Customer Reviews

Sony MDR-XB500 40mm XB Diaphragm Driver Extra Bass Headphones

5 star:		(183)
4 star:		(59)
3 star:		(17)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

I recently bought these headphones and have nothing but good things to say about them. I am a hobbyist with a home studio, and I am familiar with a wide range of headphones including more expensive Sony headphones, AKG K99s, and Audio Technica ATHm20s. It is my opinion that the xb500s are actually more capable than ANY of these headphones, but there is a catch. What some of the other reviews say is true. If you just plug them in and start listening, the bass does overwhelm the higher treble frequencies. But all you need to do this is use a simple graphic equalizer. Raise the treble frequencies, and these headphones, in my opinion, sound better than any in their price range. They even sound better than some more expensive headphones. I also find them to be very stylish and comfortable. I have a large head with large ears, and these headphones do not hurt my head even after an album's worth of listening. The large soft pillow like pads do make my ears a little warm, but not unbearably hot. They do about as good a job as other closed back headphones at isolating audio from outside ambient noise. In conclusion, I think these are fantastic headphones if you'll just take a second to play around with the EQ to get things balanced out right. Once optimized, they perform as good or better than any in their class.

The XB500s are the best pair of headphones I've ever used, and I've owned Bose and even tried the uber-pricey Bowers P5s. I'm considering purchasing a pair of the larger XB700s to see if they are any better in terms of sound and comfort (the specs look a little better on those).

The sound quality is outstanding. Deep, rich, undistorted bass and crisp clear mid and high tones. Very surprising for the price. There is a bit of natural bass added based on the construction of the XBs which some people may not care for; meaning if you don't use an EQ the bass will be a bit more powerful than a pair of standard headphones. I haven't found it obtrusive though, and setting your iPod to the Jazz EQ preset adds a bit more treble if that's what you like.

In terms of bass, calling these Extra Bass headphones is no a joke; you can really get some serious thumping out of them if that's what your music calls for.

The XB500s don't present the most "accurate" sound due to the extra bass; if you're an audio engineer using headphones for your work I would recommend a higher priced, reference quality set. But the 500s actually sound richer than a lot of higher priced headphones and I think they're most suitable for the vast majority of people, especially if you listen to a wide range of music such as pop, rock, metal, techno, and classical. With reference quality headphones even though they're more accurate they don't always have a better "character" of sound than others.

The ear cups are (almost comically) enormous but extremely comfortable and do a great job isolating sound. Very, very comfortable. And why not? You're basically attaching a couple of pillows to your head! You could almost fall asleep while sitting up. While others report their ears getting warm or sweaty over time this hasn't happened for me. I wear glasses and many headphones cause my glasses to dig into my temple and get sore after about an hour, but with the 500s this isn't a problem.

One downside of the cups is that someone would have to debate taking these out in public just because of how huge they really look in person. iPod earbuds are nearly invisible on the bus but I would think these would attract some attention.

The cord is pretty short but long enough for most purposes and I actually like its length. Good for iPods, Nintendo DS, connecting to your computer, etc. If you need them longer like for a living room stereo, you can just buy a cheap extension cable at Target.

In general, headphones are a bit of a personal thing in terms of their default (non-EQ) sound, like picture settings on a television. Each person has their own tastes regarding what sounds or looks "the best" to them. With that said I've owned quite a few headphones and I would strongly recommend people check the XBs out (Best Buy has demo units). Hope my review helps anyone on the fence about these.

Quick Review
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Pro's:
Light, *Extremely* Comfortable, Great Sound, Great Craftsmanship, Amazing Bass, Price (79.99 Average, Shipping Included)

Con's:
Very short headphone cord, Have to Adjust EQ to get optimal sound, Need a quality sound card or a Mobo with great on-board audio to access an EQ for headphone adjustment, loud for nearby people (Not advised for office listening)

4.8 / 5.0 - Overall Rating
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Full Review
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Right out of the box these headphones feel very squishy and light with *excessive* ear padding and padding on the top bridge of the headphones as well, almost assuring you before you put them on that these will be comfy - and they are, Exceptionally! I wore these with no discomfort for over 12 hours straight. After a few minor EQ adjustments with my Creative X-Fi Fatality sound card these headphones come to life and sound better than the $299.00 Bose and Dr. Dre counterparts frequently shown at Best Buy. High's and Mid's are crystal clear with a little EQ adjusting and the bass does *not* "muddy" them up. The cable connecting the headphones from jack to your head is very very small at only 4ft long I would advise purchasing a cable extender if used other than with an mp3 player or PC right next to you. The cable is also flat, which is new to me and it seems to avoid tangling that way and works out great. The sound bleeds out of these when being used so I do advise not using in an office environment, library, or anywhere that low noise is desired although for home use this does not matter. The advertised low frequency of 4Hz these headphones do attain, though anything over 18kHz is usually not noticed by the general population so I did not test over 17kHz. Purchase price for me was $38.95 - Free Shipping. Durability was not rated because I have not owned them long enough.

Value 5/5
Overall 9.7/10

What I paid for this product: $38.95 - Free Shipping
What I would have paid for this product: ~$100.00

These Sony xb 500 beat any other headphones and I have tried them all. I use them in the studio to produce music or just listen to music. They deliver nice phat bass and you can even feel it by the vibration of the set. I am mpressed with the cushion which covers the whole ear, which is nice because it gets annoying when I have cusion pressed to my ear for longer periods. The only con is that the cord is a little too short, would be nice if it was at least 20" longer. But that is not a big issue because I use it form my laptop which is right in front of me. I have tried overpriced sets of beats by Dre and those are poor on many frequencies and dont deliver a balanced range. Also the overpriced Bosse arent loud enough and not as comfortable. Sony did a great job on these and if I broke it or lost it, I would buy a new one right away even if I had to pay 4 times as much. These headphones is a dream come true.

Pros: The bass is, as it claims, excellent. As if I were hooked into a system w/ a subwoofer. I find the headphones very stylish yet avant garde b/c of the size. Super-comfortable king-sized earpads. Decently priced (I got mine on sale).

Cons: I think that because the driver is so large, the high trebels and clarity of the mids are washed out. If you listen, everything is there but not balanced. Maybe this can be rectified by playing with an equalizer.

Summary: If you are a bass-head or want an alternative headset to your bass-weak counterparts-- this headphone delivers. If you are an audiophile and want to hear your music in perfect clarity and balance, you should be shelling out for the crazy good headphones anyways. Ideal for gaming/movies. If you are tired of how light and "tinny" your computer speakers or headphones sound, this is a remedy. The sound is similar to listening to a loud concert live or the THX sound in cinemas. Both great in the right context.

I've always been about high end headphones on a budget. A little over 10 years ago I bought my Grado SR-80s then a pair Koss Sportapros, (Portapros with behind the head fold back mode) Shure E4c a few years later, re-issued Portapros late last year, PowerBEATS by Dre that I played with for 2 weeks and returned; amongst a slew of other cheap and "mid range" headphones. After over 20 pairs of headphones I picked up these XB500's 2 weeks ago for 45 bucks and I have to say that these are my favorite ones in 10 + years of buying headphones. They are NOT the most accurate I've owned but they are so warm and amazing sounding that I find a new joy in actually listening to my music.

The detail level on these is nearly equal to my Grado's. Who for the longest time I considered to be my best set of cans. They weren't the higher end ones, retailing at 99 bucks. But they had opened up a new world of sound for me when I was in college, I heard sounds and instruments in my music that I never knew was there before... the sound stage seemed wider and the layers of instruments and sounds were much more pronounced. These headphones have done the same for me. They are warmer with great thumping bass that has a nice roll off that I enjoy. The sound from these headphones are warm and powerful... that is the best way to describe it. Now when I go back to my Grados I just don't enjoy listening to them... the highs seem harsh and shrill and the bass though existent seems lacking.

The XB500's feel like I'm listening to my music in a well tuned movie theater... which probably not what the music is supposed to sound like... but it makes everything sound so much bigger, bolder and f-ing awesome.

The only caveat with these headphones is that they do get muddy on some of my songs (mostly acoustic), especially if I have the volume low. I find that if I have the volume level on my iPod Touch 4 at about 75% it sounds best. The lower you go with the volume the muddier your music gets. It really kills the mids and the a bit of the highs. If you're using the iPod Touch 4 just put on the bass reducer in EQ and your music will clean right up. I have found that on my EVO 4G that I have to turn the volume pretty much on MAX of at least at around 90% to enjoy the music so be warned it really does depend on your player and how much they are able to output.

The comfort level on these can't even be compared to any other headphones. They wrap around your ear in a super soft cushion. There is no pressure anywhere on your head unlike some that either chaff your ear or cause pressure on your head. My only complaint is when I wear them at the gym my ears do get really warm... but that's to be expected, you've pretty much strapped 2 leather sofa cushions on your head. I don't recommend wearing these to run or any cardio activity. They'll end up getting gross... well unless you're one of those freaks who don't sweat when you work out.

Pick these up and give them a shot... and make sure you play your headphones for a few hours at least before you determine whether they are good for you... all headphones need a burn in period to loosen the drivers up to their full potential. These are keepers for me!

I have been using these constantly for 6 months now for tv, stereo and computer. It delivers great sound, for the price, and is extremely durable. I live in a one room efficiency with paper thin walls. So I needed this to keep from annoying my neighbors while still getting quality sound. I have banged these things around kicked them, dropped them, accidentally slept on top of them and they are no worse for it.

I purchased these headphones based on the reviews on Amazon and Youtube. These headphones go for $79.99 at the local BestBuy. I got them for $30 dollars cheaper on Amazon, something that stills amazes me. Amazon has the best deals anywhere!

The comfort of these headphones are sooooo good. They feel like they have tempur pedic material in them. The sound quality is up there with all the best ones availible.

It doesn't have extreme bass so if your looking for that don't get these.
They do get a lil warm if your wearing them for a long period of time. I live in Arizona so its a billion degrees here all the time so that might have something to do with it. Nothing a fan can't fix.

Buy them you won't be disappointed.

Let me start of by saying these headphones are the bomb. I love them.

I had them for a good three months.

When I first got these headphones I listened to a bass heavy track and ears shook. I loved them instantly.

These headphones are great for winter. They keep my ears comfy and warm. I can wear them all day no problem.

The flat cable is great but it can still get twisted and it can get annoying at times.

The mids and treble are just okay. They are not on the same scale as the bass, but I am going to say it. They will do better than any headphones you will find.

I bought them for 48 dollars and they are worth every penny. They produce a movie theater sound and the bass is excellent.

I was hesitant on buying this or not but after the purchase I don't regret.

Worth the purchase.

These have got to be the most confortable headphones I have ever tried on. I have gone through a ton of headphones throughout my whole life, but these are amazing. When it comes to sound quality they aren't bad at all. Only thing I have notice that is not really a con but something worth pointing out is that when you are listening to music at low volumes these seem to lack a bit of sound quality, however once you turn the volume up past half way the quality and clarity becomes great. Another great thing about these is the noise insulation these provide; I can be on the bus with no music playing and still unable to hear the outside world. The bass on them is great so if you listen to rap you can't go wrong. Specially at this price. They remind me of my Bose headphones when it comes to sound quality, but they also remind me of a lay z boy couch when it comes to comfort. Hope it helps.