Over-Ear Headphones · owner-verdict comparison

Beats 360 vs Sony ULT Wear: what real owners say

Real owners lean toward the Sony ULT Wear: 47% of 154 owners recommend it, vs 34% of 112 for the Beats 360.

Verdicts aggregated from Reddit, enthusiast forums, and YouTube owner comments — affiliate reviews excluded. Sample sizes differ; judge accordingly. How we score

Beats 360

34%of 112 owners recommend
34% recommend · 13% neutral · 53% don't
Owners praise
  • Light and comfortable to wear for long stretches, and some owners find it easier to wear than AirPods Max
  • Liked for the gym and running, sometimes by owners who would only use it there
  • Several owners like the design and being able to swap the cushion covers
Owners complain about
  • Background hiss is the most common complaint and the top reason for returns: owners hear it in quiet moments and under podcasts, videos and movies, and several got the same hiss on a replacement, though a good number say their pair is silent
  • Battery drains while switched off, leaving owners with a half-empty or dead pair when they pick it up, and turning off Find My did not stop it for everyone
  • Many owners find the sound thin, tinny or short on bass for the price, and owners who also have AirPods Max rate the Max's sound higher
Full owner report →

Sony ULT Wear

47%of 154 owners recommend
47% recommend · 17% neutral · 36% don't
Owners praise
  • Big, punchy bass that owners who like heavy low end love
  • Noise canceling that owners rate highly
  • Strong value, with some owners saying it comes close to Sony's pricier XM models for much less
Owners complain about
  • Plastic hinges that crack or snap, often during normal handling, anywhere from a few weeks to over a year after purchase; some owners had a second pair break the same way, while others say a replacement has held up
  • The sound splits owners: many say it needs EQ tweaks to sound right, some find the bass overblown or muddy, and a few expected more bass than they got
Full owner report →

Which should you buy?

Get the Beats 360 if
  • ✓People who want over-ear headphones for workouts and runs
  • ✓Listeners who put comfort and light weight ahead of sound quality
Skip it if
  • Podcast, audiobook and video listeners, or anyone who listens in quiet rooms
  • Anyone who needs headphones that hold their charge between uses
Get the Sony ULT Wear if
  • ✓Bass lovers who want heavy, adjustable low end
  • ✓Buyers who want strong noise canceling without paying flagship prices
  • ✓Listeners willing to spend time tuning the EQ in the app
  • ✓People with larger ears who want deep, padded earcups for long sessions
Skip it if
  • Anyone who needs headphones to survive daily handling for years without hinge worries
  • Listeners who don't want to adjust any sound settings

What Beats 360 owners say

“they’re actually amazing for the gym. Way better than the Bose, the Sony’s, and the AirPods for the gym. Noise cancelation is a 10 out of 10, and they never get hot in your ears.”
— @DrWoc on YouTube
“I love mine. The update really helped with the mids. They were super uncontrolled before”
— @GabeDaEngineer on YouTube
“I got a pair and ended up returning them because it didn’t have on ear detection”
— @crazzei on YouTube

What Sony ULT Wear owners say

“I recently purchased the Sony ULT Wear and I love it!”
— @jamesbarlett246 on YouTube
“The bass is honestly pretty fun, sometimes I just wanna press a button and destroy the song I'm listening to.”
— @Pika915 on YouTube
“To be fair, I didn't hear hardly any difference. The ULTs fit my head better, but they looked much chunkier on my ears as the phones stuck out way more. I've decided to keep the XM4s and return the ULTs.”
— @1977ver on YouTube

Beats 360 vs Sony ULT Wear: frequently asked questions

Is the Beats 360 or the Sony ULT Wear better?

Real owners lean toward the Sony ULT Wear: 47% of 154 owners recommend it, vs 34% of 112 for the Beats 360.

Who should get the Beats 360?

Owners point the Beats 360 at people who want over-ear headphones for workouts and runs, and listeners who put comfort and light weight ahead of sound quality.

Who should get the Sony ULT Wear?

Owners point the Sony ULT Wear at bass lovers who want heavy, adjustable low end, and buyers who want strong noise canceling without paying flagship prices.

What do owners complain about?

The most-cited downside of the Beats 360 is background hiss is the most common complaint and the top reason for returns: owners hear it in quiet moments and under podcasts, videos and movies, and several got the same hiss on a replacement, though a good number say their pair is silent. For the Sony ULT Wear, it's plastic hinges that crack or snap, often during normal handling, anywhere from a few weeks to over a year after purchase; some owners had a second pair break the same way, while others say a replacement has held up.