This year, Sony has gone from strength to strength in the truly wireless segment and now it has something or the other to offer across mid and high segments. It’s a bit like what Samsung has done. When a flagship smartphone launches, it’s the fans who buy it but after the first couple of weeks, others jump in. Ultimately, it’s the “others” who give Samsung big sales volume. And it’s some of the “others” who become fans and the cycle begins again. It’s the same here.

We have for review Sony’s WF-H800, which is now going at Rs 14,990 while the recent WF-1000XM3 costs around the same on Amazon. Sibling rivalry? Not completely but there are certain winning points on the WF-H800.

Comfort factor

Coming in a case that’s slightly on the bigger side, it still remains flat enough to slip into your jeans pocket. On the lower side of each earbud is a tactile button to control various functions, which is unlike the touch controls on the WF-1000XM3. Do I like tactile buttons? Yes, because it doesn’t accidentally make me poke around the touchpad. The buttons are placed sensibly so that you don’t have to push the earbuds towards the ear canals. The usual battery level indicators are there and so are the magnetic attachments on each of the buds to click into the case. Best of all, the earbuds weigh little, offering zero discomfort even after hours of usage.

Sound advice

Unlike many of the earbuds in the market, the sound is transmitted to the left and right ears simultaneously and not from one ear to the other, reducing latency and offering a stable connection. It matters when you are watching movies on your phone or playing games.

The second feature we like is the addition of Digital Sound Enhancement Engine HX or DSEE HX, which brings back a level of vibrancy to digital music that loses sheen due to compression.

The next big feature is 360 Reality Audio, which gives one the feeling that music is coming from all directions at the same time. It’s not the first time we have seen the feature yet, it impresses users. In the same breath, I must add that there are not many sources for such audio files. I use Nugs.net, which is the home to a wide-range of live music. Yes, it sounds great but ask yourself if it’s a feature that’s worth spending extra money on a music streaming service.

In way of sound, lately I have been listening to a lot of The High Kings and Kacey Musgraves. So a lot of acoustic sounds and country, which plays with ease on the WF-H800. Shifting to a higher gear to Curtis Mayfield, the sax is sexy on Move On Up and one can feel the bass on Sly & The Family Stone’s If You Want Me To Stay. The 6mm driver offers clear sound but somehow the bass is not quite the same on something like Don’t You Worry Child or Milk & Honey. WF-1000XM3 does it better.

Should you buy it?

Given the price point, the two features that I found missing are waterproofing and audio noise cancelling. There is a very good seal on the WF-H800 but ANC makes a difference. Working in favour of Sony is great battery life. Fully charged, you can stream eight hours of music while the carrying case holds another full charge, which is enough. For a pop of colour, look no further. For muddle-free sound look no further. Despite a couple of clangers, Sony’s WF-H800 delivers solid audio.

At a glance

Device: Sony WF-H800
Driver: 6mm (Dome Type)
Sound: DSEE HX
Frequency response: 20 Hz–20,000 Hz (44.1 kHz Sampling)
Price: Rs 14,990