Do you remember Sony Extra Bass, which is a family of Sony audio products that focus solely on bass? From the speakers to the set of headphones everything supports a special mode that will make the bass thump even louder. Most recently, it has received a new branding which is ULT (Ultimate Power Sound) and the product I have been testing for a few weeks is their Sony ULT Wear headphones. In this article I will share my experience and determine if these headphones are worth owning.
SPECIFICATIONS
Sony ULT Wear
Type of Closed Headphone Set
40mm Audio Driver
Closed Dynamics
Neodymium magnets
DSEE
Electret Condenser Microphone
Smart Features ULT Button
Touch for Ambient mode
Bluetooth 5.2 connection
3.5mm cable
Codec SBC, AAC, LDAC
50 hour battery without ANC
30 hours with ANC
3.5 hours of charging
Android Control,
iOS
Sony Headphones
Price RM899
DESIGN AND USE
I expect ULT Wear to use a design similar to the Sony WH-1000XM5 which is their flagship headphone. However, Sony has chosen to use a design similar to the WH-1000XM4. Not only are the construction materials more or less, these headphones can also be folded for easy storage in their respective storage pouches or backpacks.
ULT Wear is made from a plastic that's light enough and built to feel like it's not a flagship product. The ear cups and headband use a soft material with a faux leather finish that is comfortable to wear and quite tight. It's just a shame that the ear cups are difficult to replace because they are attached directly to the frame.
There is a USB-C connection port, a power/Bluetooth button, a special button to change ANC mode to sound-through mode and also an ULT button to change from ULT 0, ULT 1 or ULT 2 modes that give different bass effects. Surfaces on the ear cups support gesture touch control.
This Sony ULT Wear is also comfortable to wear for 4 hours non-stop and does not sweat easily even in a relatively hot environment. However, long-term use can feel a little uncomfortable because these headphones are a little tight and not flexible enough compared to the WH-1000XM5 or the JBL Tour M2.
AUDIO QUALITY
From the beginning, if Sony audio products I will choose XM series because other series are not very satisfactory compared to competitors. For this ULT Wear, initially it gives Sony's audio profile as a combination of XM4 and XM5 but with a touch of Extra Bass. What I have experienced is that the ANC feature and the sound-through mode are fine but not all music can be enjoyed with this set of headphones.
I'm not a fan of audio products with booming bass. I like a balanced audio profile and if I can change the bass I only want very small changes. The main problem with ULT Wear is that even ULT 0 mode is so lively that many songs make me want to tap my feet and dance.
Some people would say this is a good feature but for me it's not because I can't sit still or calm down like I want to relax or when I want to read a book because my whole body goes hyper and wants to move and sway.
The treble on these headphones is also modest. When a note is approaching a melodious high level it falls off making the listening experience unsatisfactory and as if something is disturbing. You imagine the situation when watching a live singing event suddenly the phone of the fan next to you rings so loudly that the details of the song can no longer be heard with full meaning.
Speaking of performance, how about ULT Wear's audio staging? It's too digital and processed instead of trying to mimic something natural. At first, it sounded spacious and immersive but most of the songs eventually became close and even though the ULT Wear was comfortable on my head the audio coming out left me feeling queasy and stuck. The solution here is to use the Sony Headphones App to use the built-in equalizer feature.
ANC IS THE BEST!
Jin and I (an office colleague who often helps review audio products) agree that since the Sony WH-1000XM5, Sony's noise cancellation capabilities are no longer as good as the XM4 and below. The same goes for this ULT Wear. So we agree that the JBL Tour M2 has better ANC capabilities. The noise canceling capabilities of these headphones are like an XM4 that tried to be an XM5 but failed.
The voice of people talking is still clearly heard, when in the plane the sound of the engine can still be heard and the sound of phone notifications is also still clear. When I compare it with the JBL Tour M2, the JBL is more balanced and comfortable while the Sonos Ace is more natural as if nothing is in the head. The sound-through mode is also the same, on the ULT Wear it still has a different sound effect than other headphones that already use an algorithm to make this mode as clear as possible.
CONTROL AND APPLICATION
If you are used to using audio products you will not have any problems with ULT Wear. As I said above, these headphones still support NFC tethering while also supporting Google Fast Pair or Microsoft Swift Pair. Control can be done on the surface of the right ear cup and the built-in physical buttons.
Controls and other settings can use the Sony Headphones application which is not limited to further improve the audio capabilities but also various system settings such as spatial mode and automatic ANC mode according to the user's location and condition. Sony also provides the same feature on the XM5, which is the ability to create its own equalizer profile that users can adjust while playing music.
I still don't like the Sony Headphones app because it's a little finicky and less user-friendly. Applications for home audio products that are Sony | Bravia Connect can also use a minimalistic and very user-friendly design, so I hope this application will change in future updates.
BATTERY
According to Sony, the ULT Wear can last up to 30 hours with ANC and 50 hours without ANC. I tested these headphones during the Computex event where the round trip was around 10 hours, then I used them for a few hours for setup purposes and gave office friends a try – it still had around 20% battery and I never charged it since the first time accept it. This makes me confident that the battery life promoted by Sony is reliable. It's just a shame there's no fast charging support and the ULT Wear needs to be charged for 3.5 hours for 100% battery.
WHAT'S IN THE BOX?
Nice to see Sony is still giving away a lot of free cables. Here's what you'll receive with every purchase of ULT Wear;
1x ULT Wear.
1x Fabric storage pouch.
1x USB-A to USB-C Cable.
1x 3.5mm to 3.5mm audio jack cable.
1x Set of guidebook, safety and promotional voucher.
CONCLUSION
As I said above, the ULT is the successor to the once famous Extra Bass series. So, this ULT Wear will also produce audio that focuses on bass. The bass is extremely powerful, devastating and thunderous at the atomic level. If you are a bass lover, this is the set of headphones for you.
It's a pity that Sony didn't slightly change the XM4 or XM5 and sell it at an affordable price like other gadget manufacturers are doing now. The selling price of RM899 is actually quite expensive, unlike the days of Extra Bass which could be bought for around RM500. We may have to wait for the next model or wait for more attractive discounts for ULT Wear to be really worth it.
PROS/ADVANTAGES
Simple, light and foldable design.
Soft and comfortable headband and ear cups.
Easily accessible physical buttons.
There is still a tethering feature via NFC.
The application supports its own audio profile equalizer.
Long lasting battery.
CONS/DISADVANTAGES
Like recycling the Sony WH-1000XM4.
The ear cups are difficult to change.
Excessive bass.
The Sony Headphones app is still not user friendly.