[Fred00]

I just bought a Sony D-E353 PCDP. I have Sennheiser's MX500 phones at the moment, but they just don't cut it. I'm used to my HD580s and it is just too much of a difference when going to the MX500s. It really bugs me when I sit listening on the bus on my way home and the music sounds like it's coming from inside of a coke-can...

At first I thought that the CD-player was to blame for the bad sound, because my old tape-freestyle (Panasonic RQ-V80) sounded much better with the MX500. It turned out, though, that the D-E353 sounded very good with the HD580s, so I guess that the Panasonic was "made" for the MX500s, in a way.

Anyways, my problem now is that I need a phone that sounds quite good. I'm willing to spend about $100 USD on the phones and I need them to be almost quiet to the outside world. I know it myself how I hate when sitting on a quiet bus and having to listen to someone elses music... The phones will be used almost exclusively on the bus, since I spend one and a half hour every day on the bus. The phones have to be quite portable too. I only have a rather small bag with me every day, so I can't have large headphones taking up the space there. I'm not reluctant to good earbud phones. It would most likely be the best solution for me. The problem is that I don't know if there are any significantly better earbud phones below $100 than the MX500s I already have. I might add that the Etymotic ER-6 phones cost $200 here in Sweden...

So, what phones should I consider?

 

[Braver]

I would've suggested the mx500...

anyway, you're not getting great sound on the bus, out of really portable headphones, for just $100. it'll need to isolate the noise from the bus, so something closed. the ER6 would do, but in Europe, as you said, they are too expensive. the Sony ex70's do isolate, but I've seen no one who liked the sound better than that of the mx500.

the 353 is a really low-end Sony p-cdp. I would not take their sound as a reference. certainly not over a Panasonic cassette player (the format sucks, but the Panas did sound nice).

so, basically, you're stuck. unless you want to spend $160 on a pair of large Beyer 250-80's or something to that effect.

 

[mtillman]

I'd change the CD player.

My opinion, for what it's worth, is that the MX500 is my favourite ear bud. I positively detest the Sony EX70, cheaper Sony's are crap, the Sony 268 thing (I think - they were about the same price as the EX70s) are kind of passable, but I'd reather not have to listen to them, and the ER6's I listened to for 30 minutes - 29.5 of which were to convince myself I wasn't hearing things. Well, I wasn't hearing lots of things I should have done - the biggest waste of 140ukp ever. I managed to sell them for half of what I paid.

I also spend 1.5 hours or so on the train each day. I also have the HD600s. I'd rather listen to the 600s, but that's hardly practical, so I'm happy with the 500s, especially given the amount of background noise.

 

[wallijonn]

can you audition a SLIM-X pcdp?

 

[Fred00]

Quote:

Originally posted by mtillman I'd change the CD player.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but as I understand it, most new PCDPs sound about equal. The only thing that really is better with the more expensive ones are that they are smaller and that they have longer battery life. I don't think I would get substantially better sound by changing... I might add that going from the PCDP to my Technics SL-PS770D/NAD C370 combo with the MX500s didn't do very much to the sound. Sure it did sound better, but not by much. I would say that the portable CD probably cuts it, the weakest part is the MX500, but I guess I'll have to learn to live with that, or...?

 

[Peddler]

I used to be an avid 888 and MX400 user but since getting the Koss KSC35's they have been relegated to the bottom drawer. With the exception of my beloved Etymotics, the Koss phones blow earbuds away for me now.

The only problems with the Koss is they are getting really hard to get hold of and they leak quite a lot of sound. They really do sound excellent though - perhaps you should stop thinking about the other passengers - stuff em! Get some Koss and let rip!

 

[Davie]

Anybody heard these? (Mentioned in today's New York Times Circuits Section.)

www.shure.com/earphones

 

[mtillman]

Quote:

Originally posted by Fred00 Correct me if I'm wrong, but as I understand it, most new PCDPs sound about equal.

Sorry, I was being slightly humourous.

What I was alluding to was that as I think the MX500 is the best ear bud I've heard by quite some margin, and you didn't like them only through your pcdp, then clearly the fault lies with the pcdp

All I'm really saying is that in my experience I am happy with listening to both the MX500 and HD600 though they are obviously different sounding, and that I'm very unhappy with the sound of the several other ear buds I've had the misfortune to pay for.

 

[kin3tix]

considering your price range and specific needs, the sony mdr-v6's may be your solution. they are full size headphones, but they do fold up. the senn hd-280 is another option, but it might be above your budget.

 

[ServinginEcuador]

These have been getting pretty good reviews from most here, just follow this link:

CLICK ME