Sony MDR-NC200D Digital Noise-Canceling Headphones are some of the best mid level headphones that I’ve had the opportunity to try out. They comfortable, well designed, have a great sound, and do a good job of attenuating the ambient noise. Here are some of my main observations.
**** Audio Quality ****

These headphones produce some of the crispest sound that I have come across in the headphones. I am not a bona fide audiophile, but I do enjoy good reproduction of the recorded sound. As far as the listening of the music goes, these headphones are hard to beat. They are largely free of some sound distortions that I sometimes get from the noise-cancelling headphones. I’ve used them with all sorts of music genera, from classical to rock, and in each case have been very happy with the results.

**** Noise Cancelation ****

In my opinion the whole notion of noise “cancellation” is highly exaggerated. None of the headphones that I’ve ever used truly cancels all (or even the most) of the ambient noise. The best you can get is really noise attenuation. That being said, these headphones (thanks largely to the “active” noise cancellation technology), reduce the ambient noise a significant amount, and make it much more muffled and soft sounding. These headphones compare very well to the passive noise cancelling headphones, and are as good as any active ones that I’ve ever tried. They will protect your ears in very noisy environments, such as the airplane takeoff and landing. However, if you are more interested in completely blocking the surrounding noise rather than enjoying music along the way, a pair of simple ear plugs will do the job for the fraction of the price.

**** Design ****

I really like the way that these headphones look and function. The black color makes them look very elegant, and their build feels solid without being very heavy. Several articulated joins insure a comfortable fit for any head size or shape, as well as easy and quick collapsibility for easy storage.

**** Comfort ****

The headphone cushioning is very soft and comfortable, although not the softest that I’ve ever tried. In general, the cushioning of the on-ear headphones tends to be a bit stiffer than for the over-the-ear headphones. And just like for the most on-ear or over-the-ear headphones, my ears get pretty hot after prolonged use. They do, however, make excellent earmuffs.

**** Accessories ****

The headphones come with several plugs and adapters I have not used them much, but all of them seem no-nonsense and more than adequate for their main purposes. The headphones also come with a very well made and solid case, which will is relatively compact and will provide the headphones with enough protection while traveling.

**** Functionality ****

These are corded headphones, which means that you will have to worry about the plugin cord while wearing them. They can, though, be used for the basic noise cancelling function even without the cord, but as I had mentioned earlier I am not too keen on the noise-cancelling feature of most of these headphones in their own right. I personally prefer Bluetooth headphones, but those come with their own set of issues as well.

**** Conclusion ****

I am very happy with these headphones, and if you are looking for a solid pair of corded on-ear noise canceling headphones you will probably not find anything better than Sony MDR-NC200D at this price range. I do, however, wish that Sony’s marketing department had a tad bit more imagination when it comes to the naming of their products.