The original Sony Inzone H9 gaming headset was built for PlayStation fans who wanted the benefits of first-party hardware and didn’t need the ability to connect to an Xbox. Now, Sony is back with an update in the form of the Sony Inzone H9 II.
Like the original, the headset is built largely for PlayStation and PC gamers, and it won’t work with an Xbox. So, if you want a headset that does work with an Xbox, you’ll need to keep looking. For this model, however, Sony has updated the design, ANC, audio, and more. It’s a pretty substantial upgrade.
Also new, unfortunately, is the price tag. At $349, the Sony Inzone H9 II is $50 more than the original and still an expensive gaming headset. Does it perform well enough to justify the high price tag, or should you spend that money on something from the likes of SteelSeries?
Sony Inzone H9 II design and comfort
As mentioned, the design of the Sony Inzone H9 II is a little different from the original Sony Inzone H9 — though it’s not a total redesign. The headset still has somewhat large ear cups and still comes in two colorways — black and white.
For this model, however, Sony has removed the attached microphone in favor of a detachable one that simply plugs into the left cup, and it has completely revamped the design of the headband with a new design that makes it easier to adjust for a more comfortable fit, even when the headset is on your head. All you have to do is push the buttons on the side of the headband to adjust it. I quite like this design.
The detachable microphone makes the headset much more versatile, too. The headset offers a number of different connectivity options, but you likely won’t want to walk around with a huge microphone on the side of your gaming headset if you’re simply using it to listen to podcasts on your phone. The new approach means that the Inzone H9 II could be a headset that you pretty much use for everything around the house, whether it be gaming, listening to music, or anything else.
There are a number of buttons and controls dotted around the two ear cups. On the left ear cup, you’ll get a volume wheel, a button to change noise modes, a USB-C port for charging, and an audio port for wired listening. You’ll also get the microphone port. On the right ear cup, there’s a Bluetooth button, a power button, and game/chat buttons.
The headset is very comfortable as well. It’s lightweight, has plenty of padding in the ear cups, and the headband design is good for weight distribution on the top of the head. I was able to wear it for hours without experiencing any comfort issues, which is always handy.
Sony Inzone H9 II features and battery
The headset is actually pretty feature-packed, which is great for gamers who want a versatile gaming headset. For starters, there are plenty of connectivity options. It supports wired connectivity with an included 3.5mm cable, plus you can connect it to a source through USB-C or simply over Bluetooth. You can even connect it to two different wireless sources at the same time — one through 2.4GHz using the included dongle and the other through Bluetooth. That will allow you to tweak settings on your phone, for example, while you have the headset connected to a PlayStation.
The battery life isn’t great, though. You’ll get up to 30 hours of juice, which is a little low for gaming headsets. There are plenty of alternatives that offer a much longer battery life — HyperX even has a headset that hits a massive 300 hours on a single charge.
There are some other features that may or may not come in handy, depending on how you use the headset. For example, the headset supports Sony’s 360 Spatial Sound for Gaming, which Sony says will help gamers better pinpoint the location of objects in a game. Keep in mind, this feature doesn’t actually accept a surround sound format as its input, but rather takes a stereo input and applies a spatial audio algorithm to it.
Sony Inzone H9 II software
The Sony Inzone H9 II headset works with a few different pieces of software. Notably, on PC, you can use the Inzone Hub, which will allow you to customize sound profiles, adjust volume, set up EQs, and so on. The headset also, however, works with the Sony Sound Connect app, which is the same app that you can use to adjust the settings on its non-gaming pairs of headphones and other Sony audio products.
Both work relatively well. The Inzone Hub made it pretty easy to apply EQ settings and create different EQs for different types of games. Within the hub, you can also adjust other settings, like switching noise modes.
As expected, the Sony Sound Connect app worked relatively well, too. The general settings that can be adjusted in the app are very similar to products like the Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones. You can easily adjust noise modes, set up custom EQs, and so on. I generally like the app and find it easy to use.
Sony Inzone H9 II sound
Of course, the most important thing about any audio product is how it sounds, and thankfully, the Sony Inzone H9 II sounds pretty good. The headset actually has the same 30mm drivers as the Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones. These are headphones that are generally considered to offer excellent audio quality — and while the audio response doesn’t match those exactly, the audio on offer by the headset is still very good.
For starters, there’s excellent bass response. The headset is able to deliver deep, round explosions when gaming, and thick, punchy bass in music. That’s combined with a somewhat scooped but still nice-sounding midrange, and crisp, detailed highs. I wouldn’t necessarily describe the headset as incredibly neutral in how it sounds, but it still sounds very good, and you can fix some of the tweaks that Sony has made using the EQ, either in the Inzone Hub or in the Sony Sound Connect app.
Christian de Looper for BGR
Even if you don’t, you’ll likely love how the headset sounds. Again, the frequency response is very good, and whether you like the default tuning or not, the headset is very capable when it comes to audio response.
One of the big features on offer by the headset is support for Sony’s 360 Spatial Sound for Gaming algorithm. I don’t always love spatialized audio, but most of that comes from listening to music. When gaming or watching movies, a spatialized audio algorithm can actually help make the experience a little more immersive.
It’s also worth mentioning the new microphone, which is a massive upgrade over the previous generation. It’s actually one of the better microphones you can get in any gaming headset right now, and it was simultaneously good at picking up my voice and rejecting sounds from the renovations happening next door.
Conclusions
At $350, the Sony Inzone H9 II gaming headset is far from cheap, but it’s also relatively premium. It’s very comfortable, has a sleek design, and sounds excellent. There’s really nothing wrong with the headset other than its high price point, but if you’re looking for an excellent-sounding first-party gaming headset, then the Sony Inzone H9 II is worth considering.
The competition
Because it’s expensive, the headset really has to be better than any of the dedicated gaming headset competition, except for some ultra-premium options. Whether or not it’s the right choice for you depends on a few things.
If you’re looking for the most feature-rich gaming headset you can buy right now, then the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless gaming headset is still the way to go. It’s available for the same price, and while its battery life isn’t as good as the Sony model, it has hot-swappable batteries, more versatile connectivity, and more. It’s probably the better choice for most gamers, especially those who have an Xbox. I will say that the Sony headset does sound a little better. It has deeper bass response that can help make for a more immersive audio experience.
Should I buy the Sony Inzone H9 II headset?
Yes, if you’re willing to spend the cash and want a great-sounding headset — but also consider the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless.
