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Sony WI-XB400 EXTRA BASS Wireless Headphones Review

Tested using Methodology v1.5
Reviewed Jan 24, 2020 at 08:53 am
Latest change: Test bench update Aug 11, 2021 at 02:40 pm
Sony WI-XB400 EXTRA BASS Wireless Picture
7.1
Neutral Sound
7.2
Commute/Travel
7.9
Sports/Fitness
6.8
Office
5.4
Wireless Gaming
5.3
Wired Gaming
6.7
Phone Calls

The Sony WI-XB400 EXTRA BASS Wireless in-ear headphones are decent budget earbuds for everyday use. Although they're marketed towards fans of bass-heavy genres, their overall sound profile remains relatively well-balanced, without any hint of boominess. They provide a fairly stable fit that shouldn't fall out during exercise, and they have a good battery life that should last all day. Unfortunately, they're not compatible with Sony's Headphones Connect app for customization and their noise isolation is rather disappointing. Nonetheless, they're a good choice for those looking for a basic pair of wireless headphones with an extra kick of bass.

Our Verdict

7.1 Neutral Sound

The Sony WI-XB400 are decent headphones for critical listening. Although they're branded as having extra bass, their overall sound signature is fairly well-balanced, as the bass is tight and punchy without being overpowering. The treble can be a bit sharp, but it doesn't sound sibilant. Sadly, there's no soundstage to speak of, as they're closed-back in-ear headphones.

Pros
  • Light and portable.
  • Good battery life.
Cons
  • No app for customization.
  • High latency.
7.2 Commute/Travel

The Sony WI-XB400 are decent for commuting. They're fairly comfortable to wear for a long time, and they have a great battery life; however, noise isolation is disappointing. They can isolate you against ambient chatter, but won't be able to block out the rumbles of bus engines.

Pros
  • Light and portable.
  • Good battery life.
Cons
  • No app for customization.
  • High latency.
7.9 Sports/Fitness

The Sony WI-XB400 are great for sports. They're extremely portable and they're stable enough for most sports. Breathability shouldn't be an issue, as they're earbuds, and the in-line remote is easy to use, though it can be slightly annoying, as it tends to bounce around a lot during heavy movements.

Pros
  • Light and portable.
  • Good battery life.
Cons
  • No app for customization.
  • High latency.
6.8 Office

The Sony WI-XB400 are okay for office use. They can be worn for a long time without causing discomfort, and they have good noise isolation in the mid range, which is good for blocking out ambient chatter. Battery life is good and should last through an entire work day, and the headphones don't leak much, as long as you don't listen at a very high volume.

Pros
  • Light and portable.
  • Good battery life.
Cons
  • No app for customization.
  • High latency.
5.4 Wireless Gaming

The Sony WI-XB400 aren't a good choice for gaming. Even though they're comfortable to wear for a long time, the high latency can cause the audio to be out of sync. Also, they're not compatible with gaming consoles such as the Xbox One and PS4.

5.3 Wired Gaming

The Sony WI-XB400 are Bluetooth-only headphones.

6.7 Phone Calls

The Sony WI-XB400 are mediocre for phone calls. In a quiet environment, speech sounds clear and understandable, but in a noisy environment such as a subway train, it struggles to separate speech from background noise, often causing speech to cut out.

Pros
  • Light and portable.
  • Good battery life.
Cons
  • No app for customization.
  • High latency.
  • 7.1 Neutral Sound
  • 7.2 Commute/Travel
  • 7.9 Sports/Fitness
  • 6.8 Office
  • 5.4 Wireless Gaming
  • 5.3 Wired Gaming
  • 6.7 Phone Calls
  1. Updated Aug 11, 2021: Converted to Test Bench 1.5.
  2. Updated Feb 13, 2020: Converted to Test Bench 1.4.
  3. Updated Jan 24, 2020: Review published.
  4. Updated Jan 22, 2020: Early access published.
  5. Updated Jan 22, 2020: Our testers have started testing this product.
  6. Updated Jan 13, 2020: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
  7. Updated Jan 08, 2020: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

Differences Between Sizes And Variants

There are no variants of these headphones except that they come in two colors: black or blue.

Compared To Other Headphones

The Sony WI-XB400 are pretty basic wireless in-ears when compared to other headphones of the same type. They lack features such as active noise cancelling and they can't be customized through a mobile companion app. They perform decently well in most uses, but there's nothing that really stands out. If you're looking for a pair with more features, take a look at our recommendations for the best headphones, the best earbuds, and the best neckband headphones.

Beats Flex Wireless

The Beats Flex Wireless and the Sony WI-XB400 EXTRA BASS Wireless perform similarly. The Beats are more comfortable, stable, and have a better build quality. They also isolate more noise and pair seamlessly with Apple devices. However, the Sony headphones have a better-balanced sound profile, which some users may prefer, and a longer continuous battery life of 19.5 hours.

Sony WI-C310 Wireless

The Sony WI-C310 Wireless are better than the Sony WI-XB400 EXTRA BASS Wireless in mixed usage. They perform similarly in most aspects, but the WI-C310 have a more neutral sound since they don't have the extra emphasis in the bass. Also, the WI-C310 have better noise isolation, especially in the treble range, but the microphone quality is significantly worse.

Sony WI-C200 Wireless

The Sony WI-XB400 EXTRA BASS Wireless and the Sony WI-C200 Wireless are very similar headphones and have nearly identical performance in most uses. The C200 have less bass, but they tend to sound a bit muddy and cluttered, and the treble sounds much more piercing than the XB400. The XB400 have better noise isolation and the microphone is significantly better.

Jaybird Tarah Pro Wireless

The Jaybird Tarah Pro Wireless are significantly better than the Sony WI-XB400 EXTRA BASS Wireless in most uses. The Jaybird have much better noise isolation and leakage performance, but battery life is much shorter. Also, the Jaybird have a significantly better build quality and they can be customized through Jaybird's mobile app. However, the Sonys are more consistent and will perform similarly from one person to another.

Bose SoundSport Wireless

The Sony WI-XB400 EXTRA BASS Wireless are slightly better than the Bose SoundSport Wireless in mixed usage. Although the Bose have a more neutral sound and are more comfortable to wear, they have rather disappointing noise isolation and battery life is significantly worse. The Bose can be paired to two devices simultaneously, but the microphone isn't as good as the Sony's.

Sony MH755

The Sony WI-XB400 EXTRA BASS Wireless and the Sony MH755 have different strengths, and you may prefer either one. The MH755 are more designed for neutral sound, are better built, and have a more neutral sound profile. They can also block out more background sound. However, the WI-XB400 are better-suited for casual use as they have a wireless design and have an in-line mic. They also have a more bass-heavy sound profile, which some users may prefer, and a basic control scheme.

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Test Results

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

The Sony WI-XB400 have a fairly simple design. There's a rather long cable connecting both earbuds, and there's an in-line remote that also houses the microphone. The earbuds are magnetic and they snap together when you're not using them. They're nearly identical to the Sony WI-C310.

7.0
Design
Comfort
Weight 0.05 lbs
Clamping Force
0 lbs

These earbuds have decent comfort. They're fairly small and should fit in most ears, and they come with 3 different sizes of eartips. The earbuds need to be inserted deeply into the ear canal for stability and isolation; however, due to their small size, they shouldn't cause any discomfort when wearing them for an extended period.

6.5
Design
Controls
OS Compatibility
Not OS specific
Ease Of Use Good
Feedback Okay
Call/Music Control Yes
Volume Control Yes
Microphone Control No
Channel Mixing
No
Noise Cancelling Control No
Talk-Through
No
Additional Controls Voice Assistant

The WI-XB400 have a decent control scheme. The in-line remote is easy to use and provides decent feedback when pressing the buttons. You can also use voice control by activating your preferred digital assistant.

9.2
Design
Breathability
Avg.Temp.Difference 0.8 °C

As these are earbuds, you shouldn't have any issues with heat when wearing them for a long time and they're suitable for sports.

9.1
Design
Portability
L 3.0" (7.6 cm)
W 1.5" (3.8 cm)
H 0.7" (1.8 cm)
Volume 3.20 in³ (52.44 cm³)
Transmitter Required No

These headphones have excellent portability. The neckband is flexible and should fit in most pockets or bags easily.

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

These earbuds don't come with a carrying case.

6.5
Design
Build Quality

Build quality is decent. The earbuds and the in-line remote are made of plastic, while the cable is rubberized and flat. They should be able to survive a few accidental drops, but the cables leading up to the earbuds feel a bit thin and can potentially break if pulled too hard.

7.0
Design
Stability

These earbuds are reasonably stable. As long as you're able to achieve a good fit with the provided eartips, you shouldn't have any stability issues when using them for sports. However, a small tug on the cable can cause them to fall out. Also, the cable is rather long, causing the in-line remote to bounce around during exercise.

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

  • Sony WI-XB400 EXTRA BASS headphones
  • USB-C charging cable
  • 3 Sizes of eartips
  • User Guide

Sound
Sound
Sound Profile
Bass Amount
3.28 dB
Treble Amount
-3.15 dB

As the name suggests, the Sony WI-XB400 are bass-heavy. That said, the overall sound profile is still fairly well-balanced, as the bass isn't overpowering. There's a spike in the treble that can sound a bit sharp at times, but they're in no way sibilant.

9.4
Sound
Frequency Response Consistency
Avg. Std. Deviation
0.12 dB

The WI-XB400 have exceptional consistency. As long as you're able to achieve a proper fit, these earbuds should perform similarly every time.

Sound
Raw Frequency Response
7.5
Sound
Bass Accuracy
Std. Err.
3.65 dB
Low-Frequency Extension
10 Hz
Low-Bass
5.39 dB
Mid-Bass
3.7 dB
High-Bass
3.11 dB

These earbuds have impressive bass accuracy. As expected, there's an emphasis in the low-bass that gives a good amount of rumble and thump, as well as a small bump in the high-bass, but not enough to make them sound muddy or cluttered.

8.9
Sound
Mid Accuracy
Std. Err.
1.43 dB
Low-Mid
1.73 dB
Mid-Mid
-0.76 dB
High-Mid
-0.16 dB

The mid-range accuracy is excellent. The slight dip in the mid-mid and high-mid is barely noticeable, as vocals and leads are still very prominent.

7.7
Sound
Treble Accuracy
Std. Err.
3.49 dB
Low-Treble
0.01 dB
Mid-Treble
-2.51 dB
High-Treble
-10.98 dB

The WI-XB400's treble accuracy is decent. The mid-treble dip can make vocals and leads sound less detailed and lacking in brightness, and the mid-treble spike can cause a bit of sharpness, especially on tracks that are already bright or poorly recorded.

8.1
Sound
Peaks/Dips
Peaks
1.22 dB
Dips
0.93 dB

The WI-XB400's peaks and dips performance is okay. Although it's a bit uneven, the overall sound is still well-balanced. The treble peak can sound sharp, but not sibilant.

9.0
Sound
Imaging
Weighted Group Delay
0.14
Weighted Phase Mismatch
1.92
Weighted Amplitude Mismatch
0.67
Weighted Frequency Mismatch
1.25

The WI-XB400's imaging is excellent. The weighted group delay is very low and shouldn't be noticeable. This results in a bass that sounds tight and fast, and a treble that sounds transparent. Both ears are well-matched, which is great for an accurate stereo imaging.

1.3
Sound
Passive Soundstage
PRTF Accuracy (Std. Dev.)
N/A
PRTF Size (Avg.)
N/A
PRTF Distance
N/A
Openness
4.1
Acoustic Space Excitation
1.5

The WI-XB400's soundstage is bad. Like most in-ears, they don't interact with the pinna (inner ear) at all, which is essential for creating a large, spacious soundstage. Also, closed-back headphones can't produce an open sound the way that open-back headphones can.

0
Sound
Virtual Soundstage
Head Modeling
No
Speaker Modeling
No
Room Ambience
No
Head Tracking
No
Virtual Surround
No App
7.2
Sound
Weighted Harmonic Distortion
WHD @ 90
0.430
WHD @ 100
0.215

The weighted harmonic distortion is decent. Although there's a bump in the mid-treble, it shouldn't be noticeable for most people. This results in a clean and pure audio reproduction.

Sound
Test Settings
Firmware
Unknown
Power
On
Connection
Bluetooth 4.2
Codec
SBC, 16-bit, 48kHz
EQ
No EQ
ANC
No ANC
Tip/Pad
Silicone (small)
Microphone
In-line
Isolation
5.7
Isolation
Noise Isolation
Isolation Audio
Overall Attenuation
-13.54 dB
Noise Cancelling No
Bass
-4.88 dB
Mid
-17.97 dB
Treble
-19.27 dB

Noise isolation on the WI-XB400 is sub-par. They have good performance in the mid-range to block out ambient chatter, and performance in the treble range is decent, but they won't do much in the bass range, where the rumbles of bus and airplane engines sit.

8.6
Isolation
Leakage
Leakage Audio
Overall Leakage @ 1ft
29.46 dB

Leakage performance is excellent. At a moderate volume level, they shouldn't leak at all, but at higher volume levels, there's a bit of leakage, particularly in the low-bass and treble.

Microphone
Microphone
Microphone Style
Integrated
No
In-Line
Yes
Boom
No
Detachable Boom
No
Mic Yes
6.3
Microphone
Recording Quality
Recorded Speech
LFE
507.97 Hz
FR Std. Dev.
2.84 dB
HFE
7,452.94 Hz
Weighted THD
1.6
Gain
4.47 dB

The microphone's recording quality is passable. While recorded speech sounds clear and understandable, it can be a bit quiet.

7.5
Microphone
Noise Handling
SpNR
14.21 dB
Noise Gate
No
Speech + Pink Noise Handling
7.5
Speech + Pink Noise Audio Sample
Speech + Subway Noise Handling
7.5
Speech + Subway Noise Audio Sample

The microphone's noise handling is mediocre. It performs well in a quiet environment, but in a noisy setting, speech can get drowned out by background noise and cut out at times.

Active Features
6.8
Active Features
Battery
Battery Type
Rechargable
Continuous Battery Life
19.5 hrs
Additional Charges
0.0
Total Battery Life
19.5 hrs
Charge Time
2.7 hrs
Power-Saving Feature
No
Audio While Charging
No
Passive Playback
No
Charging Port USB-C

Battery life is good. It exceeds the advertised 15 hours of continuous playback time, but there's no power-saving feature available.

0
Active Features
App Support
App Name No App
iOS No
Android No
macOS No
Windows No
Equalizer
No
ANC Control
No
Mic Control No
Room Effects
No
Playback Control
No
Button Mapping No
Surround Support
No

Unfortunately, these earbuds aren't compatible with Sony's Headphones Connect app and can't be customized in any way.

Connectivity
6.9
Connectivity
Bluetooth
Bluetooth Version
5.0
Multi-Device Pairing
No
NFC Pairing
No
Line Of Sight Range
221.00 ft (67.36 m)
PC Latency (SBC)
209 ms
PC Latency (aptX)
N/A
PC Latency (aptX HD)
N/A
PC Latency (aptX-LL)
N/A
iOS Latency
102 ms
Android Latency
165 ms

The WI-XB400 have decent Bluetooth capabilities. They have a good connection range, but they can't be paired to multiple devices simultaneously. Additionally, latency may be an issue when watching videos or gaming, though your results may vary.

0
Connectivity
Non-Bluetooth Wireless
Non-BT Line Of Sight Range
N/A
Non-BT Latency
N/A

These headphones can only connect via Bluetooth.

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

These earbuds can't be used wired; the USB-C cable is for charging only.

Connectivity
PC Compatibility
Analog
No
Wired USB
No
Non-BT Wireless
No
Connectivity
PlayStation Compatibility
PS4 Analog
No
PS4 Wired USB
No
PS4 Non-BT Wireless
No
PS5 Analog
No
PS5 Wired USB
No
PS5 Non-BT Wireless
No
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

These headphones aren't compatible with the Xbox One.

0
Connectivity
Base/Dock
Type
No Base/Dock
USB Input
No
Line In
No
Line Out
No
Optical Input
No
RCA Input
No
Dock Charging
No
Power Supply
No Base/Dock

The WI-XB400 don't have a dock.