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  1. Table of Contents
  2. Top
  3. Main Differences
  4. Design
    1. Style
    2. Comfort
    3. Controls
    4. Breathability
    5. Portability
    6. Case
    7. Build Quality
    8. Stability
    9. Headshots 1
    10. Headshots 2
    11. Top
    12. In The Box
  5. Sound
    1. Sound Profile
    2. Frequency Response Consistency
    3. Raw Frequency Response
    4. Bass Profile: Target Compliance
    5. Mid-Range Profile: Target Compliance
    6. Treble Profile: Target Compliance
    7. Peaks/Dips
    8. Imaging
    9. Passive Soundstage
    10. Virtual Soundstage
    11. Weighted Harmonic Distortion
    12. Test Settings
  6. Isolation
    1. Noise Isolation - Full Range
    2. Noise Isolation - Common Scenarios
    3. Noise Isolation - Voice Handling
    4. ANC Wind Handling
    5. Leakage
  7. Microphone
    1. Microphone Style
    2. Recording Quality
    3. Noise Handling
  8. Active Features
    1. Battery
    2. App Support
  9. Connectivity
    1. Wired Connection
    2. Bluetooth Connection
    3. Wireless Connection (Dongle)
    4. PC Compatibility
    5. PlayStation Compatibility
    6. Xbox Compatibility
    7. Base/Dock
  10. Comments

Sony PULSE 3D Wireless vs Sony PULSE Explore Truly Wireless

Side-by-Side Comparison

Products

Sony PULSE 3D Wireless
Sony PULSE Explore Truly Wireless

Tested using Methodology v1.6

Updated Apr 12, 2024 02:29 PM

SEE PRICE
Amazon.com

Tested using Methodology v1.8

Updated Jan 21, 2025 05:16 PM

SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Sony PULSE 3D Wireless Picture
Sony PULSE Explore Truly Wireless Picture

Variants

  • PULSE 3D (Gray Camouflage)
  • PULSE 3D (Midnight Black)
  • PULSE 3D (White)
  • PULSE Explore (White)

Our Verdict

Sony PULSE 3D Wireless

Sony PULSE Explore Truly Wireless

The Sony PULSE 3D Wireless and the Sony PULSE Explore Truly Wireless are gaming headphones meant for PlayStation consoles; which one you prefer mostly depends on what type of headphones you want. The Explore have a smaller, more portable in-ear design and use planar magnetic drivers, which is intended to improve the clarity of audio. They support Bluetooth, so you can connect them to your phone when you're on the go. On the other hand, the 3D are over-ears with a longer continuous battery life. Their design helps them create a more wide, spacious-seeming passive soundstage. They also have a dedicated app with a graphic EQ and presets for sound customization.

0

Check Price

White
PULSE Explore
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Gray Camouflage
PULSE 3D
Searching
Finding store
 
Midnight Black
PULSE 3D
Searching
Finding store
 

Notice: Two or more of the products selected have been tested with different test methodologies, so some of the results below aren't directly comparable. Learn how our test benches and scoring system work, and read more about the latest changes to our headphones test methodology.

Main Differences for

Threshold 

0.10

Neutral Sound 

7.3
7.2

Passive Soundstage 
 

5.6
1.1

Bass Accuracy 
 

7.4
8.7

Mid Accuracy 
 

8.8
9.5

Frequency Response Consistency 
 

7.1
9.3

Treble Accuracy 
 

5.7
5.0

Full Comparison

Design

Style  

Design Picture 2  

Sony PULSE 3D Wireless Design Picture 2
Sony PULSE Explore Truly Wireless Design Picture 2

Type  

Over-ear
In-ear

Enclosure  

Closed-Back
Closed-Back

Wireless  

Yes
Truly Wireless

Transducer  

Dynamic
Planar Magnetic

Show text

Comfort 
 

6.0
7.0

Comfort Picture  

Sony PULSE 3D Wireless Comfort Picture
Sony PULSE Explore Truly Wireless Comfort Picture

Weight  

0.65 lbs
0.03 lbs

Clamping Force 
 

0.9 lbs
0 lbs

Show text

Controls 
 

6.4
5.2

Controls Picture  

Sony PULSE 3D Wireless Controls Picture
Sony PULSE Explore Truly Wireless Controls Picture

OS Compatibility 
 

Not OS specific
Not OS specific

Ease Of Use  

Decent
Good

Feedback  

Decent
Decent

Call/Music Control  

No
No

Volume Control  

Yes
Yes

Microphone Control  

Mute/Unmute
No

Channel Mixing 
 

Yes
No

Noise Cancelling Control  

No
No

Talk-Through 
 

On/Off
No

Additional Controls  

No
No

Show text

Breathability 
 

Breathability After Picture  

Avg.Temp.Difference  

Portability 
 

5.3
9.4

Portability Picture  

Sony PULSE 3D Wireless Portability Picture
Sony PULSE Explore Truly Wireless Portability Picture

 

8.2" (20.8 cm)
1.4" (3.7 cm)

 

7.3" (18.5 cm)
1.0" (2.7 cm)

 

3.6" (9.1 cm)
1.1" (2.9 cm)

Volume  

216.00 in³ (3,539.59 cm³)
1.77 in³ (28.97 cm³)

Transmitter Required  

No
Yes

Show text

Case 
 

0.0
7.0

Case Picture  

Sony PULSE 3D Wireless Case Picture
Sony PULSE Explore Truly Wireless Case Picture

Type  

No case
Hard case

 

N/A
1.5" (3.9 cm)

 

N/A
3.5" (8.8 cm)

 

N/A
1.7" (4.2 cm)

Volume  

N/A
8.80 in³ (144.14 cm³)

Show text

Build Quality 
 

7.0
7.0

Build Quality Picture  

Sony PULSE 3D Wireless Build Quality Picture
Sony PULSE Explore Truly Wireless Build Quality Picture

Show text

Stability 
 

6.5
7.5

Stability Picture  

Sony PULSE 3D Wireless Stability Picture
Sony PULSE Explore Truly Wireless Stability Picture

Show text

Headshots 1  

Angled Picture  

Sony PULSE 3D Wireless Angled Picture
Sony PULSE Explore Truly Wireless Angled Picture

Side Picture  

Sony PULSE 3D Wireless Side Picture
Sony PULSE Explore Truly Wireless Side Picture

Headshots 2  

Front Picture  

Sony PULSE 3D Wireless Front Picture
Sony PULSE Explore Truly Wireless Front Picture

Rear Picture  

Sony PULSE 3D Wireless Rear Picture
Sony PULSE Explore Truly Wireless Rear Picture

Top  

Top Picture  

Sony PULSE 3D Wireless Top Picture
Sony PULSE Explore Truly Wireless Top Picture

In The Box  

In The Box Picture  

Sony PULSE 3D Wireless In The Box Picture
Sony PULSE Explore Truly Wireless In The Box Picture

Show text

Sound

Sound Profile 
 

Sound Profile  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

Normalization Frequency 
 

850 Hz

Bass Amount 
 

-4 dB
3.2 dB

Treble Amount 
 

-4.04 dB
-2.6 dB

Show text

Frequency Response Consistency 
 

7.1
9.3

Consistency L  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

Consistency R  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

Avg. Std. Deviation 
 

0.58 dB
0.15 dB

Show text

Raw Frequency Response 
 

Raw FR L  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

Raw FR R  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

Bass Profile: Target Compliance 
 

7.4
8.7

Bass Profile: Target Compliance  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

RMS Deviation From Target 
 

3.72 dB
3.4 dB

Low-Frequency Extension 
 

51.13 Hz
20 Hz

Low Bass 
 

-7.24 dB
4.18 dB

Mid Bass 
 

-0.31 dB
3.09 dB

High Bass 
 

2.08 dB
1.89 dB

Show text

Mid-Range Profile: Target Compliance 
 

8.8
9.5

Mid-Range Profile: Target Compliance  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

RMS Deviation From Target 
 

1.55 dB
0.76 dB

Low Mid 
 

0.04 dB
-0.12 dB

Mid-Mid 
 

0.03 dB
-0.89 dB

High Mid 
 

2.46 dB
-0.1 dB

Show text

Treble Profile: Target Compliance 
 

5.7
5.0

Treble Profile: Target Compliance  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

RMS Deviation From Target 
 

6.2 dB
5.02 dB

Low Treble 
 

-2.65 dB
-1.29 dB

Mid Treble 
 

-6.44 dB
-4.37 dB

High Treble 
 

-10.05 dB
-12.16 dB

Show text

Peaks/Dips 
 

7.0
7.3

Peaks/Dips Graph 
 

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

Peaks 
 

1.9 dB
1.49 dB

Dips 
 

1.61 dB
1.95 dB

Show text

Imaging 
 

8.3
8.8

Group Delay  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

Phase Response Mismatch  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

Weighted Group Delay 
 

0.28
0.12

Weighted Phase Mismatch 
 

4.2
2.47

Weighted Amplitude Mismatch 
 

1.07
1.09

Weighted Frequency Mismatch 
 

2.26
1.35

Show text

Passive Soundstage 
 

5.6
1.1

PRTF  

See details on graph tool
Sony PULSE Explore Truly Wireless PRTF

PRTF Accuracy (Std. Dev.) 
 

3.34 dB
N/A

PRTF Size (Avg.) 
 

2.79 dB
N/A

PRTF Distance 
 

8.05 dB
N/A

Openness 
 

9.3
5.4

Acoustic Space Excitation 
 

3.1
0

Show text

Virtual Soundstage 
 

2.0
0.0

Virtual Soundstage  

Sony PULSE 3D Wireless Virtual Soundstage
Sony PULSE Explore Truly Wireless Virtual Soundstage

Head Modeling 
 

No
No

Speaker Modeling 
 

On/Off
No

Room Ambience 
 

No
No

Head Tracking 
 

No
No

Virtual Surround 
 

Yes
No

Show text

Weighted Harmonic Distortion 
 

7.4
7.5

Weighted Harmonic Distortion  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

WHD @ 90 
 

0.297
0.401

WHD @ 100 
 

0.182
0.138

Show text

Test Settings 
 

Firmware 
 

Unknown
0137

Power 
 

On
On

Connection 
 

Wireless (Proprietary)
Wireless (Proprietary)

Codec 
 

PCM, 24-bit, 48kHz
PCM, 16-bit, 48kHz

Test Instrument  

Audio Precision APx517B

EQ 
 

No EQ
Default

ANC 
 

No ANC
No ANC

Tip/Pad 
 

Default
Silicone (medium)

Microphone 
 

Integrated
Integrated

Show text

Isolation

Noise Isolation - Full Range 
 

2.0
4.5

Noise Isolation - Full Range Graph  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

Noise Cancelling  

No
No

Overall Attenuation 
 

-6.56 dB
-10.71 dB

Isolation Audio 
 

Bass 
 

0.2 dB
-2.06 dB

Mid 
 

0.76 dB
-10.23 dB

Treble 
 

-20.22 dB
-21.70 dB

Show text

Noise Isolation - Common Scenarios 
 

4.9

Noise Isolation - Common Scenarios Graph  

See details on graph tool

Airplane Noise Attenuation 
 

-11.13 dB

Airplane Noise Isolation Audio 
 

Office Noise Attenuation 
 

-11.67 dB

Office Noise Isolation Audio 
 

Street Noise Attenuation 
 

-12.60 dB

Street Noise Isolation Audio 
 

Show text

Noise Isolation - Voice Handling 
 

Female Voice 1 
 

Male Voice 1 
 

Female Voice 2 
 

Male Voice 2 
 

ANC Wind Handling 
 

ANC Wind Handling Graph  

Sony PULSE Explore Truly Wireless ANC Wind Handling Graph

ANC Wind Noise 
 

N/A

Leakage 
 

7.3
10

Leakage  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

Leakage Audio 
 

Overall Leakage @ 1ft 
 

37.91 dB
9.74 dB

Show text

Microphone

Microphone Style 
 

Integrated 
 

Yes
Yes

In-Line 
 

No
No

Boom 
 

No
No

Detachable Boom 
 

No
No

Mic  

Yes
Yes

Recording Quality 
 

6.8
5.4

Microphone Frequency Response  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

Recorded Speech 
 

LFE 
 

179.59 Hz
84.76 Hz

FR Std. Dev. 
 

3.66 dB
8.46 dB

HFE 
 

3,272.31 Hz
13,279.64 Hz

Weighted THD 
 

0.191
30,625.132

Gain 
 

-5.07 dB
-14.58 dB

Show text

Noise Handling 
 

5.7
6.3

SpNR  

See details on graph tool
See details on graph tool

SpNR 
 

11.29 dB
7.69 dB

Noise Gate 
 

Always On
Always On

Speech + Pink Noise Handling 
 

5.5
6.5

Speech + Pink Noise Audio Sample  

Speech + Subway Noise Handling 
 

6.0
6.0

Speech + Subway Noise Audio Sample  

Show text

Active Features

Battery 
 

7.3
5.9

Battery Type 
 

Rechargable
Rechargable

Continuous Battery Life 
 

13.4 hrs
5 hrs

Additional Charges 
 

0.0
2.0

Total Battery Life 
 

13.4 hrs
15 hrs

Charge Time 
 

3.3 hrs
0.9 hrs

Power-Saving Feature 
 

No
No

Audio While Charging 
 

Yes
Yes

Passive Playback 
 

Yes
No

Charging Port  

USB-C
USB-C

Show text

App Support 
 

7.0
0.0

App Picture  

Sony PULSE 3D Wireless App Picture
Sony PULSE Explore Truly Wireless App Picture

App Name  

PS5 Inferface
No App

iOS  

No
No

Android  

No
No

macOS  

No
No

Windows  

No
No

Equalizer 
 

Graphic + Presets
No

ANC Control 
 

No
No

Mic Control  

No
No

Room Effects 
 

No
No

Playback Control 
 

No
No

Button Mapping  

No
No

Surround Support 
 

No
No

Show text

Connectivity

Wired Connection 
 

9.9
0.0

Cable Picture  

Sony PULSE 3D Wireless Cable Picture
Sony PULSE Explore Truly Wireless Cable Picture

Analog Audio 
 

Yes
No

USB Audio 
 

No
No

Detachable 
 

Yes
No

Length 
 

4.10 ft (1.25 m)
N/A

Connector 
 

1/8" TRRS
No Wired Option

Latency - Analog 
 

0.2 ms
N/A

Latency - USB 
 

N/A
N/A

Recorded Latency 
 

N/A

Recorded Latency Connection  

Analog
No Wired Audio

Show text

Bluetooth Connection 
 

0.0
8.0

Bluetooth Version 
 

No Bluetooth
5.3

Multi-Device Pairing 
 

No
Bluetooth + Console/Non-BT Wireless

Quick Pair (Android) 
 

No
No

Quick Pair (iOS) 
 

No
No

Line Of Sight Range 
 

N/A
282.15 ft (86.00 m)

Latency - SBC 
 

N/A
265 ms

Latency - aptX 
 

N/A
N/A

Latency - aptX Adaptive (High Quality) 
 

N/A
N/A

Latency - aptX Adaptive (Low Latency) 
 

N/A
N/A

Latency - LDAC 
 

N/A
N/A

Recorded Latency 
 

N/A

Recorded Latency Codec  

No Bluetooth Audio
SBC

AAC Support 
 

No
Yes

Show text

Wireless Connection (Dongle) 
 

8.9
8.9

Line Of Sight Range 
 

195.00 ft (59.44 m)
203.41 ft (62.00 m)

Latency - Dongle 
 

24 ms
27 ms

Recorded Latency 
 

Show text

PC Compatibility 
 

Analog 
 

Audio + Microphone
No

Wired USB 
 

No
No

Non-BT Wireless 
 

Audio + Microphone
Audio + Microphone

Show text

PlayStation Compatibility 
 

PS4 Analog 
 

Audio + Microphone
No

PS4 Wired USB 
 

No
No

PS4 Non-BT Wireless 
 

Audio + Microphone
Audio + Microphone

PS5 Analog 
 

Audio + Microphone
No

PS5 Wired USB 
 

No
No

PS5 Non-BT Wireless 
 

Audio + Microphone
Audio + Microphone

Show text

Xbox Compatibility 
 

Xbox One Analog 
 

Audio + Microphone
No

Xbox One Wired USB 
 

No
No

Xbox One Non-BT Wireless 
 

No
No

Xbox Series X|S Analog 
 

Audio + Microphone
No

Xbox Series X|S Wired USB 
 

No
No

Xbox Series X|S Non-BT Wireless 
 

No
No

Show text

Base/Dock 
 

3.4
2.2

Type 
 

Wireless USB Dongle
Wireless USB Dongle + Charging Case

USB Input 
 

Yes
No

Line In 
 

No
No

Line Out 
 

No
No

Optical Input 
 

No
No

RCA Input 
 

No
No

Dock Charging 
 

No
Yes

Power Supply 
 

USB
USB-C

Show text

Check Price

White
PULSE Explore
SEE PRICE
Amazon.com
Gray Camouflage
PULSE 3D
Searching
Finding store
 
Midnight Black
PULSE 3D
Searching
Finding store
 

Sony PULSE 3D Wireless

Sony PULSE Explore Truly Wireless

Comments

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Sony PULSE 3D Wireless vs Sony PULSE Explore Truly Wireless: Main Discussion

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