[Mikey01]

I am contemplating the purchase of the newly developed Sony MDR-EX500LP earphones. I currently have the newly developed Sony MDR-EX300LP earphones and I am very very impressed with the sound quality. Plenty of bass, buttery mids, clean clear highs. All around excellent considering that they only cost $79.95 at BB. The Sony MDR-EX300LP sound much better than the Klispch Custom 2's I own also. I liked the Klispch a lot also, but not near as much as the Sony's.

I can't help but wonder that for $25 more than the Sony MDR-EX300LP's the Sony MDR-EX500LP's can be had. What kind of a difference will I hear?? Will it be worth it??

Bottom line is "CONGRATS" to Sony for finally having a very good model that competes well in the high end earphone sound market at a working mans price no less....

 

[Rip N' Burn]

I have the 300's as well and I'm very impressed. When I read the specifications, the 300's and the 500's were the same with the exception of the metal body on the 500's. I imagine they would sound very similar. The MDR-EX700's are a big step up.

 

[Libertad]

the 700 are regarded as true audiophile level phones good enough to run with the like of the TF10,W3, and SE530. Given the 700 also us use a metal body the 500 should be that far off in sound quality id go for it if i were you.

 

[mark2410]

that seems quite a high price compared to in the uk, ex300 go for about £30 and the 500 £50. as to how the 300 and 500 compare im afraid i dont know but i cant imagin there is a huge difference but i certainly wouldnt say the beat the custom 2. its not bad really but its just so very very warm and thats not a sound sig that i particularly love.

if u do want them you might be better to order them from the uk

 

[Benaiir]

You just made me want an EX700LP

I saw it for 146 shipped @ B&H

 

[kwang411]

I listened to them at a Sonystore in Taiwan..
When i listend to EX300, i didnt rly find it all that amazing, but when i put on the EX500 i was pretty much immediately attracted to its clean, balanced sound. Also the soundstage is very wide!

I got my EX500 for about $83 USD there, and I find I like them more than my C751 and FX500

If first impression says anything, I think the EX500s are quite a bit better than EX300!
But honestly, i think if you already own EX300, u might as well take a bigger step up and get the ex700

 

[Mikey01]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mark2410 /img/forum/go_quote.gif that seems quite a high price compared to in the uk, ex300 go for about £30 and the 500 £50. as to how the 300 and 500 compare im afraid i dont know but i cant imagin there is a huge difference but i certainly wouldnt say the beat the custom 2. its not bad really but its just so very very warm and thats not a sound sig that i particularly love.

By no means would I insinuate that the EX 300's are a monitor quality earphone up there with the likes of the Shure SE 530 and the like. However for a $100 and less the Sony EX300 and EX500 are a huge bang for the buck over it's competition. More of a fun type earphone with abundant but not overpowering bass. More true to life rockNroll phones where the bass player shows up for work.

 

[mark2410]

well i have to dissagree. i think for the us$100 range better can be had and i think us$100 is too much for them, certainly its a chunk more money than they go for in the uk.

again there is nothing really terrible about them (except that cable i hate) but i find their warmth the be too much, but if you love a really warm sound then they would suit you well. i think for me i just find it hard to see them as anything other than an IEM fulfilling a very specific role, that of something warm soft and gentle to relax to and that it does very well.

however that warmth mean i just cant consider them usable as monitors. too warm and gentle it makes me want to go to sleep and masks the detail they can provide particularly in the highs. im no treble junky but the highs are just so subdued i feel. i just dont get how this can be considered a "fun" IEM.

its easily the most relaxing and gentle IEM ive heard

 

[Mikey01]

Someone suggested I try the Sony MDR EX700LP's. As cheap as $190USD. Good thought. But any reviews I dig up for the 500's are all great sounding but the reviews for the 700's say some sibilance in too many reviews even after break-in. Sibilance in that quality of headphone is unacceptable, I would think. And I question if the bass is as good as in the 500's, even though it has a bigger driver. Any thoughts on all this? Can anyone convince me to buy the 700's??

 

[mark2410]

id say it depends whos doing the reviews. the 500 is more consumer level however i cant say ive seen hadly any reviews of them but then i havent looked in ages since ive already got them. i think they came out in the uk ages before they did in the us.

normal people might buy the £50 500's so to normal people they sound wonderful. the people who buy the 700 are people like us who dont see £130 as being high end and have things better to compare them to. all round a much more critical audience. im sure to normal people the 700's are amazingly good

 

[tstarn06]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mark2410 /img/forum/go_quote.gif well i have to dissagree. i think for the us$100 range better can be had and i think us$100 is too much for them, certainly its a chunk more money than they go for in the uk. again there is nothing really terrible about them (except that cable i hate) but i find their warmth the be too much, but if you love a really warm sound then they would suit you well. i think for me i just find it hard to see them as anything other than an IEM fulfilling a very specific role, that of something warm soft and gentle to relax to and that it does very well. however that warmth mean i just cant consider them usable as monitors. too warm and gentle it makes me want to go to sleep and masks the detail they can provide particularly in the highs. im no treble junky but the highs are just so subdued i feel. i just dont get how this can be considered a "fun" IEM. its easily the most relaxing and gentle IEM ive heard

Curious how you came to buy them, because they seem out of your IEM pattern. I mean, the Sony EX500.

 

[mark2410]

well when i ordered them i couldnt find any reviews at all about them and i got them on one of amazons oops we've priced something wrong bargins.

i got them for £29 back at the begining of december, think would have been about us$45 at the time.

 

[tstarn06]

wow, good deal. selling them?

 

[mark2410]

nope fraid not, i do use them as my "its night time lets wind down before bed" earphones so even thought i dont give them much love they do have a role in my collection that no other could readily replace. is possible if i ever get around to getting the ex700 and they can take that role over better.

if i do i promise ill pm you first refusal but im not really big on letting go of stuff

 

[Dreamnine]

I agree they have a very warm sound- I like them a lot with my S639.