Sony A300 and ZX700 Walkmans Receive Android 13 Update

Some great news for A300 and ZX700 owners, the Android 13 OS update has finally dropped for the Walkman models.

Sony WH-CH720N Teardown by 52Audio

The WH-CH720N is a solid headset, offering good noise cancellation, sound quality and if you can find it, a good price. Let us look at the teardown from 52Audio and see what is hiding underneath all that plastic.

Sony Black Friday Deals 2023

We are at that time of the year again where some nice deals can be found for a new set of headphones or earbuds from Sony.

Sony LinkBuds S and LinkBuds Firmware updates

Both of the LinkBuds models received a firmware update today. The LinkBuds to version 4.0.1 and the LinkBuds S to version 4.0.0.

Sony WH-1000XM5 Firmware Update Version 2.1.0

Sony has dropped a few firmware updates today, and the WH-1000XM5 is part of that list. The changes are not anything major, and do not include an LE Audio update, so we still have that to look forward to, if the Bluetooth certification is correct.

Sony WF-1000XM5 Firmware Update, version 3.0.1

Sony has released a new firmware update for the WF-1000XM5. There are not many changes but if you are lucky to own an Xperia 1V or 5V, you can now enjoy LE Audio with your earbuds.

Sony WF-1000XM5 Teardown by 52Audio

We had to wait a while before 52Audio performed a teardown of the WH-1000XM5, but thankfully we did not have to wait that long with the new WF-1000XM5. I already did a preliminary teardown analysis in my original WF-1000XM5 article, and in my Sony V2 processor comparison, but with this new teardown, we can see a lot more and in better detail.

PULSE Explore Wireless Earbuds Bluetooth Certification

Sony's PlayStation earbuds have passed through Bluetooth certification a few days ago, along with the larger wireless headset. While it might be a while before we see the FCC filing photos (April 22, 2024), perhaps the Bluetooth certification can provide some clues to the chipset used.

Qualcomm S7 Pro Sound Platform

Last week Qualcomm announced a few new chipsets for wireless audio devices. In this post I will only cover the S7 Pro, as it is the most interesting in my opinion as it features WiFi connectivity at micro-power.

Sony INZONE Buds FCC Teardown

I am sure many of the blog's visitors noticed I did not cover the new INZONE release. This was mostly because any posts I made would have been drowned out by the coverage by the main tech sites. Besides, I do not get any review units, so I would just be reposting the press release. So instead I waited for the FCC documents to become available so I could make this teardown post. I do hope 52Audio performs a full teardown as it will be a lot more detailed than what I can present here.

Sony YY2981 appers on the FCC, most likley the WH-XB920N (update)

A new Sony wireless headset has appeared on the FCC, described as a "Wireless Noise Cancelling Stereo Headset", so we are probably looking at the new WHXB920N. Apart from the 2 recent INZONE announcements, the WH-XB920N is the other I was told about. But I do not have a release date but the final date in the FCC documents is April 11, 2024, so a release could be close to this date.

Sony NW-A300 and NW-ZX700 Walkmans to Receive Android 13 Upgrade?

The previous NW-A100 and NW-ZX500 Walkmans never received any Android updates, only security patches. Whether this was related to the SoC is unknown, but this is my suspicion. The new models are on Qualcomm SoCs which should have better Android support.

Sony WH-1000XM5 Teardown by 52Audio

We finally have a full teardown of the Sony WH-1000XM5 from 52Audio.com, you can find the full teardown here. While this is not a full dismantling like I want to do in the future, it is better than my FCC teardown analysis. So time to dive in.

Sony WF-1000XM5 discounted on Amazon

Sony's new WF-1000XM5 flagship earbuds are discounted around 17-19% on Amazon right now. I suspect this is a back to school deal. Although there is no discount in the UK, and the German price is only about 6% lower.

Sony V2 Integrated Processor: A deeper look

With the new WF-1000XM5, Sony has moved to a new processor, the V2, upgrading from the V1 in the WF-1000XM4. My question is why and how are the 2 processors different? I will try to answer these questions in my post.

Firmware Update to Version 1.02.00 for NW-ZX700/NW-A300 series

Sony has released a firmware update for both the NW-A300 and NW-ZX700 Walkmans. The new firmware version is 1.02.00. 

Sony Unveils the New WF-1000XM5

With the WF-1000XM5 finally revealed, I wanted to create an in-depth analysis of the design, features and do a comparison with the WF-1000XM4. This is not a review, but I hope to have one in the future once I buy it. But I will need to save up before that happens. So let us dive in.

Sony WH-1000XM5 Firmware update version 2.0.2

The WH-1000XM5 firmware has been updated to version 2.0.0. The update finally brings LDAC support during multipoint use. Here are all the changes in this update:

Sony WF-C700N Firmware Update, version 2.0.0

The WF-C700N multipoint firmware is finally here, Sony said Summer 2023, and it looks like they got out pretty quickly. I will be updating my headset later today once it is charged up to test it out. Here are the changes:

Sony WF-1000XM5 Firmware Update, version 2.0.1

A firmware update has been released for the newly released WF-1000XM5. I am not sure any user has one yet, but they have shipped I believe. So what does the update bring?

Well here are the changes:

• Adds support for the beta version of LE Audio, which is optimal for games, etc
• Improves the hands-free calling quality

You will need a phone that has LE Audio support like the 1 IV and 5 IV. If you are planning to update, make sure both the phone and headset are fully charged.

It will be interesting whether Sony will be updating the NC algorithm or other features in the future. Oddly enough, the WF-1000XM5 now has the same firmware version as the WF-1000XM4, coincidence?

Amazon US | Amazon Canada | Amazon UK | Amazon Germany

Sony WF-1000M5 teased by Sony (Update 4)

We finally have a teaser for Sony's WF-1000XM5. The design matches the leaks, the matte touch panel and glossy body is visible in the teaser.

Sony YY2977 and YY2980 appear on Bluetooth SIG, are these the Playstation Earbuds? (Update 3)

Back in May Sony teased their upcoming PlayStation wireless earbuds, and since then things have been a bit quiet. But the earbuds may have just passed through Bluetooth SIG, at least that is my assumption. First up the Bluetooth certification.

Two More Sony WF-1000XM4 Battery Failures

It looks like we have two more battery failures in the Sony WF-1000XM4. Two users posted photos of what appears to be coin cell battery failures in their earbuds. In one case, it is the left side and in the other, the right side. I have already posted about 2 earlier incidents, here and here. 

Sony Amazon Prime Day Deals

Prime days are here and there are some good deals to be found. But I think in previous years, the discounts have been better. So time to see what kind of deals Amazon is offering.

Sony WF-1000XM4 firmware update, version 2.0.1

Even though the WF-1000XM5 release coming soon, Sony is still updating the WF-1000XM4. A new firmware has been released, version 2.0.1.

Where is the Sony WF-1000XM5? (Update 3)

>

First of, welcome back everyone, this past week has been quite stressful. I would like to thank everyone for the positive support, much appreciated. Now turning to the WF-1000XM5 and more precisely, where is it? We are entering the second week of July and so far nothing has been announced. We have had a few leaks in June, and of course the first leak from March, but otherwise nothing else has materialized. 

Sony LinkkBuds S LE Audio Battery Life

For any lucky owners of a Sony LinkBuds S and an LE capable Xperia, you are able to try out the new LC3 codec. LE Audio and LC3 is supposed to be an improvement on the current SBC codec in terms of quality, latency and battery life. But are we seeing these improvements after the update?

Fake Sony WH-1000XM5 appearing on Chinese Online Marketplaces

It was bound to happen, a fake version of Sony's WH-1000XM5 has appeared online. Thanks to user speteypaaaablo on reddit for finding this. The fakes can be found on Dhgate and Aliexpress, links at the end of the post.

Sony WF-1000XM5 Leaked, Announcement soon? (Update 8)

I know a lot of people are waiting for the new WF-1000XM5, and your wait might soon be over according to a comment on the blog. An anonymous user posted that the announcement for the new WF-1000XM5 is June 5th to 9th, meaning this upcoming week.

Sony LinkBuds S LE Audio Firmware released

With 3 weeks until Spring 2023 ends, Sony has released their promised LE Audio firmware update for their LinkBuds S.

Sony teases PlayStation Wireless Earbuds

This past week Sony held a PlayStation Showcase event, where Sony teased a new set of PlayStation branded wireless earbuds. This was a rumour initially from Insider Gaming back in February, and now it seems that at least the earbuds can be confirmed.

Sony YY2976 and YY2979, two mystery devices (Update 5)

Two new Sony model codes have appeared, YY2976 and YY2979. Not much is revealed in the certification, except the place of manufacture, Vietnam.

Sony WH-1000XM5 and LinkBuds S LE Audio Update coming soon?

Both the Sony WH-1000XM5 and LinkBuds S have been re-certified on Bluetooth SIG. This time with the Isochronous Adaptation Layer which is required for LE Audio. The listings can be found here (LinkBuds S) and here (WH-1000XM5).

Sony Audio Event May 8th (update)

Sony Electronics has put a link to an upcoming event in 10 days time. The video title, "The stage is set, the sound is waiting", does not reveal much. But in the video description has this little tidbit "Wait and see what's coming next". 

Sony NW-A300 Walkman FCC Teardown

The Sony NW-A300 internal documents have been available to download for a while but 2 of the files were not loading, so I decided to wait. Now all files are working, and we can finally get a good look at the inside of the new Walkman. The teardown is not a full one, but good enough to see what is inside.

Sony WF-C700N FCC Teardown

 

Last week's announcement and release of the Sony WF-C700N, means that the external and internal photos on the FCC no longer need to be hidden. This means we finally get to see the internal design of the new model and to my surprise Sony opted for a much different design than I was expecting.

Comparison: Sony WF-C700N, WF-C500, LinkBuds S

For those wondering how the new WF-C700N compares with the WF-C500 and LinkBuds S, I have created a size guide and a comparison of specifications. For my size comparisons I used the USB type-C cable as my reference between the 3 models.

Introducing the New Sony WF-C700N (update)

    

After my earlier posts (1,2) and the recent leaks, Sony has finally announced the new WF-C700N. My initial prediction of a late Spring release based off the FCC date turned out to be inaccurate, with the new headset available starting this April.

Firmware Update to version 1.01.04 for NW-ZX700/NW-A300 series

It appears Sony has addressed the 10db drop in the low end for the A-Series with a firmware update. In addition both models also get the new Android security updates, along side some other fixes. 

Sony WF-1000XM5 passes through Bluetooth Certification (Update 4)

The new WF-1000XM5 has finally appeared on Bluetooth SIG. The device will support Bluetooth 5.3 and should support LE Audio, since the Isochronous Adaptation Layer is supported. 

Sony WH-CH520 FCC Teardown

I do not expect 52Audio to do a teardown of the Sony WH-CH520, so we are only left with the FCC photos. The WH-CH520 is Sony's affordable wireless headset this year, Like the previous WH-CH510 and WH-CH500, this new model is wireless only without a 3.5mm jack (more on that later). Thankfully the operating time of up to 50 hours is plenty enough for most users, but once the battery dies, these become useless.

New Sony Monitor Headphones Coming?

Back in January 2021 at CES, Sony during their pres conference showed a video where an unknown headset made an appearance. While I was never able to get an answer what these were, it seems they might have been a test device for the a new pair of Sony Monitor headphones.

Sony WF-1000XM5 design leaked

This leak might be a bit later than the WF-1000XM4 leak from 2 years ago, but better late than never. The photos are from a certification but I have edited and cleaned them up and removed the certification watermarks in some of them.

Another Sony WF-1000XM4 battery failure

In my previous post, I used the word exploded and I will admit it was the wrong term, failure might be a better term in the previous case, but perhaps not this one.

Sony YY2968 will be called the WF-C700N

Thanks to to an import filing, we can confirm the name of the WF-C500 successor, it will be called the WF-C700N.

Sony WF-1000XM4 firmware update, version 2.0.0

Sony has finally released the Multipoint firmware update for the Sony WF-1000XM4. The version is now 2.0.0 and has been released in all regions, unlike 1.6.1.

The Sony WF-1000XM5 just passed thru the FCC

For those finally waiting for the Sony WF-1000XM5 earbuds, well you will need to wait a bit longer, but they have finally appeared on the FCC.

Sony WF-1000XM4 explodes while charging

File this into the unconfirmed folder for the time being since I am waiting for the original user to post more photos in their post.

In a post on Reddit, user yangcong1982 has reported that while charging their WF-100XM4 earbuds in the case, the right earbud exploded. The user originally purchased the earbuds back in December 2021 and the battery drain issue started about a week ago in the right earbud.

Certain Sony NW-A300 Walkman users experiencing 10dB drop in Low End (Update)

This issue was first mentioned by emilsoft on Head-Fi, (please correct me if I am wrong) a few days ago. They reported that their NW-A306 Walkman in DAC mode is experiencing a 10dB drop in the low end frequencies. I will quote what they said directly: