Sony has installed several key features to these headphones to enhance their sound quality. The thirty millimeter drive units delivers a deep bass sound and a wide dynamic range (the frequency range extends down to 18 Hz.) Both the stereo mini-plug and the UniMatch phone plug are gold-plated to make sure sound is transported fully and accurately. The gold-plated treatment also helps resist corrosion and supports the headphones' high conductivity and low noise. Lightweight ferrite magnets allow for high power at a minimum size. Finally, the PET diaphragm works to deliver low distortion.

Excellent fit, excellent compatibility and excellent sound: these headphones fit the bill for a sound professional.

What's in the Box
Sony MDR-V150 headphones and UniMatch plug adaptor

Other things I can mention about these:

- overall, these headphones are comfortable and the sound is very good
- (for ladies and the occasional gentleman) these headphones are pretty tight and can hurt if you're wearing the wrong earrings
- the cord is very long and rather thick

I would recommend these unconditionally to someone who likes the style of the headphones (i.e., bigger, covers the entire ear) and also doesn't have long hair or earrings.


Technical Explanation and Spec Review   February 9, 2007
 60 out of 63 found this review helpful

It seems from a lot of the reviews on here, that people don't quite understand the specs behind headphones which are crucial to its sound. A lot of people are comparing these headphones to iPod earbuds and saying that it sounds like something is missing. Here's why:

The technical specs for iPod earbuds:
Bandwidth response-20Hz to 20,000Hz
Impedance-32ohms

The technical specs for MDR-V150s:
Bandwidth response-18Hz to 22000Hz
Impedance-24ohms

For those of you who don't understand the numbers, it means that the MDR-V150s have a broader range of sound, but the iPod earbuds pack a bigger sound. This is precisely why you think something is missing.

If you listen to iPod earbuds over a long time, your ears become accustomed to really loud, albeit a small range, sound. This is also why iPod earbuds are known for causing serious harm to your ears over prolonged periods of use. For it to sound right, you have to use the full amount of power, which the earbuds provide. Your close-range hearing becomes damaged over time and you can't hear subtle sounds or details, but you can still detect low volume. The earbuds won't sound deafening because you can still hear outside noise.

The MDR-V150s have a larger range of sound and lower impedance. That means there is a much richer sound. You don't need to jack up the volume to get a good listen (but you do need your hearing intact). You also may not be used to the larger range of sound so the range of sound you're used to will sound drowned out at close range. Many of the comments complaining about this transition from earbuds are noting that staples of their music listening sound strangely undetailed on the MDR-V150s. High levels of bass have a way of "drowning" out treble sounds if you're not used to listening to music with ample bass at close range.

Another major difference is that since these are "on-ear" headphones instead of "in-ear" buds, you have much less outside noise interfering with listening. It's like the difference between listening to a car stereo with the windows up or the windows down. You have to listen to things louder if there's more outside noise and you can't notice as many details either. There is a reason cellphone handsets for the car use earbuds instead of headphones, and that's so you can still hear the road. Why would you want to use earbuds that are intentionally designed so you can still hear your surroundings but compensate for it by deafening you?

I work a lot with sound whether it's production, music, or art and I use these as portable stereo phones because of their quality and sound range. I use them with my iPod with the long cord tucked into my case's belt clip. They are incredibly affordable for their quality. Most comparable headphones cost at least $30. I have been using these headphones since freshman year of college when I was first exposed to them in my school's sound lab.

My opinion aside, the manufacturer specs speak for themselves and it's hard to imagine that iPod earbud fans really believe that these provide less sound when physically they have a much broader range of sound and do not permanently damage your ears.

As for the tightness, it's good. It'll keep the phones pressed against your ears. The padding coupled with the tightness is what keeps as much outside noise sealed out. The more noise cancellation you can get, the better the sound.

And for the hair complaint: you could always tie up your hair or give up on headphones with plastic size adjusters. The plastic size adjusters were just designed to snag hair, so it seems.


The best headphones I've ever owned   December 12, 2006
 35 out of 35 found this review helpful

I'm not a connoisseur of headphones, and quite honestly I don't think I've even paid much more than $20 for a pair of headphones. And maybe because of this, I've never owned a set of headphones that I was totally happy with until now. These are by far the best headphones I've even bought, and I was just floored by how good some of my favorites sound on these headphones. I just hear so much more.

I hesitated to buy these since so many people on Amazon complained about the feel of these headphones saying they pinched. Well, they are bigger than what I'm used to - a little bulky maybe - but I found them really pretty comfortable. Also, because they fit a little tighter, they seem to block out a lot more noise, which make them great for the gym or walking down a busy street.


Sound better than Bose TriPort, but...   January 22, 2006
 29 out of 30 found this review helpful

Sound better than Bose TriPort (that has overemphasized bass). Sound better than my best Koss. Unfortunately: a) too tight. After half an hour I have just enough, b) the cord seems to be rated for 60 amperes, extremelly thick and stiff


Cheap, durable, and high quality.   July 5, 2003
 13 out of 14 found this review helpful

But then, what else do you expect from Sony? I don't claim to be an audiophile, but I have nothing but love for these headphones after using them for perhaps a year now. I used to go through headphones every couple of months; something or other would break and I would have to go back and look for another pair. The MDR-V150 stopped that revolving door. The sound is excellent, and the headphones feel light on the head even after hours of use. The best feature here is the way the earphones plug into the headband; if you ever jerk on the cord too hard (like I always accidentally do when I put a foot on it while I stand up) the earphone pieces detach from the headband, rather than snapping the plastic bits like many other headphones in this price range will. You snap the earphones back into the headband and you're back in business.

I use these headphones every day, and while I'm sure most true audiogeeks would be better suited by a pair of Seinnheisers or another high-end brand, this pair is perfect for me. Heck, I'm on my fourth different CD player since buying them; how's that for longevity? Highly recommended if you're in the market for headphones near the 20 dollar price point.