Choosing good headphones is not an easy task. First you need to decide on the type: "plugs", inserts or overhead monitors. Then you should think about the headphone class. And in parallel about the price, since the Hi-End "ears" will be very expensive. However, when it comes to high-quality vacuum headphones, it makes sense to take a closer look at the Sony MDR XB50AP. Reviews on these headphones are mostly positive. So why not consider this option for an acquisition? We will talk about all the features of this headset. But first, a few words about the manufacturer.
A little bit about the company
The legendary Sony brand was born in 1946. At that time, the company was engaged in the production of various electronics. In the 50s of the twentieth century, the company began production of the first tape recorder with improved sound. After such a successful start, Sony stocks went up. The manufacturer began to expand the list of equipment: televisions, vinyl players, speakers. A little later appeared compact audio players. Still later - CD and DVD players. The company began producing mobile phones in the late 90s in tandem with the legendary Ericsson brand. The devices have become unrealistically popular. In the 2000s, Sony is already releasing smartphones under its own brand Xperia. Things are going well with the company. But even at this time, the manufacturer does not forget about the audio equipment. Headphones and players are still available. A striking example of this is the Sony MDR XB50AP headphones. We will analyze the reviews of the owners a little later. In the meantime, consider other features. For example, the scope of delivery.
Contents of delivery
So, the headphones are sold in a transparent blister. On the front side of the package there is a transparent window so that you can see the headphones in all its glory. On the back side are written the main technical specifications in different languages. There is even Russian. Inside are placed the “plugs” themselves, a set of interchangeable ear pads and a special bag for carrying headphones. There is nothing more in the package. Even the operating instructions. And what can be the instruction for headphones? The most interesting thing is that the warranty on these vacuum headphones is a whole year. Apparently, the guys from Sony are very confident in their product. Be that as it may, one should not have expected more in the delivery package. This is still not Hi-End equipment. Now consider the look of the Sony Extra Bass MDR XB50AP. We will review user reviews in subsequent chapters.
Appearance and design
Externally, these vacuum headphones look very decent. The Sony design team has clearly worked hard. There are sharp corners and a complex body design. And in the most visible place - a round blotch, which is struggling to pretend to be metal with radial engraving. But actually it is plastic. Build quality is incredibly high. When you pick up your headphones, you immediately realize that this is a really high-quality product. Plastic is used only of the highest quality. And pretty fat. Therefore, the headphones weigh decently - 8 grams. For the "plugs" is a lot. The headphone design itself is standard: a classic double copper wire comes from them. On it is a headset microphone with a call answer button. It can also be used as a player control button. In general, the design of the in-ear headphones Sony MDR XB50AP is excellent.
It is worth noting that these headphones were developed in order to compete with the legendary Sennheiser (yes, this company also produces “plugs”). Therefore, the MDR XB50AP, reviews of which we will analyze a little later, turned out to be very successful. Even music lovers, audiophiles and music professionals note the great design and superb sound of these in-ear headphones. Of course, they can not be compared with overhead monitors. But in their segment they are the highest quality. This allows the company to ask for relatively big money for them. Great design plus cool sound - these are the main features of high-quality in-ear headphones. However, enough about the design and other features of this device. It's time to move on to the next paragraph. Now consider ergonomics.
Ergonomics and comfort
How convenient is it to use these headphones? It all depends on how you use them. If you don’t take them out of your ears for hours, then by the end of the day you can feel real pain. Still, they are a bit heavy for constant use. Nevertheless, the presence of a built-in microphone has a positive effect on ergonomics. The wires are made in such a way that they never get tangled. And this can safely be written down as an advantage over other models. Also, the unique body of the headphones will allow you to easily find them in your jeans pocket or in a women's handbag. In a word, everything is in order with comfort and ergonomics at the “ears”. If you exclude excess weight.
But there are situations in which the weight of these headphones will only be useful. For example, the absence of these "ears" in your pocket will immediately show up, since the pocket is noticeably easier. You can immediately begin to search for them. Also (in theory) such in-ear headphones should sit well in the ears. And indeed it is. There is another feature in these headphones - the plug is made in the shape of the letter "G". Some users may not like this. The fact is that such a connector will cling to the fabric all the time if the smartphone is constantly in the jeans pocket. And it is really inconvenient. But this small miscalculation can be forgiven to the manufacturer. However, we continue the review of Sony MDR XB50AP headphones. It's time to consider their specifications. They are able to surprise. It seems impossible to place such advanced components in a small case. But Sony engineers succeeded.
Key Specifications
So, the headphones are equipped with dynamic emitters with a diameter of 12 millimeters. For portable speakers, this diameter is enough. However, you should not count on a complete sound picture and a clear rendering of the whole scene. Still, physical dimensions do not allow. The range of sampling frequencies supported by the headphones starts at around 4 Hz and ends at 24,000 Hz. This is a decent result for ordinary plugs. Even more expensive headphones often do not cope with such frequencies. The maximum power of these headphones is 100 mW. This is more than enough. The resistance is 40 ohms. Keep this in mind when choosing a playback device. An insufficiently powerful device simply will not be able to swing the headphones. The sensitivity of the headphones is 110 dB. Great value for a portable headset. In general, the headphones and headset Sony MDR XB50AP Black have excellent technical characteristics. This probably explains the relatively high price for them.
It feels like there are no flaws in these headphones at all. But this is not so. Many audiophiles and professionals believe that their low frequencies are too twisted. And indeed it is. Powerful bass makes it impossible for the user to hear the right sound. Basses will always be allocated more than necessary. This is what is often written down as flaws. However, the average user does not care how the composition should sound. The main thing is that the quality is acceptable. And the rest doesn’t matter. Nevertheless, knowledgeable people prefer in-ear headphones with a more correct frequency balance. The only trouble is that finding such is very difficult. Almost impossible. And if you find it, the price will unpleasantly surprise you. Therefore, the headset Sony MDR XB50AP, reviews of which we will consider in the next chapters, is almost an ideal option, based on the ratio of price and quality. However, we were distracted. Consider the sound quality of this product.
Sound quality
It should be noted right away that not only the headphones themselves affect the sound quality. Much depends on the playback source. If you try to listen to music through some Chinese player, it is clear that no one will hear high-quality sound. The best results are obtained when using a laptop with an external DAC, a computer with a good sound card, or a smartphone equipped with a processor with good sound characteristics. What about the Sony MDR XB50AP? Reviews and reviews convincingly show that these “ears” sound best with the iPhone, Samsung Galaxy S8 and HTC U10. You can also use modern multimedia players. The sound in these "gags" is excellent. The bass is felt right away. And on a physical level. You can literally hear the diaphragm twitching in the earpiece. At the same time, the mid and high frequencies are pretty much drawn. Even too much. We'll have to play a little with the settings in the equalizer. With a standard set of presets, everything is clear. Headphones perfectly play electronic music (just the one where powerful and deep bass is required). And if you want to listen to rock, metal, punk or classics, you will have to twist the equalizer settings. But still, the sound is more than worthy. Sony engineers clearly knew what they were doing.
Now about the headset microphone Sony MDR XB50AP. It has excellent sensitivity. A person is perfectly audible even if you do not hold the microphone to your mouth. Also, the microphone does not distort the speaker's voice at all. Emotional coloring, individual characteristics - all this is in place. The microphone button is fast and clear. And if the device is used on the Android OS, then there is even the opportunity to fully control the music player. But the owners of iPhones will have to be content with exclusively high-quality sound. The player control option in iOS is not available. However, users of "apple" devices are not very upset. The main thing for many is high-quality sound. And getting a smartphone out of your pocket to switch songs is not a problem. To summarize the subtotal. In general, in terms of sound quality, everything is in order with the Sony MDR XB50AP. Reviews about these in-ear headphones we will be analyzing right now. Let's try to understand how they behave in real conditions.
Positive feedback from owners
User reviews are a very useful thing. Positive or negative comments make it clear whether to purchase a particular device. After all, it often happens that the claimed characteristics do not coincide with the real ones. What about the Sony MDR XB50AP Black? User reviews clearly make it clear that the specifications exactly match those stated. The owners of this headset note that the sound quality in the headphones is simply excellent. This, of course, is the main thing, but the headset design has also received many compliments. The in-channel type (according to users) is best suited to modern compact headphones, as they do not fall out of your ear (like classic earbuds). Also praised the wire. Flat wires simply cannot physically get entangled in your pocket, for which special thanks to Sony engineers. A lot of positive comments were written about the build quality. All body components are fitted so tightly that there is not the slightest hint of a gap or play. Naturally, when crunching, there is no crunch either. Also, many owners note the excellent work of the microphone. It conveys speech cleanly and efficiently in all conditions. Some users even decided that the microphone has a built-in noise reduction option. Although this is not at all true. This headset works perfectly with smartphones based on the Android OS (as confirmed by users). But the owners of iPhones also successfully use such headphones.
Negative owner reviews
As often happens, even high-quality equipment for some reason may not suit users. The same thing happens with the Sony MDR XB50AP Black. Negative user reviews are not particularly numerous, but make it clear that these headphones are by no means ideal. The first complaint of users is related to the fact that on older devices (like ancient smartphones) these headphones categorically refuse to work. And indeed it is. The fact is that old devices reproduce sound in a different way (with numerous noise). Therefore, the headphones cannot transmit it normally. The quality is very low, there are suspicious noises and more. These in-ear headphones are designed exclusively for modern gadgets. Do not even try to connect them to something older than five years. The owners also complain about the very uncomfortable shape of the plug. In these headphones, it is made in the shape of the letter "G". That is, in the same way as in classical models from the beginning of the two thousandth. This creates certain inconvenience if you wear a smartphone in your jeans pocket (and almost everyone does just that). However, if this is a drawback, then it is insignificant. Some owners of these headphones also complained that they had not worked for a month. First, the device must be handled with care, no matter how reliable it is. Secondly, no one canceled the factory marriage. But if Sony will have only two or three devices in a batch of substandard, then cheap Chinese counterparts will have hundreds of them. So draw conclusions.
Verdict
So, is it worth it to buy the Sony MDR XB50AP? Headphone reviews are mostly positive. So, their characteristics exactly match those stated. Buying them is only for those who have a fairly modern gadget for playing music. If the device is older than five years old, then it’s better not to, since it will turn out uselessly thrown money. These in -ear headphones do not know how to work with old gadgets. As for the sound quality, then this is all right with the headphones. Ergonomics and comfort are also acceptable. Build quality and materials are also at the highest level. However, the price is appropriate. But if the user likes high-quality sound, then it makes sense to spend money on these headphones. They will provide the highest quality (subject to a high-quality device for reproducing sound). Fans of the correct frequency ratio will definitely not be delighted with these in-ear headphones, as low frequencies are very pronounced here. But the average user will definitely enjoy such a deep bass. But it is they who are potential buyers. After all, knowledgeable people usually choose something more expensive. But in terms of price, Sony’s headphones have no competitors in their segment.
Conclusion
Above, we figured out what Sony MDR XB50AP in-ear wired headphones are. User reviews about this device make it clear that at the moment these are the highest quality and most affordable "plugs" in their segment. There are also Sennhayzers, but they are much more expensive. Therefore, if there is an opportunity to purchase these headphones, then do not miss it. They are clearly worth the money they ask for them. There will definitely not be any problems with use, since these in-ear headphones are highly reliable. Not for nothing that the company gives them a guarantee for the whole year.