Sony MDR-IF240RK Wireless Headphone System Reviews

• Worth the price

  
  By A93ISIF05JTB3 on 2004-06-04
  This review is on the Sony MDR-IF240R not MDR-IF240RK, not sure if there's any difference. I needed a wireless headphone for the bedroom because I watch TV over 2 hours every night while my wife sleeps and about 2 hours early in the morning. I've also owned a wireless Sennheiser HDR60 and a wired Panasonic RP-HT970 Vibration Series Headphone. The Sennheiser worked fine, but their rechargeable battery (two included) would only last me about two days. I always had one recharging so I could swap it out, but it was still annoying to have it cut out in the middle of a program. After a year one of the batteries wouldn't hold a charge any more and when I saw how much a replacement battery cost, I decided to buy the Panasonic. Because it was wired, the Panasonic RP-HT970 sounded great, especially the bass effects with DVD's. It was very comfortable and I would still be using it, if I hadn't tripped on the cable and broke it. It had also been an obstacle for my wife when she had to walk across the room.

  I decided to go wireless again and bought the Sony MDR-IF240R after reading reviews. I wanted a headphone that used standard batteries and wouldn't need constant replacing. I have cordless phones and a wireless PC network, so I decided having no interference using infrared was better than having the ability to go room to room using other technology. Since I only used it for TV viewing, I was willing to accept decent, if not great, sound quality. This headphone met all my requirements. I put in one standard AAA battery instead of the rechargeable battery that came with it and I haven't had to change it in over two weeks of constant use (4 hours/day).

  The headphones are mostly plastic and look a bit cheap. They are fairly comfortable, but if I tilt my head, they will fall off because the foam cushions are flat rather than cupped like the Sennheiser and the headband is rather flimsy. That would be my biggest complaint. Sony should also have provided a longer cable for the transmitter to allow more flexibility in placement. Sound quality is fine for TV viewing, but it can't compare to the quality of a wired headphone like the Panasonic which makes you feel like you're actually in a movie when played on DVD.

  I have perfect reception using it at 12 feet and I've walked 45 degrees to the left and right without any loss. If something comes between the headphone and the transmitter, it will cut out, so positioning is very important. You can eliminate the hiss that others have mentioned, if you turn up the volume on the sound source (e.g. TV or Receiver) rather than turning up the volume control on the headphone. On the Sennheiser there was a tuning control, which I had to fiddle with in order to receive a signal, but the Sony doesn't have or need one.

  In conclusion, this headphone met all my expectations, the price was reasonable and I would recommend it to others until someone comes out without something that has better sound quality and excellent battery life.

  Sound quality - 4 stars (compared to other wireless)
  Battery life - 5 stars
  Range - 4 stars
  Comfort - 4 stars
  Fit and finish - 3 stars
  Price - 4 stars
  
  

• Okay for tv, games, nok for music

  
  By A3VTVXWYKWXAX2 on 2004-01-02
  These wireless headphones perform as advertised. Almost. I don't quite get the "24 feet" range but then again all the range I needed and expected was within a standard sized room. The convenience is freedom of movement within the room with decent fidelity to watch late night television or play computer games without distracting others. However the phones have a noticable hiss which is distracting for most music. Also a minor peeve is the plastic bar across the top. The bar is not padded and the phones have built-in springs which force the bar down on the top of your head. Noticably uncomforable for me after a while and I have a full head of hair. The comfort level is okay if you wear the phones draped along the back of your neck (which makes it tough to sit back in a high backed chair or lie down on the couch) or below your jaw (which makes it tough to munch on snacks in that position though). Or you can kludge it to a certain length with some electrical tape. Overall the phones are okay given the price. Just be sure that your expectations match what you are paying. If you want high fidelity and comfort and range, you will be better off paying up for another model.
  
  

• Great for TV watching; wish I'd ordered them sooner

  
  By A1TXRF98SLKL2O on 2006-04-07
  These headphones are clearly not intended for listening to music at high quality. But I have been using them to listen to my TV, and am delighted with the ease of setup, ease of use, long battery life, and apparent immunity from interference.
  
  You can't use them outside the room, and the sound quality is good but not great. Perfect for TV. Even if obstacles partly block the infrared path, the sound continues uninterrupted. The headphones are comfortable and light, and run for many hours before recharging.
  
  I am totally satisfied with the product, and only wish I had ordered something like this years ago!
  
  

• Treadmill Interferes with Headset Reception

  
  By on 2003-10-20
  I bought this headset so I could watch a TV while using my Pacemaker treadmill. However, as soon as I turn on the treadmill I either get so much static I can't hear the TV or the sound disappears all together. There is no way to change to another frequency that might not cause as much interference. When the treadmill is off the sound quality seems good and the range is reasonable.
  
  

• Good Infrared Headphones

  
  By on 2004-02-03
  These are good infrared headphones. Cons: infrared headphones have limited range. Pros: infrared interference has limited range! That is, you don't have to worry about your neighbor creating some signal that interferes with your headphones. Your walls, windows, etc are enough to block the interference. But the downside is that the device has limited field of view (only plus/minus 45 degrees from the stand, although you can rotate the transmitter to point that field of view where you want it). Range is not an issue; the headphones work well 20-30 feet to the back wall of my room. The signal doesn't go through walls so your headphones go silent if you go to the next room. Holding a newspaper or magazine high in front of your face is enough to make the signal cut out, too. Turning your head back and forth doesn't cause any reception problems (except when you turn *exactly* 90 degrees).

  But I am very happy to have range and field of view limitations in exchange for interference-free reception. Another reviewer complained about an annoying hiss: this only occurs when you turn your TV down low and then crank up the headphone amplification (this is because the transmitter is then sending out such a small signal that the transmission noise is almost as large as the signal). Simply keep your TV volume high and the headphones amplification low and you will not be able to hear any hiss or static. To my untrained ears, they sound as good as corded headphones.
  
  

• Sony MDR-IR240RK Headphones Stink
  By A3C5YVNI6ESHF2 on 2005-11-26
  These headphones are the pits. I bought them to use while on a treadmill to watch tv, and the headphones picked up the static from the treadmill. They continually lose connection with the base, and are strictly for use on a straight shot.
  Don't bother buying these, spend a little more money and get a good pair.
  
  
• Died after 1 year
  By A3E2W9MKW0790M on 2005-01-22
  I loved these headphones. Lightweight, never had to worry about charging them. You did have to stay in line of site with them, which was a little irritating. But my pair was flawed. After a few months the right side started to short out. The problem was in the volume control. It would short out at some levels. The right earpiece died completely at about 8 months. Now a few months later, both sides have shorted out. I bought them in December 03 and now January 05 they are dead. When I contacted Sony during warranty, I was given the choice to send them away for repair (I pay shipping). Seemed to be too much work and expense to save these headphones. Too bad. I liked the design.
  
  
• Ok for TV sound, not for music; get something cheaper
  By A5JLAU2ARJ0BO on 2005-01-28
  I guess no matter what wireless technology is used -- infrared, 900Mhz, 2.4Ghz, whatever -- sound quality simply cannot be called "good." Of all the wireless headphones I've tried, none is good for music listening. The only use is for watching TV late at night without disturbing other occupants of your living space. This Sony infrared set is the same. It's no better or worse than other infrared sets. Be prepared for lots of hisses, even when you are just a couple feet away from the transmitter.
  
  While this Sony set is inexpensive, you can get a similar-performing pair sold under the Radio Shack brand at Radio Shack for under $20. For all the hisses and poor sound quality, I think that's a fairer price to pay. Radio Shack part no. 33-1234.
  
  
• Lightweight, Comfortable, Functional, and Cute
  By A1OC601HD68KTH on 2004-02-16
  I use them in a bedroom for TV, stereo, and PC; range has not been an issue at all. If you chiefly want range, buy RF (radio frequency) 'phones. I've owned these for a good three months with no more than the initial charge (using them an avg of 2hrs/wk)! I just lay them over the stand instead of in the upright charge position.
  
  Sound quality is good; I notice no degradation, only the change in audio channel type. They are comfortable. I don't see a drawback to the top part resting on your head like normal 'phones do. The earpads are like a Walkman's, not the "plushy" kind that make your ears warm in a short time. Small and lightweight like Walkman 'phones, this item passes every test of functionality and looks good doing it!
  
  ...After 2 years of flawless performance, I must downgrade my rating to 4 STARS based on my experience. This is due to the lack of versatility of the headphones. Whether I have the volume cranked on the source (like you're supposed to) or lower it, I am suddenly getting a very disturbing hissing sound together with an excessively loud signal, even with the volume on the headphones at zero! This is happening whether I use my PC, stereo, or DVD player as the source. I'm guessing it has to do with my plugging it into a Belkin surge protector and using a Radio Shack adapter that somehow zapped the base. When I did that on one occasion, I suddenly got no signal to pass through even when I switched back to the Sony adapter. But then it came back to life when I plugged it into the wall outlet, only now it was permanently damaged. I recommend you learn from my mistake and buy a second unit for $40-$50 if you like the first and need another one for another sound source(s) and don't plug it into a Belkin surge protector (APC is fine). I just bought myself a new pair. If I notice any problems, I will post a new review.
  
  
• For casual use like tv...not for music lovers
  By A4LYITE53OVG0 on 2004-11-13
  I use these headphones primarily for computer use. Just because it's infrared doesn't mean it's free from background static noise. If your intent is to listen to music, then I'd steer clear of these. There is still a slight hiss, no matter how close you are...at which point you'll ask why you even bought a wireless.
  
  The construction is not all bad, but you can tell why this thing is inexpensive. The ear muffs feel rather cheap and get uncomfortable in a short time. Then there is this annoying metal twang that you hear as it settles on your head. I kept wondering what it was until I realized that was something internal with the headphone's structure.
  
  In sum: get only if you can't afford anything else and really must have a wireless. This is bottom of the barrel stuff...hence the low price. But hey, it does work, although the tuning quality isn't great. Good for non-serious use like watching tv, but not for listening to music.
  
  
• Very good,except for one major annoyance........
  By A2HOE1VBLNW65W on 2006-04-28
  I bought these headphones for one purpose: To use with my TV,because I tend to stay awake after the opening credits of a movie,and my wife does not. I can`t enjoy the movie after that point,because I then become "Mr. Level Control" as I try to anticipate sudden loud noises and quickly run the volume down,then run it back up so I can hear whispers. (This with the TV across the room,and the furnace or A/C running.)
  
  Overall,I can say I`m glad I bought them. The sound quality is good as far as frequency response goes,and the battery life is more than adequate. Also,the range of coverage is decent throughout the room. My only big disappointment with them is the noise level. The background hiss is really noticeable most of the time. It sounds like the wind noise from a fan running nearby,sort of. I have the headphone transmitter connected to the fixed audio output of the TV,so that the volume on the set can be turned clear off,with the headphones still working. Maybe they need more gain than that? They shouldn`t,since the fixed audio is standard "line level". But others have said they don`t notice the hiss? I don`t know.
  
  They are definitely good enough for the money,but not great. (I`m not going to send them back.)
  
  
  
  
• Great Headset
  By A1BKX9MC3YAKF8 on 2006-04-04
  They do a great job. I got them to watch TV at night without disturbing others. The sound is great, no distortion by turning up the TV volume and lowering the one in the headset. Charge last a long time, charged them once over a week ago and still sounding great. I like that I can use any AAA battery when it runs down on charge, so I don't need for it to charge to use it, but if I place it in the charger/base once a week it keeps the charge, no problem with that at all.
  On and off button on headset is a big plus, no need to get up to place on base after each use.
  The sound quality is great and clear, even when watching TV and using my Wireless laptop, they don't interfere with each other. They are comfortable, not tight so that could be a problem for some people but I like them like that. If you want to walk around the house or go out in the yard while listening to music, these are not for you, these are for getting clear, great sound in the same room without interference. Once you walk out the door and have a wall in between you and the base you will loose the sound.
  Get these if you just want to watch TV or listen to music while in the same room as your equipment. I loose the signal at 20 feet away.
  
  
• Poor Quality / Cuts Out
  By A3V9CXA9OZ55BI on 2007-08-03
  When I originally purchased this item - I was very happy with it. However as time went on (2-3 months) the headphones would cut out every few minutes. All in all this would not have been terrible except every time it cut out- it would first elevate substantially in volume very quickly before cutting out with a loud "Pop".
  
  I have already returned 2 sets and have had the same issue with all of them.
  
  If they could get this issue worked out- they would be a wonderful product
  
  
  
• Perfect for the Spouse!!!!
  By on 2003-10-22
  We bought these for the purpose of watching TV while the other person sleeps. They are perfect for that purpose! The Headphones are more comfortable than they appear. The only drawback is the range of the headphones. They work perfect in bed, but if we go to the bathroom with them, the reception cuts out. {Approx. 15 feet} I could not be happier with our decision to purchase this system.
  
  
• A great buy!
  By A2N8WKE98K6A4D on 2005-02-22
  I've had these headphones for about a month now, and they have performed excellently throughout.
  
  My previous set of wireless headphones required constant tuning and often lost the signal of the base station. These headphones, conversely, have a large range of reception and generate little static throughout that area. Charging is simple--simply place the headphones on the base station to recharge. While the included rechargeable battery supposedly has a 15-hour limit, I've yet to lose power--although I've never really put them to the test, as recharging is so simple that it becomes reflexive.
  The battery can also be replaced by 60-hour AAA Bateries (not included).
  
  Sound quality is good--not as crisp as some high-end pairs of headphones, but about as good as a pair of around-ear headphones and certainly as good as traditional PC speakers. While there is a faint hissing noise produced by the headsets, I didn't find it annoying or hindering in gaming, listening to music, or watching movies.
  
  Bass is decent.
  
  My only issue with the headphones is that they don't turn on instantly when returning from "standby" mode, which they enter after a few minutes without use. The delay is only a second or two, however, and not a major concern.
  
  Otherwise, I wholeheartedly encourage the selection of these headphones.
  
  
• Infra Red!
  By A3S6FZ2FEAM1IN on 2005-11-30
  I had no ides this unit was infra red and could be blocked be walls. When I first tried it out I was shocked when I discovered that it stopped working when the transmitor was blocked by a plant on my TV. It seems to work fine if there are zero obstructions, but, as for me, I will try to get my money back.
  
  P.S. When I purchased this item last week it had four stars.
  
  
• How to reduce the hiss!
  By AINHRZ6ZLHDOS on 2005-12-05
  I bought these for listening to music at work to help concentrate, and like other reviewers, discovered an awful hiss in the headphones.
  
  For me, turning *down* the volume control on the headphones while turning *up* the volume control on the computer helped IMMENSELY. Of course, they still aren't perfect, but they are good enough for casual listening.
  
  
• Some static
  By AUWZ3S5K75IED on 2006-11-12
  These headphones work well if you use them on a very low volume (only loud enough to hear). If your ears are not very sharp and you turn the volume up static becomes a problem. The louder the volume, the more static, so if your hearing isn't great these headphones are not for you.
  
  
• Ideal for students
  By A1Q4BK19VWEQ6C on 2004-11-28
  I received these around June 15, 2004, and on November 28, 2004, the battery finally ran out. I use these every day and every night to go to sleep by, and am not even always conscientious about turning them off or putting them in the charger, so I have found the lifespan of the included battery to be wonderful. If you live in any kind of shared room, as in a dorm or barracks, these are perfect. Mine are hooked up to my computer and I can watch movies, listen to music, and hear anything on the internet without my roommate having to hear what I'm listening to. Sound quality is perfectly acceptable for most normal people, and the limited range isn't an issue in a dormroom setting. I love these.
  (Update 22 March 2005-- I'm still using the original batteries. I have to make sure to put the 'phones in the charger more often, and have noticed a little deterioration in range and quality, but I'm sure these issues would be easily corrected by putting in fresh batteries. I go to sleep with them on my head every night and I wear them almost continuously when I'm at home. As I said before, ideal for students, long life, reliable, and a great buy.)
  
  
• Nice for the price
  By A341HCMGNZCBIT on 2005-11-30
  These headphones and their compact base work perfectly for ME, and what I wanted them for. I emphasize me because other reviewers found fault in areas that don't concern me.
  I use them for a bedroom TV and have perfect reception throughout the room. No hiss if you follow others advise and keep the source volume high and adjust volume with the phones.
  To keep it short....highly recommended if you don't need to roam around your house listening to whatever they're hooked to.
  Very few things rate 5 stars. That would be perfection. These are a strong 4 (once again for ME).
  March 2007 update. These headphones continue to work well and I continue to be amazed at other people not realizing the limitations of infrared devices.
  
  
• Product stopped working
  By A2KCKFVIM5VS22 on 2006-11-09
  The first unit worked OK for about a month but then just stopped transmitting, if you unplugged it and plugged it back in again it would work for about 5 minutes and then stop again. Returned it for a replacement and the exact same thing happened in 2 weeks. Returned second unit for credit and will buy something else. Both units had a lot of static, even at low to moderate volume levels
  
  
• Didn't last ...
  By A8N1ZOU63JNFK on 2005-11-22
  Don't want to be the spoiler if you are buying this but in months after buying and very carefully using these headphones, I got a loose connection in the headphone set and now one side is cut out. Its ironical because the reason I went wireless was to avoid this. Besides the range is very limited and I am not at all satisfied with Sony on this product. Its bad that they make use of their brand name to make such crappy products.
  
  
• Best Price/Quality ratio...
  By A3R17VGM0KPFRW on 2006-04-20
  Just one complaint, when you turn on the volume on the headset you hear a whisper. But ideally you buy this headset so that you wife/husband can sleep next to you therefore there is total silence in the room. That means you never need to turn the volume so much...
  
  I loved this product and I am happy I did not go for a more expensive one. This one is just perfect.
  
  I had doubts at the time of purcashe because it was so cheap. But now I am satisfied and assured that expensive is not always better.
  
  
• Terrible headset
  By A1VABL0GLWU0YK on 2006-05-25
  The headset supposedly works at 24 feet away. We could not get it to work even 6 ft away from the base. Even with the 6ft distance there was a hissing noise. Im going to return this product
  
  
• not great
  By AWUOVQTXPD9M1 on 2004-01-04
  i liked the lightweight design of the headphones and the simplicity of the whole system. but i have to disagree with the description about other statistics.

  - i only got about 12 feet of range. meaning i could be in the same room and could not get reception.
  - the headphones only worked within a very small angle. not 90 degrees as advertised. i could hear fine in the middle of the couch facing the stereo, but move to the end and i got nothing.
  - when someone got between me and the antenna, the music would cut out.

  the price was right and i'm sure these are fine if you are sitting directly in front of your stereo or tv without moving and making sure no one walks in front of you. but that's not what i wanted.
  
  

• Works great for me
  By AIVI6R5QTFSQQ on 2006-06-12
  I'm very pleased with this headphone system. I'm using it for late-night TV viewing from a distance of about 15 feet. I think the sound quality, range, ease of use, and price are all very good. Like other reviewers, I found that I could eliminate hiss by turning the volume down on the headphones, and up on my television.
  
  
• small gripes but satisfied
  By A1SR5JL4WOUSYZ on 2004-09-04
  great deal for the price. I had to use a headphone amp to eliminate the hiss from my computer's output. The cans are light and sound quality is pretty decent. One warning tough, if you leave it on for a few minutes without using it (no sound output) the base unit will automatically shut off and you'll hear a loud pop. One time I had the volume up pretty high and the pop left my ears ringing.
  
  
• Not perfect-- but works well, I'm very happy
  By A39QWHEOJI7WLC on 2006-07-06
  I absolutely hate wires, so I've been contemplating wireless headphones for some time. After reading reviews on amazon, I decided to test this pair against the Senheiser RS-120. My primary use is for music on the computer. Here's the results of my comparison:
  
  Sony MDR-IF240R
  - No radio frequency interference (IR rocks!) only slight hiss when no music; but as others have mentioned this can be nearly eliminated by turning volume up on source
  - For most part, seems like you must have line of sight to base
  - Good sound quality-- decent bass, more than adequate for my purposes
  - Headphones fit satisfactory (not great, but definitely not terrible)
  - Somewhat flimsy construction; headband has a lot of "play"
  
  Senheiser RS-120
  - LOT of interference (but I'm in a big apt complex and have a lot of other wireless stuff) Seems to pick up static all over the place and on every channel. If you find a clear spot, don't move!
  - Does not have line of sight restriction
  - If you CAN find clear reception, sound quality is very good-- better than the sony I thought
  - Bizzarely un-ergonmic headphones, as others have mentioned-- slips off (and my head is really big!) Couldn't find a secure position
  - Very cool looking base and headphones. Nice fabric on earpads (sony is cheap foam) Looks expensive and has better construction than the sony.
  
  So for me, the interference on the Senheiser was the deal-breaker-- I went with the Sony. Just couldn't get a clear signal, you might have better results in a house or in a more rural setting. I wish the sony had higher quality construction, but for the cost, I suppose I can live with it!
  
  
• Not good
  By AB4DOK7BBQYYW on 2006-12-01
  I have used these wireless headphones for about a year. Then often mentioned background hiss can be minimized with more volume, unless the voices are low. Occasionally, there would be an
  "electronic" type sound which, starting softly, became louder. At its apex the sound was quite loud ending with a very loud sharp, again, "electronic" pop.
  Sony sent me another set of phones. The sounds began again. In talking with a friend he said it was probably caused by the small RF frequency, I believe he said in the 500 area, and slightly moving the transmitter a few inches should take care it. It works.
  This problem solved, now the volume in each ear varies to where the left side may be off entirely. Shaking it a bit seemed to improve this, but for me, this unit is not up to Sony's typical quality.
  There are probably other quality choices.
  
  
  
• Sony so disappointed me
  By A2CJTGM3E1GLGB on 2007-04-06
  I never expected that a Sony product would disappoint me this much. Many people complained that Infrared won't allow you to go room from room while still hearing the sound, but I thought that would be OK since I am only goning to watch my movie and sit in the same room. But the truth is that this Infrared product won't allow you to hear any clear sound at all!!! The static hissing is always there and it may even build up and get to a stage where the noise is too strong and I can't hear anything else. And it really hurts my ears!!!
  
  As soon as I went for a different Wi-Fi product, everything works just great.
  
  Maybe my case is a little extreme, but it did happen, which makes me believe Sony isn't showing the high quality that they are well known of in this product. So please do think it over before purchasing.
  
  BTW, I returned it already.
  
  

• Xtreme TB264DKO 264-Disc CD/DVD Case
• KHypermedia 80-Minute/700 MB 48x Blank CD-Rs (200-Pack Spindle)
• Sony PC-234S Audio Plug Adaptor
• Memorex 700MB/80-Minute 52x CD-R Media (100-Pack Spindle)

• Sony PC-234S Audio Plug Adaptor
• Sennheiser RS120 926 MHz Wireless RF Headphones with Charging Cradle
• Sennheiser RS 130 Wireless Surround Sound Headphones
• Sony MDR-IF540RK Wireless Headphone System with Rechargeable Battery