True wireless earphones are a hot new item in headphones but it’s very hard to find one that works the way you want it to. Sony recently dropped their hat in the ring for true wireless with the WF-1000X wireless noise-canceling headphones. These small yet cool looking earphones have the potential to be the answer to many people’s prayers for a nice true wireless headphone. Let’s give the Sony WF-1000X a full review and find out.
In The Box
Inside the box with the Sony WF-1000X you’ll get the following:
- Sony WF-1000X Earbuds
- 4 sets of eartips
- Charging case
- USB charging cable
- Quick start guide
Design
The design of the Sony WF-1000X noise-canceling wireless earphone is very modern and minimal. It almost looks like some kind of implant technology from the future. The eartips sit well inside the ear canal and an ergonomic stabilizer helps hold it in place. It seems precarious at first but the WF-1000X stays in quite well. The small oval shape of this earphone aims the microphone toward the front so you can be heard clearly on phone calls.
Connectivity
Pairing the Sony WF-1000X true wireless headphone is very simple. One of the easiest I’ve experienced so far. Beginning with the left earbud you just hold down the power button for pairing mode to pair with your smartphone. Once that’s done you can use just the left side to make phone calls like a pro. If you want both earphones in together, simply turn on the right earphone and it will automatically connect to the left. It’s a very easy and painless process.
Walking around with the WF-1000X in both ears I found they stayed connected very well 95% of the time. Occasionally I came across a place where there was interference causing one or both earbuds to drop for just a second. This is pretty standard though and you won’t likely find anything in true wireless Bluetooth that stays connected 100% of the time.
How’s The Fit?
The fit of the Sony WF-1000X is decent. Getting the right fit hinges on finding the right eartips as always. The WF-1000X earbuds stick out just a little bit for clearance but it’s a lot less bulky than many other true wireless earphones on the market. The stabilizers can irritate a little over a long period of time but I think it’s still a well-thought ergonomic design.
Noise Cancelling
The noise cancelling on the WF-1000X headset was pretty good. I would have been happy to have a true wireless that stayed connected but Sony took it a step further. Along with the noise cancelling you’ll find there’s an Ambient Sound mode for monitoring your surroundings.
Battery Life
It’s tough to get a really long battery life in a true wireless and the only moderately disappointing thing so far about the Sony SF-1000X noise-canceling headset is the 3-hour battery life. There’s a lot going on inside these tiny earphones and it just wasn’t possible to get it all in there without making some kind of sacrifice. For a battery that would last longer Sony would likely have needed to make them bigger and it just wasn’t in the design. The 3-hour battery life isn’t all that bad though. It’s perfect for most daily commutes and the portable case can hold a charge which will give you extended life for your earphones when there’s no outlet around.
Sound
The final and most important thing is the sound of the Sony WF-1000X noise-canceling headset. I gave them a full “around town” test to see exactly what they would be like on a daily basis in the concrete jungle. Here’s my assessment of the sound of the WF-1000X.
Bass
Low end frequencies in the WF-1000X wireless earphones were nice. In fact the bass was pretty tame and balanced for the most part. It’s actually kind of nice to find a Sony headphone that doesn’t crank up the “extra bass”. Instead the WF-1000X features well rounded low-end without overdoing it.
Mids
The mid range is where the WF-1000X performs best. Tuned especially for voice calls this true wireless earphone has well tuned mid-range. It’s not tweaked up too much and possibly dialed back in a few spots but overall the mid-frequencies are really nice for a Bluetooth earphone.
Highs
The high end is decent on the Sony WF-1000X. I found it to be pretty clear with most recordings and sounds great considering how tough it is to get good sound in a true wireless earphone. My assessment is that the high end is just right in the overall mix.
Final Review
Aside from the short battery life the Sony WF-1000X noise-cancelling headset is quite a phenomenal piece of technology. Priced at under $200 I recommend any techie looking for something wireless and compact for music and phone calls should give the Sony WF-1000X a look. It’s well built, stays connected, stays in place and has pretty good sound for a noise-canceling true wireless earphone.
Specifications
HEADPHONE TYPE: Closed Dynamic
DRIVER UNIT: 0.24″ (Dome Type)
MAGNET: Neodymium
FREQUENCY RESPONSE (BLUETOOTH® COMMUNICATION): 20 Hz–20,000 Hz (44.1 kHz Sampling)
INPUT(S): No
NFC: Yes (Case)
DSEE HX: No
S-MASTER HX: No
PASSIVE OPERATION: No
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