Rating: 
Summary: Terrible sound - unless you only like thumping bass
Review: I'm a drummer in a rock band and I live in Manhattan. My band's been doing a lot of recording lately and I've been using my new iRiver HP140 as I get around the city (the iRiver is AMAZING by the way - not only does it kick the iPOD's a** with regard to price, features, etc - but it records digitally, which means my band can get crystal clear quality onto MP3 or WAV just by setting up a pair of condenser mics during rehearsal and feeding them through a mixer and into the iRiver. WOW - what a difference). Now that our rehearsals are coming out so clean on the iRiver - I was looking for a good ear-bud style headphone to hear the new recordings that would also block out some street/subway noise, but didn't want to shell out the $100 for Shure E2's or even more for the E3's and above. I figured I'd give these relatively inexpensive Sony's a try. Big mistake. Let me start with the pro's - as there were a few nice things about these ear-buds. I had been using normal plastic ear-bud style headphones that came with the iRiver, and another pair that came with my old Rio. These new Sony earbuds that go inside the ear are much more comfortable than the old style. The also block out an unbelievable amount of noise. I've been immune from all of the sirens, subway noise and all of the other distractions in NYC. If you want to hear your music in an environment with a lot of ambient noise - the "in-ear" style earbuds are for you (just try not to get run-over by a fire truck or ambulance in the process - you won't hear the sirens!) However, all of this is probably true of any "in ear canal" style ear-bud - not just the Sony ones. Sony did include 3 different size rubber pads which should be good to fit just about any size ear. They also include a nifty little carrying case which is just big enough to fit the buds of the headphones (the cord stays loose). This would be helpful for protecting the headphones in a bag or pocket and would probably keep them clean (since they go in your ears). Sonly also includes a small plastic case (about the size of a business card holder). This is convenient for storing the extra rubber ear pieces, and the entire earphone assembly - including the cord. Ok - I know I said a few nice things above - but unless you are spending $30 for a carrying case and rubber pieces - this is the part you're going t want to read.
The sound is AWFUL! I am a musician, and I have a pretty good ear. These earphones are ALL bass! But - not good bass - booming, thumpy, club/house/techno style bass.
If you are into dance music or the kind of bass where you have a subwoofer sticking out of the back of your car - these are definitely for you. If you actually want to hear the instruments and vocals in your music, along with high's, mid's and low's - these are not for you. I tried everything - including turning the bass to it's lowest levels on my MP3 player, and even boosting the treble. The treble from these headphones is "tinny" and flat. The bass is completely overpowering and totally inappropriate for just about every genre of music, except possibly bass thumping techno. I used a "Y" connector and compared these with my "free" headphones from iRiver and Rio just to make sure I wasn't imagining things. I'd take the free headphones any day.
I brought these into the studio and let the other guys in the band hear them. They were laughing at how bad they were (and at me for spending $30 on them). Stay away from this product - mine will be returned today.
Rating: 
Summary: Good Choice for Runners w/Armband Mp3
Review: I'm compelled to write a review for these headphones for a couple of reasons: 1) I'm always looking for good workout headphones, but I'm not willing to sacrifice comfort.
This product is slightly pricey, but comfort is certainly what you'll get. I have tried other products and the only thing that comes close is the Koss Plug. These are cheaper, but only if you stick with the included ear pieces. Honestly, those things are junk. To get the best response you need to get some true noise-blocking foam earplugs at a drugstore and puncture a whole down the middle to fit the earphone tube through. If this sounds labor-intensive...it is! Plus, you have to know how to properly place earplugs into your ears (which is also helpful with the Sony product). Ask your local pharmacist if your really interested in figuring out how to do this. IMPORTANT - for those of you who really want deep driving base it will be worth it for you to try the foam plug method for the Koss Plug. The Sony headphones can not come close on the low end, but I prefer the convenience of these for everyday use and the sound clarity seems to be better. 2) These really do fit well with armband Mp3 players.
They render the extension cord unneccesary and are very convenient for runners. The earplugs also do a very good job of keeping in place - better than I expected. Other runners will tell you this is an important feature when you start to sweat. For those who complain about ear wax - I can only report that daily cleaning with Q-tips prevents this from becoming an issue... You can also wash the removable ear plug in a mild detergent if needed. Happy Listening!
Rating: 
Summary: The extension cord doesn't work
Review: Don't get me wrong, these are pretty good headphones. They're kinda uncomfortable and I used to get a little dizzy after a while because they go all the way into the ear. But the sound is better than most cheaper headphones. It comes with 3 pairs of earbuds: small, medium and large. And depending on how tight they are into the ears the bass can be pretty spectacular. It also comes with a carrying case and a USELESS extension cord. I chose this unit because I have a CD player with a remote control, so I liked the idea of having a really short cord I could use. But also I wanted the extension cord because at work my computer is on the floor and the regular headphones were too short. I had no problem whatsoever with the headphones. But when I plugged the extension cord the sound was coming through only one of the channels. After trying to use them with several units, I figured that the problem was in the extension cord. I sent the unit to sony for repairing and after they messed up with my address, I got a brand new set of headphones with another useless extension cord. So of course I sent the 2nd unit back without much hope at this time. After they messed up with my address again I got a third pair of headphones with another defective extension cord. I called sony customer service and talked with several agents, when I was transferred to a supervisor, she was extremely rude to me and said that it was my problem, that there was nothing they couldn't do. I spoke to a second supervisor and she basically said that 3 times with the same problem was too much of a coincidence and also said the there was nothing wrong with the headphones OR THE EXTENSION CORD. I was on the phone with that person for almost an hour and in the end there was nothing else I could do. I chose wrong buying these headphones. The only way I can hear the music through both channels is unppluging the headphone a bit off the ext cord. But the sound I hear is just horrible, worse a cheap pair of headphones. If you want to use ONLY the headphones, well buy them. But if you plan to use what you paid for, including the extension cord, STAY AWAY. They're very pricey and not worth it only for the headphones.
Rating: 
Summary: Incredible buy for $40.
Review: These are the most-comfortable, best-sounding headphones/earbuds I have EVER heard (I've owned 10-15 different styles).
Anyone who does not feel the same way is not using the correct size buds, has square ear canals, or works for the competition ;). I am not afraid of spending over $100. for a high-end pair of headphones, but after owning these, I know I don't need to. I am buying a second pair soon. I wear them in conjunction with a RIO Nitrus mp3 player (1.5 gig..nice..). The earbuds fit perfect in my helmet (flexible 90 degree ends) STAY PUT even when I ACCIDENTLY exceed the maximum posted speed limit on my sport bike (riders beware these block out 99.9% of traffic noise). The ONLY reason they don't get a 5*, is because 1 side is shorter than the other, which is a minor inconvenience.
I've found that wearing a headband around your neck (or neckwarmer) helps keep the cords out of the way (good idea for all headphones). I also have a few t-shirts that I've made a hole in the back of (at the belt-line), to accomodate the cord when I run it down my back (preferred route)& out to my fanny-pack where I keep my player.
Rating:
Summary: Why you shouldn't listen to classical on a portable
Review: The first piece of music I heard with this pair of earbuds was Wagner's Tannhauser Overture, played by some obscure orchestra. And God it was awful, first it was the static as the music was ripped at 128 kbps, with my old earphones the static and other conversion noises are kind of blended with the music, but with this pair of earbuds the extreme clarity amplifies the imperfection of the recording, and of the performance too. With these earbuds I was appalled by the impreciseness of the orchestra, with violas coming at slightly different times, again because of the extreme clarity. But as I changed the music to general rock and hip hop, this pair is a bliss, the bass is simply unbelievable, and if you turn it up loud enough, it actually sounds like live performance. This pair of earbuds made me realize that if you must listen to classical on mp3, it must be the Berliner Philharmoniker ripped at 200+ kbps, otherwise this pair of earbuds is wonderful!
Rating:
Summary: stupendous
Review: well, all i can say is that i may be a little tone deaf. If you are unsure about buying these, clean your ears out and go to a circuit city and try these on before you buy them. pros-best bass ever!, comfy fit, nice case, extension cord cons-short cord, case is freakin annoying! two words: ear-wax Well, if you want bass, you will get it with these. the sound is pretty much crystal clear. the extention cord is very needed to listen to it, since the normal cord doesnt even get down an average arm. The problem is, that the extention is one meter long, so you will have some excess cord. I use this with my nike psa radio and my iRiver iMP-350. They sound crystal clear with both. Note: you will have earwax buildup. Be clean! now if u excuse me, im off to buy sennheiser px-100s.
Rating:
Summary: thumbs down!
Review: i was HIGHLY disappointed in these earbuds. i was trying to upgrade the headphones that came with my iriver mp3 player and this was definitly the wrong choice. i will say they have bass...but thats all i can say good about these.....if you consider earbuds....avoid these!
Rating:
Summary: Almost the best headphones ever
Review: I've used Sony earbuds for a long time but only recently started listening to music on my subway commute. When I found too much ambient noise leaking into my music, I thought about new headphones. I've been using these for a few weeks to listen to rock and classical music and I think they're excellent headphones. The rubber earpieces are comfortable and block most outside noise from affecting my music, but not to the point where I can't hear anything else. The audio response is great with my Treo 600 and with my laptop, and the bass is clearer than with my old earbuds. I'm hearing things in my music that I've never noticed before, even in songs and orchestral works that I've known intimately for years. I don't like the cord length, though I appreciate the accommodation made for those with headphone remotes. I don't have one, so I would be fine with a single, 3-4 ft cord. And both the cord connector plug and the Y-juncture of the two earbuds are microphonic: when they bounce off your clothing you really hear it. Running the cable down my back has helped when I'm wearing multiple layers, but I don't know what I'll do when it gets warm. I also wish Sony would come up with a better storage system than the little gray rectangular case that comes with the headphones. It's too small to hold anything other than the buds and their attached cable, so I'm left with 3 ft of extra cable to store somewhere. No matter how I coil the buds and the short cord, it's a tangled mess when I remove the buds from the case. It can be a major pain when all I want to do is quickly get my headphones in and listen to music. I much prefer the old coil-case that my old Sony earbuds use, but it's not designed for the new in-ear-style buds. If I could find a compatible coiling case, I'd be 100% happy with these headphones. Even with the storage headache, I highly recommend these headphones. The sound quality outweighs the storage troubles.
Rating:
Summary: Best bang for the BUCK!
Review: I stop using my iPOD earphone and I started using these instead. I haven't even looked for my Ipod ear buds for monthes. GO SONY! For comfort and sound quality, these are unbeatable for under $100! I do prefer my $300 BOSE headphones, but that is another story...
Rating:
Summary: Really nice and cheaper than before!
Review: I got these to use with my new Dell DJ. The description is a liitle wrong, it comes with 3 ear gel sets. Small Medium and Large. I found the M which came already mounted, just right. They sound very nice, there is plenty of bass, I had to EQ the DJ to lower its settings a bit. I like crisp bass, not booming thuds that are so popular now. (do I show my age??) It's nice to have the initial short cord, that I plug into the DJ's remote, and the extension if I don't. Amazon lowered the price to $30 just as I purchased them, and were nice to adjust the price on my request. I wear them as I do my walking and they don't budge. Runners will have to comment on more vigorus use. Excellent choice in the price range.
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