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Member Reviews: Sony MDR-XB700 50mm XB Diaphragm Driver Extra Bass Headphones

Merdril

Sony MDR-XB700 Impression

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By Merdril

Pros: Unrivaled bass quality and quantity in price range.

Cons: Heat discomfort and slightly recessed treble.

In this rare moment of freedom, I hastily write my impression of the Sony MDR-XB700 (with a mention of the Creative SoundBlaster X-Fi USB):Looks and Feel If you read my impression of the Shure SRH440, you'll know that I love sleek, black electronics. It's almost like my kryptonite. That being said, the tactfully placed stainless steel finish on the adjustable part of the headband makes it even more attractive. I'm not so thrilled about the leather earpads, but I'll get to that soon. I can definitely wear this in public and not feel ashamed, but a bit admired. The leather earpads aren't that stylish, but they aren't hideous either. I would like to also say that the earpads are almost...
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DigitalFreak

Sony Must Love Bassheads (MDR-XB700 Review)

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By DigitalFreak

Pros: fun sound signature, great clear unbloated bass slam, solid form factor

Cons: not a good for all genres can, doesn't fold for storage, seems big as a mobile headphone

OK I just bought myself a pair of MDR XB 700's 3 days ago to see for myself what all the fuss was about.   Positives: Overall so far I'm pleased with my purchase. Although I find these cans generally speaking a fail with metal/rock/grunge they completely own when they're used on the electronica/rap genres. These cans have some very nice deep bass slam and I found the bass to be generally well controlled and acceptably defined for my tastes. The highs have passable detail without being shrill and the mids are generally also good. I'm surprised how good the bass slam on this thing is. You get some very nice low frequency slam without it being bloated, muddy,...
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rigodeni

Solid, Stylish, Sweet Bass!

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By rigodeni

Pros: Solid build, nice cable design, looks/feels more expensive than it is.

Cons: Poor on genres that are not Bass heavy. Gets very warm (sweaty). Not closed, moderate noise leakage.

  I also own the Grado SR60i ($90), and Sennheiser HD 25-1 II ($200). I will make some comparisons to these also. I realize many people consider sound quality to be the most important thing about a headphone, but I will take a more balanced look at how practical these are to use on a daily basis.   Design/Comfort   From the moment you take them out of the box, they feel and look more expensive than they are. People are always surprised to hear the price. The stainless steel accents and leather handmade ear pads add to the luxurious feel/look. They are solid, and built to last. The cable is not replaceable, but is very sleek. The flat design makes it easy...
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thecansmancan

Sony MDR-XB 700, A Bass Head King

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By thecansmancan

Pros: Fairly easy to drive, inexpensive, comfortable, ability to cross genre

Cons: no detachable cord, not portable, heat

    The Sony MDR-XB700 is a great can, for what it does. It focuses a lot on deep bass. And for an xtra bass headphone its fantastic. I feel it has the ability to cross genre decently. Perhaps not finding a forte outside of rap, dubstep, and electronica but being useful outside of them none the less. They are only 24 ohms of impedance, so they are fairly easy to drive though an amp is recommended. Everything else can be found in the video, enjoy!
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Mshenay

Sony MDR XB700

Posted
By Mshenay

Pros: Powerful Sub-Bass, warm Mid Bass, clearly defined and serprate sound layers, easy to drive

Cons: lack "punch" in mids, trebele lacks good timbre

BoxThey come in a nice big box, it's clear plastic so nothing to fancy.-Accesories- Includes a nifty "dust proof" bag, not sure how "dust proof" it is but it's nice to have, also has a flat cord, no extra pads. The bag has room enough for the Cans, a few sources, some cables and a small portable amp. ComfortYes they have giant detachable pillows attached to the side of them, so they are very comfortable. They are great insulators! In the winter your ears are nice and warm! In the summer the side of your head is dripping with sweat.MaterialCheap plastic and pleather is the name of the game, nothing to fancy. They are cased in plastic and screwed onto the head band. The adjustment device...
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jiggawhat

Value is the name of the game. For 80 bucks, you'll be hard pressed to find a better value.

Posted
By jiggawhat
Great that Head-fi has a template for me to follow. Let's start off with value. I am about 95% sure there is no better value under 100 bucks. Many people cannot justify spending over 100 bucks, so this is probably the headphone to get. Audio Quality. 4/5 - why? Because the mids are recessed. Vocals are a little tame - but this is not a problem with hip hop or pop music, its a problem with rock and alternative because the vocals are quieter on those genres. This headphone is ideal for hip hop, pop, and bass-heavy genres. But there is room for improvement in the sound quality, including clarity, and sound stage. But like I said before, there's nothing else at 80 bucks that can really...
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doctorx

A nice amount of bass for your daily needs.

Posted
By doctorx

Pros: Big headphones + small weight, Excellent bass response, Amp lover, One of the best choices in it's price range.

Cons: Packaging is ugly, No hard case (includes a soft pouch), Doesn't include a 1/8" to 1/4" stereo adapter neither an extension cable.

I bought this headphones to be used at my home desktop setup, and to replace my Bose OE. I researched a lot on these forums and these were one of the best recommendations for the kind of music style I like and the price range.   Comfort. These are surprisingly light-weighted given that they are really big-sized. The pillows are extremely comfortable and they won't pressure your head at all (at least in my case). They do tend to heat up your ears due to it's closed around-ear design but if you wear them on an area with a decent temperature, the heat is minimal. I use them in my AC cooled room at around 70~75 degrees Fahrenheit and after 2 hours, my ear didn't sweat at all. ...
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potatoe94

Pillows with Bass

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By potatoe94

Pros: Bass Quality, Overall Sound Quality, Comfort, Flat Cables, and Cheap Price Tag for a High-end Audio Category Headset.

Cons: Sound Leakage, Size.

  Comfort These are the plushest headphones I have ever owned till now and I can say they are really comfortable, one of the most comfortable in the headphone industry till date. It does get a little warm after a while, just a little; this warmth is actually rather common in all circum-aural headphones. The weight of these headphones will be difficult to be noticed the moment one puts it on, the ear pads will “sink in” onto your head and provide a nice secure hold. The ear pads and headband pads are made from synthetic leather (which is more durable as compared to that of genuine leather) Portability This is a real downside, it’s huge, bringing it out may be a little...
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sparq

The Fat Lady Sings and CAN Dance !

Posted
By sparq

Pros: Clean Sounds with the addition of subs for your head, Not just for Bassheads

Cons: Can be a bit overwhelming with AM Radio mixes,

  Got the XB500s today, and rushed to listen to them.  FUN PHONES!    Without repeating what others have related on the acoustic character of them, the best description I can come up with is that listening to them is like dancing with a very accomplished dancer, light on her feet, graceful and energetic .. BUT .. STAND BACK !   As great a dancer as she is, SHE'S A FAT LADY! shes got some HEFT! and they don't let you forget it.     The only really objectionable negative I can relate is associated to the over emphasized mixes some producers use for radio bandwidth compensation, and those can be avoided with judicious choices in...
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sugarkang

The bass solution

Posted
By sugarkang

Pros: Best value for getting the "club" experience in a can.

Cons: Ears can't breathe under the suffocating ear cups.

If you've ever thought to yourself that Sennheisers do not reproduce bass heavy music, then these are the cans for you.  Not only are they cheap, but they have the very, very low end bass frequencies are essential for enjoying big booty miami bass, dirty dirty south, and other club music.    Save the Sennheisers for when you're having your Grey Poupon brunch.  The XB-700 is the thong hanging out of the jeans type headphone. 
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Where to Buy It

Amazon.comSony MDR-XB700 Extra Bass 50mm, Big Booming Stereo Headphones at Amazon.com$199.99See It »
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