Sony Gives Consumers an Earful with New Noise Canceling Headphones & Headsets for Smartphones

SAN DIEGO, Sept. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Sony's newest noise canceling headphones deliver award-winning noise-canceling technology in more affordable and fresh, compact designs.  Smartphone and iPhone® users will also be able to select from a broader lineup of over the head and in-ear style headsets. These new models demonstrate Sony's expertise in combining the truest sound reproduction, superior audio quality and comfort for consumers on the go.

New Noise Canceling Models Offer Award Winning Digital Technology in New Compact Designs

Sony continues to raise the bar with its digital noise canceling headphones with two new models. The MDR-NC200D headphones offer digital noise canceling technology in a compact, over-the-head design, providing incredible noise cancellation and pristine quality audio at an attractive price. Sony's digital signal processing technology reduces up to 98.2% of ambient noise; let it be on an airplane, a train or in an office.  And because there are different types of noise in these types of settings, Sony's Artificial Intelligence Noise Canceling technology automatically selects the appropriate noise cancellation with the press of a button.  In other words, it knows the type of noise it must eliminate and does it all by itself; perfect for full enjoyment of the user's favorite music or movies in a noise-free environment. Peace and quiet can also be achieved without music and movies as users can remove the detachable cord and still enjoy the noise canceling feature. And since the headphones are both active and passive, users can also listen to music without the noise canceling feature.

The unique two-way folding design makes for a very compact solution, easily fitting into your carry-on luggage or purse, while the long AAA battery life of up to 22 hours makes these headphones a great travel companion, providing hours of worry free listening pleasure.

The MDR-NC200D headphones utilize 40mm driver units for wide frequency response, while the monitor switch allows the user to hear what's going on around them.  Users can also enjoy the noise canceling feature without music or movies. A digital equalizer with full digital amplification provides authentic sound reproduction for rich, natural audio while on the move.  Included with the headphones are a semi-hard carrying case, an in-flight plug adaptor, AAA battery and a convenient detachable cord. The MDR-NC200D retails for about $200.

The MDR-NC100D headphones offer digital noise canceling technology in a comfortable in-ear design. This ultra-compact model produces incredible noise cancellation of ambient noise up to 98.2%, while pristine audio quality is achieved with 13.5mm drivers.  Much like the MDR-NC200D, the MDR-NC100D analyzes surrounding ambient noise using Artificial Intelligence Noise Canceling and selects the best noise canceling mode based on the environment.  Users can choose from three sizes of Noise Isolation Earbuds for the most comfortable fit and effective attenuation of ambient noise. Also included is a carrying pouch, in-flight plug adaptor, cord adjuster and an AAA battery supplying up 22 hours of active noise canceling.   The MDR-NC100D retails for about $150.

New Headset Lineup for Smartphones Offers Wide Compatibility for Music Lovers on the Move

Smartphone Headsets

Two new Smartphone headsets (DR-EX14VP and DR-XB23VP) allow users to experience powerful sound reproduction and control of their smartphone via an in-line remote control, featuring volume control, play/pause, call answer/end, and a microphone. Out of the box, the headset is compatible with most smartphones, including phones with Android™ OS, iPhone® and Blackberry® devices while a supplied extension cable adds compatibility to most Sony Ericsson, Nokia, and others, ensuring compatibility to almost all Smartphones in the industry.  The EX14VP offers the more traditional in-ear solution style, while the DR-XB23VP features powerful bass reproduction with an angled earbud structure. Both include three sizes of hybrid silicone earbuds for a fine-tuned fit. The DR-EX14VP comes in three colors, black, violet and pink, and retails for about $ $40, while the DR-XB23VP retails for about $ $60.

iPhone Control Headsets

Sony is also introducing three new headsets for iPhone users (DR-XB22iP, DR-EX61iP, DR-ZX701iP) providing an ideal mix of comfort, iPod®/iPhone control and audio performance. All three models feature an in-line remote with microphone, as well as controls for play/pause, volume, and track control – all for the listening to music and taking and making calls on the go. All three models offer iPod, iPhone and iPad® compatibility and VoiceOver mode (on enabled devices), where with a press of a button the iPod states the name of the currently playing song or playlist. The DR-EX61ip offers a fresh design in the industry's most popular form factor, while the DR-XB22iP in-ear style headset marries deep bass performance with a hybrid silicone earbud and an angled earbud structure. The DR-EX61iP retails for about $40, while the DR-XB22iP is approximately $60.

The DR-ZX701iP over-the-head headset delivers dynamic frequency response for deep bass and clear treble performance, featuring 50 mm drivers. It accepts high-power input, up to 2,000 mW, and the noise isolating earpads provide a secure and comfortable fit.  The performance is sound "from the studio to your ears."  The DR-ZX701iP retails for about $150.

The new digital noise canceling models will be available in September, while the headset models will be available in October.  All will be available at Sony Stores, including online at http://store.sony.com and other authorized retailers nationwide. Pre-orders are available now. For images and information, please visit www.sony.com/news.

Media contact:
Maya Wasserman
Sony Electronics
[email protected]

SOURCE Sony