Home Bluetooth Headphone Reviews Sony WH-1000XM2 Headphone Review
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Ni Hao friend and Welcome aboard!!

Before we get into the Sony WH1000X M2 Review, grab a snack, sit back and relax because..

You’ve come to the right place!!

What I will bring you in this review

  1. Ratings/Price
  2. Specifications
  3. Summary
  4. Pros
  5. Cons
  6. Video Review
  7. Amp/DAC requirements
  8. Who these headphones benefit?
  9. Consensus/Conclusion
  10. Final Word

Now without further ado, let’s get rolling!

Sony WH-1000XM2

Ratings/Price

Specifications

  • Type: Closed back. Closed back vs. Open back headphones.
  • Fit: Circumaural (Around the Ear).
  • Impedance: 46 Ohm. What is Headphone Impedance?
  • Sensitivity: 103 dB/mW (1 kHz) (when connecting via the headphone cable with the unit turned on), 98 dB/mW (1 kHz) (when connecting via the headphone cable with the unit turned off). What is Sensitivity in Headphones?
  • Frequency response: 4Hz – 40kHz.
  • Material: Plastic, protein leather.
  • Cable replaceable/detachable: Yes.
  • Cable coiled: No.
  • Cable length: 4.92 ft.
  • Comes with straight cable: Yes.
  • Ear-pads replaceable: No.
  • Rotating ear-cups: No.
  • Headband Padding: Yes.
  • Headband Style: Traditional.
  • Fold-able: Yes.
  • Usage Time: 20 hours (NC On), 22 Hours with NC Off.
  • Noise Cancelling: Yes. How do noise-cancelling headphones work?
  • Accessories Included: Carrying case.
  • Amp needed: No.
  • Bluetooth: Yes.
  • USB Charging: Yes.
  • Weight: 9.7 oz.
  • Color: Black.

Summary

The audiophile in me wants to nitpick at the closed-back WH1000xM2, but I just can’t bring myself to do it considering how much fun I had listening to these. In fact, I probably looked like an idiot moving around as much as I was in my local Best Buy. I know some people were like “What’s he so excited about?” Headphones homie! They dope! Closed back vs. open back headphones.

I would definitely consider this a bass head headphone, as the low end provides plenty of slam and impact. I was able to pair the 1000xM2 to my phone inside Best Buy and demo these for an extended period on a couple of occasions.

Because I’ve listened to so many headphones, I kind of immediately know what kind of sound signature this is, but it actually threw me quite a curveball like Sandy Koufax. More on that in a jiffy!

Yes, it’s sort of a V-shaped affair, but there’s something going on in the mid-range that gives these an added clarity that you might not expect from such a headphone.

Before we get into the sound any more in-depth, let’s talk about Build and Comfort real fast.

Build

This is an exceptionally rugged set of headphones and should be for the price. They are made of plastic but it’s tough and durable. The padding is extremely soft and supple as well, and by and large, these headphones feel like they could withstand some abuse.

Comfort

The comfort is phenomenal as well. I didn’t have to adjust or take them off. The clamping force isn’t too tight or loose. It kind of sits somewhere in the middle. It isn’t quite as clampy as a new Sennheiser HD600, and definitely not as loose as a Philips SHP9500. It’s probably a little tighter than say a Sony MDR V6. 🙂

Learn more:

With that, let’s get into the sound. 🙂

Sound

The bread and butter of the review. Yay! The WH1000xM2 is undoubtedly a headphone for the casual listener. There’s a lot of bass slam and a bright treble, and here’s the kicker: The mid-range is actually good!

There’s a precision-like quality about these that I was a bit taken aback by. I wasn’t expecting a headphone in this particular category to be very resolving. Let’s be honest, it’s a Bluetooth noise-cancelling homie. How detailed and revealing could it possibly be?

It is so detailed and revealing that it makes you want to slap yo mama! Lol.

The noise cancellation is also extremely good and even rivals some of the best Bose offerings. I was able to block out everyone around me. In fact, a Best Buy employee came up to me while I was jamming out and I kind of noticed him out of the corner of my eye. I turned around and it seemed like he wanted to talk to me but I wasn’t sure. His mouth was moving, but no sound was coming out. Haha. So I just looked at him, smiling until he walked away. Lmao. As a side note: Why do people always want to suddenly talk to you when you have headphones on and you look preoccupied?

Looking back I kind of feel bad about it, but I wasn’t sure. In fact, I went to pause the song but by that time it was too late. What made it not awkward at all was the fact that I couldn’t hear a d**n thing going on. Haha. It was awesome.

Features

  • Controls. The 1000x’s controls are a bit odd at first. There are no markings or buttons really. On the side of the ear cup, you simply swipe up or down for higher volume, left or right to switch tracks or go back, and the middle portion Plays, Pauses, and takes calls.
  • aptX. The 1000x uses what’s called aptX, which allows for greater bandwidth and better sound quality than traditional Bluetooth. Because Bluetooth uses the most compact audio sampling rates (called SBC, or Low Complexity Subband Coding), it’s very compressed, much like MP3. Bluetooth was never intended to provide the best quality, but rather use as little processing power as possible. aptX changes all this by offering “better” compression, a better bit rate via LDAC (able to send more information per second), and thus better sound quality. Does it make a huge difference? Time will tell.
  • With the 1000x, you’re able to listen to music without Noise cancellation. With a headphone like the QC35, you’re not. Learn more: B0se QC35 vs. Sony MDR1000x (The 1000x is just the previous iteration).

Pros

  • Thumping bass with loads of impact.
  • Crisp overall sound.
  • Great clarity of vocals and instruments.

Cons

  • My only nitpick is that there’s a slight bloat to the bass. Casual consumers will probably not notice it, but because I’ve demoed so many headphones, I can hear it pretty quickly. That said, I had so much fun with these that it’s really just a minor hiccup.

Video Review!

Coming Soon!

Amp/DAC requirements

Who these headphones benefit?

I would classify this as a bass head’s affair for sure. They’ll do well with:

  • Hip-Hop/Rap
  • R&B
  • Pop
  • EDM
  • Indie
  • That said, they also do well with Rock because of how crisp and lively they sound.

I did not test them with Classical or Jazz but stay tuned as I may go back and demo them again.

The song I had the most fun with:

Thoughts from Stu’s notepad

These are some things I jotted down while listening.

  • Crisp sound.
  • Comfy.
  • Good build.
  • Padding supple.
  • The headband adjustment is solid.
  • Slight bass bloat?
  • Voices distinct.
  • Bass hard-hitting.
  • Lively.
  • Incredible detail for this type of headphone.
  • Treble is sometimes harsh with non-bass-oriented music.
  • The Band – The Weight (mention Piano). To further expound on this, I noticed a low-key piano in the background of The Weight by The Band. I could hear it so distinctly, to the point of being able to distinguish each individual note as it was being played. It was so subtle, but the 10000xM2 brought it out wonderfully.
  • Echo on Rolling Stones – Beast of Burden. This also impressed me, as I was able to hear some echoing from Mick Jagger’s voice that I previously couldn’t with other headphones. The song in particular was a lot more lively and detailed than I remember.

Other stuff

  • The 1000x requires a lithium-ion battery.
  • The travel bag is mediocre according to some.
  • Takes 3-5 hours for a full charge.
  • Poor sound quality from phone calls.
  • White noise is apparent.
  • With no activity, Bluetooth will turn off after 5 minutes. Plug them in via a 3.5mm jack to fool the headphones into keeping it on, and extend battery life as well. Plugging them in temporarily disables Bluetooth until they’re unplugged.
  • On a bus, the 1000x may have trouble enduring the bumps of a rocky ride.

Consensus/Conclusion

The WH1000xM2’s are a real treat like Chocolate Ice cream. An incredibly revealing sound, hard-hitting bass, and crisp treble make for happy customah!

Final Word

Yeah, I think I’ve said enough.

SEE THEM FOR YOURSELF ON AMAZON!!


Well that’s about it for today folks! I hope you’ve enjoyed this Sony WH1000X M2 Headphone Review.

What do you think about them?? Are they dance-worthy? Let me know!!

Questions? Comments? Requests? Did I miss the mark on something? Let me know in the comments below or Contact me!! I would love to hear from you..

Until then, all the best and God bless..

 

 

-Stu

[Xtr@Ba$eHitZ]

Can’t decide which headphones to purchase? Interested in a complete buyers guide outlining over 40 of the best options on the market? Click on over to the best audiophile headphones to learn more!!

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4 comments

David September 29, 2020 - 9:16 am

Thank you! Will you do the M4 you think?

Reply
Stuart Charles Black September 29, 2020 - 5:24 pm

Hey David my pleasure! If Audio Advice has one on hand, I can surely demo it! Would be an interesting comparison, but I have heard the M3. What I’m thinking is that the M4 is probably about the same sound as the others. There was no difference from M2 to M3. Now, take that with a grain of salt since I haven’t heard M4 yet, but I’m about 95% sure there’s going to be no difference. This comes from experience with over 35 Amps & DACS, and over 100 headphones. I guess I kind of just know mostly how companies operate.

Reply
Gerardo Corona January 27, 2021 - 11:41 pm

Hi Stu!
I’ve been using this headphones for a while now (I never had the urge to upgrade to the M3s or M4s). Anyway, I want to get to the next level. I feel like there’s a lot more out there… After some research, I’ve narrowed my options to either the Topping E30 + L30 or the FiiO K5 Pro. Some say the difference is noticeable, some say it’s not. Considering I’m currently using my M2s (wired with the Apple dongle), which headphones would you recommend me along the DAC + AMP options?

Reply
Stuart Charles Black January 28, 2021 - 2:57 pm

Hey man! E30 L30 is good, and the K5 Pro is also really good! I’d say that yeah, the differences aren’t monumental or anything. The E30/L30 combo is dead neutral at less than 0.1 output impedance. If you weren’t aware, this just basically means it’s going to be super clean and true to the source. The K5 Pro’s is 1.2 and does sound a tad warmer, but it’s almost negligible. I really love both for their versatility. The Topping stack does have the remote which is really the only thing that sets it apart. Both support up to 32-bit/384kHz and Masters inside Tidal. I really just love the K5 Pro because it’s easy and convenient to use. I like the Topping stack as well. IF you do plan on console gaming on the couch, the Topping is a bit more convenient in that you can adjust the volume without having to move, lol. Outside of that, I do recommend the K5 Pro quite a bit.

As far as headphones, check out this article: https://homestudiobasics.com/the-5-best-audiophile-headphones-for-under-500/ Those are my top choices under $500. Check it out, really absorb it, and let me know what you think!

Reply

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