CS 1132B

Initial Impression: When I received the product initially i started with Bluetooth audio with iPhone in Apple music. SInce there's no lossless format supported in Bluetooth the initial impression was so so. But don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with the headphones itself. I am used to listening to music in Lossless/Hi Res Lossless on my 2.1 Setup featuring the Sonodyne 3165 and SUB 1010 (With Marantz Nr1200) also for lossless music on headphones. I have an Audio Technica ATH-M50x. So my reference point is Lossless support. Audio Quality: Thankfully Sonodyne has offered the 3.5 input as well and the moment I plugged them on my AVR and streamed the same song in lossless format (SHIVERS - ED Sheean) OMG, I was blown away, it was able to replicate the same magic my Audio Technica M50x does, and this is without even burning in. I always had the trust in Sonodyne to deliver, and they did in every way I wanted to. I got them for 5k, now for this money, i am able to use them as daily driver for music listening both Bluetooth/wired 3.5. The bluetooth music is also improving as burning is happening, this is just a weeks use On Calls; It has excellent call/voice clarity over calls on phone as well as teams call on meetings. Even the mic quality is amazing so good for the listener as well Noise Cancelling: Coming to ANC, these aren't industry leading, i can hear very minute reverb in vocals when ANC is turned on. But you'll hardly notice it. Also the ambient noise suppression is good, but not excellent. If you compare it with the likes of Sony. Hence 4 stars for ANC, But I don't have any complaints as I have paid hardly 5k for this. Build Quality: The headphones are light and very comfortable, although the plastics could have been better, I doubt for how long the power, volume and ANC button keeps working flawlessly. But again at this price you can't complain. Overall: At this stellar price there is hardly anything you can complain about, these are solid headphones and can easily compete with the best in the business. Highly recommended!! I am already using Sonodyne Tower speakers and Subwoofer which I am very happy with, added another to my Sonodyne Collection, thanks again Sonodyne for such a solid product!!

Sonodyne is an Indian brand many of us (and some of our parents) grew up with, and my earliest memories of the brand date back to the late '80s/ early '90s, when I used to regularly visit an uncle in Kolkata who was a big fan of the brand and its single-minded focus on recreating music "as the artist intended". Fast forward to 2024, and while the brand continues to serve the serious audiophile and pro-studio markets, it's their Bluetooth wireless speaker range that caught my eye, specifically the most powerful in their range, the aptly named Malhar (after the raga , Malhar which, as the myth goes, has the power to induce thunder and rain). Not one for slimline aesthetics, the Malhar resembles a cajón (or a clapbox as many may know it), an immediate throwback to when audio equipment was engineered for producing clean sound, first and foremost. With its wooden cabinet, classic aesthetics and all, the 8-kilogram Malhar is pleasing on the eye, but it demands pride of place — it's not one to disappear into the décor. Around the front are two 5" glass-fiber cone drivers accompanied by two 1" tweeters, and the sides have two 5" passive radiators. Inputs are all clustered towards the rear, with optical, aux, USB ports along with a handy 5V DC USB port to charge a phone while it's connected to the speaker. Controls to switch between these inputs and change tracks/volume are all on the top and are mirrored on the supplied remote. No buttons to fiddle around with bass/treble settings (intentionally so to retain the original feel of the track), and I would have preferred the indicator LEDs to be more visible, so you know the speaker is on or which input is selected. No app or Wi-Fi connectivity, which one starts expecting at this price point. Any reservations you may have had subside the moment you start playing music on the Malhar. Irrespective of genre, the speaker stands up and delivers, with a balanced sonic signature that accurately renders the highs, mids and lows without colouring the audio, so to speak. Streaming tracks as varied as Simon and Garfunkel to the Beach Boys to some of AR Rahman's classics, Malhar reproduces the tracks damn near flawlessly across its wide 40Hz – 20kHz frequency range. Throw in some punchier tracks and bump up the volume, and you really have to wake up the neighbours before the speaker starts showing the slightest hint of distortion at the top end. Worth noting as well is the expansive soundstage and the open quality to the playback. At its price, Malhar is likely to appeal to audio purists, and despite its name, this truly is a speaker for all seasons. The 'Made in India since 1970' is bonus appeal. Rating: 8/10 Price: INR 37,500

Don't go by all the four star and lower reviews. Also please bear with the longish review, as some detail is required beyond the cryptic 'could be better,' and 'lack of wow experience' cliches. I could write a long form article on this. Looking for an analogy to describe this product, I first thought that it punches way, way above its weight. But that's like saying it is the underdog who fights beyond their potential. This is no David that defeats an unlikely Goliath. In, fact its low price point is probably the only indicator that might lead someone to think that this product is not Avant Garde. In that regard, yes, it does punch way, way above its price point. Its weight (metaphorical, as it is physically quite lightweight) is never in question from the moment it snugly fits on your head, and the ANC is tangible from that moment on. After that it can only get better. And then the music starts, and its capabilities are unleashed. Tested it out first to Ride of the Valkyries. Each instrument is heard distinctly without any strain – from the string ensemble to the flutes, piccolo, oboe, and clarinets to the trombones, tubas, and of course the resounding trumpets, apart from the percussion. Felt like Bill Kilgore (Which reminds me to test this out on Apocalypse Now). Won't go into too much detail of other songs tested, which included Locomotive breath and Thick as a Brick by Tull, Xanadu and Closer to the Heart by Rush, Take Five by Dave Brubeck, Comfortably Numb and Shine on by Pink Floyd, Life in the Fast Lane by Eagles, Baba O'Riley by The Who, among a few others. I must speak about two pieces that stood out. One is Raga Aberi by L Shankar, where he plays a ten-string double violin. It is one of the perfect pieces to test out the bases, mids and highs of this headphone, or any speaker for that matter. Also, The Singing Swans Part II from Rays and Forays by Chitravina N Ravikiran has a kanjira solo by G Harishankar. For those unversed, Kanjira is one of the most versatile frame drums, with a range that belies its size – especially the lower frequencies. G Harishankar was one of the most prolific kanjira virtuosos. Very few of his recordings exist online today. The solo starts at around the 7:50 mark, and the piece is available on Spotify. This portion also helps in testing out the spaces between the music, and each beat is heard distinctly. And Oh! The cellos on Eleanor Rigby. Hear it to believe it. That's as far as music is concerned Also Watched Aston Villa beat Man Utd. The stadium crowd roar was palpable. Two films that have taken sound to a different level are Dune and Interstellar, both scored by Hans Zimmer. Watching them again, one could easily attest to the capabilities of this product. Truly immersive to say the least. As for calls, I could hear clearly without any effort. I also checked with the person at the other end, who said I was crystal clear. This despite talking while standing on the pavement in bumper-to-bumper traffic. To top it all, this is a homegrown, swadeshi brand that can give a run for the money to any of the popular and 'high-end' brands. As I said I could go on. But for those on the fence after some of the lower ratings, this product is not only value for money, but probably also underpriced for its flair. Hope the makers don't take this last comment too seriously... :)

These are excellent budget friendly ANCs, which punch way above their weight. You won't get multi pairing, eq or an app but you'll get solid, balanced sound. But it's not flat. I'll have to burn them a bit more, right now they're slightly bassier but not thumpingly so and while it does dampen a few highs in the background it's not a deal breaker that you'll notice. It may iron out with use. Will update later. I've thrown basic mp3s as well as MQAs and Apple spatial at it. It has done justice to all of them and was quite forgiving of the mp3s. At this price it's a steal and primo Sonodyne quality.

Sonodyne SWH 056 headphone is really good both in terms of ANC and sound quality. There is no unnecessary extra bass which can suppress many hidden sounds in a track and produce a perfect sound. The active noise cancellation is also excellent. My neighbour who also uses many big brands headphones like B&W, Bose, Sennheiser etc was so much so impressed with it's sound quality that he instantly bought a Sonodyne SWH 056 for himself also, and remember I didn't burn the headphone yet.

Childhood dream to own a sonodyne came true

Initial Impression: When I received the product initially i started with Bluetooth audio with iPhone in Apple music. SInce there's no lossless format supported in Bluetooth the initial impression was so so. But don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with the headphones itself. I am used to listening to music in Lossless/Hi Res Lossless on my 2.1 Setup featuring the Sonodyne 3165 and SUB 1010 (With Marantz Nr1200) also for lossless music on headphones. I have an Audio Technica ATH-M50x. So my reference point is Lossless support. Audio Quality: Thankfully Sonodyne has offered the 3.5 input as well and the moment I plugged them on my AVR and streamed the same song in lossless format (SHIVERS - ED Sheean) OMG, I was blown away, it was able to replicate the same magic my Audio Technica M50x does, and this is without even burning in. I always had the trust in Sonodyne to deliver, and they did in every way I wanted to. I got them for 5k, now for this money, i am able to use them as daily driver for music listening both Bluetooth/wired 3.5. The bluetooth music is also improving as burning is happening, this is just a weeks use On Calls; It has excellent call/voice clarity over calls on phone as well as teams call on meetings. Even the mic quality is amazing so good for the listener as well Noise Cancelling: Coming to ANC, these aren't industry leading, i can hear very minute reverb in vocals when ANC is turned on. But you'll hardly notice it. Also the ambient noise suppression is good, but not excellent. If you compare it with the likes of Sony. Hence 4 stars for ANC, But I don't have any complaints as I have paid hardly 5k for this. Build Quality: The headphones are light and very comfortable, although the plastics could have been better, I doubt for how long the power, volume and ANC button keeps working flawlessly. But again at this price you can't complain. Overall: At this stellar price there is hardly anything you can complain about, these are solid headphones and can easily compete with the best in the business. Highly recommended!! I am already using Sonodyne Tower speakers and Subwoofer which I am very happy with, added another to my Sonodyne Collection, thanks again Sonodyne for such a solid product!!

Just love the product. Bought it more out of nostalgia as we used to have a Sonodyne sound system when I was younger and dad used to play Rabindrasangeet on it. The sound quality is fabulous, ANC ,fairly ok

Definitely one of the best . Amazing clarity. Must have for music lovers

Initial Impression: When I received the product initially i started with Bluetooth audio with iPhone in Apple music. SInce there's no lossless format supported in Bluetooth the initial impression was so so. But don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with the headphones itself. I am used to listening to music in Lossless/Hi Res Lossless on my 2.1 Setup featuring the Sonodyne 3165 and SUB 1010 (With Marantz Nr1200) also for lossless music on headphones. I have an Audio Technica ATH-M50x. So my reference point is Lossless support. Audio Quality: Thankfully Sonodyne has offered the 3.5 input as well and the moment I plugged them on my AVR and streamed the same song in lossless format (SHIVERS - ED Sheean) OMG, I was blown away, it was able to replicate the same magic my Audio Technica M50x does, and this is without even burning in. I always had the trust in Sonodyne to deliver, and they did in every way I wanted to. I got them for 5k, now for this money, i am able to use them as daily driver for music listening both Bluetooth/wired 3.5. The bluetooth music is also improving as burning is happening, this is just a weeks use On Calls; It has excellent call/voice clarity over calls on phone as well as teams call on meetings. Even the mic quality is amazing so good for the listener as well Noise Cancelling: Coming to ANC, these aren't industry leading, i can hear very minute reverb in vocals when ANC is turned on. But you'll hardly notice it. Also the ambient noise suppression is good, but not excellent. If you compare it with the likes of Sony. Hence 4 stars for ANC, But I don't have any complaints as I have paid hardly 5k for this. Build Quality: The headphones are light and very comfortable, although the plastics could have been better, I doubt for how long the power, volume and ANC button keeps working flawlessly. But again at this price you can't complain. Overall: At this stellar price there is hardly anything you can complain about, these are solid headphones and can easily compete with the best in the business. Highly recommended!! I am already using Sonodyne Tower speakers and Subwoofer which I am very happy with, added another to my Sonodyne Collection, thanks again Sonodyne for such a solid product!!

First of all my expectation of a audiophile grade headphone is met with this purchase. For the amount of money that I spent, I was very satisfied with music output of the phone. The bass heavy rock numbers were delivered with musicality and timing, I hardly noticed any lag, neither for bass nor for the trebles. The mid and the high notes of less heavy music like Indian classical or jazz had excellent imaging. For phone call over wireless I have not encountered any drop in line or anyone reporting problems in clarity. ANC is working well and without ANC also voice usage has been uneventful and steady. One issue that probably needs OEM attention is that the metal straps are very stiff and probably the hardness will go over long usage. Recommended over ear headphone especially at this price range.

Superb sound, just excellent. Sound quality on every range is balanced its like wearing light comfortable Bose and listening to Audio-Technica Ath-M50X without much cramp force of ears or side of the ears and very light weight. The sound quality at this price is Top Notch...... almost comparable to Sennheiser's......listened to it with 3.5mm wires connected to balanced AMP......its really good. Well done job by Sonodyne..........

I bought Sonodyne swh056 headphones it's a great headphone with good anc noise cancellation it can easily compare with Bose QC45 I have tested both they sounds absolutely same except the Google assistant in Bose present slightly better in battery backup also marginally otherwise both are same I think even mic and noise cancellation is better in Sonodyne it's much cheaper than Bose 2yrs warranty It's better than the Chinese cheaper headphones in the market.One thing u have to remember u have to make custom settings in urs smartphone to sound better according to ur's need the Amazon service is excellent with in 2days delivery good packaging at good price Rs6,500.

For audiophiles, Sonodyne has been a legendary Make in India brand, & the Bandish offers 120W of pure grade sound!

I am satisfied. The outside noise is taken care and music sounds really cool. Looks good and I think it's a good deal.

Don't go by all the four star and lower reviews. Also please bear with the longish review, as some detail is required beyond the cryptic 'could be better,' and 'lack of wow experience' cliches. I could write a long form article on this. Looking for an analogy to describe this product, I first thought that it punches way, way above its weight. But that's like saying it is the underdog who fights beyond their potential. This is no David that defeats an unlikely Goliath. In, fact its low price point is probably the only indicator that might lead someone to think that this product is not Avant Garde. In that regard, yes, it does punch way, way above its price point. Its weight (metaphorical, as it is physically quite lightweight) is never in question from the moment it snugly fits on your head, and the ANC is tangible from that moment on. After that it can only get better. And then the music starts, and its capabilities are unleashed. Tested it out first to Ride of the Valkyries. Each instrument is heard distinctly without any strain – from the string ensemble to the flutes, piccolo, oboe, and clarinets to the trombones, tubas, and of course the resounding trumpets, apart from the percussion. Felt like Bill Kilgore (Which reminds me to test this out on Apocalypse Now). Won't go into too much detail of other songs tested, which included Locomotive breath and Thick as a Brick by Tull, Xanadu and Closer to the Heart by Rush, Take Five by Dave Brubeck, Comfortably Numb and Shine on by Pink Floyd, Life in the Fast Lane by Eagles, Baba O'Riley by The Who, among a few others. I must speak about two pieces that stood out. One is Raga Aberi by L Shankar, where he plays a ten-string double violin. It is one of the perfect pieces to test out the bases, mids and highs of this headphone, or any speaker for that matter. Also, The Singing Swans Part II from Rays and Forays by Chitravina N Ravikiran has a kanjira solo by G Harishankar. For those unversed, Kanjira is one of the most versatile frame drums, with a range that belies its size – especially the lower frequencies. G Harishankar was one of the most prolific kanjira virtuosos. Very few of his recordings exist online today. The solo starts at around the 7:50 mark, and the piece is available on Spotify. This portion also helps in testing out the spaces between the music, and each beat is heard distinctly. And Oh! The cellos on Eleanor Rigby. Hear it to believe it. That's as far as music is concerned Also Watched Aston Villa beat Man Utd. The stadium crowd roar was palpable. Two films that have taken sound to a different level are Dune and Interstellar, both scored by Hans Zimmer. Watching them again, one could easily attest to the capabilities of this product. Truly immersive to say the least. As for calls, I could hear clearly without any effort. I also checked with the person at the other end, who said I was crystal clear. This despite talking while standing on the pavement in bumper-to-bumper traffic. To top it all, this is a homegrown, swadeshi brand that can give a run for the money to any of the popular and 'high-end' brands. As I said I could go on. But for those on the fence after some of the lower ratings, this product is not only value for money, but probably also underpriced for its flair. Hope the makers don't take this last comment too seriously... :)

Sonodyne is a heritage. Even my dad was a big fan of Sonodyne. However, this was my first Sonodyne product. Initially, I was not sure whether I should go with the purchase, as I was not able to test it in person from Pune. Still went ahead with the nostalgia. It's an excellent pair in this price range and even in ranges above. Sound signature is well balanced, well tuned drivers, it's comfortable and the ANC istop-notch. Nice build quality. Two hiccups for me. One was the exclusion of any carrying case or bag with the product. Even a simple carrying pouch would have been really appreciated. Secondly, the branding could have been better positioned and more subtle. Would have given it a more cleaner asthetics.

Since its inception in the early 70s, Sonodyne is a company that has been at the forefront of the innovative Indian professional audio market