The Sony MDR-10RC headphones are a lightweight, well-made and attractive pair of folding on-ear headphones. The headphones are part of Sony’s high-resolution audio range, so the MDR-10RC’s 40mm neodymium drivers are a cut above what you're likely to find in other compact headphones. They have a wide frequency response of 5Hz to 40KHz, about twice that of most headphones, to take advantage of high-resolution audio files.

While most people can't actually hear frequencies above around 20,000Hz, there are plenty of arguments for reproducing high frequencies. Many people simply want their headphones’ audio to be as close to an original recording as possible. It’s also worth noting that the MDR-10RCs don’t cost significantly more than comparable headphones without such a broad frequency response.

Sony has opted for a neutral and balanced audio profile. This flat sound means there's no extra bass and no added brightness to treble sounds. What you hear is the music's own sound balance, as produced.

It's a welcome change from bass-heavy fashion headphones and the excessive brightness of some balanced-armature in-ear headphones that sell at around the same £150 price. All our music sounded fantastic, from delicate recordings of acoustic instruments in tracks such as Dowland's Lachrimae Antiquae to bass-heavy hardstyle and busy extreme metal tracks that blast sound across a wide frequency range. We were also impressed by the spacious, open nature of the sound and great sense of direction that benefited live recordings in particular. Overall sound quality compares well with our reference Sennheiser Momentum On-Ear headphones. Continues on Page 2