Sony MDR-ZX310AP Stereo Headphones Review

Over the years, Sony have consistently manufactured high quality headphones, but at their lowest price point, do Sony’s headphones offer a complete experience? Today, I’ll be taking a gander at the Sony MDR-ZX310AP Stereo Headphones.

Sound Quality
After playing the first track, I greeted by a brilliant booming low end, typical of Sony headphones. The headphones are loud too. When driven at full volume by my laptop, the headphones blessed me with a headache and ringing ears; they’re perfect for listening to a compilation of Brian Blessed swearing. A pet peeve of mine is that the high end could be a bit brighter, it sometimes struggles to cut through over the thundering bass and low-mid range. Usually, I’d prefer the EQ to be a little flatter. Considering the price, the Sony headphones did justice to my questionable music taste.

Portability
At first glance, it was apparent that these on ear headphones were built with portability in mind. These headphones are tiny, and when folded up, they’re even tinier. The hinges used in folding the headphones up are very strange, they remind me of those ridiculous scissor doors on the Lamborghini Countach, but once wrapped up, the headphones are compact. 

Build Quality
The crazy folding joint worries me. The anxiety I get from using the delicate hinge is comparable to watching Jordan Henderson line up for a penalty at the World Cup. Well, that may be an overstatement but it is concerning. As for the size-adjusting sliders, it’s a different story. They’re solid, and the mechanism offers a lot of range. I’ve read user reviews that say they can’t go small enough, but as for me and my petite head, they fit comfortably.
The ear cushions obviously weren’t nearly as irresistibly cushiony soft as a Cushelle toilet roll, but they were certainly comfy enough for me to forget that I was wearing them, and I didn’t feel like I’d endured ear-correction surgery after using them for a few hours – as I find with normal on-ear headphones - which was a bonus. I’m not a huge fan of the cables but they get the job done. They’re a bit on the thin side and personally, I don’t like the look and feel of them compared to ‘tagliatelle’ style cables (or ‘ribbon’ style cables to the culinarily challenged). I am a fan, however, of the in-line microphone. During calls, the microphone could pick up everything well, even when it was flipping windy. Altogether, the build quality of the Sony headphones is respectable. It’s good value for money.

Verdict
Perfect for the handbag or man-bag, there’s no excuse not to be able to find room for these compact, foldable headphones. The foldable design coupled with the surprising sound quality make Sony’s MDR-ZX310AP stereo headphones a leader in their price range. Other highlights include a comfortable frame and an impressive microphone. Well worth the money.