Sony Interactive Entertainment to Acquire Audeze Headphones

Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC (“SIE”) announced today that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Audeze, a leading audio technology brand and pioneer of high-end gaming headphones. The acquisition will strengthen SIE’s efforts to continue innovating when it comes to the audio experience of PlayStation games.

Audeze will continue to operate independently and develop multi-platform products, while benefiting from being a part of the PlayStation ecosystem. Based in Santa Ana, Calif., Audeze develops award-winning headphones for the professional audio, audiophile, and gaming markets. These headphones use Audeze’s patented technologies and unique planar magnetic drivers to deliver an outstanding sound experience for consumers as well as recording professionals, including sound engineers at many game development studios. Audeze designs and manufactures its planar magnetic drivers and professional headphones in its California facility.“

Audeze is a premier brand for headphones, and this acquisition highlights Sony Interactive’s focus on innovation and providing the best audio experience to PlayStation players,” said Hideaki Nishino, Senior Vice President, Platform Experience at Sony Interactive Entertainment. “We’re excited to bring Audeze’s expertise into the PlayStation ecosystem, building on the great strides we’ve made with PlayStation 5’s Tempest 3D AudioTech and the Pulse 3D wireless headset.”

“Sony Interactive provides Audeze with a unique opportunity to scale our business, as we continue with our mission to deliver best-in-class headphones to recording professionals, audiophiles, and gamers,” said Sankar Thiagasamudram, CEO at Audeze. “We’re also looking forward to contributing to Sony Interactive’s efforts to take PlayStation audio experiences to the next level.”

Terms of this transaction, including the acquisition cost, are not disclosed due to contractual commitments.

Sony’s Role in the Headphone Business — Especially in Noise Cancelation (ANC)

Sony has long been a dominant player in the global audio market, and its impact on the headphone industry is especially significant. While many know Sony for its legacy in cassette players and the original Walkman, the company has also become a major force in the modern headphone world—particularly in the active noise cancelation (ANC) category. In the last decade, Sony has managed to bridge the gap between mainstream consumers and discerning listeners, creating products that combine convenience and cutting-edge technology with respectable sound quality.

Sony’s roots in headphone design go back to the late 1970s and early 1980s, when it began producing lightweight, on-ear models to complement its portable cassette players. The original Walkman came bundled with foam-padded headphones that helped redefine how people listened to music on the go. While these early models were more about portability than fidelity, they introduced the idea of personal listening to a broad audience.

Over the decades, Sony built out a vast headphone catalog—ranging from in-ear buds to over-ear studio monitors. Many of its professional-grade headphones, such as the MDR-7506, gained wide acceptance in recording studios and broadcast environments due to their flat response and reliability. But the biggest shift came in the 2010s, when Sony started to focus heavily on premium, feature-rich wireless headphones—especially those with active noise cancelation.

The turning point came with the launch of the WH-1000X series, starting with the WH-1000X (M1) in 2016. While Bose had dominated the ANC headphone category for years with its QuietComfort line, Sony’s first-generation model was a clear statement that it was entering the fight seriously. By the time the WH-1000XM2 and especially the WH-1000XM3 arrived, Sony had not only caught up—it had arguably pulled ahead.

Sony’s approach to ANC was notable for how well it combined sound quality with advanced features. The 1000X series headphones featured adaptive noise cancelation that could automatically adjust based on ambient conditions and user activity. They also included customizable ambient sound modes, touch controls, and integration with voice assistants like Google Assistant and Alexa. From a usability perspective, they were among the most complete headphone offerings in the category.

The real achievement, however, was how Sony managed to implement high-performance ANC without compromising too much on sound. Earlier ANC models—across the board—often dulled the music or created a sense of pressure that made extended listening fatiguing. Sony refined its DSP and driver tuning to preserve detail and dynamics even when ANC was engaged. While not targeted at the audiophile crowd specifically, the WH-1000X models struck a balance that few mainstream products could match.

With the release of the WH-1000XM4 in 2020 and WH-1000XM5 in 2022, Sony doubled down on this formula. The XM4 improved call quality, added multi-device pairing, and refined the already strong ANC performance. The XM5 introduced a completely new design and improved driver assembly, along with better microphones and wind-noise reduction. Both models remained leaders in the segment, consistently praised for their comfort, battery life, ANC capabilities, and well-rounded sound.

Sony also developed proprietary processing hardware, such as the QN1 and later QN1e noise-cancelation chips, which allowed them to handle noise reduction and audio processing in real time. These chips were central to the performance of both their over-ear and in-ear models and helped Sony stay ahead of competitors who relied more heavily on off-the-shelf solutions.

In addition to over-ear models, Sony brought ANC into the true wireless category with products like the WF-1000XM3and WF-1000XM4. These earbuds offered class-leading noise cancelation in a compact form factor, along with support for high-resolution wireless codecs like LDAC, another Sony-developed technology aimed at preserving audio quality over Bluetooth.

Despite these achievements, Sony’s position in the headphone market hasn’t been without challenges. Apple’s AirPods Pro and Max products, along with offerings from Sennheiser, Bose, and newer competitors like Anker’s Soundcore division, have made the space increasingly competitive. However, Sony has retained a reputation for delivering a complete package—great ANC, solid audio, dependable wireless performance, and well-thought-out ergonomics.

It’s worth noting that Sony’s headphone offerings are not purely about ANC. The company continues to cater to a more purist audience with models like the MDR-Z1R, a flagship wired headphone built with audiophile intentions. While these models aren’t nearly as visible in the market as the 1000X series, they show that Sony still maintains a toe in high-end audio design alongside its more commercially successful products.

Sony’s success in noise cancelation headphones reflects a broader strategy: use its deep R&D resources, global manufacturing capabilities, and software integration to build products that appeal to the modern listener. It’s not just about blocking out sound—it’s about creating a versatile, portable listening environment that competes with wired systems in convenience without giving up too much in fidelity.