Positives
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Excellent sound (planar magnetic drivers)
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Low latency for gaming
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Connect to multiple devices at the same time
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Very good performance in voice calls
cons
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There is no noise cancellation
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A bit bulky
Most gamers I know still use headsets, whether on their consoles or PC. But in the past few years, we’ve seen more low-latency gaming earbuds from the likes of JBL, Razer, HyperX, and others. And now Sony has joined the fray with $200 Exploration Pulse Buds, which are special mainly because they feature planar magnetic drivers, a speaker technology typically found in high-end audiophile headphones but rarely in in-ear headphones.
Read more: The best wireless earbuds out there right now
Unique design
Fairly bulky and a bit odd-looking in your ears, it’s designed for use with Sony’s new PS5 gaming console PlayStation Portal remote playerAs well as Windows and Mac computers (included PlayStation Link USB adapter required to use PS5 and Nintendo Switch). Also, like most other wireless gaming earbuds, the Pulse Explore can be paired with your smartphone via Bluetooth.
The fact that these are good gaming earbuds is no surprise. However, that they are good at listening to music is a revelation. In fact, they sound sharper and clearer than Sony’s flagship headphones WF-1000XM5 In-ear headphones, with powerful, tight bass. That doesn’t necessarily mean it sounds better than the XM5s, which sound a bit fuller. But I didn’t expect them to compete at all with the XM5s for music listening.
The buds pair well with the PlayStation Portal. I swapped out my larger ear tips to get a better fit.
Like I said, the reason for this sound seems to be largely due to the planar magnetic drivers of the buds. Sony recently acquired Audeze, known for its planar magnetic drivers, and in 2021 made a pair of $1,299 wired planar magnetic earphones called Euclid Which is currently listed as “SOLD”. Planar magnetic drivers are valued for their sonic accuracy and are less susceptible to distortion. They are typically larger than the standard dynamic drivers found in the majority of headphones and are more difficult to drive.
I can’t say that the Pulse Explore sound like high-end earbuds. Made entirely of plastic, it is relatively lightweight for its size. Their charging case, which features a sliding lid, is also large, but I liked it. The buds were easy to pop in and out of the box.
Watch this: Sony Pulse Explore Earbuds: Setup and hands-on
The Pulse Explore earbuds come with four sets of ear tips, so you should find a set that fits your ears well. But like all noise canceling headphones, if you don’t get a tight seal, the sound quality will suffer, and I suspect that users who posted negative feedback on their sound may not have gotten a good fit.
Overall, I found them comfortable to wear for long periods. (The earbuds are rated for five hours of battery life at moderate volume levels with two additional charges in their charging case.) While I was able to get a tight seal with the largest set of ear tips, I ended up switching to another set with a more conical shape Fits my ears better. Since I test a lot of earbuds, I have plenty of extra ear tips to choose from, but most people don’t have that luxury.
The buds look a little funky and stick out of your ears, but they are comfortable to wear.
Dual device connection
It was easy to connect the earbuds to the PS5. You can plug the PlayStation Link USB Adapter into the USB-A port on your PS5, then press the link button on the case while the earbuds are still in the case. What’s also nice is that you can simultaneously connect to your phone via Bluetooth and receive a call if it comes in while gaming. Although you can pair it with a computer via Bluetooth, you’ll probably want to use the PlayStation Link USB Adapter with a Mac or Windows PC because it creates a lossless, low-latency connection with the speakers. With the Nintendo Switch, you’ll need a USB-C to USB-A adapter to connect the dongle, but a dongle is not required for the PlayStation Portal remote player. (It’s unfortunate that you need a dongle for the PS5, as it’s unclear why the technology can’t be integrated into the unit as it is with the Portal.)
The headphones come with their own USB dongle, which you plug into the PS5’s USB-A port. (You can also connect it to your computer.)
To test gaming headsets, I split my time between the PS5 and PlayStation Portal. Once connected to the Gateway (or PS5), the headphones will automatically reconnect to the device out of the box while also remaining connected to your phone. During my 10 or so hours of game testing, I didn’t notice any lag, and it sounded pretty good all around, providing a similar immersive audio experience to what I’m used to with a proper over-ear headphone.
The earbuds are compatible with Sony’s 3D Audio-supported games (I played Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater), and Sony says they will “improve your perception in 3D Audio-supported PS5 games as audio cues are placed with a degree of Incredible accuracy across three dimensions.” Microphone performance seemed very good for multiplayer gaming, and the on-board volume controls worked well while I was connected to both the PS5 and PlayStation Portal.
Limited features, but they master the basics of earbuds
Earbuds in this price range usually have a pretty solid feature set. In comparison, the Pulse Explore headphones have no active noise cancellation (aka ANC), no ear detection sensors that automatically pause music when you take the earbuds out of your ears, and no companion app with an equalizer or other features (I want them). . I’m aware of). These are truly bare earbuds. In fact, the volume controls only worked when I was using the headsets with the PS5 and PlayStation Portal, and there were no controls for skipping tracks when I was using the headsets with the iPhone 15 and Google Pixel 7.
I spent more time listening to music than gaming because I was surprised by how good it sounded. Unfortunately, they don’t support Sony’s highly regarded LDAC audio codec for Bluetooth streaming. They support AAC audio codec.
Although they may not offer the same sound quality as high-end over-ear planar magnetic headphones, they do display some of the same sound attributes: well-balanced, clear, accurate and open sound (wide soundstage), with deep but defined bass. Well. These are the earbuds that will make you want to dig deep into your music library to hear how they sound along with different tracks. Although they may be a little harder to drive, I had no problem with how loud they played with the iPhone 15. (The volume was a little lower with the Pixel 7.) The WF-1000XM5’s speakers play louder, and, as I said, they sound The sound is a little fuller with more bass.
The Pulse Explore earbuds have volume controls, but they don’t work when using the buds with your phone.
I was also impressed with their voice calling capabilities. Callers told me they did a pretty good job of suppressing background noise while my voice was relatively clear, even on noisy New York streets. They are at the top level of earbuds for voice calls.
Pulse Explore Final Thoughts
I usually say that $200 for a pair of gaming earbuds — especially ones like the Pulse Explore that don’t have a premium look and feel — is too expensive. But for Sony and Audeze to potentially bring planar magnetic actuation technology to $200 earbuds is kind of weird. Sony’s upcoming $150 Pulse Elite headphone, which is scheduled to ship on February 21, also has planar magnetic drivers.
As mentioned, the Pulse Explore earbuds lack in the feature department when it comes to what people expect from headphones that cost $200, which is the street price of Apple AirPods Pro 2 headphones. But if you get a tight seal, the passive noise isolation is good (a fair amount of ambient noise is masked out) and the earbuds sound great and work well for taking calls, which is everything a lot of people are looking for. Sure, a lot of people use their gaming headsets as their daily headphones, especially while working at their desks. But the Pulse Explore makes a strong case to be your everyday earbuds despite their lack of features. They exceeded my expectations.
When it comes to gaming and music, finding the perfect pair of earbuds that can deliver high-quality sound for both activities can be a challenge. However, the Sony Pulse Explore Earbuds are a standout option that manages to excel in both areas. With their impressive audio performance and comfortable fit, these earbuds are not only perfect for gaming, but also great for enjoying your favorite tunes. In this review, we will take a closer look at the features and performance of the Sony Pulse Explore Earbuds to see why they are a versatile option for gamers and music lovers alike.