jumps from REM's "Superman" to Billie Eilish's "bad guy." My WH-1000XM4 headphones actually handled the transition "okay" but the Sony WH-ULT900N "ULT button" gives me the freedom to quickly adjust the bass without having to touch my phone or tweak an EQ app with each new song that comes on. [See my testing list of songs below and the "sweet spot" for ULT. Hint: It is usually "1"--or moderate boost.]
COMFORT/FIT: As with any over-the-ear, noise canceling headphones, there is body and weight to the headphones, but it is on par with previous versions of Sony's higher-end NC headphones and the weight is not too much for all day wear. They do get a bit warm and sweaty if you are active. I would NOT wear these during a workout. Even just mowing the lawn the cups get a bit moist. A small sacrifice for the outstanding noise cancelation and sound quality, though.
BATTERY: My previous Sony headphones have all lived up to the battery charge/life promise delivered in the product specs. These headphones will hold a charge of 30hrs (NC on, 50hrs if NC is off), quick charge to 90 minutes with just 3 minutes on a modern charger or 5hrs of charge with just 10 minutes on your charger.
IN THE BOX: One of the BEST bonuses of buying Sony NC headphones is that they usually come with a case for storage. These headphones include a stylish, hard-shelled storage case to safely fold and store your headphones. Also included is a USB-A to USB-C charging cable but no charger. An AUX cable is included for wired connectivity.
BLUETOOTH: I find the "dual device connectivity" useful as I often work listening to music or video conferencing through the laptop with the need to have cell phone connected to the headphones. The headphones switch between devices for me on the fly when the phone rings.
ADDITIONAL FEATURES: The app, which was the same used for previous Sony NC headphones, gives you multiple options like turning on/off the dual device ("Multi-Point Connectivity) bluetooth option, an EQ (see photo), noise cancelation customization, a music player, a list of connected devices, and control over settings like "power off after X minutes" or "pause music when headphones are taken off." It is also worth noting that while the headphones themselves have the ULT button, a power button and a NC on/off button, additional controls like volume, skip, pause, etc. are touch controlled by swiping your finger on the surface of the right muff. Again, same controls as previous models, but you will want to take a moment to review the touch control settings so you don't accidentally hang up on an important call.
OVERALL I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS PRODUCT for anyone who wants easy bass boosting with a manual button on a quality pair of noise canceling headphones. The battery life and charging are spectacular improvements. The audio quality is among the best and is fully customizable with the app. Noise cancelation is above average and equally as good (if not better) as any other NC headphones at this price point. Dual device bluetooth connectivity is a bonus. They can be worn without discomfort for hours as long as you don't mind a bit of ear warmth. Construction seems solid with a fair amount of sturdiness even though much of the material is plastic. I honestly cannot come up with anything I do not like about these headphones.
(Some of the) Music used to review:
Pearl Jam: Dark Matter (strong opening bass line) - ULT at "1"
Twenty One Pilots: Heathens - ULT at "1"
Notorious BIG: Hypnotize - ULT at "2"
Sub Urban: Cradles - ULT at "1"
Post Malone: Wow - ULT at "2"
Bon Jovi: You Give Love A Bad Name - ULT at "0" or "1"
Information Society: What's On Your Mind - ULT at "2"
Metallica: Nothing Else Matters - ULT at "1"
Fall Out Boy: Uma Thurman - ULT at "0"
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from SonyListens
Posted .
Hi BenisJ,
Thanks for sharing your in-depth review and experience with the Sony ULT WEAR headphones. We regret to hear about what happened to your WH1000XM2 headphones. You made the right choice upgrading to the ULT WEAR headphones! We're glad that you like the sound quality, ULT function, battery life, supplied accessories, multipoint connection, and dedicated app of the headphones. Your feedback about the earpad material is also appreciated. Thank you for choosing Sony!
-Ralph
Pros mentioned:
Bass, Battery life, Comfort
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Versatile while satisfying bassheads
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Great
Ample bass for bass heads
Quick access to drop the bass when not in the mood
Customizable EQ
Includes EQ profiles
Comfortable
Good ANC
Good microphone
Includes case
Long battery life
Multipoint Bluetooth (2 devices)
On ear detection for automatically pausing music
Spatial audio support
Not so great
Ambient mode makes your voice resonate
Sound profile not as good for acoustic or rock
Find my equalizer wizard profiles all add bass
No USB-C audio
The Sony Ult Wear is the successor to the outgoing WH-X910N. Targeted at those who love more bass there is now a dedicated Ult button which offers two levels of bass boost. The overall look and feel are like other Sony over the ear headphones. Included in the box is a case, stereo jack, and USB-C cable. While they don’t feel as solid as premium headphones with more metal and plush materials they do feel well built.
Setup 8/10
You can use them as is, but you are better off installing the app to tune them to your specific preference. As part of the setup, you have options to find the best EQ for you. It works ok, the range of options is limited. It only has options to add more bass and nothing to brighten up the sound for those who prefer to have livelier vocals. Thankfully if you skip that option, you can find EQ presets like bright or mellow. If you need further tuning, you manually adjust a 5-band equalizer. There are also spatial audio options where you can have it take pictures of your ears to adjust automatically to optimize spatial audio for you. However, it requires a subscription to one of five supported streaming services. You also have options for Bluetooth audio to prioritize stability or sound quality. An audio upscaling option called DSEE is available as well to attempt to enhance the quality of low-quality audio. If you want to forgo Bluetooth compression you can use them hardwired via a stereo jack, but there is no option for USB-C audio for newer devices.
Comfort 9/10
For mid-tier headphones the design is very comfortable. The clamping pressure is slightly higher than preferred but not to the point of uncomfortable. The size adjustment is via click adjustments in the band that have a slightly cheap feeling. The earcups are large and should accommodate most ears with lots of cushion. While the earcups don’t feel like they breathe they haven’t caused heat buildup like some headphones can. The top band of the headphones rests directly on your head, unlike some that suspend the headband cushion separately. That said, it has enough cushion to where extended sessions haven’t felt uncomfortable.
Controls 10/10
Sony’s design for headphone controls is likely some of the easiest to use on the market. Controls for power, ULT, and ANC are left as physical buttons, so you don’t have to worry about accidentally changing them or having too many gestures to remember. Controls for track, volume, and conversation are done via gestures to make access quick without needing to see or feel anything. Play and pause is a double tap on the right earcup, changing tracks is a forward or backwards swipe, and an up or down swipe changes volume. If you need to talk to someone for a moment you can just hold your hand over the right earcup, and the volume lowers and ambient mode activates. When done you remove your hand, and everything continues where you had it set. They also have detection for if you are wearing them so you can simply take them off your head and they pause. A little while after that without use they turn off not requiring you to do or remember anything. Control choices are thoughtful and make controlling the headphones natural.
Sound Quality 9/10
Out of the box the headphones have a sound like older Sony headphones from the early 2000s with a darker tone to highs and the bass emphasized. The Ult Wear can work for acoustic and rock with some tuning, but the soundstage will remain shallow. There is no mistaking these are designed for bass heads. If you like electronic, dance, or hip hop you are likely going to be very happy. It’s hard to imagine anyone saying they need more bass. On the default setting the bass is only slightly elevated from neutral. Ult 1 setting can be activated with a single press of the ULT button. This level is likely good for most who love some extra bass. Ult 2 is where it gets into extreme categories. With the right song ULT 2 feels like it is trying to vibrate your skull and makes your ears vibrate. The bass hits hard when needed or smooth and clean with no hint of distortion. If that still isn’t enough bass for you there is a bass boost EQ present. That wasn’t tried as it already felt like keeping it on level 2 for very long was going to result in hearing loss. If your EQ preference changes with mood these have a pretty wide range. No surprise they can’t reach the fidelity and more neutral sound of high-end headphones, but they have a pretty wide range of adjustment while offering far more bass than high end headphones can.
ANC 10/10
Active noise cancelling has been improved a lot over the last few years and Sony. The noise cancelling on the Ult Wear does a great job of cancelling out distracting sounds regardless of if you are trying to relax or get work done. You can sit right net a noisy fan and just hear a low hum. Turn some music on even at a low volume and the noise fades away completely. It even reduces the volume of speech. If you need to get work done in a noise environment, even with people talking, it does a great job of eliminating most and reducing the rest to allow your music to take over without needing to turn the volume up to uncomfortable levels.
Microphone 7/10
The Microphone is probably the weakest area of the Ult Wear. They filter out some background noise but if you talk to someone in a noisy environment they will hear some background noise. The microphones are also used in ambient mode, and it can be set to have your voice played back so speech sounds more natural. The most natural setting is to set voice feedback volume to maximum. It prevents the sound of your voice resonating while allowing more background noises around to be played back as well. Your voice will sill be a bit distance and hollow but thankfully it won’t be resonating in your head like some ambient solutions.
Final Thoughts
The Sony Ult Wear headphones are a solid mid-tier bass forward set of headphones. Sony could make them better with some minor tweaking to the default EQ profile and the find EQ wizard, but the rest is solid. If you are a bass head, even part time, and are in the market for mid-tier headphones with good range then Sony Ult Wear headphones are a solid offering.
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from SonyListens
Posted .
Hi CraigB,
Thanks for sharing your in-depth review and experience with the ULT WEAR headphones. We're glad that you like the sound quality, comfort, noise canceling function, carrying case, battery life, multipoint function, and 360 Reality Audio of the headphones. Your feedback about the call quality, equalizer settings, and USB-C audio is greatly appreciated. For optimum performance, make sure that the software version of the headphones is up-to-date (via the Sony Headphones Connect app).
Your voice will be heard from the headset through the headset’s microphone (Sidetone function). In this case, ambient sounds or the sounds of the headset operation may be heard through the headset, but this is not a malfunction.
Hope this helps. In case you need further assistance, please email us at [email protected] with the following details:
Name: Username: Model Number: Issue: Telephone Number:
Or contact our product support team via phone call or chat through this link: https://us.esupport.sony.com/support/s/support-contact?language=en_US&category=headphones
Thank you for choosing Sony! -Ralph
Pros mentioned:
Bass, Battery life, Comfort
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Great value with some nice features!
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
If you're all about that bass, the Sony ULT Wear has a feature just for you with its ULT POWER SOUND settings. However, I found the highest setting too overwhelming—listening to Monster Magnet's "Space Lord" turned into a bit of a swampy mess. The lowest setting felt a bit thin, lacking that oomph, while the middle was definitely the sweet spot, although still missing a bit of punch. Plus, the breaking glass sound effect when switching modes? Kind of cheesy, if you ask me.
Let's talk about the Sony Headphones Connect App. Sure, it's great to customize your sound, but honestly, who wants to fiddle with an app just to get their music started? It feels like a bit of a hassle when you just want to throw on your headphones and dive into your playlist.
Now, the noise cancellation is where these headphones shine. Sony’s tech does an amazing job of blocking out the world so you can focus on your tunes. The toggle is straightforward, though I wish the headphones would tell me out loud when I'm switching from noise cancelling to ambient mode, instead of just playing a chime.
Battery life is awesome. You get up to 30 hours of playtime, and while the quick charge is a nice feature, with the battery life it has you'll be able to wear for days at at time!
The Multi-Point Connection feature sounds good on paper, letting you connect to two devices at once. But in practice, it's not as seamless as you'd expect, especially compared to what you get in the Apple ecosystem. Switching devices manually through the app can be a bit of a drag.
As far as wearing these headphones are concerned, they're comfy! I've worn them for hours with no neck strain or ear fatigue. The touch controls are a breeze to use—no more guessing which tiny button does what. The design might feel a bit plastic, but the Forest Gray color looks slick, and the folding design is solid.
If you're looking for audiophile sound quality or hate the idea of juggling apps, the ULT WEAR might not hit the mark, but these are perfect for long commutes or workdays when you really want to zone out and forget the world exists.
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from SonyListens
Posted .
Hi Farns,
Thanks for sharing your review and experience with the ULT WEAR headphones. We're glad that you like the noise canceling function, battery life, design, comfort, and touch controls of the headphones. Your feedback about the ULT function, Sony app, voice guidance, and multipoint function of the headphones is greatly appreciated.
The ULT function can be adjusted depending on your needs:
ULT1: This setting emphasizes the deep bass range over other sounds. ULT2: This setting emphasizes powerful sound more than ULT1. OFF: Turns off the ULT button setting.
Aside from the ULT button, you can also use the equalizer function of the Sony app to fine-tune the sound quality to your needs.
For more information, please refer to these links:
This information may help you regarding the multipoint function: -When playing music by operating the headset, the music is played from the device that played last. If you want to play music from the other device, stop playback on the device that is playing the music, and start playback by operating the other device. -Even if you start playback by operating the second device while playing music on the first device, the music from the first device will continue to be heard via the headset. In this state, if you stop playback on the first device, you can listen to music from the second device via the headset.
Hope this helps. In case you need further assistance, please email us at [email protected] with the following details:
Name: Username: Model Number: Issue: Telephone Number:
Or contact our product support team via phone call or chat through this link: https://us.esupport.sony.com/support/s/support-contact?language=en_US&category=headphones
Sincerely, -Ralph
Rated 2 out of 5 stars
Fragile Sony Headphones!!
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Posted . Owned for 9 months when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Didn’t even last a full year without snapping. They are super fragile & according to the customer service rep I’m not the only one who’s dealt with this issue. So If you still plan on purchasing these headphones make sure you are extremely careful.
Hi CoraO, We are sorry to hear that you are experiencing issues with your Sony WHULT900N. If you still have the unit and you need further assistance regarding your concern, please let us know so we can turn your experience around. Sony has just the ticket! Reach out to our new Product Enthusiast. They are Sony fans, just like you, who can help you troubleshoot/setup your headphones issue. Connect with them on the link below, just click on Chat with an Enthusiast.
You may also send us an email at [email protected] with the following details:
Name: Username: Model Number: Issue: Telephone Number:
We value your feedback and aim to restore your trust in Sony.
Sincerely, Carl
Pros mentioned:
Bass, Battery life, Comfort
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Definitely Comfortable. And Boomy.
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
The Sony ULT Wear headphones are a great choice for those who enjoy a bass-forward listening experience. With a sleek design featuring matte finishes and holographic accents, they offer a modern aesthetic that’s both understated and stylish. The comfort level is very high, thanks to the plush ear pads, though the faux leather cover may cause them to get warm after on warm days or prolonged use.
Sound-wise, the headphones deliver an intense bass that can dominate the overall audio profile, potentially overshadowing mids and highs -- particularly using the highest of three ULT setting (off | on | really on) . This makes them appealing to bass enthusiasts but perhaps less so for those seeking a more balanced sound. I would say the overall sound is decent, but at times (more in some music genres than others) the bass can make the mid-range muddled. Of course, sound is quite subjective, so give these a listen.
The active noise cancellation is the best I've found in a mid-range priced headphone, providing a quiet backdrop for your music.
Functionality is enhanced with intuitive touch controls, although the lack of USB-C audio support is a notable omission. The battery life is commendable, ensuring long periods of uninterrupted use. Priced competitively, the Sony ULT Wear headphones are a good value, especially for users who prioritize a strong bass presence and effective noise cancellation in their audio devices. Overall, they’re a solid pick for daily use, offering premium features without the premium price.
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from SonyListens
Posted .
Hi hahanson,
Thanks for sharing your review and experience with the Sony ULT WEAR headphones. We're glad that you like the design, comfort, noise canceling function, touch controls, battery life of the headphones. Your feedback about the ULT function, earpad material, and USB-C audio support is greatly appreciated.
You may experience a symptom called listener fatigue when using the headphones for a long time. That is where your eardrums work hard to manage the volume that flows through your ear canal. The louder the volume, the bigger the strain on your eardrums, which then causes the feeling of fatigue. Try lowering the volume or take a break from wearing them for a while.
Aside from the ULT function, you can use the equalizer of the Sony Headphones Connect app to fine-tune the sound quality to your needs. For more information, please refer to this link:
The USB-C port is specifically designed for charging the headset. If you need wired connection, you can use the supplied headphone cable and connect it to the headphone jack of your source device.
Hope this helps. In case you need further assistance, please email the below information to [email protected].
Name: Username: Model Number: Issue: Telephone Number:
Or contact our product support team via phone call or chat through this link: https://us.esupport.sony.com/support/s/support-contact?language=en_US&category=headphones
Sincerely, -Ralph
Pros mentioned:
Bass, Battery life, Comfort
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
One of my Best Buys!
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
These headphones have literally made my ADHD easier to deal with. I can focus much easier with the noise cancellation feature. Even more so with the adaptable ambient noise system. They fit extremely comfortably and can be worn in bed. The battery life is also something remarkable, providing hours of entertainment and comfort on one hour’s charge. The bass boost is next level!!! One of the best hidden features is the Bluetooth connection allowing you to switch connected devices without pairing the headphones. Would definitely purchase again!
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from SonyListens
Posted .
Hi KBJr,
You made the right choice! We're glad that you like the noise canceling function, fit, comfort, battery life, sound quality, and multipoint connection of the headphones. Thank you for choosing Sony!
-Ralph
Pros mentioned:
Battery life, Sound quality
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Premium Features at a Mid-Range Price
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
📦 UNBOXING:
The unboxing experience for the Sony ULT Wear is straightforward. Inside the box is a nice rigid protective zip case. Inside the case, you’ll find the ULT Wear headphone, a 3.5mm cable for analog listening, and a USB-A to USB-C charging cable.
💪 BUILD:
The build of the ULT Wear is a lightweight plastic and weighs in at 255g. There are lighter headphones out there, but the ULT Wear is certainly light while also being well-made.
The material feels confident overall, and will hold up to day-to-day treatment. The design looks good without being gaudy or attention-grabbing. I like its understated look, but it may not be as aesthetically pleasing as some other headphones on the market.
The headband can be adjusted with a tactile click to accommodate a wide range of head sizes, and the ear cups also rotate in either direction, but if you wear them around your neck, they can’t face fully outward.
The case itself is also very good and the rigidity will ensure that the headphone won’t get crushed in a bag. Some folks might prefer a bit more flex since it means it will take up more bag space, but it’s a tradeoff I’m personally willing to take. Whether or not you decide to use a case is up to you, as you can also just fold them up and put them in your bag.
🎧 COMFORT:
The comfort of the ULT Wear is excellent. I’ve seen a lot of headphones these days take the route of making thinner and thinner headbands for better aesthetics, but Sony has opted to keep things very comfortable with the ULT Wear. The headband padding is plentiful and soft without any rigid pressure points, so the apex of my scalp is free from any discomfort.
The ear pads are also very comfortable, with a nice plush foam material that avoids wrinkles and creates a nice seal for your ears.
This is a headphone I could wear for many hours at a time—especially for work in a noisy office, or on an international flight. I’ve tried other Sony consumer headphones, and I’ve really liked these recent designs for comfort, even compared to something like the XM5.
🎛️ CONTROLS:
The control scheme is very familiar like the more premium Sony consumer headphones. On the left earcup, you have your power button which can also function as your pairing button and battery status, the noise cancellation/ambient sound toggle, and the new ULT button which adds a bass shelf for thick bass.
On the right earcup, you can use swipe gestures for volume controls, playback/pause, and skipping tracks. And it also has a built-in sensor that detects when you’ve removed the headphones so it can instantly pause when you need to address a disruption. Then putting the headphones back on will resume playback.
📱 APP:
The Sony Headphones Connect app has largely remained the same for a number of years now, and while nothing is inherently broken, it’s also not the most “delightful” app I’ve used. Thankfully, you won’t need to use it much after you’ve configured it the way you want. But I would recommend checking back every now and again to see if any firmware updates have been released that improve the performance of the ULT Wear.
In the app, you’ll be able to set up a basic 5-band EQ and go through a personalization test which will prompt you with a few EQ adjustments to preview as you listen to your own music. And after a few prompts, you’ll have a custom EQ to work with. For me, I received a mild increase in treble energy.
Additionally, the app allows you to toggle multipoint connections should you want to simultaneously connect 2 devices to the ULT Wear.
🎵 SOUND:
The out of the box sound profile of the ULT Wear is very inoffensive to my ears. In large part, it gets most things right for a consumer-oriented sound experience. It’s not too bright, and it’s not too bassy, but it still has room to deviate for individual preferences. But if I didn’t have an option to EQ, I’d frankly be pretty happy with the stock sound. As an avid listener of Pop R&B, Metal and instrumental music, I felt the ULT Wear out of the box was good at representing the characteristics of these genres I’ve come to expect without breaking my immersion.
In the case of more bass-emphatic music, the ULT button can be pressed to enable ULT1 or ULT2 which creates a much thicker bass shelf. Personally, I did not like ULT2 at all, as it degraded the overall clarity to deliver an overwhelming quantity of bass. However, ULT1 I did feel could be tasteful for bass heads, assuming you have the right library of music that is well-mixed for this bass shelf.
Frankly, for the price, the out-of-box sound is better than quite a number of more expensive headphones I’ve heard. I wouldn’t call it audiophile level, as I don’t think it quite reaches that level of immersion for me, but it exceeded my expectations, as I was also not a fan of the XM5, but I quite enjoy the ULT Wear.
🔊 ANC / AMBIENT SOUND:
The ANC is no slouch, despite this being a more mid-range headphone for Sony. The ULT Wear sports the same Sony V1 processor as the XM5 for ANC, and it does a great job at keeping a low noise floor and canceling out background noise. It also has an anti-wind sensor for blocking sounds from wind while wearing the ULT Wear. The ANC trades blows with the XM5, and when compared to other options in its own price bracket, it’s among the best.
As for the Ambient mode—it’s easily one of the more impressive implementations I’ve heard recently. Without any audio playing, you can clearly hear the environment and speech without it sounding unnatural. Personally, I was very impressed—even compared to more expensive headphones with ambient sound modes. Sony really landed with a solid implementation on the ULT Wear.
🎙️ MICROPHONE:
The microphone on the ULT Wear does a great job in less-noisy environments. It can isolate your voice clearly without making you sound muffled or distant. But in louder environments like city streets, the microphone noise cancellation might struggle a bit and cause your voice to break up a bit, but it still holds up better than quite a few other microphones I’ve tested.
🔋 BATTERY:
Sony claims the ULT Wear can reach 50 hours of battery on a full charge with ANC disabled. With ANC engaged, it can achieve up to 30 hours on battery. This is competitive with most other options on the market, and even outperforming some premium options on the market. Sony also says that a quick 3 minute charge can yield 1.5 hours of non-ANC playback and a 10-minute charge can yield 5 hours of non-ANC playback. But for a full charge from dead, Sony says 3.5 hours will bring it to a full charge.
🧐 CONCLUSION:
The Sony ULT Wear is a win for consumers, in my opinion. It delivers a good consumer-friendly sound out of the box without being offensive. But I do wish Sony would give consumers more choice when it comes to their EQ, since more advanced users are still hindered by a basic 5-band EQ. Even so, I liked the out of box sound, but felt the ULT modes were hit or miss, and you’ll probably find yourself toggling it if you have a library of mixed genres. But there’s no denying the ULT Wear can be a fantastic commuter headphone thanks to its ANC and excellent comfort.
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from SonyListens
Posted .
Hi Xephyroth,
Thanks for sharing your in-depth review and experience with the Sony ULT WEAR headphones. We're glad that you like the design, comfort, touch controls, sound quality, noise canceling function, ambient sound, and battery life of the headphones. Your feedback about the Sony Headphones Connect app, call quality, and additional equalizer settings is greatly appreciated.
During a call on the headphones, the headphones' microphones pick up the ambient sound regardless of the Ambient Sound Control function setting. The Sidetone function's effect makes it easier to talk using the headphones and helps the headphone microphone pick up sounds and play your voice naturally. As a result, the noise canceling function works differently from when playing music.
If you hear ambient sounds, headphone operational sounds, or white noise (a slight electrical noise with continuous static sound) from the headphones, that is also an effect of the Sidetone function, not a malfunction.
For optimum performance, make sure that the software version of the headphones is up-to-date (via the Sony Headphones Connect app).
Hope this helps. Thank you for choosing Sony!
-Ralph
Rated 1 out of 5 stars
Don’t buy.
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Posted . Owned for 6 months when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Headphones broke within a 3 months of owning from a spot that is know to break. Yet Sony claims it’s was a user error when they have a recall on the previous headphones for the same issue.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend
Brand response from SonyListens
Posted .
Hello MMoli,
Thank you for considering Sony products.
We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused by your WH-ULT900N headphones breaking within just three months of purchase. This does not reflect the high standards of quality we aim to uphold, and we are dedicated to resolving your concerns.
To help us better understand your situation and determine how we can assist you most effectively, please contact us via email at [email protected]. We would appreciate it if you could include the following information in your message:
- Name: - BestBuy Username: - Model Number: - Description of the Issue: - Telephone Number:
Thank you for your patience, and we look forward to assisting you further.
Best regards, -Fred
Pros mentioned:
Battery life, Comfort, Sound quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
User friendly, sounds great
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I am a huge fan of over ear noise canceling headphones. I work at home, and I live in a neighborhood full of dogs who bark a lot. That and all of the landscapers, all day long. These Sony Ult Wear headphones are amazing, as expected. I also own the Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones, so I’ll sort of compare the two here.
First let me say how relieved I am that Sony gave these an actual name, and not just a number and letter combo. Well, there is a model number, for Sony’s use, but we don’t have to talk about that here. I never really know how to refer to my WH-1000XM4s. It’s way too long to remember and say, that’s for sure. These Ult Wears are very similar in general. For the price point, these are amazing headphones. I got the off white color, which I love. I have a ton of black gear and wear black all the time, so something other than black was more than welcome!
Sony has an app that you can set up your preferences, toggle between Sony headphones, noise canceling vs. ambient sound, equalizer control, etc. The QR code for downloading is on a brief info insert in the box. The case for the Ult Wears is very similar to my WH-1000XM4s.The only thing that is missing is the nylon strap loop on the outside, which I really like. Also missing is the in-flight adapter, which I have never used, but I guess it’s nice to have. The charging cable (SB-A to USB-C) and aux cable jack is inside the case. I like that the case is flat and not bulky. With Sony design,they just do everything with extreme detail. They are very meticulous about design and prefer to minimize waste. There’s no plastic in the box, and the headphones are made of recycled material.
The headphones were very easy to pair with my iPhone.The headphones have a Ult button that when pushed, it makes a boost sound or poof type sound when turned on or off. It’s pretty fun. I am not usually very good at the controls when I’m wearing headphones, but this Ult button is in a spot far enough away from the other buttons on the left side that I can do it without messing everything else up. My favorite way to use these headphones is in noise canceling mode. We have come a long way since the Walkman. Which I still have, by the way.
You can connect these headphones to two different devices at the same time. This comes in handy if I’m listening to something on my iPad and I get a call on my iPhone. Something I want to mention is that when I talk on the iPhone with the headphones, nobody says that I sound far away or weird, or anything negative. The battery life is really good. I’ve had these headphones for about five days. I charged them when I first got them, and I have been wearing them and haven’t had to charge it again. In the headphone app, it shows you how much battery life is left. I still have 89% battery after the several hours I’ve used these. These headphones are comfortable. Possibly more comfortable than WH-1000XM4 for me. The headphones weigh almost the same amount though.
So there you have it, a not technical review of tech gear. I really like these Sony Ult Wears and the off white color!
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from SonyListens
Posted .
Hi DeeGore,
Thanks for sharing your 5-star review and experience with the Sony ULT WEAR headphones. We're glad that you like the color, app settings, connectivity, ULT button, multipoint function, battery life, and comfort of the headphones. Your feedback about the case design and supplied accessories is also appreciated. Thank you for choosing Sony!
-Ralph
Pros mentioned:
Bass, Battery life, Sound quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Melt Your Brain With Awesome Sound
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
One thing which you can always rely on, in my experience, is quality electronics from Sony. The Sony Ult Headphones are no exception. While I’m by no means an audiophile, I know the difference between “noisy” headsets and clear ones. These headphones were clear, loud, and comfortable which is the checklist for a good set of wireless headphones. Bonus: these bluetooth headphones have a microphone so you can make and take phone calls, which is handy if you’re out on a run.
In the box you have a black firm zipper case which holds the foldable headset, the charging cable, and a 3.5 audio hardline. Buttons are minimal: power, Noise Canceling/Ambient, and the ULT bass boost mode button. No volume or skipping track? No, the ear cups are touch sensitive so that you swipe left/right for volume and up/down for fast forward/backward/skip track forward/backward. Coolest of all though is that if you cup the headphone it automatically goes into passthrough mode so you can carry on a conversation/hear the announcements at the airport, etc. The battery life is extraordinary, the box lists them as lasting 30 hours and I’ve yet to charge them or have them die on me. These are going to be excellent travel headphones!
I would fault them only due to the ULT bass boost, which thumped my brain into jelly. It's not required to use it but it's the main marketing feature so it bears stating its a bit much. Although I’ve never been one for extra bass, call me old but I like to hear my music not break apart the molecules in my head. If you’re one of those people that plays the bass in your car so loud it vibrates the mirrors of the cars a block away then you’re going to put these on a pedestal as your new favorite music accessory.
As headphones go these are probably the best I’ve ever owned with a lot of neat bells and whistles to really set them apart from the competition. The big draw for some will be the HUGE bass found in the Ult button but to me the great sound quality with super long battery life is the reason to get these. No matter which side you fall on these aren’t headphones you’ll regret getting.
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from SonyListens
Posted .
Hi NinjaTard,
Thanks for sharing your review and experience with the Sony ULT WEAR headphones. We're thrilled that you like the sound quality, mic function, touch controls, battery life, and supplied accessories of the headphones. Your feedback about the ULT function is greatly appreciated. This function can be adjusted depending on your needs:
ULT1: This setting emphasizes the deep bass range over other sounds. ULT2: This setting emphasizes powerful sound more than ULT1. OFF: Turns off the ULT button setting.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
This the second Sony headphones I have and this really beats the sound from my old ones. I’m amazed with the powerful Cristal sound quality using the ULT system, I really enjoy this feature on my headphones, just click on the side of the headphones ULT and you can get ultra bass sound on any song you love and with the great noise cancellation that this headphones provides, you can only hear your music and nothing else, I used this headphones while using my lawnmower on my yard and I definitely couldn’t even hear the noise from the lawnmower, that’s just great for me. Even though this headphones are a little bulky, they sure are super comfortable on your ears, and with the help of the Music apps it analyzes your ears for the 360 live experience app and the Sony app, this helps you get the best sound quality. This headphones includes a swivel designs that folds into the included case comes very handy and best suited for traveling or putting them in your gym bag. Other great feature that this headphones have is the battery life, very outstanding battery performance that could last up to 30 hrs, I used this headphones for at least 4/5 hours and it was still on 80% charge, very impressive. On the right side of the headphones you get touch sensor control panel that help you control the volume or play and pause your music with just a tap. The app has a lot of features that helps you set up your headphones the way you want to use them like analyze your ears for best quality sound, keep track of your music and battery life and also detects if you’re seat down or walking with the headphones, also you get free trial of 360 live app, which the 360 live app could use some more updates. The multipoint connection could use a little better upgrade but I’m not really in need of this feature since I only use this headphones with my iPhone. Great headphones ! Recommended.
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from SonyListens
Posted .
Hi Santy41,
Amazing! We're thrilled that you like the sound quality, ULT button, noise canceling function, comfort, design, battery life, touch controls, and dedicated app of the headphones. Your feedback about the size and multipoint function is greatly appreciated. Thank you for choosing Sony!
-Ralph
Rated 1 out of 5 stars
Broken headphones less than a year of use!
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Posted . Owned for less than 1 week when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I barely use my headphones and they broke before a year of used!
No, I would not recommend this to a friend
Brand response from SonyListens
Posted .
Hi Widman,
We're sorry to hear about that. That's definitely not the experience we want you to have. Please contact us via chat so we can look into this. Start the chat with one of our specialist through this link: https://us.esupport.sony.com/support/s/support-contact?language=en_US Thanks for choosing Sony. -Aldair
Pros mentioned:
Battery life, Comfort, Sound quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Excellent sound, comfortable, good bluetooth
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Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I got these because my wife was getting annoyed when I tried to record music & my old pairs she said she could hear them all the time.
These are really quiet both ways but sound very loud and warm when you wear them. I listened to a lot of old stuff id heard a thousand times and they seemed 100 times better just from the basic fullness of the frequency range.
These sound extremely good if a little bit heavy on the bass, but i think the app has EQ settings.
You can wear these mowing the lawn and that sort of thing and be able to hear it. Good noise cancel.
Really comfortable, which lots of headphones are good at first but after a while my ears and top of my head get sore. Lots of padding.
The battery is great, charging is fast then lasts a long time. They also work great with a regular stereo mini jack aux cord which I usually use anyway
Only things I’m not huge on is the capacitive touch control. Really cool tech gimmick, but it’s always getting false triggers if I brush up against something or adjust them etc.
It was a little tough to get the Bluetooth connection going on my wife’s phone for some reason. Until I put the app on it too. I guess it tries to recognize the app before the regular Bluetooth signal?
And yeah the bass frequencies are boomy and clear as bass can be but the default sound maybe has an absurd amount too much, but that’s only a “too much good thing” complaint.
Some of my old synthesizers and drum machines I thought sounded mediocre were actually just not given proper listening output
Overall though amazing sound and worth the price.
Hi MarkB, thanks for this incredibly detailed and fantastic review! We're immensely pleased to hear that the Sony - ULT WEAR Headphones are not only providing you with the peace and quiet you need for your music recording sessions (and keeping your wife happy!), but also delivering such an immersive and rich listening experience. It's awesome to know that old favorites are sounding brand new, and that the comfort and battery life are hitting the mark. We appreciate your feedback on the touch controls and initial Bluetooth setup as we're always working to refine these aspects. Thanks again for choosing Sony, and enjoy countless hours of incredible audio! Regards, -Dominick
Pros mentioned:
Battery life, Sound quality
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
The Ultimate Listening experience!
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I've been using these Sony ULT WEAR headphones for the past week and although I was initially put off by the feel and sound of these headphones, they've since grown on me after figuring out all the little details / things you can do when paired with the Sony Headphones app. I am going to say that it is an absolute must download so that you can fully experience and enjoy these headphones. Sony provides a QR code on the manual to find the app, but you can also search for it in the iOS and Android stores.
Build Quality - These headphones are really lightweight for their size. The plastics used have this non textured / smooth feel that I'm not really used to headphones having. So they kind of tricked my brain into thinking they feel cheap. But after a week of use, I can honestly say that these headphones are quite touch and the build material is excellent. The headband and earcups are strong and do not creak when you flex them to put them on your head or when moving a cup out of the way to hear something or someone. Which while Im on that subject, these headphones have a cool feature where all you have to do is place your hand over the right ear cup and it will automatically lower the volume of your music or media very low so that you can hear your surroundings.
The headphones have three buttons. Power on /off , ANC/Ambient which toggles noise canceling on and off. and ULT. The ULT button toggles through 3 different presets which to my ears boost bass from almost flat to thump thump on your ears. There is also a 3.5mm headphone jack for connecting the included wire to your devices. I am happy to report that with the included aux cable, you do not have to turn on the headphones for them to work with the cable. So they work passively! but you will not get any of the software features while using them with this method.
Sound Quality - My first thoughts out of the box when I paired them to my phone and started listening to music were something along the lines of Yuuck. They sounded quite muddy and the bass / mids drowned out everything else. But like I said earlier.. downloading the Sony headphones app is an absolute must to use these headphones. It will allow you to customize the EQ to your liking, and it does it quite easily. It will let you tap through various settings and tune it to what you like. It was honestly the coolest and most intuitive equalizer tuning I've experience so far. After setting up the EQ and presets to my preferences , these headphones sound soooo much better and they've grown on me for the past week. Are they the best headphones I've ever heard? No. but the ability to easily and quickly tweak the EQ makes them fun and a joy to use. It's very hard to find 1 pair of headphones that will be perfect for every music genre, movie, podcast listening experience. So being able to tune my listening experience on the fly makes these quite enjoyable. They are very comfortable for extended use, lightweight, and battery life is amazing! Even after a week of casual use, the headphones still show 85% battery remaining.
So would I recommend these headphones? I'm going to say Yes. But only if you're willing to download that app and set them up properly. If you don't want to bother with all of that, then perhaps look at something else.
I would recommend this to a friend
Brand response from SonyListens
Posted .
Hi Ponskippa,
Thanks for sharing your review and experience with the ULT WEAR headphones. We're glad that you like the design, Quick Attention Mode, controls, supplied headphone cable, comfort, and battery life of the headphones. It's also great to hear that you were able to set up the sound quality to your needs by using the Sony Headphones Connect app. Thank you for choosing Sony!