Sony WH-XB910N Headphones Review

Sony WH-XB910N Headphones Review Summary

Editor’s Rating- 4/5

Sony’s Extra Bass audio products are made for more aggression and energy and appeal to audiophiles and neutrals alike. These are meant for those who want a good listening experience in their day-to-day life. Following the trend are the recently launched WH-XB910N headphones which is the successor to XB900N which came out in 2019. Priced at 15, 000, these wireless headphones feature wired as well as wireless connectivity, app support, ANC, LDAC Bluetooth codec and more. Are these worth 15k? Read on to know more.

Sony WH-XB910N Headphones are the brand’s latest offering to make its flagship WH Series more affordable.  With ANC, Extra Bass, and a host of connectivity options, the device is available in India for Rs. 14,990.

Sony WH-XB910N Headphones Specs

• Ear Placement- Over-Ear
• Colors- Blue and Black
• Connector Type- Wireless
• Weight- 252 grams
• Noise Cancelling- ANC
• Battery life- up to 50 hours
• Driver Size- 40mm
• Cord length- 1.2m
• Frequency Response Range- 20Hz to 20,000Hz
• Sensitivity- 96dB
• Bluetooth- 5.2
• Charging Time- 3.5 hours
• Codecs- SBC, AAC, LDAC

Sony WH-XB910N Headphones Review: Design & Comfort

Sony ships its new 910N headphones in 2 colors available- blue and black, both being very basic ones. The one we got was blue and it looked pretty much regular. There is nothing special about the design or color of the headphones as these aren’t meant to be flaunted as fashion accessories.

The finish of the device is quite raw and basic. It has a plastic body that feels smooth to touch and tough enough to have a longer life cycle. Apart from durability, its plastic build also makes it lightweight. It can be worn for long periods without any discomfort on the ears or head.

The headband has a foam cushion which is enclosed within soft leather to give a comfortable wearing experience. The earcups are very big and completely covered my ears. They have soft foam pads which covered ears well and felt comfortable even after hours of usage. The cups are adjustable so if your head is bigger or smaller, they can be folded to make them easier to use.

The headset has just 2 physical buttons- one for power and the other for cycling through ANC and hear-through modes. There is a USB Type-C port for charging and a 3.5mm jack for wired connectivity.

Sony WH-XB910N Headphones Review: Sound Quality

The XB in the name stands for Extra Bass which can be felt when you listen to songs with lower frequency. When you listen to songs with a lot of bass, headphones suit well. The lows, highs, and mids all sound good while hearing music at full volume. Whether I heard believer or arcade, the night we met or night changes, Aashiqui aa Gayi or meri Jaan meri Jaan, all sounded crystal clear and soothing. There is no shakiness or noise when the volume is turned to maximum.

Talking about volume, the 40mm drivers get quite loud at full volume and I didn’t have to go above 50% volume in an indoor noise-free environment. In a room with loads of people and noise too volume turned to 80% worked well.

In the codec department, the 910N supports SBC, AAC, LDAC codecs. There is no Hi-Res Audio certification or support for Qualcomm’s AptX. In usable terms, the listening experience is above average for both content watching and music listening. One doesn’t need to fiddle with the equalizer to get balanced sound quality. The headphones have Sony’s DSEE tech to improve even lower quality audio coming through the headphones.

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Sony WH-XB910N Headphones Review: Active Noise Cancellation (ANC)

ANC is one of the most important features in any audio device these days. Since the 910N is a part of Sony’s WH series, true to their legacy they have an effective ANC system. They give a good passive seal and dual microphones make sure that noise cancellation is active as well. Although you might hear some quantity of ambient noises when you are in a crowded environment like a café, street, or office, in a quieter place the headphones are a pro at drowning out noises of the fan, AC, or other equipment.

Sony has packed the 910N Headphones with its Adaptive Sound Control tech which allows users to control ambient noise. It can be managed via the Connect app where users can choose between automatic or manual mode to limit ambient sound. In auto mode, it can identify 12 conditions by analyzing surrounding sounds to activate the right profile.
 The Sony Headphones Connect app will detect your location and switch between noise canceling and ambient sound as per your needs. You can turn on the ambient sound if you want to be aware of what’s happening around you while listening to something else. For example, I was listening to music while traveling in the metro but had to keep an ear out for announcements, so I turned on this ambient sound feature.

Quick Attention Mode is one other feature that is mostly found in high-end headphones. This mode reduces the volume and deactivates noise cancellation temporarily, just by keeping your hand on the right ear cup.

Touch controls are also found on the right ear cup. These controls include play/pause, next, previous track, and volume adjustment. There is no wear detection sensor to automatically pause and play music when headphones are put on or taken off, which looks like a glaring drawback at a 15k price tag.

Sony WH-XB910N Headphones Review: Connectivity and App Support

The XB910N has Bluetooth 5.2 that connects it seamlessly with most devices and gives crisp and clear audio transmission when you are 25 steps away from the audio source. One of the most useful features of these headphones is that they come with Bluetooth multipoint. This means these headphones can be connected to two devices at the same time which means even while watching content on your tablet, you can easily answer a call that has come on your smartphone. Google Fast Pair is supported too but for near-instant pairing to Android devices.

Most of its features like Adaptive sound control need Sony Headphones App which is available for both android and apple users. The app needs you to accept any terms and conditions and give a lot of permissions which can be annoying and sometimes difficult to provide as well. Like for Adaptive Sound Control, you need to let your headphones track your live location so that they can sense your environment and work accordingly. Moreover, many people might find it risky as well so think about this aspect before buying these headphones.

Sony WH-XB910N Headphones Review: Use and Battery Life

Battery life is an important spec for every device these days. Especially with wireless headphones, battery life becomes even more vital. Thankfully, XB910 doesn’t disappoint in this department. With ANC on, the headphone gives around 2.5 days of overall battery life. They support fast charging and the company also gives 10-minute quick charge to give 4 hours of playback.

The XB910 has a premium case that is similar to high-end headphones. The case has a pocket to stow the USB Type-C cable for charging headphones and a 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable for passive connection.

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Sony WH-XB910N Headphones Review Verdict: Should You Buy It?

Sony’s WH-XB910N is an almost perfect set of headphones that one can get around 15k. These over-the-ear headphones are basically a more affordable version of its flagship WH-1000XM3 which costs at least 4 to 5 thousand rupees more. The WH-XB910N offers long battery life, effective ANC, fast touch controls, and good sound quality with LDAC support. If you are looking for over-the-ear headphones, these Sony headphones are a smart buy for you.