[daredevii]

I've read a lot of goof things about the Sharps and I'm ready to get em in spite of the apparent dislike of the plug and cord. First though, anybody have any comments on the Sony's compared to the Sharps?

 

[daredevii]

oops....guess I should proof read!

I've read good things about the Sharps...doh!

 

[soupy]

there's an edit button you know

.

as for the md33 and 888's, I own both of them and I can say that the md33 is much more enjoyable than the 888s. The 888 I thought was way too thin sounding and bass light in their stock form. The midrange was however, some the sweetest I've heard in an earbud, so vocal jazz pieces I tried was very enjoyable with them. I noticed that if you press the 888's harder into your ear so that there's a better seal, you'll notice that the bass comes out more and there seems to be much more depth to the sound. This is where the radio shack ear pads ($2) come in handy. It changed it to a very warm and musical earphone. Of course they're open phones and they don't provide any isolation at all and comfort-wise, they need some getting used to if it doesn't fit too well on your ears.
The md33 are extremely comfortable (I used the medium plugs) and they provide decent isolation (enough for cities but definitely not for a plane). The sound isn't as warm as the 888's, but I felt that they surpassed them in clarity and detail. Bass is more apparent and the 'soundstage' it provides was more fun to listen to. Vocals are a bit harsh on the sharps and overall it's a very analytical sound. I haven't tried the foam mod on it which smooths the sound from its somewhat cold and harsh tone though.
I also think the md33's are much more durable than the 888's. The cables used on the 888s feel so thing that I was always worried that it might rip apart one day and the biocellulose drivers it uses aren't exactly something that would hold up for a long time. My right driver on my 888 has gone out and sounds muffled now.

 

[bdshort]

I have the Sharp MD33's as well. Not familiar with the Sony's. I basically agree with the above poster. Mids are excellent, bass is good and sounds natural, though if you like tons of bass you'd probably want to look elsewhere. Everything is very detailed, which is good, though the highs can be harsh, and sibliant with vocals. I haven't tried any mods on them, and I'm not sure if I want to. What type of foam should I use?

As far as isolation, the main reason I bought them was because I am going on a trip next week, and wanted to have something I could wear on a plane, and block out most of the noise, so it dissapoints me a bit that they might not be enough for a plane, according to the above poster. They work well for everyday noise though. I can have my TV on at a fairly reasonable volume, and when I'm listening to music through the 33's and even low/moderate volumes, it blocks out the noise from the TV. I guess I'll find out on Tuesday how well they actually work on a plane. If they're not enough, I'll be in Chicago for a couple of days, so maybe I can find a store that sells the Shure E3c's for $150 or less. (I really am not up to spending $500 on the E3's on the UE5c's, even though they both look amazing). Whatever works well with the 4G iPod I'm getting.

I was listening to some Chanticleer (a male acapella group) and the Moscow Chamber Orchestra on them yesterday, and they both sound amazing (minus the hiss produced by my notebooks built-in sound card.)

Brian

 

[ndrake]

I have also ordered the md33s and plan to use them on a plane next week. I'm sure the isolation isn't ideal, but good enough. I have the sony ex71s and they don't block out everything but they are good enough on a jet, I can hear the music and the majority of the engines are blocked out. Also, where you sit on the plane matters. Sit in front of the engines (basically first class) and the noise is considerably less. If you're over a wing it will be harder to block out the sound. You'd get better isolation with something elaborate like etymotics or some giant studio size cans. But for an inexpensive and portable solution I expect you (and I) will be very happy.