[AlphaOmega]

Based on my own experience and all the user comments here and on
"audiocubes.com" , SONY has quality control/material quality problems
on most of its buds/plugs (J20, EX51, EX71, EX81, E888 etc.) that have
a neck loop wire. The common problem is that the insulation on the
neck loop wire is TOO THIN and starts to crack and shred after couple
months of twisting.

I don't know how to get SONY to fix the ******ing problem!

 

[gshan]

It's never been a problem for me, except with my old EX70s - which died after I snagged onto things and pulled on the driver really hard dozens of times, and ran the cord over with computer chair just as much. One reason for so many complaints is that they manufacture and sell so many of these consumer phones. Many, many X more than other companies so naturally you'll hear more issues posted. IEMs like Shures were designed for pros, thus the thick cords etc (ironically the thick cords do snap also with use, they just feel more durable to the touch).

Couldn't hurt Sony to have a more Shure-like customer service I suppose. Hard to do when the company is so huge I guess. (?) / 90-day warranty is pretty crappy when you're unloading $50 for earbuds. Even Koss' cheapest stuff still support the lifetime warranty.

 

[LaBreaHead]

Well, Sony had a bit of a head start in the marketplace for these. This is a good high-volume (pun unintended) market niche. Now that Panasonic, JVC, Sharp and whoever else markets in-ear 'phones with soft silicone ear pieces, maybe competition will spur product improvements all around ... because for out-of-the box value (at less than $40 online, we're not talking $200-$900 pro-quality monitors here), the Sony's (and now the other brands) appeal to people as an affordable, comfortable, non-sound-leaking alternative to stock buds which refuse to stay put in the outer ear. Remember, many people are still getting their first audio player of any kind, and haven't fallen prey to the Head-Fi Wallet Drain.

I have the Sony 51s and 71s (in addition to much sturdier-seeming Shures and frail-seeming Etymotics), have given six pairs of the Sony's as modest gifts, and have recommended them to several first-time Creative and iPod owners. My mom, who isn't meticulously careful with technical things, trashed one pair in less than a year, and a co-worker who took hers on a trip to Europe came back with one cord's insulation shredded off like wet paper towels. I don't know -- maybe some people subject them to more twisting, turning and abrading. Maybe some 'phones don't do well at the bottom of a book bag or purse.

Is Sony too big to listen to AlphaOmega's cry in the wilderness? They certainly aren't perfect, but I think the Sony's are close to being a very good product, for what they are ... just a little beefing up in the cords would be a start (no need to get into any unrealistic sonic comparisons with Westones, UE's, Shures, Etymotics, etc. -- that's not the point here).

 

[h00ligan]

i went thru 3 pair in 6-7 months - all due to this issue. Warrantied until rat shack denied me - then i threw them in the bin and said enough.

Evaluating some er6i and e3c's now

 

[afbug]

My white EX70 (Now yellow) have been with me for 7 years and i have not figured out how to shred the cords through normal usage. My E888SP is 8 years old. Both are from my CD/MD walkman days.

They got dump into bags and pockets too.

 

[h00ligan]

rock them in cold weather walking 4 miles a day with them behind your neck while turning to look for traffic attempting to kill you.


i.e. move to manhattan - they'll die