Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I feel like most of the reviews I read on these (and other similar headphones, like the Bose CQ35 and 1000x) lack a decent reference point. They only compare off of each other or other, higher-end headphones. For someone like myself, where these are a universal upgrade, that information isn't real useful. To that end: these are great headphones. Full stop. Yes, there are some differences between these and the Sennheisers and Bose, but ultimately, it's minor stuff. And if you can get these at the lower price point ($200 instead of the $350 MSRP) you shouldn't even bother looking at the Bose, which is the direct competitor at $350. NOISE CANCELLING: The noise cancelling is great. Not as good as the Bose's, but it's only marginally different. Understand that NC isn't a fix-all, but it's great at damping consistent background sound like fans, plane engines, machinery, etc. Some high-range sound seems more pronounced as a result, so don't expect it to make the couple chatting next to you disappear. The insulation is good enough that once you turn music on though you won't hear much of anything outside anyway. Something worth noting is that for me personally, the NC on the Sony's wasn't as oppressive as the Bose. With the Bose, the NC "pressure" effect (like being at the bottom of a deep pool, or in an airplane as the cabin pressurizes) was pronounced to the point of being uncomfortable. Sony's have a much less intense "pressure" when the NC is on. That was a big factor for me. If you're wondering what I'm talking about, go to a Best Buy or Target and try out the CQ 35s. Also, you can use the NC while wired, which is convenient. SOUND: I have had plenty of decent ($30-50) wired headphones before. The sound quality was, in my opinion, excellent for everyday listening. These are 10x better than that. Clearer highs and lows, no distortion at high and low volumes, wider range, everything. These aren't as "flat" as the Bose's, which I like, and with a simple EQ/Mixer on your phone, you can really dial in the tone you want. I think if you REALLY want to crank the bass (sub-woofer-style) they might not be your style. If you're after that much volume, you don't need NC, so just buy the 950bts, which have much more bass and similar features. These are better all-around though. ERGONOMICS: I find these very comfy. A huge improvement over lesser on-ear or in-ear headphones for long term listening. The controls can take a little while to get used to but are generally pretty tactile and easy to find with your fingers. Having Play/pause/last/next controls on the cans themselves is nice. They fold up and pack into a hard shell case that's included so you can toss them in your bag. My only complaint is that there's no place to store the 3.5mm cable and the charger. However, given the long battery life and the fact that they use the same micro USB that 90% of electronics these days use, that shouldn't be too much of an issue. BLUE TOOTH: Works great. I read complaints about the connection setup...it's a 10 second process. Let your phone remember them and it'll auto-connect as soon as it picks them up. Easy. QUALITY: It's Sony. Quality is excellent, despite being mostly plastic. Feels like a $200 product. SUMMARY: If you're really nitpicking, there are differences between these and comparable headphones, but in the end, they're excellent and a clear upgrade from other products in the $150 and under range in every way.