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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 10, 2024·
If you prioritize sound quality and have a higher budget, the Philips SHP9500 is suitable, offering great comfort and excellent music listening experience, especially with its open-back design that allows for a natural soundstage, making it ideal for critical listening and TV. However, they're not designed for calls or noisy environments due to poor noise isolation and microphone quality, and they're not portable or suitable for exercise. On the other hand, the Sony MDREX15AP is a budget-friendly option that's very portable and better for casual listening, with a closed design that provides some noise isolation. It's also more exercise-friendly, but it sacrifices overall sound quality and isn't ideal for a high-fidelity audio experience. 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
- Very good for podcasts and audiobooks
Advantages of the Sony MDREX15AP
- The Sony MDREX15AP has no clear advantages over the Philips SHP9500.
Key differences
Music
9.2
8.3
The Philips SHP9500 is excellent for music, while the Sony MDREX15AP is very good.
Phone Calls
4.9
3.5
The Philips SHP9500 and Sony MDREX15AP are both poor for phone calls, though the Philips SHP9500 is somewhat better.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
8.0
5.4
The Philips SHP9500 is very good for podcasts and audiobooks, while the Sony MDREX15AP is poor.
Noise Reduction
2.5
7.0
The Sony MDREX15AP is good for noise reduction, while the Philips SHP9500 is poor.
Cost
$48
$20
$0
$10
$20
$30
$40
$50
The Philips SHP9500 has a price of $48 and the Sony MDREX15AP costs $20.
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Key similarities
Gaming
7.2
6.7
Although they have very similar scores, PerfectRec considers Philips SHP9500 to be good for gaming, while the Sony MDREX15AP is only fair.
TV and Video
9.0
9.3
The Sony MDREX15AP and Philips SHP9500 are both excellent for TV and video.
Build Quality
8.5
8.0
The Philips SHP9500 and Sony MDREX15AP both have very good build quality.
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How the Philips SHP9500 and the Sony MDREX15AP compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Philips SHP9500 | Sony MDREX15AP |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$48 | $20 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Philips | Sony | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | August 1, 2013 | March 1, 2014 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Headphones | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired | Wired | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 9.3/10 | 8.3/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 5/10 | 3.5/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 7.3/10 | 6.8/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 9.1/10 | 9.3/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 4.4/10 | 4.6/10 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | No | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 2.5/10 | 7/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8.5/10 | 8/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 10/10 | 8.4/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | N/A | Small | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 294.8 Grams | 3.1 Grams | |
Waterproof Rating | |||
Waterproof 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 MDREX15AP
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Dig into reviews and images
Make It Sound Great
Pete Anthony | June 2022
"At the ultra budget $10 price-point (and we’ve seen the no-mic version go for as cheap as $7), I’d say these are a decent option if you’re looking for a passable pair of earbuds for basic use that’s as cheap as possible. I wouldn’t say they feel or sound as good as some of the ultra-budget alternatives out there – of which there are a few at this point – but some might disagree. I will say though that the cable is a little bit nicer than those of that same competition."
Get a great deal on the Philips SHP9500 or the Sony MDREX15AP
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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Luis is a Mexico-based headphones expert. He’s been making headphone recommendations for five years and has close to 100 pairs in his personal collection.
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