The Sony MDR-ZX310 ranks #45 out of 134 total Over-Ear Headphones for sound quality. See all Headphones rankings for every top pick.
Brand: Sony
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#45 Sony MDR-ZX310: $77.09 Amazon eBay
Pros: A preference score of 82 is strong for a budget headphone, and the response stays within 2.4 dB of the Harman target in oratory1990’s measurement. Midrange tracks target closely, within about 1 dB, for natural vocals. At 125 g with 24 ohm impedance and 98 dB/mW sensitivity, it is light and runs loud from any phone, and the closed back blocks some noise.
Cons: Sub-bass below 60 Hz is about 17.5 dB under target, so deep bass is effectively missing, and bass from 60 to 200 Hz is also 2.2 dB low. A dip of nearly 11 dB near 11 kHz and weak treble make music sound dull and closed in. Choose the Sony MDR-7506 for a similar rating with a brighter, more detailed sound.
| Released | Feb 2014 (12 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Back | Closed |
| Connection | Wired |
| Deviation From Target | 2.35 dB standard deviation |
| Driver Type | Dynamic |
| Drivers | 1 x 30mm dynamic |
| Form Factor | Over-ear |
| Frequency Response | 10Hz - 24kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Harman Preference Score | 82 (measured by oratory1990, via AutoEQ) |
| Impedance | 24 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 98 dB/mW |
| Tonal Tilt | +0.20 (negative is warmer, positive brighter) |
| Weight | 0.3 lbs (125 g) |
EQ preset to match the Harman target
Set a preamp of -6.3 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 | +6.4 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 724 Hz | -2.8 dB | 1.72 |
| Peak | 96 Hz | -3.6 dB | 1.74 |
| Peak | 6,049 Hz | +3.8 dB | 4.85 |
| Peak | 8,517 Hz | +3.2 dB | 1.24 |
| High shelf | 10,000 Hz | +1.5 dB | 0.70 |
| Peak | 1,404 Hz | +2.7 dB | 4.42 |
| Peak | 1,831 Hz | -2.5 dB | 4.16 |
| Peak | 3,462 Hz | -1.9 dB | 4.76 |
| Peak | 4,584 Hz | +1.8 dB | 5.09 |
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