I just got these headphones and going to leave my first impressions here. I'm a big Sony headphone fan I've used and reviewed quite a few pairs. Last year I got the MDR-10RBT and before that the MDR- BTN200 and the MDR-1RBT. I couldn't justify the cost of the 1RBT as $400 for BT headphones is just too much... the BTN200s (about $130) are great toss around headphones. Good for exercise, very "satisfactory" sound and they last 40 hours. The 10RBT was the best cross between them. They were nicely designed and sounded close enough to the 1RBTs to justify the $200 ($150 on sale at most places around Xmas) and the design are the best I've seen.
These new MDR-XB950BT are the successor to the XB line. I've previously own the XB700s and the XB500s. Both great headphones with a unique look and amazing sound. I'm going to forgo the XB800 and XB920 as I hated the design on those. The XB950BT are the best sounding Sony headphones I've ever owned... and for a very fair price at $200 retail. The sound stage isn't quite as wide as the 10RBT but it completely makes up for it with rich full bass. This isn't a purists' headphone though... it's bass heavy and glorious sounding. One slight issue I had with the 10RBTs was that it was slightly on the neutral level, which don't get it confused with bad. It is a great sounding headphone but it doesn't make you want to rock out. Also it was slightly a little quiet at highest level and side by side with the XB950BT, they feel a little thin and shrill at the highest level.
The XB950BT corrected every sound issue I had with the 10RBT and even surpasses the 1RBT with great, fun sound. This is a bass lover's dream. I don't particularly recommend this for acoustic songs though it's not bad sounding they are a bit boomy when listening to clean acoustic guitar. Forget about it with the Bass Boost on. Rap, EDM and modern pop songs sound amazing though with or without the bass boost.
The bass is not quite as strong as they are on the XB700s and merely from memory the sound is very similar just not as bass heavy without the bass boost. Definitely not if you're plugged in for passive/wired listening... and about that... here is my first negative point.
The 3.5mm cable is proprietary... (see my photos, it's the one on the farthest left). Yes, the only audio cable you can use for these headphones is the one that come with it. The headphone jack is recessed and so the headphone has an extra plastic piece that inserts into the headphone and keeps it in there. Any other cable won't go all the way in and you only get sound out of the right earphone. The problem with this is, is that previously I loved using old wired cables with iPhone controls when the power was dead or if I just didn't feel like using Bluetooth (which would sometimes cut out when I'm out walking). So pretty much I will never use these headphones wired... not a huge deal as this is why I bought BT headphones, but I'm disappointed that they would make such a dumb design choice, they easily could have made a bigger hole so any headphone could fit in there. Even my old 1R headphone cable won't fit.
Speaking of design choices; I mentioned how I disliked the previous XB (XB400/XB800/XB920) series earlier. They are big, boxy and hideous and so are these. Where the 10RBTs were streamlined and sleek, these guys are just big and slightly obnoxious... They not even charming like the XB700s with it's giant "pillow" like cushions... The one positive is I like the color scheme with it's deep reds, minimal silver and lots of dark dark black.
I'll keep updating this with more info as I get to know these headphones better. I really really love the sound and I'll probably be selling my 10RBTs, design isn't everything, sound is and these sound amazing.
