2025 could be a big year for Sony headphones with several new models rumoured to be in the works, not least a WH-1000XM6 Bluetooth over-ear model and a WF-1000XM6 wireless earbuds.
Any new Sony headphones are big news because the Japanese giant is behind some of the very best pairs on the market, from cheap wireless earbuds to premium noise-cancelling headphones. It is nailing high performance and value more so now than in any previous period we can recall.
If you are a loyal Sony customer or have recently been sold on the brand's models (and with good reason), this comprehensive buying guide details the very best Sony headphones that our in-house reviews team has reviewed and rated. Below are both earbuds and headphones from the company's arsenal, from budget pairs to flagship ones, that nail our exhaustive testing criteria.
In line with our headphones testing process, we first and foremost prioritise sound performance against price, although you won't find a pair on this list that doesn't also tick the boxes for high comfort, solid build quality and, where relevant, good noise-cancelling and battery life levels.
Only after testing these aspects against the current class leader(s) in that model's field do we arrive at our final verdict and star rating. Every pair below is highly recommendable – in fact, five out of seven are What Hi-Fi? Award 2024 winners, meaning they are indeed the best of the best at their price point.
7 best Sony headphones
The new WF-C510 are the best-value wireless earbuds holistically, not just for Sony fans. They offer musical sound and solid entry-level features at a modest price.
The WF-C700N are the best-value Sony earbuds we’ve tested for buyers hunting for effective ANC as well as decent audio quality.
If you don’t mind paying more, then the Sony WF-1000XM5 are the best premium wireless earbuds we’ve tested and a fantastic option for music fans.
If you prefer an over-ear form factor then the Sony WH-CH520 are a fantastic option that won’t break the bank. But be warned, they don’t feature ANC.
If you want a set of Sony over-ears with decent ANC performance, then the WH-CH720N are our testers’ current recommendation.
If you’re willing to pay for the best performance possible, are dead set on Sony and fancy an over-ear design, then the WF-1000XM5 are the best option we’ve tested.
If you are a fan of the burgeoning open earbud design and insist on getting a set from Sony then the Linkbuds (WF-L900) are your only option.
I’ve been reviewing headphones and earbuds for nearly two decades. I’ve lost count of all the Sony models I’ve listened to over the years, from budget buds to multiple generations of wireless, flagship ‘XM’ over- and in-ears. This gives me a great overview of not just the general headphones market, but Sony’s specific portfolio as well. That’s why I take care of this guide, where I make sure to constantly update our advice based on our latest testing, making it quick and easy for you to find the right Sony headphones for your needs and budget.
Recent updates
6th February 2025: We have checked the availability and pricing of all the Sony pairs in the list to make sure they are available to buy. We have tested the sporty LinkBuds Fit and added it to our also-consider section. We have also done the same with the new Sony LinkBuds Open (WF-L910).
Best budget earbuds
The Sony WF-C500 are the best value wireless earbuds money can buy, even if you aren’t dead set on a pair from the iconic Japanese brand – we said as much recently when we gave them a What Hi-Fi? Award as our favourite cheap earbuds.
Despite costing surprisingly little, the wireless earbuds deliver a fantastic performance in many of the key areas we care about. Though their plastic design doesn’t feel as premium as some of the more expensive sets on this list, the buds proved to be incredibly comfortable to wear during our testing.
They also lasted long enough to deliver a full week’s use for most buyers, offering around 22 hours of listening – up from 20 hours with the previous WF-C500.
They sound a little richer and fuller than the model they replace, too, which is certainly no bad thing. Overall, we are very impressed with how much performance Sony has managed to squeeze out of these compact, affordable earbuds. In our WF-C510 review, our expert reviews team said: "You can tell the WF-C510 are part of the Sony family, such is their musicality and rhythmic ability – even complex pieces of music don’t unravel and their sense of timing and ability to just get into the groove of a song works with any music you play through them.
The only real downside is that the C510 don’t feature active noise cancellation, though at this price that’s fairly standard. If you do want that sound-blocking feature we would point you to the WF-C700N below.
Read our full Sony WF-C510 review
Best budget ANC earbuds
If you want ANC, insist on a set of Sony earbuds, but don’t want to spend oodles of cash then the WF-C700N are the best option we’ve tested.
The WF-C700N are the direct step-up option in Sony’s current line of affordable earbuds, sitting above its cheapest option, the WF-C500.
For the little extra you pay you get a variety of benefits. The biggest of these is the addition of ANC. These aren’t the only set of earbuds you’ll find with ANC, but based on our testing they are one of the best performers. During our testing, the C700N managed to successfully block out general background office noise – a feat many other affordable ANC earbuds fail at.
But more importantly, they also sound good, for a set at this price. Featuring Sony’s own 5mm driver in their design, during our listening checks they delivered a detailed, dynamic and musical sound across a variety of genres. This plus their comfortable fit make them an easy recommendation and led our testers to conclude:
“The WF-C700N offer a jump in quality compared to the WF-C500 and a taste of the performance of the WF-1000XM4 in a cheaper package. This puts them in a very strong position and makes them an easy recommendation at the money.”
The only slight downside is that the inclusion of ANC does impact their battery life. During our checks, we only managed to eke out seven and a half hours of use with ANC on, which is well below rivals. As a rule of thumb, these days we’d expect ANC buds to at least offer 10 hours of listening.
Read our Sony WF-C700N review
Best premium earbuds
If you have the cash to spare then the What Hi-Fi? Award-winning WF-1000XM5 aren’t just the best wireless earbuds from Sony – they’re also the best on the market holistically and the set we recommend to any buyer with the cash to spare.
Even compared to other flagship sets, we found the 1000XM5 offers the best overall performance, featuring no obvious weaknesses. This plus competitive pricing also makes them fantastic value for money, from a performance-per-pound/dollar perspective.
Good battery life? Check. During testing we easily managed a lengthy 16 hours listening with ANC on during our tests.
Comfortable fit? Yep. With a new streamlined design and variety of tip options, every single one of our testers was able to get a secure, comfortable fit with a tight seal.
Reliable ANC performance? You got it, with the buds delivering effective noise cancelling, even when we checked it on the incredibly difficult London Underground, whose rumbling engines and screeching brakes knock out many cheaper earbuds’ ANC.
Good audio? Another tick in the box. Featuring a custom Sony Dynamic Driver X, the buds offered excellent audio with class-leading levels of detail and clarity and top notch timing during our tests.
Our testers conclusion says it all: “The excellent WF-1000XM5 are Sony’s most accomplished and analytical wireless earbuds yet.” And with no sign of a potential WF-1000XM6 model arriving any time soon, we think these will be around for a while yet.
Read our Sony WF-1000XM5 review
Best budget over-ears
If you prefer over-ear headphones to earbuds and don’t need ANC then the WH-CH520 are our testers’ current recommendations. Despite costing surprisingly little, the CH520 proved to be a cut above the competing affordable over-ears we tested them against.
While they definitely don’t feel as premium as Sony’s more expensive over-ears, with our testers pointing out the plastic used feels quite cheap, the CH520 are well made and can survive being chucked in a rucksack with no trouble.
They’re also comfortable to wear, with the headband and earcups having enough clamping force to stay in place without pinching.
Bluetooth 5.2 is onboard, making them quick and easy to connect to smartphones and, despite the lack of aptX support, audio quality was the best we’ve experienced on a set of over-ears this price. Whether it was jazz classics or thumping drum’n’bass, the headphones delivered a balanced and engaging sound.
If that wasn’t enough to tempt you, battery life is also excellent, with our testers on average getting 40 hours listening out of them, which is more than enough for a full week’s use.
This combination of factors makes them an easy recommendation for Sony headphone fans on a budget. As we said in our WH-CH520 review:
“What’s remarkable about the Sony WH-CH520 is how little compromise they demand of you, both in terms of audio performance and ergonomics. They’re a little bit of a bargain.”
Read our Sony WH-CH520 review
Best budget ANC over-ears
The What Hi-Fi? Award-winning WH-CH720N are a great value pair of wireless, over-ear headphones that pack ANC.
While the ANC performance can’t match some more expensive headphones, including that which you’ll get from Sony’s more premium WH-1000XM5, it’s among the best we’ve experienced at this price. Background office noise was effectively blocked out, and it definitely diminished the distracting traffic sounds one of our testers experienced working from home with a window open.
On top of that, while our testers found they are a little over enthusiastic when it comes to bass, they otherwise performed excellently during our tests. Low-end qualms aside, they delivered a nicely forceful sound, which particularly pleased the rock and pop fans among our team. This led our testers to report:
“The WH-CH720N have delivered exactly what Sony intended. For a very reasonable price, they’re a dependably made, enthusiastic-sounding pair of headphones that, while occasionally straying into the realm of excessive bass, deliver good ANC and a strong feature set.”
Our only minor quibble is that they don’t have a foldable design, or come with a carry case, which is an annoyance for people who use their headphones on the go on a regular basis.
Read our Sony WH-CH720N review
Best premium over-ears
If you want the best Sony over-ear headphones possible and are willing to pay a little more, then the What Hi-Fi? Award-winning WH-1000XM5 are the best option we’ve tested.
During testing we found they are the best wireless headphones money can buy, and not just within Sony’s portfolio.
They were also a clear step up on their predecessor, which was our previous recommendation and a two-time What Hi-Fi? Award winner.
The headphones have a completely rethought “noiseless” design focussed on improving performance in key areas, including audio quality, ANC performance and battery life.
The design aims to remove superfluous hinges and design elements to reduce wind noise, improving mic and audio quality while out and about. But the standout change is inside, with Sony implementing a new 30mm carbon fibre driver.
Running it through a variety of listening tests covering a variety of genres, our reviewers’ opinion was uniform: the 1000XM5 offer clear sonic improvements on their predecessors, delivering a hugely musical and entertaining sound with an excellent sense of rhythm and oodles more detail.
Despite the redesign they offer a solid, comfortable fit, with enough clamping force to stay in place without crushing heads. ANC doesn’t beat the best in the business but proved effective enough to drown out background noise in our testers’ morning commutes, and the 30 hours listening we got with the feature on is brilliant. Add to this its stellar fast charging and rock solid wireless connectivity and they easily earned a place on this list.
Our WH-1000XM5’s conclusion says it all:
“The jump in sound quality from the previous generation is a big one, and rivals could once again have their work cut out. If you are looking for a new pair of wireless noise-cancelling headphones, your auditioning should start here.”
Could a WH-1000XM6 replacement be around the corner? All rumours point to a 2025 launch for any successor, so we think there's plenty of life left in this model yet.
Read our Sony WH-1000XM5 review
Best open
If you’re on the hunt for something a little different and are one of the growing number of music fans that want the convenience of small form factor wireless earbuds, but don’t like putting tips in your ears, then the Linkbuds WF-L900 are a solid option – if you can put up with some compromises.
The main selling point for the Linkbuds is their atypical open design. Rather than the tipped design you find on most wireless earbuds, the Linkbuds pack a 12mm ring driver. The ring is designed to slide into the bottom part of your ear and fires audio directly into them. Weird? A little. Effective? Surprisingly, in most ways, yes.
While, surprise, surprise there’s no passive, let alone active, noise cancellation, the Linkbuds still managed to deliver a balanced natural sound with an open and spacious presentation during our checks. Our reviewers went so far as to say: “One big benefit of the ring driver and this more open design is you’re treated to a huge, spacious sound that’s a real highlight and very different from anything you’ll have heard from more intrusive in-ear designs.”
That said, they aren’t perfect. The sound has a slight lack of detail and their average battery life means you will be reaching for the charging case often. Our testers never managed to get more than five and a half hours per charge out of the Linkbuds. This is why we’re currently only recommending them to people who really want an open earbud design and insist on them coming from Sony.
That said, these Sony LinkBuds have just been succeeded by the new LinkBuds Open, which are aimed at a more active user and therefore incorporate into their physical design a wing tip-like cushion for extra stability. We hope to test them very soon.
Read our Sony Linkbuds review
Also consider
Looking for an alternative to the Sony headphones mentioned above? Below you'll find other Sony headphones that came close to being included but haven't made the cut. Perhaps they are an older model that has been replaced by a superior pair, or they could be a four-star model which just missed out on the cut.
Sony WH-1000XM4: If you’re short on cash and don’t mind the older flagship Bluetooth over-ear model, the WH-1000XM4 are still just about hanging around and are solid options, especially now that their price has dropped.
Sony MDR-MV1: these open-back headphones are aimed at the Pro market, but they also appeal to home users thanks to spacious, detailed sound and extremely comfortable fit.
Sony LinkBuds Fit: if you’re a Sony fan looking for dedicated sports earbuds, then the LinkBuds Fit are worth a shout. They aren't class leaders, but they are comfortable and lightweight. They're musical enough to keep you entertained and boast polished noise cancelling too.
Sony LinkBuds Open (WF-L910): these buds are the successors to the WF-900 found further up this list and while they're and improvement in terms of sound quality and battery life they are more expensive. Once the old pair disappear from shelves, this will be the pair to buy.
One pair of Sony headphones we would avoid is the Sony ULT Wear which suffers from disappointing sound quality. We gave them a three-star rating during testing.
How we choose
When choosing the best Sony headphones we look at the same key areas we do all headphones. The only caveat is that on this list we limit the selection to models made by the Japanese tech giant. We examine the key features included, value for money, comfort, features, battery life and ANC performance (where relevant) and most importantly, audio quality.
Value for money: This is a key area we check on every product we review. If something costs twice the price of its closest rival, we expect the performance to justify the difference. Equally, if we review a cheaper set of Sony earbuds, we factor the lower price into our buying advice – though we still expect it to deliver a baseline level of performance and enjoyable listening experience.
Comfort: Whether they’re over-ears or earbuds, headphones need to provide a comfortable fit for all head sizes. On top of that, unless they’re on-ear or an open design we also expect them to provide a solid seal and passive noise isolation.
Features: Many modern Sony headphones come with advanced app support and clever ambient modes, which make them safer to use when out and about and more. We check how competitive and up to date their feature set is before recommending them in this guide.
Battery life: When testing Sony’s wireless headphones we always check their battery life, both with ANC on and off. We keep track of the industry standard by comparing battery life to the average we get on all the headphones we review.
Active noise cancellation: If a set of Sony headphones has ANC, we expect it to offer competitive performance with rival options. As a baseline, we want it to at the very least be able to block out low-level background noise.
Audio quality: Last and most importantly we expect any Sony headphones we recommend to deliver solid, enjoyable audio quality. Though we temper our expectations based on their price, we expect them to provide an enjoyable listening experience if we’re going to recommend them. If they don’t do this it doesn’t matter how well they perform in other areas, they won’t make it onto this list.
How we test
We test Sony headphones the same way we do any other brand’s. This sees our team of testers run a series of checks both in our listening rooms and in the wild, to gauge their performance in the above areas. Key parts of the process include the steps detailed below.
Comparative testing: Whenever we test headphones we have multiple members of the team use them. During the checks they will listen to a variety of tracks in our listening rooms paired with reference systems/sources we feel are appropriate to their price. We will also directly compare them to rival products we think the buyer would also be considering. Any performance comparison we make will be based on our direct experience testing both, and we will never compare products based on memory.
Test tracks at varying quality from multiple genres: We use a variety of test tracks, varying in quality from hi-res to vinyl, CD and bottom-tier Spotfiy when testing Sony headphones. The test tracks we use cover multiple genres and aim to gauge everything from their rhythmic precision, detail and accuracy to their dynamism and general ability to deliver a “fun” listening experience.
Multiple testers: We never base our reviews on one person’s experience using the product. When we test Sony headphones at least two members of the team will have listened to the set and compared them to rivals. The reviewers will then compare their experience and if needed, more testers will be called in to help.
Real-world checks: On top of the above we will also use real-world tests to check key metrics, like battery life, ANC performance, connection stability and mic quality. For example, to test ANC performance we will use the headphones in environments with varying levels of background noise, ranging from office environments to rumbling commuter trains. For battery life, we’ll track how many hours of listening we got with ANC on and off on average throughout testing.
You can get a more in-depth look at our methodology and listening room set-up in our main “how we test” page.
FAQ
Are Sony headphones good?
The answer to this is that it depends on the specific set you’re looking at. Sony makes a lot of headphones and they aren’t all created equal, and usually have very different target markets. But if you’re asking if the ones included in this list are competitive with other brands’ offerings, then the answer is a definitive yes.
You can see how they compare to their closest rivals – Sennheiser and Bose – in our Sony vs Sennheiser headphones and Sony vs Bose headphones comparisons.
Sony’s latest wireless headphones and earbuds have been a staple part of our holistic best headphones and best wireless earbuds guide for the past couple of years and for good reason. Last year it won every trophy in the What Hi-Fi? Awards wireless headphone category. This is because, based on our experience with them, they tend to deliver on all the basics you’d expect – audio, battery life, ANC performance and comfort. However, that doesn’t mean you should automatically assume that just because they’re made by Sony, they’re good. You should always do your research on sites like ours, especially when buying at the top end of the market. There’s nothing worse than spending loads of money, only to end up with a lemon set of Sony headphones.
Do Sony headphones have ANC?
These days a lot of the Sony headphones and earbuds we test do feature Active Noise Cancellation (ANC). But there are still plenty, especially at the affordable end of Sony’s current portfolio that don’t. If ANC is a must-have feature for your specific needs you should always check the headphones’ or earbuds’ spec sheet. You should also manage your expectations if you’re buying a cheaper or older set. After multiple decades reviewing Sony headphones and earbuds, we can safely confirm ANC performance varies massively between sets. This is why we actively check its effectiveness as part of our review process. Even in today’s world, many cheaper ANC headphones are only capable of blocking out very light background noise, based on our experience testing them.
How much should you spend on Sony headphones?
Whenever you’re buying a pair of Sony headphones or earbuds you need to factor for your specific needs and what you can realistically afford. The one bit of advice we have is, where your budget allows, it can sometimes be better to invest a little more in a pair of headphones that will last multiple years, rather than an affordable set you’ll soon outgrow or that doesn’t fully meet your needs. In the long run, this can save you money as you won’t feel the need to upgrade them any time soon.
Which Sony headphones have the best sound quality?
If audio quality is your be-all and end-all – and you’re not interested in looking at our wider best headphones or more focused best-wired headphones buyers guides – then the Sony WH-1000XM5 are the best over-ears and the Sony WF-1000MX5 the best earbuds for audio quality that we’ve tested. They’re currently the most expensive option on this list, but for sound quality, they won’t be beaten. During our checks, both offered best-in-class sonic clarity and wonderfully precise and agile bass.
Is there a big difference between Sony’s WH-1000XM4 and WH-1000XM5?
During our review, we found the Sony WH-1000XM5 to be a big change, from both a design and audio perspective, on their predecessor. For starters, they’ve had a complete redesign that makes them slightly lighter, but also, to our testers' surprise, makes them feel slightly less premium than their predecessors. During our listening checks, we found they also have a very different sound to their predecessors – a fact heavily informed by the use of a new 30mm carbon fibre composite dome driver rather than the older 40mm unit seen in the XM4. Specifically, the XM5 sound clearer and more open than previous models with a more precise low-end. You can get a more detailed breakdown of the differences between the two in our dedicated Sony WH-1000XM5 vs WH-1000XM4 guide, where we ran the two head-to-head.
Recent updates
- 7th November 2024: We have labelled five of the pairs What Hi-Fi? Award 2024 winners, and replaced the Sony WF-C500 with their new and superior successors, the WF-C510, as our 'Best budget earbuds' pick.
- 10th Sept 2024: checked model availability and pricing, added a mention of the new Sony WF-C510 entry-level wireless earbuds and MDR-M1 over-ear model
- 2nd July 2024: checked model availability and pricing, Sony ULT Wear tested, but not deemed suitable for the list. Sony MDR-MV1 tested and added to 'Also consider' section.
- 9th April 2024: Added new products to also consider, edited how we choose, how we test and FAQ sections
- 10th March 2024: Completely re-written, adding new intro, quick list, author block, entry copy, also consider, how we choose, how we test and how we choose sections.
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