Sony MDRZX110NC Noise Cancelling Headphones, Black, Medium

Bought these for my 9.5 year old son. He loves them. Given that he's been through quite a few pairs of cheaper headphones and complained about how uncomfortable they all were, it says something if he's wearing these all the time - not actually plugged into anything. We had to buy wired as he has a Nintendo Switch Lite and they don't have bluetooth capability. He's also found he can use them with an old MP3 player of mine, so he thinks he's the cool kid in town. The only mildly annoying aspect of these headphones is the fact that they're not rechargeable. They require a AAA battery to work, so we've needed to keep a supply of AAA batteries on hand - which isn't sustainable. I'm not sure how long the batteries last specifically, as my son keeps forgetting to turn the ... MoreBought these for my 9.5 year old son. He loves them. Given that he's been through quite a few pairs of cheaper headphones and complained about how uncomfortable they all were, it says something if he's wearing these all the time - not actually plugged into anything. We had to buy wired as he has a Nintendo Switch Lite and they don't have bluetooth capability. He's also found he can use them with an old MP3 player of mine, so he thinks he's the cool kid in town. The only mildly annoying aspect of these headphones is the fact that they're not rechargeable. They require a AAA battery to work, so we've needed to keep a supply of AAA batteries on hand - which isn't sustainable. I'm not sure how long the batteries last specifically, as my son keeps forgetting to turn the noise cancelling function off when he isn't wearing them. The upside though, is the headphones still function perfectly well as decent headphones without the noise cancelling on. So for the price, they're still a win as wired headphones 'with a noise cancelling option' when we can be bothered with batteries.

Great sound, but build could be more robust

The sound quality of these is great. These are a lighter headphone that rest on your ear, rather than completely covering it. The one downside is the cable: it wouldn't hurt to make it a little thicker, and therefore a little more robust. When one side failed (suspect wires inside cable stretched and eventually separated) I opened it up to have a look, and was surprised to find that inside the cup the cable is simply tied in a knot. This is pretty dodgy; I'd expect a better form of strain management in what is otherwise a quality product. Drop the headphones or accidentally karate chop the "Y" join enough times, and that knotted wiring will probably fail. My unit is a few years old, so hopefully they've modified the design since then. Despite this, I would ... MoreThe sound quality of these is great. These are a lighter headphone that rest on your ear, rather than completely covering it. The one downside is the cable: it wouldn't hurt to make it a little thicker, and therefore a little more robust. When one side failed (suspect wires inside cable stretched and eventually separated) I opened it up to have a look, and was surprised to find that inside the cup the cable is simply tied in a knot. This is pretty dodgy; I'd expect a better form of strain management in what is otherwise a quality product. Drop the headphones or accidentally karate chop the "Y" join enough times, and that knotted wiring will probably fail. My unit is a few years old, so hopefully they've modified the design since then. Despite this, I would recommend, and buy again; in fact I'm about to order right now!

Light and comfortable, good sound

Light and comfortable, good sound, moderate isolation. This headphones are very good value for money. I use them for video calls (I have an external mic, so I don't need a microphone). They are extremely comfortable for long sessions (up to two hours). The sound quality is very good. Being black and quite small, they are reasonably unobtrusive on camera. The cord is not very long, little more than 1m: fine for a laptop or a PC close to where you sit, but otherwise, you'll need an extension.

Noise canceling headphones aren’t bad but…

Very good value for money.Noise cancelling isn’t as effective as higher end models but does help reduce background noise.Build is fairly lightweight with a fairly short cable. Headband tension is light so is comfortable to wear but doesn’t mechanically block out sound.Okay for light use but wouldn’t recommend for audiophiles or pro users.Requires AAA better for active noise cancelling otherwise works as passive headphones.

Ok if you are on a budget and need environmental noise reduction

Disclaimer first. I am very picky about sound quality. The nearest comparison headphones I have for this review are low-end audiophile stuff, so direct comparison on sound reproduction is not really fair. When the review question "Is the sound quality good?" says "No" that reflects my expectation for what they should have been at full suggested retail price compared to other brands at a similar price point, but remember, I got them for much less. If there was a middle option of "acceptable" then that would fit better. I've always personally found the sound from budget Japanese headphones muddy or lacking crispness and sometimes both. If I had paid full retail price for these I would have returned them. At a budget price of <$50 they're ok for those times when there ... MoreDisclaimer first. I am very picky about sound quality. The nearest comparison headphones I have for this review are low-end audiophile stuff, so direct comparison on sound reproduction is not really fair. When the review question "Is the sound quality good?" says "No" that reflects my expectation for what they should have been at full suggested retail price compared to other brands at a similar price point, but remember, I got them for much less. If there was a middle option of "acceptable" then that would fit better. I've always personally found the sound from budget Japanese headphones muddy or lacking crispness and sometimes both. If I had paid full retail price for these I would have returned them. At a budget price of <$50 they're ok for those times when there is way too much background non-vocal noise. Active noise cancelling headphones always seem to have some trade-offs. With the noise cancelling turned off they sound slightly dull but are listenable. With it turned on, the reduction in noise is clearly noticeable. Unfortunately one of the reasons I bought them was that in cubicle farms noisy neighbours are a constant problem. One guess what these headphones do not really filter out at all ? The shouting and loud talkers barely get muffled, certainly not enough to put upwith the drop in sound quality from my perspective. Sound quality is obviously subjective and some people would find them "ok". Something not often mentioned in noise-cancelling headphone reviews is the unnatural effect the behaviour of the headphones can have on your inner ear. This is not unique to these units and even the premium stuff from the headphone specialist manufacturers exhibit this to varying degrees. SOME people may experience nausea and other side-effects after prolonged wearing of them, especially in relatively quiet environments (and I don't know why that is). Some reviewers may mention things like the "breathing effect" which is of a similar origin. Comfort for headphones can be a problem, especially for prolonged use (think "full work day"). For example I cannot wear buds at all and on-ear headphones give me a headache, so generally I'd buy the variety that make a nice soft pad on the skull leaving the ear alone. These are on-ear variety but with adjustment and for short periods (a couple of hours) they sit comfortably and don't place excessive pressure on the ear. If you sweat a lot and are not in an air-conditioned place, you may need to rethink. Having worked in an office inside a machine shop I can say that I wish I had these back then. For minimisingnoise from office machinery, outside noise (our office is beside a CBD rail line!) and street noise they do muffle it enough to mentally block out the rest. In short, if you need something to help you shut out the general noise around you for short periods and you can get these on discount and you are not used to high-end audio gear, then these may fit your needs. Yes, I have recommended these to a friend.

Only reduce noise, not cancel it

These are NOT noise-cancelling headphones; they are only noise-reducing headphones. Depending on your application they might still be suitable, but don't be fooled into thinking that background noise will be completely cancelled. (The star rating I've given is on the assumption that I made when I bought them, that they would cancel all noise.)

Pretty mediocre headphones, save your money!

My expectations were not that high, as these are just low priced wired headphones, but these really are not much good at all. I have small ears, but the ear cups are too small, this would be even worse for people with medium size or large ears. This causes my ears to heat up, quite uncomfortable after just a few minutes, especially in summer. Build is cheap and sound is muddy, not very good at all. Having two wires on each side is silly and leads to tangles. These are ok if you need to be isolated from noise, as these are closed back headphones. The sound, however is'nt much better than the cheap earbuds that come with your phone.

Superb but if you have sensory issues...

I actually own this specific model of headset. I like it so much that I ordered this second set from Walmart.com a day or so ago. I will write this review based on the one I already have of this specific item instead of the one I ordered recently. I had no issues swapping it between my iPad, 3DS, and Android phone. The sound quality is actually better than one would expect from something of this price. The microphone is actually better than the built-in microphone in my cell phone. It is a very simple yet extremely effective design. The only real issue I had was sensory related. The materials used to make the parts that go on the ears cause some sensory issues with me because of their textures and whatnot. It also made me have to take them off at times due to the ... MoreI actually own this specific model of headset. I like it so much that I ordered this second set from Walmart.com a day or so ago. I will write this review based on the one I already have of this specific item instead of the one I ordered recently. I had no issues swapping it between my iPad, 3DS, and Android phone. The sound quality is actually better than one would expect from something of this price. The microphone is actually better than the built-in microphone in my cell phone. It is a very simple yet extremely effective design. The only real issue I had was sensory related. The materials used to make the parts that go on the ears cause some sensory issues with me because of their textures and whatnot. It also made me have to take them off at times due to the sensory issues and you can easily hear what is going on even if you don't have them on your ears if set loud enough. So, if you have sensory issues or are getting these for someone with them(like an autistic, like myself), you should ask them if they are okay with these textures. It only stayed at 5 stars because of all of the quality sound and how well it works outshines those sensory issues for me personally to the point it doesn't lose a star. However, some sensory issues on this item may be worse on some or not affect them at all. You should ask the person before buying it for them in those cases.

Wouldn't buy at retail price

These headphones provide great sound, are comforting for my ears and offer a design that looks slick and beautiful. It's lightweight and the earcups fold so they can be tossed in a bag with no worries. I do find myself turning the volume all the way up in public as these don't have good sound insultation and a terrible maximum volume. It also feels cheap, very cheap it creaks at the slightest movement and I don't see this headphone lasting for more than a year a two for the terrible build quality. The cord is also on the shorter side, but it's still useable. (I got these headphones on sale)

best little radio yet.

Because I wear a hearing aid I have to wear my headphones slightly above my ear to pick up the sound. With my previous radio sound was awful. NOW using the same method I can at last hear my favourite programs it is wonderful and the radio is so light and really smart I am so pleased and so glad with my new radio. Thank you.