This year SONY has made a change in the headphone category that we haven’t seen in a long time, namely a change in the model name since the Japanese company got us used to models such as WH-1000XM5 or the WF-1000XM5 characteristic of its premium personal audio line. Now comes the ULT Power Sound family, which was introduced last April in New York. Over the past few weeks, we’ve had the chance to test the ULT WEAR headphones in this new family in all kinds of conditions, including on an airplane, to give you our final impressions.
ULT WEAR specifications
- Diaphragm: 40 millimeters across the ear
- Impedance: 314 ohms (1kHz) (when connected via cable with power on), 32 ohms (1kHz) (when connected via cable with power off)
- Sensitivity: 110 dB/mW (when connected via cable with power on), 100 dB/mW (when connected via cable when power is off)
- Frequency range: 2.4 GHz band (2.4000 GHz – 2.4835 GHz)
- Magnet: Neodymium
- Frequency: 5 Hz – 20,000 Hz (JEITA)
- 1.2 meter cable
- Weight: 255 grams
- ULT and noise reduction button
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.2, NFC and multi-point connection of up to 2 devices simultaneously
- Range: 10 meters
- Sound: Hi-Res and DSEE
- Codecs: SBC, AAC and LDAC
- Profile: A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP
- Noise reduction: V1 chip with dual microphones in each earpiece and dual noise sensor technology
- Battery life: Up to 40 hours without ANC and 30 hours with ANC
- Charging via USB-C
Bass at different levels
The main feature of the ULT WEAR is its 3 bass levels, the first of which is the default (when the ULT function is disabled) because it is softer than the WH-1000XM5. We think they’re fine by default, but that’s a matter of taste. For listening to rock, grunge, reggaeton, pop, techno, concerts or other genres where we literally want to feel more bass, these headphones are the choice, but they are not bad for listening to other types of songs, even classical music.
The ULT button is used to toggle between ULT1 level for deep, low-frequency bass or ULT2 for stronger bass. The fact that it integrates DSEE helps improve music that comes compressed, and the Headphones Connect app even gives us access to an equalizer to tweak everything to our liking.
Sound quality
The integrated V1 processor helps eliminate external noise with low latency, bringing the noise cancellation experience closer to that of the WH-1000XM5.
In the ambient sound mode, accessed through the Sony Headphones Connect application, we can adjust the ambient sound in 20 levels or use the Focus on Voice setting to have a conversation with someone without taking off the headphones.
When it comes to the perception of frequencies, we can perceive the balance of the top headphones of this brand, emphasizing the focus on the bass.
It also integrates the ability to listen to 360 audio if you have a service that has it, as may be the case with Tidal, but adds the function of head tracking if we have a compatible smartphone and service.
For video games, we can say that they are more than enough, especially if you connect them to a computer or portable device wirelessly, and if you connect them with a cable, the latency will be significantly reduced, but it is important to clarify that it must be turned on, because after turning it off, the quality drops significantly sound.
If they are to be used as a hands-free kit or for audio recording, they do a good job with very good noise control.
Software
As usual with high-end SONY headphones, the Headphones Connect application allows us to control the devices to which we connect them, enable or disable adaptive sound or noise cancellation, change the sound type, equalize it either through the application or through the subsection that facilitates this, the configuration of 360 audio or voice assistants (Alexa or Google), configuring the touch panel on the right earpiece, customizing the Noise Cancel button, enabling or disabling voice recording during a call, as well as customizing services such as Spotify or Endel, as they have special functions for this model. It also has an activity log so we know how long we’ve been using it, a safe listening feature that takes care of our ears with indicators based on data released by the World Health Organization, as well as the familiar usage badges.
Design
The thermal foam pads greatly reduce creasing and minimize external noise well, something we really liked is that they fold up so they can be placed in a carrying case that is smaller than the WH-100XM5. They are also made from recycled plastic and the case does not contain any environmentally harmful plastic. Visually, they may not look high-end, but they certainly have the look for the price without losing the aesthetic essence of the brand.
Accessories
By adding the brand’s WLA-NS7 wireless transmitter connected to a BRAVIA XR TV, ULT WEAR can also create Dolby Atmos virtualization.
ULT WEAR are headphones with very good sound quality but with enhanced bass, so keep that in mind because even if you turn off the ULT feature, it will still be there. They have almost all the features of Sony’s high-end headphones like the WH-1000XM5, but at a lower price. The noise cancellation is among the best and the battery life is excellent. The design may not look premium at first glance, but they don’t look like entry-level headphones either, and the fact that they fold down reduces the size of the case, which is appreciated.
The best
- Excellent noise cancellation
- Top performance from SONY
- Battery life 44 hours with active noise reduction
- Good price
Worst
- Material printed with fingers
- The passive voice is missing
- ULT settings are too high
- If you don’t like boosted bass, these are not for you
Score: 9