Tuesday, 12 May 2020

Sony WH-H910N ANC Headphones Review: A Treat For Audiophiles




If you are an audiophile and are constantly searching for the best pair of probes, chances are you're zeroing in on Sony, JBL or Bose products. With the advancement of technology, brands offer powerful new products that meet the demands of the masses. Speaking of which, Sony, the pioneer in the high-end audio product category, introduced another over-the-ear headset called WH-H910N.
                                                   
PROS: The larger ear muffs and lightweight design make it very comfortable. Tactile headphones for easy control. Support for multiple audio codecs Good 

CONS: audio output Low cost No IPX certification The Japanese the tech giant introduced the device as a sibling to its flagship product, the ANC WH-1000XM3 headphones.

The latest product has similarities in terms of hardware like WH-1000XM3. In addition to ANC support, the Sony WH-910N offers touch-sensitive headphones for multimedia controls, high-end controllers, and also support for a voice-based digital assistant. The ANC helmet will cost you Rs. 21,990 and is available for sale exclusively on Flipkart. It comes in a single black color option. But you might be wondering if this device lives up to expectations and delivers performance as sharp as the WH-1000XM3. Let's see in this detailed review of the new Sony ANC headphones:

Larger headphones, lightweight design make it very comfortable. The comfort of use is one of the other factors that determine the quality of an audio product. Superior wearing comfort certainly complements the high-resolution audio output. And Sony's high-end audio products have always met this user's needs. The Sony WH-H910 looks like a featherweight headphone whose over-the-ear design with larger headphones is what adds to comfort. The company focused on improving the design and also added textured patterns to the headphones to improve the overall look. That said, the earbuds offer good quality padding on the earbuds that is not only soft but also appears to be sweat resistant. I have not found my ears to get hot or sweat with continued use for more than an hour. Plus, soft cushioning in the headband adds more comfort. Large oval ear muffs completely cover the ear, and thick padding also helps block outside noise, to some degree, even when the device is not in use. That's not all, similar to the WH-1000XM3, this one also has rotating ear muffs that will allow you to carry it around easily. You can also adjust the headband according to your comfort.

Intuitive touchscreen headphones with quick attention mode

The Sony WH-H910N is equipped with tactile headphones for multimedia controls like its old WH-1000XM3. You can not only control media playback, but also access Quick Attention mode. Let's talk about gesture controls first. You can swipe up or down from the center of the right earcup to adjust volume levels. To change tracks, you need to swipe left and right, and to play / pause music, you need to double-tap the center of the earpiece. This same gesture is also used to answer calls. We can call quality in a moment. It also offers a quick attention mode that lets you hear the surroundings without removing the torque. Simply place the palm of your hand on the right earpiece, which will decrease the volume so you can hear the surroundings. This is a very practical feature because it saves you from having to use the on / off torque over and over again. But there seems to be a delay of a few seconds. Also, you will need to keep your hand on the earpiece until you want to turn down the volume. The sound returns as soon as you remove the palm of your hand. While the right atrium is a warehouse for touch controls, the left atrium contains the keys and manual ports. There is a USB Type-C port, a 3.3mm headphone port, a notification LED, and a power key. There is another key called "Custom" that you can use to invoke the Google Assistant. Please note that the headphones are also compatible with Amazon Alexa. Once connected, digital voice assistants work perfectly and you can easily do some basic tasks like making calls. The quality of the keys and ports is also good and the company has compromised the quality by packaging them with rigid keys. Its functionality is quite fast.

High resolution audio output; Headphone Connect app support

Sony has outfitted the new headphones with smaller 25mm headphones, but claims it provides the same pressure as conventional 40mm speakers to produce broadband frequencies. During my testing, I found that the pair offered comparable output to other high-end Sony headphones. This is regarding the volume and clarity of the audio. Furthermore, similar to the high-end WH-1000XM3, this pair supports multiple audio codecs and is also compatible with DSEE HX (Digital Sound Enhancement Engine HX), which is Sony's proprietary audio technology that has improved the audio quality of the restaurant High-end sound is lost during compression. This feature is mainly used by the company in its high-end headphones and is not activated by default. You must activate it from the Headphone Connect app; what we will talk about in a moment. As for the codecs, the WH-H910N is compatible with the Bluetooth SBC, AAC and LDAC codecs. Like comfort, the headphones offer high audio output. Play any genre in this pair and you won't be disappointed. What I specifically liked about this pair is that, even without ExtraaBass support, it delivers hard bass. It also doesn't mute or distort audio when multimedia content plays louder. I played a wide category of songs and was able to hear every beat and drop in the background. Voices are clear and do not overlap with instruments. With high-resolution audio support, there is minimal loss of audio quality when music is played wirelessly. Its performance with the AUX cable is also good. You will not find any specific difference in the output. Furthermore, this pair is compatible with the Headphone Connect app and can perform a multitude of audio setups. Featured settings are Adaptive Sound Control and 360 Degree Reality Audio Settings. The former allows you to select the stay, walk, run and carry mode, which is nothing more than setting the ambient sound according to the background. For example, noise cancellation levels in Transport mode are slightly lower compared to other modes, so you are not completely disconnected from your environment. If you want minimal interruption, "Stay" is the setting you should select. Note that you can also automatically adjust ambient noise levels and manually select noise cancellation or wind noise cancellation using a slider in this window. Switching to 360 Reality audio settings, this feature captures the image of the ear to analyze the shape of the ear for the best output. Completing the ear analysis process may take a little effort at first, but once setup is successfully completed, you will be able to enjoy 360-degree sound. You also have the option to configure automatic shutdown, which will essentially turn off the torque when not in use after a certain period.

Efficient ANC, easy pairing and solid backup battery

The Sony WH-H910N is equipped with Bluetooth 5.0 technology for wireless connectivity and can be easily connected to smartphones, laptops, and tablets. If you are pairing the headphones with a device for the first time, you must press and hold the power key until you hear "Bluetooth pairing". Now go to the Bluetooth settings on your smartphone or tablet and search for the device "WH-H910N". There are no worries in the pairing process as such and I was able to connect the pair to multiple devices. ANC support is complementary to high resolution audio. This feature is effective and does a perfect job of blocking outside noise. It has been improved compared to what we saw on the WH-H900N earlier. Regarding backup, Sony has claimed up to 35 hours on a single charge, which is close to what we have with the pair playing over 70%. Plus, 10 minutes of charging can give you over 2 hours of use, which is very convenient when you're somewhere outside. You can use a USB Type-C charger to refuel the pair.

Verdict Sony WH-H910N

The Sony WH-H910N is another high-end product from Sony that offers high-quality sound and is very comfortable to wear. Plus, it has modern features like touch-sensitive headphones, multiple audio codecs, and ANC support, and it's an activated digital voice assistant. Those who loved the WH-1000XM3 will certainly be impressed with Sony's new offering. It is a delight for music lovers with the best features in its class.