The Sony WH-XB900N Wireless are fairly versatile headphones and are a more affordable alternative to the Sony WH-1000XM3 Wireless. While they feel more plasticky than the higher-end model and their ANC is just okay overall, they offer over 38 hours of continuous battery life, even though they take longer to recharge and have a comfortable fit. Although some users may find their bass-heavy sound profile a little overwhelming, it can be tweaked to your liking via the companion app's graphic EQ and presets.
Our Verdict
The Sony WH-XB900N are okay for neutral sound. These headphones have a bass-heavy sound profile, which is better-suited for genres like EDM, dubstep, and hip-hop than for more neutral audio reproduction. Luckily, you can tweak their sound to your liking via their graphic EQ and presets. Also, they're quite comfortable for long listening sessions.
- Comfortable design.
- Great app support with customization options.
- Very long recharge time.
- Sub-par passive soundstage.
The Sony WH-XB900N are satisfactory for commute and travel. These headphones have outstandingly long-lasting battery life and are comfortable enough for long listening sessions. While they aren’t the most portable option and lack come with a hard case, they're easy to use, and their ANC can help reduce some ambient noise around you. However, they don’t perform too well in the bass range, so you hear the rumble of bus and plane engines.
- Comfortable design.
- Great app support with customization options.
- Over 38-hour continuous battery life.
- Very long recharge time.
- ANC struggles to cut down bus and plane engine noise.
- Not very breathable.
The Sony WH-XB900N are satisfactory for sports and fitness. They should be stable enough for a light jog but won’t be the best option for more intense physical exercise. They aren’t that stable and can move on your head. Their over-ear design also traps heat inside the ear cups, which can make you sweat more than usual. On the upside, their bass-heavy sound profile can be good for keeping you pumped up during your workouts.
- Comfortable design.
- Over 38-hour continuous battery life.
- Very long recharge time.
- Not very breathable.
The Sony WH-XB900N are alright for office use. They have over 38 hours of continuous playback time, they're comfortable enough for long hours at the office, and their ANC feature blocks a good amount of work environment noises like ambient chatter and A/C noise. However, they leak a bit of audio at high volumes.
- Comfortable design.
- Over 38-hour continuous battery life.
- Very long recharge time.
- No multi-device pairing.
The Sony WH-XB900N aren't compatible with Xbox or PS consoles. While you can use them with Bluetooth-enabled PCs, their latency is likely too high to be suitable for gaming.
The Sony WH-XB900N are decent for wired gaming. They can be connected to PC, PS4, and Xbox One consoles via their 1/8" TRS cable. However, you can only receive audio, and you won't be able to use the mic. That said, they have a comfortable fit and a customizable sound profile.
- Comfortable design.
- Great app support with customization options.
- Very long recharge time.
- Can only receive audio when using their TRS cable.
The Sony WH-XB900N aren't bad for phone calls. Their integrated microphone does an alright job of recording your voice, although it sounds thin, muffled, and lacking in detail. It struggles to separate your voice from ambient noise around you, so you may need to take calls in more quiet environments. These headphones also have an ANC feature, but it doesn't reduce a lot of bass-range noise like bus engines.
- Comfortable design.
- Very long recharge time.
Changelog
- Updated May 16, 2023: We incorrectly reported that these headphones had a TRRS cable. However, they have a TRS cable, and we have updated PC Compatibility and PlayStation Compatibility.
- Updated Feb 25, 2022: Added Sony's 360 Reality Audio feature to Virtual Soundstage.
- Updated Jul 07, 2021: Converted to Test Bench 1.5.
- Updated Mar 04, 2021: Updated review for accuracy and clarity.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Sony WH-XB900N come in three color variants: 'Black', 'Blue', and 'Gray'. We tested the Black variant, but expect all color variants to perform similarly to our unit.
If you come across another variant, please let us know in the discussions and we'll update our review.
Popular Headphones Comparisons
The Sony WH-XB900N are decent headphones that are fairly versatile. However, their ANC performance is quite disappointing and their overall value might not be worth it, which still make the Sony WH-1000XM3 Wireless the better option. See our recommendations for the best headphones, the best noise cancelling headphones, and the best over-ear headphones.
The Sony WH-XB910N Wireless are the next generation of the Sony WH-XB900N Wireless and belong to the brand's extra bass line. The XB910N are similarly comfortable and well-built as their predecessor. However, they come with a hard case to help protect them when you're on the go, and their ANC offers better overall performance. They also have an auto-off timer to help conserve battery life when you're not using them, and they support multi-device pairing. However, the XB900N support NFC pairing, which some users may prefer.
The Sony WH-CH700N Wireless is a better option for people who want a neutral sound, while the Sony WH-XB900N is a better choice for people who prefer bass-heavy music. The XB900N has a better noise isolation performance thanks to their ANC feature. They're also more comfortable and slightly better-built.
The Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless are better over-ear headphones than the Sony WH-XB900N Wireless. Although both headphones are comfortable and can be customized using the Sony | Headphones Connect app, the WH-1000XM4 feel better built and come with a hard case to help protect the headphones when you're on the go. They have a more consistent bass and treble delivery, and their ANC is able to reduce more ambient noise around you. Their continuous battery life is longer-lasting too. However, the WH-XB900N's integrated mic offers a better recording quality performance.
The Plantronics BackBeat Pro 2 Wireless 2016 are better headphones than the Sony WH-XB900N. They both have a bump in low-bass, which is great for bass-heavy genres, but the rest of the Plantronics’ response is more neutral, which some users may prefer. The Plantronic's noise isolation performance is also slightly better, including in the bass range, making them a better option for commuting than the WH-XB900N. Both offer about over 30 hours of battery life, but the BackBeat Pro 2 take way less time to charge. They also support the aptX-LL codec for minimal delay. On the other hand, the Sony are more comfortable, and their app offers better customization options.
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