Sony XB900N review: Solid noise cancellation for under $300

Speaking of travel, noise cancellation is another place where the XB900N differs from the 1000XM3. On the latest 1000X model, Sony introduced a new noise-canceling chip: the QN1. This component gives the active noise cancellation (ANC) a dedicated power source, rather than taxing the digital-to-analog converter (DAC) with that responsibility. A lot of noise-canceling headphones force the DAC has to multitask, and as a result, audio quality and ANC can suffer. Sony's chip delivers better sound and more powerful noise cancellation, including the ability to customize the ANC for atmospheric pressure -- like when you're on a plane. The XB900N doesn't pack that QN1 chip, which is a bummer, but the noise cancellation the XB900N is still solid. It's not as good as the 1000XM3, but for $100 less than Sony's flagship headphones, it will do the job in most scenarios.

When Sony says "Extra Bass," it isn't messing around. The XB900N gives a lot more thump to bass-heavy music styles, especially hip-hop and electronic tracks. For a moment, I felt like I was listening to a better designed, better tuned set of early Beats headphones; there's that much bass. At times, it's exhausting. I could see these being great when you need to keep the energy level up, but if you're using them for hours at a time, or for a wide range of genres, you'll likely want a break from the default, bass-saturated EQ. Thankfully, you can turn it down with a Clear Bass control inside Sony's Headphones app, but you'll have to reach for your phone to do so.

Don't get me wrong; the default tuning is great for things like Denzel Curry's ZUU, Com Truise's Persuasion System and Gojira's Magma. Instrumentation and vocals are crisp alongside the driving bass that resonates inside the earcups. Clear guitar riffs are laid nicely on top of punchy and thumping bass drums. If you think most headphones don't have enough low end for your taste, these are well-suited for you. But when it comes to softer and more acoustic-driven genres, like bluegrass, this much bass is overpowering. It becomes a distraction on albums like Kacey Musgraves' Golden Hour, Ruston Kelly's Dying Star and Punch Brothers' All Ashore. I found myself quickly reaching for Sony's app so I could make an adjustment every time I switched to something on the softer side.

Sony touts 30 hours of battery life with noise cancellation on with the XB900N. That's the same it promises on the 1000XM3, and I found that estimate to be nearly spot on. I used these for 3 to 4 hours a day for a solid 7-day stretch before I needed to plug them in. I wasn't always careful to turn them off manually either. When I did run them all the way down, it took about seven hours to fully recharge via USB-C, which felt like an eternity. A full recharge takes five hours on the 1000XM3, but those headphones offer a quick-charge feature that gives you five hours of listening time in just 10 minutes. On the XB900N, a 10-minute charge will only give you an hour worth of playback. It'll do in a pinch, but it will only get you so far.

The XB900N has sound quality that rivals what most $300-$350 flagship models offer for $50-$100 less. It also has very capable noise cancellation and a number of handy features that make it a well-rounded set of headphones. However, the bass-heavy tuning doesn't handle all genres well, so you'll likely need to make some EQ tweaks on a regular basis. For $100 more, you can get even more powerful noise cancellation and better all-around audio chops on the 1000XM3. There's a lot to like about the XB900N, especially the price, but these won't satisfy everyone.