Tim Chan
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Sony unveiled its latest pair of headphones earlier this year with the introduction of the 1000X The Collexion, a new premium addition to the company’s 1000X headphone line. Touted as “a new reference point” for sound, comfort, and design, the headphones up the ante on all fronts for Sony, which has been a leader in the audio space for more than seven decades.
I first demoed the headphones during a brief session at the Sony offices in Tokyo and I’ve since had a chance to test out the 1000X for the last three months. The verdict: These are a seriously impressive pair of headphones that deliver impeccable sound while turning heads with an elevated and luxurious design.
PLATINUM COLORWAY Sony 1000X THE COLLEXION Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones
$649.99
Buy Now on AmazonThe headphones are available to purchase online now in this off-white “platinum” colorway seen here or in a deep black.
On the audio front, Sony worked with Grammy-winning mastering engineer Michael Romanowski (Alicia Keys; Earth, Wind & Fire) and Grammy-nominated Mike Piacentini (Bob Dylan, Depeche Mode) to fine-tune the headphones to better reflect the intended sound of a song. What that means: Rather than subjectively boosting bass levels or tinkering with technical tricks, the engineers worked to capture how they envisioned the original studio recording to sound. Listening to a song through a pair of wireless portable headphones will never be the same as hearing it through professional-grade studio speakers, but Romanowski and Piacentini say the 1000X cans come close.
“From an artist standpoint, from a creator standpoint, you want people to hear the closest to the art without something getting in the way,” says Romanowski, who is the chief mastering engineer of Coast Mastering in Berkeley, California. “If something is getting in the way, then you’re paying attention to the messenger, not the message,” he says. “If I listen to [a song] on studio monitors and studio-grade headphones, and then on the consumer headphones, and it all kind of presents in the same way, then I’m happy with it. And if it doesn’t, that’s when we make the adjustment.”
Tim Chan The 1000X The Collexion headphones offer high-resolution audio with impeccable clarity and a dynamic range that brings out subtleties rather than bombast. A new bespoke driver unit works to create a wider, more realistic soundstage, and in my testing, it sounded (and felt) like I was experiencing a live performance in front of me. I could place where all the sounds and instruments were coming from, and the finely tuned ear cups picked out a tremendous amount of detail, from a soft swipe of a drum brush, to the pitter-patter of a jazzy bass line.
Of course, there are a number of ways to enhance your music, too. The new headphones feature DSEE Ultimate, Sony’s AI upscaler, which analyzes compressed music files in real time to restore the tracks to as close to hi-res as possible. Sony’s 360 Reality Audio Upmix, in the meantime, turns everyday stereo into an immersive spatial sound experience, drawing out different audio components to create a 3D-like experience. Music is seemingly “floating” around you and it’s probably the closest thing to getting a surround sound experience from a pair of headphones. Users can choose from three modes: music, cinema, or game, with each mode heightening the different soundscapes to create more depth and feeling (i.e. bringing out the sound effects in a video game).
While Piacentini says his job was to refine the tuning of the headphones to faithfully reproduce the original sound of each track, he likes that listeners have option to adjust settings as they wish. “I think what people want is for [the music] to be very neutral, so that you can kind of fine-tune it in a way that makes the most sense for your own listening preferences,” he says. “The more balanced it is, the more likely that people can personalize it to their own tastes.”
Adds Romanowski, “This gives the best opportunity for the fan to connect with the music, not the process.”
BLACK COLORWAY Sony 1000X THE COLLEXION Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones
$649.99
Buy Now on AmazonEach set includes the headphones, a carrying case, and a headphone cable.
Noise cancelling has always been a standout feature in Sony’s WH-1000X series, and the new cans use 12 internal microphones to optimize noise cancellation in real time. In my testing, the noise cancelling processor made for a delightfully quiet and distraction-free experience on a recent 11.5-hour flight to Korea. I had the noise cancellation feature on as I was listening to music while catching up on some work, and then kept it on to help me doze off for the remainder of my flight. Worth noting: I am a glasses wearer, and these are some of the most comfortable headphones I’ve ever worn. The earcups rest gently around the ears rather than smashing into them, and the adjustable headband similarly sits just above the temples without digging into my frames. Despite the stark, concrete-like look of the high-end headphones, they are surprisingly lightweight.
Battery life is strong, even with noise-cancelling turned on. Sony says the headphones get up to 24 hours of battery life on a single charge, and in my experience, it was closer to 20 — still more than enough for a long-haul flight or weekend getaway. A quick five-minute charge gets you up to 1.5 hours of playtime.
Features aside, the best thing about the Sony 1000X The Collexion headphones is the way they look and feel. Sony has never been ostentatious in their design philosophy and yet these new headphones are even more pared down, more elegant, and dare we say, more premium looking than ever.
The headphones are wrapped in soft vegan leather, which Sony also showcased on its in-office cushions and furniture during our testing days in Tokyo, and you’ll quickly note that they are crafted with a seamless design. The headband, meanwhile, features a hint of metal that plays off the matte texture of the rest of the headphones. Integrated metal buttons and microphones blend in, yes, seamlessly. The look is quiet luxury through and through, and we would expect nothing less from an award-winning Japanese brand.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GWB2CTHR?lv=shuf&%3Bth=1&%3BlinkCode=ogi&%3Blanguage=en_US&%3Basc_source=web&%3Basc_campaign=web&%3Bpsc=1&channelId=1&plpRedirect=mhFallback&th=1&linkCode=ll2&tag=rs-chan-20&linkId=0482b7b03ba9ac97617ba001b8462ca7&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl The headphones are housed in a chic carrying case that looks more like a designer handbag than travel storage, with a magnetic closure that adds to the aesthetic appeal. While I usually stuff my headphones deep in a bag, this is one pair I eagerly carry for everyone to see.
Romanowski seems to agree, saying his job is ultimately not about the brightness or reverb or resolution but rather about “a feeling that comes across. That emotional connection you feel to the headphones is something that is intangible and precious.”
