2026 has already been a great year for Sony headphones, with a new flagship pair of wireless earbuds launching and going straight into this buying guide.
Who knows what else lies in store for the coming months, but needless to say, the Japanese giant is responsible for some stunning pairs of headphones.
Whether you’re looking for the best wireless headphones or best wireless earbuds, budget or premium, it’s apparent that Sony has something for you, and our team of reviewers has covered only the very best it has to offer in the list below.
If you want to see other brands competing with Sony for the top spot, head over to our best headphones page for a run-down of all the top picks from the different styles you can buy, covering a wide range of prices.
As is the case with headphones from any brand, our testing process prioritises sound per pound, although you won't find a pair on this list that doesn't also tick the boxes for comfort, build quality and any other features, such as noise-cancelling, battery life and call quality.
We test every pair against other rivals in the same class to arrive at our final star rating. Every pair below comes highly recommended, and some are even the recipients of multiple What Hi-Fi? Awards.
Best budget earbuds
The Sony WF-C500 are the best value wireless earbuds money can buy, even if you aren’t dead set on a pair from the iconic Japanese brand – we said as much recently when we gave them a What Hi-Fi? Award as our favourite cheap earbuds.
Despite costing surprisingly little, the wireless earbuds deliver a fantastic performance in many of the key areas we care about. Though their plastic design doesn’t feel as premium as some of the more expensive sets on this list, the buds proved to be incredibly comfortable to wear during our testing.
They also lasted long enough to deliver a full week’s use for most buyers, offering around 22 hours of listening – up from 20 hours with the previous WF-C500.
They sound a little richer and fuller than the model they replace, too, which is certainly no bad thing. Overall, we are very impressed with how much performance Sony has managed to squeeze out of these compact, affordable earbuds.
In our WF-C510 review, our expert reviews team said: "You can tell the WF-C510 are part of the Sony family, such is their musicality and rhythmic ability – even complex pieces of music don’t unravel and their sense of timing and ability to just get into the groove of a song works with any music you play through them.
The only real downside is that the C510 don’t feature active noise cancellation, though at this price that’s fairly standard. If you do want that sound-blocking feature we would point you to the WF-C710N below.
Read our full Sony WF-C510 review
Best budget ANC earbuds
When you consider that Sony’s new WF-C710N earbuds will only set you back £100 / $120 / AU$189 it really is quite remarkable how much you get for your money.
Top of the features list is ANC, which until relatively recently was reserved for much more expensive buds than these. It’s not the most advanced example of the technology – you can’t fine-tune how aggressive it is, for example, although that’s not unusual at this price – but there’s an Ambient Sound mode and a Quick Attention function if you just want to temporarily enable transparency.
Most importantly, though, the ANC works well and extracts a layer or two more noise than the previous pair could manage. Call quality is good, too. Elsewhere you get auto pause and wear detection, multipoint Bluetooth, and IPX4 waterproofing.
Codec support comes in the form of SBC and AAC, and while it’s a shame aptX HD or Sony’s own LDAC hasn’t made the cut, the performance is still a cut above other pairs at this price. There’s a wonderful sense of musicality, with bold but balanced bass, a spritely top end, and oodles of detail.
We also love the design of the C710N, particularly in this transparent ‘Glass Blue’ finish. The touch controls work well, too, even if a bit more customisation would be nice.
Total battery life will hit 40 hours if you leave the ANC turned off (30 with it on), and the buds are capable of doing eight-and-a-half hour stints between charges.
The Sony WF-C710N cost about twice as much as the entry-level WF-C500 above – and while they might not quite be twice as good, they’re definitely worth the extra cash.
Read our Sony WF-C710N review
Best premium earbuds
Anyone wanting the pinnacle of Sony's wireless earbuds range needs to consider the WF-1000XM6.
They're our current class leaders, and as we said in our Sony WF-1000XM6 review: “Everything that you expect to be present in a pair of flagship wireless earbuds is there: a fantastic sense of timing, an expressive midrange, weighty yet well-defined bass and crisp, nicely controlled highs. The Sonys cover all the bases and then some.”
It's a wonderfully natural performance that makes their predecessors, the WF-1000XM5, sound a little lean and lacking. It's also a clear step up from every other pair of earbuds on this page, so you can be confident you're getting the best sound here.
With the help of Sony’s third-gen QN3e processor, the XM6 also manage to deliver the best noise-cancelling we've heard from a pair of Sony earbuds to date. Our reviewers were impressed with how natural it feels and how well the earbuds subdue noise across a wide range of frequencies, leaving you free to be immersed in your music.
You also get an impressive range of customisation options, including a ten-band graphic equaliser, features which include Multipoint Bluetooth and Dolby Atmos support and a solid eight-hour battery life, which is competitvea this level.
The Sonys also deliver when it comes to making and taking phone calls – voices come through loud and clear thanks to a mix of AI beamforming and bone conduction sensors. The wind noise reduction design helps keep things under control.
The only minor negative is that it can take a little while to get the perfect fit from the supplied eartips – they give great isolation when the seal is right, but it can be a little inconsistent.
Read the full Sony WF-1000XM6 review
Best budget over-ears
If you prefer over-ear headphones to earbuds and don’t need ANC then the WH-CH520 are our testers’ current recommendations. Despite costing surprisingly little, the CH520 proved to be a cut above the competing affordable over-ears we tested them against.
While they definitely don’t feel as premium as Sony’s more expensive over-ears, with our testers pointing out the plastic used feels quite cheap, the CH520 are well made and can survive being chucked in a rucksack with no trouble.
They’re also comfortable to wear, with the headband and earcups having enough clamping force to stay in place without pinching.
Bluetooth 5.2 is onboard, making them quick and easy to connect to smartphones and, despite the lack of aptX support, audio quality was the best we’ve experienced on a set of over-ears this price. Whether it was jazz classics or thumping drum’n’bass, the headphones delivered a balanced and engaging sound.
If that wasn’t enough to tempt you, battery life is also excellent, with our testers on average getting 40 hours listening out of them, which is more than enough for a full week’s use.
This combination of factors makes them an easy recommendation for Sony headphone fans on a budget. As we said in our WH-CH520 review:
“What’s remarkable about the Sony WH-CH520 is how little compromise they demand of you, both in terms of audio performance and ergonomics. They’re a little bit of a bargain.”
Read our Sony WH-CH520 review
Best budget ANC over-ears
The What Hi-Fi? Award-winning WH-CH720N are a great value pair of wireless, over-ear headphones that pack ANC.
While the ANC performance can’t match some more expensive headphones, including that which you’ll get from Sony’s more premium WH-1000XM5, it’s among the best we’ve experienced at this price. Background office noise was effectively blocked out, and it definitely diminished the distracting traffic sounds one of our testers experienced working from home with a window open.
On top of that, while our testers found they are a little over enthusiastic when it comes to bass, they otherwise performed excellently during our tests. Low-end qualms aside, they delivered a nicely forceful sound, which particularly pleased the rock and pop fans among our team. This led our testers to report:
“The WH-CH720N have delivered exactly what Sony intended. For a very reasonable price, they’re a dependably made, enthusiastic-sounding pair of headphones that, while occasionally straying into the realm of excessive bass, deliver good ANC and a strong feature set.”
Our only minor quibble is that they don’t have a foldable design, or come with a carry case, which is an annoyance for people who use their headphones on the go on a regular basis.
Read our Sony WH-CH720N review
Best premium over-ears
It can be tricky for a manufacturer to push the sound performance of a product consistently from generation to generation, but that is what Sony has managed to do with the WH-1000XM6 wireless headphones, our new Bluetooth noise-cancelling over-ear favourites.
Although the XM6 obviously share DNA with their predecessors, the XM5, Sony has made multiple changes to the design based on its own perceptions and customer feedback. They bring back the hinge mechanism that allows the earcups to fold flat for easy storage; the headband is flatter and wider for added comfort; and the clamping force has been increased to improve isolation and help the ANC work better.
Speaking of which, active noise cancellation is superb thanks to a higher mic count and more advanced processing, including an adaptive feature that automatically blocks sound based on your environment.
"Stood in the garden listening out for passing traffic, the Sonys isolate you extremely well," our expert test team noted in our XM6 review. "They present you with a nice, clean, rumble-free background through which you can listen to music. Low-end and midrange noise are contained exceptionally well, especially as we try to navigate London's underground system."
Thankfully, sound quality has been taken further too, despite the XM5 having remained competitive up until the XM6's launch. Our review experts praised them for delivering "the most detailed, dynamic, precise and open sound we’ve heard from a wireless Sony flagship".
"The headphones just seem capable of diving into any track you play and extracting an unbelievable amount of information," reads the review. All in all, the exceptional Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 are more or less equal to the Sonys on the sonic front.
Ultimately, if you are looking for a new pair of wireless noise-cancelling headphones and your budget can't stretch to the next-level pairs such as the Focal Bathys or T+A Solitaire T, your auditioning should certainly start here. The previous WH-1000XM5 were already the best around – and are still very appealing if you can get them at a discount – but the XM6 are undoubtedly better for those who can afford them.
Read the full Sony WH-1000XM6 review
Best open
If you’re on the hunt for something a little different and are one of the growing number of music fans that want the convenience of small-form-factor wireless earbuds, but don’t like putting tips in your ears, then the LinkBuds WF-L910 are a solid option – if you can put up with some compromises.
The main selling point for the LinkBuds is their open design, which sees a 12mm ring driver slide into the bottom part of your ear and fire audio directly into them. A little weird, but pretty effective in our experience.
The design means there’s no noise-cancelling to speak of, but LinkBuds still deliver a balanced, natural sound with an open and spacious presentation.
As we say in our Sony LinkBuds Open (WF-L910) review: “spaciousness, general clarity and that appealing midrange are the cards held by the LinkBuds Open. Tinkling piano tones and gentle guitar strums are the buds’ happy place, so if you’re into indie ballads and soft rock crooning, they could be right up your street.”
They're also super-comfortable to wear. The driver doesn't burrow into your ear, and the provision of soft 'Air fitting supports', or wing hooks give you great stability without feeling like they're digging in anywhere. For runners or commuters who would just prefer to be more aware of their surroundings, the LinkBuds make a lot of sense.
Battery life is a solid eight hours, there's Multipoint Bluetooth included, and the earbuds handle calls well, which is impressive given the potential for noise to infiltrate the background of your conversations.
That said, the Sonys aren’t without limitations which mainly revolve around sound quality. They lack weight and solidity compared to the AirPods 4 with ANC, and their dynamic reach could be greater.
Read our Sony LinkBuds Open WF-L910 review
Also consider
Looking for an alternative to the Sony headphones mentioned above? Below you'll find other Sony headphones that came close to being included but haven't made the cut. Perhaps they are an older model that has been replaced by a superior pair, or they could be a four-star model which just missed out on the cut.
Sony WH-1000XM5: The XM6 might have taken top spot, but there's still life left in their predecessors. Regular price drops mean they can deliver a chunk of their sibling's performance for a fraction of the price.
Sony WH-1000XM4: If you’re short on cash and don’t mind the older flagship Bluetooth over-ear model, the WH-1000XM4 are still just about hanging around and are solid options, especially now that their price has dropped.
Sony WF-1000XM5: As is the case with their over-ear cousins, the presence of a new flagship means these earbuds are now available with some healthy discounts. They don't perform as well as the WF-1000XM6, but they're still very competitive.
Sony MDR-MV1: These open-back headphones are aimed at the Pro market, but they also appeal to home users thanks to spacious, detailed sound and extremely comfortable fit.
Sony WF-C700N: With the new WF-C710N on the scene their Award-winning predecessors are now available for a knock-down price. We'd argue that the improvements Sony has made are worth the extra, but if you're on a tighter budget you won't be disappointed with these.
Sony LinkBuds Fit: If you’re a Sony fan looking for dedicated sports earbuds, then the LinkBuds Fit are worth a shout. They aren't class leaders, but they are comfortable and lightweight. They're musical enough to keep you entertained and boast polished noise cancelling too.
Sony LinkBuds Open (WF-L910): These buds are the successors to the WF-900 found further up this list and while they're an improvement in terms of sound quality and battery life they are more expensive. Once the old pair disappear from shelves, which won't be long, this will be the pair to buy.
One pair of Sony headphones we would avoid is the Sony ULT Wear which suffers from disappointing sound quality. We gave them a three-star rating during testing.
How we choose
When choosing the best Sony headphones we look at the same key areas we do all headphones. The only caveat is that on this list we limit the selection to models made by the Japanese tech giant. We examine the key features included, value for money, comfort, features, battery life and ANC performance (where relevant) and most importantly, audio quality.
Value for money: This is a key area we check on every product we review. If something costs twice the price of its closest rival, we expect the performance to justify the difference. Equally, if we review a cheaper set of Sony earbuds, we factor the lower price into our buying advice – though we still expect it to deliver a baseline level of performance and enjoyable listening experience.
Comfort: Whether they’re over-ears or earbuds, headphones need to provide a comfortable fit for all head sizes. On top of that, unless they’re on-ear or an open design we also expect them to provide a solid seal and passive noise isolation.
Features: Many modern Sony headphones come with advanced app support and clever ambient modes, which make them safer to use when out and about and more. We check how competitive and up to date their feature set is before recommending them in this guide.
Battery life: When testing Sony’s wireless headphones we always check their battery life, both with ANC on and off. We keep track of the industry standard by comparing battery life to the average we get on all the headphones we review.
Active noise cancellation: If a set of Sony headphones has ANC, we expect it to offer competitive performance with rival options. As a baseline, we want it to at the very least be able to block out low-level background noise.
Audio quality: Last and most importantly we expect any Sony headphones we recommend to deliver solid, enjoyable audio quality. Though we temper our expectations based on their price, we expect them to provide an enjoyable listening experience if we’re going to recommend them. If they don’t do this it doesn’t matter how well they perform in other areas, they won’t make it onto this list.
How we test
We test Sony headphones the same way we do any other brand’s. This sees our team of testers run a series of checks both in our listening rooms and in the wild, to gauge their performance in the above areas. Key parts of the process include the steps detailed below.
Comparative testing: Whenever we test headphones we have multiple members of the team use them. During the checks they will listen to a variety of tracks in our listening rooms paired with reference systems/sources we feel are appropriate to their price. We will also directly compare them to rival products we think the buyer would also be considering. Any performance comparison we make will be based on our direct experience testing both, and we will never compare products based on memory.
Test tracks at varying quality from multiple genres: We use a variety of test tracks, varying in quality from hi-res to vinyl, CD and bottom-tier Spotify when testing Sony headphones. The test tracks we use cover multiple genres and aim to gauge everything from their rhythmic precision, detail and accuracy to their dynamism and general ability to deliver a “fun” listening experience.
Multiple testers: We never base our reviews on one person’s experience using the product. When we test Sony headphones at least two members of the team will have listened to the set and compared them to rivals. The reviewers will then compare their experience and, if needed, more testers will be called in to help.
Real-world checks: On top of the above we will also use real-world tests to check key metrics, like battery life, ANC performance, connection stability and mic quality. For example, to test ANC performance we will use the headphones in environments with varying levels of background noise, ranging from offices to rumbling commuter trains. For battery life, we’ll track how many hours of listening we got with ANC on and off on average throughout testing.
You can get a more in-depth look at our methodology and listening room set-up in our main “how we test” page.
FAQ
Are Sony headphones good?
The answer to this is that it depends on the specific set you’re looking at. Sony makes a lot of headphones but they aren’t all created equal and usually have very different target markets. But if you’re asking if the ones included in this list are competitive with other brands’ offerings, then the answer is a definitive yes.
You can see how they compare to their closest rivals – Sennheiser and Bose – in our Sony vs Sennheiser headphones and Sony vs Bose headphones comparisons.
Sony’s latest wireless headphones and earbuds have been a staple part of our holistic best headphones and best wireless earbuds guide for the past couple of years and for good reason.
Last year it won every trophy in the What Hi-Fi? Awards wireless headphone category. This is because, based on our experience with them, they tend to deliver on all the basics you’d expect: audio, battery life, ANC performance, and comfort.
However, that doesn’t mean you should automatically assume that just because they’re made by Sony, they’re good. You should always do your research on sites like ours, especially when buying at the top end of the market. There’s nothing worse than spending loads of money, only to end up with a sub-standard set of headphones.
Do Sony headphones have ANC?
These days a lot of the Sony headphones and earbuds we test do feature Active Noise Cancellation (ANC). But there are still plenty, especially at the affordable end of Sony’s current portfolio, that don’t.
If ANC is a must-have feature for your specific needs you should always check the headphones’ or earbuds’ spec sheet. You should also manage your expectations if you’re buying a cheaper or older set.
After multiple decades reviewing Sony headphones and earbuds, we can safely confirm ANC performance varies massively between sets. This is why we actively check its effectiveness as part of our review process.
Even in today’s world, many cheaper ANC headphones are only capable of blocking out very light background noise, based on our experience testing them.
How much should you spend on Sony headphones?
Whenever you’re buying a pair of Sony headphones or earbuds you need to factor for your specific needs and what you can realistically afford.
The one bit of advice we have is, where your budget allows, it can sometimes be better to invest a little more in a pair of headphones that will last multiple years, rather than an affordable set you’ll soon outgrow or that doesn’t fully meet your needs.
In the long run, this can save you money as you won’t feel the need to upgrade them any time soon.
Which Sony headphones have the best sound quality?
If audio quality is your be-all and end-all – and you’re not interested in looking at our wider best headphones or more focused best-wired headphones buyers guides – then the Sony WH-1000XM5 are the best over-ears and the Sony WF-1000MX5 the best earbuds for audio quality that we’ve tested.
They’re currently the most expensive option on this list, but for sound quality, they won’t be beaten. During our checks, both offered best-in-class sonic clarity and wonderfully precise and agile bass.
Is there a big difference between Sony’s WH-1000XM4 and WH-1000XM5?
During our review, we found the Sony WH-1000XM5 to be a big change, from both a design and audio perspective, on their predecessor.
For starters, they’ve had a complete redesign that makes them slightly lighter, but also makes them feel slightly less premium than their predecessors.
During our listening checks, we found they also have a very different sound to their predecessors – a fact heavily informed by the use of a new 30mm carbon fibre composite dome driver rather than the older 40mm unit seen in the XM4.
Specifically, the XM5 sound clearer and more open than previous models with a more precise low-end.
You can get a more detailed breakdown of the differences between the two in our dedicated Sony WH-1000XM5 vs WH-1000XM4 guide, where we ran the two head-to-head.
Recent updates
- 7th May 2025: Replaced the Sony WF-C700N with the newer and better WF-C710N, relegating the C700N to the 'also consider' section while stocks last.
- 6th February 2025: We have checked the availability and pricing of all the Sony pairs in the list to make sure they are available to buy. We have tested the sporty LinkBuds Fit and added it to our 'also consider' section. We have also done the same with the new Sony LinkBuds Open (WF-L910).
- 7th November 2024: We have labelled five of the pairs What Hi-Fi? Award 2024 winners, and replaced the Sony WF-C500 with their new and superior successors, the WF-C510, as our 'Best budget earbuds' pick.
- 10th Sept 2024: checked model availability and pricing, added a mention of the new Sony WF-C510 entry-level wireless earbuds and MDR-M1 over-ear model
- 2nd July 2024: checked model availability and pricing, Sony ULT Wear tested, but not deemed suitable for the list. Sony MDR-MV1 tested and added to 'Also consider' section.
- 9th April 2024: Added new products to 'also consider', edited how we choose, how we test and FAQ sections
- 10th March 2024: Completely re-written, adding new intro, quick list, author block, entry copy, also consider, how we choose, how we test and how we choose sections.
