theuerkorn's Full Review: Sony MDR-XD300 Professional Headphones
Headphones seemed like they fell off the radar screen once 5.1 or even 7.1 sound systems found popularity amongst home video systems and even computer gaming. However, such sound systems are demanding in required space, cost and of course the listener position. Further, America's (dry-)walls are thin and powerful stereos a sure way to have your apartment neighbors talk to you or about you -- in either case typically not in a good way. So headphones literally made a silent come-back and while still not practical for the whole family when watching a movie, computer gamers sure have a good sounding alternative in head phones.
Design: Dorky, that may be the word that comes to mind when looking in the mirror while wearing these headphones. The slightly retro style is mostly defined by the massive ear pieces and the equally oversized frame. The thin chrome trim gives the Silverish Grey design a classy style without being too much.
Rating: ****-
Ergonomics: The large ear pieces mold nicely around the ear and are specifically designed to match either the left or the right. (You find out quickly if you wear it the wrong way.) Since the soft pads don't press onto your ear, the wear comfort is simply great even after hours. This is supported by the self-adjusting rubber strap to hold the headphones secure on your head. The soft cable is attached to the left ear piece and that's another -- though minor -- reason why these headphones are very comfortable to wear. The total mass of 245 g may sound relatively high, but in comparison and actual use they feel very light and comfortable.
Rating: *****
Sound: I must confess, I may not be able to distinguish very good sound from exceptional sound. Either way, the XD300 sound great to me and of course greatly depend on the signal they're fed with. The rated frequency response of the 40 mm dynamic drivers is 8 - 25000 Hz. Of course that cut-off frequency is defined by 3 dB (50%) signal loss, but for my 37 years "old" ears it covers every bit of my spectrum quite nicely without noticeable loss -- at least from what I can tell. Nevermind that the adult hearing practically degrades to 16 kHz by the time you turn 30ish. (The cutoff is less ideal for quiet passages.) Bass is strong and treble is crisp. The maximum power of 1,500 mW is strong enough to manage some permanent damage to your ears if overdone. The XD300 sports a sound mode switch on each ear piece to toggle between movie mode (pronounced bass) or music mode (natural bass). The difference is less pronounced than it may sound but noticeable. However, I wonder why there needs to be a switch on each ear piece.
Rating: *****
Compatibility: They're headphones, so what's to be considered? Well, impedance for one though most outputs can handle the 70 Ohms of the XD300 very well. The gold plated stereo mini plug (2.5mm) fits most modern audio devices (including iPod and Creative X-Fi). The included extension cord (with a larger stereo plug) fits (older) stereo equipment. So far so good and as expected. I tried these headphones as a replacement for my "old" (uncomfortable) Sony MDR-V150 headphones, and surprisingly the XD300 picked up noticeable static noise the older ones did not experience. That was the case with the front panel connector wired directly to my computer's on-board sound chip (Asus A8N SLI Deluxe). By upgrading to the new Creative Soundblaster X-Fi sound card, this problem vanished completely. While I don't think it's the gold plating of the sound card, impedance mismatch or sensitivity may be more plausible culprits.
Rating: ****-
Safety: I mentioned already the potentially permanent damage to your hearing should you insist on driving the XD300 at maximum volume for a prolonged time period. That's only half the story, as I recently found out. According to a study, the closed design may cause the bacteria population in your ear to grow up to 700 times per hour. While there is no reason to immediately condemn head phones in general, it's one of those things to keep in mind.
Rating: n/a
SUMMARY
Ergonomics and sound quality are amazing for the XD300 headphones. Unless you're a demanding trained classical musician, this sound quality may be well beyond your ability to differentiate -- at least for average listeners. Technically, the frequency range is well beyond the human range and therefor should not stifle your entertainment.
The listening experience is both pleasing and impressive. Try playing Call of Duty 2 and the CMSS-3D (EAX3) sound of the Creative X-Fi sound card keeps pounding your ears with fearsome waves of powerful, crystal clear explosions. While this is just one example, it shows the impressive sound clarity and dynamic range of these head phones when fed with the right signal.
The XD300 may look dorky and they are for sure not small. This is all fine for home use, but at the same time prevents any portable use. (Or would you want to sit in the airplane with huge ear pieces, let alone the storage issue when on the go?) Beyond the size, the overall design is well done and techy enough for some and just about "elegant" enough for others.
The sound output is great and most likely it's going to be your signal to the headphones that may be the weakest link. It's amazing to experience Creative's Extreme Fidelity (X-Fi) and especially the simulated 3D positioning that very convincingly recreates full surround sound -- should your source support 5.1 or 7.1 data. However, that has nothing to do with any headphone as they're by design strictly stereo (just as your ears are).
Note: Your Stereo's "surround sound" switch is not designed to work with headphones and rather degrades the sound than improve it. However, the 3D sound of the X-Fi is a completely different "animal". (Great!)
Ear-conscious design for long-lasting listening comfort Sound mode switch to match the source (music and movie) Durable urethane leather construction ...More at Amazon Marketplace
40mm DRIVER UNIT Sound mode switch to match the sound source Comfortable fit with parallel link free adjustable headband High power Neodymium Magnet F...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
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