Sony Japan has released two new earphones for the fall/holiday season that we believe are their best looking yet – the MDR-XB40EX and MDR-XB20EX. I really think that this could be a strong seller for Sony as they look very attractive and have good features. These earphones feature a new design that hopes to reduce ineffective sound passages, which allows sound to escape somewhat before it actually reaches your ear. Sony has provided a picture to further illustrate what I’m trying to convey here:

The MDR-XB40EX has a 13.5mm driver, and the MDR-XB20EX has a 9mm driver. The overall goal of the “XB” series is Extra Bass. Consumers in Japan should expect these to debut on November 10th; the MDR-XB40EX will go for 6,195Y ($58), and the MDR-XB20EX will go for 3,675Y ($34). Other specifications and differences are illustrated in the handy feature chart below (click to enlarge):

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