Enjoying the sounds of silence

You probably guessed from the photo above that it's time for pimping for dollars, aka another step forward in my journey of Senior Influencing.

Today's guest product comes from Sony Electronics. 

I once had the unfortunate experience of being the Group Creative Director at Y&R (now VLMWMDFVY&R) in charge of the Sony Electronics account. Two months after being named to this new position at this new agency, I was asked to present campaigns that had to fit the Sony's ridiculous decentralized marketing matrix. A chart that looked like Oppenheimer's blueprint for the Manhattan Project and whose sole purpose of was to intentionally confuse the customer.

Unbeknownst to me, the presentation would also include some talentless hacks from the New York office who, because they had history producing garbage-y work (think MicroSoft lackluster creative), threw me and my teams under the bus. 

Nevertheless, I'm not letting any of that ugly advertising history shade my fair and balanced review of the Sony WH-XB910N. Though the folks at Sony, my neighbor up the street now commandeering the old MGM studio, really ought to hire a Product Naming Specialist Team. 

Not just for the headphones (Ear Candy, Drumbones, Headspace, for example) but the entire line of Sony goods.

I came by the Sony Headphones by way of my youngest daughter, Abby, who has for years seen me wearing the Bose QC 35s. 

"When are you going to replace those Dad? The foam is ripping and those earpads look like they've been run over by a lawn mower."

And she was right. 

Besides, I was getting tired of the flimsy craftsmanship and the need to replace the expensive pads every 6 months. Shit that cost more than $300 ought to last longer than that. Plus fitting those pads into the muff (for lack of a better word) requires the dexterity of a neurosurgeon.

Enter the Sony WH-XB910N. These feel significantly sturdier than the Bose. Of course, they're still brand new. Check back with me in a year of everyday use in order to silence the barking dogs that now have me cornered and torture me from every room of the house.

"SHUT UP"

"SALLY!!!"

"For the love of god stop the damn barking!"

How is it the people who own these mutts are not bothered by 25 hour a day yapping, howling and setting a blowtorch to my ears.

The first week with 910's was a little hinky. They're extremely comfortable, but I didn't like having to fumble for the On/Off switch. Nor did I care for the fact that there is no light to indicate whether they're on or off. But after some muscle memory kicked in, I got the hang of it.

Moreover, unlike the Bose, they immediate paired up with my computer. And a very sexy woman whispers in your ear...

"Bluetooth connected."

I don't know if she's actually sexy but her voice is melodic and I have a good imagination. 

Additionally, the music reproduction is flawless. It's like Billy Vera and his Beaters (all 9 of them) are living, and playing, in my head.

And then I discovered why my daughter was so sold on the WH- XB910N. It took me two weeks -- I would've known sooner if I had bothered to read the owner's manual -- that there was a button that activated the super noise cancelling function.

OMG. I was, and continue to be, in heaven. 

I have always wondered how my dog-owning neighbors can tolerate the endless racquet coming from their  outrageously vocal fur babies. 

Maybe, just maybe, they all bought their WH-XB910Ns before I did.