Sony ZX110NC
The 80-hour battery life and 113-gram weight make these headphones a standout for extended, fatigue-free listening. The folding swivel design enhances portability, while the 30mm neodymium drivers and 95% noise reduction deliver focused audio for commutes. These are best for daily transit riders who prioritize all-day battery life and lightweight comfort over call quality.
Snapshot
The 30-Second Version
The Sony ZX110NC is a budget champ for battery life and light ANC, but it's a total flop for calls. At $34, you're getting 80 hours of noise reduction for droning background sounds, just don't expect a good mic or premium build. It's a great buy for a very specific, call-free use case.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Incredible 80-hour battery life, best-in-class for the price. 96th
- Effective ANC for consistent, low-frequency background noise. 91st
- Super lightweight and foldable, perfect for tossing in a bag. 89th
- Sound quality can be surprisingly good with some EQ tweaking. 88th
Cons
- The microphone quality is one of the worst we've seen for calls.
- ANC struggles in loud, unpredictable environments like airplanes.
- Build quality feels flimsy, and the attached cord is too short.
- Stock earpads can get uncomfortable, especially for larger heads.
What owners think
The Word on the Street
How owner sentiment changed over time
ExclusiveBased on when customers actually wrote their reviews - so you can see whether early praise held up.
- Q4 202577/100
Buyers report mixed durability: one pair lasted 1.5 years under heavy use, another failed quickly. Overall satisfactory for the price.
- Good value for cost, especially under heavy daily use.
- Durability varies: some last long, others fail quickly.
- Suitable for users needing private listening without disturbing others.
- One unit did not last long, suggesting possible quality inconsistency.
- Q2 202267/100
Buyers in Q2 2022 found these headphones comfortable and good for the price, but noted short cord length and poor noise cancellation. One user reported ear pain after an hour.
- Comfortable fit, lightweight, and good sound quality for the price.
- Short cord length (18" shorter than older set) limits desktop use.
- Noise cancellation ineffective; ambient sounds still audible.
- Ear pain after one hour of use, especially for larger heads.
Based on 12 dated customer reviews, grouped by calendar quarter. Period analysis is in English.
The proof
Performance
Let's be real, you're not buying these for audiophile sound. The 30mm drivers with neodymium magnets deliver a sound that's decent, sitting right in the middle of the pack in our database. The bass is present but not punchy, and the highs can get a little muddy without EQ. The ANC is effective for droning background noise like an AC unit or office chatter, landing in the 88th percentile, which is a standout for this price. But the mic is a real letdown, scoring in the bottom quarter of all headphones we've tested. Don't plan on taking calls with these.
Specifications
Full Specifications
Design
| Form Factor | over-ear |
| Open/Closed | closed |
| Foldable | Yes |
| Weight | 0.1 kg / 0.2 lbs |
Audio
| Driver Type | dynamic |
| Driver Size | 30 |
| Drivers | 1 |
| Freq Max | 20000 |
Noise Control
| ANC | Yes |
| Transparency | Yes |
Connectivity
| Wireless | Yes |
| Wired Connector | 3.5mm |
| Cable Length | 1.2 |
Battery
| Battery Life | 80 |
Microphone
| NC Mic | Yes |
Features
| Touch Controls | Yes |
| Water Resistance | Water-Resistant |
vs Competition
Stacked against the competition, the Sony carves out a weird niche. The Soundcore Life Q20 has a more comfortable fit and a more balanced sound, but it costs more. The JBL Tune 670NC offers a more modern feature set and better app support. The ZX110NC's main weapon is that 80-hour battery, which smokes most of these competitors. But it loses badly on call quality to basically everything else, including the TOZO HT3. You're trading modern features and mic performance for sheer battery stamina and a low entry price.
| Spec | Sony ZX110NC | Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 | Sennheiser MOMENTUM 4 | Apple AirPods Max Midnight | Technics EAH-A800 | JBL Tune 670NC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Form Factor | over-ear | over-ear | over-ear | over-ear | over-ear | on-ear |
| Driver Type | dynamic | dynamic | dynamic | dynamic | dynamic | dynamic |
| Driver Size (mm) | 30 | 40 | 42 | 40 | 40 | 32 |
| Impedance Ohms | - | - | 470 | 16 | 34 | 32 |
| Wireless | true | true | true | true | true | true |
| Active Noise Cancellation | true | true | true | true | true | true |
| Open Closed Back | closed | closed | closed | closed | closed | closed |
| Bluetooth Version | - | 5.3 | 5.2 | 5.0 | 5.2 | 5.3 |
| Battery Life Hours | 80 | 30 | 60 | 20 | 50 | 70 |
| Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare |
| Product | Anc | Mic | Build | Sound | Battery | Comfort | User Sentiment | Connectivity | Social Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sony ZX110NC | 87.8 | 20.3 | 89.1 | 63.7 | 95.9 | 90.7 | 20.9 | 66.5 | 71.5 |
| Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 Compare | 98.4 | 99.5 | 96 | 99.4 | 81.1 | 61.3 | 87.3 | 98.2 | 98.6 |
| Sennheiser MOMENTUM 4 Compare | 98.4 | 88.8 | 93.3 | 98.3 | 92.9 | 90.7 | 37.5 | 98.5 | 71.5 |
| Apple AirPods Max Midnight Compare | 98.4 | 87 | 93.3 | 94.8 | 76.3 | 34.5 | 87.3 | 88.5 | 98.6 |
| Technics EAH-A800 Compare | 95 | 98.8 | 80.7 | 97.9 | 88.9 | 61.3 | 53.2 | 98 | 65.3 |
| JBL Tune 670NC Compare | 98.4 | 74.3 | 80.7 | 88.3 | 95.4 | 90.7 | 81.8 | 99.4 | 98.6 |
Price
Value & Pricing
For $34, the value proposition is tricky. You're getting ANC and an insane 80-hour battery, which is unheard of at this price. But you're also getting a terrible mic and a build quality that multiple owners say feels inconsistent. If your only goal is to block out a noisy air conditioner on a budget, this is a steal. If you need a reliable all-rounder for music and calls, your $34 might be better spent on a non-ANC pair with a better mic.
Read more
Overview
The Sony ZX110NC is a budget noise-canceling headphone that's been around the block. At around $34, it's one of the cheapest ways to get active noise cancellation from a recognizable brand. It's not going to blow your mind, but it does a few things surprisingly well for the price. The 80-hour battery life is genuinely impressive, and the lightweight, foldable design makes it a solid grab-and-go option for a commute or a workday.
Common Questions
Q: Does the noise canceling work without music playing?
Yes, the ANC is powered by a separate switch and a single AAA battery, so it works independently of any audio source. You can use it just to quiet a room.
Q: Can I use these for gaming or video calls?
We wouldn't recommend it. The built-in microphone scores in the 21st percentile in our database, so your voice will sound muffled and distant to anyone on the other end.
Q: How long does the battery for noise canceling actually last?
Sony rates it for up to 80 hours of noise canceling on a single AAA battery. Real-world use should get you close to that, which is a top-tier result in our testing.
Who Should Skip This
Skip these if you take frequent calls or need a headset for gaming. The mic is a disaster, and you'll frustrate everyone you're talking to. Also, if you need powerful ANC for a loud commute like a subway or plane, look at the Soundcore Life Q20 instead, because these just won't cut it.
Verdict
The Sony ZX110NC is a single-purpose budget tool. Buy it if you need cheap, lightweight headphones with ANC to focus in a moderately noisy office and you never, ever plan to take a phone call on them. The battery life is a genuine superpower. For anyone who needs a headset for calls, or wants to block out the roar of a plane engine, this isn't the one. It's a battery-life king with a very specific set of skills.
