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Sony INZONE H7 Wireless Headphones Review

Tested using Methodology v1.5
Reviewed Aug 17, 2022 at 11:28 am
Sony INZONE H7 Wireless Picture
7.0
Neutral Sound
6.7
Commute/Travel
6.6
Sports/Fitness
7.0
Office
7.1
Wireless Gaming
5.7
Wired Gaming
7.1
Phone Calls

The Sony INZONE H7 Wireless are the mid-range model of the INZONE PS5 gaming lineup. These headphones sit squarely between the Sony INZONE H3 and the Sony INZONE H9 Wireless and in many ways, share the best of both worlds with their sibling products. They have a wireless design, support Bluetooth, and are customizable, thanks to their companion app support. However, like other products in this lineup, their decent overall performance doesn't justify their high price point.

Our Verdict

7.0 Neutral Sound

The Sony H7 aren't intended for neutral sound. These gaming headphones have a sound profile that's well-suited for action-packed games like PUBG but aren't so much ideal if you want to listen to genres like classical or rock. They lack a thumpy low-bass but have extra punch and boom. Unfortunately, this muddies and clutters vocals and lead instruments while a dip in the low-treble further veils them. Sibilants like cymbals also sound piercing. These headphones are also prone to inconsistencies in audio delivery, and you may experience a drop in bass if you have thick hair or wear glasses. Luckily, you can use their companion software to customize their sound to your liking.

Pros
  • Decently comfortable.
  • Customizable sound via companion software.
Cons
  • Disappointing passive soundstage.
  • Very prone to inconsistencies in audio delivery.
6.7 Commute/Travel

The Sony H7 aren't designed for commute and travel. These gaming headphones have a bulky design and a non-detachable boom mic. Unlike the more premium Sony INZONE H9, they also lack active noise cancelling and struggle to passively block out the low rumble of bus and plane engines. They don't come with a carrying case to help protect them from damage on the go. That said, their over 40 hours of continuous battery life will last through long days on the go, and they have a decently comfortable fit.

Pros
  • Over 40 hours of continuous battery life.
  • Decently comfortable.
Cons
  • Very prone to inconsistencies in audio delivery.
  • Struggle to passively block out reduce engine noise.
6.6 Sports/Fitness

The Sony H7 aren't designed for sports and fitness. They're bulky gaming headphones that can fall off your head with moderate head movements. That said, if you still want to use them during a jog or run in the park, they have a wireless design, which eliminates the risk of something snagging the headphones and pulling them off of your head. They're also decently comfortable and have basic call and music controls, so you won't have to pull out your phone if you want to skip or pause a track.

Pros
  • Decently comfortable.
Cons
  • Very prone to inconsistencies in audio delivery.
  • Not stable for physical exercise.
7.0 Office

The Sony H7 are satisfactory for office use. If you don't mind their gamer-centric design, they have a decently comfortable fit suitable for long days at your desk and last over 40 hours continuously. Thanks to their wireless dongle, you can stay connected to your PC while using Bluetooth receive audio from your smartphone. If you need to take calls, the non-detachable boom mic ensures that your voice sounds clear, even in moderately noisy environments. While they don't have ANC, they can still block out chatty coworkers and the hum of computer fans fairly well.

Pros
  • Over 40 hours of continuous battery life.
  • Decently comfortable.
Cons
  • Disappointing passive soundstage.
7.1 Wireless Gaming

The Sony H7 are decent for wireless gaming. These headphones are designed for PlayStation consoles, so you can't use them if you're an Xbox gamer. If that's not a deal-breaker, they come with a wireless USB dongle that you can use to stay connected to your console while simultaneously streaming audio from your Bluetooth device. Their sound profile is also well-suited for action-packed gameplay since they deliver extra boom, which can help emphasize sound effects. However, if you prefer a different sound, their companion app offers a graphic EQ and presets to help you adjust their sound. Unfortunately, they have somewhat high non-Bluetooth wireless latency, so your audio and visuals may fall slightly out of sync.

Pros
  • Over 40 hours of continuous battery life.
  • Decently comfortable.
  • Customizable sound via companion software.
  • Good overall mic performance.
Cons
  • Disappointing passive soundstage.
  • Very prone to inconsistencies in audio delivery.
  • Somewhat high non-Bluetooth wireless latency.
5.7 Wired Gaming

The Sony H7 are wireless gaming headphones, and you can't use them wired.

7.1 Phone Calls

The Sony H7 are decent for phone calls. If you need to take online meetings or calls, these gaming headphones have a non-detachable boom mic, which can capture your voice fairly clearly, even in moderately noisy environments. They also have a decently comfortable fit, and you can simultaneously connect to your PC when using the wireless dongle while using Bluetooth on your phone. However, they don't have noise cancelling and have a hard time blocking out ambient noise like the rumble of traffic outside an open window.

Pros
  • Decently comfortable.
  • Good overall mic performance.
Cons
  • Struggle to passively block out reduce engine noise.
  • 7.0 Neutral Sound
  • 6.7 Commute/Travel
  • 6.6 Sports/Fitness
  • 7.0 Office
  • 7.1 Wireless Gaming
  • 5.7 Wired Gaming
  • 7.1 Phone Calls
  1. Updated Aug 17, 2022: Review published.
  2. Updated Aug 09, 2022: Early access published.
  3. Updated Jul 25, 2022: Our testers have started testing this product.
  4. Updated Jul 21, 2022: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
  5. Updated Jul 10, 2022: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

Differences Between Sizes And Variants

The Sony H7 come in one color variant: 'White', and you can see our model's label here. If you come across another variant, please let us know in the discussions, and we'll update our review.

Compared To Other Headphones

The Sony H7 are the mid-range model of the INZONE lineup. While they have the same cloth ear cup padding as the base model Sony INZONE H3, they're closer in performance to the more premium Sony INZONE H9 Wireless. They have nearly the same sound and customization features as the H9 but have higher latency, although it isn't noticeable, and lack noise cancelling. They're also not as comfortable as other similarly priced wireless gaming headphones like the HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless, which are among the best headsets for PS5 we've tested, and their mic performance isn't anything to write home about either. While they're not bad overall headphones, there are a lot of other choices out there that offer better value for the price.

If you want to check out our top gaming picks, look at our recommendations for the best gaming headsets and the best PS4 gaming headsets.

Sony INZONE H9 Wireless

The Sony INZONE H9 Wireless are the top of the line model of the INZONE gaming lineup, while the Sony INZONE H7 Wireless are the mid-range model. The differences are minor between both models as the H9 have leatherette padding instead of cloth. They also have an ANC system to block background noise, while the H7 lack this feature. This feature affects the H9's battery life and controls, though, as they have a shorter continuous battery life than the H7, and they have a physical button you can use to cycle between different ANC modes. The H7 also have higher latency via their wireless dongle.

Sony PULSE 3D Wireless

The Sony INZONE H7 Wireless are slightly better wireless gaming headphones than the Sony PULSE 3D Wireless. The INZONE H7 are more comfortable and better-built, and their mic offers better performance. They also have more customization features, have better overall battery performance, and support Bluetooth, meaning you can stay connected to your smartphone and console at the same time. However, the PULSE 3D have lower latency and support an analog connection, which is nice if you want to use them wired.

Sony INZONE H3

The Sony INZONE H3 are the most basic model within the INZONE gaming lineup, while the Sony INZONE H7 Wireless are the mid-range model. The H7 are wireless headphones that support Bluetooth and non-Bluetooth wireless, which is great if you want to stream audio from your phone while gaming on your console. They're also more comfortable, are better built, and their boom mic has a better noise handling performance. However, the H3 are wired headphones that are slightly smaller in size, which some users may prefer, their sound profile is slightly more neutral, and their boom mic has a significantly better recording quality.

HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless

The HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless are slightly better wireless gaming headphones than the Sony INZONE H7 Wireless. The HyperX headphones are more comfortable, significantly better-built, and have a much more neutral sound profile, which some users may prefer. Their mic also offers better overall performance, and they have a superior battery life of over 300 hours. Unfortunately, some users have experienced high latency when using their companion app's features. On the flip side, the Sony headphones support Bluetooth, meaning you can stay connected to your console and smartphone at the same time.

Test Results

perceptual testing image
Design
Design
Style
Type Over-ear
Enclosure Closed-Back
Wireless Yes
Transducer Dynamic

The Sony H7 look pretty much the same as the Sony INZONE H9 Wireless with a mostly white plastic frame and black detailing. They also have an LED light at the bottom of the ear cup to let you know if you're connected via the dongle or Bluetooth. Their white boom mic also isn't detachable. They only come in one color variant: 'White'.

7.0
Design
Comfort
Weight 0.71 lbs
Clamping Force
0.8 lbs

The Sony H7 are decently comfortable. They have a lightweight design with ear cups with a good range of motion to accommodate most kinds of head sizes. They have the same cloth padding on the ear cup as the Sony INZONE H3, but they feel a bit more stable. Their headband is nice and can distribute the headphones' overall weight well. Unfortunately, if you have a small head, the frame may be a bit big, even at their smallest setting.

7.4
Design
Controls
OS Compatibility
Not OS specific
Ease Of Use Decent
Feedback Decent
Call/Music Control Yes
Volume Control Yes
Microphone Control Mute/Unmute
Channel Mixing
Yes
Noise Cancelling Control No
Talk-Through
No
Additional Controls Bluetooth + Multi function

The Sony H7 have decent controls. They're easy to use as there are only a couple of physical buttons, and there's lots of different feedback to let you know when you've made any changes. On the left cup is an infinite volume wheel that beeps to let you know when you've hit min or max volume. The mic can also flip upwards when you want to mute yourself, and it makes a clicking sound to indicate you've been muted. The rest of the buttons are on the right ear cup, but it can be hard to tell the buttons apart when you're wearing the headphones. They offer beeps to let you know when you've made a change, though. If you're switching between Bluetooth and dongle mode, a light at the bottom of the ear cup will change between blue and white, respectively. Two quick flashes also indicates that you're in pairing mode, and there are different chimes to let you know when you've entered Bluetooth, pairing, and Bluetooth mode off modes.

On the right cup:

  • Game Chat button:
    • Single press: Depending on whether you press on the 'Game' or 'Chat' side of the button, you can incrementally adjust channel mixing to hear more (or less) of one audio channel.
  • Bluetooth button:
    • Single press: Plays and pauses audio. Also answers and ends calls.
    • Double press: Skips to the next track.
    • Triple press: Skips to the previous track.
  • Power button:
    • Press and hold: Turns the headphones on and off.

5.2
Design
Portability
L 9.8" (24.8 cm)
W 8.7" (22.1 cm)
H 3.0" (7.7 cm)
Volume 257.53 in³ (4,220.20 cm³)
Transmitter Required No

If you keep them on your desk or couch, then the Sony H7's bulky design isn't an issue. However, if you want to take them with you on the go, they take up quite a bit of room, even in their default position.

0
Design
Case
Type No case
L N/A
W N/A
H N/A
Volume N/A
7.0
Design
Build Quality

The Sony H7 have a decent build quality. They have nearly the same overall plastic frame as the Sony INZONE H9 Wireless, but their cloth ear cup padding is nearly identical to the Sony INZONE H3. What makes them a little bit different, however, is that their cloth padding lacks stitching on the forward face of the pads. Despite their high price point, their design feels plasticky and cheap. They'll still survive accidental impacts without taking too much damage, though.

6.0
Design
Stability

The Sony H7 have mediocre stability, though they're a little more grippy than the Sony INZONE H9 Wireless. If you move your head a lot while gaming, they're likely to fall off your head. You won't experience this too much if you don't move around much while gaming.

Design
Headshots 1
Design
Headshots 2
Design
Top
Design
In The Box

  • Sony INZONE H7 headset
  • USB wireless dongle
  • USB-A to USB-C cable
  • User manual
  • Stickers

Sound
Sound
Sound Profile
Bass Amount
-1.16 dB
Treble Amount
-0.9 dB

The Sony H7 have a nearly identical sound profile as the Sony INZONE H9 Wireless. Although they lack a bit more low-bass, this is likely due to their inconsistent audio delivery. As a result, you must take the time to adjust their fit, seal, and positioning to get a more consistent sound. Overall, they have a boomy and bright sound. Sound effects like footsteps are accentuated in gameplay, which is great for FPS games. They aren't the best choice for music since they make tracks sound muddy and sharp. Luckily, their companion software has a graphic EQ and presets to help you customize their sound to your liking. You can see a comparison of the EQ presets here.

5.9
Sound
Frequency Response Consistency
Avg. Std. Deviation
0.97 dB

The Sony H7 have sub-par frequency response consistency. They're very prone to inconsistencies in audio delivery. If you have thick hair or wear glasses, you may experience a drop in bass as these features can disrupt the headphones' seal on your head, so it's important to take the time to adjust their fit, positioning, and seal on your head each time you use them to get a more consistent sound.

Sound
Raw Frequency Response
7.1
Sound
Bass Accuracy
Std. Err.
4.42 dB
Low-Frequency Extension
35.64 Hz
Low-Bass
-2.54 dB
Mid-Bass
3.06 dB
High-Bass
7.05 dB

The Sony H7's bass accuracy is satisfactory. They're lacking low-bass, so mixes have less thump and rumble. However, a big peak in the mid to high-bass adds extra punch and boom to mixes, which can help emphasize sound effects like footsteps in gameplay. However, this can really muddy vocals and lead instruments.

8.2
Sound
Mid Accuracy
Std. Err.
2.46 dB
Low-Mid
3.6 dB
Mid-Mid
-0.17 dB
High-Mid
0.98 dB

The Sony H7 have great mid accuracy. There's some overemphasis coming from the bass range into the mids, which muddies dialogue and instruments. It's noticeable in tracks like No Save Point from Cyberpunk 2077, as Killer Mike's voice in the second verse sounds cluttered and layered below the kick drums. However, the rest of the range is fairly flat and accurate, so vocals and instruments in cut scenes are still somewhat clear and present.

6.3
Sound
Treble Accuracy
Std. Err.
5.34 dB
Low-Treble
-1.86 dB
Mid-Treble
3.59 dB
High-Treble
2.04 dB

The Sony H7's treble accuracy is passable. There's a dip in the low-treble that hurts the comprehensibility of vocals and instruments. However, a peak in the mid-treble makes sibilants sound piercing. Put together, this means in songs like One-Winged Angel from the remake of Final Fantasy VII, the choir's powerful chant, 'Sephiroth' in the second chorus, sounds a bit veiled compared to the pounding drums, which are competing to add emphasis to the voices. At the same time, the cymbals further increase the intensity of the song but are overly bright.

6.5
Sound
Peaks/Dips
Peaks
2.06 dB
Dips
2.59 dB

The peaks and dips performance is just okay. A dip in the low-bass primarily affects the left driver, so mixes lack thump and rumble. A peak in the mid to high-bass adds extra warmth and boom but a dip in the mid-mid pushes vocals and lead instruments to the back of the mix. There's also a peak in between the high-mid to low treble, making vocals and lead instruments sound harsh, but there's a steep dip in the low-treble, which really veils these sounds. Another peak in the mid-treble makes sibilants like cymbals piercing.

9.0
Sound
Imaging
Weighted Group Delay
0.28
Weighted Phase Mismatch
4.18
Weighted Amplitude Mismatch
0.16
Weighted Frequency Mismatch
1.09

The Sony H7's imaging performance is outstanding. This manufacturer usually has good quality control when it comes to their headphones' drivers, so you can expect their products left and right drivers to be well-matched. Our unit is also well-matched. Even though there are a couple of peaks in the phase response's treble range, which indicates that audio skews slightly towards one driver, it's very hard to hear with real-life content. Mismatch in the treble range is also hard to hear as humans lose sensitivity to this range over time. As a result, you won't encounter any issues while gaming as objects like dialogue, instruments, and sound effects like footsteps aare accurately placed in the stereo image.

5.0
Sound
Passive Soundstage
PRTF Accuracy (Std. Dev.)
2.67 dB
PRTF Size (Avg.)
4.63 dB
PRTF Distance
5.32 dB
Openness
4.7
Acoustic Space Excitation
3.0

The Sony H7's passive soundstage performance is disappointing, but this is normal from closed-back headphones. The soundstage seems wide and somewhat natural. However, the headphones struggle to create an out-of-head soundstage that's open and spacious, meaning it won't be very immersive.

2.0
Sound
Virtual Soundstage
Head Modeling
No
Speaker Modeling
On/Off
Room Ambience
No
Head Tracking
No
Virtual Surround
Sony Spatial Sound

The Sony H7 are compatible with Sony 360 Spatial Sound, which analyzes your unique ear shape via photograph to create a more immersive sound. However, once set up, you can only turn this feature on or off. You need to use the Sony 360 Spatial Sound Personalizer app on your smartphone to set up the virtual soundstage on PC, though.

These headphones, like the Sony INZONE H3, are also compatible with PlayStation 5's 3D Audio, which is found on the 'Settings' page. This spatial audio feature can help add depth and directionality to sound effects like footsteps and voices. However, we didn't notice a big difference between on and off.

6.9
Sound
Weighted Harmonic Distortion
WHD @ 90
0.393
WHD @ 100
0.472

The Sony H7's weighted harmonic distortion performance is fair. There's a peak in the low to mid-mid at high volumes, and then another peak in the low-treble is present in both moderate and high volumes. However, these peaks can be hard to hear with real-life content. As a result, most of the frequency ranges fall within good limits, resulting in somewhat clear audio reproduction.

Sound
Test Settings
Firmware
01.000.001
Power
On
Connection
Wireless (Proprietary)
Codec
PCM, 16-bit, 48kHz
EQ
DEFAULT (Flat)
ANC
No ANC
Tip/Pad
Default
Microphone
Boom

There are the settings used to test these headphones. Our results are only valid when used in this configuration.

Isolation
5.2
Isolation
Noise Isolation
Isolation Audio
Overall Attenuation
-14.01 dB
Noise Cancelling No
Bass
1.47 dB
Mid
-13.84 dB
Treble
-31.14 dB

The Sony H7's noise isolation performance is disappointing, but that's normal from gaming headphones. Unlike the Sony INZONE H9 Wireless, they lack an active noise cancelling (ANC) system, meaning they won't block out sounds like the rumble of car engines outside your window. That said, they do a better job of cutting down ambient chatter and the high-pitched hum of computer fans.

7.4
Isolation
Leakage
Leakage Audio
Overall Leakage @ 1ft
37.18 dB

The Sony H7's leakage performance is decent. Leakage is mostly concentrated in the mid to treble range and sounds somewhat thin. Escaping audio isn't very loud, though, so if you want to crank up the volume while gaming, you won't bother others around you.

Microphone
Microphone
Microphone Style
Integrated
No
In-Line
No
Boom
Yes
Detachable Boom
No
Mic Yes
6.9
Microphone
Recording Quality
Recorded Speech
LFE
193.04 Hz
FR Std. Dev.
2.82 dB
HFE
7,136.96 Hz
Weighted THD
9.288
Gain
-8.97 dB

The Sony H7's boom mic has a fair recording quality. Your voice sounds natural and clear, so your teammates won't have any problems hearing you clearly.

8.2
Microphone
Noise Handling
SpNR
21.56 dB
Noise Gate
Always On
Speech + Pink Noise Handling
8.0
Speech + Pink Noise Audio Sample
Speech + Subway Noise Handling
8.5
Speech + Subway Noise Audio Sample

The mic has a great noise handling performance. There's a noise gate that automatically cuts out noise when you're talking. As a result, the mic can separate your voice from moderate ambient noise. If you're chatting with teammates in a loud environment, they can still hear you clearly.

Active Features
8.9
Active Features
Battery
Battery Type
Rechargable
Continuous Battery Life
49.8 hrs
Additional Charges
0.0
Total Battery Life
49.8 hrs
Charge Time
2.3 hrs
Power-Saving Feature
Auto-Off Timer
Audio While Charging
Yes
Passive Playback
No
Charging Port USB-C

The Sony H7 have an excellent battery performance. The manufacturer advertises them to last 40 hours continuously, but we measured almost 50 hours. That said, battery life can vary depending on use. You can use the headphones while charging, but you need to be connected to a device via Bluetooth or the dongle as the charging cable doesn't pass through audio.

7.5
Active Features
App Support
App Name Sony INZONE Hub
iOS No
Android No
macOS No
Windows Yes
Equalizer
Graphic + Presets
ANC Control
No
Mic Control Adjustable Level
Room Effects
No
Playback Control
No
Button Mapping No
Surround Support
Yes

Sony INZONE Hub is good companion software that offers a lot of customization features. It offers different profiles in which you can save your unique settings, allowing you to quickly change presets. It also offers robust sound controls like a master volume slider, three EQ presets, a 10-band graphic EQ, and spatial sound. You can access dynamic range control (DRC), which automatically adjusts the balance of your content's audio, and the auto-off timer. For the microphone, there's a master volume control, gain control, and sidetone levels. You can even switch the Bluetooth connection quality if you want to prioritize sound quality or a stable connection and set whether Bluetooth is enabled when the headphones are turned on.

Connectivity
8.5
Connectivity
Bluetooth
Bluetooth Version
5.0
Multi-Device Pairing
Bluetooth + Console/Non-BT Wireless
NFC Pairing
No
Line Of Sight Range
334.65 ft (102.00 m)
PC Latency (SBC)
210 ms
PC Latency (aptX)
N/A
PC Latency (aptX HD)
N/A
PC Latency (aptX-LL)
N/A
iOS Latency
76 ms
Android Latency
133 ms

These headphones have great Bluetooth connectivity. You can connect them to your PS5 and smartphone at the same time, which is nice if you want to receive audio from a different device than your console. That said, they have high Bluetooth latency on PC, so if you want to game using this connection, you'll notice that your audio and visuals fall out of sync. Audio lag is lower on iOS and Android, which is better for streaming video. Keep in mind that latency can vary depending on your device.

7.2
Connectivity
Non-Bluetooth Wireless
Non-BT Line Of Sight Range
86.94 ft (26.50 m)
Non-BT Latency
80 ms

The Sony H7 have decent non-Bluetooth wireless latency. They have higher latency than the Sony INZONE H9 Wireless, but we measured similar results during multiple retests. However, this audio lag isn't very noticeable, making them still a solid choice for gaming.

0
Connectivity
Wired
Analog Audio
No
USB Audio
No
Detachable No
Length N/A
Connection
No Wired Option
Analog/USB Audio Latency
N/A

The Sony H7 come with a USB-A to USB-C charging cable, which doesn't pass through audio. Keep in mind that these headphones don't have an AUX port either, so you can't use a 1/8" TRS for a wired connection.

Connectivity
PC Compatibility
Analog
No
Wired USB
No
Non-BT Wireless
Audio + Microphone

The Sony H7 can connect to your PC via Bluetooth or wireless dongle with full audio and mic compatibility.

Connectivity
PlayStation Compatibility
PS4 Analog
No
PS4 Wired USB
No
PS4 Non-BT Wireless
Audio + Microphone
PS5 Analog
No
PS5 Wired USB
No
PS5 Non-BT Wireless
Audio + Microphone

These headphones can connect to PlayStation consoles via the wireless dongle. You can receive audio and use the mic.

Connectivity
Xbox Compatibility
Xbox One Analog
No
Xbox One Wired USB
No
Xbox One Non-BT Wireless
No
Xbox Series X|S Analog
No
Xbox Series X|S Wired USB
No
Xbox Series X|S Non-BT Wireless
No
3.4
Connectivity
Base/Dock
Type
Wireless USB Dongle
USB Input
Yes
Line In
No
Line Out
No
Optical Input
No
RCA Input
No
Dock Charging
No
Power Supply
USB

The Sony H7 come with a wireless dongle. It has a switch that allows you to move between PS5 and PC mode. This dongle doesn't have any inputs, though.