(713)748-5552
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9999 Bellaire Blvd, Houston, TX 77036, USA
Maximizing your personal audio experience has never been easier than with SONY ZX-Series Monitor headphones. Built with comfort and performance in mind, there’s no need to compromise.
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ronan johnston –
overall – 4.5 stars
my main complaint is the noise cancellation but looking past that these headphones are honestly amazing for only $10. they’re great budget headphones for average use, but don’t expect them to be anything fancy (i see a lot of people complaining about the lack of bass. the bass sound comes through perfectly and is still there, it’s just not boosted.) they’re definitely not crap quality headphones, these are probably the best headphones in their price range.
sound quality – 5 stars
i think a lot of personal preference goes into sound quality but as someone who’s never had a super expensive pair of headphones i LOVE the sound quality in these. the bass comes through well (it’s not anything boosted though, but i don’t mind as i didn’t expect it), plus it really does sound like a small stereo next to your ear. the quality still holds strong at loud volumes as well. in songs where they split parts of the audio between two ears i can make out both parts clearly. vocals also come through beautifully!
noise cancellation – 3 stars
i listen to music pretty loud so this may be mostly personal preference but the noise cancellation is pretty bad lol, though they’re not over-the-ear so i somewhat expected this. when i take off my headphones in a quiet room with my computer volume halfway up, i can still hear my music clearly. despite this i don’t think it’d bother another person across the room, maybe someone closer to you though. when i have the volume all the way up in a quiet room and i take my headphones off, the music is perfectly clear and sounds like its coming from a phone at a low volume.
fit – 5 stars
I am a 14 year old boy, these headphones fit my head perfectly with no discomfort. when i turn or shake my head lightly they don’t slide around, but when i lean my head forward they start to fall. they surprisingly fit my ears very well though! i can wear them for an extended period of time without my ears starting to hurt. the foam on both speakers is comfortable as well.
quality – 4 stars
they seem kinda flimsy but that’s what i’d expect with $10 headphones, especially the part that connects the two speakers. the foam over the speakers looks well made, and it’s firmly attached to the plastic on the speakers. the wire also looks sturdy, it’s a third the thickness of my pinky (again, 14 year old boy). the headphones fold up so that they’re flat, and you can also wrap up the wire well for storage as it doesn’t get tangled easily. the headphone jack looks sturdy and not easy to damage.
look and feel – 5 STARS!!! 10 IF I COULD
by far the most aesthetically appealing headphones I’ve worn or owned. they don’t look clunky on my head or around my neck. they are light and don’t weigh down my head. plus the speakers are flat so they’re perfect for decorating with stickers and paint and such (something i plan to do) they are made with soft foam and a matte feeling plastic, apart from the outside of the speakers which is a more smooth and slightly reflective plastic (perfect for stickers lol)
headphone jack/plugin – 5 stars
its a standard 3.5mm jack, so this means it’s not directly compatible with most newer phones (anything above an iPhone 6, anything above a Pixel XL, and most new androids made past 2018). despite this it works with pretty much all computers and gaming consoles (works with my nintendo switch fine). and even if these headphones don’t plug directly into your phone, you can buy headphone adapters for your specific phone model.
lifetime – unrated
i have yet to use these headphones for a while, but from what i see from other reviews these can last 2 years if you’re careful with them which is great. they also seem like they’d survive a while from the quality, but I’ve seen mixed opinions about how long each speaker lasts. despite all that i’m pretty sure these should last a while if you’re mindful of how you handle them.
Geodesy –
I have to say I am thoroughly impressed with the sound quality and fit of these. For the price, how on Earth can you go wrong? Sony has always been my favorite brand for audio tech and these will continue that tradition. They are incredibly lightweight and fit perfectly on my ears. After wearing them virtually all day long at the office I have absolutely zero discomfort. That is impressive since I wear glasses and have pretty big ears. Most other on or over ear headphones start to hurt after an hour or two – not these. The fit is snug enough that they don’t slide off my head but still loose enough not to hurt. Padding is very comfortable too. Wires come out of each side and do not get in the way at all. Regarding sound, I find they sound really good and bass is just about perfect for my liking. I have spent 10 times as much on other brands to not have as good of sound as these, so that is definitely saying something! Thank you Sony for another awesome audio product!
R. T. –
Review for: Sony ZX Series Wired On-Ear Headphones, Black MDR-ZX110 no microphone
If these were a $50+ set of earphones they would be 2 stars at best.
If they were $30 they would be 3 stars.
If they were $20 they might be 4 stars.
But for $10 they can’t be beat. Are they perfect? No. They could have a volume adjustment, and they could have some padding on the headband, and they could have better sound quality – but if they had all that they wouldn’t be $10. For casual use they are perfectly acceptable. Not audiophile quality (a little too much bass for me) but very usable for listening to music while traveling, audio books, etc. and comfortable enough to wear for long periods. They don’t block all ambient noises but mute them enough to not be distracting unless they’re really loud.
Udo Schuermann –
This review may be a bit lengthy, but I shall strive to give as comprehensive and hopefully useful a review as I can:
I bought a pair of these on impulse in early 2021 at a store, when I began an 80-day “workation” trip around the country. My first impression, after unpacking, was that they were flimsy and would likely break within days or weeks, but treating them gently, I have traveled with them literally for months in a pocket of my backpack, taken them out and put them back on a daily basis, and they are still in perfect shape after practically daily use for the past 2.5 years. Fearing recently that they might break some day no matter what, and I would never find another pair, I bought two more when I saw them here on Amazon. I like them that much!
They are light-weight and the ear muffs (not cups, they won’t go around your ear, but sit lightly against) will fold inward into the bow by which they rest atop your head. This makes them compact for travel. If you do take them on the road, you might consider keeping the box in which they came, as it will protect them better against crushing, but as I said, I traveled with them many times, and they have held up admirably.
The headphones will adjust for your head size. From the top of the bow to the center line between the ear muffs, their height can be adjusted from about 5 inches (13cm) to 6.5 inches (17cm), which I imagine should fit just about anyone.
They are marked (L)eft and (R)ight, but also the ear muffs are very slightly angled so that you feel immediately if you have left and right reversed.
I will not pretend to be an audiophile, or to have investigated audio range or such, but from a purely objective standpoint, the audio quality seems well-balanced and makes my music enjoyable: I have another pair of head phones which sound a bit “tinny” by comparison. These Sony headphones sound full and reproduce audio quality which I find pleasing and eminently enjoyable.
I also use them for meetings: I listen to people talking, and rely on the laptop’s built-in microphone to pick up my voice. This works well for me. Audio quality from people talking is excellent.
I’ve worn these headphones for near-three hour meetings, barely noticed that they were on my head, and not felt the need afterwards to rub my ears, meaning that I’ve found them quite comfortable for long-term wear.
The audio cable is permanently affixed (not removable), sturdy, and about 3.5 feet (1 meter) in length. It’s enough for me to stand up from the laptop into which they’re plugged, to stretch or reach for something on the bookshelf behind me, but it doesn’t provide a great deal of range. If I ever felt this to be an actual limitation (and couldn’t afford to remove the headphones for a moment), I might consider an audio extension cable.
All that said, these are extremely basic head phones, as reflected in the price. They have no volume control, no noise cancellation, no microphone, nor any “advanced” features at all. Plug them in, listen to music, and enjoy.
I feel that for this price especially, there is simply no better bang for the buck.
Xmetal –
June 2023: Well another pair … one of the pair I bought in 2022… has failed completely on one side at least. This is the second pair of these “110’s” (look at the end of the model number) that has done this in say a year to a year 1/2 at best. I may have gotten lucky but I had a pair of the “100’s” (sound basically the same, discontinued, and they have a thicker insolation around the wire .. aka a thicker cable) that lasted me for about 10 YEARS. Under the same condition these last two pair that broke on me were subjected to. I am on the borderline of saying “I cant recommend these” anymore … but I admit for the right price I may get another pair and just KNOW these will not last and if i get even a single year out of them, that will be great. It stinks and I am NOT happy but, the other options I see do not sound as good in this price range or sound as good but are made even cheaper. I want a pair that sonud decent enough when eq’ed (I do like my music) but aren’t 100’s of dollars since alot of times i am in the hot Florida heat and humidity. That pair that lasted 10 years at least I am sure I even got them in a unintential rain storm or two over that time. These 110;s dont seem to last. Even the pair of Sony “300/310s” I have in red have an EVEN THINNER cable.
Feb 2023: just noticed this yesterday but between that pair that seemed like it was tuned funny and another pair i use at my laptop (main computer i use alot) … the earpads that NORMALLY flake to pieces in no time … well in both pair they are a-ok and not even starting to flake off … from an old pair that broke i still have some memory foam earpads that i can swap on anytime i want (they are more comfortable though the stock pads are decent enough too comfort wise) … but credit where it’s due on the not flaking to pieces issue
Jan 2023 Update for “Muddy” pair vs others EQ’d the same way … well i have to go back and read my review … I think i adjusted the mids somehow but i have been using this pair constantly and not only does the pair bought in Jan 2022 still work fine, the earpads which i expected to go by now, are still ok and also the sound issue … EQ’ed thanks to Rockbox … I dont notice any “issue” (granted my expectations of these NOT being audiophile quality sound but a good clear V-shape with decent mids .. not too back and not too forward) … yeah i am ok with even that pair, now
Feb 2022 update to the newest Jan 2022 pair i mentioned sounding muddy. I have used them a few days and now i think I have the fix … they need EQ help but they sound decent now, even if not “great”. My fix was in Rockbox (Sansa mp3 players running Rockbox was always my main use-case) I left “Treble” and “base” alone and kept all of my prior sound settings I had for prior models sounding good. I kept the i want to say around the 1k and 2k EQ ranges that were at zero and i pulled them down a bit … THEN I also (based off a youtube video suggestion on muddy sound) i pulled down the low end in the advanced EQ part, STILL leaving a boosted “base” in the individial “base” part …. hard to explain for those that dont know Rockbox but it’s like an android EQ where you pull the low end down in the slider portion but also ENABLE a “base boost” toggle or something that an EQ app may have … that sort of thing only you have more control over how much the “base boost” is “boosted”.
Not all songs sound great but that could be the source file ….even the one i am thinking of doesn’t make me go “wow .. that is not the way i am use to these headphones sounding on that track” …. I still would prefer not having to do this and having them tuned the way they use to be tuned (maybe i got a bad pair) … but they are usuable now and i like them
Jan 2022 Update: I recent bought a “backup pair” this past December and just tested them today … I do like vs the 2016/2017 versions of the “110’s” the cable from the split down to the connect it seems thicker (like the “100’s use to be”) … though what I dont like is … the tuning … I still have those old 110’s and I 100% notice a clarity difference … turns out I cant return these if i wanted to (not saying I would … ) but doing an A-vs-B comparsion I totally hear a clarity difference … these new ones sound balanced, do not get me wrong, but they sound a tad muddy vs the old pair … and I totally admit i do a combo of a U or a V shaped EQ when using the Sony 100’s or 110’s … these dont sound great un-EQ’ed …. .but … this exact pair while they work sound muddier than any 100’s or 110’s I have had before … if this was my own experience with the MDRXZ 100’s or 110’s … I’d be considering other brands in the same price range
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This review is based on my first impressions with the "110’s" on a number of mp3 player, and a number of "100’s" (the previous model https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004WODP20/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1 ) that I have had and used over the years.
Pro – Sound Quality
So far I DO notice more bass in these new (my first pair of the "110’s") pair of headphones and unlike prior experience with Sony (and other companies too …) earbuds where the "new great model" .. didn’t sound as good as the prior ones did …
These 110’s just add enough to the bass and possibly treble too, that makes it definitely sound better then the 100’s though it doesn’t fall into the trap I described above, when sometimes they add "more bass" and it turns out the bass is so strong, that it drowns everything else out. I have to say that this is not really a knock on the 100’s .. I do still like them but for the same price on either … I’d go with the 110’s but if there is a "good deal" on the 100’s and I was getting them again … I am not against getting another pair of the 100’s either.
Yes these are "cheap" headphones and probably not as good quality wise as a really expensive pair though I do recall some reviews saying they tried these along side a pair of "$200 Beats" and while the did say their friend’s Beats did sound better … they personally would rather get maybe two or three pair of these and still have say $150 left over … meaning "they do not sound price-vs-quality of the sound" .. ‘that much better’
Pro/Con – Build quality
These ARE plastic headphones of course, though I do not agree with those that say "oh its like they are from the Dollar store … the plastic is horrible ..etc etc"… just if your going to buy a much more expensive pair of headphones … your will probably get better quality too
The one downside that … I admit I see in these, and are a problem in the pair of "the 100’s" that was 100% caused by me … AND EVEN THEN that exact pair, needed fixing but still sounds great … I am using THEM while typing this review, is the part where the 100’s and the 110’s ear-cups move. I am not sure "how it could be made better" but that was the exact point of failure for my long-used pair (again 100% my fault for HOW the break,happened) .. note that if it wasn’t for me they would still be fine and that is after 3+ years of HEAVY use and they still work … so maybe it’s fine for being able to fold (in both models I mean)
Pro – Fit
I am not sure if i can say one way or the other "I have a big head" (100% not a small head) but they fit fine .. even out of the box. Heck after that DIY type of repair I did on my broke pair .. .I had to flip them backwards and .. they for the most part still fit great … these 110’s are no different.
By the way I have glasses (regular and sunglasses used when wearing these) and just like the 100’s, these are nice and comfy … not too tight or too lose, if you ask me
??? – The cord
The cord looks different from the 100’s I have and I like the cord … basically I think some of the cords on others are way way too small and that always leads to the problem of one of the two sides going out for good … The cord on the 110’s looks a tad smaller diameter wise but really if that doesn’t mean that issue I just described DOESN’T happen .. I do not really care… I just want the headphones to work for a long time … if the cord is different but there are no issues … this change is fine by me.
Plug – I will keep this review updated IF there is a change but I have no had these for long enough to comment on some of the reviews who keep having issues with the plug breaking … NOT on this pair but my other pair of the 100’s get plugged into and unplugged from stuff for over three years now and often too … never had a problem .. but then again I cant comment on these. for now.
Summary
I would recommend these no question … though if your expecting a super high end sound (aka are an "audiophile") you MAY BE disappointed though as someone who loves his music … I think the sound with the right equalizer settings, on the device or program your using… I do LOVE the sound of these.
Update – After using a new pair of the "100’s" … aka the prior model
Really … the 110’s do have the slightly higher bass and that is not a bad thing either …. the new pair of the 100’s I am using I actually thought were the 110’s (I just forgot what headphones I was using)… THE POINT? … they both have great bass and I think the pair that I use to wear daily (the broken pair that still works great…. just doesn’t fit perfectly anymore)’s fit actually effects the bass … that old pair I hold the earcups closer to my ears than how they "sit" now .. .and I hear alot more bass.
Between the 100s and 110’s … if the way each one of them fold doesn’t matter to you for say fitting them into a caring case …. I recommend both 1000% (no typo) … find the best deal … if you can get one a little cheaper than the other …cool … there is more bass by a little bit on the 110’s but do not think I am saying a new pair of the 100’s are weak in that department.
Darin –
There is a very good chance that these will be the best headphones you’ve ever owned. The headphones are shockingly accurate for their price and fantastic for listening to music. We purchased a couple of sets for our children to keep at school, and will likely be purchasing a couple more for home “screen time”. I am convinced that these should be at the TOP of your list if you are looking for an over-the-ear headphone that you can take with you everywhere. They may get lost, smashed, or stolen, but you’ll only be out $10. Now, if you’re sitting at home plugged into an external DAC listening to uncompressed music, you might already know that you can do better than these. That being said, it would be VERY easy to spend $150-ish and end up with something LESS capable if you aren’t a nerdy tech-spec shopping type.
These are basically your favorite pair of gas station sunglasses.
Scotto D –
I bought these for my 10 year old daughter who manages to go through headphones rather quickly. We have found these to have an extremely strong weak point, which are the wires. The first pair lasted 6 months before she broke the wires internally, the second have been going strong for at least a year & I have a spare set as backup. These are great for kids and adults alike.
Audio: For the price, they have very good dynamics, not too bright & the bass response is clean and fast. Not overblown bass like so many headphones. I would take these over Beats any day.
Jim –
I have used these for 3 months as my TV watching and computer headphones, they are light & comfortable for hours of use and offer excellent sound. Nice quality headphones and an incredible value.
Bubba Pearson –
This is a fairly good headset with decent sound that does an adequate job at music reproduction. They are fairly inexpensive, so going with the old accepted ‘wisdom’ that you get what you pay for, I really hadn’t expected much from them when I made the purchase, so they’ve pretty much lived up to that lofty expectation. Anyway, I’ve used them pretty much on a daily basis for months now without really given them much thought, so I’ve been happy enough. After all, they were affordable. They aren’t particularly uncomfortable. They didn’t sound horrible and they seem to be all I need for the use to which I put them. I unplugged the old set, put ’em away, plugged in these and that was that. Because I wasn’t expecting much, I never considered doing any sort of quality testing or comparison listening when they arrived. That was a mistake. With clear hindsight, I’d now say I’d already pretty much convinced myself they would do when I ordered them, so I never bothered to check if they actually were. Naturally they sound okay, since I wasn’t expecting much, but they’re being used almost exclusively for non-critical, background listening to music on my tablet while I’m doing other things (almost anything instead of watching the idiot box while my wife is in the same room, online and talking with her coworkers and clients and trying to concentrate on her new full-time, off-site job). So, since I haven’t really been thinking about anything more than whether or not they reproduce music, they’re okay. Not awful, not great, but okay. That’s what I expected so that’s pretty much what I got. I should have been more careful.
A couple of days ago my wife was out exercising before starting her work shift, so I took advantage of the opportunity to test-drive some new music I was thinking about purchasing. I needed to be more discerning in my listening and I needed to be online, so I moved over to my desk so I could use my souped-up PC and Klipsch Promedia 2.1 speaker system, a combination that reproduces music pretty well for me. I realized from the outset I couldn’t expect to favorably compare my inexpensive Sony ‘phones to that, but I was completely surprised even so. I’d never checked, so I never realized just how much of the music I’d been missing with the new headphones.
Now I started thinking about my headphones a bit more critically, the old and new. Yes, the old set was a bit long in the tooth; after all, it was quite a few years old and had seen a lot of use. Even so, I’d replaced it not because of a problem with the sound reproduction, but because the connector cable was wearing out and getting a bit ratty. Worse, it had developed a somewhat quirky connector that often required reseating in the jack to work. A pain in the butt, but when they worked, they still sounded quite good. I then remembered listening to music and thinking about just how great it sounded on a brand new laptop I used recently (with the old headset). At the time, I attributed the great sound pretty much entirely to the new sound chip in the costly new Dell, but maybe it had been more than just the laptop.
Time and past time for action! I pulled open the junk drawer in my desk and started digging around, movin’ aside all the old serial cables, card readers, cabled mouses (mice?) and such until I found the cloth bag I’d stored my old headphones in when I got the new set. I disconnected the Sony’s, set ’em aside and plugged in the old ones. Rats: same old problem. I reach up and jiggle the connector around this way and that, push it in a bit further and pull it out a skosh until it’s just right and finally, sound! Wow. I noticed immediately that the music was much more detailed than it had been with the new headphones. I was clearly hearing vocals and instruments as distinct individual elements, instead of, or rather, in addition to the one musical whole produced by the entire band I heard with the Sony headphones. A very noticeable difference. So I listened carefully for awhile, unplugged the old set and tried the newer Sony set again for a couple of songs, then unplugged them again and reconnected the old headphones. There was absolutely no doubt about it — the old no-name headset (only about $20 more expensive than the new Sony’s) absolutely reproduced the music with more clarity and even a deeper low end.
Now what to do? Well, when I’m not paying close attention to the music, the Sony headphones and my Samsung tablet are fine, so I have those in the living room beside my easy chair (to use while my wife is working). If I want better sound while she’s at work, now I have the option to move over to my desk and use my old headphones on my desktop. Not ideal maybe, but it works for me. I still have the problem with the connector on the old set every now and again, but unless and until it breaks down completely, it works.
Bottom line? These inexpensive Sony headphones work, they’re not uncomfortable, they’re not even close to being awful, so they may be perfect for listening to music in the background or other such offhand use where not too much attention will be paid to the details. Folks that aren’t too picky about music or really don’t care about all the subtle little nuances that better, more expensive headphones reproduce accurately should be happy with this inexpensive choice. Again, they’re not awful, they’re not great, but they are okay. On the other hand, for some being merely okay really might not be all that okay, so if that’s you, or music in all its multifaceted, heavily nuanced glory is more your thing, it might be better to think about something better.
Stoney –
IN SHORT
> Great for the price. Very good sound quality. Very well designed. Comfortable.
COMPARED TO EARBUDS
> For most uses, mostly listening to audiobooks, I use Panasonic ErgoFit earbuds-HJE120K or Sony MDR-EX15LP earbuds. In comparison, I was blown away with the much greater base response of the Sony ZX headphones — even though I was expecting the fuller base (which indeed was my reason for buying the Sony XZ headphones to replace a pair of Sony headphones which were falling apart after 20 years of use). The greater dynamic range adds a dimension to most music, even for music which has little base.
> GIVE THEM A CHANCE — My first impression was poor — they sounded muddy. Then I remembered that I’ve had similar first impressions of some other new headphones. It takes a while, maybe 12 hours of use, to “break in” some earphones or headphones (and/or there may be some rewiring going on inside your cranium, i.e., “learning”). So, don’t be misled by immediate reactions posted by some other reviewers — nor your own first impression.
> After 12 hours of use (and now, about a year later), the mid-tones are still a little muddy, at least to my aging ears, in the music I listen to (Enya, folk, classical)— a little smothered by the base. I need to reduce the base by using a graphic equalizer (such as in Windows Media Player, or built into some devices) for almost any music to sound best to me—but that’s generally true of high quality earphones. That is, audiophile headphones have a “flat response”—meaning that they reproduce what was recorded, as is was recorded, without emphasizing the base, midtones, nor high notes. For listening, adjustment is often necessary. If you’ve never used an equalizer, you’ll be stunned by the difference that slight adjustments can make.
FOLDABLE
> Folds flat (to about 1″ thick X 4″ X 6″). Some other foldable headphones fold into balls, which are not easily carried in a pocket.
CORD
> The cord is 4′ and a few inches long. For me, that is long enough to reach my computer audio plug (but, I added a 1′ extension to make it easier). However, in my opinion, the cord is much too long to connect to a cell phone, etc. in your pocket. I’d prefer that the cord plugged into the headphones, so that I could simply purchase cords of the appropriate length.
> ASIDE — if the sound is scratchy when you move the plug, or otherwise suddenly deteriorates, the problem may be a bad connection. A tiny bit of cheap silicon grease, well spread, can do wonders to improve any electrical connections—particularly low voltage connections—anything battery or USB powered.
> The plug is L-shaped, angled at 90 degrees, unfortunately. That means that it won’t “cleanly” connect to an extension. If you pull on the cord, you won’t easily pull it out the socket, but you will put on strain on the cord where the plug attaches, and potential damage the cord. In my experience, this is how most headphones fail. So, I consider the angled plug a negative feature, and another reason that replaceable cords are desirable. {{Well, actually, my Senegal parrot is the main cause of failure of my earbuds and headphones, but that’s a different story.}}
CUSHIONS AND COMFORT
> The cushions do not look impressive nor luxurious — but they are very functional. They are quite comfortable — essentially unnoticeable — and they easily stay in place for many hours of listening. The “crinkled-tissue” surface material and the flat design help grip the ears lightly without concentrating pressure. In comparison, I’ve used other headphones with cushions which, least at first, gave the impression of greater luxury — but, I remember some headphones which would not stay in place, and gave me sore ears after a half-hour or so. Not the Sony ZX headphones, they stay in place and I can wear them all day long without getting sore ears.
> The tightness is not adjustable, so the Sony ZX headphones might be loose on small heads.
> How you wear the headset can make a difference on the quality of the sound. Although that’s probably dependent on the size and shape of your ears. For me, if I pull the “legs” out a little, so that the headset is barely touching the top of my head, and the earphones are angled a little bit upward into my ears, the sound is best. I use black gaffer’s tape to hold the legs at my preferred adjustment. I suspect that wearing the headset this way that I’m getting more “bone conduction” and therefore richer undertones.
> Part of the comfort equation is that the whole headset is very light – it’s not going to press down painfully on the top of your head. You won’t have to adjust the tightness too tight (IF you could adjust the tightness) to hold the headphones in place.
CAVEAT
> (Apparently obligatory if you want to be taken seriously) “Of course, more expensive headphones, deliver higher (audiophile) quality.” Yeh, sure. In an era when almost everyone is listening to highly compressed mp3, or even more compressed streamed music. I doubt that more than 1 in 100 people, maybe 1 in 1000, can tell the difference between these headphones and “audiophile” headphones — and even then, only when listening to high-quality uncompressed recordings. But where are you going to find uncompressed recordings? — audio CDs are practically extinct (not to mention that vinyl freaks complain that audio CDs are over-compressed). SUGGESTION — If you’ve got a CD player, listen to a well-mastered recording, and then try listening to the highly-compressed streamed-crap version of the same music.
> RECOMMENDATIONS
> For most people, instead of fretting about audio quality, consider other features which may be important to you, such as a plug-in cord, wi-fi, adjustable headband tension, noise cancellation, etc. I’m not saying that you need these features — I’m just saying that IF you do, then they may be valid reasons to look at other brands and models. If looking at other models, don’t forget to consider foldability, and ear cushion comfort.
> If you just want good sound (for music) at a good price, you can stop here. For voice (telephone conversations, audiobooks, podcasts, etc.) or when using a battery-powered device, I recommend considering earbuds instead. Sony MDR-EX15LP earbuds are cleaner, clearer and crisper in the voice-range, without fiddling with an equalizer. The Sony MDR-EX15LP earbuds (or Panasonic Ergofit) also provide better isolation (you hear less of the ambient noise around you). Also, the earbuds draw much less juice — that is, your battery will last MUCH longer.
ASIDE—WHY?
> There is a direct relationship between the size of a speaker and the sound waves it can best produce. Decades ago, even in home systems, base speakers (woofers) were 2 feet in diameter. Tweaters 1 1/2 inches across were used for high notes, with various size speakers in between for mid-ranges. It is extraordinary that headphones can reproduce base at all, and an engineering miracle that earbuds can produce even a hint of base. But still, the underlying physics remains. So, most audiophiles will insist on 50mm “drivers” in headsets — the Sony ZX driver are nominally 35mm diameter — much smaller. But “big drivers” means bigger, much heavier, magnets — so you have to wear the headphones tighter, and therefore get sore ears. Google it — there are dozens of websites about how to cope with “headphone ear pain” — but the best solution, for most people, is to wear lighter headphones, such as Sony ZX headphones.
> Also (grossly over simplifying), different frequencies of sound interfere with each other, especially on the cone (or emitting surface) of speaker. In fact, on multiple speaker setups (with tweeters, midtone speakers, woofers, and sometimes subwoofers), frequencies outside the optimal range for the particular speaker are filtered out before they get to the speaker — so the mid-tone speaker does not get high frequency signals nor base signals. So, if a speaker (such as an earbud) inherently has a minimal base response, the mid-tones will be cleaner and clearer. If you object, “I hear base on my earbuds” — well sorta, but that’s a magnified base with little detail, and never the undertones that you feel more than hear. So (all other things being equal — which is never the case): earbuds for voice, headphones for music, headphones with large drivers for audiophile quality sound (if you can tolerate the sore ears). In real life, it isn’t so clear.
> Keep in mind that, for most people, headphones are “bling” — a fashion accessory, where prestige is the most important consideration, and the headphones are priced accordingly. The sound quality, comfort, etc. of “fashionable headphones” is often a secondary, or tertiary, consideration. Sony ZX headphones make the statement that, “I am a practical person who doesn’t care about fashion”. If that describes you, and music quality is important to you, and the mix of features fit your needs, then Sony ZX headphones are a an excellent choice for you among headphones priced under $200, and Sony ZX probably delivers higher audio quality than many $200 headphones.
> SONY — In my limited experience, Sony design and execution is uniformly top notch. Not the fad-of-the-moment feature in every model—but a good balance of features in every model. Not the best possible at ANY cost — but rather, the best quality at the target price — and often (or usually) very competitive with much more expensive products from other brands. Not necessarily “better” than another brand or model — because the mix of features, aesthetics, and personal preferences can matter. But, if I had to purchase an audio gift for someone (not knowing their exact preferences), or if I had to grab an audio product when running through an airport for my own use, it would be Sony every time.
NOISE CANCELLATION
> The Sony ZX headphones do NOT feature noise cancellation, and you don’t need it just for listening to music. Beware also that so-called “noise cancellation” means at least four different things. “Noise cancellation” is mostly a highly-abused “buzz word” which is used in advertising copy — usually deceptively.
> The “noise cancellation” touted for most earbuds is really just passive isolation — which the Sony MDR-EX15LP earbuds (or Panasonic Ergofit, etc) provide. The wifi earbuds for Apple and Samsung phones etc (round balls on sticks, without the cup-shaped rubber cushions) do NOT provide significant passive isolation.
–> The Sony ZX headphones provide little passive isolation. Some other brands and models are better, but at the “price” of large heavy cup-shaped cushions which enclose your entire ear.
> The “noise cancellation” touted for those “round balls on sticks” wifi earbuds, is really anti-feedback circuitry — which is necessary only because the microphone and the speaker are not significantly separated — but otherwise, the circuitry provides little, if any, noise cancellation. If you have earbuds with good passive isolation, and the microphone is several inches away from the earbuds (always the case with wired earbuds), you don’t need (and won’t get) anti-feedback circuitry.
> The “noise cancellation” touted for many headsets is really the addition of “white noise” on top of the ambient noise, and on top of whatever it is that you want to listen to. This is cheap and actually works fairly well (about half as good you’d like it to work), when combined with passive isolation, in noisy environments. I use such a set for air travel. But, in my experience, it gives me a sick headache after a few hours.
> True “noise cancellation”, more fully called “active noise cancellation” is limited, and is usually very expensive. It is good for low frequency constant or repetitive noise, such as aircraft engines, but is of no help at all for screaming children or other random noises. Caveat, just because the advertising copy claims “active noise cancellation”, does not mean that you actually get “active noise cancellation”. It’s kinda like “organic strawberries” from South America. No-one is enforcing “organic” standards for foreign produce. With electronics, it comes down to trusting the brandname. Especially in electronics, there are very few brandnames that are trustworthy anymore. To the best of my knowledge, Sony is one of the few trustworthy brandnames left.