For some reason I was expecting the package to be larger than it is. It makes sense to have a small box though, it is a small headset after all! I had to remove layers upon layers of security tape from the box until I could crack it open, this is probably more of a JB Hi-Fi thing and not of Sony's doing.
Inside everything is packed neatly and professionally and you will find additional ear plugs, the headset itself, a USB charging cable, holding pouch and a manual.
All the cables are braided and feel soft and flexible, the usual kinks from being packaged smoothed out very easily. This headset feels just as it should for the price you pay. It's got quality written all over it.
I didn't have to charge mine to get the noise reduction to turn on, just slide the big button on the box and you're in business. When you are charging it however the light turns red and even if you have noise reduction turned on it will be disabled during charging.
Interestingly the opening of the in-ear piece is not round but oval. I don't know how this changes the sound. The speaker part of each ear piece is quite large, but not very heavy. At first I was worried that they would look silly when worn, but I actually quite like the way they look and fit.
The pouch is great too, black and inconspicuous on the outside and Sony blue on the inside. It does feel a bit too small for the headset and the charging cable, but you can squash it all in there.
Now what about the sound? This headaset has big bass! For an in-ear headset the bass is exceptional! Clarity is also quite good and compared to my previous Sennheiser in-ear headphones that cost within the same price range, the Sony one beats it hands down.
The microphone is positioned nicely and works well, it's clear and doesn't distort your voice.
The ear pieces feel comfortable overall, but if you wear them for extended periods you will start to notice the speaker against your ear - that bit starts to hurt a little since the speaker is solid. The in-ear part feels nice and soft and comfortable all the time.
The noise reducing feature is not a complete win. It definitely works, it makes all external noises far and distant just as it should. However, what I noticed is it filters out low to mid frequencies and exaggerates high pitched frequencies. This means when you turn noise reduction on in a crowded place all of a sudden you can hear people's whispers and chewing noises, etc. I found that sometimes it was better not to have noise reduction on to get the best quality of sound.
Another thing I thought that could be improved was the cord that connects this headset to your audio device. It's really skinny. Compared to the cord that runs to each ear piece, this cord feels way too fragile. Not a big deal, but would be a small improvement.
Overall I really like this headset and would recommend it even if you don't intend to use it for gaming. Even though it's a bit pricey, considering it has noise reductio, good clarity and big bass, it is worth the money.
-i
