Home Headphones Sony Wh Xb910N Vs. Shure Aonic 40

Sony Wh Xb910N Vs. Shure Aonic 40 Review

Last updated on Apr 13, 2023   9 minute read
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Sony WH XB910N

Sony WH XB910N

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Reasons why you might like the Sony WH XB910N

Overall Score 6.2 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.

  • Weight of 252 g
  • Has Active Noise Cancellation (Anc)
  • Battery Life of 30 hours
  • Can Be Used Wirelessly
  • Has Ambient Sound Mode
VS
Shure Aonic 40

Shure Aonic 40

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Reasons why you might like the Shure Aonic 40

Overall Score 4 Represents average audio ecosystem compatibility score.

  • Weight of 311 g
  • Has Active Noise Cancellation (Anc)
  • Battery Life of 25 hours
  • Can Be Used Wirelessly

Sony Wh Xb910N Vs. Shure Aonic 40 Review In Summary

Category Features Sony WH XB910N Shure Aonic 40
DESIGN weight 252g 311g
has a detachable cable
can be folded
has a tangle free cable
cable length 1.2meters
has an over-the-ear foam
has stereo speakers
SOUND QUALITY has active noise cancellation (anc)
has passive noise reduction
lowest frequency 7Hz 20Hz
highest frequency 25,000Hz 20,000Hz
sound pressure level 96dB/mW
driver unit size 40mm 40mm
impedance 48Ohms
has a neodymium magnet
POWER battery life 30hours 25hours
charge time 3.5hours
has a battery level indicator
has a rechargeable battery
CONNECTIVITY can be used wirelessly
bluetooth version v5.2 v5
has usb type-c
has ldac
has bluetooth aptx
has aac
maximum bluetooth range 10meters
has a 3.5mm male connector
MICROPHONE number of microphones 2only
has a noise-canceling microphone
EXTRAS has ambient sound mode
has a mute function
multipoint count 2only
control panel placed on a device
can be used as a headset
warranty period 2years
travel bag is included
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Sony Wh Xb910N Vs. Shure Aonic 40 Review In Detail

Design

Weight

Sony WH XB910N 252g
Shure Aonic 40 311g

Sony WH XB910N have a weight of 252g, these weigh below 320g, which we consider as the highest average a headphone should weigh for comfort during long use. We consider a lower weight best for the reason that lighter devices are more comfortable to transport.

Shure Aonic 40, at 311g weigh more than the Sony WH XB910N by 59g

Has A Detachable Cable

Sony WH XB910N
Shure Aonic 40

Detachable cables are cables that have connectors on both ends. One end goes into your headphone cups, while the other end is inserted into an audio source. Some new headphones, and not just the expensive ones, are coming with detachable cables, Sony WH XB910N are one of those.

With a detachable cable, Shure Aonic 40 too can use alternative cables and if the cable is pulled, it will pop out instead of breaking.

Can Be Folded

Sony WH XB910N
Shure Aonic 40

Sony WH XB910N are foldable, which makes them more portable. Foldable headphones are easier to transport and take up less storage space.

The Shure Aonic 40 too can fold up, foldable headphones can reduce their size by 60% to 70% when folded.

Has A Tangle Free Cable

Sony WH XB910N
Shure Aonic 40

Twisted headphone cables can be a great source of annoyance and inconvenience, Shure Aonic 40's cable is designed to minimize tangling. Constant twisting of the cables can also lead to bends in the copper wires, affecting sound quality, or rendering your headphones defective.

Cable Length

Sony WH XB910N 1.2meters
Shure Aonic 40

A long cable ensures more freedom of movement, but remember that every cable based on the conducting material used has a certain amount of parasitic resistance, inductance, and capacitance. How much depends on the length and construction. Sony WH XB910N comes with a 1.2meters cable.

Has An Over-The-Ear Foam

Sony WH XB910N
Shure Aonic 40

Over-ear headphones have larger earpads that fit around your entire ear Sony WH XB910N have a comfortable full-size form with earcups that fully enclose your ears. This design is loved for its increased sound isolation and the fact that it won't leak sound to your neighbors.

Shure Aonic 40 with this design offer potential for maximum bass and loudness levels.

Has Stereo Speakers

Sony WH XB910N
Shure Aonic 40

Sony WH XB910N have stereo speakers, what this means is that Sony WH XB910N's speakers deliver sound from independent channels on both left and right sides, this creates a richer sound and a better listening experience.

The Shure Aonic 40 also have stereo speakers

Sony WH XB910N
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Sound Quality

Has Active Noise Cancellation (Anc)

Sony WH XB910N
Shure Aonic 40

Active noise cancellation uses more advanced technology to actively counter noise. How it works, it detects and analyzes the sound pattern of incoming noise and then inverts the soundwaves to cancel it out. In simple terms, it's like taking +1 outside (noise from your surrounding) and adding -1 inside (counter sound within the device) to make 0 resulting in a reduced level of noise.

Sony WH XB910N allow you to listen at lower volume levels, causing less ear fatigue as you don't have to crank up the volume to overcome background noise.

Shure Aonic 40 too have active noise cancellation making both devices ideal for plane rides and morning commutes. Each may work with different noise cancellation modes, pick the setting, mode, or noise cancellation type that you prefer for commute or that enhances your relaxation time.

Has Passive Noise Reduction

Sony WH XB910N
Shure Aonic 40

Passive Noise Cancellation uses well-designed ear cups to seal out unwanted noise. This is used for both in-ear earphones and over-ear headphones where the headphone itself will keep surrounding noise out. The Sony WH XB910N sits tightly in place, creating an acoustic seal that reduces background noise and prevents your music from leaking out.

Both of these devices have passive noise reduction which means that also the Shure Aonic 40 isolates you from ambient noise instead of actively using technology to cancel it out.

Lowest Frequency

Sony WH XB910N 7Hz
Shure Aonic 40 20Hz

Low-frequency response measures if and how well a particular audio component reproduces low audible frequencies and if it makes any changes to the signal while at it. Sony WH XB910N's lowest frequency is at 7Hz, the lower the low-frequency response, the stronger and juicier the bass.

Shure Aonic 40's lowest frequency is at 20Hz, this means that Shure Aonic 40 got a juicier bass than the Sony WH XB910N

Highest Frequency

Sony WH XB910N 25,000Hz
Shure Aonic 40 20,000Hz

High frequency response measures if and how well a particular audio component reproduces high audible frequencies and if it makes any changes to the signal while at it. Sony WH XB910N's highest frequency is at 25,000Hz, the higher the high-frequency response, the clearer and crispier the treble.

Shure Aonic 40's highest frequency is at 20,000Hz, this means that Sony WH XB910N got a clearer and crispier treble than the Shure Aonic 40

Sound Pressure Level

Sony WH XB910N 96dB/mW
Shure Aonic 40

Sound pressure is the average variation in atmospheric pressure caused by the sound, the sound level .i.e how loud something is can be perceived differently by different people so we need to have the means to get an objective measurement of sound level expressed in numerical terms.

The sound pressure level, SPL, is the pressure level of a sound, measured in decibels, dB, Sony WH XB910N's measurement is 96dB/mW. Devices with a higher sound pressure level are generally louder when supplied with any given audio source.

Driver Unit Size

Sony WH XB910N 40mm
Shure Aonic 40 40mm

The driver unit is basically a mini speaker that produces sound in the device, its size dictates the loudness of the headphone. Sony WH XB910N driver unit is 40mm in diameter, bigger drivers are more powerful and can produce better bass.

Shure Aonic 40 driver unit is 40mm in diameter, making both devices similar in how loud their sound gets , many people have a misconception that driver units of a bigger size automatically produce better sound quality.

However, large drivers usually have difficulty reproducing high frequencies so yeah, larger drivers can generate louder sound, but this does not mean that they produce better sound.

Impedance

Sony WH XB910N 48Ohms
Shure Aonic 40

Defined as the device's resistance to the electromagnetic current, when electricity flows through a wire, it experiences electrical resistance that counters the flow of current. The resistance of a wire is measured in ohms. Sony WH XB910N's impedance is 48Ohms, the lower the impedance, the easier it is to get higher volume and requires less power.

Has A Neodymium Magnet

Sony WH XB910N
Shure Aonic 40

Neodymium magnets when used in audio devices produce a higher sensitivity and substantial sound output using less power to do so. They can help produce music at quite a high sound pressure level, SPL, with the use of high magnetic flux. The Sony WH XB910N have this type of magnet.

Power

Battery Life

Sony WH XB910N 30hours
Shure Aonic 40 25hours

If your headphones play wirelessly, cancel ambient noise, or enhance your listening experience with active features, their battery life will reduce over time. The device's battery life is given by the manufacturer, with longer battery life, you get to use it for longer and have to charge the device less often. Sony WH XB910N's battery life is 30 hours

Shure Aonic 40's battery life is 25 hours. Each time you recharge your headphones, they get a little less listening time. The effect is barely noticeable at first. But over a few years, you may find that your device, no longer plays for long like it used to.

Charge Time

Sony WH XB910N 3.5hours
Shure Aonic 40

It takes 3.5 hours to fully charge the Sony WH XB910N's battery. It is recommended to fully charge the battery before using the headphones for the first time or when they have been unused for extended periods.

Has A Battery Level Indicator

Sony WH XB910N
Shure Aonic 40

Sony WH XB910N have a battery level indicator, an indicator shows you when the device has a low battery. The battery indicator lights indicate the charging status of your headphones.

Has A Rechargeable Battery

Sony WH XB910N
Shure Aonic 40

A rechargeable battery is a type of electrical battery that can be charged, discharged into a load, and recharged many times, as opposed to a disposable or primary battery, which is supplied fully charged and discarded after use. Sony WH XB910N's battery can be recharged and used over again.

The Shure Aonic 40 too have a rechargeable battery.

Sony WH XB910N
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Connectivity

Can Be Used Wirelessly

Sony WH XB910N
Shure Aonic 40

Sony WH XB910N can be used wirelessly, wireless devices allow you more freedom of movement not restricted by a cable.

The Shure Aonic 40 also can be used wirelessly

Bluetooth Version

Sony WH XB910N v5.2
Shure Aonic 40 v5

Bluetooth is a wireless technology standard that allows data transfers between devices placed in close proximity, using short-wavelength, ultra-high frequency radio waves. Sony WH XB910N has a v5.2

Shure Aonic 40 has a Bluetooth version of v5. Newer versions provide faster data transfers.

Has Usb Type-C

Sony WH XB910N
Shure Aonic 40

Sony WH XB910N support USB TYPE-C, an industry-standard connector for transmitting both data and power on a single cable. The USB-C plug is now part and parcel of most current laptops, phones, and tablets, it features reversible plug orientation and cable direction.

Has Ldac

Sony WH XB910N
Shure Aonic 40

Sony WH XB910N support LDAC, a codec developed by Sony which allows streaming high-resolution audio over Bluetooth connections at up to 990 kbps at 32 bit/96 kHz. It is capable of a very high bitrate of 990kbps, which provides high-resolution audio.

Has Bluetooth Aptx

Sony WH XB910N
Shure Aonic 40

Shure Aonic 40 support APTX, a codec used for transmitting audio wirelessly with Bluetooth. It is developed by Qualcomm and supports 16-bit audio at a bit rate of 384kbps.

Has Aac

Sony WH XB910N
Shure Aonic 40

Sony WH XB910N support AAC, a codec that is used for Bluetooth audio. It supports 24-bit audio at 250kbps. Because it uses psychoacoustic modeling, it can provide better results than other codecs at a similar bit rate.

The Shure Aonic 40 support AAC as well. Designed to be the successor of the MP3 format, AAC generally achieves higher sound quality than MP3 encoders at the same bit rate.

Maximum Bluetooth Range

Sony WH XB910N 10meters
Shure Aonic 40

Bluetooth is a short-range wireless technology standard that is used for exchanging data between fixed and mobile devices over short distances. The Sony WH XB910N can connect at a 10meters distance via Bluetooth or infrared to another device.

Has A 3.5Mm Male Connector

Sony WH XB910N
Shure Aonic 40

Being an industry standard audio plug, a standard 3.5mm male connector is suitable for use with all MP3 players and computer sound cards. This means that it is commonly used in stereo headphones to your phone or connecting your phone to an external amplifier, sound bars, your car radio, etc. Sony WH XB910N has this connector giving it a wider range of connectivity with most of the sound devices out there. All plugs have at least a tip and sleeve with the number of rings that stand as a differentiating factor.

Shure Aonic 40 too have this kind of connector

Microphone

Number Of Microphones

Sony WH XB910N 2only
Shure Aonic 40

Sony WH XB910N have only 2 microphones, more microphones result in better sound quality and enable the device to filter out background noise.

Has A Noise-Canceling Microphone

Sony WH XB910N
Shure Aonic 40

Sony WH XB910N use a noise-canceling type of microphone, these microphones are designed to filter out background noise from the desired sound. Especially useful in noisy environments.

Sony WH XB910N
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Extras

Has Ambient Sound Mode

Sony WH XB910N
Shure Aonic 40

Sony WH XB910N support ambient sound mode, which uses microphones to pass through ambient noises so that they can still be heard. It’s useful when you want to listen to music but also be aware of what’s happening around you, for example when you’re having a jog but would still want to be able to hear traffic.

Has A Mute Function

Sony WH XB910N
Shure Aonic 40

Sony WH XB910N have a mute function, they have an option to mute/unmute a conversation directly from the device. The mute function means that you unilaterally turn off the microphone, but you can still hear the other party's voice.

Multipoint Count

Sony WH XB910N 2only
Shure Aonic 40

Sony WH XB910N support multipoint, which allows you to link to more Bluetooth devices and switch between them. For example, you can easily switch calls from one device to another without having to manually disconnect and reconnect.

Control Panel Placed On A Device

Sony WH XB910N
Shure Aonic 40

There is a control panel on the Sony WH XB910N body, so you can easily access the volume control or remote without having to interact with a cable or another device it's connected to.

The Shure Aonic 40 too have a control panel on them.

Can Be Used As A Headset

Sony WH XB910N
Shure Aonic 40

Sony WH XB910N can be used as a headset. A headset is one headphone or pair with a built-in microphone. Headsets can be used for apps that require communication i.e. Zoom, Google Meet, Skype, games with voice chat, mobile phones, etc.

Shure Aonic 40 can be used as a headset. since they have a built-in microphone

Warranty Period

Sony WH XB910N 2years
Shure Aonic 40

The period of time that warrant free repair and adjustment services in case of a malfunction occurring under normal use that has followed instruction manuals. When covered under the manufacturer’s warranty it is possible to get a replacement in the case of a malfunction. Sony WH XB910N have a warranty period of 2 years

Travel Bag Is Included

Sony WH XB910N
Shure Aonic 40

Carrying headphones without a case, or putting them in bags without a casing can easily put them at risk of getting damaged. The Shure Aonic 40 come with their own special case or pouch, which is useful for safe transportation.

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