These headphones have 13.5 mm driver units; while small enough to place comfortably inside the ear, they are also powerful units producing a nice bass sound. Neodymium magnets give the headphones maximum energy at a minimal size and weight. The MDR-J10's clip-on design is hair-friendly and keeps the size of the headphones small. Their tangle-free storage cord is adjustable, making for easy storage in a backpack, briefcase or purse. The headphones come with a 3.5-foot cord, and their L-shaped plug is tailor-made for active use and won't bend and break like an upright plug might.

What's in the Box
Sony MDR-J10 headphones

Product Description
SONY introduces the exciting new h.ear Headphone line with the eye-catching MDR-J10 Blue model. These chic headphones are the ultimate in comfort, with a headband-free clip design that follows the contour of the ears, and vertical in-the-air driver placement.

First, the good. They're very light and reasonably comfortable for something that's sticking just into your ear. No problem. The clips work very well -- no matter how hard I work I can't get them to fall off. It might help that they tend to get tangled in my hair. I personally prefer the clip style to a headband -- this way, there's absolutely nothing to bounce around while you're running. I should also mention that they look very sleek worn.

The cable features an adjustable restraint, above the normal fixed thing that marks the beginning of the dual cord, so you'll never have too much cord flying around your neck.

Second, the bad. The cord is a bit shorter than I'm used to, but hey, no problem. The sound from these features a whole lot of midrange without a lot of bass or even treble definition. You have to remember, however, that the drivers in these things measure in at like thirteen millimeters, so if you're expecting Sennheiser clarity, you're looking at the wrong headphones.

Overall, these earclips are quite satisfactory. They do what they need to do: They stay on no matter what, and they transmit music from your walkman/discman/MP3 player to your ears. If you're looking for headphones to wear while doing active things, then these are great. It needs to be mentioned that, with music playing all up in your eardrums, these things do a startling job at blocking out other noises, so be careful not to jog into a moving van or anything. Safety first!


great headphones   January 12, 2005
 39 out of 47 found this review helpful

They have a very sharp, clear sound. I used them to edit my writing on computer, using a program called ReadPlease. It's a great program that reads text back to you. With the earphones, I can work no matter what is going around around me.

The wire is very limber, with a rubbery coating instead of more plastic. I have had two pair built along these lines, but the wires are wrapped in plastics covers which made then less flexible, causing them to kink. This soft rubber coating, left you move around without worrying about bending or kinks in the line that could ruin them. The rubber cover wire is virtually tangle free.

The ear wrap is very comfortable. On the other two pair, I was aware of their pressure and after long hours of working my ears would be slightly sore. I barely notice these and have not had any lingers soreness as I did with the other two.

So for comfort, easy use and prices, this is a good buy.


Buy a CD instead.   October 8, 2006
 13 out of 19 found this review helpful

These looked cool for those walks around the block, and the price was right. But that's as good as it gets. They may not bring down the neighborhood, but they bring down the once-proud name of Sony. Not only is the sound of music sharp, tinny, and bass-deprived, but the pin never seems to lodge securely in my player, leading to distortion and the cutting out of sound in one of the headphones.

My wife recently purchased a comparable pair of Brookstones at the airport. They cost three times more, but they sound at least three times better.


You get what you pay for   January 3, 2004
 12 out of 19 found this review helpful

I needed to replace my iPod earbuds - I'm one of those people who can't keep buds in their ears. I was willing to pay for a headband or clip model with good sound, but everything for sport use seems to be in the $10-$20 range. I tried these and compared them to the Apple earbuds and to an old Sony headband that came with a cheap Sony Walkman radio. Of the 3 sets, the best was my old Sony headband model MDR-W10. Second best were the stock Apple earbuds, and a way distant third was the Sony MDR-J10. The sound was terrible, very tinny. While they will stay on your ears because they clip on, they only fit right if your ear is the size Sony thinks it ought to be. Don't buy these. Whatever you've already got is better.


Disappointing sound quality and design...   July 20, 2005
 6 out of 8 found this review helpful

As a person who uses a portable MP3 player for both everyday activities and for aerobic activities, I have gone through my fair share of headphones over the years -- with most of the wear-and-tear due to exercising. I've worn down the padding of two behind-the-head headphones, and so I decided to opt for a new model to use during exercise, the new in-the-ear design. My hope was that this new design would be able to withstand the vigors of running and using cardio machines at the gym better than the behind-the-head headphones did.

Unfortunately, I cannot endorse the use of this product. I first experimented with these headphones on a long car ride. The first thing I noticed was that these headphones are remarkably loud. Since my anticipated use was in a physical fitness setting, I considered this feature to be advantageous. The second thing I noticed was the poor bass reproduction. Even after adjusting equalization levels, the bass was disappointingly weak. However, since my intended use in an exercise setting did not demand perfect audio fidelity -- I have a pair of higher-end headphones for normal use -- I was able to accept this limitation.

A few days later I put these headphones to the ultimate test: a vigorous run which included hills, changing speeds, and occassional sprints. I am writing this review because of the headphone's poor performance during this test. While I didn't notice any problems with the headphone design during my car ride test, the design flaws were exposed in all their glory during the run. Even at a quick jog pace, these headphones did not feel secure on my ears. When I encountered a dirt road and increased my speed (and after accumulating a certain level of perspiration), the left headphone fell from my ear. I don't consider my ears to be anormal in size (I am a 22-year old male 6' tall). For the remainder of the run, I could not secure the headphones, and while they did not fall off, the left headphone kept bouncing as I ran.

Finally, when I ended my run with a sprint, the final verdict came in on these headphones. I began to sprint and first the left headphone fell from my ear; shortly thereafter, the right headphone fell from my other ear. I simply finished the sprint holding my headphones, frustrated at the poor design.

I am unable to see a suitable use for this product. If your intended goal is audio quality, there are superior headphones out there. If your intended goal is a headphone which can be used while exercising (such was mine), these headphones are fatally flawed. Not once in my many years of running have I ever had a behind-the-head pair fall from my ears. I cannot envision ever using these headphones again for exercise, which unfortunately means I cannot envision ever using these headphones ever again for any purpose. **