Sony XBA-2iP review

Best in-ears £120-£200, Awards 2012. Great upgrade for iPhone users, for calls and music alike Tested at £130

What Hi-Fi? Verdict

Best in-ears £120-£200, Awards 2012. Great upgrade for iPhone users, for calls and music alike

Pros

  • +

    Open, airy sound

  • +

    excellent detail

  • +

    well-defined bass

  • +

    top-notch timing

Cons

  • -

    Nothing at this price

Why you can trust What Hi-Fi? Our expert team reviews products in dedicated test rooms, to help you make the best choice for your budget. Find out more about how we test.

Sony’s been grabbing headlines for its TVs, Blu-ray players and home cinema amps over the past few months. But what about its headphones?

The XBAs come from the company’s mid to upmarket Prestige earbuds. You can also buy a vanilla pair without the inline gubbins (the XBA-2) for around £20 less.

Sony XBA-2iP

Sound quality is great. Spin Santigold’s The Keepers in 320kbps and they sound tuneful and exciting. Agility and precision is up there with the very best at this price, and the spacious delivery allows for plenty of detail all the way up the frequency range.

We can’t fault these buds – even call quality is good. Well worth a listen.

MORE: Best in-ear headphones to buy in 2014

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What Hi-Fi?

What Hi-Fi?, founded in 1976, is the world's leading independent guide to buying and owning hi-fi and home entertainment products. Our comprehensive tests help you buy the very best for your money, with our advice sections giving you step-by-step information on how to get even more from your music and movies. Everything is tested by our dedicated team of in-house reviewers in our custom-built test rooms in London, Reading and Bath. Our coveted five-star rating and Awards are recognised all over the world as the ultimate seal of approval, so you can buy with absolute confidence.


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