Sony MDR-AS50G

Manufacturer: Sony Part number: MDR-AS50G

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$49.99 at 3 online stores

CNET Editor rating:
4.0 stars Excellent
Average user rating: 2.5 stars out of 12 reviews

Apr 2008

More product information:: Editors' review; User reviews; Specifications; Manufacturer info

Bottom Line:: The Sony MDR-AS50G Active Headphones offer an affordable price tag, a secure fit, and good sound quality--they're a fantastic option for gym addicts.

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CNET editors' review

Sony MDR-AS50G

price range: $49.99

The Sony MDR-AS50G Active Headphones offer an affordable price tag, a secure fit, and good sound quality--they're a fantastic option for gym addicts.

The good: The Sony MDR-AS50G Active Headphones feature an innovative design that spirals down for easy, compact storage, and it helps to ensure a secure fit. The modular cable is ideal for fitness and portable applications. The sound quality is good, and the price is fair.

The bad: The Sony MDR-AS50G's band tends to stick out from the sides of the head, which can make it hard to conceal under hair. The band is not adjustable, so not all users will be able to have it loop behind the ear.

The bottom line: The Sony MDR-AS50G Active Headphones offer an affordable price tag, a secure fit, and good sound quality--they're a fantastic option for gym addicts.

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Although the headphone market continues to burgeon with new models, it can be surprisingly tough to find a decent, fitness-friendly pair. A few companies, such as Sennheiser, have stepped up to the plate with sport-branded earphones, which feature design attributes meant to keep them secured on the head during activity. Now, we can add Sony to the list. The company has released an impressive array of Active Headphones, the $50 MDR-AS50G among them. These excellent, uniquely-designed earphones are a perfect choice for the gym.

Sony hit the nail pretty well on the head with the design of the MDR-AS50G, but we're not without a few (very minor) gripes. Namely, the neckband is not adjustable, so it can have a tendency to stick out from the sides of the head. Also, not every user will be able to get the band looped over and behind the ear. That said, the design is such that the earphones will stay secure in the ears even without the band being looped over the ear. Moreover, they're actually comfortable regardless of the ear looping, although they can irritate the inside of the ear after several hours of wear. This is surprisingly rare, and it's no doubt because of the spiraling style of the neck band. Sony designed the twisting tendency of the band mainly to ensure the earphones compact down for storage, but it also serves to hold the earbuds in place by pushing them slightly toward the head. This seemingly simple trait is practically genius--it just works so well.

The Sony MDR-AS50G earphones feature a few other physical attributes worth noting. First, they're mainly black with some silver and a teeny bit of red accenting, so if the Sennheiser Sport line was a little too bright and flashy for you, the MDRs are a good alternative. Also, the cable is modular, which is usually ideal for active applications, as it keeps the main cable short enough (20 inches, in this case) to use with an armband without a lot of slack cord. Also, Sony was smart enough to include a clip on the cable for dealing with the weight added when you connect the included extender cable, which adds an additional 26 inches to the length--plenty for keeping your MP3 player in a bag or pocket. Sony also includes a rather clunky, but still useful, plastic case.

During our performance evaluation of the Sony MDR-AS50G earphones, we took a couple things into consideration, not the least of which was their ability to stay in place during activity. They passed this test with flying colors, failing to budge during a jog, a set of sit-ups, or a bout on the elliptical trainer. One thing to note: these earphones are not appropriate for cyclists, because they're not ideal for wearing just one earbud, which is the safe thing to do when riding. Also, they block out a reasonable amount of noise, so they may not be the best option for street runners. However, for general portable and gym use, the MDR-AS50Gs are great. They even sound good. Overall, we were impressed by the clear and mostly balanced audio response. Although the headphones definitely tend to be more bass-heavy, we didn't find it overwhelming. Mids were reasonably warm and rich, and the high-end detail was not muddled or lost.

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User reviews

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Average user rating: 2.5 stars out of 12 reviews

Showing opinion 1 to 10 out of 12

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9 stars

FINALLY, SONY did it right...FINALLY!!!!!

by jonthn523 on April 13, 2008

Pros: Great fit, extremely lightweight, crisp sound, good design, and best of all, it doesn't fall out of my ears!

Cons: right earphone doesn't stay all the way in sometimes when I shift my head to the right...

Summary: alright folks, I must have gone through 10 different sony "workout" designed headphones over the course of the past fifteen years before coming across this one. I have to hand ...

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Summary: alright folks, I must have gone through 10 different sony "workout" designed headphones over the course of the past fifteen years before coming across this one. I have to hand it to SONY on this one. Not only was this one affordable, but it met every expectation of mine for a workout headphone.

This is obviously different from the earphones that simply wrap around your ear (and then fall off after the first 3 steps in your jog), or the in-ear designs (that fall out of your ear and end up dangling against your chest or workout equipment). With this new spiral design, it makes sure that the earphones are pressed against your head with no chance of it falling out of your ear (this has been the biggest pet-peeve of mine)

The sound quality is pretty good. I'm not an over-the-top f-ing audiophile or anything, but I will have to admit the sound is very clear and crisp, even at the loudest setting of my iPod nano. (I hate it when some earphones output distorted sound when the volume gets to be too much)

In conclusion, I've found my one and only workout pair of earphones and won't be replacing this one any time soon.

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3 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
9 stars

Solid Sound and VERY well thought out

by Par Seven on April 18, 2008

Pros: Fit on head/ears, Sound, Lightweight, Good Price Point

Cons: Wish they had same design for on ear vs ear bud (in ear)

Summary: Absolutely great for running and working out. Provided my first and only completely unincumbered run with tunes (no cord bouncing, buds falling out, cord tugs, etc.). I read one reviewer ...

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Summary: Absolutely great for running and working out. Provided my first and only completely unincumbered run with tunes (no cord bouncing, buds falling out, cord tugs, etc.). I read one reviewer that had bass and other sound issues. I assume they didn't realize or understand that these are ear buds and have to be inserted in the ear as such.

A really good value at $50 - thanks Sony!

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2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
4 stars

Not for small heads / ears

by MagicTentacle on May 15, 2008

Pros: canalphones are always better than earbuds

Cons: canalphones won't stay in ears on small heads

Summary: The tension on the neckband is pretty much set and that means that if you have a small head and tiny ears, all you feel is the tension wanting to ...

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Summary: The tension on the neckband is pretty much set and that means that if you have a small head and tiny ears, all you feel is the tension wanting to pull the headphones off you. also, one side tends to pull out of small ear canals regardless of the size of the fittings you use, and the neckband sticks way out on either side of your head looking rather ridiculous. Also, the cable sticks UP from the channel in the neckband instead of DOWN toward your music player.

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1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
8 stars

Excellent product, great sound, very comfortable

by moondog2008 on August 20, 2008

Pros: Great frequency response, including bass. Very comfortable. The head strap keeps them from falling out, while maintaining a snug fit which is critical for ear buds. Some level of noise attenuation as well.

Cons: Sound lacks some definition, but that's comparing them to the Shure E3s, which is unfair because those cost $150+. Need to make sure you use the correct size tip on the earbud. If the sound is lacking bass you may need to use a bigger tip.

Summary: You can get excellent bass response from these if you use the right size tip, and if the buds are snug in your ears. I found that by lowering the ...

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Summary: You can get excellent bass response from these if you use the right size tip, and if the buds are snug in your ears. I found that by lowering the band on the back of my head so that it crosses close the lower part of my head the buds are rotated into my ears, causing a tight fit and producing plenty of bass. I suspect the reviews submited complaining about poor bass response are simply fit problems. Overall this is an excellent product. I could not believe the sound and fit, especially for the price. I'm a musician and I've tried many different types of headphones and ear buds. The Shure E3s sound clearer, but they have little bass and will not stay in while working out. These are excellent for active use including running and gym, and they sound great too.

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5 stars

Sony forgot the bass

by namamugi on August 14, 2008

Pros: perfect fit for me right away; highs sound better than stock iPod ear buds

Cons: Bass far worse than my stock iPod ear buds & Sennheiser MX75's. Did Sony check the sound of this model when making them? Similar priced in-ear buds had better bass than these, too.

Summary: Loved the fit, but with the bass being so poor, I returned these to the store the next day.

Summary: Loved the fit, but with the bass being so poor, I returned these to the store the next day.
4 stars

Not for everybody!

by nlidg on August 7, 2008

Pros: If it fits your head and ears, it would be great for the gym.

Cons: If it doesn't fit just right, you'll spend your workout holding them to your ears.

Summary: I bought these after reading the CNET review as I have small ears and had trouble finding a pair of earphones that would stay in my ear while running. Unfortunately, ...

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Summary: I bought these after reading the CNET review as I have small ears and had trouble finding a pair of earphones that would stay in my ear while running. Unfortunately, these didn't cut it. I tried all three earpieces that come with the earphones, and with all three got the same result. They popped right out of my ear after about 10-15 seconds of jogging. So I was constantly sticking them back in my ear.

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5 stars

Great Form Factor . Tinney Sound.

by DSPGUY2 on July 31, 2008

Pros: Really great design for gymwear. Good fit. Nice short chord for arm-band.

Cons: Sound is very tinney.

Summary: I really love the physical design of the MDR-AS50Gs. So I was really hoping that they'd sound good. But they just plain don't. My set had no bass ...

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Summary: I really love the physical design of the MDR-AS50Gs. So I was really hoping that they'd sound good. But they just plain don't. My set had no bass to speak of. I'm not a bass freak. I just want good, balanced sound.
I have a set of Sennheiser PMX70's and really like their sound. However, they are kind of klunky and the behind-the-head band gets in the way in the gym when I'm lifting. And the cord on the Senns is about 40 feet long, which is really, really annoying. So I was really hoping that the Sonys would work out. These are the only Sony earbuds I've bought. Don't know if they all sound like that.

Anyway, I went back and forth between the Sonys and the Sennheisers. Night and day. the Sennheisers sounded so much better that I'm going to have to give up the nice physical features of the Sonys. Too bad. I was hoping they'd work out.

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3 stars

Wow... really poor design.

by WillHarlan on July 28, 2008

Pros: Sound is fine.

Cons: Back-of-neck design a disaster

Summary: Headphone fit is SO personal, so take this with a grain of salt, but... this design was a disaster for me. The behind-the-neck wire element was in constant contact with ...

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Summary: Headphone fit is SO personal, so take this with a grain of salt, but... this design was a disaster for me. The behind-the-neck wire element was in constant contact with my neck, the problem being that during exercise, every bit of contact translated to noise within the system. The cable picks up on the vibrations and translates it into sound. Really bad for exercise. And why have the wire twisted and shaped that way? There are headphones with stiff behind-the-neck supports that make little or no contact and therefore sound and feel MUCH better. I have a real feeling that most people who review these items don't actually exercise, because I cannot imagine this design working well for anyone under real moving exertion.

BTW, I have tried EVERYTHING. Here are my favorite two, by far, and one of them is a behind-the-neck unit that you can get for less than $18 and sounds great:

1. Sennheiser MX-75 Sport. Very innovative design, snug snug fit once you figure it out, very good sound. These things will not fall out and feel fine. Hate the green cord? Get over it, gym rat.

2. Philips SHS8200/37 Compact Foldable Behind-The-Head Headphone. Get these online for around $18 or less. Sound great, SUPER COMFORTABLE fit and silky material that is so smooth. These vastly outperform the Sony's...

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2 stars

They stay positioned properly for about 10 seconds.

by metaljohn777 on June 23, 2008

Pros: When they are positioned properly, they do sound good.

Cons: Poor mechanical design. Headband tension pulls earbuds out of the ear.

Summary: I'll be returning these to the store today. I bought these looking for a good set of headphones for the gym, walking etc... Unfortunately these don't do the ...

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Summary: I'll be returning these to the store today. I bought these looking for a good set of headphones for the gym, walking etc... Unfortunately these don't do the job. The headband is a flexible material that puts enough tension on the earbuds to pull them out. I spent my whole workout adjusting the damn headphones...

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9 stars

Solid Sound, Stays Put, Feels Goooood

by gregothegeek on May 22, 2008

Pros: Good sound, stays put, coils up when not in use

Cons: Expensive, needs easy cord roll-up storage trick (so only 9)

Summary: Good sound at the gym, I watch the flat panel TVs while I go through my workout. This fits my ears, I guess I don't have the type of ...

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Summary: Good sound at the gym, I watch the flat panel TVs while I go through my workout. This fits my ears, I guess I don't have the type of ears engineers spec when designing earphones, but this version of Sony works, and I've tried several, some falling apart because of wear, or sweat just breaks them down. The coil spring design wraps around the ear and keeps the earphones snug and in place. Also, I like how they coil when you remove them, easy to store, fits in my pocket, although I still wonder the best way to coil the long cord. Long is good because it is easy to pull the plug out of the socket on others, I use a plastic mini "barbell" shaped storage device for it.

I've tried (e.g. sennheiser *pinches*, ear clips *slip and pop-out*, over the head, back of the neck *sweat more, uncomfortable* Nike? fell apart *dang* $50, yes a bit steep, but a small price compared to all of the failed experiements.

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Showing opinion 1 to 10 out of 12

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Specifications

Manufacturer: Sony
Part number: MDR-AS50G

General
Product Type Headphones
Weight 0.5 oz
Additional Features Gold-plated plug
Headphones
Headphones Type Headphones - Binaural
Headphones Form Factor Behind-the-neck
Headphones Technology Dynamic
Connectivity Technology Wired
Sound Output Mode Stereo
Response Bandwidth 9 - 23000 Hz
Sensitivity 100 dB/mW
Impedance 16 Ohm
Diaphragm PET - 0.4 in
Magnet Material Neodymium
Connections
Connector Type 1 x Headphones ( Mini-phone stereo 3.5 mm )

Miscellaneous
Cables Included 1 x Headphones extender - Detachable - 2 ft, Headphones cable - Integrated - 2 ft
Included Accessories Cord clip, Carrying pouch, 3 ear tips
Power
Power Device None
Battery None

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Manufacturer info

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