gdgt

The X10s are comfortable, they kick out some great sound, and they look great doing it.

The Simon Cowell-endorsed Sony X Headphones are a flashy, powerful, bass-lover's delight—but they're also overpriced.

There's nothing wrong with them except for the horrible branding and the $300 price tag, but you can get equally good cans for less money. Check out the Harmon Kardon CLs for something cheaper and better.

I like bass. This is bad bass. It’s just too much muchness, sloppy and overpowering. There are plenty of headphones that deliver lots of great low end, but in a far better-controlled fashion than these.

It all adds up to yet another pair of celebrity-endorsed headphones that perform solidly, but don’t stand out. Whether you choose Sony’s MDR-X10, or Beats has more to do with whether you’re a fan of Simon Cowell or Dr. Dre than how the headphones perform.

Overall, though, what you get with these headphones is a set of stylish metal cans that are fairly comfortable, and are at home in a noisy environment. Their pricetag is somewhat high at $299USD, which is a tough pill to swallow for audiophiles.

Sony makes great headphones, and the X10's aren't by any means bad. They're just too much for me.

... there are some more balanced and clear options available on the market, some of which can be had at a lower price.