I have two obnoxious (but lovable) coworkers. Their names are Pepper and Sasha, and their tongues flop to the side when they’re either too warm or excited. They bark whenever they hear the slightest movement outside. Did I mention they’re dogs? While I love them to all the planets’ moons and back again, they’re the noisiest officemates I’ve ever had. And I get distracted easily. One of the best gifts I received earlier this year is a pair of Sony wireless noise-canceling headphones—headphones I’d read and heard about (probably even written about). I never expected them to be this good at muting the barks and whines of my furry friends. And guess what? They’re currently on sale for Amazon Prime Day. From July 11-12, you can get these babies $70 off—it’s the best deal of all time for these headphones, literally.
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The Sony wireless noise-canceling headphones (WH-1000XM5) have the ability to mute the sounds around you, yet you can still make out noises as though from a distance thanks to Dual Noise Sensor technology and Ambient Sound mode, both of which are engineered to understand your surrounding environment and deliver crisp, clear sounds while simultaneously allowing you to (faintly) hear the commotion around you. So, while I’m able to get in the zone at work when listening to a playlist, I can still hear if one of the dogs starts to cry or if the doorbell rings. Basically, I can responsibly and selectively ignore the world.
The quality of sound is truly the best in its class; Sony is known to deliver nothing less. The 30mm drivers achieve the purest, highest-quality sound, whether you’re a fan of low bass or high-pitched vocals. I’ve mainly used them for music and work calls, but the times I’ve worn them to watch movies and TV shows, I noticed I could hear so much more clearly—every sniff, muffle, or crinkle was completely, amazingly audible. I’m not going to pretend I’m an expert in sound technology, but I’ve gone through many a set of headphones in my day, and these do provide users with some of the best sound quality I’ve tried.
As for the the fit: I wear glasses, so it’s imperative that the earpads are soft and don’t push my frames against my ears, because ouch. Sony’s feel like pillows—they’re cushion-y enough to provide comfort, yet they fit tightly enough to mitigate any chance of slipping or budging. I’ve worn these all day long without even noticing. They’re also lightweight, so if you choose to wear them around your neck, you can (just don’t forget they’re still there—I’ve accidentally done that a few times and have caught myself getting in my car or going on a walk with them still perched above my shoulders). They’re also easily adjustable, and the earpads swivel, so if you’re packing them away, the headphones simply collapse.
The battery life is remarkable. You get up to 30 hours with a quick charge time. And I’ve been able to seamlessly connect to all my devices (I use Apple, so I connect to my iPhone or MacBook) via Bluetooth (and the wireless range is 30 feet, so I can easily walk from my desk to the kitchen to grab snacks without missing a literal beat). These really do help me concentrate on work all day long, and I feel like I’m able to get more done. I can also watch old episodes of Grey’s Anatomy while my husband plays loud music in the next room over, and not even Rage Against the Machine can penetrate the concentration I have for the way Derek looks at Meredith.
And yes, you’ll pay a high price for all of the above. But to me, the focus regained and the luxury of optimized sound is worth every penny.
