Sony / PlayStation - PULSE Explore wireless earbuds

I have Audeze Maxwells, but the weight of it over time exhausted me. I now run Pulse Explore’s and they’re really good and 3D audio is really good for ear buds and also super lightweight.

As an older gamer dealing with some high frequency hearing loss and tinnitus, I was looking for wireless earbuds that would offer high quality sound at lower volume to use with my dadstation (aka Portal). Typically Sony, these the only wireless earbuds compatible with the Portal (otherwise you need a clunky dangling dongle; how that is not worse than wired earbuds, I donno.) Fortunately, the Sony Pulse Explorer earbuds deliver a high quality sound experience as a near perfect companion to the Playstation PS5 and Portal that truly brings out the sound design details of games. Apparently, this is because Sony acquired an audiophile-grade audio company, Audeze, and then incorporated its proprietary planar magnetic drivers into some of its Sony Playstation headphones. These reproduce sound in a totally different way. You can absolutely tell the difference but some people prefer the standard cheapo drivers because they are loud, but also full of distortion once you hear the difference. Save your ears, turn it down, and listen for the details. However, if you prefer louder earbuds and/or you expect to be playing Portal in noisy environments, then these won’t be suitable. Furthermore, as a general purpose earbud to pair with your smartphone, they unfortunately have a wind noise problem that is too apparent while walking around on even a slightly breezy day. I found I can twist them to point downward and the wind deflects more silently, but the sound isn’t as isolated. If you have the money and want to save your ears so you can keep gaming when you’re an old fart like me, these just might do the trick. While they are specialized for gaming, they will make your music library absolutely sing in quiet listening environments, but probably won’t be the only pair of earbuds you’ll ever need. **Pros** - Exceptional sound quality, especially for detail, clarity, and separation at low volumes - EQ has significant effects; bass boost is very noticeable (controlled on PS5 but applies to all sound connections) - Zero latency while gaming - Good battery life **Cons** - Minimal isolation; no sound cancellation; not loud - Wind noise while walking around because of earbud shape - Volume controls don’t work over a Bluetooth connection - Ear comfort is good but not excellent; Sony design form over function - Bulky charge case; Sony design form over function - Needs a USB dongle for zero latency; dongle not compatible with other Playstation headphones so you may have to swap dongles - Expensive

UPDATE: (please upvote for visibility) Thanks to an observation by u/Lazydayz23, the reason I was experiencing so much external wind noise (and general lack of noise isolation) is because I unknowingly had the "sidetone" option turned all the way up in the PS5 Audio settings for headsets. Once I turned this option down (so you can hear yourself during chats), the wind and noise issues were resolved. That makes perfect sense, since the mics were live broadcasting the environment (arguably the exact opposite of noise cancellation!) I can't edit the Original Post its seems but please reconsider my comments about wind and isolation given the important but deeply hidden "sidetone" feature! Thanks for everyone's thoughts and comments.

Per another commenter here, using PS Link and Bluetooth simultaneously will drain the battery more than usual.

Thank you for this. I will update the review with this note. Turning down the sidetone controls resolved it for me.

Yes, the microphone works for calls over Bluetooth. Quality is good, not amazing.

Basically, the Portal actually costs $400 if you want wireless audio.

Yes, they pair as Bluetooth headphones/headset to your smartphone. The wind noise issue I mentioned does not occur with AirPods so that could be a dealbreaker if you wear them outdoors frequently. You might also miss how Apple integrates AirPods more seamlessly than regular Bluetooth earbuds.

Agreed. But they feel expensive given that the Portal is the same price and consumers expect noise cancellation features at the price point.

5 hours is “good” but 8-10 hours would be “excellent.”

That has happened to me as well. Getting reconnected isn’t as simple as pressing the PS Link buttons either. Zero latency wireless audio shouldn’t be this tricky.

I don’t care if you buy them tbh

But no other brand can connect wirelessly to the PSP Portal with zero latency and no bluetooth dongles. Hence, the review. If folks want wireless latency-free audio on their Portal, it will cost $400 total. I don’t make the rules.

Completely wireless on Portal; requires a dongle for the PS5. Some folks expect the upcoming PS5 Pro to not need a dongle to use PS Link.

Yes, there still some bugs in the PS Link protocol and that USB dongle needs another firmware update.

The PS Link is a bit wonky. Not gonna lie. If you have no patience for wireless connectivity issues then wait for another firmware update or enjoy the convenience of plugging in a 100% reliable corded earbud with 0% latency that costs a fraction of the price and never needs charging.

Yes, paired as a Bluetooth headset and you can listen to music/take calls while connected to the Portal simultaneously.

You can adjust the mix between chat and game volume

The earbud mics

Yes. Details and separation are one of the key strengths of these earbuds planar technology.

Yes, it connects as a regular Bluetooth headset

Yes

Battery life seems good enough for me and battery life still remains strong 188 days since posting this.

Did you try holding down sync button in charging case for more than 20 seconds while plugged in to charger with ear buds nestled in place? (A full 20 seconds, use a timer.) Otherwise, contact Sony for warranty service.

Have you plugged them into your PS5 via USB to check for a firmware update recently?

Yes, they are worth it. Better fit.

I also have that setup but I can play the Pulse Explore earbuds at a drastically lower volume with increased detail, clarity, and separation and my primary concern is hearing loss and my tinnitus.

You were wise to return them. I don't know if some are just lemons but I got a pair for Christmas and they are about to go through a wall for all the issues I'm having with them. Random disconnects still happen quite frequently among other issues (one will start buzzing or they seem to just suddenly die despite being charged). I expected better from Sony...

Tbh if its immersion, I love the playstation pulse earbuds.  They feel comfortable and the sound is great for me.  Outside of that. Can't go wrong with a pair of corsair virtuoso max's, they are super comfy.  https://www.corsair.com/us/en/p/gaming-headsets/ca-9011372-ww/virtuoso-max-wireless-gaming-headset-carbon-ca-9011372-ww

THe sound for these are really great. These would be awesome if they didn't just decide to disconnect in the middle of games or chats and are fully charged. The amount of money you pay for these for this to be a common issue almost everytime I try and wear them is not worth it. It would be better for me to by a pair of sony headphones for much less than spend over $200 for pair of earbuds I can't even use half the time. When they work, they are amazing. But I just can't use them more than half the time without them disconnecting for no apparent reason

I just bought these and are picking them up today at Target. I am specifically using them just to play games with my ps5. I was using the Pulse 3D before and I really wanted to steer away from the over the ear design and I much prefer in ear design. I’m on an older gamer as well, 40, and these are much more comfortable compared to over the ear. The price, really didn’t bother. Also, I’m really not a person to be making something super loud as well. I also play in a very quiet environment in a basement in front of a 27 inch monitor