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If you want a rugged, fold-flat on-ear pair with a steel headband and soft pads that block out a noisy commute, choose JVC HAS160R; if you need a lighter, swivel-folding on-ear with a tangle-resistant Y-cord and a slightly more sensitive driver, choose Sony ZX Series.
• JVC HAS160R — biggest strength: A stainless-steel adjustable headband paired with 30 mm Neodymium dynamic drivers, soft earpads, and a foldable flat design built for travel and long sessions.
• JVC HAS160R — biggest trade-off: The design leans toward sound isolation and durability rather than a minimalist footprint, and there is no microphone or call control listed.
• Sony ZX Series — biggest strength: A lightweight on-ear build with a swivel/folding design, a 1.2 m tangle-free Y-type cord, and 30 mm dome drivers rated at 98 dB sensitivity and 24 ohm impedance.
• Sony ZX Series — biggest trade-off: Noise control is listed as "None," so it does not aim to isolate you from a loud environment the way the JVC pads do.
• Who JVC is for: Commuters, office workers, and anyone who wants a sturdier frame and passive noise blocking.
• Who Sony is for: Casual listeners who prioritize low weight, easy packing, and a cord that resists tangling.
The HAS160R is a wired, on-ear headphone built around a stainless-steel frame. That single material choice tells you a lot. The adjustable steel headband is meant to bend, flex, and hold its shape over years of daily use, which is a meaningful difference from the all-plastic construction you find on many budget on-ears. If you have ever had a headband crack at the hinge, you understand why this matters.
The audio side is powered by 1.18 inch (30 mm) Neodymium dynamic drivers with a 20 Hz – 20,000 Hz frequency range and 32 ohm impedance. Neodymium magnets are efficient, so these are easy to drive from a phone, laptop, or a cheap dongle — you do not need a dedicated amp to get usable volume. The 32 ohm rating sits in the friendly zone for portable gear.
Where the JVC really separates itself is isolation. The soft earpads are explicitly designed to block ambient sound, and the noise control method is listed as sound isolation. That makes these a natural fit for a busy open-plan office, a train, or a loud bus — anywhere you want to shrink the world down to just your music. The flip side: passive isolation means you will still hear some noise, and the on-ear clamp needed to achieve that seal is a real consideration if you wear glasses or have a sensitive head. The pads are also the wear item here — soft pads compress over time, and there is no microphone or call control listed, so this is a music-first pair, not a headset for meetings. Skip it if you take a lot of calls or want the smallest possible folded footprint.
The Sony ZX Series (MDR-ZX110) takes the opposite design philosophy. At 9.12 oz with a lightweight on-ear form, the emphasis is on comfort over long wear and easy packing. The swivel design lets the earcups rotate flat, and the 47 ¼ inch (1.2 m) Y-type cord is specifically built to resist snags and tangles — a small thing that becomes very not-small when you pull these out of a backpack every day.
The drivers are also 30 mm, but Sony rates them as dome-type dynamic units with 24 ohm impedance and 98 dB sensitivity. In plain terms: lower impedance and higher sensitivity mean these get loud easily from weak sources. A phone at 40 percent volume will already be plenty. The frequency response is listed at 20 Hz – 20,000 Hz, with the manufacturer describing the tuning as full and balanced across the range.
The trade-offs are equally clear. Noise control is listed as "None." These are not trying to seal you off from a noisy room — they are open-ish, casual listening headphones. The enclosure is faux leather and plastic, so they will not feel as armored as the JVC's steel frame. And while the control type mentions call control via a remote, the style is listed as "No Mic," so do not buy these expecting a proper headset. Buy them if you want something light, comfortable, and easy to shove in a bag for travel, study, or casual music. Skip them if your main use case is drowning out a loud commute.
• Best for passive noise isolation → JVC HAS160R. Soft pads and sound-isolation design are the stated purpose.
• Best for lightweight comfort → Sony ZX Series. The on-ear design is explicitly built around low weight.
• Best for durability → JVC HAS160R. Stainless-steel frame and adjustable headband versus faux leather and plastic.
• Best for easy packing → Sony ZX Series. The swivel/folding design plus a tangle-free Y-cord make it the friendlier travel companion.
• Best for driving from a weak source → Sony ZX Series. 24 ohm impedance and 98 dB sensitivity get louder with less power.
• Best for long listening sessions → JVC HAS160R. The soft earpads are pitched at extended use without discomfort.
• Best for wired-only simplicity → both. Neither needs charging; both use a 3.5 mm jack.
• Best for calls → neither, strictly speaking. JVC lists no mic; Sony is styled "No Mic" despite mentioning call control.
If I had to pick one, I would buy the JVC HAS160R. In my opinion, the stainless-steel headband and the isolation-first earpads give it a longer, more useful life for the way most people actually use on-ear headphones — commuting, working, and listening for hours on end. The Sony ZX Series is the better pick only if low weight and easy folding matter more to you than blocking out the world. Both are wired 3.5 mm on-ears with 30 mm drivers, so the real decision comes down to isolation and build versus portability and sensitivity — and for everyday noise, I lean JVC. Check the current price on Amazon before you commit, since that is the one variable I cannot speak to here.
Neither brand wins outright. For this specific pair, JVC HAS160R wins on build and passive isolation thanks to its steel headband and soft isolating pads. Sony ZX Series wins on low weight, folding portability, and sensitivity. It depends on your priorities, not the logo.
Do JVC HAS160R headphones have noise cancelling?
They are fine for casual commuting, but noise control is listed as "None," so they will not block out train or bus noise. If your commute is loud, the JVC HAS160R's isolating pads are the more sensible choice.
No. Both are wired 3.5 mm headphones. The JVC sheet lists Bluetooth under connectivity technology, but the product itself is a wired 3.5 mm on-ear with no mic, and the Sony uses a 3.5 mm jack with a 1.2 m cord. Neither requires a battery for normal listening.
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