The Sony Pulse Elite ranks #50 out of 308 total Over-Ear Headphones for sound quality. See all Headphones rankings for every top pick.
Brand: Sony
Prices on this page were last checked October 12, 2026 at 4:13 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
#50 Sony Pulse Elite: $149 Amazon $149 eBay
Pros: Measured response gives it an excellent Harman preference score of 86 with a 1.61 dB spread, and its mids sit within about 0.6 dB of target, so vocals and instruments sound natural. Upper treble lifts about 5.3 dB for extra air and sparkle.
Cons: A 4.8 dB peak near 11.4 kHz can make cymbals and sibilance sound sharp.
| Released | Feb 2024 (2 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Closed |
| Connection | Bluetooth |
| Deviation From Target | 1.61 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Planar magnetic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 20Hz - 20kHz |
| Harman Preference Score | 86 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (-1.7 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -0.50 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0.8 lbs (347g) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -7.0 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | +14.7 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 74 Hz | -10.3 dB | 0.85 |
| Peak | 31 Hz | -9.9 dB | 0.78 |
| Peak | 4,505 Hz | +3.6 dB | 3.45 |
| Peak | 484 Hz | +2.6 dB | 3.66 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | -14.2 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 8,936 Hz | +5.9 dB | 1.12 |
| Peak | 5,443 Hz | -2.0 dB | 5.21 |
| Peak | 2,255 Hz | -3.4 dB | 4.25 |
| Peak | 1,791 Hz | +2.4 dB | 6.00 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples