[Super3dcow]

I saw these sony headphones had 4 reviews, all 5 stars, and could be purchased at a walmart for only $10, and were best for the price. http://www.head-fi.org/products/sony-mdrex10lp-blk-in-ear-headphones
After some use, I realized that the left side sounded louder, and kind of distorted. I just replaced them today(color switch from black to red), and they have the same problem! Althought the left sounds sharper now, but still definitely louder.
 
I'm attempting to do some kind of burn in by playing music in only the right side for a while, to see if that helps, but I'm doubting it.
 
I read countless reviews on multiple sites, and not one person has ever mentioned this problem, yet I had it happen twice in a row!?
 
I'm hesitant to begin another long search for new headphones again, since these have something that nobody seems to advertise. An Anti-tangle slider. It should be illegal to sell headphones without this, it works SO well. Nowhere do these headphones advertise that they even have it.
 
They sound great, their balance just sucks, and I don't know what to do that won't waste many more hours of my time.

 

[CoreThrasherGLB]

I would suggest a nice pair of Sennheisers. You're no going to get anything very good for just 10$ unfortunately.

 

[Super3dcow]

Well I didn't expect them to be amazing, although I'm very happy with how nice they sound for $10. I did have a $20 pair of sennheisers before these, and I feel these sound better. I just don't want to go on another very long search for good value headphones with an anti-tangle slider.

 

[tomb]

Quote:

Well I didn't expect them to be amazing, although I'm very happy with how nice they sound for $10. I did have a $20 pair of sennheisers before these, and I feel these sound better. I just don't want to go on another very long search for good value headphones with an anti-tangle slider.

Did you ever suspect your player?  Seriously, I doubt that Sony's earbuds are going to be that different from one to the other, left to right.  However, what will definitely happen is that they are so efficient that only a slight travel in volume of your player may reveal a channel imbalance in your volume control.  More likely is that the pots in small portables, etc., are very poorly matched in the channels, especially down in the lower portion of the volume adjustment.
 
Now, if you're using a digital device where you adjust the volume control through software ... never mind - it's the buds.

 

[Super3dcow]

Yeah I ran multiple tests with the headphones, using them with the MP3 player, my nintendo DS, and my PC. The best evidence was on the PC when I held the headphones in my hand, played a mono track loudly, and panned the sound left to right. The left always sounded noticeably louder.
 
I don't know if I just got really lucky and got the only 2 pairs in the world that have this problem, since nobody has ever mentioned it in a review, or just nobody has noticed it before. It's not an easy thing to notice, but just enough to bother me.

 

[fergc]

I'm having the same issue with these mdr-ex10lp black, the left one is louder than the right. Bought this today and I'm hesitant to ask for a replacement.

 

[arafsheikh]

Even I have his problem
Will I get a replacement if I go to the service senter?

 

[Spoetnik]

I have to agree pretty much.. it's been a while and over time the problem has kinda went away mostly i think.
Just finished cleaning mine when i seen this topic lol
notice the little holes inside make sure they are debri free and equal sized i think.
 
anyway i believe you.. i had bought some of these after losing my older similar pair
and right away there was a clear mismatch going on, where my right side was louder than the left side (don't remember any distortion though)
i tell ya i was pretty bummed out ..did not expect that
 
i was using some other similar model of neodynium Sony's i got from London Drugs for $96 few years earlier (when neodynium's were a lot more rare)
after tax my new mdrex's were like 25 bucks lol
what shocked me is they sounded pretty much the same as the $96 ones from before (forgot exact model) i also lost the old ones
 
what can you do ? Wallmart ? hell i'd go back maybe and try and do an exchange but i never bothered i don't know why.
Over time they seem to have corrected themselves.. they seem pretty much fine actually.. i've beat on em hard for a good 2+ years with my Sansa Fuze+ Rockbox'd
I was choked at first though and it was VERY distracting at first !
Be warned if your buying those it DOES happen.
 
edit:
To be sure maybe grab a que-tip with alcohol and clean out the plug hole too and try and work the plug around a bit

 

[Spoetnik]

Just bought a MDREX10LP and i was not surprised i too noticed the same problem
The left hand side was way lower in volume compared to the right side..
I tried a ton of things and nothing made any difference.
I put in my older MDREX35's and i noticed even output.
 
So yeah there is something wrong with these MDREX10LP's
Just for the hell of it i grabbed some of these today at Target for $12.99 can (+ 0.40 EHF fee) in Kelowna BC, Canada
I almost grabbed these same ones on NCIX last week for $9.99 can on sale,
Before i got home i stopped by wallmart and they had the same ones for the same price too.
Not sure where the OP bought his..
 
Anyway best i could tell the sound quality *would have been "good enough" *if they worked right
 
My current MDREX35's came from Wallmart in Canada few years back for $24.99
and those too also had that same problem with volume being louder in one side compared to the other.
In case people don't notice the model number is stamped into the plastic on the cord splitter-detangler thingy.
And i noticed that instead of 6 vent holes for the speakers there is one small hidden one underneath on the newer MDREX10LP's (i bought black ones)
I'm guessing that might not be as efficient maybe ? but i bet it would keep the speaker vent holes cleaner easier.
Also i noticed the two super small pin holes in the speaker membrane is gone now on newer models.
Another newer nice touch to the new earbuds is on the left side there is a little round bump in the plastic
that my older earbuds did not have that make it easier to tell by touch alone which is left and which is right..
So the shape is different but the ear pieces seem to be the same size but they are more snug fitting now i think.
And i mean how the plastic tips are snug fitting to the headphone not how well they fit in your ear.
The 9mm neo magnets work great but beware i bought some Rosswill earbuds recently for 10 bucks at Newegg (had tips that were impossible to get on)
and they were laughably bad.. so bad i knew i would never ever use them in my life.. they sound that bad lol
I bought some Sony earbuds several years ago when Neo magnets were still pretty new and London drugs charged me $96 after tax for my earbuds back then.
i loved them to death and sadly left them outside work on a break with my mp3 player that quickly vanished
 
So i have no idea if i can return the MDREX10LP's or if there is any point.. the problem is severe i think too.
My last pair almost the same pretty much worked itself out eventually and now they sound balanced 2 years later
but the one i got now are too badly messed up to bother with that crap i think and i doubt i will buy any more Sony earbuds, this crap is getting old
 
I have followed some talk on the forum about the competing cheapo Philips neo magnet earbuds about the same price all over
and i was tempted to grab those today too but didn't.. so my advice to peopel is beware these MDREX10LP's and maybe consider the Philips one instead
i hear good things about them for a 10 buck earbud
 
sorry about the long rant people

 

[Spoetnik]

Just a quick update..
I wanted to give buying these another try so i got them in store at Superstore for $9.99 (Kelowna BC, Canada)
And i had no problems with one side louder than the other like the ones i got at Target here where i live.
They sound great too.
 
I would recommend them to people big time !

 

[edujmac]

I have the same issue since yesterday.. left one became really louder than the right one.. It was normal before and I have no idea what caused it.. Mine are the mdrex15lp