Design & Construction

The Sony h.ear on 2 MINI WIRELESS is the newest and only additon to the second edition of the h.ear lineup. It focuses heavily on style and audio quality giving it users the ideal way to enjoy the best of both world without sacrificing any of them. Having a revamped range of colours to a more sophisticated, classy look, Sony is targeting young consumers of today's world. The h.ear on 2 Mini Wireless is the direct competitor to the Beats Solo 3 Wireless. The h.ear on 2 Mini Wireless feels durable and isn't prone to scratches. On the left earcup, you will find the (From Front-Back): Mic, 3.5mm input, Micro-USB port, NC/Ambient button and Power Button. While on the right earcup, you will find the (From Front-Back): the volume buttons and the Play/Pause Multi-function button. Single tap to play/pause, double tap to skip to next track and triple tap to go back to previous track. A red LED will light up when it is left to charge. It takes about 4 hours to charge from a dead battery. Pairing via both NFC and bluetooth is simple and quick. A Blue LED light up once in 3 seconds during wireless usage. The power button allows you to check for battery status by pressing once. Both sides of the headband bear the Sony logo and the left earcup has the NFC. The headphones have thick cushions which is meant for providing a comfortable experience. The headband is very light and will not cause discomfort to those who wear spectacles since it is a supra-aural (On-Ear) headphone, instead the discomfort will be experienced on the ears itself. On the headband, there is also cushioned headrest which provides a good amount of comfort. The exterior of the headphones gives off this classy yet bright colour scheme but it resists fingerprints smudges very well. On the top, the headband holding the structure is made of metal and the earcups pivot left and right slightly and folds up for easy storage. The top of the earcups has bass ports to maximise airflow of the drivers as they push out bass but it is hidden under the headband arms. The earcups are meant to sit on your ears and would cause wearing fatigue after an hour of continuous wear. Overall, the headphone feels light-weight at 180g but only suitable for short commutes.

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Sound Quality

The 30mm High-Resolution headphone drivers certainly live up to its name. They produce an extremely clear sound signature to provide for a very immersive experience. Based on user experience, the noise isolation is fantastic and comparable to other headphones with this on-ear design. I could not hear much my surroundings when there was no music on. However, loud sound of my environment such as construction and subway noise are stil very apparent. Sony also stepped up their game and include a variety of function via Sony's Headphones Connect App available for download on the App Store and Play Store. The first function is Virtual Surround Sound which include presets like outdoor-stage, club, hall, or arena style sound. However, the presets did not really enhanced the sound and I personally do not use it as it makes my music output rather unnatural and artificial. Next, it is a relief to know that the app has an internal equalizer to enable the best output of music. With a large category ranging from Bright, Excited, Mellow, Bass Boost, Treble Boost, Speech Etc. You can also choose to customize your own too! This makes the headphones great for all genres of music ranging from soothing jazz to bass-heavy EDM tracks. Bass comes off as boosted giving a reasonable thump while the mids and highs are full of resolution and details. The highs do not sound too sharp and tinging. However, the soundstage is rather narrow and has no instrument separation. Call quality was okay as the caller manage to hear me on the other end but the headphones mic unfortunately picks up some surrounding noise.

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Connectivity & Portability

The headphone operates both passively and wirelessly. From my test, it was surprising to know that the volume of the headphones drop significantly while using the wired mode. The maximum volume in wired mode was only equivalent to about 70% of the volume in wireless mode.  In wireless mode, it supports LDAC, AptX codecs and Bluetooth Version 4.1 for clear audio transmission. The mic and controls on the earcups are disabled in wired mode and users cannot charge the headphone and use it at the same time. Listening via the Micro-USB cable is also unavailable. Users can put the headphone in Bluetooth pairing mode by holding down the power button for 7 seconds when its switched off. The battery life peaks at 24 hours. The headphones' connectivity to the app is about 80% perfect as I do occasionally experience it being unable to detect my headphones when its already connected via Bluetooth. This may be slightly frustrating especially when I need to tune the sound immediately. The headphones folds up into a more compact profile and comes with a micro USB cable for charging, a 1.2m 3.5mm cable for wired use and a soft carrying pouch. I would have preferred a hard carry case to better protect the headphone from drops and scratches.

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PROS

• Clear, Bright Sound Signature

• Snug & Comfortable

• Long Battery Life

• Easy Controls For Music Play & Calls

• Equalizer In App

• LDAC & AptX Codecs Supported

• Folds Up into a Smaller Profile

• Carrying Pouch

• A Range of Colours

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CONS​

• Imperfect App Connectivity

• Mic and Controls Not Available In Wired Mode

• Volume Difference In Wired Mode

• No Quick Charging

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The Bottom Line

The Sony h.ear on 2 Mini Wireless is a definitely a stylish and compact headphone housing thick ear cushions, 30mm Hi-Res drivers, long 24 hours battery life and easy to use controls. However, the app is slightly flawed which may irritate some users. It is only recommended for short daily commutes. A range of colours are available to fit users of different gender and personalities.