Our Verdict
The Sony h.ear on MDR-100AAP are average everyday headphones, for casual use. They're comfortable and have a decent sound. But they're also a little flimsy and lack good isolation to be versatile enough for all environments.
- Decent audio reproduction.
- Lightweight, comfortable design.
- Plasticky build quality.
- Poor noise isolation.
Above-average for neutral listening. They have a decent sound quality but a poor soundstage because of their closed back design.
Average for commuting. They're comfortable, but the passive noise isolation is too weak for the ambient noise of flying or commuting.
Decent for sports use. They're comfortable and lightweight but they're also a bit too unstable and bulky for intense exercises.
Decent for office use. They won't block the office chatter from seeping into your audio and they leak a little at higher volumes.
Changelog
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.1.
- Updated Nov 21, 2019: Converted to Test Bench 1.3.
- Updated Feb 16, 2018: Converted to Test Bench 1.2.
- Updated Oct 02, 2017: The microphone has been tested with our new methodology, as explained here
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Test Results
The Sony MDR-100AAP are stylish looking headphones. Their overall design is similar to the MDR-ZX770BN. However, the earcups have a distinct style that looks a bit better than the 770BN. They have bold and bright color schemes, which are eye-catching but also come in an all-black design for those that prefer less flashy looking headphones.
The Sony h.ear on are above average comfortable headphones, thanks to their lightweight design. They exert the right amount of pressure around the ears and don't feel too tight. Unfortunately, the earcups are a little smaller than some other over-ear headphones, which may become uncomfortable for some, during long listening sessions. Also, the padding on the earcups and headband, although soft, is not that thick. Luckily this doesn't reduce their comfort level by much.
These headphones have a mediocre control scheme that offers minimum functionality. They have only one button on their inline remote, which provides call/music control. The button has a good tactile feedback. However, the lack of volume controls is slightly disappointing.
The Sony MDR-100AAP are mid-sized over-ear headphones like the MDR-ZX770BN. However, these headphones fold into a more compact format, which makes them slightly more portable. They will fit into smaller bags once folded but are too cumbersome to carry around, on your person. They won't fit into any pockets, even larger jacket pockets.
Comes with a soft fabric pouch that will protect the headphones from scratches. Unfortunately, this won't shield them against hard falls or water damage.
These headphones have a decent build quality but feel a little flimsy, like the MDR-ZX770BN. They have the same thin metal frame and moderately dense earcups that can handle a couple of drops without breaking. They also strengthen the earcups' hinges by making it swivel less than the MDR-ZX770BN. Unfortunately, the overall design still feels a little plasticky and not durable. Also, they may get faded and scratched by regular wear and tear, which will be a little more noticeable because of the bright colors.
These headphones are moderately stable. Their lightweight design and decent tension, prevents them from swaying too much during physical activity. However, these are not sports headphones, and they will slip off your ears if used while running or doing high-intensity exercises in the gym. On the upside, the cable is detachable and will disconnect before yanking the headphones of your head if it gets hooked on something.
Poor overall isolation. Considering these headphones don't have active noise cancelling, the passive isolation provided in the Treble Range by the ear cups is quite decent. But the passive isolation only becomes effective past 400HZ and does not really block any low/bass frequencies. Isolation in the mid-range is also below average.
Poor leakage performance. The majority of leakage is in the 400Hz-3KHz frequency range which is rather broad. However, the overall volume of sound that escapes the ear cups is low relative to listening volume.
No compatible app.
