First and foremost I hope this review those who have been thinking about these headphones to make a good decision whether these headphones are really for you and not compulsively buy the Sony WH1000XM2. So this review will be pretty detailed concerning these headphones. To get it out of the way, yes, these are the best sounding headphones with the most potential on the average consumer flagship market right now. After reading many reviews, I find that not everyone is a tech enthusiast or know holistically about these. So I will address the problems then get into what I like.
Do these suffer from the same cracking issue as the mdr?: From my experience, they have not. The hinges are mostly a plastic finish with some metallic bands encircling the arch of the headphone and no these are not water resistant. This makes the headphones sturdy, however, with a sufficient enough stress, you can crack the hinges on the headphones. You can also hurt the overall durability but stretching the headphone to far constantly. Jimmy reviews did a stress test but that was mainly the outside arch and not the inside hinges, which are durable so far.
Why do these sound different across phones?: Sony really pushes advertising for LDAC, if you do not own a Sony phone or own an android phone with android oreo (any phone that came out before 2017 barring the google pixel). Do not worry, most 2016 flagships will be getting android oreo later this year which will come LDAC. If you do not own an LDAC compatible device then you will notice a DRASTIC change in sound quality. Not to say that phones without LDAC will not sound good but the older your phone, the less bit rates it can transfer to the headphones which affects the quality. Those who own android 8 (or those that are sony fans in general) are the ones touting how amazing these headphones are. I noticed that those with older phones were the ones complaining how they were not up to par, typically, there are some who talked about how they were great but not on Bose level with android oreo 8 phones and sony phones but it was very few.
Are these bass heavy?: These are bass heavy depending on your sound stage and your EQ settings. The Sony's have Arena, Club, Concert, Outside stage or off (neutral sound). Also depends on whether you have DSEE HX active on auto or not (mainly CD quality or not). By the way, in order to customize the sound you need to have an emphasis on stable connection. An emphasis on sound quality will mean that your headphones will optimize the song for you. You will need to use the Sony app (this is not compatible with the MDR as it is a software limnitation). There are two more aps such as the sony music app that you really do not need and another app called smart connect. Essentially controlling what your headphones do at a certain time. Such as noting that at 4:00 you can call a friend that time. Or playing a certain song at a time (which I assumed is where the music center comes into play)
Club: The most bass heavy soundstage of the four. It sounds as if you are right in front of the stereo that is playing. In short, this works with bass dominant EQ settings with high volumes. It can work with mellow songs but it is more geared towards bass.
Arena: Ever been at a music festival or hardstyle's Qlimax? It sounds like you are in the middle. So the music is farther away and this sound stage places an emphasis on vocals and bass (with a far away reverb effect) so you there are 3 drivers that work to create this. This is primarily good for mid bass emphasis and treble heavy songs. Vocals also go well with this but can go with another sound stage.
Concert: As the name implies, as if you at a music concert. Vocal heavy sounds are recommended moreso than bass heavy songs. There is a lot of reverb with this sound stage so prepare to hear a lot of echo which actually sounds wonderful. Bass heavy songs are hit or miss. Beethoven, thomas bergusen, mark petrie, other choir songs work. Treble is nice here too.
Outside stage. Combine club and arena. Good amount of bass and vocals, This can essentially work with any song, it is kind of like off but the best for average optimization as the music feels more "alive" so to speak. if you have a balance enough amount of bass and treble with a bit more emphasis on vocals in your EQ, then you will get the most out of this sound stage. The song still sounds less in your face as the club sound stage but still great nonetheless.
Off: How you would listen to any headphone really without any additives and just your EQ.
Are these better than the beats studio 3, Bose QC II, Senheiser px550: IT really depends on your taste.each produce their own sound, some people like the bose for the comfort, if you are comfortable while listing to music, your music naturally sounds better. They are definitely better than beats though, but between senheiser, bose, and these pair, you will not really be disappointed. The willikans are also amazing but their comfortably is abysmal in my opinion.
I mainly chose the Sony because it is not a one trick pony and actually offers a variety of options and features that makes these headphones great. What blows you away is really up to how you customize your headphones, how loud the volume is, your EQ, your sound stage. It never distorts which is nice.
You can control the direction of where the sound comes from as well. This is useful if you are in an area where you need to talk to someone but change the a hip-hop song to feel like it is coming from behind you so you can still hear the person talking. On that note, it is important to mention that using this option, automatically shuts off any sound stage you are using and reverts it back to off. Your EQ will be fine though and DSSE HX will be fine.
The best feature is probably how you can change your noise cancellation in 20 levels and whether you want a focus on voice, not only that, you can have it automatically adjust depending on what you are doing. These are not the first to do this, the nuhera earbuds did this but the technology was early and thus it was not really all that good. Dare I say that Sony has perfected it. At 0 you cannot hear anything while music is playing and you only really hear someone if they are shouting at the top of their lungs or if you get hit by a cup by one of your coworkers to get your attention. At 20, you can hear all your surrounding or you can place your hand over the right earcup to block out sound and lowers the volume (if the volume was high, you still hear the song but it is still faint). Best in ANC right now
You can also activate the assistent by long pressing the right earcup then just speak. It is a bit better than cheaper earphones as you need to wait for awhile. Not as good as bose though as that is near instant but nice enough.
The main bad thing is the comfortability, while these are decent to wear, not as comfortable as Bose but after awhile, your ears can feel pressured by the earcup. You have to adjust the earcup to your ears manually (It is kind of odd to explain) but it fits that way. Even then, you can feel uncomfortable after about an 1 or 3 hours if you're used to them.
Overall, these are wonderful headphones for the money right now. If you do not have a phone that has LDAC then these will still sound great but you may feel as if "maybe these can do a bit more". You will not be dsappointed, any additional feature is already in description and features. The atomospheric pressure just makes your song slow down as the altitude gets higher, it solves a problem nobody had but is nice none the less. You will not be disappointed by this pair but still surf around. If you okay with headphones with moderate comfortably but with amazing sound and a variety of features then these will do the job.
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This Item  Sony Noise Cancelling Headphones WH1000XM2: Over Ear Wireless Bluetooth Headphones with Microphone - Hi Res Audio and Active Sound Cancellation - Black (2017 model) |  |  |  |  |  | |
| Price | $269.83 | $248.00 | -48% $129.99 New Price: $248.00 | -20% $278.00 List: $348.00 | -17% $149.95 List: $179.95 | -13% $348.00 List: $399.99 |
| Delivery | Get it as soon as Tuesday, May 14 | — | Get it as soon as Wednesday, May 15 | Get it as soon as Tuesday, May 14 | Get it as soon as Tuesday, May 14 | Get it as soon as Tuesday, May 14 |
| Customer Ratings | ||||||
| Sound quality | ||||||
| Noise cancellation | ||||||
| Battery life | ||||||
| Bass quality | ||||||
| Volume control | ||||||
| Sold By | Renovar Tech | Electronic Express | Beach Camera Same Day Shipping | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Amazon.com |
| connectivity tech | Bluetooth | Wireless, Wired | Wireless | Bluetooth, Bluetooth 5.0 | Wireless | Bluetooth |
| headphones form factor | Over Ear | In Ear | Over Ear | Over Ear | Over Ear | Over Ear |
| connector type | wireless | USB Type C | wireless | USB Type C | — | Stereo Mini Jack |
| noise control | active noise cancellation | active noise cancellation | active noise cancellation | active noise cancellation | hybrid noise cancellation | active noise cancellation |
| headphones jack | 3.5 mm Jack | 3.5 mm Jack | — | 3.5 mm Jack | — | 3.5 mm Jack |
| cable feature | Without Cable, Retractable | Detachable | Without Cable | Without Cable | Without Cable | Without Cable |
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The best wireless headphone in 2017
I was looking for wireless headphones for my work and seriously considered Sony 1000X vs. Bose QC 35. While I was watching so many reviews, I found Sony just updated the 1000X, so I jumped into WH 1000XM2! I tried on both 1000XM2 and Bose QC 35 and honestly think that both are great headphones. Sony 1000XM2 has more features and longer battery life so I am very content with my purchase.#FeaturesThe touchpad is not a new feature but it is worth mentioning since Bose does not have this feature. Swipe up or down to control the volume. Swipe right or left to change the music. It is very intuitive and easy. You can even press long to activate Siri. Double tap to stop music or take a phone call.Also, you can cup the right ear and disable the noise canceling and listen to others.You can check the battery level by the home screen of a smartphone. I have only seen even numbers such as 100%, 70%, and 50% (then I would charge so I have not seen low numbers because of the reason). Maybe the headphone cannot tell the battery level precisely.#Bluetooth connectionBluetooth connection is great. I can leave my phone and go to next room without breaking the connection. Switching the devices is not easy though. With Bose, you can connect two devices at the same time. However, with 1000XM2, you need to disconnect one device to use other device.To switch the device (updated)1. Go to setting. Bluetooth, then disconnect WH-1000XM2.2. Go to the other device, hit setting, Bluetooth, then click to connect.If you don't want to touch the device connected currently but wans to switch the device (for example, 1000XM2 is connected to iPad that is in your bag and you don't want to pull it out), you can1. Turn off the 1000XM22. Turn on and keep pressing power button to activate bluetooth pairing.3. Go to your device you want to connect. Hit setting, bluetooth, then connect to 1000XM2.Honestly, I don't mind doing this but I wish we could connect two iOS devices at the same time.#Noise cancelingSony and Bose are both excellent noise cancelling (NC) headphones. While QC35 cannot turn off the NC, 1000XM2 can turn of NC. Previous 1000X had a problem with phone call where you cannot hear yourself (so you end up shouting). Sony has fixed this problem and now 1000XM2 let you hear your voice easily with voice focus mode. Making phone call is much easier now.#Sony headphone connect appThis app allows you to change the setting of NC based on your activity. You can pre-set the level of NC + voice focus according to your activity (rest, walking, running, and transportation). For frequent fliers, it can adjust the pressure too. You can also change where the sound comes from. For example, you can set as if the sound comes from your back.When I was using 1000XM2 in the office, I used voice focus mode. It was very interesting experience because I did not hear any noise from construction etc but I heard my coworkers voice. Voice is picked up from the mic so it is an interesting experience.#Gorgeous lookIt honestly looks fantastic. I usually pick the black color but I tried gold at this time. The case of headphone had two-tone color (gold in the middle). It looks great. Please look at attached pictures as it tells you more how nice it looks. The headphone has hinges so you can actually make it very small and put it into the case.#SoundI cannot speak too much about the sound because I am not a professional musician. However, in my opinion, it sounds absolutely nice. It sounds even better than Bose QC35 but it is just my opinion. With the connect app, you can also change the sound effect such as Arena, Club, Outdoor Stage, and Concert Hall. It is subjective so you might want to try it before you buy, but I am very much satisfied.#ComfortThis is where BOSE QC35 (quiet comfort) comes into play. WH 1000XM2 is comfortable but I feel my ears are hot after using this for 1 hour. The pad is touching my ears with 1000XM2 whereas QC35 has deeper ear pad. QC35 is much more comfortable for me.#Sturdy designI know cracking was the problem with 1000X. So far, it has been OK but I will definitely give updates after using several months (hope nothing will happen). It looks very sturdy and does not make the clicking sound when I open the headphone.So which one you should buy? I am very happy with 1000XM2 because it has many features and long battery life (30 hours!). However, you may want to try it on before you buy because BOSE is more comfortable.
Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States on September 23, 2017
-Pros-
1) These are top notch in terms of noise cancelation and isolation. The mdr1000x were great and these are the same if not a step up. I could be mowing or trimming the lawn and if I close my eyes I’m in a totally different world. Can’t tell a machine is functioning in front of me.
2) Touchpad: this is such a cool feature. I’m an adoptee of new tech and have been loving it. Sometimes it doesn’t register my hand gestures but I mean it’s not the end of the world. Always registers the second time. The palm over to bring outside noise is super cool, but no one on the other end knows what’s going on. I’d be on a bus and talk to the driver and he’d think I’m on the phone and ignore me. But super cool nonetheless!
3) Battery life, 30-40 hours is Sony’s estimate I believe I’ve been getting very close to that as I go on walks and listen to music while studying overall super happy about it!
4) App is easy to use to pick between different general modes. Kinda cool. One con about this is I use tidal and the music centre only functions with Apple Music (I just use iOS and tidal. Dunno about Spotify or other platforms.
5) These headphones work great wirelessly and last long. But a great pro to them is when you connect the wires you get even better quality! Who knew that could be possible. Another pro is you could use the headphones when dead (without any of the extra bells and whistles) so having the wire on you is the equivalent to carrying another pair of headphones ;)
-Cons-
1) Potential chance of crack? I had the MDR 1000x for months and did not face the crack issues other have. But in my opinion, I totally agree with the video listed where the guy says the cracks are an easy con for the many pros and it’s something you should consider for yourself whether you care enough about that. Are there better speakers out there for the same price range? Yes. Do they have the same functions the Sony has? Not likely (touchpad particularly) is it worth its money? Yes!
2) The bag is the exact same and not very well made in my opinion. Nice that Sony puts it I but I mean you’ll likely want to get one yourself.
3) Connectivity not as (I’ve heard) easy as QC35 or others. Honestly, this isn’t a huge con but I listed it so you can have it in perspective. Do you want to connect to another device? Disconnect from the Bluetooth settings and connect to them on the other device. If the device is in your bag hold the power button to turn off, then continue to hold it after it turns on until it says pairing. I use 5 devices and this hasn’t been an issue for me.
This pair of headphones is well packaged and, in my humble opinion, well priced. You risk it having a small crack, I’ve never had, but for all the extras you get, it’s well worth it. Another thing is Sony did price it lower than the older model so it’s not like they’re charging extra for more functions. The pad sometimes doesn’t register stuff, but I think that’s more me getting used to it than it getting used to me. It's a give and take situation it does stuff for you but you have to learn to function with it and around its flaws.
A few things to improve on would be to have the headphones announce what they’re connected to rather than just staying connected. I believe this won’t be hard for Sony to add through the app, could be wrong, and then again it might not be something they want to do, to begin with. Would’ve loved to see USB type-C on this model. USB-C is the future would be great when small gadgets like this embrace that.
I’d recommend these to anyone who is looking to get a good quality headphone that is versatile with great sound cancelling and new technology. This is and will be for some time my daily driver for headphones.
Hope this helps some of you decide whether it’s a good fit for you — I’ll update this as time goes in regards to my experience with battery life, the infamous cracks and such.
Color: BlackVerified Purchase
Great headphone for the price - nothing like it on the market (other than MDR1000x)
Reviewed in the United States on September 23, 2017
These headphones are one of my favourite things. They are so well built and are fully sound cancelling. I had the MDR1000x before this and decided to upgrade for the better battery life and app support. I’m going to list the pros and cons I’ve encountered so far and give some recommendations. FYI, I’ve never owned (but have tested) the QC35, beats solo and studio, and own the Senhiessers 550HD.Reviewed in the United States on September 23, 2017
-Pros-
1) These are top notch in terms of noise cancelation and isolation. The mdr1000x were great and these are the same if not a step up. I could be mowing or trimming the lawn and if I close my eyes I’m in a totally different world. Can’t tell a machine is functioning in front of me.
2) Touchpad: this is such a cool feature. I’m an adoptee of new tech and have been loving it. Sometimes it doesn’t register my hand gestures but I mean it’s not the end of the world. Always registers the second time. The palm over to bring outside noise is super cool, but no one on the other end knows what’s going on. I’d be on a bus and talk to the driver and he’d think I’m on the phone and ignore me. But super cool nonetheless!
3) Battery life, 30-40 hours is Sony’s estimate I believe I’ve been getting very close to that as I go on walks and listen to music while studying overall super happy about it!
4) App is easy to use to pick between different general modes. Kinda cool. One con about this is I use tidal and the music centre only functions with Apple Music (I just use iOS and tidal. Dunno about Spotify or other platforms.
5) These headphones work great wirelessly and last long. But a great pro to them is when you connect the wires you get even better quality! Who knew that could be possible. Another pro is you could use the headphones when dead (without any of the extra bells and whistles) so having the wire on you is the equivalent to carrying another pair of headphones ;)
-Cons-
1) Potential chance of crack? I had the MDR 1000x for months and did not face the crack issues other have. But in my opinion, I totally agree with the video listed where the guy says the cracks are an easy con for the many pros and it’s something you should consider for yourself whether you care enough about that. Are there better speakers out there for the same price range? Yes. Do they have the same functions the Sony has? Not likely (touchpad particularly) is it worth its money? Yes!
2) The bag is the exact same and not very well made in my opinion. Nice that Sony puts it I but I mean you’ll likely want to get one yourself.
3) Connectivity not as (I’ve heard) easy as QC35 or others. Honestly, this isn’t a huge con but I listed it so you can have it in perspective. Do you want to connect to another device? Disconnect from the Bluetooth settings and connect to them on the other device. If the device is in your bag hold the power button to turn off, then continue to hold it after it turns on until it says pairing. I use 5 devices and this hasn’t been an issue for me.
This pair of headphones is well packaged and, in my humble opinion, well priced. You risk it having a small crack, I’ve never had, but for all the extras you get, it’s well worth it. Another thing is Sony did price it lower than the older model so it’s not like they’re charging extra for more functions. The pad sometimes doesn’t register stuff, but I think that’s more me getting used to it than it getting used to me. It's a give and take situation it does stuff for you but you have to learn to function with it and around its flaws.
A few things to improve on would be to have the headphones announce what they’re connected to rather than just staying connected. I believe this won’t be hard for Sony to add through the app, could be wrong, and then again it might not be something they want to do, to begin with. Would’ve loved to see USB type-C on this model. USB-C is the future would be great when small gadgets like this embrace that.
I’d recommend these to anyone who is looking to get a good quality headphone that is versatile with great sound cancelling and new technology. This is and will be for some time my daily driver for headphones.
Hope this helps some of you decide whether it’s a good fit for you — I’ll update this as time goes in regards to my experience with battery life, the infamous cracks and such.
Images in this review
Top reviews from other countries
DonRawiri
Por fin me puedo concentrar (con deficit de atención) y si se cuidan estoy seguro que pueden durar mucho
Reviewed in Mexico on July 3, 2018Color: BlackVerified Purchase
DonRawiri
Reviewed in Mexico on July 3, 2018
Ahora, bloquean los sonidos de forma excelente, yo me encuentro en un piso de oficina abierto junto a unas 60 personas y por la naturaleza del trabajo es común platicar ideas y soluciones entre varias personas, lo cual hace que se vuelva muy ruidoso el lugar. Adicionalmente a esto tengo deficit de atención y me distraigo muchos con ese tipo de cosas. En las dos semanas que tengo con los audífonos me he logrado concentrar sin tanta distracción del exterior, mis ideas se vuelven tan claras y sin distracciones que trabajo mucho mas relajado y eficiente, lo que a su vez me da mas tiempo para descubrir nuevas canciones para relajarme, divertirme o concentrarme según la ocasión.
En cuanto al sonido, todo es TAN nítido que hasta he descubierto nuevas cosas de las canciones que mas me gustan, nuevos sonidos y es como escucharlas por primera vez.
Aun no los he probado para jugar video juegos, pero estoy seguro que sera una gran experiencia... hasta que este con algún juego de terror y llegue mi esposa a tomarme el hombro por atrás ya que escuchare nada cuando se acerque.
Les dejo un par de fotos donde pueden ver el estuche de cubierta dura y como se tiene que doblar sobre todo el lado izquierdo para guardarlos.
Images in this review
Andrew Mai
tl;dr: Great headphones, great noise cancelling, gestures on the right ear cup are a very nice touch.
Reviewed in Canada on March 24, 2018Color: BlackVerified Purchase
Manu
Just too good !
Reviewed in India on August 9, 2018Color: GoldVerified Purchase
Manu
Reviewed in India on August 9, 2018
Got it for INR 22990 :)
Images in this review
Henry
Awesome Quality and Battery Life
Reviewed in Canada on November 18, 2018Color: GoldVerified Purchase
