High-quality gaming gear often comes with a steep price, and the Sony InZone H9 II headset is no exception. While it shares its impressive audio drivers with Sony’s premium WH-1000XM6 headphones, suggesting a potential value, its price point places it at the very top tier of gaming headsets. After a full week of testing, this new enthusiast-grade headset from Sony certainly makes a strong case for its $350 cost. It faces fierce competition from established leaders like the Audeze Maxwell and SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro (and the newer Arctis Nova Elite, which truly impressed us), but the InZone H9 II stands out with its intelligent design, particularly appealing to those focused on competitive gaming.
Design and Standout Features
Breaking away from typical gaming headset aesthetics, the InZone H9 II features a remarkably slender, minimalist aluminum headband. It’s elegantly wrapped in a braided fabric and incorporates a thin, padded suspension band for effortless adjustment. Small, precise notches on either side allow you to easily slide and secure the band, making this one of the most subtly designed gaming headsets in recent memory. This design contributes to its astonishingly light 260g weight. The earcups, crafted from rounded plastic, are devoid of excessive branding or flashy elements. While they might feel somewhat hollow, which could initially suggest fragility, this construction actually ensures a headset that’s incredibly easy to wear, yet robust enough to withstand regular use.
The compact 30mm audio drivers and a smaller battery further contribute to its featherlight internal components. When combined with minimal clamping force and plush earpads enveloped in a smooth fabric, the result is one of the most comfortable headsets I’ve experienced in years. The standout feature is how effortlessly it rests on your head. In stark contrast to heavier alternatives like the Audeze Maxwell, which can feel substantial, the InZone H9 II truly earns its title as a featherweight champion of comfort.
“This is exactly what I anticipate from a premium gaming headset, and it absolutely delivered.”
The control layout is thoughtfully designed for ease of use. On one earcup, you’ll find dedicated buttons for game-chat volume mix (which many prefer over a dial), a Bluetooth toggle, the power button, and a prominent microphone mute switch conveniently located near the headband. The other earcup houses the main volume wheel, an Active Noise Cancellation (ANC)/ambient mode toggle, a USB-C charging port, a 3.5mm audio jack, and the detachable microphone port. These controls are well-spaced and distinctively shaped, making them simple to identify by touch during intense gaming sessions. A unique and appreciated feature for gaming headsets is the earcups’ full 180-degree swivel, allowing for comfortable wearing around the neck (swiveling inward) or neat storage on a desk (swiveling outward) – a testament to the InZone H9 II’s overall excellent handling.
Adding further value, the headset includes a soft cloth carrying case and a generous 10-foot 3.5mm audio cable for analog connections. Its slim 2.4GHz USB-C dongle allows for seamless switching between a PC-optimized protocol and a general one compatible with various other platforms (note: this headset is not compatible with Xbox systems).
Software and Customization Options
While Sony’s InZone Hub might not be the most complex software suite available, it effectively provides the essential functionalities without overwhelming the user. For me, adjusting the Equalizer (EQ) settings is paramount, and the 10-band EQ sliders are conveniently front and center. It includes several presets, oddly featuring three specifically for first-person shooters. While the default setting performs admirably for gaming, I found it necessary to create and save a custom EQ profile to optimize the audio for music and more immersive cinematic game experiences.
Beyond EQ, the software allows for adjustments to microphone gain, manual balancing of the game-chat mix, and activation of spatial audio. You can also fine-tune the active noise cancellation (ANC) directly within the software, alongside customizing the sidetone level if you prefer to hear your own voice through the microphone. A minor frustration arises when using the mobile InZone Hub: connecting to your headset via the mobile app will override any settings previously configured on the desktop software, reverting them to the mobile app’s last saved state. This can be somewhat inconvenient for users who frequently switch between devices.
Gaming Performance and Audio Experience
The Sony InZone H9 II truly shines in its intended purpose: gaming audio performance. This isn’t just marketing; the headset is meticulously tuned for competitive play, a fact underscored by its collaboration with the esports team Fnatic. Sony’s dedication to optimizing the drivers for specific gaming scenarios is evident.
My extended 10-hour session with the Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 beta left me thoroughly impressed. The bass, while not overly booming, delivered a satisfying punch that contributed to an immersive experience. What truly stood out was its exceptional depth and imaging for positional audio, proving invaluable for making critical in-game decisions and maintaining situational awareness. By default, the headset noticeably amplifies FPS-specific audio cues like footsteps and gunfire. Crucially, higher frequencies remained clear and avoided any harshness, preventing listening fatigue even during prolonged, high-volume matches. My experience mirrored this in Counter-Strike 2 on PC; footsteps, gunfire, and other vital sound effects were conveyed with a clarity and depth that consistently aided my tactical choices. This level of precision is exactly what I expect from a premium gaming headset, and the InZone H9 II delivered perfectly.
While the InZone H9 II delivers a respectable sound profile for other media out of the box, I noticed that highs and treble could sound a little “crunchy.” This is likely due to its default emphasis on specific gaming frequencies and sound cues. As someone who typically prefers a flatter audio profile to then customize, achieving optimal sound for general media and music required a bit more tweaking. Even with the music EQ preset proving less helpful, the absence of harshness at high volumes made listening to loud music surprisingly enjoyable, surpassing what one might expect from a lesser headset. However, a direct comparison to the Audeze Maxwell revealed a difference: the Maxwell offered a more naturally rounded and rich sound profile with minimal adjustments needed.
The microphone, while not exceptional, provides decent clarity for in-game communications and casual Discord chats, even if your voice sounds a touch muffled. It doesn’t quite achieve the near-standalone mic quality found in headsets like the Razer BlackShark V2 Pro (the older model), and at this premium price point, one might expect a bit more. Despite the slight muffling, the mic excels at isolating and picking up your voice, ensuring that your words aren’t cut off by aggressive noise filters, a common issue with lower-tier headsets.
A true highlight of the InZone H9 II is its active noise cancellation (ANC), which ranks among the most potent I’ve encountered in a gaming headset, surpassing even recent contenders like the BlackShark V3 Pro. Beyond its excellent natural noise isolation, engaging the ANC at full power rendered even the loudest external sounds to an almost imperceptible muffle. While this top-tier ANC performance is impressive, it does impact battery life. A full charge provides approximately 28 hours of use, but with ANC activated, this drops to a shorter 18 to 20 hours – notably less than some other high-end alternatives. Nevertheless, for those who prioritize immersive sound and require complete focus, the InZone H9 II delivers an outstanding noise-cancelling experience.
Verdict
The Sony InZone H9 II gaming headset offers numerous appealing qualities, particularly its remarkably lightweight and subtle design. It stands out as one of the most comfortable options available, thanks to its soft fabric earpads and gentle clamping force. For competitive gaming, its audio profile is both impactful and incredibly detailed, though achieving optimal sound for music and other game genres might require some initial fine-tuning. Once adjusted, however, its performance truly impresses. The ANC (Active Noise Cancellation) is outstanding, though it’s important to note that this feature will reduce the already modest battery life. Given its premium price point, the InZone H9 II exists in a competitive market filled with excellent alternatives. Nonetheless, if you’re prepared to delve into its settings to unlock its full potential across various listening situations, I confidently recommend the InZone H9 II.