(checked 2026-10-10)
Wirecutter's top noise-cancelling pick and What Hi-Fi?'s best overall, with about 30 hours of battery and strong call mics. But comfort splits testers and owners, there's no water-resistance rating, and SoundGuys reports owners' headbands cracking in a way Sony's warranty doesn't cover.
Top complaints
- Comfort is hit or miss
SoundGuys' reviewer calls comfort his biggest gripe because the pads are thin. A January 2026 SoundGuys column says the earcups are shallow and small, the headband causes pressure within an hour, and the ANC mic sticks out about 2 mm and can rub the ear. Amazon's summary calls fit mixed, with some owners finding them too tight. Low-star reviews on Walmart (syndicated from sony.com) describe jaw pain, a headache after 15 minutes from clamping force, and a sore right ear. Wirecutter and Tom's Guide, by contrast, found them very comfortable.
- Cracking headband and fragile-feeling hinges
SoundGuys reported on 2026-08-05 that owners are finding the plastic ring at the end of the headband cracking, sometimes letting the slider come out. It cites at least 13 Reddit reports compiled by The Walkman Blog and says Sony doesn't cover the damage under warranty. Tom's Guide lists 'fragile-feeling articulating hinges' as a con. Amazon's summary says some owners report physical breakage under normal use, and a Walmart 1-star review describes a creaking headband.
- Bluetooth dropouts and buggy multipoint
Amazon's summary says some owners report Bluetooth connectivity issues. Low-star Walmart reviews describe audio cutting out constantly, multipoint between a MacBook and an iPhone that rarely switches properly, and a firmware update that broke audio in Zoom and Teams meetings. SoundGuys notes multipoint forces a lower-bitrate codec.
What owners love
- Excellent noise blocking
Wirecutter measured 26.2 dB of airplane-band reduction and says its passive isolation blocks high-pitched sound better than any pair it has tested. SoundGuys scores ANC 8.7/10, and What Hi-Fi? calls the ANC superb.
- Top-tier sound
Wirecutter says it sounds incredible out of the box, among the best it has tested. What Hi-Fi? praises its detail and dynamism, and sound quality is the top praise in Amazon's summary.
- Long battery and much better call mics
SoundGuys measured 37 hours 14 minutes. Wirecutter cites about 30 hours, with 3 hours from a 3-minute charge. Tom's Guide calls the 12-mic call quality the biggest reason to upgrade.
- You have larger ears or are sensitive to clamping pressure
- You need USB-C audio or any water resistance
- You want to turn the ANC strength down (it isn't adjustable)
- Frequent flyers and commuters who want top-tier ANC and long battery
- People who take a lot of calls
- Android users who want LDAC and a detailed EQ
Scores (tap for why)
What experts say
- Wirecutter (NYT): Top pick for noise-cancelling headphones (updated 2026-09-11). Its flaws are ANC that isn't adjustable, a cumbersome app, no Auracast, and mics that sound compressed in very loud places.
- SoundGuys: Best for most people (roundup updated 2026-04-17) and 8.3 in its review. The cons are no USB listening and no ingress-protection rating.
- Tom's Guide: Moved to 'Also tested' (roundup updated 2026-09-29), with ANC that now falls short of the Bose and Sonos Ace Ultra at a similar price. Its review lists fragile-feeling hinges and a limited soundstage as cons.