Sony MDR-EX300SL

MARCHANDS	€
Amazon.co.uk	32.66





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Caractéristiques
Headphone Type	Partially in-ear
Frequency Response	5 Hz - 24 kHz
Speaker	Dynamic transducer
Impedance	16 ohms
Sensitivity	105 dB SPL
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Cable Length	0.6m + 0.6m
Weight	6 g
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Tristan François
Translator: Catherine Barraclough
Test date: October 25, 2010

Round the Neck or Round the Ear?

There are two main types of in-ear headphones.

The classic models have the cable sticking out from the bottom of each earphone. The other kind has earphones fixed to a kind of plastic clip that fits around your ear.

Although some users find the latter option uncomfortable, this design stops the cable flapping around so it doesn't pull on the earphones too much when the user is running, walking or generally moving around. In fact, with an 'ear-clip' design, the cable can be positioned to run down your back.

Here, Sony uses a different solution, often seen in earphones designed for sport. After the 'Y' in the cable that separates the earphones, one of the earphones is on a longer cable so it can be passed around the back of your neck. It's like a cross between the two models outlined above really: the cable is kept out of your face but runs down the front of your body. We like it.

Although Sony earphones with two numbers in the product name don't seem to be worth bothering with, the few models with three numbers—like the MDR-EX300SL—have proven their worth on many occasions and come with a reasonably affordable price tag.

Handling: hard case included

Sony isn't known for supplying a whole load of accessories with its headphones—far from it, in fact. We're therefore very pleased to see a short cable with an extender, the usual pairs of silicone earbuds and a hard case.

The case is a particularly nice touch since the EX300 don't look like they're built to last particularly long. The materials are a bit too light and Sony really needs to redesign that cable.

The extender cable is a welcome addition too. These earphones are designed with asymmetrical cable lengths on each earphone so you can pass one around the back of your neck (see insert). Anyone who's into sports (the usual fans of this kind of cable design) can therefore connect to an mp3 player in an armband without having the cable flapping about in their face.

We seem to say this for all Sony earphones, but silicone earbuds aren't enough to guarantee comfort, and the product's design shouldn't compromise user-friendliness. As a result, the EX300SL may not be suitable for use for several hours in a row.

Audio Quality: could be better

The sound has all the traits of Sony in-ear earphones. It's no secret that average-quality dynamic transducers with an ill-designed resonance cavity don't make for mind-blowing performances.

The lack of balance is highly audible, with mediums and high frequencies that are well defined but a bass that's too strong and not very well contained. The overall definition suffers as a result and makes the sound feel a bit invasive.

Thankfully, they're much better than the kind of headphones typically supplied with portable music players, and this model is fine for anyone looking for a decent starter pair of in-ear headphones.

So long as you can find them sold at a decent price (the RRP is way too high) these headphones are a great model for anyone who wants to try out a pair of in-ear headphones. Look past the low-end packaging and a sound quality that could still be better, and these headphones have everything you need to get started.

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Pluses

Earphones stay in your ears, even when you're moving around

Hard case and cable extender supplied

Minuses

Sound a little too confused and ill-balanced

No sponge earbuds/covers, not many accessories

Not the most sturdy design