Generally, when the word "immersive" is used in headphones marketing, it means the headphones will have some form of spatial audio, and even more likely, active noise cancellation.
Sony is flipping the script on that idea with the release of the Sony Inzone H6 Air, a wired, open-back gaming headset that, by design, comes without any noise cancellation. The new headset is a part of a larger expansion of the Sony Inzone gaming lineup, announced Tuesday.
The headphones are available now for $199.99. Along with the H6 Air, Sony announced a new OLED gaming monitor optimized for first-person shooters, the Inzone M10S II. The monitor will be available for purchase later this year at a price of $1,099.99.
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In addition, Sony also announced cosmetic updates to existing Inzone products. We've got all the details you need, plus a first look at the new products.
Sony Inzone H6 Air headset: Price, release date, specs
The Sony Inzone H6 Air open-back headphones are available starting April 14 at Sony, Amazon, and Best Buy, with a price of $199.99. Because of the open design, they're Sony's lightest gaming headset, and they have the same spring-hinge headband design found on the Inzone H9 II headset.
As an overview, here's what to expect, spec-wise:
Style: Open-back wired gaming headset
Weight: 199 grams (without microphone)
Drivers: 40mm drivers based on Sony's MDR-MV1 studio headphones
Software support: Access to PC Inzone Hub with USB-C Audio Box
Audio: 7.1 channel surround sound with 360-degree spatial audio
Micrphone: Detachable cardioid microphone
Sony has never before offered open-back headphones in their gaming line. However, the company has made premium open-back studio headphones — namely the aforementioned MDR-MV1, which at $419.99, are over double the price of H6 Air headphones.
Open-back headphones are not to be confused with open earbuds. The latter is designed to let sound from the environment in while balancing the streamed audio, essentially functioning as a transparency mode. Open-back headphones, on the other hand, are less about providing situational awareness and more about providing the most realistic spatial soundscape possible.
With an open back, the headphones' acoustics allow for the sound to have more physical space, allowing for a more natural spatial soundstage. (Anyone who's experienced subpar spatial audio features on noise-cancelling headphones knows how huge this feature is). The idea, as Sony explains in their press release, is to both accurately reproduce the sounds of a game, and make it sound as if it's coming from all around the player.
One of our testers recently described the elite audio experience of open-back headphones while reviewing the Sennheiser HD 599. While open headphones are popular among audiophiles, open-back gaming headsets aren't particularly common in the gaming community, as evidenced by the limited offerings at Micro Center, a PC gaming and electronics store. Sony's pricing seems relatively competitive to the competition — Audio Technica's open-back gaming headphones go for $139.99, while ASUS ROG's go for $299.99.
Further bolstering the sound of these headphones is the equalizer settings, which can be accessed through the Sony Inzone hub. For these headphones, a new setting has been added specifically for role-playing and adventure games.
Mashable's tech editor has been testing the new H6 Air headset ahead of their launch, and so far, he's been impressed with the sound. The headphones are also noticeably lighter than most headphones, with a comfortable fit and a strong microphone.
Sony Inzone M10S II monitor: Price and specs
The Sony Inzone M10S II is the latest gaming monitor from the brand, though it won't be available to purchase until later this year. At this time, Sony puts the suggested retail price at $1,099.99 ($100 cheaper than the last generation Inzone M10S monitor). Here's what you'll get with the monitor:
Display: OLED
Size: 27-inch full display mode and 24.5-inch tournament mode display mode
Refresh rate: Dual mode refresh rate with 540Hz QHD with rapid 0.02ms response time and 720Hz HD
Tilt: Wide tilt range of -5 to 35 degrees
Special features: Advanced motion blur reduction, Super Anti-Glare Film
Warranty: Three-year warranty
This OLED gaming monitor was specifically designed for FPS gamers. It features a FPS Pro mode and FPS Pro+ mode, which optimize gameplay for the OLED experience
Sony collaborated with the esports organization Fnatic to help create a monitor optimized for competitive gamers. The refresh rates and price point certainly point to those players as the target audience — if you main farming sims, this isn't the monitor for you. Comparable dual-mode monitors include the ASUS ROG Swift, also priced at $1,099.99, and this LG UltraGear monitor, which clocks in at $999.99.
More updates to Sony's Inzone line
Sony's Fnatic collab extended into their existing product line, with exclusive Fnatic editions of the Inzone Mouse-A ($169.99), Inzone Mat-F ($74.99), and Inzone Mat-D ($44.99). These products run about $10 to $20 more than the base item without an exclusive design.
Outside of the collaboration with Fnatic, Sony also added a third colorway to their Inzone Buds line: a transparent glass purple joins the existing black and white earbuds. Sony's gaming earbuds come with spatial audio, a 2.4GHz connection, and 12 hours of battery on a single charge. The translucent purple earbuds are available immediately at Sony, Amazon, and Best Buy, retailing for the same price as the black and white colorways — $239.99.