Sony ULT Wear review: Cost-effective headphones with premium features

Japanese technology major Sony is a leader in the premium Noise Cancelling headphones segment in India. Now, the new ULT Wear series is focusing on the mid-range (under Rs 20,000) segment.

I spent a little over a week with ULT Wear headphones. Here are my thoughts on Sony's latest offering.

Design and build quality

The new ULT Wear headphones borrow a few design elements from the premium Sony WH-1000XM5.

The over-head ear cups are robust with a smooth edgy exterior outlook made of sturdy polycarbonate material. Inside, they come laced with a soft faux leather cushion around the corners that sit on the ears. They ensure the user can comfortably wear it for long hours.

Even the headband features soft faux leather. Users can adjust the cups by extending the band so that they can sit properly on the ears. They extend easily and yet firmly sit. Once drawn out, they won't easily budge from the position.

Sony ULT Wear headphones.

The headphones weigh 255g. But, I never felt any heaviness during long journeys wearing them. But, during high humidity in the Monsoon season, it gets uneasy when travelling in a crowded bus during the evening rush hour.

The left earcup comes with a standard 3.5mm audio jack along with an NC(Noise Cancellation)/ AS (Ambient Sound) switch button, power on/off and a Type-C port for charging. Also, there is a dedicated ULT (Ultimate) physical button a little above the NC/AS button. With this, users can switch between ULT 1 and ULT 2 modes. Both will improve the audio delivery in terms of making the music more punchy and immersive (more on that in the performance section).

Sony ULT Wear headphones.

The company offers a nice compact carrying case. It is made of high-quality fabric and the case can squeeze into any backpack with ease. The case also has space to carry the 1.3 metre 3.5mm cable and a small Type-C charger cable.

Performance

Setting up the ULT Wear headphones is quite easy. Owners can turn on the on button and look out for the device in the Bluetooth section of the phone/tablet/computer.

Or else install Sony's proprietary Headphones Connect app and follow the on-screen instructions. It will take less than five minutes to the device registered and start using it.

Inside, the ULT Wear headphones feature Sony’s proprietary Integrated Processor V1, the same processor found in Sony’s popular 1000X series headphones.

Sony ULT Wear headphones.

It has a specially designed 40mm dome-type driver unit and a Neodymium magnet in each headphone cup to deliver precise, punchy, and high-quality sound with an extra bass effect. Also, it has Dual Noise Sensor technology, which works with the Integrated Processor V1 to greatly reduce external sound and make noise cancellation more effective.

During the testing, the ULT Wear did live up to the hype. It fared well in reducing the noise of the blaring horns of the vehicles during the morning rush hour.

As noted above, the device comes with two ULT modes. With ULT1 mode, they will deliver a deeper, low-frequency bass effect. And, with ULT2 mode, the devices offer powerful, punchy bass. As advertised, they deliver goods. They enhance the listening experience on the headphones by a couple of notches.

As far as battery life is concerned, it is exceptionally good. With a full charge, it can last 30 hours with the Noise Cancellation (NC) feature on. And with NC-off, it can deliver up to 50 hours of battery life.

During my week-long testing, I did not even charge once. I used to listen to music or watch video blogs (with Noise Cancellation turned on) on the phone during my long commute between my home and the office. On average, I spend around two and a half hours a day travelling a day. And, at the end of the five-day week, the headphones still had more than 40 per cent juice left in the tank.

It also supports fast charging. With 10 minutes of charging, it can offer five hours of audio playtime. And, it takes around three and half hours to fully charge from zero to 100 per cent mark.

Final thoughts

Sony's new ULT Wear series is a solid headphones, a handy companion for long journeys. Overall sound quality is really good and the battery life (with ANC-on) is quite excellent.

Sony ULT Wear headphones.

It is one of the best over-ear headphones under Rs 20,000 segment.

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