Customer Reviews

Sony MDR-CD180 CD Series Headphones with 30 mm Drive Units

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

These headphones were the recent subject of one of those "Consumers Reports" surprise findings. They came in 2nd-best in a field of products (including other Sony models) costing 5-6 times more than the CD-180's. So at this price, why not?

Indeed, they're lightweight and extremely comfortable on the ears. The quality of the sound is natural, warm, accurate, balanced. But there are also a few shortcomings, not mentioned in the CR ratings: First, the uncushioned headband is more noticeable than I might have suspected, leaving me with the sense of something hard and plastic sitting on top of my skull; 2nd, the wire is one of those dual-sided affairs, which can restrict a wearer's mobility more than headphones with only a single wire; 3rd, the wire is about half the thickness of slightly more expensive units, calling for the user to exercise greater than normal amounts of caution; 4th, "efficiency" is a tad lower than my first-line headphones--in other words, they require more amplifier power to achieve comparable volume levels.

In short, I'd judge these "fairly valued." At the price, they're good back ups, possibly decent replacements for the cheapie headphones manufacturers throw in with their CD players, etc. But even at twice the price, I'd consider the Panasonic HT710's a better value.

These headphones are not very expensive. Don't expect the sound quality you would get from Koss or Sienhoffer headphones that cost upwards of $200. The bass is a little high, but that can be fixed with an equalizer. The headband could use some padding, but I've worn them for several hours at a stretch and never had a problem.

I use these with my laptop computer to listen to MP3s while I work. I've also sat through DVDs on plane trips with them. For the price, they are a good buy.

Why 3 stars?:
These headphones do not have the sound quality of more expensive models, but the price is good and the quality is fine. They could stand to be a bit more comfortable, but at this price, I don't mind sticking them in a laptop bag and risk having them broken because I can replace them cheaply.

The Sony CD-180 is a very unimpressive headphone, even at (dollar amount). Then again, most closed headphones at this price are a poor choice.

Deep bass is lacking badly, but upper bass is exaggerated somewhat, giving them a boomy, fake bass sound.

Mids aren't much better - some midrange frequencies are very prominent, and voices drill into my head in a rather fautiging manner, and smear together with insturments to my displeasure. They also have a very hollow quality that probably has something to do with the closed headphone design.

Treble is very muted, but lower treble is exxagerated, and it makes the CD180s sound at first like they have a lot of detail, which they don't.

Imaging (Placement of insturments) is poor. Everything sounds like it is either coming from the center of my head, or the right or left side, there isn't much in the way of seperation otherwise.

They also have a fairly cheap feel, although they are reasonably comfortable - they don't clamp down on your ears overly hard, and they are circumaural (Go around your ear, not on top) so the pressure is put on the area around your ears.

They do sound better then other closed Sony headphones in this price range like the MDR-v150,200,250, but sound somewhat worse then the Koss UR-20s which are also closed, and much worse then the open Koss KSC-50s which can be had for the same price. The next step up from the Koss UR-20s with a closed headphone is the Sony MDR-v7506, which is around (dollar amount) - there isn't anything worth buying in between.

As always, keep headphone listening volume reasonable - you can damage your ears very easily. As a general rule of thumb if you can't tell someone is talking to you when you are not engrossed in the music, they are up too loud.

After a pair of uncomfortable Panasonic phones I had finally stopped working, I picked up the CD-180. I've only had it for a few weeks, so I'm not sure about the durability yet.

As far as the sound goes, the bass response seems to be more than adequate, and the high-end response should satisfy anyone who's not an audiophile. The sound is also fairly clear and distinct, and it's easy to discriminate individual instruments. The sound also feels much closer in, unlike some models I've heard where the sound feels distant and isolated. The bass can overwhelm other parts of the music at times, though, and sometimes seems to be slightly muffled. The headphones have decent isolation for closed headphones, but not great compared to higher-end models.

The real selling point for these phones, in my opinion, is comfort. Whle you can't exactly forget that they're on, the design keeps pressure off your ears, and with the right adjustments stay comfortable for extended wear. However, the interior tends to get warm after a while, and your ears will sweat.

Overall, for the price, they're fine for the average user, but someone who wants perfectly crisp sound quality would be better off with a more professional set of cans.

Pros and cons of the MRCD headphones:

Pros:
Comfortable
Rugged
People can't hear what you are hearing
Quiets other noises in backgrounds

Cons:
Long cord may cause some problems
May muffle sounds from other electronics other than CD player(keyboard, computer speakers ect.)
May make your ears hot if you use them while you excercise
You must turn up volume a lot to get a medium volume

Final point: Good for CD players that you would be using in the car or on a plane, may not be good for sweaty activity.

These are a really good pair of headphones. Not amazing or anything but for the price they are very good.

I've had these headphones for about 2 years now, and i have never had a problem with them. They fit very nice, they super comfortable, good quality sound. And they have a good brand name on them.

But the only disadvantage to these headphones is that, yes...it is fragile. I personally have never broken them before and i have had them for two years. But i could see how people could easily break them. If you decide to buy these you should handle them with care. I have never had a problem with them, and i have had them for 2 years.

But besides that they are well worth the price. And you will be happy you bought them

You can definitely do better for the (low) price.
Sony's in ear headplugs are discounted on Amazon down to $23 pretty often and sound better. So do a lot of cheap Sennheisers.
They just lack clarity in the higher frequencies and have a muffled and too loud bass.

I'm not a true "audiophile", but I needed some headphones to listen to music at work... specifically, at lunch! I put my feet up, turn on some acoustic guitar music on my CD player, and drift off to the wonderful tunes. While listening to "Sounds of Wood and Steel" I can actually hear the breath sounds of the artists!
I use a second pair for recording work at home. Bass response is superior to home speakers, separation is incredible. Sometimes background (outside) sounds get amplified, and that's my only complaint

These headphones have a muffled, muddied sound. I bought them to use with my office boom box (Aiwa CSD-FDF81), thinking they would sound better than the speakers. They sound worse. My 17-year old son thinks they sound muffled, too. On the plus side, they are comfortable.

I brought them home and tested them against a 15+ year old pair of Audio Technica headphones. No contest. The ATs sound bright and clear by comparison, but are uncomfortable.

Keep shopping. Spend a little more if you must. Your ears will thank you. (I just ordered a pair of Grado SR-60 headphones on the recommendation of my audiophile brother.)

I bought these a year ago because they were rated a "best buy" in the under $30 headphone category in Consumer Reports. Nothing could be further from the truth - too much bass, no upper range (12KHz and up) and an overall muffled sound.

I own an old pair of Seinnheiser's that I use at home and cost me $18 nearly 12 years ago. They sound remarkably better - and I used a pair of Koss $200 headphones as a comparison.

This is the second time I got burned listening to Consumer Reports audio advice, and definitely the last.