The Sony MDR-XB50 ranks #843 out of 865 total In-Ear Headphones for sound quality. See all Headphones rankings for every top pick.
Brand: Sony
Prices on this page were last checked October 13, 2026 at 3:17 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
#843 Sony MDR-XB50 Discontinued eBay
Pros: Bass is lifted about 6.9 dB with extension to 20 Hz, giving kick drums and bass lines extra weight. Lower mids sit within about 1.1 dB of target, keeping voices and guitars natural. It uses 1 x 12mm dynamic.
Cons: Discontinued, so it is mainly found used. Presence sits about 3.7 dB low with a 6.2 dB dip near 3.0 kHz, so vocals and instruments lose some bite. A 5.9 dB peak near 9.4 kHz can make cymbals and sibilance sound sharp. The 6.9 dB bass lift can sound boomy and mask midrange detail. A Harman score of 42 places it in the lower part of the in-ear rankings.
| Connection | Wired |
|---|---|
| Deviation From Target | 4.05 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 12mm dynamic |
| Form Factor | In-ear |
| Frequency Response | 4Hz - 24kHz |
| Harman Preference Score | 42 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 40 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 106 dB/mW |
| Sub-bass Extension | Within 6 dB of target down to 20 Hz (+0.8 dB at 30 Hz) |
| Tonal Tilt | -1.19 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0 lbs (8g) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -5.8 dB, then add these filters in any parametric equalizer (Wavelet, Equalizer APO, Peace, or a player with parametric EQ). Calculated by AutoEQ from its measured frequency response.
| Filter | Frequency | Gain | Q |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low shelf | 105 Hz | +0.4 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 192 Hz | -7.8 dB | 0.41 |
| Peak | 3,065 Hz | +6.2 dB | 0.82 |
| Peak | 557 Hz | +8.8 dB | 0.95 |
| Peak | 1,231 Hz | -5.7 dB | 1.28 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | +5.1 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 5,234 Hz | -3.6 dB | 5.88 |
| Peak | 6,245 Hz | +1.2 dB | 5.52 |
| Peak | 38 Hz | -0.3 dB | 2.04 |
| Peak | 4,190 Hz | +0.8 dB | 4.99 |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples