Sony EX90 Modding thread!

[ch28kid]

Can you post some pictures of the fake ones?

The packaging, instruction, headphones etc.

[wolfgang_fener]

So far I only got a canned answer

Thank you for contacting Sony Support. I'm sorry for the inconveniencce you're experiencing with the Sony Inner-ear Headphone. Please lcik on teh URL below for information to troubleshoot the issue: Sony eSupport Knowledge Base If the issue persists after following all the steps service will be required. You can obtain the location and contact for your nearest Sony Authorized Service Center on our website at: Sony.ca Service Centre Locator Thank you for being a valued Sony Customer.

The link to service locator only point to some repair shop/dealer in my area. These guy can't be contacted easily and they probably are not aware about the engineering details of the EX90.

I just sent a reply asking for a real answer and told them if I don't get an answer, I won't buy any sony products again in the future. I'm serious.

I don't expect an answer.

You know what ? I'll just avoid sony in the future (previously had lots of trouble getting service for a TV a few years ago so I'm not surprised).

Here's a link to what I bought if you want to check a picture of the packaging: Link to ebay item The ebay store : Good-Shepherd-Closeouts

I also contacted the seller about it. I'm not even asking any kind of refund, I just want to know what I'm listening to.


ps.: This is not these obvious fakes at all

[ch28kid]

I did some more modding myself on my MDR-EX90.

I took the Shure medium black olives and put it over my MDR-EX90. It took me 15 minutes each monitor because I had to stretch the olives big enough to fit over Sony IEM. I basically read every page on the UE + Shure Olives thread on how to stretch the back olives.

The SQ did improve. The bass intensified and the mid/high have more detail. The seal is way better than Sony OEM tip. The Shure tips is a bit longer so the headphone does stick out a little bit more.

Here are some pictures of before and after!

Before

After






Sorry my camera sucks!

Ch28Kid

[wolfgang_fener]

I noticed a difference between my EX90 and what is shown on Sony style webpage... There should be a L and R marking on the metalic can of the earphone. Mine don't have this marking. On the side of the can, the Sony mark is not black, on mine it is.

Please check if yours got this marking and tell us where you bought it. I can already see CH28Kid's pair looks like mine and not like the pair on Sony's site, except the sony marking on the side of the cans is darker while mine is thin... I can also see some glue sticking out at the junction of the cylinder and the bud. The 3 holes are covered with some gray material while ch28kid pair looks more like it is a white material...

I would really like to know if someone bought directly from sony and to get their feedback.

I'll go to the sony store myself and see if they got some, if there's any difference, I'll buy the real thing and run a comparaison.


EDIT: Called my local Sony store and made a deal with the guy, explaining the whole story. He's pretty sure I got a fake. I'll pay through the nose the full 150$ they ask for it but if these are no better, he'll give me a full refund no questions asked. The ebay seller also offered a refund if I ship it back to him (he probably know these are fake and want to protect his rating).

If I really unmasked a fraud, I'll document it with macro pictures. I should be able to report early next week.

[wolfgang_fener]

This must be where all those american ebay sellers are buying their EX90: Here's a nice looking pair from hongkong for pocketchange.

Tomorrow afternoon I'll know for sure...

[Cool_Torpedo]

I'd say that ch28kid's pair is also counterfeit, judging by his pics. His pair has black lettering, while original Sonys have the text in a silvery engrabbed colour. My EX85s, purchased at a Sony Shop have those silver letters engrabbed too. Also the end of the cilynder where the cable joins the bud, in the originals has a concentric smaller cylinder protuding a bit. The counterfeits are plain flat in the external end.
I wouldn't buy any Sony buds on Ebay, most of them are fakes and don't sound as the originals.

Rgrds.

[wolfgang_fener]

Here's a guy in Hongkong probably selling to these ebay seller. 4.80$ a pair, minimum order of 20.

I'm investigating...more funny details to come soon...

[ch28kid]

Originally Posted by Cool_Torpedo

I'd say that ch28kid's pair is also counterfeit, judging by his pics. His pair has black lettering, while original Sonys have the text in a silvery engrabbed colour. My EX85s, purchased at a Sony Shop have those silver letters engrabbed too. Also the end of the cilynder where the cable joins the bud, in the originals has a concentric smaller cylinder protuding a bit. The counterfeits are plain flat in the external end.
I wouldn't buy any Sony buds on Ebay, most of them are fakes and don't sound as the originals.

Rgrds.

Ok I don't have black letter. Where did you see black letter?

I took a picture after the mod. Look closer!

These are not fake! The white stuff in the middle is WAX after the mod.



Do you want a 8.1MP version? 640 x 480 not detail enough?

[Cool_Torpedo]

I didn't mean those pictures but the ones on "before and after". Look at this:



That's your pic of your own phones. Now compare to this one from Sony's website:



As you can see the lettering in the side of the cylinder is not black but silvery and engrabbed. You can look at that on higher resolution by clicking here

I'm sorry but yours look like counterfeit. Moreover the originals come with a leather hard case, not a faux leather bag, which should be the clue to spot fake ones sold on Ebay.

Rgrds

[ch28kid]

Do you mean this?

[Cool_Torpedo]

Yep, that one looks like original but the phones not. Maybe yours are an older production run which was used to make the fakes, and now Sony has made changes to allow differntiating the authentic from the counterfeits. But looking at the pictures of your buds and the ones at Sony's site, you'd have to agree they don't look alike.

Rgrds

[wolfgang_fener]

MDR-ex90LP Fake , 4.80$, min order of 20.


Audio-technica CK7. 5$ each, min order 20.

Both from Han Yu Electronic Co,Ltd.

These damn chineses !

I just found my new crusade.

[wolfgang_fener]

Originally Posted by Cool_Torpedo

Yep, that one looks like original but the phones not. Maybe yours are an older production run which was used to make the fakes, and now Sony has made changes to allow differntiating the authentic from the counterfeits. But looking at the pictures of your buds and the ones at Sony's site, you'd have to agree they don't look alike.

Rgrds

Mine also came with a nice pouch but the real test will be to compare the sound quality, side by side with the one I ordered from sony.

I just think the chineses pushed the scam to an higher level of perfection.

The problem is business are sending our work to china...and then some malhonest chineses have access to the plans, mould and everything needed to make perfect copies. All they need to do is replace the most critical and expensive parts by cheaper versions (for earphones, obviously the drivers).

There's no intellectual property laws in china. These guys are laughing at us.

[Cool_Torpedo]

Yes indeed, it's way cheaper and easier making a perfect copy of a leather pouch than of a pair of earbuds. Moreover they learned while copying Louis Vuitton, Guzzi, Cartier, Loewe and all those fancy leather cases, and wallets.
Making the engrabbed text and all the additional metal work on the cylinder must be more expensive and harder to do.
IMHO any product sold on Ebay, even Amazon partner shops, new and in big quantities for half the lowest street price you can find, is very likely to be a fake. It'd be different if it were a discontinued product which wasn't very popular when made. They make fakes of expensive and good quality products which people is willing to get for a very low price. But noone sells quarters for dimes. Noone.

Rgrds.

[euphoric]

Mine looks different from the ones on the Sony site as well.. I bought mine in Japan (Akihabara) at Yodobashi.. price was 9980 Yen and they came in a retail black box.. i had to throw the box away for transporting, but it said "Made in Thailand".

Mine looks like this:



The writing on the metal is grey.

The fake ones look pretty real to me.. the chinese are good at copying...