We're always suspicious of anything that advertises ‘extra deep bass', and in the case of Sony's MDR-XB500 over-ear headphones, this proves to be well-founded.
These cans boast comfortable vinyl earpieces and build quality seems good.
But plug them in and it all changes. Any kind of subtlety in the music vanishes under the thick morass of sound.
The tonal balance is swamped by a fat bass, while a strident treble and rough midrange lurks in the background. Buy some iGrados instead and save £20 in the process.
Sony MDR-XB500 review
These Sony closed back headphones are nowhere near good enough for the money – you can buy far better Tested at £60.00
Our Verdict
Nowhere near good enough, even for £60
For
- Good looking
Against
- Everything bar looks
What Hi-Fi? Verdict
Nowhere near good enough, even for £60
Pros
- + Good looking
Cons
- - Everything bar looks
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