Sennheiser MX 500 vs Sony MDR-E888LP ?

[Vertigo-1]

Quote:

The little "door" made to break after a week or so

Somehow I don't think so. I kept my very first pair of 888s in that case and heavily used that case for over 3 years and it didn't break on me. It didn't even look as if it were going to break on me.

 

[Superbaldguy]

You can fit the E888's case in an accessory pouch a bit easier than the one made for the MX 400/500's, as the thing is narrow and longer. The round holder for the Senns is a nice design, though, and makes winding the cord a snap.

 

[beowulf]

Quote:

Originally posted by Vertigo-1 Somehow I don't think so. I kept my very first pair of 888s in that case and heavily used that case for over 3 years and it didn't break on me. It didn't even look as if it were going to break on me.

That's hard to imagine. That purplish "door" on the back is actually a bent plastic. It *bends* open. I don't see how this thing can last much.

I can put the round Sennheiser case on my pockets without much trouble. Try putting the "tricorder" there. Not to mention the fact that the wires are exposed, much easier to get stuck on other objects.

 

[coolvij]

Yea, but in the words of a female friend - "that case is SOOOOOOO cute"

I personally like the 888s when amped, but the MX500s, to my ears....perform better.

KSC-35 are better, amped, then both, IMO.


888s are more fun to listen to, IMO - and they do really well with Nine Inch Nails and jazz....MX500s handle most rock and classical better, to my ears.

 

[beowulf]

Well, I have been trying to decide which I prefer. now that I own both.

I have just realized that it has been about a week and I still can't make up my mind. And this fact alone, shows that perhaps the winner should be the MX500. Costing 4 times less, it is enough to keep up with the 888.

I do like the 888 a lot, especially with classical. Alia Vox recordings for instance, "Harmonie Universelle" are just incredibly detailed. But with some other recordings, I noticed sharper highs, perhaps a bit too bright... with Paquito D'Rivera's "Chucho" on Chesky, that trumpet almost makes me think the E888 exhibit some sibilance.

MX500 do have thicker mids, and while Paquito sounds better, other recordings don't sound as clear.
Bass on the 888 is much better than I expected from the comments here... it is a decent natural bass, not as boomy as with the MX500, but that is perhaps because the 500 seem to seal better. I can't get a perfect seal with the 888, and they lose some bass because of it.

As for comfort, the 888 win BIGTIME. Much more comfortable. Shape is much better, and they weigh less. They fit my ears much more naturally, even with less sealing. The longer wire also helps a long... plus build quality seems better.

Overall, I am not sure I would buy the 888 today. I think I prefer their sound to the MX500's and would classify them as better, but the difference doesn't justify a 4x higher price tag...

For now, I'll keep the 888's in use, inside the MX500's case...

Gotta check those new Aiwas people keep talking about.. and maybe the KSC if I can find them.

 

[Kubernetes]

After a couple of brushes with death on the DC subway, I figured that wearing my etys might not be the best idea. So I popped out my old 888lp's a few days ago. These still had the groove mod. Whoa! Boomy bass. So I took the groove caps off and just put the foam covers on. Nice! These sound much better than I remember. I did the groove mod because I thought the bass was anemic--not so anymore. I find the bass very good--not as tight and controlled as I would like, but easily matching the mx400s (which I bought for my wife).

I feel that the 888s do almost everything better than the mx400s. Similar bass, better midrange, better highs, more airy and transparent. Instruments sound more natural. The mx400s just sound sterile. I have noticed, though, that my observations only apply when I use my D-EJ01. When I use my wife's D-E955, the 888s sound too bloated in the midrange. Maybe those who prefer the mx400/500 are using pcdp's that just don't agree with the 888's? (the 888s definitely sound better amped)

 

[purk]

Beowulf,
I have to agree with you that the 888 is a much better built earphone!. The mx-500 feels like a piece of crap in my palm and it also keep falling of my ears!!
As for sound quality, I like the E888 better. Maybe, I am used to the "Sony Sound." I love its sweet midrange, and nice bass performance. Some of you may say that the 888 has a weak bass, but all and all..it's depend on your gears. If you have a good sounding MD or CD player, the 888 will grow on you. As for the mx-500, it a great bargaining earphone. I like it, but I can't say I love it. I've been using the E888 for 4 or 5 years now (my 3rd pairs)...and it've been my earphone of choice to go along with my Sharp Md-SS323 (Excellent DSPs)... But, well...I also have the legendary MDR-E484, so....the E888...rest happily in their blue case.

p.s. Hate those wire on Mx-500.

 

[dokebi]

I had the mx400 and the 888. I ended up giving the mx400 to my friends mom for her daily commute while i kept the 888's. Although I enjoy and like the 888's slightly more, If I was on a budget or didnt really use earphones as much as can's I cant recommend telling someone to buy it over the mx400/500. I was going to purchase the mx500 but I cant stand built in volume controls that might(?) degrade the contacts slightly...imo it reminds me of a cheapo way to wow the consumer. But what do I know...I usually grab my ex70's with my PCDP when im on the go...