Sony WH-H910N h.ear on 3 wireless headphones review

Sony WH-H910N h.ear on 3 wireless noise-canceling headphones are designed to deliver a Hi-Res audio experience with active noise canceling system that has now become an industry standard. 

The h.ear on 3 succeeds the H900N with a refreshed design, lighter footprint, and support for Hi-Res audio playback, along with the richness of 1000XM3’s noise-canceling solution. It is also slightly affordable than the latter, so if you were waiting for something that has a flagship influence but also doesn’t cost that much, the H910N could be your next pair of cans.

Price and availability

Sony WH-H910N h.ear on 3 headphones is priced at Rs 21,990 in India. While the company’s h.ear series is known for its varied color options, in India, these headphones are only available in black color.

The H910N fits in nicely between the company’s Extra Bass XB900N and the flagship 1000MX3 headphones. It is available across major retailers across India.

Look and feel

Sony’s h.ear on 3 headphones have been redesigned to offer more comfort and its lightweight profile allows greater portability. It is 39 grams lighter than the previous H900N headphones, weighing in at 251 grams.

The H910N has a plastic construction and even though it is fairly lightweight, it feels sturdy in the hand and while wearing it. The headband has also been tuned for a comfortable fit with a new silicone cushion that reduces wrinkles in the long run. As for the earpad and its housing, that too has been tweaked with a trapezoid design with a larger surface area to cover the ears.

In the box, you’ll find a carrying pouch along with a USB Type-C cable and a 1.2 meters detachable 3.5mm audio cable. We feel, for its price, the company could have offered a sturdier case than the normal bag it comes in. 

The earpads can also be swiveled and folded for safekeeping when not in use. It is a handy feature that allows you to carry the headphones with ease so you can practically listen to your favorite tracks anywhere and everywhere. That being said, the 1000XM3 or even the XB900N offer extended portability as their earpads can be folded at a 90-degree-angle, further reducing its profile.

Sony WH-H910N has a soft-to-touch matte finish on the outside with the brand’s name etched on both sides of the headband. The earpads also feature a new textured pattern which gives a trendy outlook to the headphones.

The left earcup has the power button, a Type-C port for charging, a 3.5mm jack and the assistant button to wake up Google Assistant, Siri or Alexa. The NFC chip is also housed in the left earcup and can be used to pair your smartphone. The right earcup supports touch controls that lets you pick up calls and control music playback.

Like all the other recent headphones by Sony, the H910N also supports Quick Attention mode that lets you listen to ambient sound without pausing your music. This comes in really handy in situations where you have to interact with someone and doesn’t require you to remove your headphones in order to have a conversation.

With a revamped design and it’s new-found focus on ergonomics, the h.ear on 3 wireless headphones is definitely a step-up from the previous generation. It’s sturdy, lightweight and doesn’t weigh down upon you when listening for extended durations.

How does it sound?

Sony’s WH-H910N features 25mm drivers as opposed to 40mm ones that are found in the 1000XM3s. Sony says that the on 3 headphones are capable of producing the same sound pressure as it’s conventional counterparts along with support for high-resolution audio, LDAC over Bluetooth 5.0, and Digital Sound Enhancement Engine (DSEE) HX.

The DSEE HX is responsible for restoring the sound quality that’s initially lost during music compression, and the LDAC profile ensures high-quality audio transmission over standard Bluetooth wirelessly. 

These pair of headphones provide exceptional audio quality with great quality across all music genres, though audiophiles may feel the soundstage to be a bit concentrated. There was no perceivable distortion in the highs with powerful mids and well-defined lows, making up the immersive audio experience.

Sony says that the noise cancellation on the H910N has been improved and is now based on the 1000XM3 signature. To that end, there’s now a separate microphone unit and a far-field mic in the headphones. The noise cancellation system uses the dual mics to produce a negative replica of the ambient sounds to create a noise-free environment. There are three modes to choose from the companion app-- traveling, walking, and waiting. Based on these profiles and the surrounding environment, the headphones tune the music listening experience along with its noise cancellation system.

The noise cancellation on the H910N definitely comes close to the 1000XM3s but isn’t as satisfactory. These headphones don’t support personal noise cancellation optimizer, which headlines Sony’s flagship 1000XM3s. 

The H910N can be paired with Sony’s Headphone Connect companion app that’s available on Play Store and App Store. The app has an equalizer control, adaptive sound control options, to name a few. It lets you manually tweak some settings according to your unique music preference.

Adaptive sound control works well in different situations, and the quick attention mode is just brilliant to use. The headphones can also work in wired mode via 3.5mm cable provided in-the-box.

Overall, if you’re looking for a great listening experience with a clear audio signature and impressive high-resolution audio producing capabilities, the H910N won’t disappoint you.

Battery Life

The battery life for the Sony WH-H910N is rated at 35 hours on a single charge without noise cancellation and 30 hours with ANC switched on. In our use, these headphones were able to power music playback for 31-32 hours, and that’s pretty good.

Sony also seems to have improved the charging times as we noticed the WH-H910N recharge faster than the XB900N. The company claims that these headphones can charge fully in around 5 hours via USB Type-C cable that ships with most phones now. It is recommended to use a good quality charging adapter when plugging in the H910N.

Verdict

Sony’s WH-H910N h.ear on 3 wireless headphones are priced at Rs 21,990 in India, and at that price, there’s a great value you are getting. These pair of cans are impressive for listening to high-resolution music mixed with premium noise cancellation solution built-in. 

So if you’re one to enjoy a great audio experience on headphones while traveling, the H910N is excellent at that. It’s fairly comfortable to wear and doesn’t make your head feel heavy after prolonged use, thanks to the lightweight build. The Active Noise Cancellation system in place is effective and is a valued addition.

The H910N is a top contender in the price range, and if you are looking for the best experience but are unable to increase your budget for the 1000XM3s, these work just fine.

• Also Read: Sony WH-1000XM3 review : Outstanding noise cancellation