Sony MDR-XB50AP review
Throughwork
Sony, emerging near 1946, make a vast range of audio‐visual items. Their earphones are made not only for their gear, but widely distributed as standalone items. Far as I know, XB means eXtra Bass, and AP means Android Phone.
Contents
Build
Well, this is big‐manufacture and in some ways it looks jambed together from stock. A cheap‐looking all‐in‐one cable is reasonably fat and soft, so won’t tangle much. The cables lead to strain reliefs gripping the sides of the housings. These housings are finished in translucent blue from a Christmas bauble. And fronted with black plastic caps that angle the nozzle to a knee. The tips go in medium depth. The XB50s will hold reasonably, but are far too large to rest or sleep with. I’m going to assume they are robust. They’re reasonably comfortable, but too big and bulky to ignore. They are easy to get in an ear. As for aesthetics, if Lego made Christmas baubles, that what you have in your ears.
Sound
An outstandingly loud earphone. That said, volume range is only good, compresses in the highband. The XB50s compress and smear swells. Outstanding timing. Attack is damped high up, fast in midband, decays seem faded. Various frequencies stand up and down, clarinets and flutes are low. Frequency range is bias towards a deep bounce in the lowband—I make this a shelf at mid‐50Hz downwards. Frequency range is wide with natural highband and lowband. Detail is missing everywhere. Color is only reasonable. Scale is varying, mostly reasonable, but positioning is good.
Outstanding for voice, though XB50s will replay unwanted noise like microphone bumps or rustling paper. The tendency to wander and compress is only reasonable for orchestra. Rock has got the timing, but the boom is annoying, and the lack of detail and dull vocals a loss. Solo instruments talk and are open, but wander. After that, within limits, it’s all upwards for pop, and games/soundtracks. Also, they sometimes rattle in my ears,
Spec
| mic available? | no |
| cable noise | reasonable |
| accessories | 1 pair tips, carry case, velcro strap |
| support |
Assess
‘XB’ is the giveaway here—’lets make bass’. Well, the engineers did it. Into a specification they built a big, gaudy lump and painted it deep‐shiney blue. The low boost is more acceptable here than on other earphones, because it is spread over a range—and the twang is fun, if unnatural. Modern pop will make you smile, and games/soundtracks are epic. But the XB50s get messy, thin, and compress highband when pressed wideband—rock and orchestra die.
It’s a big driver that, with help, can move deeper notes. It also seems light and fast, at least in lowband. But the downside is it only has variable control at higher frequencies, which mushes and thins highband. One non‐HiFi site loves these earphones, giving them a merit badge. Fair enough, if it’s processed sound you play, then they’re epic and delicate. But on demanding material they’re a mess.