Sony ULT WEAR (WH-ULT900N) / Apple AirPods Max (Lightning, 2020)

Sony ULT WEAR (WH-ULT900N): WH-ULT900N (printed code YY2981) closed over-ear wireless headphones; Black, Off-White, Forest Gray. ULT FIELD speakers and the WH-1000X series are separate products.

Apple AirPods Max (Lightning, 2020): AirPods Max 1, the first version with a Lightning charging port (2020); Silver, Space Grey, Sky Blue, Pink and Green. The 2024 USB‑C version and AirPods Max 2 are separate models.

SpecificationSony ULT WEAR (WH-ULT900N)Apple AirPods Max (Lightning, 2020)
Release year20242020
Noise cancellingDigital active noise cancelling with Integrated Processor V1 and Dual Noise Sensor; Ambient Sound mode

Two mics on each cup sample outside noise and the processor generates an inverse signal; Ambient Sound mode lets you hear announcements and speech without removing the headphones.

Sony		—
Driver and ULT button40 mm dome-type closed dynamic driver with neodymium magnet; ULT button for bass-heavy sound mode

The ULT button switches to a strong bass setting with one press; the app equaliser can tune the sound further.

Sony		—
Frequency response5–20,000 Hz (JEITA, wired); 20–20,000 Hz over Bluetooth (44.1 kHz sampling) Sony—
Bluetooth and codecsBluetooth 5.2; A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP; SBC, AAC, LDAC; about 10 m range

LDAC carries audio at a higher bitrate from Android devices; iPhones do not support LDAC and use AAC.

Sony		—
Multipoint and sensorTwo Bluetooth devices at once; wear sensor (pauses music when removed)

You can switch between a phone and a computer without re-pairing.

Sony		—
BatteryMusic up to 30 hours ANC on, 50 hours off; calls up to 30 hours ANC on, 40 hours off; about 3.5 hours to charge over USB SonyUp to 20 hours of listening with Active Noise Cancellation or Transparency on; up to 20 hours of movies with Spatial Audio on; 5 minutes of charge gives about 1.5 hours of listening

Apple’s figures come from pre-production tests with an iPhone 12 Pro Max in November 2020.

Apple
Wired useDetachable single-sided cable of about 1.2 m, gold-plated L-shaped 3.5 mm plug; passive operation supported

When the battery is flat you can keep listening over the cable; audio over USB-C is not listed.

Sony		—
Microphone and processingElectret condenser, omnidirectional microphone; DSEE

DSEE tries to restore high frequencies lost in compressed music.

Sony		—
Impedance and sensitivity314 Ω on, 32 Ω off (1 kHz); 110 dB/mW on, 100 dB/mW off (wired) Sony—
Weight and coloursAbout 255 g; Black, Off-White, Forest Gray Sony—
In the boxConnection cable, USB cable, reference guide, warranty card Sony—
Service programFree repair until 31 January 2027 for cracks in the rotating shaft between headband and housing on specific serial numbers

The serial number is printed inside the left hanger; Sony provides affected ranges and a checker per colour. The crack can cause the housing to detach. Ranges listed in Canada: Black 1000001–1164062, Off-White 2000001–2040144, Forest Gray 3000001–3026514.

Sony		—
Audio technology—Apple-designed dynamic driver; Active Noise Cancellation; Transparency mode; Personalised Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking; Adaptive EQ

A Personalised Spatial Audio profile is created with an iPhone that has a TrueDepth camera; the feature needs compatible content and apps.

Apple
Chip—Apple H1 headphone chip in each ear cup Apple
Microphones—Nine microphones in total: eight for noise cancellation; three for voice pickup (two shared with noise cancellation) Apple
Sensors—Optical, position and case-detect sensors plus an accelerometer in each cup; gyroscope in the left cup

The position and optical sensors detect when the headphones are put on or taken off to pause and resume playback.

Apple
Controls—Digital Crown (volume, play/pause, calls, track skip, Siri) and noise control button

Turning the Digital Crown changes the volume; the noise control button switches between Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency mode.

Apple
Charging and case—Charging via Lightning; the battery enters an ultra-low-power state in the Smart Case

The box contains the headphones, the Smart Case and a Lightning to USB‑C cable. There is no separate power button; the Smart Case handles power saving.

Apple
Connectivity—Bluetooth 5.0 Apple
Size and weight—187.3 × 168.6 × 83.4 mm; 384.8 g with cushions; Smart Case 134.5 g Apple
Compatibility—Apple devices running the latest iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, macOS or tvOS

They work as Bluetooth headphones with Apple devices on older software and with non-Apple devices, but functionality is limited.

Apple