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Sony · Headphones / earphones / earbuds

Sony

Excellent9/10

Japanese entertainment and electronics group spanning PlayStation, cameras, image sensors, music and film.

Founded
1946
From
Japan
HQ
Tokyo, Japan
Owned by
Independent
Made in
Japan, China, Malaysia, Thailand and other Asian plants
www.sony.com

Headphones / earphones / earbuds

Excellent9/10Premium

Sony's 1000XM headphones and earbuds are near the top of most reviewers' noise-cancelling lists, pairing strong ANC with good sound and a feature-rich app. Owners praise battery life; the main complaints are earbud fit and some durability issues on older over-ear models.

Good at

  • Class-leading ANC on WH-1000XM and WF-1000XM lines
  • Detailed app EQ and LDAC hi-res support
  • Long battery life
  • Older models heavily discounted and still excellent

Weak at

  • WF-1000XM earbud fit and tips divide users
  • Hinge or headband cracks reported on older XM models
  • Flagships are expensive at launch
Reliability
Value
Features
Service & warranty
WH-1000XMWF-1000XMULT WearLinkBudsWH-CH / WF-C

Best for: Anyone wanting top noise cancelling that works on any phone

nzauukushk

Headphones / earphones / earbuds brands in New Zealand

Sony is #1 of 16, best rated first.

#BrandRatingPriceDetails
1SonyJapan9/10ExcellentPremium
2AppleUnited States8/10GoodPremium
3Audio-TechnicaJapan8/10GoodMid-range
4TechnicsJapan8/10GoodPremium
5SteelSeriesDenmark8/10GoodPremium
6BoseUnited States8/10GoodPremium
7SennheiserGermany8/10GoodPremium
8BeyerdynamicGermany7.5/10GoodMid-range
9SoundcoreChina7/10GoodBudget
10BeatsUnited States7/10GoodMid-range
11JBLUnited States7/10GoodMid-range
12SamsungSouth Korea7/10GoodMid-range
13XiaomiChina7/10GoodBudget
14NothingUnited Kingdom6/10MixedMid-range
15JabraDenmark6/10MixedMid-range
16SkullcandyUnited States6/10MixedBudget

Researched September 2026 from public reviews, consumer groups and retailer listings, and summarised by hand — ratings are a judgement, not a lab score. Check current reviews and local retailers before you buy.