Customer Reviews

Sony MDR-G74SL Street Style Headphones

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

These headphones sound a lot better than I expected based on their price and size. Naturally they can't compare to bulky and expensive studio-style headphones in terms of sound quality, but they're far better than anything I've tried that isn't the size of a dinner plate.

I'm using mine to listen to music while I work, and they shine on the two most important points there. First, they're comfortable enough to wear all day. Most headphones will start to hurt after an hour or two. These are very nice to your ears - most of their weight is supported by the band going OVER your ear instead of relying on friction and clamping to your head like a vise.
Second, very little sound leaks out to annoy those sitting near you. While I don't usually blast music while trying to work, I do often listen at levels above whisper quiet, and even when they aren't worn - if I put them down and walk away from my desk, for example - they can't really be heard from more than a couple of feet away. Still, they allow you to hear sounds in your environment. This is good here, as people shouldn't have to shake me to get my attention, and is the point of open-air headphones. If you're looking for some to block out a noisy environment, look for "closed" headphones instead. Note that if you're listening while cycling or walking in an area with traffic, open-air is the way to go for safety.

The only possible complaint is the cord, but they did try to go for the best of both worlds. The built-in cord is very short, and will only reach a shirt pocket or armband-mounted radio - maybe an inside jacket pocket. I can't plug it straight into my laptop on the desk in front of me and be comfortable. But they do come with a 3-foot extension. This might be a bit TOO long, but it's not so bad as it has a tendency to coil up, having been packaged that way. Their claim of "tangle-free cord" is basically true, though. It might get tangled, but the texture of the outer jacket will make any knot much easier to untangle.

They also fold up nice and small for portability. They seem like they might be easy to crush in that state if they're packed carelessly, but I haven't had the opportunity to "test" that theory yet.

Overall, these are a great pair of headphones. One must choose based on a variety of needs when picking headphones - there isn't one set that's best for all needs. If you're looking for a lightweight, open-air design, good for on-the-go use or anywhere a bulky pair would be unsuitable, these are definitely worth the money.

The design and the no tangle cord rates 5/5 but the quality isnt as good as the Sennheiser PMX60 which i bought and compared at the same time. Sony sounds like its behind a wall compared to the crystal clear PMX60. the Sennheiser PMX60 feels really cheap but its a lot more comfortable to wear than the MDR-G74SL. Im keeping the Sennheiser PMX60.

Pros -

Fits nicely, if anyone complains that these headphones are uncomfortable they are freakin' moron. These things are a lot more comfortable than the many headphones I've borrowed, bought, or tried. I have a lot of hair, it doesn't get in the way either.

Another is the fact they stay on your head. From the pictures you might be curious if they really 'do' stay on your head. I do a lot of weight training and the few sessions so far with these / they have stayed put the entire time. Even when on exercises like incline bench when the head pushes back they budge a bit, but no serious problem. Also I ran around a good bit with them on for the hell of it, no problem.

They fold, very compact. Also the cord is kind of a ropey material: Very cool / needs the extension, but actually it's no problem.

Good noise canceling. It doesn't mention anything in the specs, but it blocks outside noise pretty damn well. Also, there is little noise escapage. Moments ago my brother asked me if I was even listening or if I was just wearing them / The volume was way up, so nobody is going to be annoyed or even know what you're listening to.

Great bass, plays almost all music well.

Cons -

The sound isn't perfect. It reproduces great bass, but sometimes it can sound like the musicians are playing behind walls or something. I listen to nothing but the metal genre, so maybe it's to do with the genre maybe? It's good, but slightly muffled sometimes. Can't quite grind the sounds out like I'd hope for certain bands. It's not the source either: I'm testing them on an Audigy 2 with front breakout port / a better source than any to test audio. Anyway, it's better than any other headphones I've tried. The conclusion:

Great fit, comfortable as hell, stays put, stylish, great bass, and mostly very nice sound. I'm pleased with my purchase.

EDIT: I'm not sure the validity (Or whatever) of the process of burning in headphones. But after 2+ hours of listening with them, they are sounding 100% better. These are wonderful!

These are an excellent set of headphones. I'm very pleased with the sound quality. The bass is just enough to give it a little kick. There were a few times when listening to various CDs where I realized that there were new sounds I hadn't heard before with the old headphones.

The cord by itself is very short, but with the included extension cord, it's now the perfect length to plug into my desktop PC. It makes me question why they didn't just make the cord longer to begin with.

The headphones are fairly comfortable, but with my glasses on, they can seem a bit akward. I can't recommend these to people who wear thick frames.

These headphones are clearly better than the headphones that come with the Ipods. Crackling noise may occur during high volume playback with the standard ipod headphones. With these headphones, I had not problems when I cranked up the volumes. No noise, just great sound. This is probably the best price you will find for these headphones. They are worth every penny.

These are a superb sounding headset at a very decent price. From this perspective, the item is a no-brainer. The sound is clean, full, taut, and very well balanced. The bass is a pleasant surprise: clean, plenty, and solid without any juke-box artifacts. They are also very comfortable, much more so than other Sony street headphones I have tried. On the con side, they come with a very short cord, only one foot long -- very good for runners with their iPod on their arm. To accommodate more usual use, they add a one-meter long extension cord. The cord is great -- very light weight --, but it is too long. It would be wonderful if it were only 16-18 inches long. On top of that, if you want to replace the cord, Sony, bless them, charges $26 to do so. You can buy a new pair with a new cord for less. Don't ask me, but we all know stupidity is rampant these days. Also on the con side: the foldable frame is quite fragile. Typical adult care will overcome this problem, but the frame will not take rough treatment. But don't get me wrong: the pros of these headphone far outweigh the cons.

I wanted light weight, comfortable headphones that produced quality sound not available by most small headphones. I got exactly that. These headphones are incredibly comfortable and light. The sound is amazing after "breaking them in" for an hour or two. The cord is the coolest cable I've seen. It's like a small rope instead of a cord and it doesn't tangle much at all. I love them!

I'm a runner, and I wore this but 15 minutes and realized they were not going to work for me. The part that slips over the ears rubbed just enough to make my ear red and uncomfortable. It may be the shape of my ear, I don't know, because I know others said these headphones were really comfortable, but for me just that small discomfort was enough for me to return them. The sound was great, though, but beware if you have sensitive skin around your ears.

These headphones have everything you could want for the enjoyment of your portable entertainment. They are quite comfortable and unobtrusive. I use them in all of my outdoor activities; hiking, yard work, washing the car, etc. I have never had a problem with them falling off. I have an armband for my iPod, so the short cord works perfectly and is just the right length. I have also used the extension and there was no degradation of sound quality. For a small, inexpensive set of headphones, I think the sound is great. They have good bass response, clear highs and do a pretty good job in the midrange. I listen to many different types of music, from classical to rap and it all sounds good through these headphones. They are an excellent value for the price paid.

These headphones have very good sound -- deep bass, detailed treble -- in part owing to a port that allows air in and out, which in turn allows the diaphram to move more freely. Problem is, it also lets a lot of sound out. So if you listen at any significant volume, you will annoy everyone around you.

If you only want to be sure that people in the next room won't hear you, these headphones are great. But if you're a commuter, or if you work out at the gym next to other people, then please, for the sake of the rest of us, don't buy these headphones. I will not use mine on the train or at the gym.

I carefully tested these headphones against 5-year-old MDR-G72's , which, while they have somewhat muddier bass and less detail, leak much less. I also tested them against a new pair of MDR-G57's (similar in shape to the old G72's). The G57's are less sensitive than both,and they're muddy. They leak less sound than the G74's, but still more than the old G-72's, probably because the G57's ear cap covers less of the sound-producing area.