Whether you’re planning on slipping a new pair of earbuds into someone’s stocking or you’re ready to upgrade your old pair, finding the right headphones or earbuds can seem a little daunting. There are so many styles and price points to choose from — which is why checking out an established brand like Sony is a great place to start. Sony has been making some of the best audio equipment on the market for years, and the company has claimed several spots on our list of the overall best headphones for 2023. It offers a wide range of models to choose from, whether you’re looking to grab a premium pair of noise-canceling over-ear headphones or a budget-friendly pair of earbuds. No matter which style you’re after, there’s no reason to overpay.
Prices for Sony headphones tend to fluctuate, and throughout the year, you’ll find discounts on most models — sometimes pretty major discounts. While we can’t track all of them (there are a lot), we’ve put together a list of current deals and pricing for the most popular models. We also have lists of the best deals on Beats headphones and best AirPods deals in case you’re considering other brands.
Battery Life Rated up to 30 hoursNoise Canceling YesMultipoint YesHeadphone Type Over-ear wireless headphonesWater-Resistant No IP rating
Not everybody will love the fit or high price of the Sony WF-1000XM4 earbuds. But if you’re looking for great-sounding earbuds with excellent noise cancellation, solid voice calling and good battery life, these buds check all the boxes. Unlike the earlier WF-1000XM3, these are water-resistant with an IPX4 splash-proof rating.
Bose’s QuietComfort Earbuds also have top-notch noise cancellation and sound quality, but Sony is right there with Bose for the former. Some might even say it’s a touch better in that department. Sony offers better sound quality and has a more compact design, particularly for the case, though the Sony buds certainly aren’t small.
All-time low price: $176
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Sony released its entry-level CH-720N noise-canceling headphones in 2023. They’re quite good, but if you can’t afford them (they list for $150), the company’s new budget on-ear CH-520 headphones are an intriguing option for less than $50.
They lack noise cancellation and are pretty no-frills, but they feature good sound for their price. They’re also lightweight and comfortable for on-ear headphones, with excellent battery life (they’re rated for up to 50 hours at moderate volume levels). Additionally, they have multipoint Bluetooth pairing, so you can pair them with two devices simultaneously, such as a smartphone and a computer, and switch audio. Voice-calling performance is decent, though not up to the level of what you get with the CH-720N. Note that there’s no wired option — this is a wireless, Bluetooth-only headphone.
The CH-520 offers balanced sound with decent clarity. The bass has some punch but doesn’t pack a wallop, and you’re not going to get quite as wide a soundstage as you get from Sony’s more expensive over-ear headphones. But these definitely sound better than Sony’s previous entry-level on-ear headphones, and better than I thought they would. They come in white, blue and black.
All-time low price: $38
Battery Life Rated up to 30 hoursNoise Canceling YesMultipoint YesHeadphone Type Over-ear wireless headphonesWater-Resistant No IP rating
While they’re no longer Sony’s flagship noise-canceling headphones, the WH-1000XM4 are still good headphones that are worth considering if you can find them at a big discount. Right now, you can snag all three colors (black, silver or blue) for $228 at Amazon, which saves you over $120 compared with the usual asking price.
Battery Life Rated up to 9 hoursNoise Canceling Yes (ANC)Multipoint NoHeadphone Type Wireless EarbudsWater-Resistant Yes (IPX4 — splash-proof)
Unlike the “open” LinkBuds, the LinkBuds S are traditional noise-isolating earbuds with tips you jam into your ears. They’re lighter and more compact than Sony’s flagship WF-1000XM4 and feature Sony’s V1 processor. While their sound and noise cancellation don’t quite measure up to the WF-1000XM4, they’re close, and they cost less. They’re the Sony buds for people who can deal with larger buds and want 80% to 85% of higher-tier buds’ features and performance for significantly less. Right now, you can get them for an all-time low price of $128, $70 off the regular retail price of $198.
All-time low price: $128
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Sony
If you’re looking for cheap on-ear wired headphones, the ZX Series is as good a bet as any. You can snag this basic pair for the lowest price of the year: They’re half off right now at Amazon, which saves you $10. Or upgrade to the version with a microphone for just $17, which is $13 off the usual price.
All-time low price: $10
Sony
The Sony MDR-Z7M2 may not be Sony’s flagship audiophile headphones (that would be MDR-Z1R), but this is still a high-end model that lists for $900. I reviewed the earlier version of the Z7 (the M2 at the end stands for Mark 2, or second generation) and it was comfortable, with great sound. To be clear, these are headphones for audiophiles that sound best with the right audio equipment, which may include a headphone amplifier or a high-resolution portable music player (notice the Sony Walkman player, which isn’t included, in the photo).
Battery Life Rated up to 50 hoursNoise Canceling Yes (ANC)Multipoint YesHeadphone Type Over-ear wireless headphonesWater-Resistant No IP rating
WH-XB910N is the step-down model from the WH-1000XM4. It’s an Extra Bass model, so it does have a preponderance of bass. This updated version looks like the earlier XB900N but offers improved noise cancellation and multipoint Bluetooth pairing, so you can pair it with your phone and computer simultaneously. It also supports Sony’s LDAC audio codec. It often sells for around $150 or slightly less. At that price, it’s a decent value.
While improved, noise canceling isn’t quite up to the level of the WH-1000XM4. And the WH-XB910N doesn’t have some of that model’s extra features, such as Speak to Chat, wearing-detection sensors and Sony’s Precise Voice Pickup technology. However, it does have Quick Attention Mode, which allows you to put your hand over the ear cup to go from noise canceling to an ambient-aware transparency mode. Also, this headphone now comes with a hard case like the WH-1000XM4. Battery life is rated at up to 30 hours at moderate volume levels, the same as what you get from the WH-1000XM4.
The Sony CH-720N headphones have physical buttons for controls, not touch controls like the step-up WH-1000XM5.
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The Sony CH-720N headphones have physical buttons for controls, not touch controls like the step-up WH-1000XM5.
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The Sony CH-720N headphones have physical buttons for controls, not touch controls like the step-up WH-1000XM5.
Battery life Rated up to 35 hoursNoise Cancelling YesMultipoint YesHeadphone Type Over-ear wireless headphonesWater-Resistant No IP rating
Sony’s improved entry-level noise-canceling headphones, the CH-720N, have a bit of a plasticky budget vibe, but they’re lightweight and very comfortable. Part of me was expecting them to sound mediocre, but I was pleasantly surprised. No, they don’t sound as good as the WH-1000XM5. But they sound more premium than they look and feel, and their overall performance is a step up from their predecessor, the CH-710N. Are they worth $150? Maybe, maybe not. But they’re a more competitive option when you can pick them up on sale. Right now they’re marked down to just $100 at Amazon.
Battery Life 5.5 hoursNoise Canceling NoMultipoint NoHeadphone Type Wireless earbudsWater-Resistant Yes (IPX4 — splash-proof)
The LinkBuds are, in a sense, Sony’s answer to Apple’s standard AirPods. While they don’t sound as good as Sony’s flagship WF-1000XM4 noise-isolating earbuds, they offer a discreet, innovative design and a more secure fit than AirPods, as well as good sound and very good voice-calling performance.
Like third-gen AirPods, their open design allows you to hear the outside world — that’s what the ring is all about. That makes them a good choice for folks who want to hear what’s going around them for safety reasons or who just don’t like having ear tips jammed in their ears. They also have a few distinguishing extra features, including Speak to Chat and Wide Area Tap. Instead of tapping on a bud, you can tap on your face, just in front of your ear, to control playback.
They’re IPX4 splash-proof and thanks to their fins (Sony calls them Arc Supporters) they lock in your ears securely and work well for running and other sports. Right now, they are discounted 29% at Amazon.
We test headphones based on five key criteria, comparing similarly styled and priced models. These criteria include design, sound quality, features, voice-calling performance and value.
Evaluating design, we assess not only how comfortable the headphones or earbuds fit (ergonomics) but their build quality and how well the controls are implemented. For earbuds, we also look at water- and dust-resistance ratings.
We evaluate sound quality by listening to a set playlist of music tracks and comparing the headphones to top competing products in their price range. Sonic traits such as bass definition, clarity, dynamic range and how natural the headphones sound are key factors in our assessment.
Some great-sounding headphones aren’t loaded with features, but we do take any extra features into account. These include everything from noise-canceling and transparency modes (ambient sound mode) to special sound modes to ear-detection sensors that automatically pause your music when you take the headphones off your ears.
When we test voice-calling performance, we make calls in the noisy streets of New York and evaluate how well the headphones reduce background noise and how clearly callers can hear your voice.
We determine value after evaluating the strength of the earbuds against all these criteria and what the headphones are able to deliver compared with other models in their price class.
