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

MalVeauX

Sony MDR-XB500, Affordable Pulsing Throbbing Gobs of Bass

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By MalVeauX

Pros: BASS, comfortable, inexpensive

Cons: A little flimsy, recessed highs & mids, short cable

Sony MDR-XB500 Affordable Pulsing Throbbing Gobs of Bass   The XB500 is pretty well known to all at this point, however there's more to this little headphone that the immediate and obvious, which is the extra bass that they market the XB line towards and deliver with authority. They are some of the best basshead cans for the cost. But there's actually a gem out of the line and that's the XB500 because it's actually quite capable of more than just pulsing throbbing gobs of bass. It's an interesting little headphone, so let's get to know it if you're interested in a bassy headphone that can be altered a tad through equalization to be so much more.   I received my XB500...
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pocketrocket

Comfy and nice bass on the cheap

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By pocketrocket

Pros: Cheap, good lows, extremely comfortable, sort of isolating, short wire, tiny plug

Cons: Headband and joints feel flimsy, veiled and uninvolving mids could use more definition

It's an unfair comparison, but I'll compare them to AKG K 272 HD, source being FiiO E7 USB DAC for both. (I equalize the AKG by +3dB through 20-80Hz)   Build: The soft, pillow like earpads are a godsend. The leatherette feels comfortable, and doesn't cause sweating. The joints and headband aren't as assuring, and feel prone to breakage. Since they're a gift for my gf I won't break them just to try it out. Oh well, atleast they're very light and you just forget about them in five minutes. The short cord has a cute tiny 1/8" plug that won't get in the way with portable use. Sound: First time playing Ayreon on them, which has plenty of beautiful female and male vocals,...
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derbigpr

Be careful what you wish for

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By derbigpr

Pros: A lot of bass, lightweight, very comfortable, cheap, easy to power.

Cons: Very recessed mids and highs relative to the bass, muddy sound, low overall sound quality with very little detail, short cable.

I bought these headphones just for the fun of it, to see how they sound with all that apparently amazing bass.   Well, for $50, they're ok sounding for extra bass headphones.  They do have a lot of bass, but its not a high quality detailed bass, its that one-note boomy mess that makes a boomy muddy messy veil over the rest of the sound frequencies.   Compared to my 6 year old Sennheiser HD212pro, which was a headphone in the same price range back then as the XB500 is today, I'd say the HD212pro is considerably better in about every single way. While it doesn't have quite as much bass, it has about 90% of the bass quantity and higher bass quality, while the rest...
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noobyguy

meh

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By noobyguy

Pros: good bass, comfortable

Cons: bad sound quality

It is very good for the price but the sound quality is not as good as i thought it would be but the bass is very good. i find the bass as good as the beyerdynamics dt 770 80 maybe even more so as it really gets in your face but the beyrdynamics are much clearer 
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gientsosage

hottest headphones around(literally)

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By gientsosage

Pros: super soft pads, clear bass, good highs and lows.

Cons: Like taping hot hands to your ears. Headband could be softer. The mids are pretty tinny.

For the price these are the best headphones I have gotten or tried from a big box store. Other than the lack of band padding and how hot my ears get I don't have any complaints.
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AHorseNamedJeff

Hidden Gem!

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By AHorseNamedJeff

Pros: FANTASTIC comfort, Clear sound, Flat cable, Headband bends nicely

Cons: Cables aren't detachable, Cables feel a bit loose, Not as closed as you'd like to believe

I got these used from my friend because I wanted a closed back can for walking around school with, and he was selling them like-new (2 hours max) for $20   Sound I absolutely love these headphones, and their warm luscious sound was a nice change from my Sennheiser HD518s. These can be run clearly and cleanly out of almost any source, although if you REALLY want brain mashing bass, a FiiO e7/E17 with bass boost will smash your skull. Signature: Don't get me wrong if you think that these are just a basshead's cans, these have clear sound throughout the spectrum, the highs sparkle, the mids come through clear and present, and the bass, well, the bass is thumpy, and just...
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DanSRX

Quality & Comfort

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By DanSRX

Pros: Deep Bass, Comfort, Flat Cable, Style, Sound Quality, Build Quality, Solid Bass, Clear Definition.

Cons: Style, Short Lead, Material

Having used these cans on a daily basis I feel a review is in order.   Sound      The most important aspect, above everything else! I have used these phones for listning to music across all genres and they do not dissapoint. The bass is obviously the main design for these cans and it can take pretty much anything you throw at it without any muddy distortion. From fast, powerful, punchy drum and bass tunes to deep dubstep the low end remains clear and defined loosing no power. The Mid range can tend to be a bit lost though, due to the bass being quite overpowering. After a bit of 'burn in' they seem to come out a bit more which is nice but is a...
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pro1137

More like Extra 'Bloat' headphones

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By pro1137

Pros: Comfort, bass, portability

Cons: The rest of the frequency spectrum, isolation

I've heard the XB500 many times before actually being able to give a good review on it. Each time I put it on, I'm always very disappointed. Back before I was into higher quality audio like I am now, I had always judged a headphone on how clean sounding it was. Mid bass bloat was what I tried to stay away from most. I am SO glad I didn't purchase these before then. I would have been upset with how they sound. When the term 'bass' comes to mind, I think of earth-shaking lows at or under 80Hz. To my ears, these are warm bloat cans that don't have those resonating lows. To be blunt, I can't stand the XB500's signature. At the low end, we have a very very warm presentation. The bass is not...
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LazBro123

Budget Bass Heads, Look No Further. Non-Budget Bass Heads, Stay Far, Far Away. As Far As Possible.

Posted
By LazBro123

Pros: Bass, Look nice, Value, Comfort.

Cons: Everything Else.

I am not a hater of this headphone, even though I am a pure bass head, but want excellent clarity and detail retrieval. These fail at anything that is not bass. Highs and mids clarity is pretty bad. It just sounds so plasticky and echoey, I cannot explain it. The overpowering bass, maybe too overpowering for my taste, takes over the entire spectrum. The soundstage is pretty dang tiny, which means that these are the WORST CHOICE for gaming. If you want a great headphone, buy the Panasonic HTF 600, which is cheaper than the Sonys by a bit, and demolish them in detail retrieval, clarity and soundstage by a mile, and can satisfy any bass lover. Bass on the Sonys are pretty muddy IMO, but...
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biggbenn74

Bass That Will Shake You All Night Long

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By biggbenn74

Pros: Bass, Super Plushy Earpillows, Lightweight.

Cons: No Padding On Headband, Earpillows Get Very Hot Very Quick, Bass Sometimes Overwhelms Everything Else.

So, a few months ago, I set off to find the most eardrum shattering bass I could buy under 100 bucks, and I struck gold. Behold, the Sony MDR-XB500. Simply put, the most punchy bass you can buy in a set of headphones. On to the review.   Value: A perfect 10 out of 10. These headphones can easily compete with those that are 3 or 4 times their price, and still end up winning. If you are on a budget, and you want bass, here is your set of headphones, sir or madame.    Audio Quality: 8 out of 10. Right out of the box, not only will you hear the bass, you will FEEL the bass. And it's not held back either. The bass is like an angry dog , it will bite you given the...
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Where to Buy It

Headphones.comSony MDR-XB500 40mm XB Diaphragm Driver Extra Bass Headphones at Headphones.com$59.99See It »
Amazon.comSony MDR-XB500 40mm XB Diaphragm Driver Extra Bass Headphones at Amazon.com$63.99See It »
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