Our Verdict
Above-average for mixed usage. The Sony h.ear on 2 have a great, well-balanced sound and a decently sturdy build quality. They're also fairly comfortable, wireless and noise canceling. This makes them an above-average choice for most use cases. Unfortunately, their noise isolation is fairly weak even at the highest setting which means they won't be as good as some of the other Sony models for commuting like the WH-1000XM2.
- Great audio reproduction.
- Comfortable and well-built design.
- Mediocre-at-best noise canceling.
- Very long charge time.
Great for neutral listening. The Sony WH-H900N deliver a well-balanced sound that has a good amount of bass that thumps and rumbles without overpowering the instruments and vocals in the mid-range. They do not sound sharp even on brighter tracks and come with a good customizable EQ so you can tweak their sound profile to your liking (via the Headphones connect app). Unfortunately, they do not create the most spacious soundstage which may not be ideal for more neutral listeners, but overall their sound quality should be good enough for most.
Decent for commuting. The Sony WH-H900 have a mediocre noise isolation performance but do not leak much so you can mask more ambient noise by turning the volume of your audio up. They are also fairly easy to use and comfortable but are not the most compact headphones to carry around on your person.
Decent for sports. They're not specifically designed for high-intensity activities, but they're stable enough to jog with. They have a comfortable fit and provide a decent control scheme.
Above-average for office use. Their isolation is not very strong but should be somewhat okay for an office environment. You can also mask more ambient noise by turning your volume up without distracting your colleagues since they do not leak as much.
Sub-par for gaming. They're comfortable, and have a good sound but unfortunately a bit too much latency for gaming. They also have a mediocre mic and tend to make your ears a little warm during long gaming sessions. Unfortunately, they will only provide audio with your consoles if you use the 1/8"TRS cable.
Changelog
- Updated Feb 05, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.4.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
- Updated May 24, 2018: Review published.
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Popular Headphones Comparisons
The Sony h.ear on 2 are great-sounding wireless over-ears with a mediocre-at-best noise-canceling performance. They have a decently sturdy build quality and although they're a little heavier than the original h.ear.on, they are still fairly lightweight. They have a surprisingly well-balanced sound that you can also customize via the Headphones Connect App and decently long battery life. Unfortunately, their noise canceling is a little weak, especially when compared to some of the more travel-friendly headphones below. They also take very long for a full charge, which is a little disappointing.
See our recommendations for the best headphones, the best Bluetooth headphones, and the best noise cancelling headphones.
The Sony WH-1000XM3 Wireless are a much better noise cancelling headset than the Sony WH-H900N/h.ear on 2 Wireless. The H900N have a better-balanced default sound. They also have a cool look that some may prefer since they come in a lot more color schemes than the more premium XM3s. On the other hand, the WH-1000XM3 have a better noise cancelling performance that makes them a much better choice for your commutes. They're also a lot more customizable. They have a better battery life and drastically faster charge time, which makes them a lot more convenient for day-to-day use, especially if you forget to charge your headphones overnight. They're more comfortable and look and feel a lot more premium than the H900N.
The Sony WH-H900N/h.ear on 2 Wireless have similar performance to the Beats Studio3 Wireless. The Sony have a better-balanced default sound profile and more customization options, thanks to their companion app. The Sony also have a sleeker-looking build quality that feels a bit more high-end than the Beats. The Beats, on the other hand, have a slightly stronger noise isolation performance and lower leakage. They also charge much faster and have a greater wireless range than the Sony. They're more stable for the gym and more comfortable for most users.
The Sony WH-H900N/h.ear on 2 Wireless are slightly better headphones than the Sony WH-XB900N Wireless.The WH-H900N/h.ear have a better-balanced sound profile that some users may prefer over the bass-heavy XB900N. While they don’t have as long of a battery life as the XB900N, they have a power-saving mode, so they might be a better option for those who forget to turn their headset off when taking it off. The XB900N is also a better choice if you listen to a lot of bass-heavy music genres. They also have noticeably better wireless range.
The Sony WH-H900N/h.ear on 2 Wireless and the Sony WH-H910N/h.ear on 3 Wireless are very similar, though the latter holds a slight advantage since it's a new version. The WH-H910N have a slightly easier to use control scheme, and last much longer off of a single charge. They also have a better overall noise isolation performance. That said, the WH-H900N hold a unique advantage in the form of user-adjustable noise cancelling.
Our How We Test Headphones article takes you behind the scenes in our lab. You'll learn how we choose and purchase products and dive into the details of our review philosophy, from testing and scoring to writing and editing.
You can also discover how we produce recommendations like this one so that you can find the best headphones (or earbuds!) for your needs.
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