Digital Lifestyle > All Reviews > Hardware > Audio > Headphones > Sony MDR-ZX700 review

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 Sony MDR-ZX700 review

This is a truly durable set of headphones

Karl Hodge

Manufacturer: Sony
Manufacturer: Sony
Pros: Solid build; even response across whole frequency range; good phones for home audio production
Cons: Not very portable; studio styling makes them impractical for travel
Price: £99
We rate this 4 out of 5.Star rating:

Balancing consumer style with professional utilitarianism, these Sony cans combine tough design and build with consumer savvy. The headband is nicely padded, and those rounded edges are evident throughout. If you’re going to wear a big pair of ear phones on public transport, it might as well be these.

The set suffers from similar problems to the JVC phones we reviewed on the previous page: that solidity leads to a tight fit, and a bit of adjustment is required to stop that translating into discomfort.

In terms of portability, the ZDX700s lack some of the features of the other units in this test. They don’t fold, there’s no carry case or extension cable and no on-board controls. These are very definitely intended for studio use. That doesn’t mean that you can’t or shouldn’t plug them into your iPhone on the go, though. What you will get from these is a headphone that’ll withstand knocking around and squashing without complaining too much.

Which brings us to how they sound. Again, there are rectangular ear pads that need a little tweaking when you first try them on, to make sure they’re covering the ear optimally. but once that’s accomplished the result is a nicely balanced audio experience, with a strong middle and top. It makes a refreshing change in a round-up that includes several bottom-heavy headsets. The result is a set of phones that are as great for home mixing as they are for listening to your iTunes library.

This is a truly durable set of headphones

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