Sony’s Extra Bass line of headphones has given listeners an added dose of low-end tone for years, and was typically cheaper than its high-end 1000X cans. The corporate remains to be eager on providing brain-rattling bass to those that need it, however the Further Bass moniker and its complicated alpha-numeric product names are gone (extra to come back on that change). In the present day, Sony is introducing ULT Energy Sound, a characteristic it’s calling the “final step into the evolution” of its moveable audio gear.
ULT Energy Sound may also be accessible on Bluetooth audio system of varied sizes, however the first headphones to characteristic the brand new audio course are the ULT Wear ($200). A direct alternative for the WH-B910, the ULT Put on comprises 40mm drivers that Sony says are particularly designed for deeper bass. If the inventory tuning isn’t sufficient, there’s a ULT button for 2 extra ranges of low-end increase. Plus, the corporate crammed in a few of its greatest options from more-expensive headphones: the V1 audio chip, 30-hour battery life, Fast Consideration mode, 360 Actuality Audio with head monitoring and extra.
Sony
Sony’s ULT Put on headphones are a greater implementation of bass increase than earlier fashions together with appreciable updates to ANC, options and general design.
- Refined design
- Nice sound more often than not
- Useful options
- Improved ANC
- ULT increase might be an excessive amount of
- Some WH-1000XM5 options aren’t accessible
- Sound will get muddy with some genres
The very first thing I observed concerning the ULT Put on is its design. These headphones don’t instantly strike me as less-than-premium cans. The matte white end on my evaluate unit helps masks the largely plastic development which appeared low-cost on earlier merchandise just like the WH-CH720N. It’s positively a extra refined aesthetic than the WH-XB910 that’s being changed. There are actually some nods to the premium 1000X line in just a few areas, just like the curves of the ear cups and headband.
Sony selected a mixture of bodily and contact controls for the ULT Put on, which is one other method it’s bridging the hole between its most inexpensive and most costly headphones. On the sting of the left ear cup is an influence/pairing button and a management for biking between energetic noise cancellation (ANC) and ambient sound modes. Additional up alongside the underside is a 3rd button for ULT bass increase. This merchandise switches between off, ULT 1 (deep bass) and ULT 2 (extra highly effective sound with deep bass). Over on the suitable, the surface of the ear cup has a contact panel you can faucet and swipe on for playback controls, quantity changes and calls.
Because the ULT Put on sits in the course of Sony’s headphone lineup, it has just a few of the helpful options from the 1000X line that the corporate’s cheaper choices don’t make use of. For instance, putting your open hand over the suitable ear cup prompts Fast Consideration mode that lowers the amount so you possibly can reply to a co-worker or seize your cortado with out pausing your tunes. Adaptive Sound Management is right here as properly: Sony’s long-standing software that mechanically adjusts the headphone’s settings based mostly in your exercise or location. Common niceties like multipoint Bluetooth and put on detection are current too. The handy Converse-to-Chat perform from more-recent 1000X headphones isn’t accessible although, which is a substantial omission by way of general utility.
Bass reigns supreme for the ULT Put on’s tuning and also you actually get a heavy dose of it. These new particularly tuned drivers muster a number of low-end thump earlier than you even begin exploring the ULT boosts. The out-of-the-box stage was adequate for me for many genres, though the general sound can get muddy with extra chaotic types like metallic and a few synth-heavy digital tracks. For probably the most half although, the inventory bass offers depth and vary that enhances full mids and chopping highs.
On Bayside’s There Are Worse Issues Than Being Alive, there’s a thundering kick drum to drive the punk-tinged indie rock tunes, however the texture of the crunchy distorted guitars stands out and vocals minimize by way of clearly. Plus, you possibly can add Sony’s DSEE upscaling by way of its app, a software program trick that’s designed to get well sonic parts misplaced to compression. And you probably have entry to 360 Actuality Audio content material, the ULT Put on helps head-tracking in order that sounds keep put once you transfer. This affords a extra practical expertise because the immersive audio on this format would in any other case transfer along with your head.
Once you hop into the ULT increase modes, issues are a blended bag. Sony has executed bass increase higher than most different firms right here, as songs are nonetheless really listenable throughout musical types slightly than simply changing into a muffled mess. ULT 1, the choice for deeper bass, is the perfect in my view. You don’t lose a lot element utilizing it and issues like kick drums are nonetheless punchy all through. Hip-hop tracks are a greater canvas, with songs like Killer Mike’s “Down By Regulation” blasting bombastic, but finessed, amplified bass. His album Michael is among the better-sounding picks I examined with ULT 1 enabled.
ULT 2, a setting for extra highly effective sound alongside even deeper bass, isn’t nice. Throughout my exams, I didn’t discover a single observe the place I assumed it sounded good throughout driving low-end types like hip-hop and EDM. It sounds such as you’re standing in entrance of the subwoofer at a live performance the place bass is most outstanding and every part else will get drowned out. And whereas I’m positive some individuals take pleasure in that extent of mind rattling, it’s not what I’m on the lookout for.
Sony improved ANC from the WH-XB910 by putting in its V1 audio processor from the 1000X collection within the ULT Put on. The result’s noticeably improved noise-canceling efficiency for a set of $200 headphones, however you shouldn’t count on distraction-blocking as sturdy as what the WH-1000XM5 affords. It’s good in most conditions, however in some eventualities it merely dulls the roar. The ULT Put on does, nonetheless, do a good job with human voices – significantly better than the Sennheiser Accentum Plus I just lately reviewed.
The corporate didn’t exit of its solution to focus on name high quality on the ULT Put on, however the efficiency right here is barely above common. It’s not pristine, however it additionally doesn’t have the plain speaker telephone sound most headphones do. Low-to-mid-volume background noise can be handled properly. Ambient sound mode on the ULT Put on is extra pure that what most headphones provide, save for the AirPods Max. You possibly can hear a very good quantity of your personal voice, so that you’re free to talk at a traditional quantity throughout calls. And any sounds out of your environment come by way of clear, so that you don’t have to fret about not listening to alerts or bulletins.
Sony says you possibly can count on as much as 30 hours of battery life with ANC on or as much as 50 hours with it off. The corporate doesn’t specify if both of the ULT modes affect longevity, and I didn’t have them on lengthy sufficient to inform. After 30 hours of use with ANC on, apart from a number of situations of ambient sound for calls, Sony’s app was exhibiting 18 p.c battery left. Each audiomodes had been used at round 50-60 p.c quantity, and belief me, that’s loads loud right here.
In case you crave a deep bassy thump that almost all headphones have not been in a position to ship, the ULT Put on does a significantly better job boosting low-end tone than Sony’s earlier efforts. The sound out of the field is actually boomy, however not at the price of any element, and the corporate provides you the choice so as to add two extra servings of bass once you crave it. These gained’t be for everybody as lots of people will desire the extra even-handed tuning of Sennheiser’s Accentum Plus within the $200 vary. Nonetheless, Sony has executed properly to decorate up a extra inexpensive set of headphones as a premium product, by way of each appears and options.
The ULT Put on headphones can be found in black, white and inexperienced colour choices for $200. Sony says they’re going to begin delivery someday this spring.
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Replace April 11 2024, 5:00PM ET: This evaluate has been up to date so as to add extra details about the battery rundown take a look at.
