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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program Sony MDR-NC200D Digital Noise-Canceling Headphones
The obvious comparison for any noise canceling headphones, is against the Bose Quiet Comfort series which is arguably the industry standard, at least from a familiarity and brand recognition perspective. Fortunately, I have a pair of Bose Quiet Comfort 2 and was able to do a good side-by-side comparison.
In my case, Sony edged out Bose and won this comparison. Here's why:
I am not a qualified audiophile, and can't quote impressive specifications and explain in mathematics why one thing sounds better than another. Having confessed that though, I am a very picky listener, and I have a high standard of quality for audio products.
How I tested I used the Sony MDR-NC200D's extensively in a number of environments, with a variety of music. Environments included sitting in a room with a loud TV going, other music playing, conversations taking place, outdoor traffic and lawnmower noise, and even during a long vacuuming session. Music ranged from hard rock to classical, but for my benchmark side-by-side testing I used Pink Floyd's Dark Side Of The Moon.
I found the Sony headphones to be superior in producing very clear, crisp sound compared to Bose. The most subtle of elements in the audio are crystal clear with very good separation. Bose seems to muddy some of these nuisances, most likely a result of the noise canceling signal they use. Sony is able to block the ambient noise at least as well as Bose (I think slightly better) but without the side effect of dullness to the audio you are listening to. This example won't mean anything to people not familiar with the album, but during "Great Gig In The Sky" you can clearly hear the soft spoken background words far better with the Sony's than with Bose. I did not try to deafen myself with too much volume, but did not experience any distortion at all.
Ergonomics Slight edge to my Bose headphones here, but very very slight and with qualifications. My Bose set is the over-the-ear design (cups that enclose the entire ear), whereas these Sony's are on-the-ear design. The slight edge to Bose goes to a marginally more comfortable headstrap, and a more secure fit. I found that the Sony headphones were a bit easier to "shake loose" if wearing them during normal activity. The flip side to this is that the Sony headphones seem better suited for longer wear. They don't apply as much pressure to you head and are more comfortable for long periods. For an on-the-ear design, I was very surprised at the quality and comfort of the fit. The padding is extremely good, and creates a great seal against your ear. It will be hard for any noise to bleed through due to air gaps. Sony's unit is lighter than my Bose, which also aids wearability over time.
Miscellaneous :
The cord attaches better to Sony than to Bose. It seems more secure, and does not have to be in one special direction in order to fit.
The case is half the size. If you are packing these in your carry-on or shoulder bag, this is important. When stored in their case (which is a good case), the Sony's take up 50% of the space that is occupied by Bose.
The switch for on/off of the noise cancelling function is better on Bose. I found the switch on the Sony headphones nearly impossible to find and operate with the headphones on. Not a big deal, but can be mildly annoying at times.
All in all, it is a close comparison and in many ways subjective. I still like my Bose headphones, but I found the Sony MDR-NC200D's to be slightly better. And, when you factor in the price difference... Sony leaps way ahead! A very good pair of noise cancelling headphones that are comfortable and easy to use, and produce high quality sound and very good noise cancelling.
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