The Sony Inzone H9 II are some of the most comfortable headphones I’ve worn

Sony’s Inzone headphones are positioned as PC gaming hardware, but they’re designed to work across both PC and PS5, which makes them an appealing option if you’re looking for something a bit more premium than the company’s PlayStation accessories, or spend as much time in front of your TV as you do your monitor. The company launched Inzone in 2022 with a focus on audio, and recently expanded the brand with the help of esports company Fnatic to include more parts of the PC gaming experience to cover everything from in-ear monitors to wireless mice.

The crown jewel of this new lineup is the Inzone H9 II Gaming Headset. They combine the audio tech of Sony’s popular WH-1000XM6 headphones with a new ear cup and headband design that’s incredibly comfortable to wear and better than most premium wireless headphones I’ve tried. While the H9 II are on the pricey side at $350, I think they’re a great option, whether you’re a professional PC gamer or someone who occasionally plays Fortnite on PS5 with your friends.

4/5

Microphone

Yes, Cardioid

Compatibility

PC, PS5 (other devices over Bluetooth or wired connection)

What’s Included

Headphones, bag, audio cable, USB-C charging cable

Brand

Sony

Sony’s new Inzone H9 II wireless headset uses the drivers from the company’s premium WH-1000XM6 headphones for improved sound, and features a new design that’s lighter thanks to its headband.

Pros & Cons

• Light and very comfortable
• WH-1000XM6 driver audio improvements
• Easy to connect to a variety of devices

• Controls are hard to learn
• Limited customization options in companion app

Price, availability, and specs

The Sony Inzone H9 II wireless headphones retail for $350 in either black and white finishes. They’re widely available and can be purchased directly from Sony or a variety of online retailers, like Amazon and Best Buy, in the US.

While the headphones offer all the same functionality as the original Inzone H9 Sony has substantially updated both the design and the internal audio components of the new model to make them worth the upgrade. For example, the new headband structure makes the headphones easy to adjust for a variety of head sizes without becoming unbalanced. That design tweak helps to make the headphones lighter than before. The H9 II weigh 273g with its adjustable, cardioid mic attached or around 260g with it detached.

You can adjust things like your volume via a dial on the side of the H9 II’s ear cups or switch between Ambient mode and Noise-Cancellation with dedicated buttons. There’s also a USB-C port for charging the headphones and a 3.5mm audio jack for using them over a wired connection. For quickly muting yourself while you are voice chatting with friends, Sony also included a large texture button on the top of one of the H9 II’s ear cups.

Inside, the Inzone H9 II use the same audio drivers as the Sony WH-1000XM6, alongside a carbon composite diaphragm that helps with producing detailed sound. Dual microphones built-in to the headphones help with things like active-noise cancellation and the headphones also support multiple connectivity options and audio formats. Specifically, the H9 II support virtual 7.1 surround sound and connect with devices over Bluetooth, Bluetooth LE Audio, the previously mentioned wired connection, or a 2.4GHz USB-C dongle that works with both PS5 or PC. Combined with the headphones’ up to 30 hours of battery life, the Inzone H9 II have, at least on paper, a lot to offer.

What I liked about the Inzone H9 II

The most comfortable headphones I’ve worn

It’s hard to overstate how comfortable the Inzone H9 II headset is to wear, particularly as someone who wears glasses. By nature of their design, most headphones pinch the sides of your frames and head, if they’re not uncomfortably cupping your ears in some other way on top of that. This isn’t a problem when I take my glasses off, but with them on, even an expensive $500 pair of headphones like the AirPods Max squash my frames into the side of my head in a ridiculously uncomfortable way.

That’s not the case on the Inzone H9 II, which are light and flexible and able to twist every which way. Each side of the headphones’ headband can be adjusted independent of the other and the ear cups are cushioned and soft. I wouldn’t say that I forgot I’m wearing headphones when I have them on, but to the H9 II’s credit, I don’t feel limited or like I’d want to take them off, which is the next best thing.

Because Sony uses the core audio tech at the heart of the WH-1000XM6s, the Inzone H9 II sound good too. The audio the headphones produce is crisp, clear, and loud. I could easily pick out the footsteps of the other people I was playing Abiotic Factor with, and my Discord voice chat mixed smoothly with in-game audio. The cardioid mic is also much better at blocking out background noise and keeping my voice in focus (it helps that it gets a lot closer to my mouth than the AirPods Pro 2 I normally use).

I’d extend that excellent audio performance to the ANC, as well, which might not be as all-encompassing as Sony’s premium headphones, but was more than enough to block out the busy street near my apartment and even a conversation happening a few feet away once I turned things up to medium volume. While I’m not a serious PC gamer like I think Sony is targeting, it’s worth noting the Inzone H9 II are fairly easy to set up, just by plugging in the included dongle and making sure it’s switched to either console or PC. Taken all together, I think you get a great experience from all the headphone basics.

What I didn’t like about the Inzone H9 II

Everything is more complicated than it needs to be

When you consider the amount of control options available on the H9 II, it can be a little daunting. There are a lot of buttons on the headphones that the average wireless earbuds user has likely never thought of or had to use. The fact that Sony offers physical buttons for all the H9 II’s most important features is absolutely positive, but you really have to learn their placement for them to be convenient, something I wasn’t able to do in the few weeks I tested the headphones.

The USB-C dongle the H9 II use to create a high-quality audio connection to a PC or PS5 is convenient, but not as convenient as not having to use a dongle at all. These kinds of setups are the norm for 2.4Ghz connections, but Sony does have its own connectivity option, PlayStation Link, that could have been even more convenient. A PlayStation Portal can connect to Sony’s Pulse Explore wireless earbuds without needing a dongle at all. Why isn’t that an option for the Inzone H9 II?

Ultimately, it’s good that Sony offers the variety of connectivity options the Inzone H9 II have. That doesn’t stop me from wishing things could be simpler, or that I could get the premium quality of the Inzone H9 II for under $300.

Should you buy the Inzone H9 II?

You should absolutely consider it

The Inzone H9 II are easy to recommend, especially if you’re looking for a pair of headphones to wear while gaming that go beyond what you can get out of a normal pair of wireless earbuds. Sure, there are more convenient options for listening to music on your phone (something that the H9 II are technically capable of), but Sony’s new headphones sound and work great in the exact environment they’re designed for: trying to hear your fireteam while re-running a Destiny 2 strike for the fifth time in a row.

The company sells cheaper options under $200, but if you can afford it, ignore those impulse buys and get the H9 II. They’re not only more comfortable, but they give you a premium audio experience you’ll be glad you paid for.

4/5

Microphone

Yes, Cardioid

Compatibility

PC, PS5 (other devices over Bluetooth or wired connection)

What’s Included

Headphones, bag, audio cable, USB-C charging cable

Brand

Sony

Sony’s new Inzone H9 II wireless headset uses the drivers from the company’s premium WH-1000XM6 headphones for improved sound, and features a new design that’s lighter thanks to its headband.