Sony ULT Wear - The Best Headphones For Bass in 2024?
Now listen here carefully. Sound is subjective. We all hear things differently. And if you're the type of person who immediately turns up the bass to the maximum on your headphones… But it's still not quite enough.
Well, then, the Sony ULT Wear has been designed with you in mind. With just a touch of the ULT button, you can add two more levels of bass power to these headphones. So when the time comes, you can engage the ultimate bass!
These are the next generation of Sony's extra-bass headphones, now known as ULT wear. But are these the headphones you've been looking for? Should you spend more or less if you're after the best headphones for bass in 2024?
Well, that's what you're about to find out. Although the ULT Wear focuses on ultra bass, Sony hasn't overlooked the essentials that define top-quality ANC headphones.
There are some features here that are unique to Sony that you need to know about because they could be an absolute game-changer for you! And trust me, if you buy another similarly priced set of headphones before looking at these, you might be missing out.
Price / Colours
The first thing to consider is the price. At launch, the Sony ULT Wear retails for £179, which is around £45 cheaper than the WH1000-XM4, Sony's 2020 ANC flagship, and £120 cheaper than Sony's current ANC champ, the XM5.
What's interesting about ULT wear is that it has some advantages over both of them. Here's the first one. Sony has introduced a new shade called forest grey, and it's definitely my new favourite colour for Sony headphones. It is also available in the classic black and cream.
Design
The ULT Wear's style is almost identical to the WH1000-XM4 in terms of shape, hinges, padding on the cups, and headband. The most noticeable differences are the redesigned speaker grills and the reflective 'dichroic' Sony logo & It is a very easy-to-find and eye-catching ULT bass button.
The exterior materials used are less premium than those in the XM5. But let's be honest: It's what's inside that really counts.
They have power and anc buttons, a USB C charging port and analogue input on the left earcup. And, of course, the large Sony ULT button. This brings me to the second potential advantage the ULT wear has, this time over the much more expensive Sony XM5'sXM5s.
The ULT Wear uses larger drivers—40mm—while the XM5s use a 30mm driver. The larger surface area of the drivers ultimately helps the ULT Wear to deliver a more powerful bass response than the XM5. It's one thing to say… but it's probably better if you hear it for yourself.
Bass side-by-side test ( CLICK HERE FOR THE VIDEO )
It's that kind of bass you can feel.
Before we get into my thoughts on the sound quality, you have to check this out first. The ULT wear has another advantage over the XM5s. It's the fact that the earcups can lay flat against your chest when not in use. As much as I love the XM5s, this is one of the things that bothers me a little bit about them.
Also, some will prefer the collapsible hinges and hard shell carry case that comes with the ULT Wear to the XM5's rigid hinge and flat case.
Spec details
Anyway, let's run through some of the essential specs you need to know & then we'll do a quick mic and noise cancelling tests. The frequency response over BT is 20Hz to 20kHz, which is quite normal. Interestingly, when wired with ANC on, the range extends further into the sub-bass and reaches down to 5Hz. Do realise what this means… It means if you're a true bass head, you can have more…when using the provided wired.
Shout out, Sony Xperia fans!
BT Codecs supported are SBC and AAC using BT 5.2, which means multi-point pairing is possible. But unfortunately, there seems to be no mention of LDAC on Sony’s website official specs page. This is one of the features that has been taken away to keep costs down. However, the upside to not using LDAC is better stability over BT and AAC, and SBC is way more power efficient.
And on that topic, power efficiency, the battery life & charging is phenomenal.
Battery life
3mins = 1.5hrs
0 to 100% 3.5hrs
30hrs ANC on
50hrs anc off ( clip )
Passive listening via provided wire ∞
Wear-detection sensors are present, and the Right ear cup has a large touch control surface like the XM5's, which is very handy. Taps and swipes are recognised, and you can temporarily place your hand over it to enable ambient awareness.
Another premium similarity to the XM5 is that the ULT wear uses the same integrated V1 noise-cancelling chip. Once again, the words may hold no meaning to you. Here's a little sample of what the ANC can do.
Best & Unique features
Let's discuss the game-changing features Sony has added to the ULT headphones. You already know about the ULT bass levels that hit harder than One Punch Man.
And the very impressive ANC. It's here within Sony's headphones app that things get interesting. Using the software, you can map your ears and create a unique custom 360-degree audio profile specifically for you.
Of course, you can dial in your own EQs; you can even enable head tracking that places you at the centre of the music and locks the audio in place, sort of what it would sound like if you were at a live performance…
But it's this adaptive sound control that could be a game changer for you, especially if you use headphones regularly. The adaptive sound feature will learn and recognise locations you visit often and adapt the sound modes automatically for you. Think of it as an audio autopilot whose sole purpose is improving your listening experience when you're moving. It's smart.
Sound quality
As someone who reviewed many headphones over the years, here are my thoughts on the ULT wear. The ULT wear delivers surprisingly good clarity and an impressive soundstage, especially for headphones clearly equipped to deliver overwhelming bass.
What is really nice about the sound of The ULT wear is that even when you turn them all the way up, ULT level 2 bass is enable. You keep all of the details in the vocals and instruments. You can still enjoy the finer details… So you won't feel like you're missing out.
In fact, if you want headphones that are good not only for music and heavy bass but also for mobile gaming or watching movies, the ULT wear won't disappoint. And just to back up that statement, Sony seems so confident in these headphones that they even gave them an exclusive Dolby Atmos feature that works paired with Sony Bravia XR TVs…but that Sony fans...is for another video…
Hey, Here's a question for you. Did you know that Sony makes a portable home theatre speaker system? Well, they do, and click here for that review! Sony AX7 Portable Home Theatre Speaker
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