Finding the perfect Sony headphones for iPhone might seem challenging when Apple pushes its own audio ecosystem so heavily. This comprehensive guide examines each model’s features, pros, cons and pricing to help you find the perfect match for your specific needs and budget. Let’s dive into what makes these Sony headphones exceptional companions for your iPhone.
Whether you’re navigating a noisy commute, seeking focus in a bustling office, trying to unwind during air travel or simply blissing out to your favorite tunes, the right pair of noise-canceling headphones can transform your audio experience. These sophisticated devices do more than just play music — they create a mobile personal sanctuary.
Active noise cancellation (ANC) technology has evolved dramatically in recent years, with options ranging from premium over-ear headphones to compact wireless earbuds. The best models excel not just at blocking out unwanted noise, but also deliver exceptional sound quality, comfortable fit and long battery life.
Our comprehensive guide discusses key factors like a model’s noise-reduction capabilities, audio performance, comfort during extended wear and additional features that enhance the user experience. Find help navigating the options to find your perfect audio companion below.
Sony’s newest flagship over-ear headphones, WH-1000XM6, promise the “best noise cancellation” in the industry and seamless wireless connectivity, the company said Thursday. The $450 cans — not cheap but less than AirPods Max’s $549 list price — should appeal to discerning Apple fans.
And Sony enlisted Post Malone as a pitchman for the new headphones, for what that’s worth. Hardly seems necessary, as this series of cans typically sits at or near the top of many best-headphones lists every year.
Thanks to AirPods 4 with noise cancellation, actor Pedro Pascal beats heartbreak and the big city’s wintry deep freeze in the colorful new Spike Jonze short film Someday.
Jonze’s second ad for Apple, the new short released Tuesday evokes what an immersive listening experience can do, waking memories of better times — and stirring hope for better ones to come.
★★★★☆
The new Soundcore Space One Pro wireless noise-canceling headphones generated some buzz in the audio community, promising top-notch sound quality and advanced features for a typically reasonable price from Anker’s audio brand. Keen to see if they’d live up to expectations, I tried them out. And I found that they’re great at the list price of $200. But when the price dips — and it usually does — they’ll become an absolutely fantastic value. Read my Soundcore Space One Pro headphones review below for more information.
The new Soundcore Space One Pro headphones are the Anker subsidiary’s most advanced noise cancelling headphones yet, featuring a unique foldable design that reduces their size by half, Soundcore said Thursday. It released the new cans and several other audio products at IFA Berlin, including AeroFit 2 open earbuds and Bluetooth speakers.
The new Bowers & Wilkins Pi6 and Pi8 wireless, active noise canceling (ANC) earbuds aim to redefine the premium earbud market with upgraded features, impeccable design and stellar sound quality, the venerable brand said Wednesday. The new buds come from the same team behind the company’s acclaimed Px7 S2e and Px8 headphones.
“I’m thrilled that the Bowers & Wilkins team has once again been able to raise the bar for premium design, performance and quality in the headphone category,” said Giles Pocock, vice president of Brand Marketing at Bowers & Wilkins, founded way back in 1966. “Our new Pi6 and Pi8 earbuds are truly special — I’m certain they will be just as successful as our Px7 S2e and Px8 headphones have been.”
In one of the largest surveys on tinnitus so far, University of Michigan researchers participating in the Apple Hearing Study released data and insights Tuesday that could help lead to future treatment.
Tinnitus is the perception of sound, often ringing, that others do not hear.
“The Apple Hearing Study gives us an opportunity that was not possible before to improve our understanding of tinnitus across demographics, aiding current scientific knowledge that can ultimately improve management of tinnitus,” said Rick Neitzel, a University of Michigan School of Public Health professor of environmental health sciences.
xMEMS Labs is bringing what it calls breakthrough technology to the wireless earbuds market late next year after a CES 2024 debut — the Cypress ultrasonic speaker. It turns ultrasonic waves we normally can’t even hear into full-frequency, hi-res audio with remarkable detail, the California-based semiconductor company said Tuesday.
The solid-state microspeaker, which will find its way into various companies’ earbuds and headphones — hello, AirPods? — generates low-frequency sound pressure for a full bass response, according to xMEMS Labs.
That makes the ultrasonic speaker a true replacement for legacy speaker technology that has only been refined, not replaced, since your great-grandparents rocked the Victrola.
★★★☆☆
Noise-cancelling wireless earbuds that cost under $100 jostle in a competitive field. One company that consistently stands out from the crowd with high-quality goods that are a great value for what they cost is Edifier.
And the company, based in China, has done it again with the Edifier W240TN true wireless earbuds. They launch Thursday for a price of $79.99. Edifier sent me a pair to try out.
There really aren’t many reasons not to buy these if you want good earbuds for well under $100. But there are a couple of potential reasons, depending on your priorities.
★★★★☆
Known for speakers and headphones with high-quality sound at affordable places, China-based Edifier plans to release a new set of true wireless earbuds with active noise cancellation (ANC) this month, the NeoBuds S. They closely track the look and feel of the well-regarded, high-resolution NeoBuds Pro the company rolled out in July 2021 — but with some promised improvements.
Edifier sent Cult of Mac a set of NeoBuds S to try out and see how well the company’s beefed-up noise cancellation and sound quality perform, among other features.
★★★☆☆
In a world awash in earbuds, it’s not easy for lower-end products to keep their heads above water. But some manage to do it through solid overall quality and a good feature spread, like the new Ugreen T3 HiTune ANC Wireless Earbuds.
They’re not going to compete with many products at mid-to-high price points, like AirPods Pro and competitors. But the T3s offer bass to burn, an OK fit and a range of solid features at $40.
What you don’t get is top-notch sound across all frequencies, stellar ANC or a sense of tremendous build quality.
The new Master & Dynamic MW75 over-ear headphones will undoubtedly compete with top cans from Apple, Sony, Sennheiser and others. They boast up to 28 hours of battery life and adaptive, environmentally aware active noise cancellation.
But the premium Master & Dynamic headphones actually make AirPods Max look somewhat affordable. They cost an eye-popping $599.
Sony brought out its latest earbuds with active noise cancellation (ANC) Wednesday, the $199.99 LinkBuds S. The consumer electronics giant appears to be going for “Goldilocks” buds here, fitting a super-lightweight option for comfortable, long-term wear just below its flagship WF-1000XM4 ANC earbuds in both price and quality level.
Apple continues to dominate the global market for true wireless earbuds with its AirPods and AirPods Pro. But a proliferation of competitors in China and elsewhere with cheaper options claims increasing market share.
Few would dispute that Sony’s flagship wireless WH-1000XM4 active noise-canceling (ANC) headphones have been among the best on the market since they came out in August 2020. But Sony has improved upon them, offering its fifth-generation WH-1000XM5 headphones on Thursday.
The redesigned cans flaunt several impressive improvements over the previous model, making the XM5s an even worthier competitor to AirPods Max and other premium headphones.
Sennheiser first put out its top-tier Momentum True Wireless earbuds in 2018 to rave reviews about sound quality. Next came a 2020 update and now, with a new release, we see a substantial redesign with the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3 earbuds.
They offer substantial upgrades at a lower-than-expected price, compared to the starting price of their predecessors.
The German maker released the new flagship buds along with its new Sport True Wireless earbuds for athletic types who want to filter out the sound of their own huffing and puffing.
Sony’s WH-1000XM4 over-ear noise-cancelling wireless headphones are considered one of the best sets of cans in the business. Now a new leak shows what may be in store for the audio giant’s next version, the WH-1000XM5, in terms of a sleek new design and key specs.
Danish audio legend Bang & Olufsen has struck out in a new yet familiar direction with its latest true wireless earbuds, the Beoplay EX. It’s the company’s first set of earbuds with stems, which makes them look a lot like AirPods Pro.
As a premium offering, Beoplay EX boasts all of the expected features, like active noise cancellation (ANC). The buds also claim top-notch sound and demand a high price for it — $399, considerably more than AirPods Pro and other major contenders.
A while back, German audio powerhouse Sennheiser began teasing the April release of its new, top-tier Momentum True Wireless 3 earbuds. But then retailer Lufthansa WorldShop went ahead and (briefly) posted a detailed listing for the new buds ahead of Sennheiser’s official, and yet to come, release.
So now we know a bunch of the new buds’ specs as well as pricing details.
One of the impressive features of the growing number of moderately priced, high-quality earbuds on the market is just how long playback lasts between charges. That’s in part because the case where you store them also charges them. But Audio-Technica just rolled out a new set of earbuds that really moves the needle on battery life.
The company’s new ATH-CKS50TW Solid Bass Truly Wireless Earbuds claim up to 20 hours of continuous playback on a single charge, or 50 hours counting the case’s charge. All that, plus the new buds feature low latency and active noise-cancellation (ANC).
Building on other versions of ANC earbuds released in 2021, Belkin rolled out its new SoundForm Immerse Noise Cancelling Earbuds in Las Vegas this week — and they promptly became a CES Innovation Award 2022 Honoree.
The new buds challenge aging champ AirPods Pro, due for a revamp, not only with hybrid active noise cancellation (ANC) with Hear-Thru mode, but they work with Apple’s vast Find My network. And they flaunt a number of premium features.
Belkin introduced other products at CES, too, of course.
I think it was a Kickstarter campaign that first drew my attention to the Yobybo X-Boat Pro noise-cancelling earbuds, “the first open-casing true wireless stereo headphones with LDAC,” the company said, referring to Sony’s hi-res codec. Well, while the sleek “open” case is super-cool and the buds’ sound is vibrant, some earbuds just aren’t for everyone.
Is it just your imagination, or are there billions of affordable earbuds boasting great sound quality on the market now? Well, maybe not billions, but many. And now Chinese audio brand Tronsmart adds its new Onyx Prime True Wireless Earbuds to the mix for $69.99.
Nothing released its first Ear 1 earbuds in late summer 2021 with a partially transparent design, a cool transparent case, good sound quality, active noise cancellation (ANC) and wireless charging. Now the company’s rolling out the new Ear 1 “Black Edition,” which retains the interesting design and tech elements in a cool new look.
And Nothing, created by OnePlus founder Carl Pei, added the product is now carbon neutral and you can buy the product — still $99 — with Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. So there’s that.