Sony MDR-V150 Monitor Series Headphones with Reversible Earcups Reviews

• Watch out for your hair!

  
  By AZKTRGIRSED0A on 2003-08-28
  This product is very good in all respects except one - my hair (which is about shoulder-length) constantly gets caught in various parts of these headphones. It gets caught in the hinges of the earcups and in the adjustable headband.

  Other things I can mention about these:

  - overall, these headphones are comfortable and the sound is very good
  - (for ladies and the occasional gentleman) these headphones are pretty tight and can hurt if you're wearing the wrong earrings
  - the cord is very long and rather thick

  I would recommend these unconditionally to someone who likes the style of the headphones (i.e., bigger, covers the entire ear) and also doesn't have long hair or earrings.
  
  

• Technical Explanation and Spec Review

  
  By A3NKKBQPYRHBEU on 2007-02-09
  It seems from a lot of the reviews on here, that people don't quite understand the specs behind headphones which are crucial to its sound. A lot of people are comparing these headphones to iPod earbuds and saying that it sounds like something is missing. Here's why:
  
  The technical specs for iPod earbuds:
  Bandwidth response-20Hz to 20,000Hz
  Impedance-32ohms
  
  The technical specs for MDR-V150s:
  Bandwidth response-18Hz to 22000Hz
  Impedance-24ohms
  
  For those of you who don't understand the numbers, it means that the MDR-V150s have a broader range of sound, but the iPod earbuds pack a bigger sound. This is precisely why you think something is missing.
  
  If you listen to iPod earbuds over a long time, your ears become accustomed to really loud, albeit a small range, sound. This is also why iPod earbuds are known for causing serious harm to your ears over prolonged periods of use. For it to sound right, you have to use the full amount of power, which the earbuds provide. Your close-range hearing becomes damaged over time and you can't hear subtle sounds or details, but you can still detect low volume. The earbuds won't sound deafening because you can still hear outside noise.
  
  The MDR-V150s have a larger range of sound and lower impedance. That means there is a much richer sound. You don't need to jack up the volume to get a good listen (but you do need your hearing intact). You also may not be used to the larger range of sound so the range of sound you're used to will sound drowned out at close range. Many of the comments complaining about this transition from earbuds are noting that staples of their music listening sound strangely undetailed on the MDR-V150s. High levels of bass have a way of "drowning" out treble sounds if you're not used to listening to music with ample bass at close range.
  
  Another major difference is that since these are "on-ear" headphones instead of "in-ear" buds, you have much less outside noise interfering with listening. It's like the difference between listening to a car stereo with the windows up or the windows down. You have to listen to things louder if there's more outside noise and you can't notice as many details either. There is a reason cellphone handsets for the car use earbuds instead of headphones, and that's so you can still hear the road. Why would you want to use earbuds that are intentionally designed so you can still hear your surroundings but compensate for it by deafening you?
  
  I work a lot with sound whether it's production, music, or art and I use these as portable stereo phones because of their quality and sound range. I use them with my iPod with the long cord tucked into my case's belt clip. They are incredibly affordable for their quality. Most comparable headphones cost at least $30. I have been using these headphones since freshman year of college when I was first exposed to them in my school's sound lab.
  
  My opinion aside, the manufacturer specs speak for themselves and it's hard to imagine that iPod earbud fans really believe that these provide less sound when physically they have a much broader range of sound and do not permanently damage your ears.
  
  As for the tightness, it's good. It'll keep the phones pressed against your ears. The padding coupled with the tightness is what keeps as much outside noise sealed out. The more noise cancellation you can get, the better the sound.
  
  And for the hair complaint: you could always tie up your hair or give up on headphones with plastic size adjusters. The plastic size adjusters were just designed to snag hair, so it seems.
  
  

• The best headphones I've ever owned

  
  By A3KU0O6UDX90EQ on 2006-12-12
  I'm not a connoisseur of headphones, and quite honestly I don't think I've even paid much more than $20 for a pair of headphones. And maybe because of this, I've never owned a set of headphones that I was totally happy with until now. These are by far the best headphones I've even bought, and I was just floored by how good some of my favorites sound on these headphones. I just hear so much more.
  
  I hesitated to buy these since so many people on Amazon complained about the feel of these headphones saying they pinched. Well, they are bigger than what I'm used to - a little bulky maybe - but I found them really pretty comfortable. Also, because they fit a little tighter, they seem to block out a lot more noise, which make them great for the gym or walking down a busy street.
  
  

• Sound better than Bose TriPort, but...

  
  By A10KZY39SVHUXD on 2006-01-22
  Sound better than Bose TriPort (that has overemphasized bass). Sound better than my best Koss. Unfortunately: a) too tight. After half an hour I have just enough, b) the cord seems to be rated for 60 amperes, extremelly thick and stiff
  
  

• Cheap, durable, and high quality.

  
  By A127B4F712A8S5 on 2003-07-05
  But then, what else do you expect from Sony? I don't claim to be an audiophile, but I have nothing but love for these headphones after using them for perhaps a year now. I used to go through headphones every couple of months; something or other would break and I would have to go back and look for another pair. The MDR-V150 stopped that revolving door. The sound is excellent, and the headphones feel light on the head even after hours of use. The best feature here is the way the earphones plug into the headband; if you ever jerk on the cord too hard (like I always accidentally do when I put a foot on it while I stand up) the earphone pieces detach from the headband, rather than snapping the plastic bits like many other headphones in this price range will. You snap the earphones back into the headband and you're back in business.

  I use these headphones every day, and while I'm sure most true audiogeeks would be better suited by a pair of Seinnheisers or another high-end brand, this pair is perfect for me. Heck, I'm on my fourth different CD player since buying them; how's that for longevity? Highly recommended if you're in the market for headphones near the 20 dollar price point.
  
  

• The MDR-150 is decent for money
  By A29T5X9WS96HIS on 2003-07-12
  I got these headphones because I wanted a studio style headphone without spending a bundle.

  The Pros to these:

  Long Cord. Which is a good idea for computers you won't feel like a dog on a short chain afraid to move your head.

  Reversible ear cup. I don't feel comfortable making it go completely flat but who needs it too?

  Good Sony sound quality.

  Allows for small heads. I have troubles with headphones because they either float next to my ear and barely touch or they don't go small enough so they keep sliding down because they are too long.

  Durable. The thicker cord helps a lot I have had these 2-3 years and no broken wires which is always a problem I have had in the past because of traveling. The sliding piece feels good and strong. As does the joints for the cups.

  THE CONS:

  COMFORT! They are not comfortable with glasses for very long. After about 30-45 min I have to take off my glasses or resituate them above the phones. Also they sit on the top of the head and it bothers my scalp. I have to alternate the positioning when listening to for long periods. If you wear glasses and have trouble with them with larger cup headphones it would be a very good idea to go somewhere where you can try them on before you buy them.

  Long cord. The long cord can be a little disadvantage if using a portable CD player with a remote and are moving around.

  I personally would recommend Sennheiser instead of these. If you look on the Internet you can get the 202's or the HD 457 ... Sennheiser has other low price one's but I have never used them.

  If I had to buy headphones again and was going to get sony I would try the MDR CD series first they feel like they would be more comfortable for long periods of time. I didn't get to listen to them though because there was something worng with the display sound system.

  But if comfort hasn't been a problem for you in similar headphones before or you don't wear headphones for long periods of time buy these Sony Phones. I was pleased with these I just wish they were more comfortable.
  
  

• Great on the ears but tight on the head
  By A3FFZQKCA7UOYY on 2006-07-19
  I bought my set from Wal-Mart. The sound is excellent with deep full bass and clear higher frequencies. Much better sound than the foam ambient noise type. My main concern was that the headphones are TIGHT on the ears. The cups (as noted by other reviewers) do not cup the ears, but rather sit on and press directly against the ears. Great sound or not, after half and hour or so of listening I would actually have a headache from the ear pressure. I gave these away and found a set of headphones at Radio Shack that sounds just as good and has a large enough cup to totally enclose the ears. After 3 or 5 hours these are still comfortable.
  
  
• Terrible fit, who cares about the sound?
  By A1ILWPH1GHUXE2 on 2006-10-05
  In the end, if a pair of heaphones is uncomforable to wear like the Sony MDR-V150s are to me, the sound doesn't really matter. The only reason I gave two stars is perhaps these do fit some people OK; but I could not wear these for over 15 - 20 minutes without discomfort.
  
  
• I screamed in terror
  By A36E5B88WR5PC on 2006-07-01
  Going through a drawer full of stuff I never use looking for a whetstone, I pulled these out. I'd put them in there a long time ago because I couldn't stand the fit. I couldn't really remember the sound, and having upgraded my equipment significantly since then decided to regress a bit and see what they were like again.
  
  Really bad. The fit was still terrible. They aren't "over-ear" at all. They sit on top of the ear and press on it. Glasses make the problems much worse. And they have no sound. No bass, plus those annoying overtones that always show up in cheap headphones and make them sound muddy.
  
  I quickly took them off and put my Sennheiser HD 600s back on to sooth my brain. One of the best headphones ever made, and now suprisingly affordable due to the release of the slightly upgraded 650s. Oh, and they're beyond comfortable as well. Huge earpads that don't even touch the ear.
  
  
• Worst headphones I have ever used bar none
  By A21T2ZAT0QA0KO on 2007-08-19
  As a preface, let me say that my first headphones was the Philips HL150 that I bought from some store I can't even remember anymore. Being my first headphones, I had nothing to compare them to, and had thought they were great.
  
  Now then, as for the Sony MDR-V150. I had bought this monstrosity at a K-Mart for $20. I can safely say that my money would have been better spent if I had paid a hobo to drill into my teeth with a sharp rock. I'm not an audiophile myself, but I often hear audiophiles say that this particular headphone (MDR-V150) was worth less than dirt. Of course, I didn't pay them any mind because audiophiles often seem to hear things no one else hears, and they often judge consumer-level headphones unrealistically harsh. However, for this case, they are 100% correct.
  
  To start off, I want to go on a massive tangent about how this headphones has the worst sound I ever heard in my entire life. It doesn't matter how you usually listen to audio, whether it be through your desktop speakers, laptop speakers, or that $5 radio you found in the trash with a half-broken headphone, the MDR-V150 is worse than it. What is the problem? One word: bass.
  
  I have never heard such muddled bass in my entire life. I have listen to several genres of music (Classical, rock, metal, country, etc) with this headphone and there wasn't a single song I listened to which wasn't worst off because of it. In every single song, the bass was such prevalent force that everything else is drowned out. In some cases, you can't even hear the other instruments while, in almost all cases, the vocals are completely drowned out.
  
  Using Winamp, I was forced to literally turned all the settings for bass down while all the settings for treble up. ONLY then was I finally able to hear the vocals, but of course, the sound was still horrible.
  
  Now, one would think that such a headphone would be good for rap music or any other form of music dependent on bass. Not the case. As a matter of fact, it's even worse! Due to the prevalence of bass already in these genres of music, the muddled bass that the MDR-V150 does just makes it that much worse. In one of the rap songs I listened to, I actually couldn't hear anything other than bass and a quiet voice trying to break through to me.
  
  Now then, as if the sound wasn't bad enough by itself, there's the issue of how tight this thing is. I can't stress this enough; this bad boy (and I do mean bad) is TIGHT! Not only am I unable to listen to music for more than 30 minutes, but once I take off the headphones, I discover red marks around my ears. This is made all that much worse due to the fact that I wear glasses.
  
  Of course, this could have been circumvented if the headphones had simply been made to cover your ears rather than, oh say, press against it like a vice grip. However, that would have taken at least elementary testing of this device to discover, which Sony obviously did not do as proven by the fact that this thing is on the market at all.
  
  After about a week of painful ears and muddled bass, I finally couldn't take the torture anymore, and threw the headphones on my couch. Later on, I bought a Coby CV320 for $20; It was a far superior purchase. As for the Sony MDR-V150? My nephew eventually asked for it and I gave it to him. I regret it now and wished I hadn't. My poor nephew doesn't deserve such punishment. Luckily, he lost it. And may the thing burn in hell!
  
  
• Horrible Headphones
  By A281YZ1IYZ8X03 on 2004-06-28
  I purchased these headphones hoping that they would be an improvement over the set that came with my portable CD player. I brought them home and plugged them in with high hopes, and was sorely disappointed.

  The moment they touched my ears I knew it was trouble. Only buy these headphones if you like pain to go along with your music. The ear-cup foam is very hard and the headband is far too tight. Extremely uncomfortable.

  As for the sound - they are worse than the set that came "free" with my portable CD player. Weak bass, muddy vocals, no highs.

  These are Poser headphones. They look vaguely like the high end studio headphones used by sound engineers, but the similarity ends there.

  Not Recommended
  
  

• Great Headphones for anyone
  By A2XYFL3R7XDMXG on 2004-05-18
  I have had these headphones for approximately 8 months now and I couldn't be happier. Over that period of a time I have had but one or two small issues. With that in mind I would like to state the conditions I used these headphones under. I spent the first 4 months after purchasing these headphones on a wooden tall-ship sailing down the pacific coast. I slept with them every night, (to drown out the noise that is quite common when sharing a sleeping area with 40 other people) they have been tossed in and out of my bunk carelessly (either by myself, or by the swell) and they have been stepped on, squished, crushed, and bashed from general everyday sail handling. With all this in consideration it seems a miracle they still work great. I still sleep with them every night (Old habits die hard I suppose) and now that I am home the long cord is key for me. There are two reasons I personally need a long cord. I like to move around when I sleep so a long cord is essential so that I don't strangle myself, or am limited to one side of the bed. The second reason is that I record music. Ok so I am not a big shot (small band, and minor personal stuff) but I really like to use these when recording. The long cord allows me to plug into my computer and move around to set up microphones, amps, etc. The bonus feature here is the Mono/Stereo switch on the cord. Stereo is complete sound, producing the full stereo effect. At this point I would like to comment on the sound quality. It is incredible; I didn't notice just how good it is until I switched to another pair of headphones. The quality difference was huge, these headphones have great sound quality, crisp, clear, and capable of blowing you away. Now back to the stereo/mono switch. The mono effect is great for recording. It allows you to remove a layer of sound. This is particularly convenient when you want to playback a recording with only your vocals, or that one guitar riff. Its also great for those hard to hear lyrics, eliminate one guitar and now you can hear them a lot easier. I believe it is now the time for my 2 very small problems. Although I find these headphones extremely comfortable (heck I sleep with them on) I do have some slight pains in my ears (cartilage pain) after sleeping with them on for 10 hours. This, of course, is expected considering the pressure I am applying onto my ears. It only happens about once a month, and only when I wear them for an extra long sleep. The second problem is that after 8 months and stretching the cord to its maximum I have managed to frazzle the wires. To clarify, the wires are not exposed nor has the plastic covering the wires cracked or cut, however I do have a loss of sound in my right ear when the cord is in the wrong position. This is a minor problem, as the cord needs to be in a certain position for it not to work, a slight alteration and the sound is restored. These are high quality earphones. The earpieces can be reversed so that 2 people can listen when recording, or if only one ear is needed when recording it can easily be done. The comfort level is great, the adjustability is easy, convenient and highly variable. I give these headphones a 5 of 5
  
  
• Too tight!
  By A2YEHH6O0R68QE on 2004-05-26
  These are just too damn tight for comfortable use over any length of time. Perhaps they were intended for people with very small heads. The tightness is not adjustable though they can be lengthened to the point where they don't fit. Bargain priced, but no bargain!
  
  
• Nearly perfect... for its price range
  By A382H513KAC9YT on 2004-06-10
  Let's get something straight first - music and audio is my life (however I'd choose to go deaf before blind). I'm quite picky about sound quality. I'm pretty darn close to the pickiest audiophiles in the world.
  Okay, now that that's outta the way.
  Overall design and build quality - this is where some points are deducted. As others have stated on here, the fit IS tight - which would be fine for me, if I didn't wear glasses. The pads put pressure on my ears, which puts pressure on my eyeglass bows, and this pains me during extended listening. Other than that, the pads are soft but not squishy, and not too firm, and as long as you're not one of the Keebler elves, the shape is fine. The cord is nice and long which is nice for home use, but I would have preferred to have a retractable cord for portable player use.
  Sound quality/sound reproduction: most of the time I use these to listen to my Mp3 collection. The sound quality for this price range, is incredible. My father has a true pair of professional quality headphones and these come pretty darn close in the frequency spectrum (which is also pretty good for this price range - it's 18-22,000 hertz, with a 30 millimeter driver). Now the type of music I listen to, brutal heavy metal and hard rock, such as Killswitch Engage or Staind or Cold or In Flames or Lostprophets or pretty much any type of music with guitars, is a pretty hard genre to balance the sound on an audio system with - I know from experience. Well, these headphones handle any type of music well - my metal records and hard rock albums sound clear as a bell. Only complaint I have, is if these are turned up to a loud volume (which I don't do too often), the distortion starts to show. No biggie though - these are cheap headphones. However, plug them into my home theater system, and rev up a 5.1 DTS DVD downmixed to 2 channel stereo for the 'phones, and BOOM, you'd think you own a Bose Lifestyles home theater system. These headphones respond strongly to trebles, have rich sounding bass (none of that overstated boom-boom stuff my peers seem to indulge in), but the midranges can be weak at times - excluding vocals, which come out crystal clear.
  Usually I am never too happy with Sony's products but make an exception here. For the price, you definitely can't go wrong, you'll never find anything better. However if you want name brands and top-quality sound production, look into Sennheiser or Bose, naturally.
  Oh and as a last point, these do not cancel much noise - noise is muffled if they're on right and up loud enough, but this might be a good thing for portable use anyway.

  All in all, DEFINITELY a good pair for the money, heck, a good pair period. If there wasn't that small comfort-over-long-periods-issue, these would definitely get a 5-star rating, this coming from an up-and-rising picky 16-year-old audiophile.
  
  

• Worst headphones I've ever purchased
  By A138027WNB4DC1 on 2006-04-20
  Like another reviewer said, these are pathetic if the music has ANY bass to it. A muddy, distorted sound is what you get when you listen to anything with any volume.
  
  These are going back to the store TOMORROW!
  
  
  
  
• Good Headphones For The Price It Is
  By A2ETZ7GF5B1712 on 2006-08-14
  I like wearing large size headphones whenever I listen to music. About 5 or 6 months ago, I bought these to replace my earbuds for my Ipod and my CD player, and they've been holding up. If you have a large head, the overhead band has nine different settings on both sides in order to adjust to your preference. The sound is pretty nice. I don't expect for it to be surround sound or anything like that, just some decent quality headphones. The earcups are reversable which is good if you're a DJ or if you're trying to hear something briefly with out going through putting the headphones on, you can just turn one of the earcups around and place it in one ear. Also there are adjustable plugs that they can plug into stereos or large sound systems.
  
  My only problems are the cord is long and easily can get tangled. To me, tangled cords are annoying. Also the cussions on the ears are limited which for some people my irritate them.
  
  Other than that the headphones are good, especially for the price that they're being sold for, which is not very common because headphones like this can be priced from $18 up to about $80, depending on the company that it is being sold for and the sound quality that is you expect from it. At first I bought these for my Ipod and CD player, but since I'm into music recording, I use the headphones for that also (laptop, vocal booth, etc.) and they work well for that also. Buy this and see what you think.
  
  
• Three Stars for the Sony Brand Name
  By A2186H9EUNGPXL on 2006-11-29
  New lower price. These headphones look nice and durable, but have some flaws. The pads are not very cushy and do hurt your ears after using a while, earrings or not. Sony has been selling this model (or very similar type) for over 12-14 years and I do remember the sound quality being better in previous years. I have bought a pair about every 3-4 years. The headphones I would recommend that remind me the most of Sony's quality of the past is the Sennheiser HD 202 Headphones. I bought these for Sony's old price (around 20.00) and the sound is like I remember from the quality Sony used to produce. Not sure what's happening to Sony, but I hope they turn around their quality before they lose all their customers.
  
  
• Quality headphones at a great price!
  By A3977M5S0GIG5H on 2007-01-09
  I've had three pairs and I've been satisfied with all of them. If my cat didn't find the cord so tasty, I'd still be using the first pair. I like the extra long cord and the fact that it's thicker than most. I find the earcups very comfortable and have travelled with these a few times - the size is good and their rugged enough to withstand some tossing around in your briefcase. Gaming, movies, music - they work well for all the above. I think it's the quality build and sound for the $$ that I'm most impressed with. These really should be $25-$30 at least. I would/will buy these again. For $15 (or even $25) you can't beat these.
  
  
• Sony MDR-V150 Monitor Series Headphones
  By A3N3F06R4NAKA0 on 2007-03-08
  I wanted headphones with a substantial connecting cord of a decent length. These headphones fill that bill easily. The cord is over 6 feet in length has a connector that will mesh with a devices from audio equipment to IPods with the micro-plug. I liked the versatility.
  For audiophiles, the sound is rich in bass and has crisp tones. The ear cups cover the ear blocking any outside sounds from intruding into your music or audiobook.
  The price is right for a real bargain in headphones.
  
  
• Awesome headphones
  By A1ZH9LWMX5UCFJ on 2008-02-19
  I can't stand the earbuds that came with my iPod, I picked these headphones up after a friend in radio recommended them to me. So far they have provided me with over 4 years of solid service. I use them with my notebook or iPod nearly daily. I have noticed subtleties in some of my favorite songs I never had before (one time I took them off thinking someone was at my door but it was a drumbeat in the song). The super long cord is very convenient, I like to listen to music while ice skating and the long cord allows for a lot of freedom of movement. Comfortable, durable and very functional, these are really a great deal.
  
  
• Perfect fit & Excellent Sound by Sony Electronics.
  By A2RK18SY1C6TXD on 2003-07-10
  Date: July 09, 2003

  To: Customers who are in search of HeadPhones,

  These are the type of headphones(the style) that public
  schools,or public libraries use when it comes to
  listening to CD-Roms, or music. The Headphones are from
  Sony, and they are of high quality, they also have a long
  cord so you won't feel limited when connecting them to your
  PC or Cassette, DVD Recorder/Radio(blaster).Some cords are
  are so short that they just do not let you enjoy your
  activity(s).

  These Headphones are low priced, so please, get them
  because Excellent things at low prices are hard to find.
  Now, i repeat again. They are of Excellent Quality and at low
  price, not cheap price, but low price, okay?
  
  

• quality sound but not for long usage..
  By A2YKJUT88GUOZH on 2003-08-31
  I brought this to use at my work(with PC)..but after listening for 2 to 3 hours I had to takeoff the headphones..!!
  They do not cover my ears completely instead they apply pressure on my ears and it pains.(removed 2 stars for this..)

  The sound quality is really good, great looks,
  the cord is long.
  
  

• Good sound but...
  By AV2XALAQHLEAU on 2003-11-20
  they feel too tight and hot. My ears burn after wearing them for a while. Maybe the headphones were designed for people with small heads. I tried some Panasonics at a computer lab that felt much more comfortable.
  
  
• Good Bang for the Buck
  By A15YPU9U0O4IIT on 2005-04-29
  I was about to buy the MDR-V300 but decided to try out the cheaper pair and see if the MDR-V300 would be worth it. After buying this pair I would say that I wouldn't go and buy the MDR-V300s, because the MDR-V300s have the same size earcups and don't differ much from this pair.
  Negative Aspects
  1. The earcups are not big enough to cover the entire ear, and so they can either sit on the ear or push up against the ear.
  
  2. As well, if these headphones are worn for a long period of time they feel as if though they are putting pressure on the sides of the head. Sometimes it's only for an hour and the hurting begins
  
  3. Occasionally you can hear the wires rubbing together when you're moving around slightly
  
  4. They are a bit fragile. A weak spot is at the hinges where the earcups can be reversed
  
  Positive Aspects
  1. For the price they're selling at there is good bass and treble.
  
  2. The cord is long and covers a lot of distance, but you might be annoyed if you wrap your cords around your ipod, cd player, minidisc or whatever because the cord is thick and doesn't stay in place. So just use a twist tie or elastic to fix that problem
  
  3. The cords don't tangle up, and they're better than earbuds because if you're one of those people who can fit them in sometimes and then can't other times, these will be a good fit
  
  Who They Might Be For
  These headphones would be good for people who are looking for a pair of lightweight headphones that aren't too expensive but still have decent sound quality. But they're not for you if you're accident prone or might accidentally crush them with a little weight because they're fragile. As well, if you just want a nice heavy duty pair these might not be for you because the earcups are not a nice enough size. There are also better headphones that are made by Sony, JVC and Phillips that should be checked out that are around the same price range, or more if you're willing to spend
  
  
• weak treble and mids; well worth the $20
  By A1YXP8PLFILTBR on 2005-05-03
  First off, these are well worth the $20 they cost, but the sound is nowhere near as good as 90% of the reviewers here say. The bass completely overwelms the sound, but most people *like* that. If you want more accurate sound or the ability to hear the highs and subtlety of music, you just can't get that with these. The only setting on an iPod that these sound the way they should is on Treble Boost--all the other settings allow the bass to overpower everything else.
  They are definitely worth $20 though and since most people want to hear fat bass, I would recommend them to any non-audiophile. I'm borrowing them from a coworker and she loves them and has two pair, but she also admits she has no idea what good sound IS.
  I have some $70 Audio-Technice ATH-M40fs headphones that render every detail of every sound recorded on a track. There is stuff in some music that you've never heard before because it is muddied up with all the bass. Don't get me wrong, M40s have plenty of bass, but only produces it when it is in the recording. But they are big and clunky, have a 12-foot cord and I don't want to bring them on the bus.
  I'm torn with these V150s, since they are small, cheap and have very listenable sound. But also for $20 you can get the Sennheiser HD220's which cover the entire ear and supposedly have better sound. I've just never heard them.
  Mainly I wanted to refute the claims that these are some of the best sounding headphones out there especially from some of the DJ's reviewing here. The sound is not that great and certainly not accurate. But you can definitely listen to them and you will get plenty of bass--even on the Bass Reducer setting on an iPod.
  For $20 you can't go wrong, though plenty of people said they break easily. They feel like that is true, so don't step on them or put them in your backpack and lean against a wall.
  
  
• Adequate
  By A23AH9J192Y0BV on 2005-08-31
  I have had a pair of these headphones for a few years now. They are adequate in every respect for daily use with portable electronic devices (as reflected by the price); they are not exceptional in any way.
  
  They have trouble reproducing the lower end of the spectrum; your bass will generally lack omph. Mine (probably through extensive use) sound neither crisp nor resonant, and there is little depth or texture to the sound. This isn't a problem for a lot of guitar driven rock music (like the White Stripes), but the performance of classical and electronic music leaves something do be desired.
  
  I would not consider these headphones to be comfortable, and though I have (out of desperation) used them for 4 or 5 hour flights, your ears will be sore afterwards (and you can forget reting on a pillow).
  
  They have, however, been very durable. As I've stated, I've been using these heavily for 2 or 3 or 4 years now and have only just begun to notice a definite decline in sound reproduction capability.
  
  If you can spare the $50, get the Sennheiser PX-200s. These are quite possibly the best headphones for portable devices.
  
  
• Don't waste your $20.
  By A3XJ7MTZULQRG on 2005-12-27
  I purchased the $20 Sony MDR-V150 headphones to replace the earbuds from my Dell MP3 player. The Sony headphone sound was horrible.It was like listening to music with a trashcan over my head. I was beginning to think that my MP3 player was the reason for the poor sound. I just purchased the Koss PortaPro headphones from Amazon for $40. The sound is awesome. I put the Sony headphones where they belong, in the trashcan! Splurge and spend $40 for a great set of Koss Portapro headphones. Koss rules.
  
  
• Ok, but the wire is TOO BIG
  By AY9XJARPE963Q on 2006-02-26
  The quality of the sound is ok, but the wire is so big they seem to be more of a stethescope than headphones!
  
  
• Headphones
  By A3LC5MB3ULRJ1A on 2006-03-16
  This is a great pair of headphones for those taking trips. They block out the sound fairly well and are extremely comfortable. Definate good buy for a reasonable price.
  
  
• really overblown bass
  By A38U73SET5YNY4 on 2006-04-09
  i just bought a pair for everyday walkman use and find them unbearable. They are extremely muddy and the boomy bass is ridiculous. not recommended.
  
  

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