[Giogio]

  Guys, these have been reduced to 130 euros at my local e-tailer. Are they worth the money? I want a decent Bluetooth headphone that I can use with my PC, phone and tablet.
 
I currently own an AKG 240 MK II but the cable frustrates me sooo much... 130 is really the top end of what I can affort to spend on headphones at the moment. So are these worth it?

Coming from the Akg you will have a shock.
Two completely different worlds.
I have had the AKG K240 Monitor. The 600ohms version.
More neutral than Switzerland, and super detailed.
The totally opposite of the XB.
I would look elsewhere.
But well, if you already know that these are extra bass cans (where unfortunately extra does not mean better), you know what to expect.
IMO, they are not bad, specially after some INTENSE EQ. But I would rather buy the Jabra Revo Wireless. They are more interesting.
If you could spend 20 more the Harman Kardon BT would be even better. If you like their look

But you know that if you ask "are they worth" in a thread about a specific Headphone, you will seldom get a negative answer, don't you?

 

[LxJLthr]

  Guys, these have been reduced to 130 euros at my local e-tailer. Are they worth the money? I want a decent Bluetooth headphone that I can use with my PC, phone and tablet.
 
I currently own an AKG 240 MK II but the cable frustrates me sooo much... 130 is really the top end of what I can affort to spend on headphones at the moment. So are these worth it?

 
"Worth" depends on your intended purpose and how much utility you will get out of them.  Comparatively (and subjectively) speaking, there are much better "bass enchanted fun" headphones for the price.  However, not many have the mobility and additional features.  These have been getting as much used as my HD600s because they are great in bed or around the office (don't have to take them off, worry about wires, decent noise isolation, comfortable until eternity, etc).  Therefore, to me there more that worth it (especially since I paid $75 new for mine) even if the sound isn't the latest word in audiophile...BUT if I wasn't taking full advantage of their design and intended purpose, I probably would not own a set.

 

[Soundsgoodtome]

Where did you get this deal?!

Therefore, to me there more that worth it (especially since I paid $75 new for mine) even if the sound isn't the latest word in audiophile...BUT if I wasn't taking full advantage of their design and intended purpose, I probably would not own a set.

 

[Soundsgoodtome]

Guys, these have been reduced to 130 euros at my local e-tailer. Are they worth the money? I want a decent Bluetooth headphone that I can use with my PC, phone and tablet.

I currently own an AKG 240 MK II but the cable frustrates me sooo much... 130 is really the top end of what I can affort to spend on headphones at the moment. So are these worth it?

I honestly think Sony either undermined these headphones or didn't develop them to full potential for their drivers. Look for Bill-P's mods on this thread if you're able to diy, the mods change the sound to something from dark and veiled to a warm but balanced phone. Then when you kick on the bass boost, you get the extra bass. Whereas stock there's always extra bass and when you boost its like an earthquake.

 

[LxJLthr]

Where did you get this deal?!

 
$99.00 Best Buy holiday sale - $25 Best Buy gift card from client's white elephant gift exchange

 

I honestly think Sony either undermined these headphones or didn't develop them to full potential for their drivers. Look for Bill-P's mods on this thread, if you're able to diy the mods change the sound to something from dark and veiled to a warm but balanced phone. Then when you kick on the bass boost, you get the extra bass. Whereas stock there's always extra bass and when you boost its like an earthquake.

 
Very true.  Than again, may be there were aiming more at the casual-Dr.Dre-Beats consumer market?  Not the Head-Fi audiophile crowd that will tear apart and dissect any major new headphone with guided missile precision (I mean that in the nicest way possible

).  It is also the first generation of that particular style/design...sooooo may be it will be improved upon?

 

[Soundsgoodtome]

   
$99.00 Best Buy holiday sale - $25 Best Buy gift card from client's white elephant gift exchange

 
 
Very true.  Than again, may be there were aiming more at the casual-Dr.Dre-Beats consumer market?  Not the Head-Fi audiophile crowd that will tear apart and dissect any major new headphone with guided missile precision (I mean that in the nicest way possible

).  It is also the first generation of that particular style/design...sooooo may be it will be improved upon?

Ah, lucky you on the gift card! I went into the stores late afternoon at the local Best Buy to check that deal and they were sold out (late afternoon of BF). As for the first gen, you're probably right. Sony has taken on the Apple model of withholding on early releases and releasing a new product within a year with better and improved quality..

Just goes to show what the drivers are capable of with the proper mods, the difference are extreme. Almost making a completely new headphone and in the realms of the D2K instead of Beats by Apple.

 

[Malfunkt]

   
"Worth" depends on your intended purpose and how much utility you will get out of them.  Comparatively (and subjectively) speaking, there are much better "bass enchanted fun" headphones for the price.  However, not many have the mobility and additional features.  These have been getting as much used as my HD600s because they are great in bed or around the office (don't have to take them off, worry about wires, decent noise isolation, comfortable until eternity, etc).  Therefore, to me there more that worth it (especially since I paid $75 new for mine) even if the sound isn't the latest word in audiophile...BUT if I wasn't taking full advantage of their design and intended purpose, I probably would not own a set.

This is very close to my experience, except with an HD650 instead of the HD600.

The XB950 are still getting a lot of ear time, mostly because of their convenience. I'm not listening to anything "serious". Mostly just pounding techno, which almost takes on an ambient effect while at work.

If it was going to be my only headphone, the Xb950 wouldn't be the best choice. But, as a wireless headphone it has been more convenient than I though it would be. I also feel it is a solid bass performer. EQ'd it sounds even better, so all-in-all its worth the price.
 

 

[Majordomo]

Thanks guys. Usage is not an issue as I mean to sell the AKGs. These would be my primary headphones for music, movies and podcasts.
 
I do hope the bass isn't too strong that? 

 

[roguepp88]

Thanks guys. Usage is not an issue as I mean to sell the AKGs. These would be my primary headphones for music, movies and podcasts.

I do hope the bass isn't too strong that? 

The bass bloat will definitely catch you off guard coming from AKG.
I really think you should keep the AKG.
The Xba900 compared to the AKG will show a pretty severe lack of MIDs and highs in terms of clarity.

But then again, the portability of the Sony is great indeed.

 

[Malfunkt]

Thanks guys. Usage is not an issue as I mean to sell the AKGs. These would be my primary headphones for music, movies and podcasts.

I do hope the bass isn't too strong that? 

Well unfortunately, they do have too much bass to be all rounders. They do respond very well to EQ, to the point of sounding drastically different, but not every player for movies and podcasts are going to have an EQ.

The MDR-1RBT (or the upcoming MDR-1RABT), Momentum over ear BT, would be fine choices for a primary headphone all-rounder.

The xb950bt does what it is supposed to, which is to provide a solid bass experience. I feel the bass is quite good, my reference is mainly analog and digital drum machines, and it reproduces those bass kicks very well.

It's a bonus the headphone actually has a solid mid range and treble. It's just hidden behind a wall of bass. I actually find the performance of many cheaper dynamic drivers to be pretty comparable with EQ. Typically, bass is something that can't be easily increased via EQ within this range of driver as the enclosure and the driver it's needs to be designed to handle it. So even the mdr1r and momentum won't deliver bass like the 950. They just weren't designed to.

If you are okay with doing some modding, you'll have a headphone that is as good as the those other cans for less price.

If you mainly listen to bass orientated music and movies with explosions than no modding or EQ is needed for the 950bt

 

[Giogio]

I partially disagree with Malfunkt (although I like his new profile picture).
You can not completely recover the lacks of the 950 with some Modding. Although they will improve.
Still, they will never ever sound as detailed as a Momentum for example.
So, we often talks of how much highs, how much mids, how much bass, but we do not talk enough of HOW (without much).
I confirm that the Highs and mids greatly improve in quantity with some EQ (which as I already wrote somewhere, is a tricky process with these headphones).
But you are not going to get the highs of a Plantronics Backbeat Pro here, no matter how much you EQ.
 
Also, EQing these 950 is a bit tricky, they have some kind of protection in the internal Amp, so that according to which frequency you boost, and how much, the other ones go down too much.
This never happened to me with any good BT Headphone. Maybe, actually, just never. Or once with another cheap one.
 
About the Bass, I did not burn them in too much. Maybe 30 hours of listening. And I did not Mod them.
And the Bass sound not "solid" to me, it sound very airy, lot of puff puff but not much matter, substance, solidity. Very poor detail of bass. Not clean at all. I even had though that they had no sub-bass, because I could not ear any rumble.
Then I have understood, yes, they do NOT excel in subbass (not like the UE9000 or Fidelio M2BT) but they have it. It is just so airy, so lacking body, that it is difficult to ear.
The Punch is also for me not so intense.
 
Anyway. I confirm that if you get them for cheap they will be a very nice deal. Mod them, and EQ them. And you will have a more than decent pair of Headphones with the comodity of more bass with just on push of a button (this sounds like an advertise).
 
But, now I would like to understand WHY, apart for the price, did you come to the idea of getting THESE precise headphones, if you come from something completely different, and so you are not supposed to look for an heavy bass cans.
 
 
@Malfunkt: he can spend max $150.
The Momentum Over Ear BT are announced on Sennheiser Website at almost 500 EURO. I bet the Sony ABT will be 350 Euro.
He does not have many options.
As I have already written, unless he is really wanting a basshead cans, if he "just" want a good pair of BT Headphones at a good price, I strongly suggest him the Harman Kardon BT which are selling at $150, or the Jabra Revo Wireless at less than that. Or the Supertooth Freedom, which surprised me with a fresh sound with a nice bass, nice highs, good mids, decent detail and decent soundstage. I much prefer them as overall sound to these Sony.
Tyll of Innerfidelity appears to like very much the Meelectronic Air Fi Matrix2. He say they are neutral. This should coincide with a "coming from AKG" experience. I did not try them. But they are very cheap...

 

[Soundsgoodtome]

The mods, specially the addition of wool, drastically changes the headphone to a more linear sound with a warm and smooth sound to the range. Extension is good and mids takes on that Sony house sound of a nice decay.

A lot really is overrun by the bass boost in stock form even without the bass boost feature on. Now the bass boost with the mods has more sub-bass and about a hair below in quantity of a stock headphone without the boost.

Point is it's not a detail monster but a relaxing sound with a nice balance to a warm tilt. Although detail is gained when mods are done, it's just not going to surpass something like a DT880 or K702 in that dept. On top of being a wireless it changes how flexible the headphone is. I have a bt transmitter on my tv and I couldn't be happier for movies and games on top of the music use.

 

[Majordomo]

You guys are amazing, thanks for taking the time to give such detailed answers!! Amazon raised the price overnight back to 180eur, meaning they're out of my reach at the moment. But I'm checking daily to see when they drop back down to 130-ish. I've looked at Giogios suggestions and ruled out the Jabras since I really don't like the look of them. Harman Kardons too look less comfortable than the Sonys but they do look like quality cans. I've really set my eye on these Sony headphones so it's bard to budge but I'll have to pick between them and the HK BT's. And I am trying to keep an open mind. I've seen Bills modifications but I'm guessing those nullify the warranty which I can't afford to do. Really too cash strapped to risk anything.
 
Giogio, these really caught me by surprise when I was browsing Amazon. Well not these but the costlier MDR-1RBT model. Then I look at cheaper models and saw the newly listed xb950. Newer mode, decent price and they look good. And since I get so indescribably tired of constantly plugging in my AKG's on my PC it was love on first sight. The convenience, looks and good reviews. I'm really not an audiophile. I mean I like music and appreciate clear sound but as long as there isn't noticeable hissing, humming and what not I'm just fine with it.

 

[Giogio]

Well. Tastes are tastes, so everybody will give you a different opinion, but I would not suggest these Sony without Mod to anybody who is not desperately needing a Bassboosting BT Headphones.
I sincerely think that as mere SQ these Sony without Mods cannot compete with the Harman Kardon BT or the Supertooth Freedom.
I think you cannot go wrong with any of either Harman Kardon BT or Supertooth Freedom. The Supertooth look less professional, but sounds really amazing.
My complain with the HK was that the soundstage is a bit flat, and the sound is not lively enough without some EQ.
I was able to use the Supertooth without any EQ and the sound was lively, warm enough, and with good bass. I was surprised.
They also have a slightly more open soundstage.
You can fold them.
The HK you can only turn the speakers flat.
The ST sound a bit more bright.
Both are very comfortable.
 
If you can, buy both and send back the one you like less.
If not, buy the one you like more the look. Any of the two will not disappoint you.
Actually I would also give a try to these Matrix2 reviewed by Tyll, which you find for less than $100. I did not try them but I understand they may be more "neutral" and less bassy.
And if you do, let me know how they are!
 
Cheers

 

[Majordomo]

I'll wait a week to see if the Sonys drop back down again. But if they don't I'll get the Harman Kardon BTs. Thanks Giogio!