Sony MDRXB50AP Extra Bass Earbud Headphones/Headset with Mic for Phone Call, Red

Let me start of by explaining how I came to know about these headphones. My best friend had them and had been using hers for 2 years up to that point and we had gone away together for summer to internships in DC. So one day I'm coming back from SafeWay with like 10 bags cutting into the very core of my arms because I, like all normal human beings, refuse to make multiple trips for groceries. I get to the door and finally manage to put the keys in and open the door. I see her sitting on the couch which is basically like 12ft from the door. I'm saved. I call out for her. Nothing. My hands are starting to falter, the bag with eggs is at the bottom and I regretting that decision. I start yelling now. Not too loud at first. Just those loud whispers moms make to their kids when they embarrass them in public. Still nothing. The other arm is going now. I'm sweating and getting mad. WHY is she ignoring me! Finally I just give up and let the other arm drop. It had hand soap, some meat, milk and something else I can't remember. I walk over to the kitchen and put the rest on the table. I go stand in front of her and ask her why the DUCK she didn't help me! I know she heard me! That's when she's like "No, I didn't. These headphones are actually really good." I didn't believe her.Later that night she let me borrow them to watch something on my laptop. Now I don't remember what that show was but all I remember is I COULD NOT hear ANYTHING outside of what my laptop was playing. No disrespect but it was like the outside world was deaf and I was the only person with sound. I also appreciated the fact that it looked very sleek. She got them in black. Anyways the point of this is, I bought mine April 30th 2019 and TO THIS DAY I am still the only person with the blessing of sound in this world. And they have gone through a lot with me so they are definitely durable. I have accidentally slept on them, twisted them, washed them and still they rise to the occasion. I trust them so much, I gave them to my mother to borrow. I saw her wear them with only one earbud in and asked whether they had finally given out. "No," she said, "I don't like the fact that I can't hear any noise with them. It's too unnatural."So in conclusion, please buy. If my review hasn't helped your decision then just know this. I found them to be so good that I came back over a year later just to let other people know that it is indeed worth the buy.

Short summary for people who don't want to read detailed review:Great IEMs with punchy and powerful bass, clear mids and okayish highs. The build quality is great and they look awesome (I got the one in red color). How comfortable they are will depend on person to person, but I felt they I could wear them for extended periods of time without any problems. The sound isolation is decent, but its not enough to isolate the noise of a subway train when you are traveling.If you are looking for cheap IEMs that wont break your bank but at the same time can be your daily driver and sound outstanding, these will be the right fit. If you are looking for critical listening, then maybe its worth looking into more high end IEMs.****************************************************************************************Detailed review: Let me get the secondary stuff out of the way first.I've had these for about two years now and I don't have any complaints so far. The build quality is superb - I like that these wires dont tangle and are strong enough to withstand fairly rough use over these two years. The cable noise is noticeable. The microphone is okayish - I prefer not to use it to take calls. The color on the housing of these IEMs has started coming off (as you can see in the picture). The quality of silicone ear tips is great - I never had to replace them and they feel comfortable sitting in my ears for extended period of time (8 hours+). The sound isolation is fine but not enough to fully isolate the noise of engines when taking a flight or the sound of a subway train when traveling for work. Maybe it would be worth investing in foam ear tips that conform to your ear canal for better seal.Now coming to the important part - the sound quality. This is where these IEMs excel.You wont believe how good they sound for the price. I mean I open the packing, take these IEMs out, put them on and start listening and I am immediately impressed by how detailed the sound was. The bass on these things is amazing. Its punchy and powerful, but it doesn't overpower. I am not a bass head - I try like to listen to music exactly the way it was intended by the recording artist. The mids are clear but the highs are a bit lacking. For example, it is sometimes hard to hear piano or cymbal sounds when there's a lot going on in the music (listen to 'The Fire Within' by Jennifer Thomas and you'll know what I mean). I mean you can imagine - I am reviewing these earphones as if they are priced at $300, they are that good.So I looked up the frequency response curve for these IEMs online and I notice that obviously they are tuned to produce enhanced bass. But at higher frequency (5000 - 24000 hz), their response is lacking considerably which means its sometimes harder to distinguish sharper sounding instruments like cymbals or crisp sound claps. If you have critical ears, you will always feel that they are very good but something is lacking...I recently got the 1more Triple Driver for $80 (more than 2.5 times the price of the XB50AP) and when I compared the XB50AP to the triple drivers, I found that the sound from XB50AP is comparatively a bit muddied and shallower but only after I had to really sit down in a quiet environment and listen carefully. The 1More triple drivers are THX certified for its Hi Res sound and are usually compared to the likes of Shure, Sennheiser, and other high end earphones - and the XB50AP comes very close to the triple drivers for 2.5 times less the price.Honestly, you wont even notice all this unless you are listening very critically. If you are the kind of person who just wants really great sounding IEMs without breaking your bank, then go for these without any doubt. They look stylish, sound really amazing, feel comfortable, and are very durable. For about $30, these things are a steal.