Sony’s latest wired earphones, MDR-XB510AS, is designed for the active lifestyle. It comes with Extra Bass, IPX5/7 splash proof washable, and never runs out of battery (because it is wired). Retail price in Singapore is S$69.
Having tested dozens of Sony earphones, the XB510AS sounds about right for its price, which is neither outstanding nor mediocre. Using the LG G6 as my reference source, the bass is deep, firm and boomy, but fortunately not overwhelming. They might sound a little less musical, somewhat veiled, but delivers the nice bloat for workouts. The mids are quite pronounced, which adds warmth. The treble is not audiophile bright, but comfortably clear for the general consumers. Sound staging is quite good, offering adequate instrumental positioning at close proximity, hence music sounds comfortable and not too forward.
I find the earbuds are rather long, so they stick out of the ears when wearing. But they don’t fall out, thanks to the ear fins, which Sony calls “arc supporters”, which help tremendously in keeping the earphones on the ears. And since they are resistant to splashes, you can run in wet conditions or at the pool with your favourite smartphone that is equally water resistant, like Samsung Galaxy S8. A single in-line button lets you pause or skip music, without the ability to adjust volume.
Verdict
The Sony MDR-XB510AS retails at S$69 at all good retail stores and online stores like Lazada. It comes in 4 colours – black, red, blue, green. They feel rugged enough to be abused lightly. The audio tuning is adequate for workouts with its Extra Bass impact, sufficiently clear highs and encompassing sound staging. While there are a lot of cheap earphones in the market, Sony continues to be the trusted brand for audio products.
Specs
Driver Unit: 12 mm
Frequency Response: 4 – 24000 Hz
Sensitivity: 111dB/mW
Cord Length: 1.2m Y-type
Plug: L-shaped gold plated 4-conductor mini plug
Weight: 9 g without cable
Package contains: Clip, carrying pouch, arc supporters (S, M, L x2), earbuds (SS, S, M, L x2)
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