Sony ULT Wear Review: Bass for the Buck!

PROS

• Great Isolation
• Premium Design
• Punch Bass
• Good Battery Backup

CONS

• USB-C is limited to charging (Audio Delivery can be implemented)
• Limited EQ options (5-band)

The little shiny ULT button on the newest headphones from Sony, turns it into a pair of headphones unlike any I've ever tested. Press it a second time, and let's just say it takes a special kind of person to do that. These are the Sony ULT Wear. It's pretty surprising for Sony to come out with such a simple naming scheme, but they seem to be doing that across their audio lineup. Think of "ULT" as in "Ultimate" bass. Hands down, these are the bassiest headphones I've ever reviewed.

Sony ULT Wear: Design

The design looks quite familiar, resembling the older flagship headphones from Sony, like the WH-1000XM IV's, plus or minus a generation. It's a simple, minimal, understated design, available in three colors: black, white, and Forest Gray. Though the "gray" looks more like green to me. They come with a matching hard shell case, which includes a charging cable and other accessories. The aesthetics are simple but maybe a bit bulkier than I'd prefer. However, the bulk provides nice deep ear cups and plush cushions, making them very comfortable for long-term wear. The downside is the fake leather can heat up your ears over time.

Though they may appear a bit chunky, they feel lightweight when worn. Made out of plastic, the build quality is solid without any creakiness or flimsiness. These over-the-ear headphones feature soft, smooth ear cushions offering solid passive noise reduction, thanks to Sony's "Thermo-Foaming Process." This ensures the cushions remain soft, padded, and wrinkle-free, creating a strong seal for better noise reduction and comfort.

The padded headband with full rotational and tilt capabilities for the ear cups ensures a snug fit regardless of head size or shape. They collapse easily to fit into the soft shell carrying case for travel. Available in three colors-Sony Black, White, and Forest Gray-they also include touch-based track and volume controls on the right ear cup.

For physical buttons and ports, the headphones feature a 3.5mm audio port for hardwired listening, a USB-C port for charging which could've also been coupled for audio delivery, a physical power and pairing button, and a noise-canceling/ambient sound control toggle button. Additionally, there's the "ULT" button, which we'll discuss later.

Sony ULT Wear: Performance, ANC and Mic Quality

The performance of the Sony ULT Wear headphones is enhanced by the Sony V1 Audio Processor, improving sound quality and active noise cancellation (ANC). The ANC is impressive, effectively canceling a wide range of frequencies. I tested these while taking a walk across a construction, and they eliminated the motor's hum effectively.

The audio bleed control of the Sony ULT Wear is impressive. I had my friend try out my new pair by playing a bass-heavy track with the ULT2 mode switched on, and the audio spill was so well-managed that I could only sense the bass drop by watching my friend's reaction.

The transparency (ambient) mode works well, allowing you to hear your surroundings clearly without sounding robotic. Active noise cancellation is also impressive, comparable to flagship models like the XM5. I tested this by measuring white noise levels, and these headphones performed solidly, blocking out a significant amount of noise.

The headphones also feature wear detection sensors that pause the music when you take them off and turn off the headphones to conserve battery life. They support spatial audio with head tracking, Alexa Voice Service, and Google Assistant. The new beam-forming microphones offer upgraded microphone quality, making phone conversations easier with the inclusion of sidetone.

Talking about the microphone quality on these; Indoors, it's clear, although I struggle to hear myself without transparency mode. This can probably be enabled in the settings. Outdoors, with background noise like traffic, I have to speak louder to hear myself through the microphones. The audio quality on the other end remains decent, capturing my voice clearly despite the environmental noise.

These headphones do not have an IP water resistance rating. They're likely sweat-resistant but lack an official rating, possibly a cost-saving measure. For workouts, they perform well at level one activities like running. They stay secure for push-ups but aren't suitable for more dynamic activities like burpees or boxing due to their lighter clamping force, which is designed for comfort rather than security during intense movements.

Sony ULT Wear: Sound Quality

We know, it all boils down to the audio experience and the Sony ULT Wear has got you covered with LDAC and of course these headphones also support AAC and SBC audio codecs. The Bluetooth version is 5.2, and the multi-point connectivity is also available. Sidenote: the V1 audio processor and Sony's Digital Sound Enhancement Engine (DSEE) work in sync to boost overall sound quality, making compressed audio tracks sound better.

When I was testing these headphones, Hip Hop was-and still is-absolutely peaking in India. Everyone's talking about how "Big Dawgs" by Hanumankind shook the scene, but let me tell you, experiencing it on the ULT Wear headphones is like stepping into another dimension. I cranked up the bass and found myself hooked on the ULT2, whether I was vibing to "POST HUMAN: NeX GEn" by Bring Me the Horizon, jamming to Bharg's "NIKAMMA," or diving into the intense beef between Seedhe Maut and SOS (Straight Outta Srinagar).

The ULT button cycles through different ULT modes, each enhancing the bass. ULT Mode 1 adds a substantial bass boost, while ULT Mode 2 delivers even more bass and power, providing an almost haptic feedback experience. If you prefer less bass, you can turn off the ULT mode.

Straight out-of-the-box, the sound quality might seem bland, but this can very well be tweaked using the Sony companion app. The UL2 is fire, but having just a five-band EQ adjustment on these banger headphones feels criminal. It's about time for Sony to up the EQ settings for users to give the liberty to tweak the sound to finest preferences. After fiddling around a bit, I found the sound quality to be much suited for my taste. While not as great as the Sony WH-1000XM5s or XM4s, the ULT Wears still offer a solid listening experience with the ability to boost the bass when desired. The only gripe I have is the limited number of EQ bands in the app, with a pair of headphones this powerful, I would've loved to have full control over my sound.

Sony ULT Wear: Battery Life

Sony promises up to 30 hours of listening time with ANC on, but it's closer to 25 hours if using the LDAC audio codec. These estimates are based on a volume of around 50%. Even with higher volumes, the battery life is impressive. For run-and-gun, the ULT Wear is equipped with quick charging, which provides 90 minutes of listening time after just a three-minute charge.

Verdict

If you're considering the Sony ULT Wear headphones, ensure you understand what they offer and who they're for. For a premium listening experience without boosted bass, the XM5s or XM4s are better options. However, if you want the option of massive bass at the touch of a button, the Sony ULT Wears shine. The Sony ULT Wear for ₹16,989 is sweetly positioned between the XB and XM5 series. They deliver solid sound quality with the flexibility to boost the bass, making them perfect for bass enthusiasts.