An Ety owner's quick take on the EX51

[kli]

I'm in a bit of shock. I actually like the EX51s. [As a bit of a primer, the EX51s are the near cousin to the infamous Sony MDR-EX71.]

I never thought I would even remotely like it given some of the posts here. As an ER4P owner, I actually feared they might be unlistenable. But thanks to the valiant posts by Commando, I got a pair to listen to. I was thinking about giving my dad an ipod for a present but knew that he wanted to use it on the plane and was looking at cheaper alternatives than to give him a pair of lower end Shures or Ety in-ear monitors as well. Hence, a look at the EX51.

But from the moment I plugged them in, I've been impressed. I think the bass-heavy nature of the EX51s matches very well with the bass shy iPods. The bass, while not as tight as the Etys, is much more plentiful and makes it easy to groove to. The highs, while not as smooth at the etys, are in no way painful. Actually, the sound signature is highly reminiscent of my old V6s. Good low end and good top end, although the trebles are concentrated and can become fatiguing after a while depending on the recording. But the buds themselves are extremely comfortable. Too bad Etys aren't this nice -- I'd never want to take them out.

The comfort and low cost have made these my new favorite for the gym and use whenever I don't want the Ety microphonics. I guess I'll have to get my dad another pair. Looks like I'm keeping these.

 

[commando]

lol@"valiant posts by Commando"

You might like to get your Dad ER6i's if he's flying a lot, he'll really appreciate the isolation. EX51/71 don't isolate much, as you know.

 

[bangraman]

Why the shock? They're perfectly OK for the money and better designed than the Shures/Etymotics as a product. What kills me is the highs but I realise that not everybody has 'supersonic hearing' as someone else put it on another board.


The problem is I suppose that some people talk it down too much, while others talk it up too much.

 

[kli]

Commando, I know the EX51s don't isolate nearly as well as the Ety's but he doesn't fly all that much and he's definitely more of a basshead than I am. Plus, he's a little rough on his possessions by my standards, so I'm gonna see how well the EX51s hold up before there's any thought of upgrading him.

Bangraman, as for my shock, it also had a lot to do with the value factor. Decent sound, great comfort, great price. In a lot of ways, it sets a high bar for value in terms of a quasi canalphone. But I was so set against even trying it based on a lot of reviews here. I guess Commando openly liking it more than the E3s made it worth looking it in my book.

 

[svanerik]

Commando, I miss your old arnold avatar...

 

[commando]

Quote:

Originally Posted by svanerik Commando, I miss your old arnold avatar...

I changed to this avatar because it's more friendly than a massive politician in camo gear. I found this pic while I was, um, looking at pretty ladies on the net. It needed a crop before I could post it here...

 

[fureshi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kli Bangraman, as for my shock, it also had a lot to do with the value factor. Decent sound, great comfort, great price. In a lot of ways, it sets a high bar for value in terms of a quasi canalphone. But I was so set against even trying it based on a lot of reviews here. I guess Commando openly liking it more than the E3s made it worth looking it in my book.

That's the problem with forums like this. Everyone has their own opinions and there are a few here that will fiercely talk down a product without realizing that not everyone has the same standards as they do. For the record, I really like my EX71's.

By the way, if anyone is interested in picking up a pair of the EX71, eCost has them for about $32 right now. Not bad...

 

[DenTing]

fureshi,

do you have a link to ecost? i looked around thier site and didnt see them... my shure e2c's came in today and i was thinking about picking up the sony's to see how they sound...

-dt

 

[hentai]

ex51/71 yucks imho , you are better off getting the e888

 

[fureshi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DenTing fureshi, do you have a link to ecost? i looked around thier site and didnt see them... my shure e2c's came in today and i was thinking about picking up the sony's to see how they sound... -dt

here you go!
eCost EX71

 

[bangraman]

Perhaps the difference in opinion comes down to what else you've tried. The E2c for example are quite a revelation for portable use in an A/B test alongside the EX71.

 

[commando]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bangraman Perhaps the difference in opinion comes down to what else you've tried. The E2c for example are quite a revelation for portable use in an A/B test alongside the EX71.

Some people don't like the rolled off highs. The majority of people don't mind, especially with an EQ, but some people don't.

 

[bangraman]

Some might say that the rolloff is beyond what can be discerned clearly in portable use, that the trebles are too prominent on the EX71 anyway, and the increased accuracy and smoothness of the sound, combined with the vastly superior isolation is more than worth the tradeoff in this respect. But some may not.


Things like that you can't really tell from studying a Headroom plot, even if it does happen to be anywhere near accurate.

 

[commando]

It all comes down to individual case. I think canal phones, moreso than headphones, are an individual choice, and it's more difficult to recommend one that someone will prefer.

 

[bangraman]

Yes, But at least some have actually listened to the phones.


Edit: The environment of use is also extremely important. I only trial portable phones in a portable context. When I’m not at home, I don’t sit at desks very often so it gives me a good chance to give the phones a thorough workout in terms of walking, on the train, in the back of a car, on the plane, etc.