Home Gaming Digital Lifestyle Cheats Downloads Upcoming Product Finder
60%
PROS
Only $20, wire long enough for a portable audio player, compact.
LOWS
Ear cups constantly disconnect from frame, made of flimsy plastic, uncomfortable to wear, average sound.
OVERALL
The MDR-V150's cost only $20, but if you are planning on using them for an iPod which you use often, you are better off investing money into a more promising set of headphones.
 |
|---|
If you are lost in the realm of headphones and just see a brand name like SONY and turn to it, be careful. Although usually products made by Sony are top quality, it should not be assumed that this is always the case. In this review we will speak about the Sony MDR-V150 headphones, running at $20, which doesn't exactly give me the impression that this will be the answer to all of our headphone problems.
The MDR-V150's look like a flimsy little headphone unit, and that's because they are. The tiny ear muffs are held together in a thin plastic frame, attached to the frame with tiny plastic swivel parts. This allows the ear pieces to rotate outward, allowing a listener to concentrate on only one side of the audio. These headphones do not fold, and because of their smaller size, it is not overly necessary. The roof of the headphones doesn't even have cushioning; there is simply an opening which splits the roof in two. I didn't really appreciate this, cushioning would have been much nicer, and the opening only makes it easier for hair to get randomly jammed through the opening. The headphones do have a retractable portion which allows the ear cups to extend down or up, and this pretty much takes care of all head size issues.
The cushioning of the ear cups I found to be inadequate. Because they are a complete circle, it doesn't feel nice around your ears. Instead, it's just like a circular shape is being pressed against the main part of your ear, as opposed to having your ears actually fit into them. This causes discomfort during prolonged periods of use and even during the initial putting on stage, and I have frequently found myself having to take the headphones off because my ears felt too pressured and uncomfortable.
The sound of the headphones is average. There is nothing extraordinary to be found here. I certainly would not recommend using these headphones on a high end stereo system, they do not have a clear or crisp enough sound. The bass is muffled in with the rest of the sounds, but the headphones can get quite loud. If you are using an iPod, they will of course be better than your little earbuds, but they are not nearly as good as slightly more expensive higher end headphones you can buy.
The wire is covered with this weird rubbery material, and it is not incredibly long. It is a good length for use with a portable audio device, but not good enough to stretch across a room or from a stereo unit.
The real downer to the MDR-V150 is that the ear cups frequently disconnect from the base unit. The plastic which allows them to swivel and holds them to the frame constantly become loose, and cause the ear pieces to pop out of the frame.
 |
|---|
I was quite surprised that the actual pegs which attach to the ear phone didn't break; they just got stretched out and became too loose. Whenever the ear phones come loose, I just pop them back into place. I can't help wondering when the pegs are going to break off and I won't be able to attach the ear phones anymore. The day has yet to come, but I'm almost positive it will.
If you are considering purchasing these headphones, take a moment to check your options. These headphones cost only $20, but if you are planning on using them for an iPod which you use often, you are probably better off investing money into a more promising set of headphones.
