Haven't seen much written on the Sony XB series, so thought I would add some very brief impressions.

Briefly auditioned the XB 700 at Sim Lim Square in Singapore this afternoon. Unfortunately I didn't have my Zune on me, so music was supplied by Sony (and could be coloured by the music they use to test devices).

Build looks interesting. It's light like an SA series and feels a bit fragile, however, the finish is pretty tight and the flat cables certainly add to the appeal of the unit.

Comfort was absolutely amazing. Warm on the ears, but soft soft soft. I think I could do a 3-4 hour stretch in these, no problems. Felt like they disappeared on my head. They were extremely light and felt secure (I have a narrow head, so there could be clamping issues for larger noggins).

Isolation was again, a surprise. I've read a few translated Japanese reviews that were a bit scathing on isolation. My wife was along with me and she could not hear the music once I put the cans on, so leakage was minimal to none. I could not hear her or the background din of a very crowded mall once the music started so in my opinion, I'd say they isolate well. Perfect for the office (which may be my preference with these cans).

Now, onto the sound. As I mentioned, I didn't have my own music with me, so I can't easily compare. They are bass heavy, but the bass isn't as sloppy as I was expecting it to be. In fact, if I had to compare the sound, it is similar to my Eggo D66 but a bit richer and fuller. Being closed the soundstage is much closer than the Eggo also. Overall, a non-fatiguing sound that enjoyed a lot. Definitely not analytical, more groove for your money though

I'll likely pull the trigger on these in the next few weeks.

Give us some news when you get them Their design look quite original .

Ok, so I my infinitely better half surprised me with an early Christmas present this week. A brand-spanking new pair of Sony XB700s!

I'm still burning them in (30 hours), but here's some initial thoughts. I'll update this a little later when I have a better idea.

Sources used:
- iPod Classic 5G
- Zune 8
- Headphone out of my Thinkpad T61p

I've mentioned the build before. I'm a fan, but a word of warning. These things are big! They certainly don't feel big, but these are not portable by any stretch of the imagination. For my small ears, they are also circum-aural, which is a huge plus.

Comfort is still king. I did 3 hours straight yesterday and they disappear. They do get a little hot, but nothing you wouldn't expect from pleather. The additional cushion adds to this somewhat.

I mentioned earlier that isolation was pretty good. I think I need to qualify this a little. There is some isolation, but it's about on par with my Eggos. Certainly good enough for the office, but if you're trying to drown out kids/annoying co-workers/low flying planes, well you might have to look elsewhere.

Sound wise, I've been pretty impressed so far. As I said, still burning in. They certainly have a good deal of warm, clear bass. I'm hoping it does tighten up just a fraction and I think they'll be a perfect set of cans for just relaxing and grooving.

Initially though, the sound directly out of the iPod was distinctly boomy. Probably a little too much for my taste. The Zune and the Thinkpad (using the Zune client) was much flatter, creating a much more pleasant sound.

Highs were not harsh, which was a surprise as I've had some less than great experiences with Sony's lower end models. I'm hoping there will be a little more detail open up over the next few hours.

More impressions to come!

I've on ly owned ...5 pairs of sony's in my time, and each time i really wnat to like them, but Sony's always leave me wanting.

they are big!

The pads look like monster truck tires, sunday, Sunday, SUNDAY! Is that really metal on the hinge?

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Haha nice call! Unfortunately, the cups aren't metal, but metal coloured plastic. The arms of the can look like they have a very thin veneer of metal (aluminum?) over structural plastic. The hinge/pin itself is plastic also.

Little bit of experimenting today and discovered two things:

1. If you EQ the heck out of them (iTunes > Treble Boost) these cans really pick up a bit more sparkle, now they are sounding very close to my Eggos. Makes me a happy camper.

2. Poor quality encoded MP3s sound very poor. Anything under 320kbps is sounding muddy and a bit of a hodge-podge of bass.

These look tres interesting! I would love more impressions, especially if you can get the bass to tighten up.

Here is a response graph:


Or anyone else who has them, please post your impressions.

@Vault

You try the xb300 in the store, i want the xb300 but i cant find reviews about this headphones.

Im search this type of headphones, cheap and with very very bass...im a bassheader.

im have the shure e4c, v-moda bass freq, cx300, Creative EP-640 and a oldies HD435 im not an audiophilie, but i like the music...

or somebody else try this headphones (XB300).

Thanks...

sorry for my poor english, im speak spanish.

i dont think head fiers will like them...the music sounds like its been on Bass Booster throughout

One does not need to pay that much money to get loud bloated bass.

Who says bloated? I'm getting these as my guilty pleasure headphones. Mind numbing bass with some quality too them. And leak proof!

How long is the cord?

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Unfortunately I didn't, though I would assume they would have a similar sound signature.

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I agree with you 100%, they are a guilty pleasure. Something to just melt into waves of bass. Never thought I would admit to being a basshead!

The cord is short. Around 1m. You may need an extention if you're using it on a PC or floor/shelf system.