[geepondy]

I'm wavering between getting a Sony A810 or Sony 6S10 at Circuit City. I'm liking the idea of the 6S10 as I may find the FM receiver to be useful and reports are it's quite a nice one and I already own a pair of Senn PX200s. But I'm wondering if I'm giving up a great pair of headphones at a bargain price if I forgo the A810 so I'm wondering just how good these phones are compared to some in ear competition such as the Senn CX300s, Vmoda Vibes or even the Sure E2Cs. I'm trying to figure out of the included Sony A8 series phones are in the same league as above mentioned phones or just considered good in comparison to other included portable audio phones as most are crap.

 

[tstarn06]

I have the A816, and the phones that came with it, EX082, are a very good canalphone, with better SQ than the V-Moda or CX300 in my view (I owned the Vibe but sold it, yuck, and still have a pair of CX300s sitting around). If you don't feel like spending any extra money, the Sony phones are pretty good out of the box. There are some mods (search for the EX90 mod thread), and I added some Comply T400 sleeves (foamies), so they isolate better (I don't care much for silicone tips).

Anyway, don't the same phones come with the 6S10?

 

[geepondy]

I've read elsewhere, no. Makes sense as you get an FM tuner and the price is ten dollars cheaper with the 6S10. Having said that, I see the MDR-EX082 available in several Ebay listings for less then $20 shipped? Is this the ultimate bargain in canal phones?

Quote:

Originally Posted by tstarn06 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Anyway, don't the same phones come with the 6S10?

 

[Envoy of Light]

eBay can't be trusted today with headphones.
speaking of the EX082, how is the isolation with this? (foamies & silicone) how would you compare it to other isolating earphones? (Westone UM1, Etymotic ER-6i...)

 

[tstarn06]

Yes, they do seem cheap on ebay. Can't comment on their authenticity. And isolation is comparable to most canalphones. As I noted, I use Comply foamies with them, which I believe provide a little more iso than the stock sleeves, but they are not as effective in sealing outside sound as the er6i, 716, SA6 or other in-ear monitors (which go deeper than canal phones). However, they do a pretty good job, unless there is very high noise (plane, train). If you read most reviews of the Sony Axxx DAPS, the phones get pretty good words. So if budget is an issue, they are a good deal. Funny about FM, I have it on three of my DAPS (ZVM, Zune and Clip) and so far, I have never used it. Seems like a good idea, but not sure it matters (unless you have some specific reasons to need it). Also, signal is always an issue when you have a headphone cable as an antenna.