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- Jun 26, 2001
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This will be short and sweet...
I cannot believe how bad the Sony EX71 sounds (this coming from a well burnt in pair that sound considerably better than fresh from the box). Lumpy bass, grey mids, and no refinement in the treble whatsoever!!
The EX81 on the other-hand, still have bass (although nowhere near as much or as prominent as the loathsome EX71)... They have a GREAT midrange - far better than the Senn MX400/500 class, and to me - better than the Koss KSC-35 / Senn PX100, and a clear treble (that can maybe still get spitty, but it is being overlooked by me - probably being an owner of the Beyer DT880 helps me there
)
Oh... and the EX81 has a soundstage... quite a good one at that!
The biggest thing about getting the sound right on these though (moreso than on the EX70 and EX71) is using the right sized plugs... for me, that is the medium ones, the other sizes making the 'phones sound thin, and not so good...
I am even prepared to say (subjectively of course
) that these are quite probably the best sounding earphones that Sony has ever made (to my ears, they are cleaner sounding than the E888 and more neutral sounding than the E472 / A21L / E484 class of earphones - although, I will confess that I haven't heard an E282, so that could still be 'king')
With earphones like this, Sony really have raised their game... this isn't just a rehash of the old drivers (or if it is, they did a very good job!!) - this is a whole different sound, one that (at least with the iPod) has proven to be a very compelling listen...
I'm not saying that they're the new messiah, or that i'm going to rush off and sell my Beyer DT880s, but - for out on the road, if you want something carefree and easy to use... the EX81 walk all over the previous generation Sony canal-phones... highly recommended by me
I cannot believe how bad the Sony EX71 sounds (this coming from a well burnt in pair that sound considerably better than fresh from the box). Lumpy bass, grey mids, and no refinement in the treble whatsoever!!
The EX81 on the other-hand, still have bass (although nowhere near as much or as prominent as the loathsome EX71)... They have a GREAT midrange - far better than the Senn MX400/500 class, and to me - better than the Koss KSC-35 / Senn PX100, and a clear treble (that can maybe still get spitty, but it is being overlooked by me - probably being an owner of the Beyer DT880 helps me there
Oh... and the EX81 has a soundstage... quite a good one at that!
The biggest thing about getting the sound right on these though (moreso than on the EX70 and EX71) is using the right sized plugs... for me, that is the medium ones, the other sizes making the 'phones sound thin, and not so good...
I am even prepared to say (subjectively of course
With earphones like this, Sony really have raised their game... this isn't just a rehash of the old drivers (or if it is, they did a very good job!!) - this is a whole different sound, one that (at least with the iPod) has proven to be a very compelling listen...
I'm not saying that they're the new messiah, or that i'm going to rush off and sell my Beyer DT880s, but - for out on the road, if you want something carefree and easy to use... the EX81 walk all over the previous generation Sony canal-phones... highly recommended by me