In the modern world of headphone manufacturers, Sony is definitely not the last one. Their models are mostly designed for a mass audience, as they have universal high-quality sound and a neutral design for everyone. For example, they have full-size ULT Wear headphones (Sony WH-ULT900) in the mid-range segment. They say that they are able to compete with the flagships of other manufacturers. So is it really a good model, or does it have problems? Are they worth the attention and price tag, who can afford them, and why? We will answer all these questions in our review.
Content
| Headphone type | Full-size, Over-Ear |
| Speakers | 40 mm |
| Frequency range | 5 – 20,000 Hz |
| Impedance | 314 ohms |
| Features | Swivel bowls, folding option |
| Connection type | Wireless, wired (3.5 mm Jack) |
| Version | Bluetooth 5.2, 10+ meters |
| Support for codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Noise reduction | YES, ANC |
| Management | Buttons, sensor |
| Volume control | Є |
| Microphones | Yes, with noise reduction |
| Protection against moisture | No |
| Autonomy | Up to 30 hours with ANC, up to 50 hours without ANC |
| Charging time | 3.5 hours |
| Fast charging | Yes, 3 minutes give 1.5 hours of work |
| Charging | USB Type-C |
| Compatibility | Android, iOS, PC |
| Weight | 255 grams |
Sony ULT Wear are hidden in a large black square box with a headphone pattern.
Inside we can see the headphones themselves, a USB-C cable and a 3.5 mm (mini jack) cable, a manual, and documentation. There is also a high-quality large hard case for storing and transporting the device.
It’s made of textured fabric on the top, and inside it has a soft padding and three compartments: a large one for the headphones when folded and two small ones for cables.
Sony ULT Wear — is a classic model of the company with an austere but attractive and modern design. These are full-size over-ear headphones with a minimalist design.
The weight is 255 grams. For a full-size model, they are light and relatively compact. Although, of course, they are not small. The headphones do not press on the head even when new, but they have adequate natural noise reduction. You can wear this model for a long time without feeling any discomfort. They also don’t hurt my ears, at least mine, from wearing them for a long time.
The headphones are based on a flexible metal plate, and the case is made of matte plastic. It does not collect dust, at least in the available green and turquoise color, although in the black version (there is also a white color), it will probably be visible. Fingerprints and other signs of use are also not visible.
The Sony ULT Wear headband is covered with eco-leather on both sides, and there is a soft filler underneath.
The edges of the headband have Sony inscriptions.
The cups in the model are oval and swivel. The headphones can be easily folded and placed in the included hard case.
All the main physical buttons, also known as controls, are located on the left cup. There is a large ULT button for switching bass amplification functions, a button for activating ANC mode and switching to «transparent» mode. We also see a button to turn the headphones off/on with an LED indicator. If you hold it down for a few seconds, it enters the wireless connection mode.
Nearby are a USB-C port for charging the headphones and a 3.5 mm audio jack for connecting them to devices.
The right cup has a touch control panel for music or video playback. It is located on a flat surface in the middle of the cup. We will talk more about it in one of the sections below.
Sony ULT Wear ear cushions are also made of eco-leather. In the middle, as always, there is a thin fabric pad between the ears and the emitters, but it’s a pity that it doesn’t have L and R in large letters. The left or right marking is only in small letters on the inside of the ear cushions and it’s not as convenient as if it were applied to the fabric inside the ear cushions. Many manufacturers do this and I don’t understand why Sony doesn’t do it.
The ear cushions themselves are softly padded and generally comfortable. Of course, eco-leather has both disadvantages and advantages, but this can be said about any material solution. In this case, the noise absorption is better, but in hot weather, your ears will sweat.
Sony ULT Wear has 40 mm dynamic drivers. The declared frequency range is 5 – 20,000 Hz, and the impedance is 314 Ohms. The headphones support the popular SBC, AAC, and LDAC codecs. However, the latter is not available to users of Apple technology.
There is also a full-fledged ANC noise reduction system with «transparent» mode. The latter allows you to hear the environment using the built-in microphones.
The noise reduction in the headphones is one of the best on the market. This applies to all similar models of the manufacturer. With ANC active and the music or video volume turned up to 30%+, you can’t hear the ambient sounds at all. Exceptions — sharp, loud sounds.
Sony ULT Wear has an average scene and detailed sound for its segment. Of course, there are models on the market with more sound detail, but for a non-flagship and for a model for everyone, the sound is good.
By default, without sound presets, the headphones emphasize soft but assertive low frequencies, pleasant mids and highs. However, low frequencies still dominate and often even «presses» on the highs and mids. That’s why I would recommend playing around with the available sound presets and equalizer, which give a much better sound, slightly compress the bass and pull out other frequencies.
Also remember the large button labeled ULT. It activates the ULT1 and ULT2 modes. You can turn them on/off in the app. ULT1 mode amplifies the bass even more, and ULT2 mode makes the headphones literally vibrate on your head. It reminded me a lot of the Anker Soundcore Space One Pro which we recently reviewed. In both cases, it’s a bit too much bass for me, although I love it. Nevertheless, these modes will definitely find their connoisseurs among fans of the respective music genres, where low frequencies are very important.
The available microphone in Sony ULT Wear headphones has a high-quality noise reduction system. It works really well both on a noisy street and at home if someone is nearby. But such a system, as always, significantly affects the quality of voice transmission. It becomes too robotic and noisy. Therefore, we can say that the overall sound of the voice with the available microphones is just fine.
Sony ULT Wear can connect to devices in different ways. This can be wirelessly via the existing Bluetooth 5.2 module (there is support for Multipoint, that is, simultaneous connection to multiple devices), as well as via a 3.5 mm audio jack. It also works while charging via a USB-C cable, but you can’t listen to music wirelessly at this time.
The headphones work with Sony’s proprietary Sound Connect app. It’s an easy-to-use, yet highly functional program with many settings. The main page contains information about the connection status and mode, as well as the remaining battery power. Below you can select «transparent» mode, activate noise reduction, or turn off both.
There is also an equalizer and 10 presets. Some of them really significantly improve the basic sound, but not all of them. I advise you to click around and choose the sound to your liking. Here you can also choose the priority of sound quality or connection stability, Multipoint mode, tips for using headphones, etc.
I would also like to note the ability to activate 360-degree spatial sound. As always, this is not a feature for everything, and in this case I would recommend it for watching YouTube videos, Netflix series, etc. For listening to music, it’s better not to turn it on at all.
Sony ULT Wear has touch controls on the right earbud. Below are the main movements and what they are responsible for:
Sony ULT Wear is equipped with a built-in battery of unknown capacity. The manufacturer claims 30 hours of battery life with active ANC mode and up to 50 hours without it. A full charge from 0 to 100% takes more than three hours. But there is fast charging, so 3 minutes of recharging will give you 90 minutes of listening to music.
In fact, the declared battery life is true and even exceeds the numbers above. At least in my case. I tested the headphones for a week and a half and only fully infected them once when they arrived to me. During the test, I mostly used them without noise-canceling, but sometimes turned it on for tests.
I used the headphones for 3-5 hours a day at different volumes and often without bass boost. Usually, it was 20-30% volume while working because music was playing in the background, and sometimes I would turn it up to 70-90% and just listen to different music.
In this mode of use, the headphones dropped from 100 to 37% in 10 days of tests. In my opinion, this is a great result, and the model’s battery life is one of its main advantages.
I liked Sony ULT Wear mostly because they are Sony headphones. What I mean is that they have an austere, stylish, yet versatile design, they are comfortable to use, lightweight, and made of quality materials.
I also like that it comes with a serious case, even though it’s not a flagship model. This is very cool, especially against the competition.
However, at the same time, these headphones have a certain bass tilt in the sound, which makes them not a model for everyone. Yes, the sound can be corrected with presets and equalizer, but the vast majority of people probably won’t do it. Also, the low frequencies are significantly enhanced by the two available modes, and I’m sure that certain users who like this will be delighted with it. Even though it significantly suppresses other frequencies.
Sony ULT Wear has a handy app where you can activate many features, play with the equalizer, etc. It’s a shame that there is no function to customize the sound for yourself, as it was in Anker Soundcore Space One Pro. I also didn’t like the too powerful bass in them, but in addition to the presets that leveled it out normally, there was an opportunity to customize the sound in detail to your preferences. And here there is no such thing. However, there is a spatial sound. It is interesting, especially when watching videos or movies. I advise you to try it.
I also liked the natural noise reduction and ANC. In my opinion, it’s really one of the best on the market. The same can be said about the «transparency» mode.
It’s also cool that the headphones out of the box are easy to wear for hours and they don’t get in the way at all, don’t put pressure on your head, and don’t crush your ears. And they’re not small, so if you have even smaller ones, they’ll be a top.
I was also very pleased with the battery life. It’s definitely not worse than competitors, and in fact, it lasts even longer than some other popular models.
I’ll also share the nuances of using the headphones with the touch panel on the right cup. The thing is that in the first days of use, I forgot about it and constantly touched it with my hands, so I accidentally switched songs, turned up the volume, and so on. Therefore, you need to get used to the touch control and its specific location. By the end of the week, I had no problems with it, but keep in mind.
Sony ULT Wear are sold at a price of 5650 hryvnias, but these are probably not official variants. Because in most large networks, the price tag of the model is 6999 hryvnias. In my opinion, the headphones are worth the money, although some people will find them expensive, and I understand them, and at the same time, there are other serious competitors in this category.
If you want headphones from Sony and also big, but simpler and more affordable, then there are Sony WH-CH720. Among the newest and no less interesting competitors are Soundcore Space One Pro, which we reviewed recently. Also pay attention to Soundcore Space Q45.
Among the popular full-size models of other well-known brands, pay attention to Sennheiser Accentum Plus, JBL Live 770NC and Marshall Major V.
