wireless headphones

This review is on the Sony MDR-IF240R not MDR-IF240RK, not sure if there's any difference. I needed a wireless headphone for the bedroom because I watch TV over 2 hours every night while my wife sleeps and about 2 hours early in the morning. I've also owned a wireless Sennheiser HDR60 and a wired Panasonic RP-HT970 Vibration Series Headphone. The Sennheiser worked fine, but their rechargeable battery (two included) would only last me about two days. I always had one recharging so I could swap it out, but it was still annoying to have it cut out in the middle of a program. After a year one of the batteries wouldn't hold a charge any more and when I saw how much a replacement battery cost, I decided to buy the Panasonic. Because it was wired, the Panasonic RP-HT970 sounded great, especially the bass effects with DVD's. It was very comfortable and I would still be using it, if I hadn't tripped on the cable and broke it. It had also been an obstacle for my wife when she had to walk across the room.

I decided to go wireless again and bought the Sony MDR-IF240R after reading reviews. I wanted a headphone that used standard batteries and wouldn't need constant replacing. I have cordless phones and a wireless PC network, so I decided having no interference using infrared was better than having the ability to go room to room using other technology. Since I only used it for TV viewing, I was willing to accept decent, if not great, sound quality. This headphone met all my requirements. I put in one standard AAA battery instead of the rechargeable battery that came with it and I haven't had to change it in over two weeks of constant use (4 hours/day).

The headphones are mostly plastic and look a bit cheap. They are fairly comfortable, but if I tilt my head, they will fall off because the foam cushions are flat rather than cupped like the Sennheiser and the headband is rather flimsy. That would be my biggest complaint. Sony should also have provided a longer cable for the transmitter to allow more flexibility in placement. Sound quality is fine for TV viewing, but it can't compare to the quality of a wired headphone like the Panasonic which makes you feel like you're actually in a movie when played on DVD.

I have perfect reception using it at 12 feet and I've walked 45 degrees to the left and right without any loss. If something comes between the headphone and the transmitter, it will cut out, so positioning is very important. You can eliminate the hiss that others have mentioned, if you turn up the volume on the sound source (e.g. TV or Receiver) rather than turning up the volume control on the headphone. On the Sennheiser there was a tuning control, which I had to fiddle with in order to receive a signal, but the Sony doesn't have or need one.

In conclusion, this headphone met all my expectations, the price was reasonable and I would recommend it to others until someone comes out without something that has better sound quality and excellent battery life.

Sound quality - 4 stars (compared to other wireless)
Battery life - 5 stars
Range - 4 stars
Comfort - 4 stars
Fit and finish - 3 stars
Price - 4 stars

I use them in a bedroom for TV, stereo, and PC; range has not been an issue at all. If you chiefly want range, buy RF (radio frequency) 'phones. I've owned these for a good three months with no more than the initial charge (using them an avg of 2hrs/wk)! I just lay them over the stand instead of in the upright charge position.

Sound quality is good; I notice no degradation, only the change in audio channel type. They are comfortable. I don't see a drawback to the top part resting on your head like normal 'phones do. The earpads are like a Walkman's, not the "plushy" kind that make your ears warm in a short time. Small and lightweight like Walkman 'phones, this item passes every test of functionality and looks good doing it!

These are good infrared headphones. Cons: infrared headphones have limited range. Pros: infrared interference has limited range! That is, you don't have to worry about your neighbor creating some signal that interferes with your headphones. Your walls, windows, etc are enough to block the interference. But the downside is that the device has limited field of view (only plus/minus 45 degrees from the stand, although you can rotate the transmitter to point that field of view where you want it). Range is not an issue; the headphones work well 20-30 feet to the back wall of my room. The signal doesn't go through walls so your headphones go silent if you go to the next room. Holding a newspaper or magazine high in front of your face is enough to make the signal cut out, too. Turning your head back and forth doesn't cause any reception problems (except when you turn *exactly* 90 degrees).

But I am very happy to have range and field of view limitations in exchange for interference-free reception. Another reviewer complained about an annoying hiss: this only occurs when you turn your TV down low and then crank up the headphone amplification (this is because the transmitter is then sending out such a small signal that the transmission noise is almost as large as the signal). Simply keep your TV volume high and the headphones amplification low and you will not be able to hear any hiss or static. To my untrained ears, they sound as good as corded headphones.