Headphone Review – Sony MDR-ZX700
posted by Rob on May 18, 2012 at 5:50 pm | 
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This is the first in my ongoing series of headphone reviews. I’m passionate about music and sound quality and am very particular when it comes to headphones. I have a difficult time finding a pair that makes me happy. Even though I’ve come across dedicated gadget web sites and headphone forums, none of them were useful for finding the best-sounding, most comfortable, affordable pair of headphones. That’s why I feel the need to share my own findings with you.
Sony MDR-ZX700
Release Date
2011
Price
Sony’s suggested retail price is $119.99, but I’ve seen them for as low as $104 on Amazon and $99 Buy It Now on eBay. The average price seems to be in the $115 range.
Sony’s Specifications
50 mm drivers (dome type, OFC copper voice coils, integrated multi-layer film diaphragm)
neodymium magnets
frequency response: 5-40,000 Hz
nominal impedance: 24 ohms at 1 kHz
sensitivity: 106 dB/mW
max input capability (a.k.a. power handling capacity): 2,000 mW
cord length: 3.94 ft (1.2 m)
weight: 9.17 oz (I assume that’s without the cord. Sony doesn’t specify.)
1/8″ gold-plated stereo mini plug
Headphone Type
The Sony MDR-ZX700 are full-size headphones featuring a closed-back circumaural design. That means they cup the entire ear and are sealed, which helps keep them in place, helps muffle outside noise, and helps prevent the sounds inside the headphones from leaking out and disturbing people nearby.
Circumaural headphones cup the entire ear. That helps keep them in place, helps muffle outside noise, and helps prevent the sounds inside the headphones from leaking out and disturbing people nearby.
Supra-aural headphones rest on the ear without actually cupping them. That means some outside noise is allowed in, and sounds from the headphones can leak out and disturb people nearby. It also means the headphones could slip off or move out of position more easily. Some people find supra-aural headphones more comfortable than circumaural ones.
Closed-back heaphones, whether they’re circumaural or supra-aural, are sealed on the outside. They lack vents. They help muffle outside noise and help prevent the sounds inside the headphones from leaking out and disturbing people nearby. Some people complain that closed-back headphones make their ears hot after a while.
Open-back headphones, whether they’re circumaural or supra-aural, are vented. They allow outside noise in and music to leak out and disturb people nearby. The advantage according to many people is that open-back headphones sound a bit better than closed-back headphones, and that the vented design helps keep their ears cooler than a sealed closed-back design.
To me, open-back headphones are ideal for listening to music at home, where it’s quiet and I won’t disturb anyone. Closed-back headphones are ideal when I’m riding a noisy bus or train, but are also perfect when I’m home. It ultimately comes down to personal preference. Either way, if you wear your headphones outside, please stay alert and be careful.
Comfort
Comfort is very important for a pair of headphones. My daily commute to and from NYC is at least an hour each way and I spend that time listening to music and podcasts, so whichever pair of headphones I end up wearing must be comfortable.
The Sony MDR-ZX700 headphones weigh 9.17 oz. (260 g). Believe it or not, that’s fairly heavy, even for full-size headphones. To compare (without the cord, except where noted):
AKG K 240 MK II – 8.5 oz. (241 g)
Audio-Technica ATH-M30 – 7 oz. (198 g)
Bose AE2 – 4.9 oz. (140 g) (with the cord)
Sennheiser HD 280 Pro – 7.8 oz. (221 g)
Shure SRH440 – 6.4 oz. (181 g)
Sony MDR-V6 – 8.1 oz. (230 g)
Sony MDR-ZX700 – 9.17 oz. (260 g) (I assume that’s without the cord. Sony doesn’t specify.)
The only pair of headphones I’ve come across that weigh more than the Sony MDR-ZX700 is the Audio-Technica ATH-M50, which weighs 10 oz. (284 g) without the cord.
So the question remains, are the MDR-ZX700 headphones comfortable? If I’m listening to them for 45 minutes or an hour, my answer is an unenthusiastic “yes”. If I’m listening to them for a couple of hours, my answer is “no”.
The headband is padded, but not quite enough to overcompensate for the weight of the headphones. Because of their weight, I don’t enjoy wearing them for more than an hour at a time. They feel nice at first, but I slowly begin to feel the pressure building at the top of my head. If the headband were slightly wider and slightly more padded, I think that would’ve eliminated the problem.
By comparison, I have an old pair of Sony MDR-CD570 heapdhones from 1995 that feature a soft, self-adjusting headband that’s very comfortable. Why did Sony ditch the self-adjusting design in favor of a traditional, hard, less comfortable headband? And is the top of my head abnormally sensitive?
The ear cushions are nicely padded and feel good on my ears. It’s just the top of my head that feels uncomfortable after a while.
The headband is adjustable beyond the size of my head (in both larger and smaller directions), so it should fit most heads fine. And I don’t feel a tight “clamping” or “squeezing” effect like I have with some other headphones (Koss UR55, Shure SHR440).
I’ve worn headphones that were far more comfortable (Bose AE2, Sony MDR-CD570), some that were less comfortable (Grado SR80i, Koss UR55, Shure SHR440), and some that were downright painful (Sony MDR-NC7). The MDR-ZX700 are somewhere in the middle, especially when wearing them for a few hours at a time.
Sound Quality
In terms of sound, the Sony MDR-ZX700 compare favorably to many of the other headphones I’ve tried. They definitely sound better than any of the $200 and below Sennheisers I’ve tested, but not as good as the Grado SR80i.
Even though the MDR-ZX700 headphones sound good, they aren’t fantastic. They sound a bit “dark”, as if the high frequencies were rolled off. Some people might actually prefer this, but I don’t. I prefer more sparkly, detailed highs…not to the point of being sibilant or harsh, but definitely brighter.
The low frequencies are slightly plugged-up, contributing to the “dark” sound and making the bass sound a bit more muddy than it should. The MDR-ZX700′s large 50 mm drivers handle very low frequencies nicely and the bass doesn’t sound overly boxy or boomy like other headphones I’ve tried, but I still would’ve liked a tiny bit more detail here.
So out-of-the-box, the MDR-ZX700 sound good…not mind-blowingly fantastic, but good. However, with a tweak of the equalizer, they go from good to great. Here are the EQ settings I use in iTunes:
As you can see, I reduced some of the low frequencies by one or two decibels, boosted the midrange frequencies by one or two decibels, and boosted the high frequencies by two to four. With these settings (or the equivalent settings on your device), the MDR-ZX700 sound great. I hear bright detailed highs, strong detailed lows, and a nice even tone in between. To me, this makes them very pleasant to listen to, no matter what style of music.
Keep in mind, these are the settings I prefer. I feel like they really open up these headphones and make them shine, but you might have a different preference. That said, my EQ settings are still a useful visual indicator of which frequencies are too prominent and which are too subdued out-of-the-box.
Cord and Plug
The Sony MDR-ZX700 headphones feature a 3.94 ft cord (47.25″, or 1.2 m). I bought these headphones to use on-the-go and find the cord length perfect. I get the benefits of full-size headphones that sound good and block out some bus and train noise, without the drawback of having to wind up several feet of excess cord and jam it into my pocket.
For listening to music at home or recording in a studio, the cord might be too short. If that’s the case, an inexpensive extension cord is required. It’s an easy solution and I like having the option of a short cord for commuting and using a separate extension cord at home.
The plug is standard 1/8″ and gold-plated. It’ll work with iPhones, Android phones, portable MP3 players, and other devices that have 1/8″ jacks. For listening on a home sound system or recording in a studio, a separate 1/8″-to-1/4″ adapter is most likely required.
I must also point out that the cord doesn’t have an inline microphone or device controls. It’s just a plain old regular cord. Remember this if you plan on using these headphones with a mobile phone.
Overall Value and Closing Comments
The Sony MDR-ZX700 headphones straddle the line between portable and home use. The short 3.94 ft (1.2 m) cord, 1/8″ stereo mini plug, and low 24 ohm impedance are perfect for use with portable audio devices, but their overall size and the fact that they don’t fold up might make them better suited for home or studio. Then again, if you’re going to use these at home or in a studio, you’ll probably need to buy a separate extension cord and stereo 1/8″-to-1/4″ adapter.
I actually like the fact that these are full-size headphones because I want the cups to enclose my ears and block out some of the bus and/or train noise during my daily commute…and I don’t want to sacrifice sound quality and power just because I’m on-the-go. I understand some people might prefer smaller headphones that fold up, even if sound quality suffers a little, so it comes down to personal preference.
Are these headphones worth $100 to $120? That’s a tough question to answer and it depends on what you’re looking for. $120 isn’t cheap, but it isn’t super expensive, either. If the MDR-ZX700 had cost $150, I’d say they aren’t worth it. If they had cost $75, I’d say they’re totally worth it. But at $120, it gets tricky.
The sound quality by itself is good, and becomes great with a few minor tweaks to the EQ. That would be a plus, except not all devices have customizable equalizers. If yours doesn’t, you’d be settling for “good” sound quality, which might suit you perfectly fine…but spending $120 and settling for anything less than great sound bothers me. (For $120, I don’t expect to be completely blown away by amazing sound quality, but I do expect it to be great.)
There’s also the fact that after an hour or so, I have to take a break because the top of my head gets uncomfortable from the weight. Again, for $120, it bothers me that I have to settle for something that gets uncomfortable after a relatively short period of time. I know there are headphones that are far more expensive, but still, $120 isn’t cheap and I expect a little bit more comfort.
My old pair of Sony MDR-CD570 headphones from 1995 with the soft, self-adjusting headband are more comfortable. Sony should’ve stayed with that design.
I do like the short cord and soft ear cushions. I like the relatively plain appearance (I’m not trying to make a fashion statement with my headphones). I like that with a couple of accessories, they make good home headphones, too. Getting a good full-size pair of portable and home headphones for $120 (plus another $15 or so for the extension and adapter) is a good deal.
You won’t find a better pair of full-size, closed-back, circumaural headphones that are portable for less than $175. However, you will find better headphones for use at home. Overall, if you want the best of both worlds (or as close as you’re going to get for a reasonable price), go ahead and buy the MDR-ZX700.
And if you own these headphones, please let me know your thoughts!
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