Sony Inzone H6 Air Review: A Excellent Case for Open-Again Gaming Headsets

Gaming headsets maintain getting extra premium today. There’s the $600 MetalSeries Arctis Nova Elite that comes with its personal gaming hub that permits you to change between completely different gadgets. There’s the $350 Sony Inzone H9 II, which sounds nice and has energetic noise cancellation (ANC), however nonetheless prices nearly as a lot as an Xbox Series S. There’s this headset from VZR, the Model One MKII, which prices $360—a sum that I can inform you from expertise isn’t well worth the worth. And these are simply those I can title off the highest of my head.

Premium is simply the best way issues are going within the gaming headset world proper now, which is a bummer on your pockets, although there’s a shiny facet, and it’s that a few of the headsets I simply talked about sound improbable. In that vein is the $200 Sony Inzone H6 Air, and in contrast to the aforementioned, it additionally occurs to value just a bit bit much less, which is a monetary reprieve nearly everybody wants proper now.

Lighter in your pockets and your head

The Inzone H6 Air, Sony’s latest wired gaming headset, has a couple of issues going for it, however probably the most instantly apparent is its open-back design. Unlike lately launched headsets just like the wi-fi Inzone H9 II, the H6 Air has perforated earcups that enable air to cross by. This cuts down on weight drastically, which is nice for longer durations of use. I don’t discover the H9 II to be notably heavy, nevertheless it’s arduous to argue with a headset that’s lighter. Without the microphone hooked up, the H6 Air is 199g in comparison with the Inzone H9 II, which is 260g mic-less.

In my expertise with utilizing the Inzone H6 Air, that interprets to a headset that’s best for longer gaming classes. The “Air” within the H6 Air’s title is earned because it’s simple to neglect that you’ve it in your head. It may not be night time and day in comparison with the Inzone H9 II, nevertheless it’s among the many lightest headsets I’ve examined, and that’s not the one power open-back designs carry to the desk.

Open-back headsets aren’t simply good for retaining down the burden; they’re additionally nice for breathability and staying conscious of your environment since they, effectively… let air in. Like open-ear wi-fi earbuds, the open design of the H6 Air undoubtedly let you’ve one foot in and one foot out of your gaming audio. Sure, there are events the place you need ANC to dam out disruptive noise, however I discovered the power to show down the amount and nonetheless hear stuff to be a significant perk. I may nonetheless hear my accomplice speak to me whereas we have been on the sofa, and I may even hear my colleagues whereas I examined the Inzone H6 Air within the workplace.

Probably the largest perk for me, although, is which you could hear your voice higher, which suggests speaking feels extra pure and isn’t muffled like it could be if you’re carrying a headset with a tighter seal over your ears.

When I didn’t wish to hear something, all I needed to do was flip up the amount, and I used to be in a position to shut the world out. From a kind issue perspective, the Inzone H6 Air, in my view, is right. As a lot as I really like ANC on a pair of wi-fi headphones that I’m going to be carrying within the subway to dam out bullsh*t, I simply don’t assume it issues as a lot in a house setting. Whether you discover worth in ANC out of your gaming headset will depend upon your particular atmosphere, however I feel for the overwhelming majority of individuals, not having it on a gaming headset is well worth the diminished price ticket.

What makes the Inzone H6 Air really feel much more well worth the cash, although, is how they really sound.

Another W from Inzone

While I feel the Inzone H9 II nonetheless sounds higher, the Inzone H6 Air continues to be simply one in every of my favourite headsets I’ve examined but, and it is smart given Sony’s fame for making high-quality non-gaming audio merchandise. While the Inzone H9 II was primarily based on Sony’s extremely rated WH-1000XM6 headphones, the H6 Air is modeled after the MDR-MV1 open-back reference monitor headphones. I’ve not had an opportunity to make use of the MDR-MV1 myself, but when they sound something just like the H6 Air, I get why folks like them.

I examined the H6 Air for a couple of hours, enjoying a mixture of video games, together with Fortnite, Resident Evil Requiem, and Hades II, and was actually proud of the steadiness. In Fortnite, which I performed on an Xbox Series S, by wiring into an Xbox controller, gunfire sounded crisp and clear, and footfalls have been good and audible. Even with out utilizing the Inzone Hub app (you don’t get that when you’re utilizing these on an Xbox), there was a pleasant sense of spatiality. I used to be in a position to hear approaching automobiles higher than ordinary, and my stupid-ass emotes sounded clearer than ever. I don’t take enjoying Fortnite critically sufficient to care whether or not I play effectively or not, however I did really feel like I had extra of a aggressive edge whereas utilizing the H6 Air.

In much less aggressive video games like Resident Evil Requiem, the H6 Air additionally held it down. This time, I examined the headset out on a PC, wiring in by the included 3.5mm to USB-C dongle, and it sounded nice. Environmental appears like rainfall and thunder have been immersive however not overpowering, and dialogue was clear and well-balanced. At one level, the sense of spatiality gave me an unintended jumpscare when Grace’s mother seemed like she was talking immediately into my proper ear. That’s to say nothing of the particular bounce scares within the recreation, which have been each jumpier and scarier than the surprising dialogue.

If you actually wish to up the audio recreation, you should utilize the Inzone Hub app (obtainable solely on PC) to activate issues like spatial sound. I went by the method of personalizing my sound as effectively—a sort of annoyingly concerned course of that entails downloading an app after which taking photos of your ears—and it was value the additional effort. Once my sound was personalised, I undoubtedly bought slightly additional out of the expertise. I performed the identical sequence in Resident Evil Requiem back-to-back with and with out spatial sound on, and all the pieces sounded just a bit extra… room-y. Personalized spatial sound isn’t crucial for having fun with the Inzone H6 Air, however when you’re prepared to let Sony retailer photos of your ears for 30 days (sure, that’s an actual factor), it’s value it.

The Inzone Hub app additionally has another extras, together with preset EQs for first-person shooters, RPGs, bass increase, and extra. I performed round with the EQs a bit and didn’t discover an enormous distinction (the bass increase was perhaps probably the most noticeable), nevertheless it’s value having them regardless.

And nearly as good because the sound is, the microphone high quality is simply nearly as good. While enjoying Fortnite, my teammate reported that I sounded improbable. I imagine the phrase was “You sound like you’re on a podcast.” As ordinary, I requested them to rank my audio high quality out of 10, and the score got here again excellent—a uncommon 10/10. If sound is your precedence in a headset, both from a mic perspective or the sound in your ears, the Inzone H6 Air ought to completely be a pair you think about, although there’s one draw back…

Cable administration

If there’s one factor that the Inzone H6 Air lacks, it’s wi-fi capabilities. Don’t get me unsuitable, wired is nice for plenty of causes—there’s no latency, and it’s lossless audio when you’re plugging straight right into a console or PC—nevertheless it’s not fairly as handy as a wi-fi headset. As far as wires go, Sony does no less than embody a reasonably good one within the field, although. It’s not your typical low cost plastic, and it’s additionally seven toes, which needs to be lots for most individuals.

If there’s one other small criticism that I’ve, it’s the top strap. For $200, I’d count on perhaps slightly bit extra padding or cushion, and although I don’t assume the Inzone H6 Air is uncomfortable, I’d have appreciated to see a little bit extra in that division. As lengthy as we’re speaking concerning the head strap, I additionally discover the adjustment slightly clunky. To modify the scale, you need to press the button on both facet of the top strap, which is sweet since if you modify, it stays locked in, however I can’t say I’ve ever had an issue with gaming headsets out of the blue getting screwed up whereas I’m utilizing them. I don’t know, perhaps I’m simply not animated sufficient once I play?

Cushions contained in the earcups are additionally slightly bit cheap-feeling, although not sufficient to make me itch or wish to rip them off my head.

Outside of the open-back design and button-based head strap, Sony retains issues fairly easy design-wise. There’s a quantity wheel and a mic mute button on the left earcup, and that’s it. If you actually needed to, I assume you can put on the Inzone H6 Air out as a daily pair of headphones; all you’d need to do is pop off the growth mic, which hooks in by way of a 3.5mm jack, after which it’d look principally like another pair apart from the gamer-y head strap.

Design and construct are most likely the least compelling components of the Inzone H6 Air, however that’s okay since Sony nails the necessary stuff like sound and mic high quality.

A breath of contemporary H6 Air

I can’t see any cause to dislike the Inzone H6 Air, actually. They sound nice, they’re fairly priced within the scheme of ridiculously costly headsets, and the mic high quality is superb. Sure, they’re wired-only and perhaps not probably the most plush of any gaming headset I’ve used, however the open-back design has plenty of advantages that outweigh these gripes.

If you’re out there for a gaming headset with ANC, that is clearly not for you, however when you like the thought of breathability and with the ability to hear your environment if you recreation, then I’d say the Inzone H6 Air is more likely to be cash effectively spent.