Sony uses 13.5 mm driver units in these headphones. While lightweight and small enough to fit inside the ear, they also deliver a good bass sound and wide frequency range (down to 20 Hz.) Neodymium magnets give the headphones maximum energy at a minimal size and weight. The open-air design allows for ambient noise to enter the ear, a safe feature for exercisers as you will hear car horns, passing bikers and dog barks. The cord is one meter long (3.3 feet) and the nickel-plated mini-plug offers crisp sound delivery. The headphones are a modern black color.

What's in the Box
Sony MDR-W08L headphones

I was a little skeptical because of the price (I was under the misconception that good headgear has to cost a bundle).

Boy, was I surprised.

The first time I put them on (riding on the commuter train) I was amazed at the sound quality. They beat the ones I had 100% in total sound reaching the ear canal. This helped block out the extraneous sounds of engine and multiple conversations. Plus, the bass was solid as well. As an added bonus, they are incredibly light and are plastic so the headband doesn't scratch your head (something that has irked me with other headsets).

With this level quality, and for this price, you just can't go wrong.


With a design this good, why don't they charge more?   March 8, 2003
 29 out of 32 found this review helpful

Either I am insane or none of you are qualified to review this product. Personally, I've owned six pairs of these and use them for hours on end each week. I wear them on 3-hour runs and I wear them in the computer lab here at school, so I think I know what I am talking about. Firstly, the product design for these headphones is the best I've ever seen. These headphones weigh nothing. That is the reason these headphones are so great. I've looked at other similar products by Sony (they make a model that look similar but are yellow) and by Aiwa and Koss and none of them are as good as these. They're either a folding design, which is a definite no-no, or slightly bulkier and less comfortable. The sound is good. These would be the coolest, sleekest, lightest, most affordable headphones ever, except for one small problem. They don't work!

That's right, after moderate use, the sound invariably goes out in one ear. This has happened in six of six pairs of these I've owned. One pair I had lasted for a year. Another was broken THE SECOND I TOOK IT OUT OF THE BOX. The Mean Time Between Failure for the six pairs I've owned is probably at or around 3 months. So, to sum up: These headphones are awesome. I'd gladly pay 30 bucks for a single pair that worked for year. Instead I pay 30 bucks for 3 pairs that, together, work for a year. I'd write Sony and alert them to the problem, but frankly for an eight dollar pair of headphones, I don't expect much. My advice is to buy six or seven pairs just to keep from running back and forth to the store. Hopefully they'll work out the quality issues on this one and jack up the price.


Sometimes the Best Foundations are the Easiest to Overlook   November 21, 2003
 28 out of 35 found this review helpful

When you find yourself searching, in need a pair of headphones, you should ask yourself what you want from your music. Do you want a sound that seems to cover you ear, muffling the noise and perhaps minimizing exposure, or do you want purity of sound that closeness of proximity can bring? Do you want a design that might be right and that might not, with those newer designs that hook behind the ears or those sectional ones that sometimes pinch, or do you want a more basic model that has been time tested? While you might not think of it, how you answer that question makes all the difference in the world. And if you're picky and want something that has met the measure of thousands of hours of this reviewer's personal testing, then this model works.

Before the advent of volume control on headphones, this was only the way to go and is still the type I fall back on when I can't find that type. That's because they have a durable plastic structure, an adjustable fit that is pretty hard to wear out, and speakers that seem to take a sonic beating before giving out. Its actually amazing when you note the beating they can take, with so many other products falling by the consumer wayside. Also, they fit firmly in the ear, seating themselves properly, and the plug connecting the headphones to the player rarely wear rout. Besides that, they have one other thing going for them. They are formed well, especially around the speakers.

While many may not see this as a necessity, I've actually experimented with all types of headphones and I've found something that can happen when straying away from Sony. If you're lucky you'll get something that is wired decently, sometimes popping and giving the equal to a shock in the ear and sometimes not, and at worst you'll have a form with a jagged surface. While that might not be bad with something that fits over the ear, something inserted directly into the ear is dangerous when not formed properly. And that's why I swear by these because I've never, in well over 50 pairs of this model alone, had it happen.

If you look at these and you think they are to basic and that the price says something on lower quality, you'd be wrong in many a right. They are perhaps plain in design, not getting fancy in color or the way they fit, but they deliver sounds in only a way that Sony seems to understand. They also last, allowing you to get your maximum use out of the product. Personally, I find that to be the best way to secure loyalty as a customer and something Sony seems to understand. And they've been doing that for me for well over a decade.


Excellent Headset!   January 11, 2002
 21 out of 21 found this review helpful

I bought these for my Sony mini-disc player, and they are quite the powerhouse! The sound that comes out of these little guys is amazing. These little phones are a tad awkaward (FOR ME),though, because I always snag the wires on something, but it's my fault. I am never too careful with wires. Speaking of wires, the cable has a volume slide-control whuich is very convenient for when you don'r feel like pulling the player out of your pocket to turn up the volume. That is, when not using the remote.

Sony always makes good products, and like always, I am pleased with my purchase. With good compactability, I can pack these guys in my backpack, and because they are so flexible, they still retain their shape and excellent sound and performance standards.

Let's talk about bass. The bass expansion is great and because of the volume control slider, you don't have to go deaf because you forgot to turn down the volume (on your player) prior to using it.

Not only ismodel MDR08L great for MD players/recorders, but it's also great for cassette and Discman's too! Especially when you don't want a heavy, cumbersome headset weighing you down while on the go. And, the plain black color goes well with any of the portable players today.

So, for the price and the brand, get this headset or something similar by Sony today.

Hope the review helped you.


Perfect   November 23, 2003
 10 out of 10 found this review helpful

Way too cheap for what they are. I didn't fully realize this until I got a player with a lot of equalization choices. Then I discovered that the changes didn't make much difference in the way the music sounded in all the various earphones I had around the house (because they didn't have enough frequency response to manipulate), except these. Everyone I've shown them to has loved them.

The comfort issue someone else mentioned is real--it takes a while to build up the calluses to use them for really long periods of time, and you can't use them lying on your side. But it's worth it.