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Updated April 10, 2024·
If you prioritize overall sound quality and noise isolation, the Sennheiser CX300S is the better pick, but be aware they don't have built-in controls and their microphone quality isn't great for calls. On the other hand, the Sony MDREX15AP excels in portability and comfort for a budget price, offering excellent performance for TV and video; however, they fall short in sound quality for music and do not have features like active noise cancelling or wireless capability. Neither earbud is suitable for exercise or has a detachable cable, so consider that when making your decision based on your specific needs and budget. 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 Sennheiser CX300S
Good for air travel
Advantages of the Sony MDREX15AP
Very good for music
Excellent for TV and video
Key differences
Music
6.9/10
8.3/10
The Sony MDREX15AP is very good for music, while the Sennheiser CX300S is only fair.
Gaming
6.1/10
6.7/10
The Sony MDREX15AP and Sennheiser CX300S are both only fair for gaming, though the Sony MDREX15AP is somewhat better.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
4.7/10
5.4/10
The Sony MDREX15AP and Sennheiser CX300S are both poor for podcasts and audiobooks, though the Sony MDREX15AP is somewhat better.
TV and Video
7.3/10
9.3/10
The Sony MDREX15AP is excellent for TV and video, while the Sennheiser CX300S is good.
Cost
$50
$20
$0
$10
$20
$30
$40
$50
The Sennheiser CX300S has a price of $50 and the Sony MDREX15AP costs $20.
"Sennheiser offers impressive bang for your buck when it comes to the CX 300S. Built like a tank and sounding surprisingly good for such a budget-minded earphone, the CX 300S out-classes many of its would-be competitors. Functional but beautiful, it’s the perfect in-ear listening solution for anyone who wants to hear everything and look good doing it."
"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 Sennheiser CX300S or the Sony MDREX15AP
About Sennheiser
A family-owned company, Sennheiser is a German, high fidelity, audio equipment manufacturer founded in 1945. Their consumer audio division is now owned by the Swiss hearing aid and cochlear implant manufacturer Sonova. Sennheiser offers a wide variety of, very high quality, audio equipment solutions, from headphones to earbuds, full sets of monitoring speakers, amplifiers and microphones. They also make what is widely regarded as the best, and most expensive, headphones in existence, the HE-1 Orpheus, costing a whopping $59,000 dollars.
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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