Sonos is taking its offerings to the next level. Having already had decades of experience in the home theatre and home audio arena, the company is taking its know-how and making it more personal. The Sonos Ace is the first over-ear headphone set from Sonos and it’s ready to take on the big guns.
Intentionally Designed For Comfort & Simplicity
The Sonos Ace continues the company’s ethos of having aesthetically pleasing, minimalist design. The new headphones bring together premium design and materials with premium audio quality. It has a slim profile accented by the signature Sonos matte finish. Its main body and headband are made of high-quality, durable plastic. The adjustable arms are lightweight metal with a Chrome finish for that touch of elegance. More importantly, the Sonos Ace is made for comfort. It’s lightweight and feels nearly weightless when worn. The ear cups are made of memory foam wrapped in vegan leather that conforms to the contours of your head.
The design of the Sonos Ace is intentional. The subtle cues like the Sonos logo being only on the right earpiece are intentionally placed to make it so wearing them is effortless. Similarly, the insides of the earcups are coloured differently to signal their orientation subtly.
Interacting with the Sonos Ace is simple and intuitive. For the most part, you’ll be interacting solely with a single, tactile button. This metallic button is located on the right earcup. Pushing it down turn the headphones on, pushing it up or down adjusts the volume and double-pushing pauses and plays your media. There is another button that blends seamlessly into the Sonos Ace’s design. This button is used to control the Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) feature on the Ace. It will also allow you to connect to your Sonos Arc for a personalised theatre experience.
Custom-made for that Signature Sonos Audio
The Ace’s sleek design and slim silhouette are just the tip of the iceberg. Sonos has custom-designed the drivers in the Sonos Ace. These drivers are designed to deliver high-fidelity audio to your earholes. It’s calibrated to deliver live-like audio quality delivering the full range of sounds from the rumbling lows to reverberating highs. Sonos hasn’t shared any information about the technical setup of the headphones.
The Sonos Ace also plays well with your preexisting Sonos setup. The ANC button mentioned earlier allows you to connect to the Sonos Arc with a simple holding of the ANC button down. This feature allows you to have the full theatrical experience of your movie even when the kids are sleeping. This feature also brings next-level immersion with head tracking.
The Ace also comes with Active Noise Cancellation allowing you to tune out the world as you immerse yourself in your favourite albums. It also comes with a pass-through mode (Aware Mode) that allows you to interact with the world around you (should you want to). It comes with 30 hours of use on a single charge. A quick 3-minute charge will get you an additional 3 hours. It also comes with a USB-C cable in the box.
Pricing & Availability
The Sonos Ace will be available in Black and White. It will retail for RM2,299 in Malaysia and USD$449 worldwide.
The Sonos Ace is available for pre-order starting today, 21 May 2024 from the Sonos Concept Store or online via TC Acoustic website in Malaysia and Singapore.
Sony’s WF-1000XM4 that we reviewed last year was, in our opinion, one of the best, if not the best high-end noise cancelling earbuds your money can buy. Sony really knows how to make audio gear and thanks to their knowhow in active noise cancelling (ANC) technologies, you expect nothing less with their high-end noise cancelling audio gears. But that is also a problem in itself made by Sony for themselves. How do you top their best product? While the answer is simply; “make everything better”, it really is not as simple as that.
Of course, while Sony still holds the lead in active noise cancelling headphones, there are players in the industry who are catching up. Apple, for example, introduced their 2nd generation AirPods Pro to a success and with stellar reviews on its aural and noise cancelling performances. Sony cannot just be content with their WF-1000XM4. They do need to push the envelopes a little. They have with the WF-1000XM5.
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Despite being the ‘mark 5’ in the bunch, this is not Sony’s 5th generation ANC earbuds. It is, in fact, their 4th generation high-end earbuds. The earbuds also do not look totally dissimilar with the ‘mark 4’. It is supposedly 25% smaller and 20% lighter than before though. We think that Sony is going for that signature timeless look with their higher-end earphones now, sort of like what they are doing with their Xperia smartphones line-up.
Inside is a completely different earbuds compared to the WF-1000XM4 though. We start with the new driver; they call it the Dynamic Driver X unit. The new Dynamic Driver X is almost similar in size to the previous driver, but is developed specifically for the latest generation WF-1000 earbuds. According to Sony, the driver design offers a combination of materials from the dome to the edge of the diaphragm structure. What this does, according to them, is to reduce distortion on both high-end and low-end frequencies allowing the engineers to pump more power into the driver to produce detailed highs and powerful bass. Of course, they have not forgotten that a balanced audio reproduction requires a balanced and detailed mid-tone too.
Unlike the older WF-1000XM4, the new WF-1000XM5 comes packing two processors. They have a brand-new Noise Cancelling Processor QN2e and Integrated Processor V2. The Integrated Processor V2 now enables the earbuds to process 24-bit audio and offers high-performance noise amplification for super rich audio unlike anything you might have experienced in a pair of wireless earbuds. Of course, you still get Hi-Res support thanks to LDAC and DSEE Extreme. Sony’s highly acclaimed 360 Reality Audio now also comes with head tracking technology that ensures that your sound moves accordingly creating an even higher immersion than ever before.
Source: Sony
Alongside three mics on each earbud, the dedicated noise cancelling processor delivers noise cancelling performance and ambient noise mode even better than you find on the WF-1000XM4. They say that thanks to the three-mic combo, ambient noise can be captured more accurately than before resulting in a much more natural feel of your surroundings. Because noise is picked up much more accurately as well, the noise cancelling algorithm is more precise and therefore works better in noisy environments. You also get Sony’s clever polyurethane foam materials that passively cancels noise in the environment for a better seal in your ears.
Sony also claims that the new WF-1000XM5 offers better call quality than ever before. You still get the beamforming mic that was first introduced in the previous earphones. They have employed cleverer AI algorithms in the new earphones based on Deep Neutral Network (DNN) processing working alongside new bone conduction sensors to accurately pick up your voice. The result should be a more natural sounding, cleaner, and clearer voice at least from your end during a call.
Despite being smaller, the IPX4 water-resistant body of the WF-1000XM5 contains a battery that offers up to 8 hours of continuous listening time on a single charge. Of course, the case carries extra charges for the earbuds for up to 24 hours of listening time. You can also charge the earbuds wirelessly, like its predecessor. Thanks to Multipoint Connect, you can pair the WF-1000XM5 with up to two devices simultaneously, though you might have to sacrifice LDAC capabilities.
Price and Availability
Sony’s WF-1000XM5 will be available in two colour options, just like before. You can get it in black or silver when it is available in August 2023 onward. It will set you back MYR 1,299, which is more expensive than the previous WF-1000XM4 that sold for MYR 1,099 at launch. More on the Sony WF-1000XM5 can be found on their website.
The Sony WF-1000XM4, in our opinions, is one the best, if not the best pair of wireless earphones you can find in the industry currently. It will set you back MYR 1,099. That kind of money offers you the best-in-class noise cancelling action with one of the best sounding wireless earphones you can buy.
MYR 1,099 is still a lot of money. Not everyone has that kind of money to spend or is willing to spend that kind of money for a pair of wireless earbuds. Spending less money most of the time will only get you subpar earbuds experience. That may not be the case with Sony’s latest wireless earbuds though.
Sony’s new WF-C700N was just announced not too long ago will set you back MYR 549, half the WF-1000XM4. It also offers Sony’s clever noise cancelling technology, and you get up to 7.5 hours of battery life in a single charge. The compact case offers another full charge of the earbuds.
What are you giving up for that kind of price though? Is it good enough for your money? Should you get one? We try to answer all of that.
Design
The new WF-C700N is designed differently from Sony’s usual wireless earbuds. Instead of a bulkier case that offers more than a single extra charge on the earbuds, they decided to make it more compact than before. The result is a tiny pill like package that you can easily stow in your pockets without adding too much bulk. The entire thing is even smaller than the Linkbuds S package.
The tiny package means that Sony must compromise on the size of battery they can pack into the case. It still packs a whole charge for the earbuds itself. The earbuds itself is also tinier than ever though, which also explains the more compact case size. How they extract a quoted 7.5 hours out of these earbuds is a wonder even to us.
Still, we like the fact that Sony offers more colour options with their more accessible earbuds. You get to choose between the usual black or white colour options. You also get to choose between Sage Green and Lavender colour options, both rather attractive colours. We got the Lavender one and we have to say that we quite like the soft purple colour with matted texture.
The earbuds themselves are lightweight and are more compact than what we are used to from Sony. It is about the same size as the Sony Linkbuds S we think, but it feels smaller than that. You might not want to wear it in bed though.
To make the earbuds lighter and more compact than before, Sony resorted to physical tactile buttons for the earbuds. Using physical buttons means that it is a little more intuitive to work with and more responsive than touch sensitive buttons. Instead of needing two taps to get it to respond to you, a single click on either earbud registers as a control input. That is also why you do not want to wear it to bed.
Hardware
The WF-C700N packs two tiny 5mm drivers on each side. Both ends also offer IPX4 water resistance ratings just in case you want to go to the gym with them on. There is no wireless charging case to talk about here in the interest of keeping the case as compact as possible.
Specifications
Sony WF-1000XM4
Driver Unit
5mm Closed
Frequency Response
20Hz – 20,000Hz(44.1kHz sampling)
Headphone type
Wireless Earbuds
Battery (Continuous Music Playback)
Unspecified capacity Earbuds only – Max. 7.5 hrs(NC On) / Max. 10 hrs(NC Off) W/ Case – Max 15 hrs (NC On) / Max 20 hrs (NC Off)
Miscellaneous
Bluetooth 5.2 Active Noise Cancelling DSEE IPX4
Features
It is a Sony product, of course it comes with Sony’s clever know-how with noise cancelling technology. But Sony headphones are more than just its noise cancelling. There is DSEE upscaling technology, and of course, they all work with Sony’s clever headphones app.
Noise Cancelling
You do not get the state-of-the-art V1 processor or Sony’s older QN1 processor that you have in the WF-C700N. In fact, Sony never mentioned what kind of processor you find with the little earbuds. Even then, WF-C700N offers superb noise cancelling technology. We think that it is even comparable to Sony’s higher-end offerings from the likes of the WF-1000 series; not the WF-1000XM4, more like the older WF-1000XM3.
The WF-C700N’s noise cancelling offers a decent amount of isolation. There is no disorientating anti-noise that we have noticed on the WF-C700N, which is always a plus. It keeps most loud noises away from your ears, which is a good thing. It deals with sudden noises quite well too, thanks to its clever algorithm. In some cases, where the noise floor is rather high, you will not get complete quietness, you still can hear the outside world but it is at a much more bearable noise floor.
Of course, it comes with ambient noise mode too. It is also controlled by Sony’s Headphones app. Like any other Sony’s noise cancelling gear, its ambient noise control is rather granular on the app. You can choose how much noise gets through and target human voice specifically to pass through the algorithm.
The ambient noise mode is as good as what we get from the WF-1000XM4 or even the WH-1000 series. It feels more natural than anything that Sony had to offer before at this price range. It almost feels like you are not wearing anything in your ears, since the earbuds are so light. The only giveaway is the amplified wind-noise or some scratchiness to the ambient noise mode.
Sony Headphones App
The Sony Headphones app has not changed much for a while. As with our previous headphones review, the app layout and interface has remained pretty much the same as long as we know it. It is not the best-looking interface in the world, nor is it the sleekest feeling interface out there. It is highly functional though.
It offers control over everything you have on the earbuds. Most of the time, we control our noise cancelling and ambient sound mode on the app instead of the physical buttons. We could mess with the EQ too on the app. The app offers you a few EQ presets you might be familiar with if you have used the app before. You can also save your own custom preset for the EQ and store up to two different custom tuning. The app also offers you geolocation-based settings like any of Sony’s modern headphones. You can also control what the buttons on the earbuds do, unfortunately those settings are also pre-set, and you cannot change what each gesture does, which we find rather limiting. It is important to have the app if you want to keep your earbuds firmware updated. You can only update your earphones through the mobile app either on Android or iOS.
DSEE
It is not DSEE Ultimate, so the upscaling engine is not as powerful as what you would find on the Sony WF-1000XM4. Then again, the WF-1000XM4 is twice the price of the WF-C700N. any form of upscaling, if you are listening to Spotify mostly, is still a huge welcome.
If you have yet to understand what DSEE does, you can refer to Sony’s website or our previous reviews of Sony’s headphones. It is basically an intelligent system that fills missing pieces in compressed audio. Obviously, to do that Sony needs to rely on some machine learning algorithm.
We tested mostly with Tidal and Spotify. With Tidal, the upscaling does quite little to elevate the already excellent music experience from Tidal. With Spotify though, you can hear the difference in fidelity when you turn the DSEE on or off. With it off, Spotify runs at business as usual. With DSEE, your music from Spotify somehow sounds more full, more complete. There is a small added satisfaction and joy in listening to better audio, and that is what you get with DSEE on Spotify music. Of course, that applies to other music players that plays MP3 music too, since the upscaling system is embedded in the earbuds itself than your smartphone. You can turn it off or on via the Sony Headphone App too.
Performance
Of course, this being a Sony gear, you can expect it to sound decent at least. We are happy to report that it does sound better than we expected it to be. We also mentioned that we were pleasantly surprised with the noise cancelling performance from the WF-C700N.
Sound Quality
While it does not have the DSEE Ultimate that the WF-1000XM4 packs, DSEE is still a great upscaling technology. That means that you get better than Spotify listening experience anyway. While Sony says DSEE Ultimate offers even better upscaling, from a listening perspective, you can hardly tell the difference between DSEE Ultimate or DSEE if you are not paying attention and if you do not know what you are looking for.
At the lower end frequency, the WF-C700N sounds excellent and powerful enough to give you plenty of details in songs like ‘Blinding Lights’ by The Weeknd. For orchestral performances like ‘Final Fantasy VII Medley’ Video Game Orchestra, the WF-C700N offers detailed enough highs that the music does come alive in your head. We tested the mids with Loren Allred’s ‘Never Enough’ and it sounded quite excellent at that too. We are testing the WF-C700N on Tidal at Master quality, so if you are on Spotify, you might want to dampen your expectations just a little bit. Still, even with Spotify, you get a rather bright audio quality from the WF-C700N without sacrificing too much bass details and qualities. If there is one word to describe the WF-C700N’s sound profile, we would say that it is balanced. You get plenty of dynamic range from the earbuds in whatever listening situation.
Battery Life
Sony quoted 7.5 hours of battery life on the WF-C700N. The capsule that is the charging case is quoted to offer an extra full charge for the earbuds as well. That means a quoted total listening time of 15 hours.
In our tests, we never use the WF-C700N more than an hour or two on average. We did however get to use it for three hours straight at some point in our test. Within that week, we got to use the WF-C700N almost daily with total use in the region of up to 10 hours. In the test, we alternate between ambient noise mode and noise cancelling mode depending on the situation and leave our volume between 20% to 75%.
We never got the ‘low battery’ warning. In that case, we want to believe Sony regarding their 15-hour total battery life claims. You could extend on that 15-hours too by turning off noise cancelling or ambient noise mode while also turning down your volume. We charged the device only once in our two weeks review period.
Unlike the higher-end headphones, the WF-C700N does not have a proximity sensor that pauses your music automatically when you take it off. That could also explain why it is sold for less and offer an extensive battery life. There is also no wireless charging technology here, just a plain USB Type-C port.
The Sony WF-C700N – Not Quite the Baby WF-1000XM4 We Expected, But Better
The Sony WF-C700N will set you back MYR 549, almost exactly half the cost of a Sony WF-1000XM4. On paper, it looks like it is half the product that is the high-end noise cancelling earbuds. When you use it, it does not feel like half the product the WF-1000XM4.
We cannot say that theWF-C700N performs on par as its higher end sibling. It is good though, nearly as good as. We really think it outperforms its asking price.
It offers a well-balanced sound reproduction. Compared to other earbuds at this price range, the Sony earbuds offers a more well-rounded listening experience with clear details at almost every dynamic range. It sounds clean and bassy without sacrificing other frequencies and muddling your music listening experience. Since it is water resistant, you get to use it anywhere too and at any time.
We like the tactile physical button, but there is some caveat to that. Unlike Sony’s WF-1000XM4, you cannot push the earbuds in at the center of the earbud’s body. You want to hold it around the physical button, which does not have a lot of space and leverage to secure your earbuds into your ears. Because it is a physical button, you might not want to wear it to sleep.
We are highly impressed with the build quality despite its weight. It is a Sony product after all, build quality should be at its best here. At the same time, we are also impressed with its battery life. While we might have preferred more charges from the case, we also think that it is a good compromise in packaging size and weight, especially if you have an active lifestyle.
We really like the WF-C700N. At MYR 549, it is an inexpensive pair of wireless earbuds, which is already a bonus. It offers active noise cancelling, while not entirely on par with the WF-1000XM4, it is still decent and good enough thanks to Sony’s know-how in the field. It sounds great, better than most earphones you find in the same price range. It is light, and super compact, more so than Sony’s high-end offerings. It features physical buttons, which may not be to everyone’s liking. For what the Sony WF-C700N is offering though, we think the physical button is quite forgivable.
There are nearly no caveats with the Sony WF-C700N, you get more than what your money is paying for, we can say that for sure. It is worth every penny you spend on it and more if you can get it at a discounted price. Just for those, you should get one if you are looking for a premium piece of audio kit that is relatively inexpensive.
When we reviewed the WH-1000XM4 and later its successor, the WH-1000XM5, we hailed them to be the best Sony offers in terms of premium sound and noise cancelling. The WH-1000XM5 offers the best all-round noise cancelling performance while we think that the WH-1000XM4 offers a slightly better experience in terms of audio quality. Whichever headphone you choose to buy, you are getting some of the best wireless headphones money can buy.
Those high-end headphones will set you back north of MYR 1,500 though. Whichever way you look at it, they are expensive. What if you only have half that money to spend on a new headphone?
You must settle for Sony’s less premium offerings. The new Sony WH-CH720N they just released not too long ago will set you back MYR 649. On paper, it looks like a decent pair of headphones to work with since it has the same noise cancelling chip in the flagship WH-1000XM5.
At less than half the price of its premium brother, the Sony WH-CH720N might look like a compromised product. If you pick it up at the shop, the packaging makes the product feel plenty light, almost weightless. The box is extremely light as well, which does not inspire any form of confidence in its quality.
In that case, is the WH-CH720N even worth MYR 649? Does it sound good? Is it worthy of the premium noise cancelling chip? Is this the headphone for you? The answer to all that (spoiler alert), for us, is a resounding yes. Let us explain.
Design
We think that the WH-CH720N looks like traditional over-ear headphones. There is nothing too outrageous about its shape. We see a lot of sharp finishing and plenty of flat surfaces on the headphone, which we think look a tad boring.
That is not a bad thing though. The headphone hardly stands out, mostly thanks to its matte colour scheme. It comes with a few colour options, but the black is the one we will have. The stealth look will earn you less attention and therefore, less bother.
The headphone’s construction is mostly plastic, quality plastic. There is a metal strut that runs along the headband for added durability. The visible painted mic grilles on each side are also metal. All this results in a high-quality, yet super light headphone construction you would not mind hauling around.
The padding are where they matter. The padding on the ear cups feels supple yet comfortable for extended use cases. There is some padding on the headband too for the inevitable ‘headphone hair’, but nothing else. The materials used for the padding feels like the more premium faux leather material you find on the older WH-1000X headphones.
Instead of touch sensitive pads, you get large physical buttons on the headphone. The tactility, to us at least, is a huge welcome. We think that buttons are more intuitive than gesture controls.
Annoyingly, the WH-CH720N does not fold. The ear cups can swivel to the point that the headphone sits flat on the table, that is the most compact it gets. We prefer it collapsing and folding like the WH-1000XM4. This one does not even come with its own carrying case.
Hardware
On paper also, the WH-CH720N share more similarities with the WH-1000XM5 than we can see. The driver, for example, is sized at 30mm, like the one you find on its high-end brother. We cannot confirm that they are the same drivers though.
Bluetooth 5.2 Active Noise Cancelling DSEE 360 Reality Audio 360 Spatial Sound Beamforming Mics Dolby Atmos
Features
For MYR 649, the WH-CH720N is also rather feature packed. You get noise cancelling, DSEE, a high-end mic technology, and modern connectivity. If you put this beside the WH-1000XM5, you might start to think that maybe the WH-1000XM5 is overpriced.
High-End Noise Cancelling
While most noise cancelling implementations on headphones at this price point are not great, this one is different. Thanks to the clever V1 Integrated Processor, the noise cancelling experience you get from this pair of headphones is like headphones twice its price. The anti-noise can still be heard if you do not have music playing, but it is not annoying nor discomforting.
With noise cancelling on and music playing at 70% volume, you completely tune the world out. The algorithm is great in cancelling loud noises and even sudden noise. Of course, the noise cancelling algorithm is not perfect and there will be noise that escapes the noise cancellation process. That noise has to be very loud and very near you though for it to be noticeable.
Sony Headphones App
If you are a long-time user of Sony headphones, you will be familiar with the app. The app’s interface has not changed too much, a little aged if we have to say. On the other hand, it is familiar and simple to operate once you know where to find everything.
You can control its ambient noise levels, turn on noise cancelling mode, or turn it off completely to save on battery life. There is an equalizer that offers limited customization to the headphone tuning. Of course, it also offers 360 Reality Audio with supported apps. For us, we have Tidal to work with and we are happy to report that the experience is still like what you get on higher-end headphones.
You can get 360 Reality Audio and Dolby Atmos working with a compatible Bravia XR TV too, we do not have a compatible TV to work with. You can also connect the WH-CH720N to two devices simultaneously. You lose LDAC over that too.
You do not get “speak-to-chat” function. You get only DSEE, not DSEE Extreme from the WH-1000XM5. At the same time, because there are no proximity sensors, the headphone does not pause your media when you take your headphone off. The headphone also does not turn off by itself unless you disconnect the headphone from your smartphone.
DSEE
Sony’s DSEE technology is a clever one. In theory, you can get a CD quality audio even from the likes of streaming platforms like Spotify. There are a lot of technicalities behind this that we will not get into in the interest of time and sanity. If you want to know more about how DSEE or any audio upscaling technology works, do let us know and we might feature an editorial about that.
Still, the result is more prominently heard on Spofity music than Tidal. Without getting too much into the sound quality (spoiler alert), DSEE enhances your Spofity music experience to something you might get from Tidal. The differences are there, you hear extra little details from your music that you do not normally get with DSEE off or regular headphones. The differences still can be very subtle for most ears though, so you do want to pay attention.
Beamforming Mic
This is also another feature that is trickled down from the higher end headphones. With the WH-1000XM5, we find that the beamforming mic improved the call quality tremendously over its predecessor. As expected, the dual mic pick-up on the WH-CH720N performed admirably on calls as well.
The other party on the receiving line reported that audio comes through loud and clear. The mic system cleverly cancels out even some of the louder drones in the call environment and reduces the smaller noise. If there are sudden noise coming through, the headphone can still cancel it out a little. The most important aspect of the call, your voice, is picked up beautifully thanks to some clever algorithm built into the headphone. It is a similar technology to the speak-to-chat function where the headphone can recognize your voice, or that you are talking, and picks up only your voice.
Performance
Of course, the most important part of any audio gear is in how it sounds. For a headphone you want to work with and carry around for your travels, comfort is important too. Of course, it also needs to last at least an entire flight duration.
Taking a Call
Because it is a mobile-first device, it is made with video conferencing and even phone calls in mind. We have spoken about the mic performance a little bit in the previous section. In this case, we want to talk about the sound quality you get in the calls.
There is not too much to complain about if you get a stable connection with your smartphone or even laptop. As mentioned, you can even connect to both your smartphone and your laptop simultaneously. The device will cleverly switch to prioritize phone calls and video calls as soon as they come in.
With a stable connection, you get crystal clear calls if the other party uses a decent enough mic to work with. Everything is loud and clear without any muddling. The weight of the headphones alongside enough padding on the ear cups and headband also helps in extra-long calls. The only issue is that in less ideal weather, your ears might sweat a little since you are working with a leather-like material that might get warm.
All-day Comfort
That said, the material is not actually leather. It feels like supple leather, but thanks to Sony’s clever know-how, it also feels somewhat breathable. While it still gets warm, it is not too uncomfortable.
In the case where you use it indoors with controlled temperature, you can have the headphones on for even longer periods at a time. Thanks to its lightweight construction as well, you are not going to feel too much fatigue in your neck. The clamping force is just enough to keep the headphones on your head as well without giving you a headache and stays on even with vigorous head movements.
Sound Quality
We were pleasantly surprised by the WH-CH720N. It is not a looker; it does not look all that premium. It does not even feel all that premium. It does sound good though.
As mentioned, audio is driven by a 30mm unit on each end. We do not think that it is the same carbon fiber driver as the WH-1000XM5. It does not mean that it is an inferior driver though. While it is a smaller driver on average, it still packs a lot of punch.
The low-end frequency is punchy without being overwhelming. It feels even more powerful than the expensive WH-1000XM5, somehow. It also manages to be that punchy but detailed. We listened to some Fusion Jazz from Casiopea and Hard to Say Goodbye by Johnny Stimson on Spotify with good effects and details on the bass without losing higher-end notes. The WH-CH720N delivers mid and high frequencies brilliantly too, giving some needed life to Casiopea’s pieces. We also thoroughly enjoyed songs like Ghost by Alan Walker featuring Au/Ra.
It is a highly enjoyable headphone to use for movies too, especially when you just want to enjoy a good movie during a long flight. Drive to Survive on Netflix sound surreal and we felt like the cars were right next to us. Unfortunately, we do not have a Bravia XR TV to work with, so we cannot fully experience Dolby Atmos and 360 Reality Audio with the TV.
Still, we used it to game as well, wirelessly of course. With Bluetooth 5.2, latency is kept to a minimum. We hardly hear a delay in response times. Because it is noise cancelling, we get a lot more immersion as well without getting distracted by other noise around you, you cannot even hear your mouse clicks.
Battery Life
Sony quoted 35 hours of continuous music playback on a full charge. That is 5 hours longer than the WH-1000XM5. That battery life is also quoted with noise cancelling feature on. Within the two weeks of our test, we only charged the device once – when it first reached our hands, and that is about it. We never really had to charge the device in the two weeks of our typical use. We used it one to two hours at a time but not daily in the two weeks we tested the headphones.
In that case, we can only take Sony’s word for its long battery life. We believe them though, since we have not been able to drain the headphone’s battery within our test period. The charging cable that comes with the headphone is short, which means you might end up using your other existing USB Type-C cables to charge your headphone. You cannot use the headphones while it is being charged too, so you want to keep that in mind. Still, if you run out of battery and you need your headphones still, it comes with an AUX jack and an included AUX cable for you to directly plug your headphones into your smartphone or laptop. Noise cancelling does work in that mode, but you still need to turn it on.
The Sony WH-720N – The Better Value
This pair of headphones will set you back MYR 649, which is not a small amount of money if you are thinking of a budget set-up. Obviously, if you compare it to its more premium brother, it seems like a more budget conscious choice. You can get other wireless headphones in the market for way less than MYR 500 even.
What you do not get from other cheaper headphones in the market though is top-notch noise cancelling technology. Sony is one of the best in the business, if not the best. They fitted their best noise cancelling processor into this pair of headphones, which should be an indication of the kind of experience you can expect from the WH-CH720N.
You also get one of the longest lasting wireless headphones in terms of battery life. The quoted 35-hour battery life is with noise cancelling mode on. Turning noise cancelling off extends its battery life, but why would you first place?
Above all, you get great sound quality that we think is beyond its asking price. The sound stage offered by the headphones is wide and detailed. This pair of headphones offer punchy bass and details everywhere on the headphone’s range.
The WH-CH720N does not look like much for MYR 649. We appreciate that its packaging is simple and made from recycled materials, but it is not packaging is worth MYR 649, we think. We would have appreciated a soft case you might be able to use as a carrying pouch. Instead, it is wrapped in a rather large piece of what feels like cheese cloth, which will end up in the trash as well unfortunately.
The thing is this is a headphone we would recommend. It is not the cheapest headphone out there, but it is good value, given its capabilities. The cheap-ish packaging is hardly a deal breaker. You want a pair of headphones that sound great, this fits that bill. It is a comfortable pair of headphone that is excellent at cancelling noise, as good as headphones twice its price. Because of all of that, we like this pair of headphones a lot. If it is our money, we would buy it.
Sony’s WH-1000XM5 is one of the benchmarks in the world of mainstream wireless headphones. We regarded it as one of the best options for headphones of its type. It will set you back MYR 1,500 and above though, depending on when you get your hands on the device. In any case, it is not a budget friendly type of device to own. Then again, it is not made to be budget friendly. It is made with the word ‘premium’ in mind, and it shows in a lot of ways.
Still, what if you do not have MYR 1,500 to spend on a headphone? You might have to settle for something that is less powerful than the WH-1000XM5. You might have to compromise on build quality, and even size. With Sony’s latest WH-CH720N and WH-CH520, you might not have to.
Sony WH-CH520
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
This one is not an over-ear headphone like the Sony WH-1000XM5 or even its brother, the WH-CH720N (which we will talk about later). It is a smaller form factor on-ear headphone that is designed to be the perfect run-around listening tool to fit in your bags. It is designed to be a long-lasting all-round headphone for your daily usage.
The WH-CH520 offers up to 50 hours (music only) in battery life, that is 20 more than the WH-1000XM5, 15 more than the WH-CH720N, and 15 more than its predecessor, the WH-CH510. That also means that you might not need to get it to a USB port in a week, depending on how you use your headphones. Impressive, considering the compact design of the headphone.
Thanks to its mostly plastic construction, it weighs only 147g. That means that adding it into your bag does not add that much weight into your out-of-office or home set up. That also means that your neck and head bears less weight, and with that you might be able to work with the headphones for much longer.
Within the headphone is a 30mm closed unit driver. Alongside the large drivers is a plain microphone for calls and video conferencing if you connect it to your PC. Sadly, you will not find a 3.5mm AUX jack on the WH-CH520 headphone, which also means that you are out of luck when your battery goes flat.
You do get Bluetooth 5.2 connection on the device though, which ensures better stability and low latency connections with your Bluetooth devices. Android’s Fast Pair feature also ensures that you only need to turn on your headphone to quickly get it paired and connected to your devices with as little fuss as possible. There is also Swift Pair for Windows laptops or tablets. Of course, everything about the headphone can be controlled via the Sony Headphone app from your smartphone. If not, there are proper buttons on the earcups for that proper tactile feel. You can control the headphone or music via Voice too if you want with either Google Assistant or Siri.
As with Sony’s latest audio gears, you get 360 reality audio as a standard feature. You get to experience the feature with Tidal and if you connect the headphones with a compatible Bravia XR TV. If you do connect it to your Bravia XR TV, you even get to enjoy Dolby Atmos audio. You get DSEE, not DSEE Extreme upscaling technology. DSEE is still great for upscaling your Spotify music adding all the little details your music might lose in compression.
Sony WH-CH720N
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
Source: Sony
If you prefer a larger headphone to cover your ears, the WH-CH720N should fit the bill. Like its predecessor, the WH-CH720N is also a noise cancelling headphone. Unlike the previous headphone though, it is cheaper and features a flagship class noise cancelling technology.
The WH-CH720N comes with the same V1 Integrated Processor for noise cancelling that the WH-1000XM5 packs. It is regarded as the best noise cancelling technology to date, so if that is the only thing you care about in your headphones, it is money well spent here. But that also means that you are getting a much better noise cancelling experience than the older WH-CH710N with even better wind noise reduction algorithms when you are outdoors. Thanks to the better processor, ambient noise is also better than ever with the Sony WH-CH720N. The noise cancelling/ambient noise feature can also be set automatically depending on your geolocation via the app.
Within the large earcups are closed 30mm dynamic drivers on each end. The battery pack offers up to 50 hours of battery life if you turn off Noise Cancelling. Of course, you are not going to do that, you get 35 hours of battery life with Noise Cancelling, five more than its premium cousin, the WH-1000XM5. If you run out of battery though, you can still use it with an included 3.5mm AUX jack.
Unlike the premium WH-1000XM5, the WH-CH720N does not come with gesture or touch control. It has physical buttons instead, which we kind of like better than gesture controls. That also means that the headphones, while packing a few mics for better noise cancellation, does not pack a proximity sensor that pauses your songs when you take the headphones off your ears.
You get DSEE still on the WH-CH720N, which adds lost details on compressed audio including Spotify. You might want to get a Tidal subscription though to get into Sony’s 360 Reality Audio. If you have a Sony Bravia XR TV, you even get the full Dolby Atmos experience with the headphones complete with surround sound. For calls, you get the same Beamforming microphones as the WH-1000XM5, which should mean that you get crystal clear voice in all sorts of environments.
While it is not made of premium materials like the WH-1000XM5, the WH-CH720N is not what you call cheap in terms of build quality. There are a lot of plastics, true, but there is a metal piece that holds the headband together with its sliding mechanism. The faux leather earcups is also designed with all-day comfort in mind. It is also Sony’s lightest over-ear headphone in ever at 192g. That also means that you can wear the headphones all day and not feel fatigued.
Price and Availability
The WH-CH520 is available in four attractive colours – Blue, Cream, White, and Black. It will retail at MYR 229, reasonably affordable for what it offers. We think that it will be perfect for those looking to travel light and is looking for a compact audio set-up to go anywhere.
The WH-CH720N is a little more premium at MYR 649. It is MYR 50 less than its predecessor though. It also features flagship level noise cancelling and better mics all around. You can get it in Blue, White, or Black colour options. This one is for the budget conscious audiophiles that appreciates good noise cancelling, we think. More about the new Sony Headphones can be found on their website.
When Sony announced and released the WH-1000XM4, or the fourth generation of their most premium noise-cancelling headphones, we were excited about it. It featured the same design as before, nothing wrong with the folding design, it is perfect for travelling. It is a more comfortable headphone to work with. Thanks to the improved processor, noise cancellation is better than ever, and sound quality improved. We liked the WH-1000XM4.
Then there is their fifth-generation premium noise cancelling headphones. The architecture of the headphone has changed alongside new materials. There is a new driver, which is lighter and smaller than before. There are now two processors within the headset, one more than before. All this should make Sony WH-1000XM5 the best noise cancelling headphones money can buy today.
Is it though? Is it worth MYR 1,799? Should you buy the older one instead? We find out.
Design
The new WH-1000X flagship headphone looks different from before. There is no more folding the headphone to fit a more pocketable case or shape. The adjustable headband is now smooth and quiet. It is slimmer now than before, which is good. They also made it longer to relief some clamping pressure.
The ear cups are also larger than before. They say there are eight mics on the headphone, four on each ear cup. We could identify six of them by a quick visual inspection. We suspect the other mics are inside the ear cups.
The WH-1000XM5 feels like a much larger headphone compared to its predecessor. The larger ear cups wrap your ears and seals them better. Strangely, it is lighter than before.
The carrying case is also larger now. Inspired by Japanese origami, it can be folded flat for storage. It is oddly shaped, like a flattened bell. We think that the older headphone package is easier to pack since it takes up less space in your bag compared to the new one.
Because there is more space in the case, packing the cables and airplane adapter is rather simple. You can simply put everything in the magnetically sealed compartment within the case.
The Most Comfortable WH-1000X Headphone Ever
There is a benefit to its size. Since it weighs no more than the older headphone, and with less clamping force, you can wear it for longer periods of time. They say that they used more composite materials to make it even lighter than before.
The cushions on the ear cups are a little thicker than before, but somehow airier too. The larger ear cups also mean better passive noise cancelling. Of course, you might want to think about using it indoors where there is active cooling.
Hardware
While the overall size of the headphones is larger, the drivers are smaller than before. The driver in each cup is now 30mm, 10mm smaller than before. It is made with carbon fiber composite to ensure they still offer powerful bass.
Bluetooth 5.2 Active Noise Cancelling DSEE Extreme Beamforming Mic Adaptive Sound 360 Reality Audio 360 Spatial Sound Dolby Atmos Multipoint Connection Speak-to-chat
Features
Sony spares no expense at equipping their flagship noise cancelling headphones with even more features this time. These features can prove useful in a lot of situations too.
Two Devices, One Headphone
There is a caveat, as per warned by the Sony Headphones app when turn on multipoint Bluetooth connection. Choosing to connect your headphone to two devices at once voids LDAC support, but you can still prioritize sound quality. You also might not be able to tell the difference unless you concentrate hard
Speak-to-Chat
On the WH-1000XM5, activation delay is much better than before. You get a little ping to tell you that it has detected your voice and cut the music. The headphone goes into ambient mode almost immediately when you start a conversation. Once it activates, it will stay on for 15 seconds by default.
Via the app as well you can change how sensitive the algorithm works according to how it works for you. You can extend it to 30 seconds, indefinitely, or reduce it to 5 seconds. We find that 15 seconds and normal sensitivity on the function is good enough for our use case in most cases.
Touch Control and Quick Control
Like before, the right side is where all the touch sensitive controls are. Your music controls start with a double tap to pause or play music, then swiping left (forward) or right (backward) to go back and forth between your favourite songs. To control volumes, you swipe up and down. A double finger tap-and-hold switches the Speak-to-Chat function on or off. A single button tap-and-hold brings you to voice assistant of your choice via the Headphones App. Every input comes with a ping so you know the headphone registers them. There is an additional Noise Cancelling Ambient button that can also be programmed to respond to double or triple taps that you can set up yourself via the app.
To quickly get into Ambient Noise mode temporarily without speaking, you simply place your palm over the right ear cup for a quick conversation. If not, just take off your headphone to pause the music. Once you put it back on, your music starts again.
Sony Headphone App
We always maintained that the Sony Headphone App is one of the best control apps for wireless headphones. The interface is still familiar to any users of Sony Headphones. For the WH-1000XM5, there is now a “Services” tab that allows the headphone to connect to a variety of apps and add certain functionality for the app. For now, that service is limited to quickly launch Spotify.
The app is also how you update your headphone. Once the headphone gets connected and app launches, the firmware gets updated. You can also choose not to update your headphone immediately.
Geotagging
Through your smartphone, the headphone detects your location and sets its Noise Cancelling/Ambient Noise levels to your preference, turns speak-to-chat on or off, and even changes its equalizer to your liking in different geotagged areas. Via the app you can add locations and set up your headphone however you like in all your saved locations.
Fast Pair but No NFC – Wait What? Why?
We love that new Bluetooth devices now come with Fast Pair and Quick Connect. We only need to turn the headphone on and our Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra picks it up immediately and prompts the pairing sequence. Everything was done within a few seconds, and we can use it immediately after. To tailor our experience, we took a few extra minutes fiddling through the Headphones app. No NFC to be found on the headphone though, bummer.
You Might Want to Keep it Dry
The WH-1000XM5 does not come with any IP rating or any assurance from Sony that it is water resistant. In that case, you might want to refrain from getting it too wet in any situations. We think that the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphone is mostly made to be used in the likes of airports and malls or even at home.
Performance
While improvements are made everywhere else, the most important part of a headphone is how it sounds.
Picking up the Phone
The WH-1000XM5 offers crisp and clean voice in calls. At the same time, because there are more mics than ever now and thanks to Sony’s clever voice pick up technology, we are reported to sound better than ever in calls.
Sound Quality
As expected from Sony, the maker of some of the best audio gears in the industry, the WH-1000XM5 is still one of the best sounding headphones in its class. The bass response is deep on the WH-1000XM5. The low-frequencies pack a lot of details and punch, but it also feels like the mid-range and high-end frequencies are slightly muddled compared to its predecessor. You still get clean high-end frequencies and detailed mid-range tones, albeit a little on the warm side.
Thing is, we still prefer the audio reproduction on the WH-1000XM4 over this pair. The WH-1000XM4 somehow sounds a little more balanced and just a tad cleaner. Again, this is something you’d only pick up if you pay enough attention.
Noise Cancelling with Two Processors
Instead of just using one QN1 processor to handle both audio and noise cancelling work, the new headphone features two processors. You get the QN1, and you also get a V1 integrated processor from the WF-1000XM4 earbuds.
The WH-1000XM5 has something they call Auto NC optimizer that is supposed to adapt the noise cancelling algorithm to suite your environments better. They also say that the new algorithm and added microphones are supposed to cancel mid and high-frequency sounds better than ever.
With eight mics for working together with the processors, you get arguably the best noise cancelling experience from a Sony headphone. The WH-1000XM5 seems to filter noise a little better than before all-around. Even in a crowded café, putting on the headphone is like transporting yourself into a different place. You still hear some noise, but it is a lot less. Even the coffee machine is less intrusive.
Ambient Noise mode
One of the biggest improvements on the WH-1000XM5, we think, is its ambient noise mode. We find that extremely useful even on the previous headphones when someone is trying to get your attention to have a quick conversation with you. It responds much faster and accurately now.
You can turn it on by pressing the NC mode button also on the right earcup or cover it with your palm. That button can also turn of your Noise Cancelling/Ambient Noise functions completely. If you turned your Speak-to-Chat function on, it turns on the moment it detects your voice.
Ambient noise mode on the WH-1000XM5 does not sound natural. But it is closer than ever, we think. Having conversations with the headphone on feels more natural than before and voices are picked up a little better, if you prioritize voice.
Out and about, having the ambient noise mode on is important to at ensure spatial awareness. We recommend having ambient noise mode on in the public for your own safety. Of course, in the airports or train stations, you want to be able to hear announcements with ambient noise mode.
DSEE Extreme
DSEE Extreme is simply audio upscaling technology that upscales regular audio from the likes of Spotify. It turns your regular Spotify quality to CD quality by filling details due to compressions.
The result, if you pay attention, is quite a significant boost in details in your music. There are plenty of added details in music you listen to, very comparable to what you are get from CDs if you can remember. You get a better result if you are working with Spotify, though Tidal and Deezer offers better audio experiences.
360 Reality Audio
The only way to really experience 360 Reality Audio without spending a fortune on a Sony Bravia XR TV is to get a subscription to Tidal. We do not own a Bravia XR TV. In that case, we have to put a disclaimer here that our 360 Reality Audio experience will not be representative to what you get from a Sony Bravia XR TV.
On Tidal, 360 Reality Audio works only on songs that are produced specifically with 360 Reality Audio in mind. You want to keep in mind that 360 Reality Audio is not Spatial Audio. It is a music-first proprietary technology that supports up to 64 audio channels aimed to put you in the middle of a concert hall or recording studio.
Listening to audio with 360 Reality Audio changes your music listening experience. Most of the time, you really feel like you are listening to music being recorded right in the middle of the studio with instruments and singers all around you. We recommend you listening to Alicia Keys’ “3 Hour Drive” featuring Sampha and compare it to the regular “Master” version.
Battery Life Champ
To be fair, there is nothing to shout about here. It still features the same battery life as before at 30 hours of music playback time despite working with two processors. If you want to use it for calls, it can for up to 24 hours, and you are not going to be on the phone for 24 hours at a time.
We have never used it beyond 20 hours without charging the headphones, so we will not be able to fully confirm its 30 hours battery life. But it does about 20 to 24 hours with little to no issue, and we take Sony’s word for it. We used the headphone mainly for music and connected to a single source, our smartphone with about 70% volume and Noise Cancelling all at all times.
The Sony WH-1000XM5 – Something is Missing
The WH-1000XM5 looks like a completely different product compared to its predecessors. We assure you that it is not though. It is still very much a Sony product; it feels like a quality product built to last. Instead of poorer build quality, the weight savings are obtained through new material sciences and innovative technologies.
There are a few things we feel that makes the WH-1000XM5 a small step back compared to the Sony-WH-1000XM4. The audio quality took a slight hit due to the smaller drivers. The WH-1000XM5 cannot be folded to be as compact as before, which is rather annoying since the package is rather bulky. It is also MYR 200 more than the previous headphones at MYR 1,799.
There are still a lot of positives on the WH-1000XM5. The headphone is more comfortable than before with a near perfect clamping force, allowing extended use cases. The lightweight construction also means that there is less strain to your neck too. The noise cancelling is better, and voice is picked up better, especially when you need to make calls. Functions like Speak-to-Chat also respond more accurately than before, which makes it a lot more intuitive.
It is hard to justify a purchase decision for this one. In terms of noise-cancelling capabilities, this is the best you can get your hands on currently, only marginally. With ANC, its predecessor sounds slightly more balanced too, albeit with a slightly less punchy bass. If sound quality is your focus, there are better sounding headphones too.
We think that the MYR 1,799 price tag is steep for the entire package. You are paying for some new interesting innovations on the headphone though. In our opinions, the slightly better sounding WH-1000XM4 is now a bargain. Sony’s headphones go on sale all the time too, so you can get your hands on Sony’s headphones for less than its retail price tag.
Is it worth replacing your WH-1000XM4 with this one? We do not think so. Although it is an upgrade everywhere, you also take minor hits in key areas. The trade-off is not enough to justify an upgrade from the already stellar WH-1000XM4. If you come from even older platforms, it is worth the upgrade.
Samsung’s Galaxy Buds series has become one of the most iconic earbuds available on the market. It’s become a must-have accessory for any Samsung owner. We’ve even given the earbuds an award or two since it was introduced. They’re playful, sporty and – at times – unique.
However, that gives the new Galaxy Buds2 Pro an even bigger legacy to live up to. With a new, updated take on a must-have audio accessory, the latest edition to the Galaxy Buds lineup is looking to up the ante with better features, higher-quality audio and a more ergonomic design.
So, the big question is – does it live up to its legacy? Did it up the ante enough to earn a spot in your pocket and bag? We’re taking a deep dive to find out the answers to these questions and more.
Design
Samsung has committed to the design of its case since it introduced the Galaxy Buds Live. I have no complaints when it comes to this though. The standardised casing design has made it possible to use older accessories or get fun new ones for the cases. The simplicity of the design of the casing is also one of the highlights for me as it’s compact and easy to deal with when it comes to travelling.
Casing aside, the Galaxy Buds2 Pro comes with significant changes in the earbuds’ design. Yes – I said significantly. It may not seem like it when you look at them, but the small changes that Samsung has made to the earbuds affect how they fit, the noise cancellation quality and even the comfort of the earbuds over long periods.
The first and most obvious change is with the breadth of the wings of the earbuds. The Galaxy Buds2 Pro come with a wider wing or body which allows it to fit snugly in the ear canal and the ear itself. The larger, more snug fit helps it stay in the ear more securely. It wasn’t even moving when I was using it in the gym. Running on the treadmill and even lifting weights didn’t cause them to fall out. This is astounding considering that Samsung has made the Buds2 Pro 15% smaller than the Bud Pro.
While it may seem like there are some insignificant changes in the design itself, these changes have also affected the performance of features like noise-cancelling and ergonomics. In addition to being more fitted, the new wings are also one of the changes that contribute to better ergonomics. The Buds2 Pro is, somehow, more comfortable to wear over long periods. This wasn’t just true for me, I had a few friends, and my siblings try them as well – all said the same, it’s comfortable and feels very natural to wear. Even while wearing a face mask there was little fatigue and aching.
With Quick Connect, connectivity on the Galaxy Buds2 Pro has been significantly simplified. Simply opening the case will cause the connection prompt to appear on devices which support the protocol. Yes, this does include PCs and laptops. However, if they don’t support the protocol, it’s a simple task of touching both earbuds and holding them for about 5 seconds. Then it’ll jump into pairing mode. The problem with this method of pairing is that it’s so discreet in letting you know it’s ready to pair. There’s no blue LED or physical indication aside from it appearing on the list of available Bluetooth devices; the only indication you will have is an audio prompt if you have them in your ear while pairing.
Galaxy Wearables App
Aside from the audio features of the Galaxy Buds2 Pro, you will be prompted to get the Galaxy Wearable app from the Play Store – if you don’t already have it. The app gives you more granular access to features like noise cancelling, 360 Audio and more via the app dashboard. Samsung has also released a similar app on the Microsoft Store for Windows specifically for the Buds lineup. It mirrors nearly completely the options you have with the Galaxy Wearables app.
With the two apps, you have a visual representation of your controls when you use the touch sensors on the earbuds. However, some of the newer features like high-fidelity codecs aren’t reflected in the app. Instead, you will have to trust your ears as you use them with Samsung products.
SmartThings Find
When it comes to finding a misplaced earbud, Samsung has made it even easier with the Galaxy Buds2 Pro. They’ve even enabled it on each bud. This feature alone is enough to convince me to buy the Buds2 Pro.
However, Samsung’s SmartThings app needs a little update to be more intuitive when it comes to locating the buds. The SmartThings Find interface makes it so that if you have more than one device in a location they’re all stacked on each other which also means that you’ll be hard-pressed to tap on the locate button if your Buds and smartphone and tablet are in the same place. This is exacerbated by the fact that for the Buds2 Pro, each of the buds and the case is detected as its device unless they’re in the case. So even with just a phone and the buds, you’ll see up to 4 devices stacked. If and when Samsung addresses this issue, it will possibly be a must-have for any Galaxy User hands down.
Performance
Samsung’s Galaxy Buds devices have ever been a good choice when it comes to earbuds. In fact, we’ve given them a few awards before thanks to their affordability and features. That seems to be the case even with the new Buds2 Pro. Samsung has made small but meaningful improvements that elevate the user experience.
Sound Quality
The Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro comes with some improvements when it comes to sound quality overall. However, the bulk of the improvements overall depends on the new Samsung Seamless Codec (SSC) Hi-Fi Codec. The new codec enables up to 24-bit Hi-Fi sound to be wirelessly streamed to the earbuds via Bluetooth. That said, the SSC Hi-Fi codec is only available to Samsung devices running OneUI 4.0 and above and the bit depth of audio will be app dependent.
Knowing this, we first tested the Buds2 Pro with the Galaxy Flip4. The sound quality overall was good with the Flip4. Using apps like TIDAL with Master quality delivered pretty deep, full sounds with a full soundstage. The audio was crisp with adequate highs, robust mids and deep lows. However, if you’re using the Buds2 Pro out of the box, you’ll be using the calibration directly from Harman Kardon, which tends to favour full mids and deeper lows. The sound quality remained the same even after 48 hours of use – usually referred to as the “burn-in” period. For audiophiles, sound quality can be very subjective to the type of soundstage you’re looking for. To me, the sound from these earbuds was pretty decent, but not the depth or breadth that I enjoyed fully.
After testing it with a Samsung device, we tested it with one of the other smartphones I was reviewing at the time – one that wasn’t a Samsung. There wasn’t a substantial difference in the sound quality. However, there was a slight difference that I would think only audiophiles who are looking for it will appreciate. While the bit-depth is lower, the sound was still crisp, clear and full. Connectivity with non-Samsung devices is also not impacted.
360 Audio
Samsung’s approach to 360 Audio is also much improved with the Buds2 Pro. Moving from stereo to 5.1 channel and 7.1channel vastly changes the experience. With the previous buds, the 360 audio wasn’t immersive. It was very janky in that the experience was tied to the position of the phone instead of how the sound was recorded. However, with the Buds2 Pro, that wasn’t so much the case. Listening to 360 Audio tracks on TIDAL was very different and even with YouTube videos, the sound was more immersive. The sound wasn’t so much tied to the phone as it was the position of the sound being recorded. Listening to concert recordings in 360 audio on TIDAL was like you were in the middle of the action. However, with the limited support for the experience, there wasn’t much to use 360 Audio with.
Advanced Intelligent Noise Cancellation
The noise cancellation of the Galaxy Buds2 Pro has been significantly improved thanks to the updated design and improved noise cancellation thanks to an updated algorithm. The updated design of the Buds2 Pro provides a better seal when it comes to noise cancellation. The larger, more ergonomic fit also mechanically blocks out ambient noise. It does such a good job of it that you don’t hear much even without noise cancellation turned on. Samsung could have gone the extra mile to provide foam tips in the box to give even better noise isolation.
However, you just have to kick on ANC (active noise cancellation) and you’re nearly completely isolated auditorily. I was astounded by the performance. I’ve only had this experience with Sony’s category-leading WF-1000XM4 so far – and that’s with the foam tips! Samsung’s impressive updates to the algorithm and noise-cancelling mics have created a commendable experience when it comes to noise cancellation. Their inner and outer mics work in tandem with the windshield vent to create one of the most comfortable ANC experiences. Being someone who easily gets headaches with changes in auditory pressure, the Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro is one of the only pairs where I have not had this issue. I could wear these for hours with ANC and not have an issue.
Voice Detect
With the Buds2 Pro, Samsung also introduced Voice Detect as part of their Advanced Intelligent ANC. This feature tunes down the music and turns on ambient sound with voice amplification when it detects you speaking. It does this by using the inner mic to detect any aural changes or reverberations. Simply put, the inner mic detects if there is any change in the sound indicative of you speaking. It does this pretty well, and as a plus, it doesn’t pause or stop the music you’re listening to. Instead, it just turns in down to be in the background.
One of the more irritating things that did occur with this feature is that it would detect me clearing my throat or sighing as me talking. This also occurred when I was brushing my teeth. Thankfully, a simple long touch on the buds kicked back to normal. It also seems to be learning from previous instances as it didn’t kick into passthrough mode as much when I was brushing after the first 3 times.
Seamless Connectivity & Multidevice Usage
One of the main features that Samsung is banking on with the Galaxy Buds2 is the seamless connectivity that allows you to jump between devices. It is capable of doing this. However, it’s not that seamless it comes to non-Samsung devices. For instance, if I’m watching Netflix on my Galaxy Tab A8 and a call comes in on my S22+, I’ll get a notification and can jump over to the S22+. This allows me to answer the call on my Tab A8 with a simple touch or by touching the Buds themselves which is a big convenience. The same experience doesn’t happen when I’m working on my ASUS laptop. While it does still work to jump between the connections, it has to be done by pulling up the Bluetooth settings and connecting to it manually. If Samsung would work more seamlessly with Windows, it would be a big plus.
Playtime & Battery Life
Samsung touts 5-hours of playback with ANC activated on the Buds2 Pro. During our review time with the Buds2 Pro, we got about 4.5 hours on average. That was when it came to zoning out and writing in front of my laptops. However, on daily commutes and the like, it’s highly doubtful that you will be getting anywhere near the 5 hours promised in one session. That said, the buds do charge pretty fast in the case. I got to about 60% charge in about 20 minutes of charging. That said, the cases do provide an additional 18 hours of battery life according to Samsung. However, we were nowhere close to hitting this in our time with the buds. Most of the time, the buds ended up on our wireless charging pads when it wasn’t on the go.
An Almost Perfect User Experience for Galaxy Users Only Hindered by the Incessant need for Exclusivity & Software That Feels Like A Work-in-progress
Samsung continues to take important steps to improve its offering when it comes to the Galaxy Buds2 Pro. Being a Galaxy ecosystem device, it is not surprising that Samsung has opted to make features like High-Quality Audio exclusive to Samsung flagships. That said, Samsung is taking strides to make sure that the Buds2 Pro remains intact on non-Samsung devices including Apple products. The user experience remains mostly uncompromised with great noise cancelling thanks to the upgraded microphones and better seal. Even with the slightly lower-quality audio, it doesn’t leave you wanting more on the audio side of things unless you’re an audiophile. Even with the misgivings of the SmartThings Find app, it still remains one of the top earbuds out in the market right now.
All in all, the Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro is one of the best options for earbuds available in the market particularly when it comes to the sub MYR1,000 price point at MYR899. With the updated ergonomic design, better noise cancelling, speech detection and better audio quality the Buds2 Pro has become the most compelling piece of the mobile audio hardware in Samsung’s audio portfolio. If you’re looking for a good pair of earbuds you’re probably looking in the right space. However, audiophiles may be better off looking elsewhere for better audio quality and breadth.
All truly wireless (TWS) earbuds in the market today have a common problem. Most, if not all, are not made for gaming in mind. Razer is a little different though. Everything they do and have done so far has all about the gaming lifestyle. Even when their introduced their highly portable Razer Hammerhead BT, they still maintained that it is a wireless earphone made for gaming. Of course, when the world of TWS earbuds blow up, they had to jump on board, and make their own, also for gaming. Now there is a new one.
They call it the Razer Hammerhead Hyperspeed, and it looks rather familiar. To be fair, the general design of a TWS today has pretty much saturated into ones with stems and ones without. This one comes with a stem a la Apple AirPods. In fact, it shares a lot of design cues from the Cupertino outfit. Even the case, in its PlayStation colours guise, looks strikingly similar to the Apple AirPods Pro’s case save for the officially licensed PlayStation Logo. The Xbox variant is basically just a blacked-out variant of the Razer Hammerhead Hyperspeed.
Source: Razer
The similarities end there though. The ear tips are designed differently, shaped differently. That might not matter all that much, but it is designed in such a way to also fit Razer’s very famous Chroma RGB LED at the back of the earbuds lighting up the three-headed snake logo synonymous to the gaming lifestyle maker.
The Hyperspeed technology is Razer’s innovation to wireless technology to reduce latency and therefore response times in wireless situations. In the Razer Hammerhead Hyperspeed, it comes with a 2.4GHz wireless connection option via a USB Type-C dongle. Via the dongle, connected to either your PC or gaming console, you are getting lowest in class latency for your audio, very comparable to the experience of a wired headphone. The lower latency also allows you to react to conditions and situations closer to real time, increasing your competitiveness. For your mobile gaming purposes, it packs the latest Bluetooth 5.2 for improved stability, higher fidelity, and lower latency.
Source: Razer
To keep you focused and competitive in your game, you want as little distraction as possible in your gaming sessions. For that, you want noise cancellation. The Razer Hammerhead Hyperspeed packs not just one microphone for noise cancelling, it comes with two. Why is this significant? A single mic picks up only so much noise and pumps anti-noise according to that limited information. Two mics allow the device to pick up more details from its environment and compensates those noise more accurately and accordingly to allow for better noise cancelling all-around.
This is made for the gamers who are constantly on-the-go. Its 10mm driver should be powerful enough for you to also enjoy music at any given time in the outside world. To keep you entertained even on a long flight, the Razer Hammerhead Hyperspeed packs up to 30 hours of battery life, provided you turn off Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) and the RGB. Leave both on and you still get up to 20 hours of battery life.
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
Source: Razer
The Razer Hammerhead Hyperspeed comes in PlayStation and Xbox Licensed variants. The PlayStation Licensed variant is white in colour to match the PS5 visuals. The Xbox Licensed variant, on the other hand, comes in black and lime green colour scheme to match the Xbox Series X colour scheme. Both devices come with a colour matching USB Type-C dongle you can plug into your PC or console. The latest Razer TWS earbuds will be available November 2022 onward with a starting price of US$ 149.99 (MYR*). More information on the Razer Hammerhead Hyperspeed can be found on Razer’s website.
Samsung is renewing its Galaxy Buds series with a new Pro version. The new Galaxy Buds2 Pro replaces the previous Galaxy Buds Pro as their top-of-the-line offering. It brings improved features and ergonomics.
The new Galaxy Buds2 Pro are slightly smaller and lighter. The Buds are 15% smaller than their predecessors. These design changes were done to make the Buds fit more securely and more comfortably when worn. They are more sustainable than ever before. Over 90% of the materials used in making the new Buds2 Pro are from recycled materials.
Together with the increased sustainability comes a whole host of new and improved features. The highlight of which is an increased fidelity in the audio streamed from your phones. The Galaxy Buds2 Pro comes with compatibility for Hi-Fi 24bit Audio. The higher audio fidelity comes with increased quality and clarity. Using Samsung’s new Seamless codec (SSC Hi-Fi), music streaming from your Galaxy device is more seamless than ever.
The Buds2 Pro continue to come with Intelligent Ambient Noise Cancellation (ANC) which allows users to drown out the world around them. However, if you need to speak, it pushes down the volume and allows you to hear what you’re saying. The custom coaxial 2 way speakers of the Buds2 Pro also give better audio quality with 360 Audio.
The Buds2 Pro also have improved connectivity with compatibility with SmartThings. You will be able to find your buds regardless of whether they are in their casing. In addition, the Buds2 Pro comes with compatibility with Samsung TVs allowing you to have a private viewing session. It will also be able to seamlessly switch between devices. Got a call coming in? The Buds2 Pro will automatically change to your smartphone to answer.
Pricing & Availability
The Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro will be available in Graphite, White and Bora Purple. It will retail for MYR899.
Wireless earphones are all the rage these days. We do not think it is the first time we start an article with that. We doubt it will be the last time too.
It is a true statement though. Most smartphone owners today will, at some point, have owned a wireless audio solution. Most of them will have at least experienced truly wireless (TWS) headsets at least once by now. Most of them will succumb to the convenience of one and own at least one in their lifetime.
There are also reasons why plenty of high-end audio gear manufacturers avoid offering TWS type headsets though. One of which is the fact that there will be some compromises with audio quality. Latency can also be an issue with TWS type headphones.
Still, manufacturers can no longer ignore the appeal of one. beyerdynamic finally gave into that pressure as well. Welcome to the Free BYRD. Yes, it comes with a few tricks from Beyerdynamic that is meant to elevate the TWS headset experience.
The beyerdynamic Free BYRD is their first TWS type audio gear, which is why they are pulling all the stops to make this as good as they can make it. It packs a 10mm driver, which is rather large considering that even the likes of Sony have reduced their driver sizes to about 6mm with the new WH-1000XM4. A larger driver has its advantages though. Because it is bigger than the regular drivers found in similar devices, it can push more air and drive more air pressure into your ears for punchier and more detailed bass notes.
The Free BYRD also features the latest aptX adaptive codec alongside AAC support. These codecs should work together with the 10mm drivers to produce sounds as they are intended and probably even better. beyerdynamic also introduces something they call MOSAYC. It is what they call “Attention to Detail with Mimi Sound Personalisation” to really elevate your listening experience. It automatically tunes the drivers to the listeners ears to create a more optimised listening profile. In that case, no two Free BYRD should sound completely the same. To customize the listening experience even more, there is the equalizer within the proprietary MIY app on Android and iOS.
Source: beyerdynamic
Of course, there is active noise cancelling (ANC) baked into the TWS earbuds. The hybrid ANC should really ensure that users block the world out. For the best experience, you want to find the best fitting ear tips for yourself. beyerdynamics includes five sets of differently sized silicone ear tips and three additional memory foam earpieces for use in sporting activities. In those cases, you can be sure that the Free BYRD can withstand all kinds of grimes and sweat with IPX4 certification.
The Bluetooth 5.2 device with Google Fast Pair headphones offers Qualcomm’s dual 2-mic cVc technology. The new technology with four mics in total should offer highly natural phone calls with excellent pick-up. Obviously, the mics should also be excellent for Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and even Apple’s Siri.
In terms of battery life, the Free BYRD offers up to 11 hours of battery life from a single charge in total. You can wirelessly charge the Free BYRD if you have a wireless charging pad. Of course, it is also charged via USB Type-C. A quick 10-minute plug-in can also give you up to 70 minutes in music playback time, if you are in a rush.
Source: beyerdynamic
Source: beyerdynamic
Source: beyerdynamic
Source: beyerdynamic
Source: beyerdynamic
Source: beyerdynamic
Source: beyerdynamic
Source: beyerdynamic
Source: beyerdynamic
Source: beyerdynamic
Source: beyerdynamic
Source: beyerdynamic
Source: beyerdynamic
Source: beyerdynamic
Source: beyerdynamic
Source: beyerdynamic
Source: beyerdynamic
The beyerdynamic Free BYRD is available in most of Europe via their official store on Amazon.com. It is available in Black and Gray colour options. It will set you back EUR€ 229, which is about MYR 1,029* or US$ 232**. The price range puts it squarely as a competitor of the Sony WF-1000XM4. Sadly, there is no word on its availability in Malaysia. Chances are, if you really want one, you have to get it from Amazon Europe and get someone to ship it to Malaysia for you. More information on the beyerdynamics Free BYRD can be found on their website.
*Approximately based on exchange rate of EUR€ 1 = MYR 4.49 as of 08/07/2022 on xe.com
**Approximately based on exchange rate of EUR€ 1 = US$ 1.01 as of 08/07/2022 on xe.com
