With so many manufacturers competing for your hard-earned cash, why choose a pair of the best Sony headphones? Well, it's a brand with a wealth of audio experience for a start. It’s been making headphones of various shapes and sizes since 1964 and over-ear models like the MDR-7506 have been staples of professional studios for decades.
That legacy shouldn’t be overlooked, but nor should the innovative excellence of the Japanese firm in recent times. Sony’s MDR-DS7500s were the first headphones to deliver 3D digital surround sound in 2011, while the original WF-1000X from 2017 were one of the first pairs of true wireless earbuds with noise cancellation on the mass market.
Iterative refinements to those ground-breaking features have cemented Sony as one of the most successful and respected mainstream manufacturers and you’ll find its products on many of our best headphones roundups. The company even has its own audio codec, LDAC, that supports 32-bit/96kHz Hi-Res audio over Bluetooth.
Below, you’ll find our pick of the best Sony headphones available, including those with active noise cancelling (ANC) and a whole gamut of other impressive features. Whether you’re after over-ear headphones capable of drowning out the world around you or discreet earbuds designed to enhance your environmental awareness, there’s something for everyone at a range of price points.
READ NEXT: Best noise-cancelling headphones
Price: £250 | Buy now from Amazon
Not only are they our favourite Sony true wireless earbuds, but the Sony WF-1000XM4 are the best wireless earbuds full stop. No other buds can compete with their combination of sensational audio quality – featuring Hi-Res support if you're using Sony’s LDAC codec – and noise-cancelling capabilities. Their intelligent ambient sound control detects when you are stationary, walking, running or on transport and adjusts the ANC accordingly (depending on your personalised settings).
Design wise, these buds are an ergonomic dream, with foam eartips comfy enough for long-haul listening and an IPX4 rating for water resistance, which is ideal for sweaty or all-weather activity. The battery is impressive, too, with the WH-1000XM4 offering 24 hours of Bluetooth audio (eight hours per charge with 16 hours of juice in the charging case). Meanwhile hands-free controls for various voice assistants, wear detection and automatic off make your life that little bit simpler. This is the ultimate earbuds experience.
Read our Sony WF-1000XM4 review for more details
Key specs – Type: True wireless earbuds; Connections: Bluetooth 5.0; Weight: 6g per earbud, 41g charging case; Cable length: N/A; Battery life: 24hrs
Price: From £379 | Buy now from Amazon
Released in 2022, Sony’s flagship headphones are the best over-ear noise cancellers on the market right now. They house improved drivers compared to their predecessor the WH-1000XM4, and are able to extract even more detail from source material. Superb sound quality is complemented by the smartest noise cancellation in the business and a streamlined aesthetic that simultaneously improves noise cancellation by reducing the impact of wind on audio.
Nifty features like a touch sensitive panel on the right earcup for skipping and pausing tracks, alongside Sony’s Adaptive Sound Control, which automatically adjusts sound settings based on what you are doing, only sweeten the experience. And it’s a supremely comfortable experience, too, with soft earcups lined in vegan leather ensuring you’ll only ever want to take the XM5 off when your listening session is done.
Read our Sony WH-1000XM5 review for more details
Key specs – Type: Over-ear, wireless; Connections: Bluetooth; Weight: 250g; Cable length: 1.2m; Battery life: 30hrs
Price: £149 | Buy now from Amazon
Unlike most true wireless earbuds, the Sony LinkBuds actively let sound into your ears. That might seem a little counterintuitive, but has the benefits of allowing you to stay connected to the outside world, hold conversations and remain aware of your surroundings without having to constantly remove your headphones.
It’s a wonderful premise, but in practice, we found the LinkBuds weren’t particularly practical in hectic environments. They’re not cut out for travelling on noisy trains or inner city bustle – the external noise let into your ears is just too loud. For countryside dwellers and home workers looking to mix real world ambience with a podcast, album or video game, however, they’re an appealing choice.
Read our full Sony LinkBuds review for more details
Key specs – Type: True wireless earbuds; Connections: Bluetooth 5.2; Weight: 4.1g per earbud, 34g charging case; Cable length: N/A; Battery life: 5hrs 30mins
Price: £25 | Buy now from Amazon
The Sony WH-1000XM5 are incredible headphones but too expensive for most average music lovers. If you’re after a super cheap pair of Sony headphones, the Sony MDR-ZX310 are your best bet.
For a fraction of the price of the WH-1000XM5, you’re getting a solid pair of on-ear, wired headphones that fold away to a compact size, making them great for easy listening on the move, assuming your smartphone has a 3.5mm port. They produce decent sound characterised by solid mid-range and treble frequency articulation, but bass is a little lacklustre. Still, you won’t find a keener balance of portability and price in Sony’s on- and over-ear headphones roster.
Key specs – Type: On-ear headphones; Connections: 3.5mm jack plug; Weight: 127g; Cable length: 1.2m; Battery life: N/A
Price: £210 | Buy now from TechInTheBasket
Over-ear headphones are a godsend on long journeys and trips abroad, so having a pair that can be folded into a compact size is a real benefit. The newer Sony WH-1000XM5 don’t fold, making the WH-1000XM4 a better option for those that appreciate being able to easily stuff their headphones into a bag or large pocket.
The WH-1000XM4 have plenty of other things going for them, too, since they incorporate much of what makes their successors so great. You have the same controls and features like wear detection, Speak-to-Chat and Adaptive Sound Control, and they’re still oh-so comfortable to wear. You might not get the ultimate audio quality or noise cancelling Sony has to offer, but the WH-1000XM4 stand up extremely well against most competitors and are exceptional value at their discounted price of a touch over £200.
Read our Sony WH-1000XM4 review for more details
Key specs – Type: Over-ear, wireless; Connections: Bluetooth 5.0; Weight: 254g; Cable length: 1.2m; Battery life: 30hrs
Price: From £94 | Buy now from Argos
The WF-1000XM4 may be the latest and greatest option when it comes to Sony earbuds, but their predecessors are available for less than half the price and still offer a great all-round experience.
Crucially, there’s impressive audio (albeit, without support for Sony’s Hi-Res LDAC codec) and a noise-cancelling system that works wonderfully well. Battery life is also impressive at 24 hours - the same as offered by the WF-1000XM4 - while the design, which isn’t as refined as that of its successor, is perfectly comfortable.
Though no longer the jewel in Sony’s true wireless earbuds crown, the WF-1000XM3 are top-notch true wireless earbuds and a steal at under £100.
Read our full Sony WF-1000XM3 review for more details
Key specs – Type: In-ear, wireless; Connections: Bluetooth 5.0; Weight: 77g; Cable length: N/A; Battery life: 24hrs
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