A comparison of specs, key information, reviews, and best pricing from top retailers
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What we think
The PerfectRec Earbuds or Headphones team Learn more
Updated April 11, 2024·
If you're on a tight budget and looking for a very portable set of earbuds primarily for music listening, the Sony MDREX15AP would suit you, and its sound quality is suitable for casual listening. However, for gaming and calls, the Steelseries TUSQ with its boom mic provides much better microphone quality. If you need earbuds that stay secure during active use, the TUSQ also comes with cable ear hooks. Both are wired options, so consider the need for wireless connectivity before deciding. While both models lack active noise cancelling, Sony's earbuds offer better noise isolation for quieter listening environments. 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 Sony MDREX15AP
- Very good for music
- Excellent for TV and video
Advantages of the Steelseries TUSQ
- Very good for gaming
- Good for air travel
Key differences
Music
8.3
7.6
The Sony MDREX15AP is very good for music, while the Steelseries TUSQ is good.
Gaming
6.7
8.5
The Steelseries TUSQ is very good for gaming, while the Sony MDREX15AP is only fair.
Phone Calls
3.5
5.2
The Steelseries TUSQ and Sony MDREX15AP are both poor for phone calls, though the Steelseries TUSQ is somewhat better.
Podcasts and Audiobooks
5.4
4.7
The Sony MDREX15AP and Steelseries TUSQ are both poor for podcasts and audiobooks, though the Sony MDREX15AP is somewhat better.
TV and Video
9.3
7.3
The Sony MDREX15AP is excellent for TV and video, while the Steelseries TUSQ is good.
Noise Reduction
7.0
6.0
The Sony MDREX15AP is good for noise reduction, while the Steelseries TUSQ is only fair.
Cost
$20
$30
$0
$10
$20
$30
$40
$50
The Sony MDREX15AP has a price of $20 and the Steelseries TUSQ costs $30.
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Key similarities
Build Quality
8.0
8.0
The Sony MDREX15AP and Steelseries TUSQ both have very good build quality.
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How the Sony MDREX15AP and the Steelseries TUSQ compare to other earbuds and headphones
Spec Comparison
 |  | |
| Sony MDREX15AP | Steelseries TUSQ |
GENERAL | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | |||
$20 | $30 | ||
Brand | |||
Brand | Sony | Steelseries | |
Release Date | |||
Release Date | March 1, 2014 | August 1, 2021 | |
Form Factor | |||
Form Factor | Earbuds | Earbuds | |
Connectivity | |||
Connectivity | Wired | Wired | |
SOUND | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Music Score | |||
Music Score | 8.3/10 | 7.7/10 | |
Phone Calls Score | |||
Phone Calls Score | 3.5/10 | 5.3/10 | |
Gaming Score | |||
Gaming Score | 6.8/10 | 8.6/10 | |
TV and Video Score | |||
TV and Video Score | 9.3/10 | 7.4/10 | |
Exercise Score | |||
Exercise Score | 4.6/10 | 4.2/10 | |
FEATURES | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Active Noise Cancelling | |||
Active Noise Cancelling | No | No | |
Noise Reduction Score | |||
Noise Reduction Score | 7/10 | 6/10 | |
Mic Quality | |||
Mic Quality | N/A | 8.5/10 | |
BUILD AND DESIGN | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Build Quality | |||
Build Quality | 8/10 | 8/10 | |
Comfort score | |||
Comfort score | 8.4/10 | 7.6/10 | |
Size | |||
Size | Small | Large | |
Weight (headset or single earbud) | |||
Weight (headset or single earbud) | 3.1 Grams | 11 Grams | |
Microphone style | |||
Microphone style | N/A | Boom | |
Shopping
Sony MDREX15AP
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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."
Steelseries TUSQ
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Dig into reviews and images
Can Buy or Not
Aloysius Low | March 2021
"The SteelSeries Arctis Tusq is a great headset for those on a more modest budget. You can use it for gaming or music, and I daresay it's also great for Zoom meetings when you don't want to be wearing on-ear or over-ear headphones."
Get a great deal on the Sony MDREX15AP or the Steelseries TUSQ
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.
About Steelseries
Steelseries is a Danish gaming products manufacturer founded in 2001 and owned by GN Store Nord. Beside a large variety of gaming peripherals like mice, keyboards, and mousemats, Steelseries markets the Arctis line of gaming headsets which feature integrated boom microphones and RGB lighting. Steelseries has partnered with several game publishers and studios for limited editions of their products like a line of Cyberpunk 2077 themed headsets in 2020.
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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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About the Earbuds or Headphones team
Joe Golden, Ph.D
CEO and Earbuds and Headphones Editor
Joe is an entrepreneur and lifelong electronics enthusiast with a Ph.D in Economics from the University of Michigan.
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Staff Expert & Software Engineer
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Chandradeep Chowdhury
Staff Expert & Software Engineer
Chandradeep is a staff expert and software engineer and expert in televisions and monitors. He’s been making monitor recommendations for ten years.
Luis Torres
Earbuds and Headphones Expert
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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