Customer Reviews

Sony MDR-XD300 Stereo Headphones

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Sony continues their long-standing tradition of mixed-bag headphone design with the new MDR-XD300's.

It's hard to miss the fact that these headphones offer 40mm drivers for less than $40. That's a first for any headphone manufacturer, and Sony's greatest successes in the headphone arena have been with 40mm units (the now-legendary 7506 and V6 'phones, both of which list for $100), so on paper this looks like a huge bang-for-the-buck deal.

And harder to miss is size - these headphones are large on a 70's-era helicopter pilot scale. The chrome accent earcups with large vinyl pads could easily swallow a toddler's head. But a closer inspection reveals a well thought out design engineered with all the complex detail of a suspended-deck bridge. The headband hinges on the earcups by means of sprung double suspension arms. The drivers are angled inwards to better face the ear. Even the cloth-weave cord is a thoughtful and retro touch.

The next surprise comes when you actually pick the XD300's up. Despite the intimidating dimensions, weight-wise they give the impression of hollow paper. Weighing in at just nine ounces, it's clear from the outset that these are long term listening headphones. The soft rubber headband rests gently atop your head, and the overstuffed earcup pads are comfortable pretty much however you place them. It's easy to forget you have these on after a few minutes, with even the possibility of falling asleep with them on.

But the first listening impression brings the last surprise, and it's not a good one. The sound is somewhat muffled and "distant"; Yo Yo Ma is sitting with his back facing the audience. The lead singer of The Killers has placed the mic in the corner of the room and is singing from the opposite corner. Symphony recordings have been made with the mic laying on the floor many rows back. The problem is equalization - the low end is fine, bass notes come through with chest-thumping authority, but there's a sudden sharp rise at the low midrange, with a slow decline thereafter, the rest of the highs dulled. The end result is the illusion of muffled distance, making any source sound as though it's not properly produced/engineered.

This is nothing a modest-sized EQ can't fix. A slightly less-bassy, more-high "rock" scooped EQ curve (For the technical: Leaving everything alone below 200hz, compensating with a -5db drop around 600Hz and rising slowly thereafter to about +5db at 16k) will reward the patient knob-turner with a fantastic listening experience. Gone is the dull distance, replaced with dead-on accurate bass and highs, a giant sound stage, and overall the kind of sound deserving of the "Studio Monitor" name.

Therein lies the rub with the XD300's; despite their lightweight comfort and how easily they can be driven by an iPod or portable, any source without a decent EQ is not an option. You can't simply plug and play these headphones into any random device you want to hear. There's only a small percentage of people who use and know EQs who will be able to get the most out of the XD300's, hence the two-star rating.

I bought these headphones with the purpose in mind to use them for my Ipod and PSP, after getting sick of little ear buds always falling out, not the sound I desired and just were not comfortable. Let me just say, that even without a full break in period, I can wear these headphones comfortably for many hours on end, and they sit exactly where you need them, without barely shifting.

Money was not a consideration in buying these - I considered the xd-400, which there is a 50mm driver instead of 40mm and $30 bucks more, and should be able to handle higher volumes and deliver more bass. For the purpose that I was using them, I felt that the 50mm driver would be too big for these smaller devices to power, so I got these. I was expecting a drop off in bass for this tradeoff, but I was very much surprised at how rich the sound was (I have worked for Bose for 3 years, and know sound.) Also a nice touch, inside the phones, the driver unit is not just set flat, they are angled at your ear for the best results. The extension cord adaptor is plenty long enough for my couch/TV distance, and decided to test it for movies with the movie mode, which to make it short, is useless. The music mode is cleaner and crisper sounding.

As in the other reviews, these headphones will make you look like a huge dork if you wear them outside, but they have a good purpose. The bracing frame at the top keeps the phones steady, and is also there to run the wiring across to the other side - that way you only have a cord connected on one side, plus the cord is fabric covered, so tangling has not become a problem. The self adjusting headband is excellent - these don't "clamp" on your head like metal braced headphones. They sit solid and steady, with excellent comfort.

I feel I got great value for a good price and I got an even bigger surprise with the sound quality I was not expecting from $40 headphones. I am giving it 4 stars for the useless mode switching, and its appearance. The bottom line is if you don't mind sacrificing looks (and getting them!) for quality and excellent functionality, these are for you and are a great deal at $38 bucks.

The specs are amazing - 104db efficiency and 8-25khz audio range. You want a high db # like 104db not 98db, also want a wide audio range 8 on the low end for low frequencies (bass) and 25kHz for the high frequencies. The discerning audiophile will appreciate the quality these headphones deliver. These might look a bit funny, hence the 4 stars but they deliver crystal audio. I am not a SONY fan but this is a quality product. I was tempted by Bose and Phillips but the specs and the quality were not up to par with the SONY MDR-XD300 headphones. Buy these and you will enjoy whatever reference media you play. I would have given these a 5 if they looked a little cooler.

These are fairly cheap for the quality. The music movie switch does change the sound. On movie, there is higher bass and a more surrounding sound. The cord is very long, but to make up for it you can push as much of it as you want into the left headphone as a sort of adjustable length and it doesnt change the quality at all. Sound quality is great and blocks noise pretty good, even on a plane. Very good, I would recommend.

I was looking to upgrade my headphones from my old JVC. I bought this headphones after reviewing serveral different models. I was little skeptical about purchasing headphones with only 40mm driver unit, however I was immediately blown away by its music reproducing capability after using it shortly. I would list pros and cons style to review this headphones.

Pros: 1)Wider Dynamic Range, 8Hz to 25KHz,

2)104dB/mW sensitivity,

3)8.2ft cord length, another 8.2ft of extension cord included (total cord length is 16.4 ft),

4)Stereo mini jack to Stereo mini plug adapter included,

5)Sound Mode select switch allows reproduction of the sound to give appropriate sound effect (music or movie).

6)High power neodymium magnet

Cons: 1)Bulky,

2)Only 16.4ft cord length (including extension cord),

3)No storage case,

Overall, at the price Amazon.com is selling it, it is a very nice bargain. I have found few websites, selling this model for $60 while at Amazon, I found it for $38.

The Sony MDR-XD300 headphones are exactly how they are described in the over view. The headphones have a pretty good overall sound for the price. These headphones are perfect for the house and they include a very long extension that reaches all the way to my couch (15ft away). They have two different modes (independent) for each ear, media and music. I really couldn't tell a difference between the two. The thing that impressed me the most was the suspension system that makes the headphones virtually weightless on your head. I have worn these for four straight hours playing games and forgot that they were on my head. They have a deep sound but not overpowering to the ears. They are extremely large in size, this is really the only drawback of this product. For the price, get them but if you are looking for a great set of monitors a would recommend the Grado SR60's for twice the price.

First off, I'll say that I paid about $20 (after shipping) for these cans, as a quick and low cost replacement for a pair that broke after 3 years of use. What I was looking for was a fair pair for $20 or less.

The problem is that its quite difficult to find a good pair of headphones for under $20. There's plenty of choices in the $20 to $40 range. I've tried the Sennheiser HD202 and 212 and found them far too uncomfortable for my head. So I went for a "gamble" and bought these Sonys.

After just two days of fairly in depth listening I've found these headphones completely worth the $20 I spent for them, but not more than that.

Strongpoints:

* Very comfortable. This is a big plus for these phones. They are friggin huge and dorky, but they are the most comfortable headphones I've tried in a while. Unfortunately, I don't own any kind of scale to weigh them, but I must say they are unusually light feeling for their size. However, they are made out of plastic (ill get back to this later).

* Present bass. If you like bass, these are your headphones. For my taste, though, its a bit too much bass, so I have had to cut it back a bit in eq. I find that a lot of cheaper phones are lacking in this department, so it's good to hear a pair that actually have bass.

* Very good sound seal. I personally like closed-ear headphones. They don't let much sound in or out, which is great for a noisy house.

Weaknesses:

* Bulky. If you are self-conscious or style conscious, you probably should not get these headphones. They are not for wearing in public, thats for sure. But their size allows for one of the most comfortable pairs of phones out there. So take your pick.

* Plastic. It is a good thing I did not pay an exorbitant amount for these, because I have a feeling that these are going to need replaced in about a year. The crossbar that connects the two earpieces is very pliable, and I have a feeling that that will be the first to break. But, as I said before, it does make for a very light pair.

* EQ. This pair of phones definitely does not have a flat sound. Its very mid heavy, and, depending on your taste, very bass heavy. I've found that by cutting the low mids and boosting the highs, you can even out sound out to the point that it sounds pretty darn good.

Conclusion:

These headphones are cheap. But, if you're looking for cheap and good, these are the way to go. The sound is great, with a bit of eq. The fit is very comfortable. I've worn them for hours at a time without any ear fatigue. So if you're looking for something that will stand the test of time, and are willing to make a bit more of an investment, do that. But if you're looking for a cheap pair of phones that sound good and fit great, pick these ones. I don't regret my purchase at all.

Good sound! Not quite as good as my previous Aiwa model though. Won't buy Aiwa headphones anymore though because I went through two pair that had one side stop working. Hopefully these won't have that problem!

Comfortable fit, smooth, detailed, non-fatiguing sound. Do not distort at high levels. They seem well-built, and I appreciate the single cord instead of the double cord, which can get tangled up. They also include an extension cord. However, they cost about $7 more than the Koss UR40. The Koss have a much shorter, double cord but are slightly more comfortable (your ears get less warm) and have a stronger, punchier bass. If you are concerned about sound leakage to the outside and prefer a long single cord, get these. Otherwise, especially if you listen to rock or similar music, I would recommend the Koss.

I'm not an audiophile, so I don't know the difference between the different specs of this model vs. others. But here is what I can tell you:

-They sound good. They are exactly what I expected for this price range. Very clear sound and good bass. Good for gaming. Now I can turn the volume up a bit and not worry about waking my family. As soon I did so, I heard all kinds of subtle background noises in the game. Actually, to be technically accurate, I didn't have to turn the dial up, I actually turned it down, because the audio through the headphones was much more efficient than through the speakers. I don't know why this happens, but you get what I'm trying to say. I heard more at a lower volume.

-They are very comfortable. This is important for those of you out there with big heads. As you can see from all the reviews posted here, nobody has complained about a tight fit, which is a very common problem with headphones. These fit nicely over the ear and don't press too hard.

-The only down side to this model is the goofy design. You will look like a total nerd, so I use these at home for my gaming computer, not at work, where I would be hounded mercilessly by my co-workers. If you don't care about that, then I would be tempted to give them 5 stars.