We compare products from their published specs and features; the verdicts below are our independent editorial opinions.
Updated: 2026-09-22 · 7 min read · Independent comparison
If you want a lightweight, folding, wired over-ear headphone for everyday music listening at home or on the commute, choose ソニー(SONY) headphone MDR-ZX110; if you need a sport-style over-ear headset with a built-in microphone for calls and workouts, choose LanS NewSilkRoad Sports Ear.
• ソニー(SONY) headphone MDR-ZX110 — biggest strength: a genuine sealed, dynamic over-ear design with a 30 mm dome driver, a wide 12Hz–22,000Hz frequency response and a quick-folding frame that packs down small.
• ソニー(SONY) headphone MDR-ZX110 — biggest trade-off: no microphone and no inline call controls beyond a volume button, and it is wired only, so it is not a headset for phone calls.
• LanS NewSilkRoad Sports Ear — biggest strength: an ear-hook, padded over-ear sports headset with a braided 4 ft cable and a built-in microphone with remote control for answering and ending calls.
• LanS NewSilkRoad Sports Ear — biggest trade-off: the spec sheet lists both a 3.5 mm wired jack and a Bluetooth version field, which makes the connectivity story confusing, and the stated frequency range is a plainer 20Hz–20,000Hz.
• Who each pick is for: pick the Sony for pure wired music listening with a foldable, pocketable frame; pick the LanS for sport use and hands-free calling on any device with a 3.5 mm input.
The ソニー(SONY) headphone MDR-ZX110 is a straightforward, old-school music headphone. The design brief is simple: a sealed dynamic driver, a 30 mm dome unit with CCAW voice coil, and a sensitivity rating of 98dB/mW. That combination tells you it is meant to be easy to drive from a phone, a laptop or a basic MP3 player without needing a separate amp. The frequency response is quoted at 12Hz–22,000Hz on the feature list, so the low end reaches deeper on paper than the typical budget headphone. A maximum input of 1000mW also means it can take a fair amount of volume before it complains.
What I like about the build is the quick-folding mechanism. A folding over-ear headphone that weighs 0.12 kg is the kind of thing you throw in a bag and forget about until you need it. The 1.2 m Y-type cord is colour-matched to the white body, and the description notes it is designed not to tangle easily — a small thing that matters daily. There is a volume control with a push-button method, but no microphone and no call-answering button. Noise control is listed as none, so this is not an active noise cancelling headphone.
LanS NewSilkRoad Sports Ear: Who It's For
The LanS NewSilkRoad Sports Ear is built around a different idea. It is an over-ear headset with an ear-hook, padded design, sold as a sports earphone with hi-fi stereo sound and calling built in. The headline feature is the microphone control: a built-in mic with a remote that lets you answer and end calls without touching your phone. For anyone who takes a lot of calls while walking, cycling slowly or working out, that is the whole point of the product.
The cable is a 4 ft braided one, which is a touch shorter and more rugged-feeling than a plain rubber cord, and the spec sheet says it suits any device with a 3.5 mm interface — MP3 players, MP4 players, iPhones, smartphones and notebook computers. Plug and play is the stated experience, no setup required. The audio is a dynamic driver with a 20Hz–20,000Hz range, which is the standard full-range figure you would expect at this level.
Here is where I have to flag a real inconsistency. The product information lists a 3.5 mm jack and wired connectivity, but it also lists a Bluetooth version field and a wireless technology field. Those two things contradict each other on the same data sheet, and the title and bullets clearly describe a wired braided cable. In my opinion you should treat this as a wired headset and not count on Bluetooth working the way a dedicated wireless pair would. The noise control is listed as active noise cancellation, which is a notable claim for a wired sport headset — worth verifying against the current listing rather than assuming.
Buy it if you want an inexpensive-feeling, padded, ear-hook headset with a mic for calls and sport use. Skip it if you want a clean, foldable, music-first headphone, or if you want certainty about wireless connectivity.
Side-by-Side: Which Should You Choose?
• Best for pure music listening → ソニー(SONY) headphone MDR-ZX110. The sealed 30 mm dynamic driver and 12Hz–22,000Hz response are aimed squarely at playback, not talking.
• Best for portability → ソニー(SONY) headphone MDR-ZX110. The quick-folding mechanism and 0.12 kg weight make it the easier one to stash.
• Best for sport and movement → LanS NewSilkRoad Sports Ear. The ear-hook, padded over-ear fit is designed to stay put when you are active.
• Best for durability of the cable → LanS NewSilkRoad Sports Ear. A 4 ft braided cable generally resists fraying and tangling better than a plain one.
• Best for low-end reach on paper → ソニー(SONY) headphone MDR-ZX110. A quoted 12Hz low end and 98dB/mW sensitivity suggest an easier, fuller listen from weak sources.
• Best for call-control convenience → LanS NewSilkRoad Sports Ear. Push-button volume on the Sony is not the same as answering a call hands-free.
• Best for a wired, no-fuss setup → either, but for different reasons. The Sony is wired by design; the LanS is wired in practice, despite the confusing Bluetooth field on its data sheet.
If I were buying for myself, I would take the ソニー(SONY) headphone MDR-ZX110. The reason is narrow and honest: I want a music headphone, and the Sony's sealed 30 mm driver, 12Hz–22,000Hz range, 98dB/mW sensitivity and quick-folding frame line up exactly with that job. It is light, it packs down, and it does one thing properly. I would only switch to the LanS NewSilkRoad Sports Ear if hands-free calling and a sport-ready ear-hook fit were non-negotiable for me, because that microphone control is the feature the Sony simply does not have. Two different jobs, two different picks — and the Sony wins mine.
how do non ear headphones work
Non in-ear headphones sit outside the ear canal rather than inside it. The ソニー(SONY) headphone MDR-ZX110 uses a sealed dynamic driver with a 30 mm dome unit that pushes sound through the air to your ear, driven by a standard 3.5 mm wired connection. Because nothing goes into the canal, the fit is looser than an in-ear model, which affects isolation but tends to feel less intrusive over long sessions.
how to wear in ear headphones
On-ear and over-ear models rest against or around the outside of your ear, with the headband over the top of your head and the drivers centred on each ear. Both products here are listed as over-ear. The LanS NewSilkRoad Sports Ear adds an ear hook that loops behind the ear to hold the padded earpiece in place during movement.
what are non in ear headphones called
They are usually called on-ear or over-ear headphones, and sometimes "supra-aural" or "circumaural" depending on whether the pads sit on or around the ear. The ソニー(SONY) headphone MDR-ZX110 and the LanS NewSilkRoad Sports Ear are both listed with over-ear placement, so neither is an in-ear design.
what are the best open ear headphones
Open-ear headphones deliberately let outside sound in, usually through a bone-conduction or air-conduction design that does not seal the canal. Neither product on this page is an open-ear model: the Sony is a sealed dynamic type, and the LanS is a closed over-ear headset. If open-ear listening is your priority, neither of these two fits that description.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
When you buy through links on this page, we may earn a commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.
Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon or its affiliates. This site is an independent third-party review and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Amazon or the product brands mentioned.
See also: Sony WI-C100 vs Nothing Ear, Sony Float Run Open-Ear vs JBL Endurance Race 2, Parts Express 1/4-Inch vs Junfamilee Retro Over-Ear Headphone