Set to launch on December 6, these wireless earbuds are designed to fit Sony’s new generation consoles, but can also be used as regular Bluetooth headphones. In the actual machine review, CNET He describes it as a “revolution” and says that while it’s obviously great for gaming, it’s also great for general music listening.
The article highlights that they compete in terms of audio quality with the Japanese giant’s featured earphones, the WF-1000XM5, which retail for around $300. This is a surprising result considering that platform holders are pricing the Pulse Explore Earbuds at around $200.
The review states: “They sound clearer and more articulate than Sony’s flagship WF-1000XM5 earphones, with tighter, more powerful bass. That doesn’t mean they sound better than the XM5s. The XM5s sound a little richer. But, I never expected it to compete with the XM5 for music listening.”
The review goes on to explain why the sound is so good, and that’s due to the use of planar magnetic drivers commonly used in high-end studio over-ear headphones. “Planar magnetic drivers are praised for their sonic accuracy and low distortion,” the review notes. “These are typically larger and more difficult to drive than the standard dynamic drivers found in most headphones.”
Although they say the earbuds are a little bulky to compensate for this technology, they note that they are comfortable to wear. The article highlights that this is generally a fairly bare-bones accessory – there’s no noise-cancelling functionality, for example, and you can’t detect when you take the earbuds out of your ears – But overall, it sounds like the excellent audio quality makes up for any shortcomings.
And considering that earphones with planar magnetic drivers were selling for over $1,000 a few years ago, it seems like Sony has done an exceptional job of bringing the price of this product down. Are you planning to buy a pair? Sound off in the comments section below.
[source cnet.com]