If you’re looking for a solid set of headphones or earbuds, there’s no shortage of options out there. And while having a wide variety to pick from gives you more flexibility, it can make finding the best pair for your particular needs a bit of a challenge. Especially since you can find lots of affordable models from unknown brands floating around Amazon that can be pretty enticing. But if you’re looking to invest in a truly great pair of dependable, high-quality headphones, Sony is a solid option, no matter what you’re looking for.
Sony has long been one of the most respected brands in the audio market, and has claimed several spots on our list of the overall best headphones for 2023. Its headphones are some of the most popular out there at the moment, with a lineup that runs the gamut from premium noise-canceling, over-ear models to inexpensive on-ear headphones to excellent true-wireless earbuds in a variety of price ranges.Â
Like with all headphones, prices for Sony headphones tend to fluctuate and throughout the year you’ll find discounts on most Sony models — and sometimes pretty major discounts. While we can’t keep track of all the deals on Sony headphones (there are a lot), we’ve put together a list of current deals and pricing for the most popular — and best — of them. We also have lists of the best deals on Beats headphones and best AirPods deals in case you’re interested in those brands’ earbuds and headphones.Â
Read more: Best Wireless Earbuds for 2023
Best Sony headphone deals
Sony released its new entry-level CH-720N noise-canceling headphones in 2023. They’re quite good, but if you can’t afford them (they list for $150), the company’s new budget on-ear CH-520 headphones are an intriguing option for only around $50.
They lack noise canceling and are pretty no-frills, but they feature good sound for their price, are lightweight and pretty comfortable for on-ear headphones, and also have excellent battery life (they’re rated for up to 50 hours at moderate volume levels). Additionally, they have multipoint Bluetooth pairing, so you can pair them with two devices simultaneously, such as a smartphone and computer, and switch audio. Voice-calling performance is decent, though not up to the level of what you get with the CH-720N.Â
Note that there’s no wired option — this is a wireless Bluetooth-only headphone. The CH-520 offers overall balanced sound with decent clarity. The bass has some punch to it but doesn’t pack a wallop, and you’re not going to get quite as wide a soundstage as you get from Sony’s more expensive over-ear headphones. But these definitely sound better than Sony’s previous entry-level on-ear headphones and sound better than I thought they would. I tried the white color but they also come in blue and black.
All-time low price: $38
Battery Life Rated up to 9 hoursNoise Canceling Yes (ANC)Multipoint NoHeadphone Type Wireless EarbudsWater-Resistant Yes (IPX4 — splash-proof)
Unlike the “open” LinkBuds, the LinkBuds S are traditional noise-isolating earbuds with tips you jam in your ears. They’re more compact and lighter than Sony’s flagship WF-1000M4 and also feature Sony’s V1 processor. While their sound and noise canceling don’t quite measure up to the WF-1000XM4, they’re close and cost less. They’re the Sony buds for people who can deal with larger buds but want 80 to 85% of those buds’ features and performance for significantly less.
All-time low price:Â $128
Sony’s improved entry-level noise canceling headphones, the CH-720N, have a bit of a plasticky budget vibe, but they’re lightweight and very comfortable. Part of me was expecting them to sound pretty mediocre, but I was pleasantly surprised. No, they don’t sound as good as the WH-1000XM5. But they sound more premium than they look (and feel), and their overall performance is a step up from their predecessor, the CH-710N. Are they worth $150? Maybe, maybe not. But the good news is that, like the CH-710N and WH-XB910 before them, these should see significant discounts in the not-so-distant future, which is what you may want to wait for.
All-time low price: $128.
Read our Sony CH-720N review.
Introduced way back in 1991 (!), the Sony MDR-7506 has long been a favorite headphone of recording engineers and other sound professionals (yes, these are wired headphones). The origins of its design date even further back, since the MDR-7506 headphones are, in fact, a refresh of the Sony MDR-V6 that rolled out in 1985. Both models were designed for the pro sound market, but remain hugely popular with consumers.
While the two models have the same design and are very comfortable, they don’t sound identical. Both offer very well-balanced sound and excellent clarity for their modest prices — and both are great overall values. But the MDR-V6 headphones make a little more bass and sound more laid-back and mellow, while the 7506 headphones are leaner with a more accentuated treble range, which makes the sound a little crisper and livelier.
The headphones alone are only available at full price at the moment, but you can save $10 on a bundle that includes a pair of leather earpads and a carrying case.Â
All-time low price: $70
Battery Life 5.5 hoursNoise Canceling NoMultipoint NoHeadphone Type Wireless earbudsWater-Resistant Yes (IPX4 — splash-proof)
The LinkBuds are, in a sense, Sony’s answer to Apple’s standard AirPods. While they don’t sound as good as Sony’s flagship WF-1000XM4 noise-isolating earbuds, they offer a discreet, innovative design and a more secure fit than the AirPods, as well as good sound and very good voice-calling performance.
Like the third-gen AirPods, their open design allows you to hear the outside world — that’s what the ring is all about. That makes them a good choice for folks who want to hear what’s going around them for safety reasons or just don’t like having ear tips jammed in their ears. They also have a few distinguishing extra features, including Speak to Chat and Wide Area Tap. Instead of tapping on a bud, you can tap on your face, just in front of your ear, to control playback.
They’re IPX4 splash-proof and thanks to their fins — Sony calls them Arc Supporters — they lock in your ears securely and work well for running and other sporting activities.
All-time low price: $128.
Read our Sony LinkBuds review.
If you’re looking for a cheap on-ear wired headphone, the ZX Series is as good a bet as any. It costs just $13 — or $18 for the version with a microphone.Â
All-time low price: $10
The Sony MDR-Z7M2 may not be the flagship audiophile headphone in Sony’s lineup (that would be MDR-Z1R), but it’s still a high-end model that lists for $900 but has been on sale for $600. I reviewed the earlier version of the Z7 (the M2 at the end stands for Mark 2, or second generation) and it sounded great and was comfortable. To be clear, this is an audiophile headphone and sounds best with the right audio equipment, which may include a headphone amplifier or a high-resolution portable music player (notice the Sony Walkman player, which isn’t included, in the photo).
All-time low price: $570
Expired Sony headphone deals
Below, we’ve rounded up Sony headphones that aren’t currently on sale, but have been discounted in the past. There’s a chance they’ll go back on sale again in the future, so if you’ve got your eye on one of these models, it may be worth holding off until you can grab one at a better price.Â
Battery Life Rated up to 10 hoursNoise Canceling NoMultipoint NoHeadphone Type Wireless earbudsWater-Resistant Yes (IPX4 — splash-proof)
While the C500’s design sensibility has more in common with the high-end WF-1000XM4 than their predecessor, the WF-XB700 Extra Bass, the C500 is not a noise-canceling model and is pretty basic as far as earbuds go, with no ear-detection sensors or transparency mode. But the buds are compact, lightweight, fit comfortably and sound good for an entry-level model. Read our Sony C500 first take.
All-time low price: $58
Battery Life Rated up to 50 hoursNoise Canceling Yes (ANC)Multipoint YesHeadphone Type Over-ear wireless headphonesWater-Resistant No IP rating
As for the WH-XB910N, this is the step-down model from the WH-1000XM4. It’s an Extra Bass model, so it does have a preponderance of bass. This updated version looks the earlier XB900N but offers improved noise canceling and multipoint Bluetooth pairing, so you can pair it with your phone and computer simultaneously. It also supports Sony’s LDAC audio codec. It often sells for around $150 or slightly less. At that price, it’s a decent value.Â
While improved, the noise canceling isn’t quite up to the level of the WH-1000XM4. And the WH-XB910N doesn’t have some of that model’s extra features, such as Speak to Chat, wearing detection sensors and Sony’s Precise Voice Pickup technology. However, it does have a Quick Attention Mode, which allows you to put your hand over the ear cup to go from noise canceling to an ambient-aware transparency mode. Also, this headphone now comes with a hard case like the WH-1000XM4. Battery life is rated at up to 30 hours at moderate volume levels — that’s the same as what you get from the WH-1000XM4.
All-time low price: $123
Battery Life Rated up to 32 hoursNoise Canceling Yes (ANC)Multipoint YesHeadphone Type Over-ear wireless headphonesWater-Resistant No IP rating
When you have a product that a lot of people love, change can be risky. Such is the case for Sony’s WH-1000XM5, the fifth generation of the 1000X series headphones, which were first released in 2016 as the MDR-1000X Wireless and have become increasingly popular as they’ve improved with each generation. Over the years, Sony has made some tweaks to the design, but nothing as dramatic as what it’s done with the WH-1000XM5. Other than the higher $400 price tag ($50 more than the WH-1000XM4), most of those changes are good, and Sony’s made some dramatic improvements with voice-calling performance as well as even better noise canceling and more refined sound.
All-time low price: $292
Battery Life Rated up to 30 hoursNoise Canceling YesMultipoint YesHeadphone Type Over-ear wireless headphonesWater-Resistant No IP rating
No earbuds are perfect and not everybody will love the fit of the Sony WF-1000XM4 buds or be able to afford their high price. But if you’re looking for great-sounding earbuds with excellent noise canceling, solid voice-calling capabilities and good battery life, these buds check all the boxes. And unlike the earlier WF-1000XM3, these are water-resistant with an IPX splash-proof rating.
Bose’s QuietComfort Earbuds also have top-notch noise canceling and sound quality, but the Sony is right there with the Bose for noise canceling. Some might even say it’s a touch better in that department. The Sony offers better sound quality and has a more compact design, particularly for the case — though the Sony buds certainly aren’t small.
All-time low price: $180
Battery Life Rated up to 30 hoursNoise Canceling YesMultipoint YesHeadphone Type Over-ear wireless headphonesWater-Resistant No IP rating
While they’re no longer Sony’s flagship noise-canceling headphones, the WH-1000XM4 are still very good headphones and worth considering if you can find them at a big discount.Â
All-time low price:Â $248.
Read our Sony WH-1000XM4 review.
How we test headphones at CNET
We test headphones based on five key criteria, comparing similarly styled and priced models. These criteria include design, sound quality, features, voice-calling performance and value.Â
Evaluating design, we assess not only how comfortable the headphones or earbuds fit (ergonomics) but their build quality and how well the controls are implemented. For earbuds, we also look at water- and dust-resistance ratings.Â
We evaluate sound quality by listening to a set playlist of music tracks and comparing the headphones to top competing products in their price range. Sonic traits such as bass definition, clarity, dynamic range and how natural the headphones sound are key factors in our assessment.
Some great-sounding headphones aren’t loaded with features, but we do take any extra features into account. These include everything from noise-canceling and transparency modes (ambient sound mode) to special sound modes to ear-detection sensors that automatically pause your music when you take the headphones off your ears.Â
When we test voice-calling performance, we make calls in the noisy streets of New York and evaluate how well the headphones reduce background noise and how clearly callers can hear your voice.
We determine value after evaluating the strength of the earbuds against all these criteria and what the headphone is able to deliver compared to other models in its price class.
More audio recommendations
Source: CNET
