Sony MDREX36V EX Earbud Headphone (Black)
Starting at: $15.99
CNET Editors' Review
CNET Editors' Rating
- Reviewed by: Jasmine France
- Reviewed on:
The good: The Sony MDR-EX36V headphones are an obvious step up from stock buds in both comfort and sound quality, and the price is a bargain. The headphones come with handy accessories like a cable wrap, travel pouch, and inline volume control. They offer deep bass and reasonable sound isolation.
The bad: The Sony MDR-EX36V headphones suffer from a cheap, plastic design; a thin, tangle-prone cable; and a brittle high-end response.
The bottom line: The Sony MDR-EX36V Stereo Headphones are a good budget-friendly option for anyone who wants to upgrade from the earbuds that come packaged with MP3 players.
When you've just dropped a wad of your hard-earned cash on a new MP3 player, purchasing an accessory to help make the most of it may seem counter-intuitive, but that's exactly what you should do: upgrade those headphones. You needn't spend a lot to get a pair that's a noticeable improvement over the stock set that came with your device. Case in point: the Sony MDR-EX36V Stereo Headphones. These earphones will set you back only about $25, and they offer a sharp improvement in sound quality and comfort. The construction ... Expand full review
When you've just dropped a wad of your hard-earned cash on a new MP3 player, purchasing an accessory to help make the most of it may seem counter-intuitive, but that's exactly what you should do: upgrade those headphones. You needn't spend a lot to get a pair that's a noticeable improvement over the stock set that came with your device. Case in point: the Sony MDR-EX36V Stereo Headphones. These earphones will set you back only about $25, and they offer a sharp improvement in sound quality and comfort. The construction quality isn't the best, and high frequencies come across as too brittle, but the low price and handy features make it easy to forgive these shortcomings.
As you might expect of earphones in this price range, the Sony MDR-EX36V earbuds are constructed of plastic and feel pretty cheap. You do get to choose from four color accents: black, blue, red, or pink. The 'buds are small and round, and Sony includes three sets of color-coded silicone sleeves to help with fit. We had no problems achieving a seal and wore the earphones comfortably for several hours. The package also contains a soft travel pouch and a cable wrap to prevent tangles when the headphones are not in use. We must say, we're impressed these extras were included with such an inexpensive set of earbuds.
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Compare selectedSince 2003, Jasmine France has worked at CNET covering everything from scanners to keyboards to GPS devices to MP3 players. She currently cohosts the Crave podcast and spends the majority of her time testing headphones, music software, and mobile apps.
User Reviews
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Showing 3 of 8 reviews
"Decent Headphones" By mitchbert
Pros: Super comfortable, Generally good sound, Useful in-line remote
Cons: Too much treble. I had to set my iPod/iPhone to treble reducer to ensure that all of the really high frequencies that resulted in a sharp tinny sound weren't coming through.
Summary: I was excited when I lost these so I could replace them. I like headphones that naturally trend towards lower tones. The listening experience without the treble reduced was reminiscent of sitting to close to the high hat symbol in high school band :P
"Affordable, that's about it" By toadgirl
Pros: Price was right.
Cons: Volume sux.
Earpiece won't stay in ear.
Summary: I bought these to use when exercising. The earpiece kept popping out even when just walking. Loudness is also pretty poor. Even when both my ipod volume and the headphone volume was maxed, the music was still pretty quiet.
You can't rock out with these.
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Specifications
See full specsQuick Specs
- Headphones Type: Headphones - Binaural
- Product type: Headphones
- Design: In-ear ear-bud
