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Sony MDR-EX70LP Earbud Headphones

Sony MDR-EX70LP Earbud Headphones

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Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Proof that more expensive doesn't equal better quality.
Review: I bought these on a whim. I'd been using a set of Sennheiser MX500's, earphones that are a fraction of the price of the Sony's. I figured I'd try something new.

In terms of comfort, the Sony's are better, and that's the only reason these things get a 2-star rating. They are very comfortable to wear (they even come with different sized earpieces so you can choose the most comfortable ones). They also eliminate outside noise almost completely, way better than the Sennheisers do.

In terms of design, the Sony's are awful. Due to the design, the weight is not distributed equally. The cable coming from the right earbud is 3x as long as the cable coming from the left earbud. One ear gets pulled on more than the other. The cable is ridiculously too short--fine for if your music player is in your shirt pocket, but inadequate if you want to carry it in your hand or in a pants pocket. They give an extension cable with the unit, but it's far too LONG. If I attach the cable and put the buds in my ear, the cable almost reaches the floor (and I'm six feet tall). Poor, poor design.

Finally and most importantly, in terms of sound quality, the Sony's don't hold a candle to the Sennheisers. Very tinny and shrill sounding. They hurt my ears even at low volume. They sound like a cheap set of phones.

Save some cash--if you're looking for a good pair of earbuds at a good price, skip the Sony's and get the Sennheisers (which Amazon sells by the way).

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great for iPod
Review: I bought these to replace the headphones that come with the iPod. These are way better. For one thing, they actually fit in your ear. They're also a lot like earplugs so they block out surrounding noise. The sound is clear, bass is much stronger.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Good Quality Headphones, Weird Fit
Review: I got an iPod and used the factory headphones for about a year. After that time I became dissatisfied with the headphones, and they were wearing out so I decided to replace them. After reading all the reviews and shopping around I decided on these little boogers and could immediately hear a big difference.

I would never consider listening to MP3s a high quality music experience, and these headphones do not regain lost sound quality on MP3 sound. However there are several advantages to these headphones. First and foremost is the fact that the headphone buries itself deep into your ear and seals out a good deal of background noise. Comparing the background noise on the stock headphones and these boys shows how good they are at eliminating background noise. This is very nice, as you can actually listen to your music at much lower volumes, still hear many sounds that would be inaudible from background noise on the other headphones, and save your eardrum.

However, this feature is a double edged sword, as it takes quite a while to get used to having this earbud piece wedge its way deep into your ear, forming a seal that cuts out the background. Ever notice how if your underwater, any noise you make with your mouth sounds like it is coming straight through your head into your ear? When you listen to these [things] and chew gum, it sounds the same way, as if your gum is smacking directly in your ear. Chewing or eating or even talking can take on a whole new weirdness when you have these buds crammed down into your ear canal.

The only other option for background noise elimination is to purchase a larger over-the-ear design that probably will cost you more. I don't have the convenience of getting those since I walk around at work and want to have something a little more subtle. These bad boys also work pretty well on an airline, tested just recently, someday maybe I'll get an over the ear design and compare.

As for the sound, it is just phenomenal to hear so many subtle sounds in the music that were being missed before because of background noise. The headphones really perform well and seem to have pretty good tone, great bass. I listen mostly to MP3s with these guys so I wouldn't get too technical with sound quality since MP3 simply isn't as good as CD (and you can definitely tell on some CDs that aren't recorded/made as well.) Anyways, I can't tell you if adjustments to the comfort of these phones will be easy for everyone, it took me a little while, but was worth the effort due to the isolation of the sound coming from the phones. I can't imagine a better solution than these headphones if you want something that can give you good sound in lousy environments but isn't too big or expensive. If I were to make my purchase again, I might have tried out the shure earphones, used by professionals and perhaps give better sound. (Perhaps over the top for MP3s though.)

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: simply amazing
Review: i had done a lot of research on headphones and such (i am no expert by any sense. i'm a high school student). I take the bus daily to and from school which is a horribly boring commute.

I bought these headphones and they solved the whole problem. the engine of the bus was not to be heard and i was not disturbed by anything. i really liked the choice of 3 different sizes although nobody has big enough ears to sport the "large" size. the headphones are very easy to clean and fit on like nothing is in your ear. I have had my headphones for 1 year + and i am very amazed that it has gone through so much wear and tear.

The case that comes with it is pure garbage. The reason why i rated this item a 4 is that the treble is horrible on these headphones and that they always get tangled and should have made something in order to prevent the tangling

I bought a long cord version of this product so i dont have any problems about the length. it is just right. the bass is killer and most of the music i listen to is bass heavy so i really like these.

i recommend these headphones to those who want to close themself off the world and listen to bass heavy music or go running a lot because they never fall off unless someone pulls them off.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Sony MDR-EX70LP
Review: I have had many headphones over the years from full headband units, behind the head and earbuds, which I prefer. Over time (30 minutes)earbuds can get rather uncomfortable but the new MDR-EX70LP are the most comfortable, stable set I have ever used. They insert easily and three sizes of ear buds are included. The sound is excellant with good bass tones. On the negative side there is a clip that hold the left side of the earbud and irregular length for the right. Akward feeling at first but no problem. However the case that Sony furnishes for the price of the earbuds are a piece of c--p! Sony should be embaressed to include these. I have had [$$]earbuds with substantially better wind up cases than the Sonys. Overall if you are looking for a dynamic sounding and extremly comfortable unit these are the ones even with the cheesy case.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Noise-cancelling Headphone Hunt
Review: I needed a pair of headphones for an upcoming flight. Most of the earbud type don't fit in my ears. These are great! Not only are they comfortable for long flights but they also seal out most of the outside noise.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Superb consumer-level headphones - worth every penny
Review: I purchased my first pair of Sony "Nude EX" (MDR-EX70SL) earbuds when I bought my first portable MiniDisc recorder, also a sony. They are by far the BEST portable headphones I've ever used. They're on par with the massive Aiwa studio-monitor style headphones I use at home. Bear in mind, these will NOT please an audiophile. They are somewhat heavy with the bass, and a little weak in the mids -- if you want a flat frequency response curve, go buy the $300 Etymotic ER-4Ps -- I hear they're fantastic. Everyone talks about how isolating (noise-blocking) they are -- I expected something on par with the silicone hearing protectors used around airplanes and shooting ranges -- they are NOT THAT QUIET. These offer nowhere near the noise reduction of 'hearing protectors'. They will not keep you from hearing that kid crying behind you on the train, and they won't pose any safety concerns (i.e. not being able to hear your kids yelling for help if they fall down the stairs). That having been said, they do offer a nice level of noise reduction. I did notice that I didn't have to turn the volume up nearly as high as with conventional earbuds to be able to hear it over noise of bus and airplane engines, or the rail noise on the metro for example (on my Sony MD recorder, to hear the music, I was able to listen at vol 23 instead of 27 out of 30 and not miss anything).

Note -- the MDR-EX70LP comes with a 1m straight-jacked cord, suitable for walkmen, etc., whereas the MDR-EX70SL comes with a .4m short cord (for use with the "remote control" on MD players and some MP3 players) and a 1m "L" jacked extension cord.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Almost too good.
Review: I tell ya, these earbuds are worth every penny. I bought these for use with my iPaq, and they sound awesome. Very durable, too. My wife accidentally washed & dried them and they still work great. I definitely recommend these, but bewarned, you will hear every imperfection in your mp3 and sound card, these earbuds are that clear.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: I love these earbuds
Review: I use these to listen to Flamenco music and television. I found them to have terrific sound quality. I had no overwhelming bass problem as one other customer described. I have never been one to turn the volume up extremely loud, so my hearing is good. I compared the sound on these to three others, including a pair of expensive Sennheisers, and found these not to be lacking.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Highly impressed
Review: I wanted an expensive pair of earbuds because I knew their sound quality would be superior to the standard cheapo ten dollar earbuds. The bass is a little excessive, but I figure that it's better that way because all the others I've tried are too weak. They are very comfortable and seal out noise reasonably. Also, with the volume turned up full, when you take them out you can't hear a squeak coming from them, so they're good for airplanes. Recommended.


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