ZDNET’s key takeaways
- Sony’s InZone H9 II headset is available now for $349.
- Their 360-degree spatial sound allows for immersive audio (especially for FPS games) while the detachable mic turns them into a great pair of everyday headphones.
- The black matte texture is a fingerprint magnet.
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Sony just released its latest pair of premium gaming headphones, the InZone H9 II, a follow-up to its previous high-end gaming headset, the InZone H9 with improved spatial sound, a detachable mic, and a redesigned headband that’s substantially more premium.
We reviewed the H9 back in 2022, so it’s definitely time for an upgrade to Sony’s high-end gaming line. Sony engineers worked with e-sports organization Fnatic to develop the H9 II, resulting in a handful of quality-of-life features that gamers will appreciate. This includes button placement, fit, and my personal favorite feature — the detachable mic.
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The H9 II takes a precise approach to audio, with 360 spatial sound that communicates subtle effects like footsteps behind you and directional movement, for some pretty impressive immersion.
The 30mm drivers here are the same as Sony’s WH-1000XM6 headphones, so you’re getting rich audio as a baseline, with some EQ presets designed specifically for effects you’ll encounter in FPSs, like footsteps, gunshots, and directional sound effects.
Notably, however, they’re smaller than the 40mm drivers in the H9, supporting Sony’s goal here in allowing for clearer, more detailed sound. We’re talking rustling leaves, gentle breezes, and of course, gunfire with precise locationality.
Environment plays a big role in how well you can hear all of these things, of course. You can’t exactly hear the footsteps of the player stalking behind you with barking dogs in the background. Luckily, the headphones’ noise canceling works very well, reinforced by the gentle, but complete, seal offered by the earpads.
Kyle Kucharski/ZDNET
Noise cancellation can be toggled with the button on the left between ambient, ANC on, or off. While on, it succeeds at blocking out your environment to dramatic effect.
There’s other ways to play, though, as any gamer can attest to. Personally, I swap between gaming with ANC on, to swapping to ambient mode and keeping the game’s audio to my external speakers. That way, I can relegate voice comms to the headset.
Luckily, you don’t need to do a whole lot of tinkering to get good performance out of these headphones. Their lightweight fit and balanced sound profile makes for solid performance straight out of the box, with additional EQ adjustments acting as a bonus.
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I tried the H9 II in a variety of games, and found the headphones’ spatial sound to be very nice. Sound effects that are far off are well telegraphed, with subtle directional effects that, as designed, are even more noticeable in quiet environments with less audio clutter.
In terms of comfort, lightweight is the key word here, as the whole headset weighs about 273 grams (0.6 pounds) with a comfortable fit that’s both sealed off but comfortable enough to wear for extended sessions.
The adjustable headband on the H9 II is made with a braided cloth material that’s exceedingly light yet sturdy. The engineering here is a massive improvement over the previous model’s thick and clunky padded headband.
The headset connects via a USB-C dongle that utilizes a 2.4GHz connection and LE Audio and Bluetooth for multi-point connectivity, while all of the most common settings are accessible via physical buttons on the headphones. This includes the mic mute, ANC on or off, game/chat mode, and the Bluetooth pairing button.
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The mute button is especially handy, as it’s a toggle switch that’s extended when muted, and flush with the headphones when open. Located on the top of the left ear, it gives you one-handed access to quickly mute or speak. If you’re ever unsure, there’s a red LED at the tip that lights up when you’re muted.
The power button is on the front of the right side — a harder to reach spot designed to avoid the accidental tap, but the ANC/Bluetooth buttons are easily mixed up. Looking at the headset for labels may or may not be of help, as the print above the buttons (on the headset with the black colorway) is so tiny and so dark, I had to put my iPhone’s flashlight on it to see.
Kyle Kucharski/ZDNET
This leads me to my other complaint about the headset: the black matte texture is an absolute fingerprint magnet. I’ve been using these headphones for a week, and they look like I’ve had them for far longer than that. Granted, wiping them down with a cloth solves this problem, but I definitely would have opted for a different color or finish.
The H9 II is also quite good as an all-around pair of headphones away from the console. With the detachable mic, they become regular headphones with sound quality you’d expect from a mid- to upper-tier pair of headphones. In fact, they’re louder than my everyday carry pair of JBLs and actually feel great at the gym (yes, I went running with them, and they felt great).
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The headset’s support for multi-point connectivity is a nice plus that allows for connection with multiple devices at the same time. This means when you’re deep in the game, you can still hear incoming calls or texts through the headset, preventing important missed calls because you were too busy exploding spaceships.
Taking calls with the headset is also a surprisingly good user experience. The sound quality is good, and callers said my voice came through loud and clear.
So, let’s talk battery life. Sony advertises an average of 30 hours of battery life, which is actually less than the 32 average on the H9 but still good for a gaming headset. During my testing, I found that you’ll get quite a bit less than this if you use the ANC.
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That being said, the headset charges fast. Sony says that five minutes of charge time will give you up to three hours of use, which equates to roughly 30% battery in less than 10 minutes. Once you’re around 20% juice, the headphones will notify you with a “Battery low” notification.
Luckily, the USB-C to USB-A cord that comes with the headphones is extra long, so if you do need to plug in during a gaming session, it’s hardly an issue.
ZDNET’s buying advice
The Sony InZone H9 II are a great pair of gaming headphones, and I’d recommend them to anyone who appreciates refined, precise audio effects just as much as booming explosions and gunfire. The 360-degree spatial sound is very immersive, especially for FPS games, and the directional effects really do come alive.
However, the headphones’ lightweight form and propensity to be a fingerprint magnet don’t do much to exude a “premium” aesthetic. Luckily, the white colorway eliminates this problem, but then, white tech is its own challenge in longevity. These are gaming headphones, after all, but for the retail price of $349, these details matter.
All in all, the audio wins out, especially since you can detach the mic and have a banger pair of headphones for everyday use.
