Sony MDR-XB500 Unboxing & Overview

[@the_tumor]

9 years later, still using these, and they STILL sound awesome

[@kuriousfilms]

I just dug mine out as well, they still sound amazing!

[@shotgunpyro961]

3 years later still the best headphones Ive ever had without a mic

[@SolidusYT]

yep but unfortunately they are very weak

[@unboxtherapy]

@krod9915 No problem dude! I always pay attention to my subs - you guys make this possible.

[@thebearminimum1532]

Went to Mexico and copped these bad boys for $60 and that was in 2012. Been using these headphones for 8+ years now and still the best headphones. Best sound and best comfort. These are extra bass headphones which I love. The sound these produce are so rich and vibrant. I can see why they cost $400 now. People slept on these and now they realize whoa wait these are the best headphones period. You love hip hop, rap, or any punchy songs, Get these because songs feel next level with these headphones

[@TheModeRed]

Sony switched up to the XB600 to compete with Beats. Huge setback in the audiophile world and nobody likes the new ones in comparison to XB500 or Beats. If Sony brings this series back with better build quality, they'd manifest a dream for punchy and deep bass lovers while reestablishing themselves as truly endearing to the music community as a whole. Use the words legendary bass and enhanced build quality on the new box! The rebirth of BOOM!

[@Fullmetalseagul]

I've had these since 2010/2011 when I got them as a gift. I've probably ran over the cable hundreds of times with my computer chair, including the audio jack part and there is ZERO fraying or tears in the cable to this day, no issue with the audio jack, nothing. Amazing quality headphones tbh. That faux leather has been peeling off for years tho and pieces of it get stuck on my ears sometimes lmao they're basically cloth cushions at this point

[@killazftw]

I have had these headphones since 2012 I have been not super nice to them, but god damn, they still sound FANTASTIC!

[@JMadlock108]

Sony is a very underrated company. They are my go to for cameras and headphones. They always are much better than the price they cost.

[@asad5067]

they make alot of crap headphones. these are good tho

[@mathesar]

Price was up to $79 by the time I purchased these in 2012 but still using them in 2020 mainly on my PC, love the sound quality especially the clean / deep bass response, if you still rock these be sure to replace the ear cushions if they're really worn (especially if the shiny coating has all flaked off) as it DOES make a difference with sound quality, the cushion expands once the coating wears off and it no longer allows a proper seal around your ears, i was actually really surprised how much better they sounded with new cushions.

[@ilikebacon247]

Okay, I got these two weeks ago and their quality is so amazing it's ineffable. At first the remarks about highs and mids being reduced and slightly washed out were true, but afterward I increased and reduced a few of the frequency decibels, And i'm actually having a hard time describing them. The bass is always present ( whether this is expert design or a dynamic drawback, I cannot tell) but the other frequencies are just as recognizable. They're just so adaptive. Well done, Sony.Well done.

[@kingof206]

i have had these ever since december 2011 and now its 2013 and i highly recommend these... they dont break !!!

[@darieljavier]

I purchased these headphones on Black Friday 2011 for $58, and they are still my day to day work headphones. Totally worth it. I just purchased new pads to replace and ready to roll 8 more years. These headphones always reminded me that nowadays expensive headphones are overrated AF.

[@thebeldam5823]

The best headphones I've ever owned. they dont make them like this anymore. Brand new in box these are worth $200+

[@Shadowplayer1441]

Yes, I agree. I just don't know any other way to categorize the quality, because (usually) price means higher quality performance.

[@hawkinsgarrett6]

I've had thes for a year now and they are great! Amazingly comfortable and hard hitting bass, sweet lows. Not the prettiest looking headphones I'll admit, but the sound definitely makes up for it! Hands down, a great price for an amazing pair of headphones.

[@gigasflare]

Awesome Unboxing and previews dude!! keep it up with your video on contributing all this cool accessories product such as Sony! now this makes me feels really wanna buy Sony MDR XB500 :D thanks a lot -from malaysia

[@TheModeRed]

10 years later these are still the best. Too bad for my XB500 and XB700 my kids were in their "must destroy everything" phase of growing up!

[@classicalman114]

I got mine on sale for $41.00 on Amazon. These are the best headphones I've used so far.

[@kingfighterfive]

Just picked up a par SUPER committable, and base is out of this world if you like dubstep and base heavy songs its a must get, I have used beats in the past and they have better sound quietly but not nearly as much base, over all great buy and would recommend to any.

[@Jamizzle13]

my favorite headphones! they've also lasted just over a year so far!

[@acemace3618]

1. depends on whether you like more bass personally I would go for xb500's because bass isn't too overpowered and the mids in songs sound alot clearer then again i never listened to a pair of xb700's 2. Anything is better than beats if you want earphones get some sony mdr xb21ex or xb41ex

[@Supermuffin5000]

I look this video this headphones ... I have this headphones now about a year and they are the best headphones i've ever seen

[@worldcomedyproducts]

actually youd be suprised. just because the headphones are bigger doesnt mean they are nicer quality. when i listened to songs in the xb500s and xb700s i found that the 500s have a much crisper and clean bass. the xb500s are the best out of the 4 models in my opinion

[@BL1THE]

Is the bass really as loud as everyone is saying? i'm considering getting these for christmas, and i am looking for some very loud bass headphones.. i want to make sure i'm making a good decision with these.

[@1798z]

depends but you can boost what is lacking with an equalizer they are extra bass so they have slightly worse treble but if you use an equalizer to boost treble the will be good for everything

[@KingThrashin]

Thank You! Been Looking To Get These Now That You Did This Im On My Way To Get Them!

[@Kevin5Nguyen]

The XB700 actually don't have that much bass as theses ones but I would recommend the XB 500. Also I have a pair of iBeats and use them everyday, but they don't sound the best but they are portable so they fit my needs for now!

[@sandina14]

Have you looked at the date when this video was uploaded ? Certainly not this or last year. And back in the year of 2011, I dont think that Sony were yet so keen on stopping the production of these and I certainly dont think that this video was made to promote the last of these headphones.

[@victor_ylap]

These are definitely awesome, and for the price, they're definitely worth the money especially if you enjoy listening to good quality music.

[@TheWorldMemeDatabase]

the only thing that worries me about these headphones is the sound. i had the sony mdr zx100's, but they weren't bassy enough for me, (plus they broke). then I bought the coby cv185 headphones (the 2 part combo from big lots) and im quite satisfied with them as temp headphones. these are slightly less clear than the zx100, more focused on bass than mids and highs. but i wonder, are the xb500's going to be better balanced than zx100 or cv185?

[@SirtubalotTX]

Actually, I changed my mind and decided to hold onto these simply because of the decent bass and the comfort. For your information, I'm not expecting $500 dollar sound (which in some cases can be crappy too) What I do expect is these thing to do better and at least get close to some $60 Panasonics that I'm familiar with.Like my review stated, these things have mid and high colorations that are difficult if not impossible to eq out and something I would expect from a 20 dollar set of headphones.

[@Noahrkoke12]

I like bass!! But do they do a good job portraying the mids and the highs too???? Thanks

[@EddJS3]

@EdgarE5S I've tried them side by side... I personally think these are the same, if not better than Beats for sound quality, and obviously more comfortable. But if you want the style and image of Beats, then go for those.

[@unboxtherapy]

@MrYonomequejo Absolutely scrumptious!

[@danjacktv]

you still have this headphones lew?

[@coffee7676]

nice review. i remember whenever i went to frys i would see those headphones and been curious if they were good.

[@101whitechocolate]

If your complaining the ear pads are too big? Well then get the mdr-xb300's there a size smaller, and if you thought these were big, they go all the way up to 1000, twice the size

[@knarkautomat]

I was standing between this one and the ath-m50, i actually went with the ladder, it's a little pricier but really worth it. The xb500 is really good though. :)

[@SirtubalotTX]

Thanks but I have tried another pair and they are the same. I decided however to hold onto these and have already bought an extension.

[@TheAsyrafbadrul]

i love these headphones.the best for home use and while recording

[@ilikebacon247]

E-QUA-LI-ZER - A tone control system designed to compensate for frequency distortion in audio systems. They actually work with these headphones. I know it's a bit inconvenient, but give it a try.

[@WLOfails]

I would expect the price of anything to decrease over years as models increase, but they went up by $40? WTF??

[@WLOfails]

***** I guess that's true. Instead I got the ath-m50 for 55% discount. I'm expecting the package this weekend.

[@eliud7142]

They are worth almost 300$ now...

[@Timerty88]

Thank you so much! I have beats studios and personally I think these are better mostly because they are so comfy and the beats are such an inconvenience! Best €50 I have ever spent!

[@ChardMan101]

I still have these and I stilll haven’t found a head phone to replace them. I’ve ran mine over held together with duct tape and have to tape the 3.5 in specific direction to work. Nothing is as comfortable as these not even my Sony xm4

[@limeball123]

Hey can you unbox/review the XB700? And if in your opinon they are worth the extra 20?

[@GTRv96]

Listening to this with my MDR XB500's right now :)

[@baracho2]

The closed ones do not leak as much sound as the open ones.

[@TommyGun8142]

You probably have a faulty pair, the bass on mine is outstandingly clear and mids and highs are pretty good. buy a cord extender for about £1.

[@Kevin5Nguyen]

Yes they work, but you cant use the control talk or the buttons.

[@wrobby123]

i've had these since april, i paid 89 though best headphones ever PERIOD

[@ONLYUSEmeSKILLZ]

Im wearing them right now! They are great!

[@MaccyyyGaming]

i really wanna buy either the xb 500 or the xb 1000, please reply and tell me which one is better, like the bass and sound quality

[@VAKZ23]

I really do want beats the first time I saw it, ever since, im the "best quality available" guy for gadgets, and for me, this spells as "expensive things" my cousin saw my sennheiser headset and immediately compared it without having a try to listen to it, his face is priceless after getting a try to my pair, Im gonna have this at the end of the month,,

[@classicalman114]

@KashgroundTM That's so weird then that some seller on Amazon would be charging $149.00 for them. Why such a dramatic price difference?

[@JamestarPokemon]

@unboxtherapy Question is there like some kind of Stacker game near your house and your like some kind of wizard at it. So you like, totally clean out the whole machine or something?!

[@SpeakerZoNHigH]

got these last year excellent headphones

[@MultiHeiji]

do you think i should wait for the p34 or just get the new slim ps3 cuz i sold my old slim for my iphone

[@TurkishStyles52]

Is this better than the akg k518 le ? I like much bass and the akg has alot of bass and i'd like to know. Is the bass strong on these headphones ?

[@MichaelMusou]

question to owners of these headphones, how is the experience when watching a movie or playing a game?

[@TheZen213]

if you had to pick one computer what would you use unboxtherapy?

[@MaahirMomtaz12]

These were very iconic at the time

[@ScGendo]

Great headphones, had them for a long time. The faux leather starts peeling off after a couple of years but are still usable, for some reason they're now £600 on Amazon UK...

[@ariyansingh6346]

There £68 in UK now

[@MRDYSE13]

considering that these are cheaper i would easily choose these. it depends it you want portability. if you do then go with beats, but these are really amazing for the money.

[@RidingWithGerdas]

Hey, I wanna buy these for my Ipod nano 5th gen. Who knows how it plays, does it loud, hows the bass, should i buy it.. I will use it with my Ipod.. answer me some please :)

[@EnriqueBF96]

Obviosly go for these. I don´t know what model of beats are you talking about, but I can tell that none of them worth their price. If you are thinking about solos HD, go for these and by the way, you will save money. If you were going for beats studio, get some beyer. Hope I help

[@m8766654321]

Lew do you know which are the best headphones to listen to Rock/Metal?

[@silverdart333]

Can you still buy these as of 2013, If so where?

[@bloodlesswaffles]

AHHHH cant decide should i get these or skullcandy hesh 2s?????

[@TheLaamaporo]

Please do unboxing of Sony XB1000 and then comprise those to Beats Pro's!

[@l3aIIin23]

i know these are not for gaming but how do they sound when you game with it?

[@Gabe7021]

Is the sound quality from these better than the beats by dre??

[@TURKEYJERKER]

You should do an unboxing of the sony xb1000 and compare them to the xb500

[@_7rident]

i did send them in to skullcandy. im waiting for a new pair from skullcandy or a coupon to get a pair of heshes. to sell on ebay and it was a defective product replacement

[@dakotahdunham9888]

2021:They’ve gone up in value over the years

[@drummernumber11]

Why is it so much more expensive now?

[@afz3003]

Sony discontinued this model, and people realised how good these are (given the cost) so now everyone who has a pair is trying to make a nice profit by selling them double (even triple) the original cost. I'm thinking of getting them again ( the wires are destroyed on my pair) the comfort is amazing.

[@drummernumber11]

I bet they are and I really wanted one but I can't afford them now and it sucks because I could've before

[@mostafaberg]

I haven't tried these, but i've seen TONS of people who've tested both and can confirm those are much better and much cheaper !, so XB500 it is !

[@TheAsyrafbadrul]

the cable is not detachebale but when the cable is broken you can unscrew it and get a new one.

[@xXserkXx]

What are the current new version of these?

[@moto815]

i tried this headphones at bust buy 2day..2 things that i don't like.. 1.the cups are kinda big 2.there's 2 cables under the headphones i wish they made it 1 cable instead of 2. at best buy this headphones are $149.99.. can this headphones flat down liked the bose?

[@boboperry]

any headphones sugestions besides this one?

[@Stevenlaw13]

lol trust me, i know what an equalizer is. i would recommend spending a little bit extra for the HoM Revolution. well worth the money. bring your music player/phone to the store and try em out. you will be surprised.

[@MuchinaMkenya]

one of the best headphones! Na zangu niliokota

[@PUREaw5umnes]

Are these good for sound isolating

[@classicalman114]

@SkoalTide96 ikr? Why such a drastic increase?

[@TewksRedmen14]

I was thinking about the Solo HD's but maybe a little more than that but not too much.

[@SlickTrademarc]

I bought mine 4 years ago and I have to say that the leather on them cracked fairly quick.

[@blots5564]

Got these back in like 2011 or 2010 cant even remember. Used them daily and today they finaly died on me. I am extremely sad. These things were awesome.

[@EvadeTheRobots]

@pianolight5 How much did you pay for the sony headphones?

[@classicalman114]

@SkoalTide96 Sorry my friend, I just checked Amazon, and the 'phones are no longer on sale. :( Unless you're willing to pay only $39.95 for a pair of XB300s, which are inferior to my knowledge, then it's full price for a pair of 500s ($149.99). Crazy.

[@TheWarfare07]

i love these headphones. i agree, they are comfortable and light :D

[@JamboStudios]

Just bought the Audio Technica ATH-M50 Headphones and came here for a few unboxing tips ;)

[@Maxxy926]

@ONLYUSEmeSKILLZ Dude I am too but I don't hear the heavy bass like everyone says. Is it really that loud?

[@MrGhostlord96]

hey, does the XB-300 have a carrying pouch?

[@DraconicFury]

dude i think soy is gonna make a big step into the gaming headset industry with there upcoming 7.1 dolby digital surround sound headset thats wireless...and 100$

[@M.McKinney]

should i get these or the skullcandy skull crushers..anyone please reply

[@marhubyak]

Great review, just one question does it have a mic ?

[@Boomhauer333]

no

[@SirtubalotTX]

Update: After trying these on difference sources and music types, I was able to get the bass cleaned up a bit' and it's very decent but the mids and highs are just too colored and muddy in general to compensate for. If your a bass head and only care about boom then these might work but for everything else? these really aren't that good.. even minimally. Like I said earlier, VERY muddy mids and highs. (Something I'd expect from a $20 dollar set.) I will be returning these headphones.

[@zunelucero]

are these better then the Song MDR-XB40EX?

[@ajpinoyhiphop73]

Are they noice cancelling?

[@sanjaysurisetty]

Please review video for Sony xb950bt

[@TewksRedmen14]

Hey, I don't know too much about headphones and I was thinking about buying some beats but right now I'm crossed between these. From what the comments say these are better. Does anyone have both and can help me?

[@jonkc]

does anyone know if these headphones come with a built in mic? or music control for mp3 players?