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Sony MDR-XB950B1 Extra Bass Wireless Bluetooth Headphones Review

by Loknath Das April 5, 2024

written by Loknath Das

Sony MDR-XB950B1 Extra Bass Wireless Bluetooth Headphones Review

At CES 2017, Sony announced four new pairs of headphones in its Extra Bass line – including the wireless MDR-XB950B1. This NFC-enabled Bluetooth headset promises a bass-led sound, with aptX for clearer wireless audio, and a companion app that lets you choose between different EQ settings to personalise the sound.

At the time, Sony also released the MDR-XB950N1, which is pretty much the same thing, but with one additional feature: active noise cancellation. Unfortunately, we haven’t had a chance to get our hands on those cans yet, but we did get to try out the XB950B1, and used it for just under a week. According to the packaging, this headset is designed to be used with smartphones, and that’s how we used it the most, paired wirelessly.

The headset is bulky, but fairly comfortable, and the first impression it made was that the bass was overpowering everything else – which is something that more than a few cans in the XB family are guilty – or proud, depending on your perspective – of. We used it for a couple of days, finding the sweet spot, and after some time, we’ve formed a detailed impression of it. Read on to know more about whether or not the Sony MDR-XB950B1 is worth your time and money.

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Sony MDR-XB950B1 design and features
As we stated above, this headset is pretty big and bulky. The MDR-XB line has some models that can be folded into a fairly small size, while others can only be laid flat. This one falls into the latter category. The earcups are huge and heavily padded, with a rubbery finish that looks like it could get really sweaty. However, the headset is actually fairly comfortable to wear when in use.

Wearing it around your neck while on the move is hugely uncomfortable though – either put it on, or slip it into your bag, if you know what’s good for you.

The rest of the design is very typical of Sony’s XB family, with the power and bass effect buttons on the left cup (along with the Micro-USB charging port and 3.5mm input), while volume and playback controls are on the right cup. There’s also a mic on the left cup for hands-free calls, if you want.

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The Sony MDR-XB950B1 promises 18 hours of runtime after a 4-hour charge. There’s also an included audio cable that you can use if the battery runs out. Each driver is 40mm in size, and the frequency range is rated at 3Hz to 28,000Hz. Weighing in at 281g, this isn’t the lightest pair of headphones, but as we stated above, it feels comfortable enough. How it sounds is, well, a little more complicated.

Sony MDR-XB950B1 performance
Our first impression was that there’s way too much bass, and the sound isn’t very clear either. If you’re listening to pop tracks that have some amount of bass – think something by Arctic Monkeys, for example – then you’re definitely going to agree. Vocal-led tracks, such as songs by the Beatles, suffered greatly as well. But when we switched to hip-hop, things started to get better. We listened to a few Ludacris songs, and enjoyed the percussion, though other low notes were not very satisfying. Kanye West’s Black Skinhead on the other hand sounded great, which was unexpected.

The MDR-XB950B1 has a very specific sound. After listening to more Kanye and then some electronic music, we started to find a groove that works. We tend to overuse the phrase “it’s not for everyone,” but this is one place where it really applies. You get a ridiculous amount of bass, especially after you press the Bass Effect button, but although that’s important, you really do need to use your smartphone to drive these headphones, as we soon discovered.

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You see, the secret is the companion app, with its equaliser, which gives you a chance to actually make the MDR-XB950B1 sound good. You can set the amount of bass boost, and it’s a control you’ll be playing around with a lot to find the sweet spot for the songs you’re listening to. Surround sound settings can be tweaked as well. If there had been at least a few presets that you could change directly from the headphones it would have made this product a lot more versatile, but this is better than nothing, we guess.
With a little tweaking, the rest of the frequency sounds… fine. It’s not a sound that will blow you away, but the MDR-XB950B1 will not be a big letdown either. You definitely won’t see it used anywhere as a pair of reference headphones, but if you want a really specific sound for specific kinds of music, then it could be fun to own.

Surround sound is something this headset is pretty good at, by the way. Perhaps thanks to all that extra bass, spatial awareness is really good. The barbershop 3D sound demo was excellent. Isolation is also pretty decent, as expected thanks to the large earcups.

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Overall, we feel that the MDR XB-800 offers a much better tuned sound out of the box, but if you’re willing to play around with the app, the MDR-XB950B1 doesn’t disappoint either.

As for calls, that side of things actually worked really well. We had some doubts about the microphone’s positioning, but it picked up audio clearly. With respect to the Bluetooth range, the headphones worked reliably even at distances of up to 10 feet – the distance you’d get while walking around in your bedroom or living room, for instance. However, there’s one catch – the mic only works in Bluetooth mode, so if your battery is down, you can’t use this as a hands-free headset.

Verdict
The XB family has been around for a while, and the MDR-XB950B1 looks a little dated. It’s also somewhat expensive for what you’re getting – but it’s definitely fun to listen to the right music with. It’s hard to say that this is a great pair of headphones. The audio isn’t perfect, the signature is definitely weird, and you’ll have to spend time tweaking the EQ. However, if you love trying out new headphones and want something that really stands out aurally, then this is certainly an interesting option.

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On the other hand, if you’re investing in your first pair of earphones outside the entry level, then this isn’t the all-rounder you need to buy right now.

Price (MRP): Rs. 13,990

Pros

Comfortable and sturdy
Stands out, aurally
EQ is actually useful
Cons

Requires the EQ a lot
Expensive
Bulky, doesn’t fold
Ratings (Out of 5)

Design: 3
Performance: 3
Value for Money: 2.5
Overall: 3

[“source-gadgets.ndtv”]

April 5, 2024 0 comment

Education

Independent school students gain extra time for exams

by Rajdeep April 5, 2024

written by Rajdeep

Anonymous girl sitting an exam

One in five students in independent schools received extra time to complete GCSE and A-level exams last year.

The proportion was significantly higher than those who received the special measure in state schools where the figure is fewer than one in eight.

The difference has come to light following an analysis of official exam data by BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

Exams regulator Ofqual said this may be because of the readiness of schools to find students entitled to more time.

HMC, a group representing independent schools, said the higher rate was down to “proper resourcing”, which it said “can be lacking in state maintained schools”.

But the head teacher of a comprehensive school in Suffolk said the different rates raised “serious questions”.

And shadow education secretary Angela Rayner called on the government to look at the issue “urgently to make sure that no school is abusing the system”.

Exam candidates receive 25% extra time, typically more than three hours to complete a two-and-a-half hour exam, because of special needs or disabilities like dyslexia.

The system has previously faced claims that better-resourced schools may be more likely to receive the measure, which is available as part of rules to ensure a level playing field for exam candidates.

Last year in GCSE and A-level exams, extra time was awarded to more than 27,000 independent school students – which represented nearly 20% of all candidates in the sector.

How is extra time awarded?

Allowing a candidate extra time in an exam is one of about 20 adjustments that can be made to take account of special educational needs.

These are not suddenly granted at the time of the exam, but set out in arrangements approved well in advance.

Extra time is granted to ensure that candidates who normally need more time are not placed at a disadvantage in an exam.

In order for the centre to award extra time, 25% extra in the cases cited in our story, it must assess the needs of candidates based on their education, health and care plans or statements of special educational need.

These are formal documents that detail pupils’ special needs.

The assessor’s report must show the candidate has a significant and long-term impairment, and that they are significantly below average in speed of writing, reading, reading comprehension or cognitive processes, leading to them working slowly.

In exceptional circumstances, a candidate with two low scores for speed of working may be considered for extra time but in these cases far more evidence proving need is required.

The need for extra time must also be part and parcel of the candidate’s normal way of working and the claim must be backed up by the teacher.

Candidates may not need extra time for each subject.

In state institutions, about 200,000 students received extra time, which represented fewer than 12% of all state sector students taking the exams.

The total number of students awarded extra time in England, Wales and Northern Ireland has increased every year since 2011.

Ofqual has previously introduced measures to try to reduce requests for so-called Access Arrangements after claims the system was being abused.

The Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) which represents the UK’s biggest exam boards, said it was important the arrangements were approved only for those who needed them.

In a statement, it said: “There’s a rigorous process to ensure this, including annual inspections, and we review this process every year.

“Fairness is ensured by the process being the same, irrespective of location or type of school or college.”

‘Serious questions’

Geoff Barton, head teacher of King Edward VI comprehensive school in Bury St Edmunds, blamed a “high stakes” accountability system including results and league tables for influencing schools’ use of the measure.

He said: “Whether they are getting special consideration does seem to be something that isn’t only done in the interests of the youngster, but also can have an effect for the school.

“So there’s no surprise that schools will reflect on that as they are planning the exam season.”

He added: “What the data does is to raise some serious questions for schools.”

Peter Hamilton, HMC’s academic policy spokesman and headmaster of Haberdashers’ Aske’s Boys’ School in Borehamwood, said the independent sector was able to apply for help for pupils “because of ever-improving monitoring and awareness of special needs”.

He said: “We are also fortunate to have proper resourcing and specialist departments, which can be lacking in state-maintained schools.

“All heads want to see learning support staff given the time and money necessary to ensure all pupils are able to claim their rights.”

The watchdog said the data did indicate some variation between types of examination centres.

It said the difference could be partly explained “by the ability and readiness of centres to identify students who are entitled to a reasonable adjustment”.

Both state and private sectors involved in the data comparison include special schools, whose students are more likely to require access arrangements.

Ofqual said the private sector figures included independent special schools which may affect the percentages when making comparisons.

A spokesman said special arrangements for students with disabilities were “crucial for fair access to qualifications”.

“Some schools make more requests than others. Indeed some schools have surprisingly few requests, others have many.

“We continue to work with the exam boards to ensure that the right students get the right support,” said the spokesman.

An independent special schools source said the number of students involved in such exams was relatively low. It’s thought unlikely to have a significant impact on the comparison between sectors.

A charity that supports people with dyslexia has previously said schools need better training to get pupils assessed, adding that students did not need formal or costly diagnoses to qualify for access arrangements.

The Today programme first used Freedom of Information laws in 2014 to ask JCQ for figures on access arrangements in various types of schools.

Following a ruling by the Information Commissioner, it emerged that the data would be supplied by exam boards to Ofqual.

[Source:- BBC]

April 5, 2024 0 comment

Education

Extra free childcare ‘threatens nursery schools’

by Rajdeep April 4, 2024

written by Rajdeep

nursery class

Hundreds of nursery schools in England could close if the government presses ahead with plans to offer 30 hours a week of free childcare, a union warns.

Pre-schools will not cope financially after a planned two-year package of taxpayer support ends, says the National Association of Head Teachers.

In 2017, free care for three-and four-year-olds is set to rise from 15 to 30 hours a week in term-time.

Ministers say the extra funding will provide stability for nursery schools.

There are 400 maintained nursery schools in England, offering an early years education to three- and four-year-olds.

Two-thirds are in the most deprived areas of England, and 99% are rated as good or outstanding.

The NAHT carried out analysis with the charity Early Education.

They found those in the local authority areas with the highest number of nurseries – including Birmingham, Lancashire and Hertfordshire – would see huge cuts in funding if the proposal to double the current 15 hours of free time was introduced.

They say:

nursery schools in Birmingham received an average of £8.36 an hour in 2015-16, which would fall to £4.44 an hour in 2017-18 – if no additional funding were made available – a decrease of £3.92
nursery schools in Lancashire received an average of £7.89 an hour in 2015-16, which would fall to £4.27 an hour, if no additional funding were received – a decrease of £3.62
nursery schools in Hertfordshire received an average of £7.47 an hour in 2015-16, which would fall to £5.36, if not subsidised – a decrease of £2.11
and nursery schools in Durham received an average of £6.67 an hour in 2015-16, which would fall to £4.15 an hour – a decrease of £2.52 – if no additional funds were injected

NAHT general secretary Russell Hobby said: “The Department for Education’s [DfE] own data shows that any funding approach that does not reflect these costs on an ongoing basis will be a body blow for early years education in nursery schools.

“There is additional funding available, but only for two years.

“After that point, England’s nursery schools will cease to be financially viable.

“The 30 hours offer will be doomed before it even gets started, additional places won’t materialise and current places will be lost as nursery schools across England close their doors for good.

“The government has the data – it must rethink before thousands of families, many in the poorest areas of the country, are left high and dry.

“In contrast to grammar schools, high-quality nursery education is a proven method of helping the most disadvantaged families.

“It is inexplicable that a government serious about social mobility would focus on one at the expense of the other.”

The NAHT claims come on the final day of a government consultation on early years funding and the 30 hours of free care in term time.

A spokeswoman for the DfE said the proposals for supplementary funding would be for at least two years.

“This extra funding will provide stability for nursery schools, which make a valuable contribution to improving the lives of some of our most disadvantaged children.

“The funding is part of our record investment in early years – £6bn per year by 2020.

“We will be consulting with the maintained nursery schools’ sector on future funding in due course.”

Provider’s concerns

Valerie Daniel, head of Washwood Heath Nursery School, in Birmingham, said: “The government seems to recognise the quality of early years education such settings provide, but has no plans to secure their future beyond the two years of transitional funding set out.

“This will lead to a massive loss for nursery schools, with larger settings potentially losing more than £200,000 from their current budgets, which have already been hit by local budget cuts.

“I fear that a significant loss to maintained nursery budgets will create a ripple effect on safeguarding the most vulnerable children in the region.”

In April, a poll of childcare providers carried out by the Pre-school Learning Alliance found almost feared they could have to close as a result of the 30-hour offer.

The online poll also found that 48% of the providers felt they would have to reduce the number of places they offered to other age groups.

[Source:- BBC]

April 4, 2024 0 comment