Great sound quality, utmost comfort, noise cancellation, durability: these are some of the features people look out for in headphones these days. But there’s a teeny-weeny problem. Not everyone can get that because they come at a high cost. Of course, there are people who’d be willing to do that. Musicians, producers, DJs. People who’ve made a career out of music, and most importantly, have the money. But here’s the good news: with the Sony WH-H910N, you don’t have to wait till you have all the money in the world to get a noise-cancelling headphone with good sound quality.
Most audiophiles will tell you that the Sony WH-1000MX3 headphone is one of the best out there. It ticks all those boxes you’d look out for when going for a headphone. Not very many products will give you the level of quality the Sony WH-1000MX3 offers, but the WH-H910N will get you almost there. Given its price, don’t you think these headphones are a steal?
Well, we’re about to answer that in this article, but before that, let’s take a look at the Sony WH-H910N’s specifications.
Sony WH-H910N’s Specifications
Colors: Orange, Black, Red
Style: Over-Ear
Bluetooth: 5.0
Bluetooth Range: 10 Meters
Charging Time: 5 hours
Battery Life: 35 hours
Driver Diameter: 25 mm
Impedance: 17 ohms
Sensitivity: 100 dB
Frequency Response: 5 Hz – 40,000 Hz
Weight: 251 g
Frequency Range: 2.4 GHz band
NFC: Yes
Who It’s For
If you want something that brings out the bass in music; something that makes your heartthrob along with every beat, then the WH-H910N isn’t what you’re looking for. But that kind of bass isn’t what all music is about, and the WH-H910N is equal to the task when it comes to giving you a neutral sound. And it’s not just any neutral sound, the Sony WH-H910N delivers it in Hi-res. So, in a way, you can still feel the bass in songs, as with all other sound signatures, but they’ll be balanced. What else could you ask for?
Connection
To make sure you always have your music with you, Sony opts for a tripartite connection system as with most of its headphones. The Sony WH-H910N is most preferably wireless. It uses Bluetooth 5.0 and can maintain a connection 10 meters apart. If you don’t want to use the Bluetooth option, there’s always NFC for phones that support it.
And if you just feel like abandoning the wireless feature and doing something old school, the Sony WH-H910N comes with a detachable cable that you can connect into a 3.5 mm jack. With this, Sony ensures that you don’t lack a premium musical experience whenever you want to have one.
Design
Sony WH-H910N comes in three colors: black, orange, and red. The choice is yours. However, you don’t have that much liberty with the build, as the WH-H910N opts for a plastic construction. Regardless, it doesn’t look fragile and certainly doesn’t feel fragile. In addition, the plastic gives the headphone a smooth feel and a streamlined design.
The earcups have hinges that allow it to be folded inwards for times when it’s not in use. The left earcup carries the power button, 3.5 mm jack, charging port, NFC chip, and a button to wake Google Assistant, Alexa, or Siri. On the other hand, the right earcup has all the touch controls. A setup this simple makes the headphone easy to use. And easy usage makes the listening experience more enjoyable.
Portability
There are definitely other headphones that are much simpler to carry around than the Sony WH-H910N, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t use it on the go or pack it in your luggage when you have to move. The plastic makes the headphone light enough to hang around your neck when you’re on the bus, train, or even taking a walk. If you want to put it in your bag instead, the earcups can fold inwards to make the arrangement really easy.
Comfort
Perhaps, the most comfortable thing about the Sony WH-H910N is that it’s no heavy load to carry. Weighing 251 g and made entirely out of plastic means that you can carry it on your head or around your neck without feeling like you’ve taken a trip to the gym. The headband and earcups are all covered with a silicone cushion that makes the headphone snug and comfortable over your ears.
However, the earcups could be a bit problematic if you’ve got really large ears. You can feel the tips of your ears pressing against the walls of the cups, and while you may be able to push through this little snag, it may get discomforting the longer you listen. But, hey, you may not have to use the headphones for that long.
Performance
Due to the Sony WH-H910N’s 25 mm driver, you may not get sounds as defined as the 1000XM3, for instance, because that uses a 40 mm driver. But again, if you wanted that kind of sound, you would have just gone for the 1000XM3. Regardless, the 25 mm driver isn’t bad at all. It has support for high-resolution audio, Bluetooth 5.0, and Digital Sound Enhancement Engine, which is more than you can say for other headphones within the same price range.
The audio quality is excellent and clean across all musical genres. The highs aren’t exactly perfect, but there aren’t any detectable issues. You just don’t get the kind of response that some high tier headphones will give you, and that’s understandable considering that the Sony WH-H910N is a mid-range headphone. However, the sounds around the mid-level are strong enough, and there don’t seem to be any problems with the lows. At this rate, the sound quality of the Sony WH-H910N is captivating enough for any listener. Unless you have an ear for really high stuff, then you’ll find that the soundstage isn’t expansive.
Sequel to the audio quality is the noise cancellation feature, which may not be as strong as other high tier headphones, but is strong enough for its price. There’s a companion app that comes with the headphone, which helps you adjust the song to the ambient environment when you’re walking, waiting and travelling. This automatic adjustment works hand-in-hand with the noise cancellation so that the resulting effect is apt.
Battery Life
Sony is no slouch when it comes to battery life, and the Sony WH-H910N benefits greatly from that. You can use the headphones for up to 35 hours without noise cancellation. And when the noise cancellation is on, you can get 31 to 32 hours from it. All in all, you get to use the headphones for more than a day, whether noise cancellation is on or not, which is awesome. You don’t have to run to a socket too often after a few hours of use.
When the Sony WH-H910N is down, it takes up to 5 hours to fully charge. Unfortunately, this doesn’t come with a quick charge feature. But 5 hours of full charging for 35/32 hours of usage doesn’t look awful to me, and it’s quite fair if you think about it.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Comfortable
- Sturdy Design
- Durability
- App for Advanced Control
- Good Sound Quality
- Support for Voice Assistant
Cons
- Noise Cancellation
- Portability
Final Verdict
Perhaps, in trying to imitate the Sony WH-1000XM3, the WH-H910N shoots itself in the leg and only comes off as a low-budget version of the 1000XM3. Even then, it’s still not a bad option. Not for that price. A WH-1000XM3 has its own features and comes at its own price. However, if you want a semblance, and a very good one at that, of what the 1000XM3 offers, you should go for the H910N. It’s excellent and is definitely not a disappointment.