Sony H.ear on Wireless NC MDR100ABN Headphone Review

Breathtaking sound never looked so good with these wireless Bluetooth headphones with digital noise cancelling that combine High-Resolution sound compatibility, striking design and long-listening comfort. Easy, one-touch connectivity. No distracting background noise. No annoying cables. Just the pure, authentic sound. Get ready to lose yourself in the music.

Introduction:

The Sony h.ear on headphone is part of the company’s own line of audio equipment that’s designed for premium hi-res devices but the catch is that you would have to use its own hi-res players to enjoy the benefit.

That being said, the Sony h.ear on headphone still manages to offer a good sound experience even when used with normal audio devices – add to that the active noise cancellation feature and it should bode well with seasoned audiophiles. Let us have a look.

Manufacturer’s Specification:

• Driver Unit: 1.57 inches (Dome Type)
• Frequency Response: 5 – 40,000 Hz (Power On) (Wired)
• Sensitivities (DB/MW): Power Off: 97 dB/mW (Wired); Power On: 103 dB/mW (Wired)
• Impedance: Power On: 32 ohms (Wired); Power Off: 16 ohms (Wired)
• Volume Control: Yes
• Cord Length: 3.94 ft
• Plug: Gold-plated L-shaped Stereo Mini
• Unit of microphone: Electret Condenser Microphone
• Direction of in-line microphone: Non-directional

Design and Specifications:

The h.ear on headphones (nice play on the name) comes in various eye-catching colors, all visually striking that makes it stand out from the rest of the headphone crowd. It folds up in a nice contoured design, making it easy to bring anywhere especially with the included carrying pouch.

The h.ear on headphones use 40 mm HD drivers that manage to reproduce sounds in clear details and deep bass that offer deep effects with minimal vibration thanks to the titanium-coated acoustic diaphragms.

The headphones look oversized, but they’re comfortable enough to be worn on long periods of time. The standout features may probably be the wireless connectivity plus the active noise cancellation, which is what impressed us the most.

Since it is part of the ‘hi-res audio’ lineup, the h.ear on headphones support LDAC – a new proprietary streaming standard that offers three times as much data as Bluetooth, allowing for a better audio quality. But bear in mind that for you to enjoy this feature, the audio source must also support LDAC like the current line of Sony’s hi-res audio products.

Controls are scattered throughout the ear cups, offering buttons for the volume, playback controls and uses a micro USB port for charging the built-in battery. If that runs out, you can still use the h.ear on headphones in wired mode.

Sony H.ear Wireless NC MDR100ABN Video Review

Setup:

The h.ear on headphones also benefit from having NFC, meaning that I simply tapped it to any device supporting the feature and it automatically paired without any problems. This feature would mostly work on Android smartphones, and iOS users would need to pair it manually. Not that it’s not a pain to pair. I managed to connect it my iPhone in less than a couple of seconds.

Performance:

The h.ear on headphones work well on its active noise cancellation feature – though not as great as the recently released Bose QC35 which is also wireless. The microphones used for noise cancellation is placed under the ear cups so just in case winds touch the microphones it usually gives a noisier effect.

Sound output is very good, and while the detail isn’t as pronounced as the one of Bose or Sennheiser, once power flows through the headphones it clearly shows that it is serious about audio.

Tones are natural and with a distinct focus on voice. Bass is not too overwhelming, and the active noise cancellation feature works well with the sound output to enable it to have the best quality possible.

The only problem is that most of the great sound output that the h.ear on headphones offers isn’t present when it’s in wired mode. Since active noise cancellation and the other sound enhancing features are off, you’re left with mostly dull sounding audio – compare that the QC35 which still works well even in wired mode.

A single charge can give about 20 hours of battery life on the Sony h.ear on headphones – that’s enough time for you to enjoy your tunes peacefully especially on long haul flights where a quiet environment is a must.

Supplied Accessories:

• Sony h.ear on Wireless headphones
• Carrying case
• User guides and manuals
• Micro USB cable
• 3.5 mm audio cable

Pros & Cons:

Conclusion:

The Sony h.ear on headphones does the job well with producing a decent sound output along with a great active noise cancelling feature. It’s not as great as the Bose QC35, but for what it does, it’s almost at par.