Sony MDR-XB450AP

The MDR-XB450AP were Extra Bass stereo headphones manufactured in 2014 (approx) by the Sony Corporation in Thailand. This is a closed-cup design with dynamic 30 mm diameter drivers and copper-clad aluminium wire (CCAW) voice coil. The frequency response is 5 Hz to 22 kHz, power handling capacity 1000 mW (IEC), and sensitivity 102 dB/mW. It has an in-line electret condenser microphone, and multi-function switch compatible with Android OS 4.0 and above Smartphones, iPhone, and Xperia.

Review

If we go with the frequency response alone, we can see that these headphones will exhibit very good bass with the low end fixed at 5 Hz, however the treble at 22 kHz is just slightly better than average (20 kHz) but instead sounds much sharper due to the CCAW technology. This design is really for those who listen to the type of music that sounds good with bass, however, it could sound good with games consoles as explosions will have greater realism.

In a closed-cup over-the-ear design, you can expect some bass colouration that may detract audiophiles interested in hi-fidelity reproduction of audio, but still it sounds quite good for modern music. With 24 Ω CCAW voice coils, the sensitivity and high sound resolution are certainly evident in the audio. CCAW technology is expensive and difficult to manufacture, and consequently fake headphones made with cheap drivers will not sound as good as the originals.

This design has some good points such as the 1.2 m anti-tangle flat cord made of Litz wire. I also liked the lightweight (165 g) plastic headband design that is comfortable enough to wear for long periods. On the downside, I do not like wires dangling down from each cup, and they could have made it neater with just one wire through one cup. Another disadvantage is that the ear cups (cushions) are stuck to the front panel with glue; hence if you need to remove them for cleaning, then one may have to carefully tear them off. I managed to remove them for cleaning, and then attach them using hot melt glue for a semi-permanent fixture. You can see the disassembly in the following pages of this multi-page article.

Price/eBay

If you are buying a pre-used set, then there are some important points worth considering. In this model they use CCAW technology which is very delicate, and whilst the stated power handling capacity of the voice coil is 1000 mW, if they are overpowered and damaged, then they can sound poor. Whilst generic replacement ear-pads are available, they are expensive. In addition, this particular model has been copied by the Chinese and consequently there are plenty of fakes around. However there are many videos on Google showing how to spot the fake ones. If you are buying new, then it is probably better to get it from a reputable UK seller with good feedback, than someone in China.

I managed to acquire a pre-used broken pair that required a replacement cable repair, and in this article you can see the inside construction, drivers, and technology employed.

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