Sony ULT Wear Headphones: The Ultimate Listening Experience
Listening to music on Sony’s new ULT Wear headphones is like being transported back to my college days, hotboxing a car with the music turned up so loud that the bass was shaking the car. And let me tell you, that’s a huge compliment. Sony recently unveiled its ULT Power Sound series, which includes ULT Wear (over-ear headphones), ULT Field 1 (a portable speaker), ULT Field 7 (a large portable speaker), and ULT Tower 10 (a large tower speaker). In this review, I’ll be focusing on the ULT Wear headphones, which I had the opportunity to test ahead of their launch.
The ULT Wear headphones retail for $199.99, and I have to say, it’s hard to find a better pair of over-ear, noise-cancelling headphones at that price point. When I first heard the price, I was genuinely surprised. Comparatively, Sony’s flagship WH-1000XM5 headphones retail for $399.99 — that’s a whole $200 more. Sure, the ULT headphones may not be part of the 1000X Series, but they are seriously impressive and offer unbeatable value for money.
So, what does ULT actually mean? ULT is short for “ultimate,” and it represents Sony’s vision of creating the ultimate step in the evolution of their audio products. The ULT line aims to provide listeners with a concert-like experience through dynamic sound pressure and deep bass. In fact, according to a Sony web survey, 41 percent of headphone users prefer strong bass as their preferred sound. The ULT line is truly designed for bass lovers.
One unique feature of the ULT Wear headphones is the ULT button located on the left ear cup. This button allows users to access two levels of ULT power, enhancing the bass of their listening experience. When you press the ULT button, the headphones play a little sound, and your music volume dips before transitioning to the next bass setting. It’s a minor disruption, but it helps confirm that you’ve switched ULT settings.
In terms of design, the ULT Wear headphones come in three colors: black, off-white, and forest gray. Personally, I’m most excited about the forest gray color, which is a unique green-gray shade that sets it apart from other headphones on the market. The headphones have a similar design to Sony’s previous WH-XB910N model, but they are slightly bulkier. However, they do fold down for easier transportation and come with a convenient carrying case.
Comfort-wise, I found the ULT Wear headphones to be quite comfortable. The ear cushions are soft and don’t squeeze my head, even when I wear glasses. However, the headband did create a slight pressure point on the top of my head after a few hours of use. Overall, though, they felt lightweight and cushiony.
Connectivity is seamless with these headphones. Pairing them with my iPhone took only five seconds, as they were already in pairing mode when I turned them on for the first time. Connecting them to my MacBook Pro was just as easy. The Sony app allows you to connect the headphones to two devices simultaneously, although it may take a few attempts to get them paired with both devices at the same time.
Now, let’s talk about sound quality. The ULT Wear headphones are equipped with a 40-millimeter driver for deeper bass reproduction and offer spatial audio with head tracking for 360-degree sound. During my sound test comparison with the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones, I found that both headphones sounded crisp and clear, but the ULT Wear’s sound was fuller and felt more like surround sound. Even on the standard setting, the bass on the ULTs sounded richer.
The noise cancellation on the ULT Wear headphones is top-notch. Equipped with a V1 chip and dual noise-cancelling microphones, these headphones effectively block out external noise. In fact, during my demo with the Sony team, I was singing out loud while wearing the headphones and had no idea how loud I was until my boyfriend entered the room and commented on it. The noise cancellation combined with the ULT bass power creates a personal music bubble that is hard to penetrate.
Battery life is another impressive feature of the ULT Wear headphones. Sony claims that they can last up to 30 hours with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) on and up to 50 hours with ANC off. In my two weeks of testing, the battery dropped only to 84 percent, so they seem to have excellent longevity. I will update this review with more accurate battery life information once I’m able to run a full battery test.
In conclusion, I have to say that the Sony ULT Wear headphones are my favorite pair of headphones to date. The booming sound quality surpasses other headphones I’ve tried, and the ability to enhance the bass with two levels of ULT power is a game-changer. While the design might not be as sleek as some other headphones, the incredible sound and affordable price make up for that. If you prioritize bass and fullness in your audio experience, these headphones are a strong contender.
So, go ahead and bookmark my Spotify playlist of songs that sound amazing on the Sony ULT Wear headphones. Trust me, you won’t regret it.