Sony ZX Series Wired On-Ear Headphones, Black MDR-ZX110

Feb 2023: just noticed this yesterday but between that pair that seemed like it was tuned funny and another pair i use at my laptop (main computer i use alot) … the earpads that NORMALLY flake to pieces in no time … well in both pair they are a-ok and not even starting to flake off … from an old pair that broke i still have some memory foam earpads that i can swap on anytime i want (they are more comfortable though the stock pads are decent enough too comfort wise) … but credit where it’s due on the not flaking to pieces issue

Jan 2023 Update for «Muddy» pair vs others EQ’d the same way … well i have to go back and read my review … I think i adjusted the mids somehow but i have been using this pair constantly and not only does the pair bought in Jan 2022 still work fine, the earpads which i expected to go by now, are still ok and also the sound issue … EQ’ed thanks to Rockbox … I dont notice any «issue» (granted my expectations of these NOT being audiophile quality sound but a good clear V-shape with decent mids .. not too back and not too forward) … yeah i am ok with even that pair, now

Feb 2022 update to the newest Jan 2022 pair i mentioned sounding muddy. I have used them a few days and now i think I have the fix … they need EQ help but they sound decent now, even if not «great». My fix was in Rockbox (Sansa mp3 players running Rockbox was always my main use-case) I left «Treble» and «base» alone and kept all of my prior sound settings I had for prior models sounding good. I kept the i want to say around the 1k and 2k EQ ranges that were at zero and i pulled them down a bit … THEN I also (based off a youtube video suggestion on muddy sound) i pulled down the low end in the advanced EQ part, STILL leaving a boosted «base» in the individial «base» part …. hard to explain for those that dont know Rockbox but it’s like an android EQ where you pull the low end down in the slider portion but also ENABLE a «base boost» toggle or something that an EQ app may have … that sort of thing only you have more control over how much the «base boost» is «boosted».

Not all songs sound great but that could be the source file ….even the one i am thinking of doesn’t make me go «wow .. that is not the way i am use to these headphones sounding on that track» …. I still would prefer not having to do this and having them tuned the way they use to be tuned (maybe i got a bad pair) … but they are usuable now and i like them

Jan 2022 Update: I recent bought a «backup pair» this past December and just tested them today … I do like vs the 2016/2017 versions of the «110’s» the cable from the split down to the connect it seems thicker (like the «100’s use to be») … though what I dont like is … the tuning … I still have those old 110’s and I 100% notice a clarity difference … turns out I cant return these if i wanted to (not saying I would … ) but doing an A-vs-B comparsion I totally hear a clarity difference … these new ones sound balanced, do not get me wrong, but they sound a tad muddy vs the old pair … and I totally admit i do a combo of a U or a V shaped EQ when using the Sony 100’s or 110’s … these dont sound great un-EQ’ed …. .but … this exact pair while they work sound muddier than any 100’s or 110’s I have had before … if this was my own experience with the MDRXZ 100’s or 110’s … I’d be considering other brands in the same price range
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This review is based on my first impressions with the «110’s» on a number of mp3 player, and a number of «100’s» (the previous model https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004WODP20/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1 ) that I have had and used over the years.

Pro — Sound Quality
So far I DO notice more bass in these new (my first pair of the «110’s») pair of headphones and unlike prior experience with Sony (and other companies too …) earbuds where the «new great model» .. didn’t sound as good as the prior ones did …

These 110’s just add enough to the bass and possibly treble too, that makes it definitely sound better then the 100’s though it doesn’t fall into the trap I described above, when sometimes they add «more bass» and it turns out the bass is so strong, that it drowns everything else out. I have to say that this is not really a knock on the 100’s .. I do still like them but for the same price on either … I’d go with the 110’s but if there is a «good deal» on the 100’s and I was getting them again … I am not against getting another pair of the 100’s either.

Yes these are «cheap» headphones and probably not as good quality wise as a really expensive pair though I do recall some reviews saying they tried these along side a pair of «$200 Beats» and while the did say their friend’s Beats did sound better … they personally would rather get maybe two or three pair of these and still have say $150 left over … meaning «they do not sound price-vs-quality of the sound» .. ‘that much better’

Pro/Con — Build quality
These ARE plastic headphones of course, though I do not agree with those that say «oh its like they are from the Dollar store … the plastic is horrible ..etc etc»… just if your going to buy a much more expensive pair of headphones … your will probably get better quality too

The one downside that … I admit I see in these, and are a problem in the pair of «the 100’s» that was 100% caused by me … AND EVEN THEN that exact pair, needed fixing but still sounds great … I am using THEM while typing this review, is the part where the 100’s and the 110’s ear-cups move. I am not sure «how it could be made better» but that was the exact point of failure for my long-used pair (again 100% my fault for HOW the break,happened) .. note that if it wasn’t for me they would still be fine and that is after 3+ years of HEAVY use and they still work … so maybe it’s fine for being able to fold (in both models I mean)

Pro — Fit
I am not sure if i can say one way or the other «I have a big head» (100% not a small head) but they fit fine .. even out of the box. Heck after that DIY type of repair I did on my broke pair .. .I had to flip them backwards and .. they for the most part still fit great … these 110’s are no different.

By the way I have glasses (regular and sunglasses used when wearing these) and just like the 100’s, these are nice and comfy … not too tight or too lose, if you ask me

??? — The cord
The cord looks different from the 100’s I have and I like the cord … basically I think some of the cords on others are way way too small and that always leads to the problem of one of the two sides going out for good … The cord on the 110’s looks a tad smaller diameter wise but really if that doesn’t mean that issue I just described DOESN’T happen .. I do not really care… I just want the headphones to work for a long time … if the cord is different but there are no issues … this change is fine by me.

Plug — I will keep this review updated IF there is a change but I have no had these for long enough to comment on some of the reviews who keep having issues with the plug breaking … NOT on this pair but my other pair of the 100’s get plugged into and unplugged from stuff for over three years now and often too … never had a problem .. but then again I cant comment on these. for now.

Summary

I would recommend these no question … though if your expecting a super high end sound (aka are an «audiophile») you MAY BE disappointed though as someone who loves his music … I think the sound with the right equalizer settings, on the device or program your using… I do LOVE the sound of these.

Update — After using a new pair of the «100’s» … aka the prior model

Really … the 110’s do have the slightly higher bass and that is not a bad thing either …. the new pair of the 100’s I am using I actually thought were the 110’s (I just forgot what headphones I was using)… THE POINT? … they both have great bass and I think the pair that I use to wear daily (the broken pair that still works great…. just doesn’t fit perfectly anymore)’s fit actually effects the bass … that old pair I hold the earcups closer to my ears than how they «sit» now .. .and I hear alot more bass.

Between the 100s and 110’s … if the way each one of them fold doesn’t matter to you for say fitting them into a caring case …. I recommend both 1000% (no typo) … find the best deal … if you can get one a little cheaper than the other …cool … there is more bass by a little bit on the 110’s but do not think I am saying a new pair of the 100’s are weak in that department.

> Great for the price. Very good sound quality. Very well designed
> Comfortable.
> Foldable — very easily, to make more compact for travel or transport. Folds flat (to about 1″ thick X 4″ X 6″). Some other foldable headphones fold into balls, which are not easily carried in a pocket.
> For most uses, mostly listening to audiobooks, I use Panasonic ErgoFit earbuds-HJE120K or Sony MDR-EX15LP earbuds. In comparison, I was blown away with the much greater base response of the Sony ZX headphones. The better base adds a dimension to most music, even for music has little base.
> GIVE THEM A CHANCE — My first impression was poor — they sounded muddy. Then I remembered that I’ve had similar first impressions of some other new headphones. It takes a while, maybe 12 hours of use, to «break in» some earphones or headphones. So, don’t be misled by immediate reactions posted by some other reviewers — nor your own first impression.
> After 12 hours of use, the mid-tones were still a little flat, at least to my aging ears, in the music I listen to — a little smothered by the base. I need to raise the mids by using an equalizer (such as in Windows Media Player, or built into some devices) for almost any music to sound best to me—but that’s generally true of high quality earphones. That is, audiophile headphones have a «flat response»—meaning that they reproduce what was recorded, as is was recorded, without emphasizing the base, midtones, nor high notes. For listening, adjustment is often necessary. If you’ve never used an equalizer, you’ll be stunned by the difference that slight adjustments can make.
> The cord is 4′ and a few inches long. For me, that is long enough to reach my computer audio plug (but, I added a 1′ extension to make it easier). However, in my opinion, the cord is much too long to connect to a cell phone, etc. in your pocket. I’d prefer that the cord plugged into the headphones, so that I could simply purchase cords of the appropriate length.
> The plug is angled, at 90 degrees, unfortunately. That means that it won’t «cleanly» connect to an extension. If you pull on the cord, you won’t easily pull it out the socket, but you will put on strain on the cord where the plug attaches, and potential damage the cord. In my experience, this is how most headphones fail. So, I consider the angled plug a negative feature, and another reason that replaceable cords are desirable.
> The cushions do not look impressive nor luxurious — but they are very functional. They are quite comfortable — essentially unnoticeable — and they easily stay in place for many hours of listening. The «crinkled-tissue» surface material and the flat design help grip the ears lightly without concentrating pressure. In comparison, I’ve used other headphones with cushions which, least a first impression, gave the impression of greater luxury — but, I remember some headphones which would not stay in place, and gave me sore ears after a half-hour or so. Not the Sony ZX headphones, they stay in place and I can wear them all day long without getting sore ears.
> The tightness is not adjustable, so the Sony ZX headphones might be tight on large heads, and loose on small heads.
> Part of the comfort equation is that the whole headset is very light – it’s not going to press down on the top of your head. You won’t have to adjust the tightness too tight (IF you could adjust the tightness) to hold the headphones in place.
> CAVEAT — (apparently obligatory if you want to be taken seriously) «Of course, more expensive headphones, deliver higher (audiophile) quality.» Yeh, sure. In an era when almost everyone is listening to highly compressed mp3, or even more compressed streamed music (and as a result, the quality of most recorded music is mediocre), I doubt that more than 1 in 100 people, maybe 1 in 1000, can tell the difference between these headphones and «audiophile» headphones — and even then, only when listening to high quality recordings.
> RECOMMENDATIONS — For most people, instead of fretting about audio quality, consider other features which may be important to you, such as a plug-in cord, wi-fi, adjustable headband tension, noise cancellation, etc. I’m not saying that you need these features — I’m just saying that IF you do, then they may be valid reasons to look at other brands and models. If looking at other models, don’t forget to consider foldability, and ear cushion comfort. If you just want good sound (for music) at a good price, you can stop here. For voice (telephone conversations, audiobooks, podcasts, etc.) I recommend considering earbuds instead. Sony MDR-EX15LP earbuds are cleaner, clearer and crisper in the voice-range, without fiddling with an equalizer.

>>> ASIDE—WHY? There is a direct relationship between the size of a speaker and the sound waves it can best produce. Decades ago, even in home systems, base speakers (woofers) were 2 feet in diameter. Tweaters 1 1/2 inches across were used for high notes, with various size speakers in between for mid-ranges. It is extraordinary that headphones can reproduce base at all, and an engineering miracle that earbuds can produce even a hint of base. But still, the underlying physics remains. So, most audiophiles will insist on 50mm «drivers» in headsets — the Sony ZX driver are nominally 35mm diameter — much smaller. But «big drivers» means bigger, much heavier, magnets — so you have to wear the headphones tighter, and therefore get sore ears. Google it — there are dozens of websites about how to cope with «headphone ears» — but the best solution, for most people, is to wear lighter headphones, such as Sony ZX headphones.
> Also (grossly over simplifying), different frequencies of sound interfere with each other, especially on the cone (or emitting surface) of speaker. In fact, on multiple speaker setups (with tweeters, midtone speakers, woofers, and sometimes subwoofers), frequencies outside the optimal range for the particular speaker are filtered out before they get to the speaker — so the mid-tone speaker does not get high frequency signals nor base signals. So, if a speaker (such as an earbud) inherently has a minimal base response, the mid-tones will be cleaner and clearer. If you object, «I hear base on my earbuds» — well yes, but that’s an artificially magnified, with little detail. So (all other things being equal — which is never the case): earbuds for voice, headphones for music, headphones with large drivers for audiophile quality sound (if you can tolerate the sore ears). In real life, it isn’t so clear — the quality of the sound is mostly dependent on the genius of designers and manufacturing quality.
> Keep in mind that, for most people, headphones are «bling» — a fashion accessory, where prestige is the most important consideration, and the headphones are priced accordingly. The sound quality, comfort, etc. of «fashionable headphones» is often a secondary, or tertiary, consideration. Sony ZX headphones make the statement that, «I am a practical person who doesn’t care about fashion». If that describes you, and music quality is important to you, and the mix of features fit your needs, then Sony ZX headphones are a good choice for you.
> SONY — Keep in mind that theory and execution are two different things. In my limited experience, Sony execution is uniformly superb. Not the fad-of-the-moment feature in every model—but a good balance of features in every model. Not the best possible at ANY cost — but rather, the best possible in any particular price range — and often very competitive with more expensive products from other brands. Not necessarily «better» than another brand or model — the mix of features and aesthetics can matter. User’s listening habits and preferences matters. But, if I had to purchase an audio gift for someone, (not knowing their exact preferences) or if I had to grab an audio product when running through an airport for my own use, it would be Sony every time.

Die Kopfhörer sind wirklich gut. Der Ton ist gut und sie sind angenehm zu tragen. Allerdings sind sie leider nicht so haltbar. Nach vier Jahren hat das Material an den Ohrmuscheln angefangen abzublättern (s. Foto). Die grauen Fasern hat man dann nach dem Tragen überall in den Haaren und Ohren. Das ist ziemlich ärgerlich, vor allem weil ich die Kopfhörer erst seit zwei Jahren einigermaßen regelmäßig benutzt hatte, davor eigentlich kaum. Schade.