You don’t have to do way more to promote me on a pro-level gaming headset than Sony did with its newest Inzone H9 II. Take the Sony WH-1000XM6 ANC headphones—at the moment the crème de la crème in each sound high quality and lively noise cancellation—and stick a mic on them, wash your arms, and name it a day. It was by no means going to be that straightforward. The Sony Inzone H9 II is solely the best-sounding gaming headset you may get proper now. However for $350, you count on perfection, and also you received’t discover that with the H9 II. You’ll get a tremendous audio expertise packed in between some odd software program decisions and a battery life that doesn’t sound practically as engaging.
Sony Inzone H9 II
That is the gaming headset you get whenever you care in regards to the sound most of all, even when it’s essential plug it in additional usually than most.
Execs
- High-tier sound high quality
- Principally clear mic audio high quality
- Comfy match
- Nice for PC or PS5
Cons
- Battery life may very well be higher
- Restricted EQ choices
- No full ‘transparency’ mode
Sony launched a slew of latest PC gamer merchandise below its Inzone model, together with a brand new $300 Inzone KBD-H75 keyboard with magnetic Corridor impact switches and a $150 Inzone gamer mouse. And but, the second-gen headset is what catches the attention first. The very first thing to know in regards to the Inzone H9 II is it comprises the identical 30mm drivers because the Sony WH-1000XM6. Already, I can see you drooling. These are “soft-edge” carbon fiber dome drivers that create a balanced audio profile with crisp sounds throughout films and different passive content material. So what does it do for sport audio whenever you’re not jamming out to the soundtrack? To place it mildly, the audio high quality is impeccable. The low bass hits of rockets and crackle of automated gunfire are instantly distinct from sport to sport. Utilizing it for a title like Warhammer 40K: House Marine 2 is the proper match with its boisterous bass of each boltgun fired. The headset contains 360 spatial sound to get the sense of being surrounded by sound.
The Inzone H9 II can also be a really mild headset. At 260g, or 0.57 kilos, it didn’t weigh me down as a lot as different full-spec headsets of its variety. The detachable earcups felt additional plush surrounding my ears, although the headscarf sports activities a wierd design that makes it odd to put on. Either side requires customers to pinch a hinge to regulate its top. It requires just a little extra fiddling than different units, however as soon as it’s on, the gaming headphones disappear into the background whereas the audio takes over. Right here’s one other helpful bonus of the Inzone H9 II: the pads swivel in each instructions, that means it’s very simple to fold up into the included felt-lined mushy pouch that comes within the field.
The unique $300 H9 from 2022 was missing in a number of methods in comparison with different peripherals. Although Sony laid out the H9 II’s specs as in the event that they have been in some way the cream of the crop, the headset nonetheless appears out of step for a $350 gadget. It will get a complete of 30 hours of promised battery life. That feels like greater than sufficient for 2 or three marathon gaming classes, however I simply bought accomplished reviewing the $250 Razer BlackShark V3 Professional with a promised 70 hours of whole battery life with quick charging. HP’s $300 HyperX Cloud Alpha 2 claims to get 250 hours of battery life earlier than needing a recharge. All the time-on lively noise cancelling would essentially require extra energy from the headset, however the Inzone H9 II remains to be on the decrease finish of headset battery life, particularly for its value.
If I personally needed to sacrifice something for good sound and a snug match, it could be extra-long battery life. Sony will get egg releasing a headset so costly however with lower than half the anticipated battery life. The Razer Kraken V4 Professional prices $400, but it surely additionally comes with haptic motors in-built and an OLED management hub that acts as the two.4GHz dongle. The Inzone H9 II nonetheless beats Razer’s headset when it comes to uncooked audio high quality, however there are different elements that Sony remains to be behind on when competing with headsets at decrease costs.
The primary Sony Inzone H9 headset arrived in 2022 together with the corporate’s then-new PC gaming model. It was clear three years in the past Sony didn’t have a lot of an concept what PC avid gamers have been in search of. Sony’s Inzone PC software program has improved by leaps and bounds, however the broad choice of competing headset makers is leaving it within the mud. Inzone Hub solely permits for 3—sure, three—EQ profiles, all of that are a special number of first-person shooter. The FPS-1 EQ calls out footsteps barely higher, although I’d set it and neglect it on both FPS-2 or commonplace if I wished to listen to the complete pressure of gunshots or explosions. The FPS-3 mode muffles the sounds of battle, although I didn’t really feel as if it gave me practically as a lot of an edge for the sake of mangling my enjoyment of sound results in varied video games.
I took the headset into many matches of Counter-Strike 2 (I’m horrible at CS2) and Halo Infinite (the place I’m solely marginally higher). If this was purported to rank as an esports headset, it could fall just a little quick regardless of the varied EQ profiles. Sony constructed the Inzone H9 II together with the professional gaming staff FNATIC, with a concentrate on Valorant and Apex Legends. The EQ profiles have been designed to make gamers carry out higher in every sport, however there’s no language within the app to inform customers which one they need to use. Sony stored reiterating it is a headset tuned for first-person shooters, but it surely’s not like the typical gamer trying to play Baldur’s Gate III with buddies doesn’t need an important expertise as effectively. There are not any different EQ choices for an RTS or RPG gamer. Even when the headset’s flat audio profile provides a stellar audio expertise, I’m wondering if Sony couldn’t have spent a few of its spare time fine-tuning some extra game-specific choices.
The Inzone H9 II is an odd beast to manage. The headset contains a big mute mic button proper on the high together with a big quantity wheel. All of that’s effectively and good, but it surely’s nonetheless exhausting to know what settings you’re utilizing whereas carrying the gadget. In contrast to different headsets that may point out settings with full voice cues, the H9 II provides audio chimes whenever you activate simultaneous Bluetooth or change from ANC to ambient modes. At the very least the mic features a vibrant pink mild to let you realize if your pals can hear you chewing within the background.
One of many huge points with the unique Inzone H9 from three years in the past was its mic high quality. This time round, Sony significantly upgraded the hell out of its mic high quality. I recorded myself in comparison with a number of different main headsets, together with a number of the newest Alienware Professional Wi-fi and Razer headsets, and the Inzone H9 II stood out simply as one of many higher for general voice high quality. The brand new removable mic helps a wider band of sound, that means it will probably choose up on extra minute variations in voice. Regardless of building occurring exterior the workplace window three toes away, the mic didn’t choose up any rumbling jackhammers or automobile horns.
One of many WH-1000XM6’s finest standout options is its wonderful lively noise cancellation that blocks out a lot ambient noise I’d worry taking a stroll with them close to a busy freeway. That headset makes use of plenty of unique processors and AI help to restrict exterior noise. The Inzone H9 II makes use of Sony’s noise sensors it has caught with for its NC 1000X sequence, although the corporate didn’t go so far as to assert it’s the identical as its newest headset. This isn’t the gadget meant to outlive being surrounded by a refrain line of jackhammers. As a substitute, the Inzone H9 II’s sensors have been greater than sufficient to assist me ignore the jet engine followers of a number of PCs and gaming laptops, together with an annoyingly squeaky workplace HVAC system making mammoth mouse sounds above my head. My editor was attempting to speak to me a foot away as I used to be gaming, and with the amount on medium settings, I couldn’t hear a peep from him. The gadget additionally has an ambient mode that may let some exterior noise lower via, however there’s no full ‘transparency’ setting that different headsets have, which can have supplied higher battery life. This can be a headset meant to get you absolutely engaged with the content material you’re enjoying, to the detriment of your boss or companion determined to get your consideration.
The BlackShark V3 Professional is a gaming headset so devoted to the “professional” avid gamers it feels prefer it missed me personally. Each EQ choice, aka the equalization settings, is geared towards honing in on enemy footsteps or gunshots. Should you don’t care an excessive amount of about smashing face in multiplayer, the Inzone H9 II is extra excellent.
The headset additionally helps PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Change 2. This can be a Sony product, in spite of everything, which suggests you’ll be able to count on it can function wonderful 3D audio on PS5 after you full the prolonged setup course of. The headset proved an important choice for those who swap between PC and Sony’s mainline console for all of your gaming wants. And but, it may very well be a lot extra seamless. PlayStation Pulse merchandise and Sony’s upcoming combat stick controller use the PlayStation Hyperlink commonplace for low-latency 2.4GHz connection to the console. PlayStation’s console gaming arm lately mentioned this could permit for multiple gadget linked on the similar time via a single dongle. Why can’t Sony merely make PlayStation Hyperlink commonplace throughout its whole gaming {hardware} suite? It’s as if the one hand of the Japanese tech big isn’t speaking to the opposite.
All my many quibbles can’t override the wonderful consolation and the overwhelmingly balanced sound high quality. It’s a significantly better headset than the primary Sony Inzone H9 and now it has a mic you’ll really wish to use. However it’s nonetheless rattling costly, even for those who consider the Inzone H9 II like a WH-1000XM6 with a built-in mic. With its small however noticeable software program and {hardware} foibles, the Inzone H9 II could not appear to be the a part of a pure esports headset. However for once I wish to ignore the world and bask within the unique bubble with simply me and my sport, I do know I’d attain for the Inzone H9 II earlier than any of the various headsets I’ve used.
