Headphones
Sony MDR-XB500
Wow, we love these headphones! Big, tight, punchy well articulated bass. Very tastefully done, and well integrated with smooth mids and highs that don't bite. And, as if that's not enough, the Sony MDR-XB500 is an extremely comfortable and beautiful-looking headphone; overall design, manufacture, and finish are superb. Highly Recommended!
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Product Features:
- BIG punchy bass integrated into a very enjoyable overall sound. Well done!
- King size soft earpads are wonderfully comfortable.
- Styling, build quality, fit and finish are superb by this fine maker.
Applications:
Sony's hip line of extra-bass [XB] headphones seriously rocks. For the big bass connoisseur, the bang for the buck value of these plush cans just can't be beat. Did we say plush? Oh yeah. Take a look at the oversize, over-stuffed earpads on the Sony XB500 headphones and you know those long nights of jamming your music will be as comfortable as your favorite soft leather couch. The sound of the XB500 has a satisfying accentuation in the mid-bass region that gives their low-end thump solid authority. The highs remain present and clear so the XB500 is fortunately not overly murky in the critical upper treble ranges. Great headphones for school or street, the XB500 will give your iPod or laptop computer new musical life and a serious dose of extra-bass flavor. Enjoy!
The Sony XB500 headband is both comfortable and secure and adjusts easily to different size heads without struggle. Of course, the uber-plush deep pleather earpads are amongst the most comfortable ever designed by Sony and should offer great long-term wearing comfort and excellent durability. The headphone flat-wound cord resists tangles and extends about 9 ft in length. 1/8" [3.5mm] mini-plug termination. No full-size 1/4" adapter plug is provided.
Specifications:
- Connector Type: 1/8
- Ear Coupler Type: Full-Size
- Impedance @ 1kHz: 40
- Detachable Cable: No
- Acoustic Seal: Closed
- Coupler Size: Large
- Cord Type: Straight Y
- Driver Type: Dynamic
- Manufacturer Warranty: 90 Days
- Warranty: 90 Days
- Noise Cancelling: No
- Balanced: No
- Microphone: No
- Wireless: No
- Bluetooth: No
- Headphone Type: Full Size
Average Rating
Posted by droido256 from south california on 2010-08-29
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: DEEP! bass, excellent mids and highs, verrry comfortable
Cons: puts my other headphones to shame(except AKG K701) can cause hearing damage if not careful
Oh my God the earpads are comfy, overly padded, and they feel great for days. They don't make my ears sweat either. The construction is top notch too, esp seen with the drivers. I counted 8 screws holding each driver in, not cheaply glued in like most headphones, even expensive ones(dre beats).
Some may not like the cord(I love it its different) the flat design.
I originally passed these up I'm glad I came to my senses!
Don't listen to those saying they muffle the rest of the music, they don't as least using a motorola droid, cowon a2, powermac g4, and a archos jukebox rec 15
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Posted by Metalistic from Bradenton, FL on 2010-07-15
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: Thick Sound, Built Like a Tank, Comfy..
Cons: Didn't Find Em' Soon Enough, 3 Pairs Later...
The sensitivity is great, I'm impressed. I need mid level volume only to drive them for average listening. They get quite loud and maintain their sound quite nicely. Actually they are meant to be driven a bit I assume as the highs and mids come up out of the bass and I'm still only 3/4ths the way up on my volume. Weaker players will have ZERO problems driving these and home systems will be just that much thicker. After even a few minutes of listening you'll likely be spoiled as they truly add thick and CLEAN bass and present such a FULL soundstage without the need for empty sounding bass boost settings.
I listen to broad range of stuff which these cover incredibly. Even older stuff and kind of thin stuff sound really well. I go fom Basia, Keiko Matsui to the extreme of PCD,Pantera, and Dance type stuff and these are really one-EQ-setting-does-it-all phones. You'll hear the shortcomings of poorly produced stuff as well as be blow away with the great works.. (TRY Yello - Touch Yello!!)
Being a headphone nut and having finicky ears I can FULLY recommend these for full-time phones- as long as you're okay with the 'Big'look.. I don't even care with sound like these things generate. For those that think it's overkill- Heck with Em'!! Trust me- They'll have NO CLUE as to what is transpiring between your ears..
The 4ft cord is perfect for portable use and it's a flat and wide ribbon-type that will NOT likely short out. These things are made very well and the cushy ear cups are supposed to be soft and plush- they isoloate the sound well enough, the sound is so thick that they can't help but block out noise.. And the fact that the earcups unscrew from the bad is cool- when the cord gets all warped, which they always do, just take em' apart and untwist the cups/cords..
Went through 2 Sennheiser's, 2 JVC's, and am STILL A Sony Fan. The bottom line for me is though some might say 'Bass Heavy', what it really is that's happening is the lows, low mids, and mids are THICK and make a great, FULL soundstage!!
Truly enjoy these!!!
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Posted by nickman from Canada on 2010-02-11
Recommend Product: Yes
Pros: Very prominent bass, comfortable
Cons: Bass has more quantity than quality, recessed mids and highs
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