Apple now directly sells Sony's PSVR2 controllers for the Vision Pro. Photo: Apple/Sony/CultOfMac
Apple gave Vision Pro gaming a huge usability boost by adding support for the PSVR2 Sense Controllers with visionOS 26. Now, the company is directly selling these Sony controllers through its online store.
Sony doesn’t sell the PSVR2 Sense controllers separately. You had to buy the entire PSVR2 kit just to get them.
Choose the best Sony headphones to use with iPhone. AI image: Grok
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.
When the blindfold goes on, brand perception slips considerably. Photo: ChatGPT
When stripped of branding, features and design, how do premium headphones actually sound? Wired put this question to the test by having audio pros blind-test six popular over-ear headphones.
The results not only shocked the panelists, they validated one of my favorite pairs of “budget” headphones. They won the test, coming out above top contenders from the likes of Sony, Bose and, yes, Apple.
When both silence and music are bliss, make sure you pick the ideal noise canceling headphones or earbuds. Photo: Grok Aurora AI
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.
Grab a pair of Sony LinkBuds Fit earbuds at a deep discount. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
Sony’s LinkBuds Fit earbuds are designed with comfort in mind. Their lightweight build and ergonomic design make them suitable for extended wear, whether you’re commuting, working out or just relaxing at home. Plus, silicone wingtips help secure the earbuds in place, ensuring they stay put during runs or other workouts.
Priced at just $89.99 (regularly $199.99), these refurbished LinkBuds Fit noise-canceling earbuds provide an affordable alternative to AirPods Pro, without compromising on essential audio features.
Get this refurb Sony speaker at a 46% discount with free shipping. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
If you’re still blasting playlists from your iPhone speaker, it’s time for an upgrade to a Bluetooth speaker like the Sony SRS-XB33. While most budget options promise “big sound” without actually delivering, this surprisingly affordable Sony speaker packs enough power, clarity and stamina to run the party.
Thanks to this speaker’s refurbished status, the price tag may actually be the most shocking part. If you don’t mind the fact that it had a previous owner, you can save 46% — dropping the price to just $79.99 with free shipping until they’re sold out.
Sony's new XM6 headphones, mastered by engineers, are good enough for studio work, Sony said. Photo:
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.
Grab these high-end Sony headphones at a massive discount. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
Finding a great pair of headphones usually means picking two out of three—good sound, good comfort or a good price. But once in a while, something comes along that checks every box. Case in point? The Sony Ult Wear over-ear noise-canceling Bluetooth headphones, now available as a grade-A refurbished deal for just $89.99 (regularly $199.99).
Pretty much every piece of this setup is enviable. Photo: [email protected]
Today’s featured computer setup pretty much has it all in terms of enviable gear, though it could use better lighting. Its M1 Max Mac Studio may not be the latest Apple M-series desktop, but it’s still formidable. And it drives a Pro Display XDR, perhaps the ultimate external monitor. And the setup even excels at the little things, including great audio gear and a pair of illuminated pegboard stands I’ve never seen before.
This shot from Sony shows the XM5 cans laying flat on a desk by a MacBook and an Android smartphone. Photo: Sony
In today’s M2 MacBook Pro setup, the user stores one of the best-reviewed sets of wireless, over-ear headphones of all time on a stand over to the side. The cans are almost easy to miss in the photograph, but well worth noticing. AirPods Max competitor Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones, in a Mac setup, make for a relatively rare sight. But they’re often at or near the top of “best of” lists — not just for great sound and a comfortable fit, but especially for their vaunted noise cancellation.
This MacBook Pro setups rocks a NuPhy Air96 mechanical keyboard. Photo: [email protected]
Run by a software developer, today’s M1 Pro MacBook Pro setup doesn’t just rock two external displays. It also features a very cool input-device duo — the mouse we see more than any other in setups, which is the Logitech MX Master 3S wireless mouse, and the super-cool NuPhy Air96 V2 Wireless Mechanical Keyboard.
Get these Sony WH-1000XM4 wireless noise-canceling headphones for only $199.99.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
There’s something uniquely satisfying about slipping on a pair of noise-canceling headphones and instantly tuning out the world around you. The low sale price of these Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones means you can create a personal audio bubble that helps you focus, relax or simply enjoy your music without distractions without going into debt.
These excellent Sony headphones earned a 4.7 out of 5 rating from Best Buy shoppers and a 4.6 out of 5 on Amazon. And while both those fine retailers currently offer discounts on the Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones, the price on this open-box deal is even better.
An M3 MacBook Air and an 11-inch iPad Pro are all this doctor needs. Photo: [email protected]
Is there a doctor in the house? There is with today’s M3 MacBook Air setup. The good doctor finds the slender laptop covers all needs, especially with an assist from an 11-inch iPad Pro, an external monitor and an unusual choice for a desktop speaker.
This portable Bluetooth speaker from Sony pumps out amazing audio. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
Prepare to experience excellent audio with the Sony XE300 portable Bluetooth speaker. It features Sony’s unique Line-Shape Diffuser technology, which spreads sound evenly across a wide area. The innovative tech lets the speaker produce room-filling audio without sacrificing clarity.
It’s a high-end speaker that’s about the size of a tallboy, and it’s on sale now for just $79.99 (regularly $199.99). If you want to cruise through the summer with your favorite tunes blasting, you don’t want to miss this new, open-box deal.
You'd think we'd see top Bose headphones, like the QuietComfort Ultras shown on the right, in setups more often. Photo: [email protected]
When it comes to fantastic and popular over-ear noise-canceling headphones that don’t stray too far from the realm of affordability, certain brands typically leap to mind. Apple. Beats. Sony. Sennheiser. Audio-Technica. Bose. And yet we noticed how seldomly flagship cans from Bose, one of the most famous and well-regarded brands in the United States, crop up in our computer setups coverage. Take the brand’s current top dog, for example — Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones.
Today’s M2 Max MacBook Pro setup brings in a set of Bose Ultras alongside AirPods Pro 2, for when the user needs bigger audio guns with greater comfort than Apple’s top earbuds.
We love the iPhone 15 Pro's Action button just as it is, but hey ... upgrade away! Image: Cult of Mac
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: An iOS 17 update supposedly will stop the iPhone 15 Pro’s Action button from triggering in your pocket, at least in certain circumstances. Is this really a problem that needs fixing?
Also on The CultCast:
When it comes to upcoming Macs and Apple Watch, this week’s no news sounds like very bad news indeed.
Apple’s Vision Pro headset seems to be straining the necks of some pencil-necked geeks.
For this week’s Under Review segment, I’ve got a unique-looking charger and Erfon and Griffin bring very different sorts of cameras to the podcast’s version of show and tell.
Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.
This setup lost one of the three display in a recent move. Photo: [email protected]
Today’s featured computer setup isn’t turning heads for its Apple gear — just a 2019 MacBook Pro — but its displays deserve a good look. The Mac goes through a Razer Thunderbolt 3 dock as it drives an “odd couple” of displays — a huge, curved LG 5K2K monitor and a tiny LG portable display.
And don’t miss the audio gear in the gear list below, either. It’s good stuff.
Vision Pro's ultra-high-resolution display system, with 23 million pixels across two displays, reportedly runs into manufacturing challenges. Photo: Apple TV
Apple reportedly made hefty cuts to its production goals for the Vision Pro due to the headset’s complex design, which makes mass production a challenge.
Announced at WWDC23 in June, Apple’s mixed-reality headset will go on sale in early 2024. So the company has more than a few months to sort out these manufacturing challenges.
With a good iPad stand and a DAC/amp added for audio, this setup is finally done. For now. Photo: [email protected]
Part of the fun of covering computer setups for Cult of Mac is seeing how a setup is never “done.” Blood, sweat, tears and time may go into it, but it will always need something — whether that’s missing functionality, better decoration or the next generation of a key device.
Today’s featured M2 MacBook Air setup is a good example. Since we featured an earlier version of it just weeks ago, the user made important changes. He added two components to maximize crucial iPad functionality and pump up audio.
At a glance, you might not think this setup has 18 items in it not including the furniture. Photo: [email protected]
We’ve seen more M2 MacBook Pro laptops lately in Setups than M2 MacBook Air machines, but today’s featured setup bucks the trend. Its M2 MacBook Air drives a 34-inch LG 4K IPS display.
But it’s the setup’s audio gear that may grab your attention. AirPods Pro (2nd gen) make the cut, as do two other sets of premium earphones, outstanding speakers and one of Sony’s super-high-end Walkman MP3 players.
The new Sony ZV-E1 is designed for vloggers and other content creators. Photo: Sony Electronics
Sony Electronics unveiled its new full-frame 12MP ZV-E1 camera Wednesday. It takes its place at or near the top of the company’s growing ZV lineup of cameras for vloggers and other content creators.
At $2,200 it’s not cheap — a big step up from the company’s roughly $750 cameras for content creators — for but it could a key to making amateur content look professional.
The new noise-cancelling cans share the same processor with Sony's high-end headphones, but not their price. Photo: Sony Electronics
Not into paying what Apple’s top-shelf noise-cancelling AirPods Max headphones cost? You have options. In fact, Sony Electronics rolled out two new mid-tier headphones Tuesday at modest price points — the over-ear WH-CH72ON and the smaller, on-ear WH-CH520.
The higher-end WH-CH72ON set, at $150, costs well under half the price of the brand’s acclaimed WH-1000XM5 noise-cancelling cans, but uses the same V1 chip. And the lower-end WH-CH520 headphones, at $60, are just downright affordable.
Are we the only ones standing around with slack jaws wondering how Apple can make this headset desirable? Photo: Original photo: Uriel Soberanes/Unsplash License/Modified by Cult of Mac
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: The more we hear about Apple’s upcoming AR/VR headset, the more we’re perplexed about who is actually going to buy one. We take a long, hard look at the latest leaks — and come up shaking our heads.
Also on The CultCast:
We might get a raft of exciting new Macs — including the first Mac Pro powered by Apple silicon — at a March event.
Apple’s Pro Display XDR and Studio Display get some high-end competition.
Sorry, voice actors. AI narrators look like the future of audiobooks (and Apple leads the charge).
Our final best-of-2022 picks.
Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.
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Next year's iPhone camera could get some huge upgrades. Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac
Apple’s 2023 iPhone 15 Pro lineup will reportedly use Sony’s new image sensor with some significant improvements. The next-gen sensor can seemingly capture more light and reduce overexposure and underexposure in challenging situations.
Sony is the primary camera sensor supplier for Apple. The change could allow the 2023 iPhones to deliver a massive leap in image quality.
This tidy setup didn't cost a fortune, but it gets the job done. Photo: [email protected]
It’s funny when you see a student’s computer setup on social media with gear that looks like it costs a bazillion bucks. Like, what, did Elon Musk go back to college for some reason? Maybe to escape the $44 billion dumpster fire that is Twitter?
Well, today’s clean and practical MacBook Pro setup is the real thing — a starving student’s workstation cobbled together on a budget.