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| Date Reviewed: 10/20/2005 |
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Strengths: Great price, comfortable secure fit, very good sound
Weaknesses: Last about 5 months (but with VERY HEAVY use)
Summary: I beat the heck out these earbuds, I use them as in-ear monitors when I perform in my band. I have another set that I use when I work out. They stay secure and are very comfortable for me. They are so light I forget that I have them on. I perform 6 nights a week, 3 to 4 hours a night, many times I forget to turn them down during breaks, so they're continually on whether I'm using them or not. I would think as light as they are built from the buds to the wires that they wouldn't last a week, but they are very durable.
I've been using them now about 7 months and I'm on my second set with the band. They slowly die (the drivers deteriorate) so I had time to replace without having to go without. Now I keep a spare set for when the next one goes. Considering how much I use them and how much abuse they get from sweat, the dynamics of live sound, and continuous use, I couldn't ask for better.
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| Date Reviewed: 08/04/2005 |
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Strengths: Good sound, attractive, nice fit for exercising, inexpensive
Weaknesses: Fit could be tighter; they stick out a bit
Summary: These are a good, alternative pair of earbuds when other earbuds might fall out, such as while exercising, at a reasonable price.
The sound is good, similar to the sound of the Sony MDR-EX71SLs--or, if my imagination isn't playing a trick on me, a bit better. And they are attractive and relatively discreet.
The earbuds stay in play, although it feels like the fit is a bit looser than with the 71SLs. An improvement over the 71SLs is the earwrap for these, making them much better for use while exercising. At times it feels like the silver posts stick out a bit, however--I would like them to hug the ear more. (For a tighter fit, and a deepened sound, here's a tip: the ultrasoft flex sleeves sold by Shure for the E2C earbuds will fit the Sony earbuds, and provide a tighter, more isolating fit, at least for me.)
Recommended, especially at this price.
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| Date Reviewed: 05/03/2005 |
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Strengths: deep bass
Weaknesses: none
Summary: 2005-05-03 15:26:41 The headphones deliver deep bass and have crisp and clear sound. The headphones are very portable and the carrying case is very durable. These headphones are the perfect headphones for the perfect price.
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| Date Reviewed: 05/19/2005 |
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Strengths: Very comfortable and good sound. 3 sets of earbuds to accomodate all users.
Weaknesses: None so far.
Summary: These are almost exactly like the MDR EX-71s except they have the extra hook to go over your ear and the longer cord. The extra hook helps them to stay in place when working in the yard, jogging or other activities. These also have the standard length cord for those that do not like the short cord and extension of the 71s. So far I am very happy with these and they are excellent for listening while being active.
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| Date Reviewed: 08/11/2005 |
- hobbe
from NY
- Member Since:
Dec 2004
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Strengths: Comfort, sound, design, noise reduction, carrying case
Weaknesses: Ear hook a little large
Summary: The earbud fits nicely in the ear once you choose the corrct size. They are very comfortable and they block the background noise nicely.
The ear hooks are a little large and they do not fit tightly around the ears, but they do not bother and act as shock absorbers if you pull on the cord.
The sound is very good. It does not sound metallic and has good bass.
Finally, a small earbud protection case is provided as well as a larger carrying case.
Definitely recommended.
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| Date Reviewed: 08/10/2005 |
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Strengths: Very Clear Highs & Lows!!!
Weaknesses: n/a
Summary: I just received these earphones today, & I'm listening to them for my iPod, as I write this!!!
These earphones came highly recommended from some iPod Forums. The sound is crystal clear & the bass is fantastic.
These are very good for the price!!! I Highly recommend them...
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| Date Reviewed: 11/27/2005 |
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Strengths: Bass, comfort, price
Weaknesses: None significant for the price
Summary: These earphones are a wonderful alternative to the stock iPod (or other MP3 player) headphones. They are very comfortable to wear for long periods. The overall sound is clear and crisp and the bass has good punch without being too muddy. You could spend a lot more, but for the money these are a great choice.
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| Date Reviewed: 08/31/2005 |
- millst
from AZ
- Member Since:
Aug 2005
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Strengths: Sound quality, price
Weaknesses: Fit, case
Summary: I was looking for some small headphones to use at work and with an MP3 player. These sound good for the price so I'm happy with them. Bass is better than I was expecting for ear buds.
The loops don't fit around my ears all that great, but that might not be a problem for others. Also, I liked the case for an old pair of Sonys better. It made it really easy to roll up the cord. The new one is a pain, but I doubt I'll really use the case much anyhow.
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| Date Reviewed: 10/28/2005 |
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Strengths: Adjustable fit with three sizes of interchangeable silicone buds: excellent bass response; seem more durable than similar models; two included cases greatly reduce wire tangles; nice styling/design.
Weaknesses: Earhooks are hard to put on, don't aid in fit and actually seem to make fit worse, thus reducing bass response; more prone to tangle than similar models (without use of included cases).
Summary: I have purchased a few Sony earbud-style headphones in the past for a few good reasons: (1) great sound; (2) low price; (3) great fit/comfort; (4) I don't get more than a year or so before they break! I seem to be rather hard on these in-ear wonders, most often having the wires catch on something and thus taking out one or the other earphone less than a year after purchase. I opted for this new model, the MDR-EX81LP, on the off chance that the earhook design would have more durable wire connections to the earphones.
By that standard of durability, whether by me being more careful or the design being more sturdy, these headphones are a success. Even when I do catch the wires, instead of the 'phones being rudely and painfully jerked from my ears, I just get a strong telltale pull *around* my ear, but never so hard as to actually pull the 'phones out. That pull is warning enough to make me stop whatever I'm doing before there's enough force to yank the buds out of my ears.
That said, the earhooks are otherwise in the way. After having used them for a while, it's much easier to put them on, but it's still more difficult than similar Sony models without earhooks. The extra weight isn't directly noticeable, but with it up and above the earphones, and the hooks not really hooking the ear that securely, they don't stay fitted as well as Sony’s similar hook-less earbud headphones. Besides having to fidget with them more often, it also reduces overall sound quality, as this earbud design relies on a snug fit to provide an exceptionally solid bass response.
As you might expect, adding two hooks to already tangle-prone wires isn't the most sensible idea, but Sony provides TWO cases to minimize the effect. The large case is ovular, with a central well to hold the earbuds surrounded by a track around which the wires are wound, and a small hole in either side to fit the plug. Slip the dark grey translucent cover on and the headphones are kept neat and clean. This is almost exactly the same design as the case provided with Sony’s low-end earbuds, save two significant design differences on the “low-end” case: (1) the cover is hinged; (2) the center of the case spins, as does the center of the lid. So after placing the earphones in the “low-end” case and closing the lid, you can then reel the wires into the case by spinning the center, using the provided finger depression for leverage. Why you get this AMAZINGLY convenient feature with the low-end headphones and not these better-sounding ones, I can't tell you.
The smaller "case" is much more ingenious. It encloses only the actual earbud portion of the headphone assembly, holding them parallel to each other. This arrangement all but entirely prevents the earhooks from tangling with the rest of the headphone wires. It's an extremely clever design and works much better than the similar "capsule"-style case provided with the hookless version of these headphones.
In sum, I really like these headphones. They sound great and after about three months, they seem to be much more durable than other Sony earbud headphones. The earhook design probably contributes to the durability, but it also makes them a little harder to put on and keep them on securely enough to get the best sound quality. I wouldn't say they're worth the $49.99 list price, but for the discounted $28 I paid, it's a very good value. The next step up in quality are the low-end Shure and Etymotic earbuds, but at nearly four times the cost, I really don't want to bet that kind of money that those headphones are as durable or better than these (though I might give 'em a try if/when these 'phones fail and if the price comes down some or can otherwise be discounted). I like the sound, the design is nice (though somewhat counterproductive to a good fit) and the price was right. They're good 'phones, just don't expect a panacea.
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| Date Reviewed: 05/06/2005 |
- p0pe7
from NY
- Member Since:
Apr 2005
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Strengths: Great Bass, Design, Comfort
Weaknesses: None yet
Summary: Great headphones for the price. They deliver great bass and sound. They are so comfortable in the ear that you can forget you have them in. The design is very good and they come with a storage and carrying case. They also come with different sized ear buds, so they fit great for anyone. Overall best in-the-ear earphones I've owned.
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| Date Reviewed: 09/09/2005 |
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 Returned Strengths: Good sound at lower volumes, snug fit in the ears that don't fall out. Good noise canceling.
Weaknesses: Distortion at higher volumes.
Summary: My quest for the perfect buds under $100 goes on. I've purchased over 10 pairs. I bought these hoping for excellance, but I returned them. They were not as good as a $15 pair of Philips.
Since then I have found the Philips HE592's that blow these away. The Philips are only $20.
None of these are as nice as any of the Shure line, but with ear buds you can blow through a pair in 3 months. Dropping $100 a quarter for earphones is not where I want to put my money.
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| Date Reviewed: 08/19/2005 |
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maybe mine are defective????
Strengths: Fit, looks.
Weaknesses: audibility, bass.
Summary: 2005-08-19 00:13:26 I have been using high end in-ear phones(which these are not) for a while, so perhaps my judgment is off.
There seems to be a sporadic (although low) level of distortion coming through my head phones.
However, pluses are that they fit great. And I agree with others that they are great for working out (why I bought them). the cord is just over two ft, which is good.
I'll exchange them and see what happens...
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| Date Reviewed: 08/18/2005 |
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Strengths: Very good sound quality, comfortable fit in and around ears, sturdy construction, long cord.
Weaknesses: Right channel seems slightly weaker than the left one, therefore some loss of bass is detectable.
Summary: Overall very good earphones: sound fidelity is high, dynamic range is wide, very comfortable wear with exchangable ear pieces to fit individual ears. Long cord eliminates the need for an extension line and the L-shaped connector works well with all players that have side-mounted plugs. The earphones are well made and high quality of construction is evident. I compared the EX81s with the EX71s and found the latter actually somewhat better in terms of bass and stereo separation. It seems to me that some bass is lost through the 81s due to a slightly weaker right channel output. This may be the case with my unit only. I still recommend these earphones.
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| Date Reviewed: 05/25/2006 |
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Strengths: These are some pretty amazing IN EAR ear buds, if you afraid to put things in your ear canal, these are not for you! But if you are an audiophile, like myself, these ARE for you.
Weaknesses: I just wish sony had shortened the cord that runs from ear bud to ear bud by a few inches, other than that, NONE. BUY THESE!!! You will not find a better ear bud for the price!
Summary: All of you people B!%(#ing and moaning about "there is no base" that's why they are called IN EAR headphones, you actually have to insert them into your ear canal and find the correct ear piece size so you can hear what these amazing headphones have to offer. THESE SOUND BETTER THAN MY BOSE TRI-PORTS AND ARE SMALLER AND LIGHTER!! These have great base, mid-range, and treble response.
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| Date Reviewed: 12/08/2005 |
- JPBudda
- Member Since:
Dec 2005
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Strengths: Cut out more noise, more comfortable and much better sound quality
Weaknesses: They should hug the ear more than they do...
Summary: The head set is a great improvement from using the "default" apple ear buds. I ride a bus everyday to work and the road noise was making my podcasts and music hard to hear. These head phones reduced the road noise greatly. This is a great investment for anyone that uses head phones quite a bit in high noise disturbance places that doesn't want to spend a great deal of money on the head phones.
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