Sony MDR-X10

Sony X Headphones (MDR-X10)

As a reviewer of Simon Cowell's celebrity-branded Sony X Headphones (MDR-X10), I am in the unique position of potentially berating Cowell the way he berates young pop hopefuls on his TV shows. The $299.99 (direct) headphones are slyly named after Cowell's latest show, X Factor, and, like Dr. Dre, 50 Cent, and Lady Gaga before him, Cowell probably locked himself away for weeks in a lab and designing these beauties. Just kidding—he probably said things like "more bass" or "better cable," but celebrity-branded headphones are typically more about marketing than hands-on design from the celeb. However, despite being overpriced and a tad uncomfortable, I'll regretfully miss my chance to casually dismiss Cowell's X Headphones with a witty barb—they offer a quality audio experience. One caveat: Audiophiles can stop reading now. Low-end lovers: Read on. DesignCuriously, the big red X on both of the X Headphones' massive earcups is not the actual X Factor logo, but Simon Cowell assumes you can put two and two together here. There are two models—a primarily white model (like our test pair) and a primarily black model, but both feature generous patches of shiny metallic accents and bright red flourishes.