Sony X headphones backed by Simon Cowell/X Factor

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Check out our full review of the Sony X headphones.

Plenty have jumped on the bandwagon that Beats Audio has been towing for the last couple of years, but few have posed much of a challenge to the company’s strong popularity among younger listeners. Now Sony has entered the picture.

Sony Electronics has just announced the Sony X headphones and, based on the marketing material we’ve seen, it is throwing some serious money behind the project. The electronics giant courted Simon Cowell for an endorsement and, along with him, the ridiculously popular reality TV talent show, X Factor.

Seen American Idol lately? Beats headphones are all over that. Watch America’s Got Talent much? Chances are you’ve seen Monster and Nick Cannon’s NCredible headphones. Now you can expect to see a whole lot of the Sony X during X Factor.

It’s a little obnoxious, but celebrity endorsements and shameless product placements during prime-time TV seem to work and we don’t see any reason to be surprised by Sony’s decision. After all, Sony used to be a huge consumer headphone brand back in the 80s. Now that headphones are super-popular again, it make sense for Sony to make a power-play.

Cowell gives the headphones some pretty positive lip-service: “I chose to make a set of headphones with Sony because I simply wanted something better than what is in the market today,” said Cowell. “I’ve tried all of them, literally every single one. Sony and I set out to create the best headphone in the world. We are absolutely blown away by these. With the X headphones, it’s like being in the recording studio when the records are made. The sound is that clear.”

But that’s what marketers said about Beats by Dr. Dre and we know from experience that the endorsement doesn’t always pan out to be accurate. We’ll find out for ourselves when we get our hands on a pair. For now, we’ll just have to admire the swagger-infused headphones from a distance.

As for details on the Sony X: you get all the bling you’d expect from a Beats competitor, along with a fold-down design, case and accessories, in-line microphone and iOS device control, 50mm drivers for head-bursting bass and some generous padding to keep the music in and outside noise out.

The Sony X will sell at Sony stores starting September 15th for $300 and at retailers nationwide by the end of the month.

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