Today, we are checking out the brand-new Sony WH-XB910N. These are the latest pair of extra bass active noise-canceling headphones from Sony. They come with a price tag of 250 bucks, and as for colors, you have two options: black and blue. Today, we are reviewing the black pair. So let’s go ahead and see what these are all about.
Build Quality | Sony WH-XB910N Review
The Sony WH-XB910N headphones come with a soft shell carrying case, which helps keep the headphones protected for storage and transportation. As for the headphones themselves, you are getting a primarily matte plastic finish all the way around. These have a noticeably less premium feel compared to something like the Sony WH-1000XM4. That makes sense because these are priced about 100 bucks cheaper.
Just keep in mind that with these, you are getting a much more plasticky type of feel. You’ve got some Sony branding featured along the side of the headband. Toward the top of the headband, you’ll notice some leatherette padding. The headphones can completely collapse, which is convenient for storage and traveling purposes. The ear cups also swivel for those times you may want to lay the headphones flat or rest them around your neck.
On the left ear cup, you have your power button and your ambient sound control button. This is also where you have your audio jack and your USB Type-C charging port. The ear cups are a pretty good size, so they have no problem completely surrounding my ears. The leatherette padding is very soft and forgiving on the ear cups, which certainly helps in terms of comfort, which we’ll talk more about later. As for your playback controls, these feature swipe controls. On the right ear cup, you can swipe up or down for volume control, swipe front to back for track controls, and to activate your voice assistant, simply tap and hold for one second.
Comparison Table | The Sony WH-XB910N vs ULT Wear Headphones
| Feature | Sony WH-XB910N | ULT Wear Headphones |
| Design | Matte plastic finish with leatherette padding | Sleek metal and premium plastic finish with memory foam padding |
| Colors Available | Black, Blue | Black, Silver |
| Weight | 252g | 275g |
| Bluetooth Version | Bluetooth 5.2 | Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Audio Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC | SBC, AAC, aptX, aptX HD |
| Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) | Yes, Adaptive Sound Control | Yes, Hybrid ANC |
| Battery Life | 30 hours with ANC, 50 hours without ANC | 32 hours with ANC, 60 hours without ANC |
| Quick Charge | 10 minutes for 4.5 hours of playback | 15 minutes for 5 hours of playback |
| Multi-Point Connection | Yes | Yes |
| Microphone | Dual microphones with noise reduction | Quad microphones with noise reduction and beamforming |
| Call Quality | Good, with clear voice pickup | Excellent, with superior voice isolation |
| Sound Profile | Extra Bass | Balanced with customizable EQ |
| Controls | Swipe controls on ear cups | Physical buttons with touch sensor |
| Comfort | Soft ear cups, adjustable headband | Plush ear cups, adjustable and foldable headband |
| Carrying Case | Soft shell carrying case included | Hard shell carrying case included |
| Voice Assistant Support | Yes, tap and hold for 1 second | Yes, with dedicated button |
| Ambient Mode | Yes, Quick Attention Mode | Yes, with Transparency Mode |
| Auto-Pause Feature | No | Yes |
| App Support | Sony Headphones Connect | ULT Wear App |
| Water Resistance | None | IPX4 (splash-resistant) |
| View Price | $ 130 at Amazon | $141 at Amazon |
Important Specs | Sony WH-XB910N Review
The Sony WH-XB910N headphones are running Bluetooth 5.2 and support multi-point connection, which means you can connect to two devices at the same time. So, if you want to connect to your phone as well as your laptop—say you’re watching a YouTube video on your laptop and a phone call comes through on your phone—the headphones will automatically switch over to your phone so that you can handle the call. Then, once that’s done, you can go right back to watching your YouTube video. As for audio codecs, these support SBC, AAC, as well as LDAC.
When it comes to battery life, with active noise cancellation turned on, you’re looking at roughly 30 hours on a single charge. With active noise cancellation turned off, that jumps up to around 50 hours. These also support quick charge, so just 10 minutes of charging will give you about four and a half hours of listening time.
Fit & Comfort | Sony WH-XB910N Review
As for the fit, WH-XB910N is fairly comfortable. However, I will say if you have a larger-sized head, you may need to break the headphones in a bit—kind of stretch out that headband—because they do feel tighter compared to something like the 1000XM4. But overall, they’re still very comfortable, and a lot of that has to do with the cushioning on the ear pads.
Quick Attention Mode | Sony WH-XB910N Review
These headphones have Sony’s Quick Attention feature, which means all you have to do is take your hand and place it over the right ear cup. This will automatically turn down your music and activate the ambient mode, so if you need to have a conversation really quickly or maybe just hear an announcement, you can easily do so. It is worth mentioning that these don’t feature auto-pause, so your music isn’t going to pause when you remove the headphones from your head.
Sound Quality | Sony WH-XB910N Review
Now let’s go ahead and talk about the sound quality. Overall, the WH-XB910N headphones sound really good, but for being labeled as extra bass headphones, honestly, I expected a little bit more in terms of the bass. The bass is there—you can certainly hear it and feel it at times—but it’s not quite what I was expecting. With active noise cancellation turned on, the bass on certain songs almost sounds distorted, which is pretty odd. You have the option to customize the EQ within the Sony Headphones Connect app, so you can try and tweak the sound to your personal preference.
As a whole, like I said, the sound is really good, especially the treble and the clarity. If these weren’t branded as extra bass headphones, honestly, I would be more than happy with the sound. But if you’re looking for that ultimate bass experience, I don’t think you’re really getting that with these.
ANC & Ambient Mode | Sony WH-XB910N Review
Now let’s go ahead and move over to the active noise cancellation. The ANC on these is excellent, which I would expect no different from Sony, and it’s probably the best feature of WH-XB910N headphones, in my opinion. So, if you do a lot of traveling, these are going to be a great option because they block out a tremendous amount of noise. You have a good deal of customization within the Sony app, including about 20 different levels of ambient sound control.
You’re also getting Sony’s Adaptive Sound Control, which automatically adjusts your ANC settings based on your activity and location. So, the headphones can automatically detect whether you’re sitting, walking, or commuting, and then adjust your active noise cancellation accordingly. As for the ambient mode (or transparency mode), it works just as well as the active noise cancellation. For those times when you need to hear what’s going on around you or have a conversation, this feature will absolutely help, and it does so by giving you a very natural sound that closely mimics what it sounds like when you’re not wearing headphones at all.
Call Quality | Sony WH-XB910N Review
When it comes to call quality, this is another strong suit of these headphones. The Sony WH-XB910N, known for their bass-heavy sound profile, also deliver a solid performance in terms of call quality. Here’s a closer look at how these headphones handle calls, especially in different environments:
Microphone Performance: The WH-XB910N comes equipped with dual microphones designed to pick up your voice clearly during calls. These mics work together to reduce background noise, ensuring that your voice is the focus, even in less-than-ideal environments. The headphones use Sony’s precise voice pickup technology, which improves the clarity of your voice, making conversations smoother.
Noise Cancellation and Call Clarity: The WH-XB910N features active noise cancellation (ANC), which helps to block out ambient noise during calls. This is particularly useful when you’re in noisy environments like a busy street or a crowded café. The ANC works to minimize external sounds, allowing both you and the person on the other end to hear each other without distractions. However, while the ANC is effective for listening to music, its impact on call quality can vary. In extremely noisy environments, some background sounds might still seep through, though generally, the headphones manage to maintain a good level of clarity.
Performance in Different Environments:
Quiet Environments: In quiet settings, the WH-XB910N excels at delivering crystal-clear calls. The microphones pick up your voice without interference, and the noise cancellation isn’t overworked, ensuring your voice sounds natural and free of distortion.
Noisy Environments: In noisier settings, the ANC and microphones work hard to filter out unwanted sounds. While some background noise may still be audible, the headphones do a commendable job of ensuring that your voice remains clear. The bass-heavy sound signature of the headphones doesn’t interfere with call quality, as the call audio profile is balanced differently from music playback
Pros:
Excellent Active Noise Cancellation (ANC)
Strong Battery Life
Quick Charge Feature
Multi-Point Connectivity
Comfortable Fit
Customizable Sound
Quick Attention Mode
Clear Call Quality
Cons
Plasticky Build Quality
Limited Bass Performance
No Auto-Pause Feature
No Water Resistance
Tight Fit for Larger Heads
Potential Distortion at High Volumes
Limited Codec Support
Final Thought
So overall, as far as sound quality, I don’t really feel like these are doing anything special in terms of bass. Like I said, the sound quality is good, but if you’re specifically looking for that intense bass experience, I wouldn’t really go for these. On the other hand, the user experience with the Sony Headphones Connect app, along with the excellent active noise cancellation, ambient mode, and call quality, is really impressive. They definitely hit the mark in terms of those features. So, honestly, I just see these as a more affordable alternative to the 1000XM4.
