The Sony Inzone H9 II are a number of the most snug headphones I’ve worn

Sony’s Inzone headphones are positioned as PC gaming {hardware}, however they’re designed to work throughout each PC and PS5, which makes them an interesting possibility in the event you’re on the lookout for one thing a bit extra premium than the corporate’s PlayStation equipment, or spend as a lot time in entrance of your TV as you do your monitor. The corporate launched Inzone in 2022 with a give attention to audio, and recently expanded the brand with the assistance of esports firm Fnatic to incorporate extra components of the PC gaming expertise to cowl every part from in-ear screens to wi-fi mice.

The crown jewel of this new lineup is the Inzone H9 II Gaming Headset. They mix the audio tech of Sony’s well-liked WH-1000XM6 headphones with a brand new ear cup and headband design that is extremely snug to put on and higher than most premium wi-fi headphones I’ve tried. Whereas the H9 II are on the expensive facet at $350, I believe they’re an important possibility, whether or not you are an expert PC gamer or somebody who sometimes performs Fortnite on PS5 with your mates.

4/5

Microphone

Sure, Cardioid

Compatibility

PC, PS5 (different units over Bluetooth or wired connection)

What’s Included

Headphones, bag, audio cable, USB-C charging cable

Model

Sony

Sony’s new Inzone H9 II wi-fi headset makes use of the drivers from the corporate’s premium WH-1000XM6 headphones for improved sound, and includes a new design that is lighter due to its headband.

Execs & Cons

• Gentle and really snug
• WH-1000XM6 driver audio enhancements
• Straightforward to hook up with a wide range of units

• Controls are laborious to be taught
• Restricted customization choices in companion app

Worth, availability, and specs

The Sony Inzone H9 II wi-fi headphones retail for $350 in both black and white finishes. They’re broadly accessible and will be bought straight from Sony or a wide range of on-line retailers, like Amazon and Greatest Purchase, within the US.

Whereas the headphones supply all the identical performance as the unique Inzone H9 Sony has considerably up to date each the design and the interior audio elements of the brand new mannequin to make them well worth the improve. For instance, the brand new headband construction makes the headphones simple to regulate for a wide range of head sizes with out changing into unbalanced. That design tweak helps to make the headphones lighter than earlier than. The H9 II weigh 273g with its adjustable, cardioid mic connected or round 260g with it indifferent.

You possibly can regulate issues like your quantity by way of a dial on the facet of the H9 II’s ear cups or change between Ambient mode and Noise-Cancellation with devoted buttons. There’s additionally a USB-C port for charging the headphones and a 3.5mm audio jack for utilizing them over a wired connection. For rapidly muting your self while you’re voice chatting with associates, Sony additionally included a big texture button on the highest of one of many H9 II’s ear cups.

Inside, the Inzone H9 II use the identical audio drivers because the Sony WH-1000XM6, alongside a carbon composite diaphragm that helps with producing detailed sound. Twin microphones built-in to the headphones assist with issues like active-noise cancellation and the headphones additionally assist a number of connectivity choices and audio codecs. Particularly, the H9 II assist digital 7.1 encompass sound and join with units over Bluetooth, Bluetooth LE Audio, the beforehand talked about wired connection, or a 2.4GHz USB-C dongle that works with each PS5 or PC. Mixed with the headphones’ as much as 30 hours of battery life, the Inzone H9 II have, at the least on paper, rather a lot to supply.

What I preferred concerning the Inzone H9 II

Essentially the most snug headphones I’ve worn

It is laborious to overstate how snug the Inzone H9 II headset is to put on, notably as somebody who wears glasses. By nature of their design, most headphones pinch the perimeters of your frames and head, if they don’t seem to be uncomfortably cupping your ears in another manner on prime of that. This is not an issue after I take my glasses off, however with them on, even an costly $500 pair of headphones just like the AirPods Max squash my frames into the facet of my head in a ridiculously uncomfortable manner.

That is not the case on the Inzone H9 II, that are gentle and versatile and capable of twist each which manner. Both sides of the headphones’ headband will be adjusted impartial of the opposite and the ear cups are cushioned and tender. I would not say that I forgot I am carrying headphones when I’ve them on, however to the H9 II’s credit score, I do not really feel restricted or like I might wish to take them off, which is the subsequent neatest thing.

As a result of Sony makes use of the core audio tech on the coronary heart of the WH-1000XM6s, the Inzone H9 II sound good too. The audio the headphones produce is crisp, clear, and loud. I might simply pick the footsteps of the opposite individuals I used to be taking part in Abiotic Issue with, and my Discord voice chat combined easily with in-game audio. The cardioid mic can also be a lot better at blocking out background noise and maintaining my voice in focus (it helps that it will get rather a lot nearer to my mouth than the AirPods Pro 2 I usually use).

I might prolong that wonderful audio efficiency to the ANC, as nicely, which could not be as all-encompassing as Sony’s premium headphones, however was greater than sufficient to dam out the busy avenue close to my condo and even a dialog occurring a couple of ft away as soon as I turned issues as much as medium quantity. Whereas I am not a critical PC gamer like I believe Sony is concentrating on, it is value noting the Inzone H9 II are pretty simple to arrange, simply by plugging within the included dongle and ensuring it is switched to both console or PC. Taken all collectively, I believe you get an important expertise from all of the headphone fundamentals.

What I did not like concerning the Inzone H9 II

Every little thing is extra difficult than it must be

When you think about the quantity of management choices accessible on the H9 II, it may be slightly daunting. There are lots of buttons on the headphones that the typical wi-fi earbuds person has probably by no means considered or had to make use of. The truth that Sony presents bodily buttons for all of the H9 II’s most essential options is totally constructive, however you actually must be taught their placement for them to be handy, one thing I wasn’t capable of do within the few weeks I examined the headphones.

The USB-C dongle the H9 II use to create a high-quality audio connection to a PC or PS5 is handy, however not as handy as not having to make use of a dongle in any respect. These sorts of setups are the norm for two.4Ghz connections, however Sony does have its personal connectivity possibility, PlayStation Hyperlink, that would have been much more handy. A PlayStation Portal can connect with Sony’s Pulse Explore wireless earbuds without having a dongle in any respect. Why is not that an possibility for the Inzone H9 II?

In the end, it is good that Sony presents the number of connectivity choices the Inzone H9 II have. That does not cease me from wishing issues could possibly be easier, or that I might get the premium high quality of the Inzone H9 II for beneath $300.

Must you purchase the Inzone H9 II?

It is best to completely contemplate it

The Inzone H9 II are simple to advocate, particularly in the event you’re on the lookout for a pair of headphones to put on whereas gaming that transcend what you may get out of a standard pair of wi-fi earbuds. Positive, there are extra handy choices for listening to music in your cellphone (one thing that the H9 II are technically able to), however Sony’s new headphones sound and work nice within the actual setting they’re designed for: making an attempt to listen to your fireteam whereas re-running a Future 2 strike for the fifth time in a row.

The corporate sells cheaper choices beneath $200, however in the event you can afford it, ignore these impulse buys and get the H9 II. They don’t seem to be solely extra snug, however they offer you a premium audio expertise you may be glad you paid for.

4/5

Microphone

Sure, Cardioid

Compatibility

PC, PS5 (different units over Bluetooth or wired connection)

What’s Included

Headphones, bag, audio cable, USB-C charging cable

Model

Sony

Sony’s new Inzone H9 II wi-fi headset makes use of the drivers from the corporate’s premium WH-1000XM6 headphones for improved sound, and includes a new design that is lighter due to its headband.