Although the headphone market continues to burgeon with new models, it can be surprisingly tough to find a decent, fitness-friendly pair. A few companies, such as Sennheiser, have stepped up to the plate with sport-branded earphones, which feature design attributes meant to keep them secured on the head during activity. Now, we can add Sony to the list. The company has released an impressive array of Active Headphones, the $50 MDR-AS50G among them. These excellent, uniquely-designed earphones are a perfect choice for the gym.
Sony hit the nail pretty well on the head with the design of the MDR-AS50G, but we're not without a few (very minor) gripes. Namely, the neckband is not adjustable, so it can have a tendency to stick out from the sides of the head. Also, not every user will be able to get the band looped over and behind the ear. That said, the design is such that the earphones will stay secure in the ears even without the band being looped over the ear. Moreover, they're actually comfortable regardless of the ear looping, although they can irritate the inside of the ear after several hours of wear. This is surprisingly rare, and it's no doubt because of the spiraling style of the neck band. Sony designed the twisting tendency of the band mainly to ensure the earphones compact down for storage, but it also serves to hold the earbuds in place by pushing them slightly toward the head. This seemingly simple trait is practically genius--it just works so well.
