I've only owned two of Sony's higher end headphones. I honestly couldn't tell you which ones. It was a few years ago. One of them was only about $150. I can remember being impressed with the low end bass extension. I felt that's all they truly had going for them. They make a decent pair of headphones, but I don't consider them near the big boys of the business. Especially at some of the prices Sony charges, it's almost like they purposely mark them up so people think expensive = quality. At that rate, there are simply more attractive options, which are not only better to the ears, but better on the wallet.