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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 11, 2024·
If your priority is sound quality and a more open, natural listening experience for music and TV, the Philips SHP9500 headphones are superior, especially as they offer excellent soundstage and comfort. However, they are open-back, which means they leak sound and don't isolate noise well, making them less ideal for noisy environments or commuting. The Sony MDR-ZX110 is a budget-friendly choice with decent sound and a closed-back design that's better at isolating sound, which could be preferable for use in public places or at the office. They are also more portable due to their foldable design. If you need to make calls or play games, both have limitations, but for pure audio listening, your choice should be based on where you plan to use them and how much you value sound quality over noise isolation and portability. Give Feedback
this description is based on the product variant with some specs and product variant with some specs. At the time of writing, the variant with some specs cost some dollars and the variant with some specs cost some dollars.
Advantages of the Philips SHP9500
- Excellent for music
- Good for gaming
- Excellent for TV and video
- Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the Sony MDR-ZX110
- The Sony MDR-ZX110 has no clear advantages over the Philips SHP9500.
Key differences
Music
9.2
7.6
The Philips SHP9500 is excellent for music, while the Sony MDR-ZX110 is good.
Gaming
7.2
5.9
The Philips SHP9500 is good for gaming, while the Sony MDR-ZX110 is poor.
Phone Calls
4.9
3.0
The Philips SHP9500 and Sony MDR-ZX110 are both poor for phone calls, though the Philips SHP9500 is somewhat better.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
8.0
4.3
The Philips SHP9500 is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Sony MDR-ZX110 is poor.
TV and Video
9.0
6.9
The Philips SHP9500 is excellent for TV and video, while the Sony MDR-ZX110 is only fair.
Noise Reduction
2.5
5.3
The Sony MDR-ZX110 and Philips SHP9500 are both poor for noise reduction, though the Sony MDR-ZX110 is somewhat better.
Cost
$48
$10
$0
$10
$20
$30
$40
$50
The Philips SHP9500 has a price of $48 and the Sony MDR-ZX110 costs $10.
Build Quality
8.5
6.0
The Philips SHP9500 has very good build quality, while the Sony MDR-ZX110 has only fair build quality.
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How the Philips SHP9500 and the Sony MDR-ZX110 compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Philips SHP9500 | Sony MDR-ZX110 |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$48 | $10 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Philips | Sony | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | August 1, 2013 | July 1, 2015 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Headphones | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired | Wired | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 9.3/10 | 7.7/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5/10 | 3/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 7.3/10 | 5.9/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 9.1/10 | 7/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 4.4/10 | 3.9/10 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | No | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 2.5/10 | 5.3/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8.5/10 | 6/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 10/10 | 5.5/10 | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 294.8 Grams | 119.9 Grams | |
Waterproof Rating | |||
Waterproof Rating | 0 | 0 | |
Dustproof Rating | |||
Dustproof Rating | 0 | 0 | |
Shopping
Philips SHP9500
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Dig into reviews and images
Headphones Lab
Brian Stone | April 2020
"You can’t go wrong with the Philips SHP9500 for their price. Their audio quality is superb, and the fact that you can use them for just about anything you can think of makes them well worth your money"
Sony MDR-ZX110
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Dig into reviews and images
Audio.org
Audio.org | December 2022
"My opinion about Sony MDR ZX110 is they are the best budget headphones of Sony with top-class sound. Clear vocals, great bass, and balanced sound with low sound distortion. The treble could be sharper, but it's ok. 30 mm neodymium dynamic drivers give clear and precise audio, and an inline remote with a mic give decent call quality. Closed-Back Design also helps to improve sound performance."
Get a great deal on the Philips SHP9500 or the Sony MDR-ZX110
About Philips
Philips is a Dutch conglomerate and electronics manufacturer with over 130 years of history. Philips makes the Fidelio audio line which includes several models of full-sized wired and wireless headphones, true wireless earbuds. soundbars and wireless speakers.
About Sony
Sony is a multinational corporation, based out of Japan, with over 75 years of experience in the consumer electronics industry. In the audio market, Sony has been a trendsetter several times throughout its history. In 1979 they released the first-ever portable music player, the Sony Walkman, followed by the Discman 20 years later. Today, Sony is one of the leaders in the wireless headphone and earbud market, especially in terms of Active Noise Cancellation technology.
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This information was produced and vetted by the PerfectRec earbuds & headphones team. We are a product research and recommendation organization that meticulously reviews and evaluates the latest earbuds or headphones information and makes it digestible for you.
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Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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