Personal Electronics Review: Sony MDR-ZX100 Headphones

I've recently been listening to music through Sony MDR-ZX100 headphones. These headphones generally cost between $15 and $25. With the trusted Sony brand name, I look at them as an acceptable baseline pair of on-the-ear headphones. They are certainly good starting point before making any "premium" headphone purchase.

Sony MDR-ZX100 Headphones

While these Sony headphones don't allow the brand snobbery that comes from owning branded headphones like Beats, they work well for most people.  If you want fashionable, they do come in black, blue, red, and white.  The kit shown below comes with the headphones and a 3.5mm to 1/4-inch adapter plug so that you can use the headphones on a conventional stereo.

Construction. Sony MDR-ZX100 headphones are strongly constructed out of a heavy duty plastic. They don't seem flimsy and the don't have any exposed metal framework. They have rotating earcups so that they can pack flat. I've fallen asleep several times while wearing these headphones in bed and I have never damaged them. The ear pads themselves are covered with the exact same imitation leather used on my $5 iConcepts headphones.

Cord Length. The cord to connect with a device or stereo is just over 47-inches long. It is thin, but not overly frail. The length is sufficient for a device clipped to your belt or a laptop directly in front of you. However, you can't connect to a device at the back of your desk and recline in an office chair. When I connect to a small bombox on my desk at work, I often get stopped short when I move in my headphones doing routine office work in my cube. To connect to a conventional stereo you will definitely need an extension cable.

Sound Quality. Sound quality is subjective. It would be easy to say that the Sony MDR-ZX100 headphones sound robust and well balanced with sweet highs and hearty lows. However, this would also describe a typical cup of coffee from Starbucks. Instead, I'll say that vocals seemed clear, there was enough bass for my taste, and I think these earphones sound pretty good for the price.  According to the Sony website, the MDR-ZX100 headphones have a frequency response range of 12-22,000 hertz.  The 30mm drivers powering these headphones provide a stronger sound and more volume than my $5 iConcepts headphones.

Overall, if you are in the market for headphones, I recommend the Sony MDR-ZX100 headphones as a good starting point. At typically less than $20, these headphones are a good value and perform well. Once you own a pair, let other headphones prove that they are better. Sony MDR ZX100 Series Headphones will always be a great spare or travel set.