[Steve999]

After reading this I am intrigued by the Sony EX71s:

Reviews of Sony
EX71, ETY4S, Sure E2C

That is one kick-a@@ write up and I'm now persuaded that earbuds have some inherent sonic advantages.

Thanks to BlessingX for the link!!!!

I've searched head-fi and I see that some head-fiers like the EX71s better than the E2s <*cough* Commando *cough*>, and some like the E2Cs better than the EX71s. So I am persuaded that we are into the realm of personal taste here, with perhaps the E2Cs winning on technical merit and isolation but perhaps the EX71s winning on comfort, ease of fit, groovability, price, and convenience.

Everything I read indicates the EX71s to be quite comfortable, and to have some extra bass. Are they like, rilly rilly comfortable?

It appears the EX51s may be the same sonically and spec wise as the EX71s -- any thoughts? Does anyone know this to be the case or not to be the case?

Do any of the mass market places (Best Buy or Circuit City, etc.) sell the EX71s or EX51s?

I see a recurring theme that the EX71s have a little extra bass (or a lot, depending who you ask). There appears to be no debate that they do have some extra bass. Who finds it groovin' and who finds it over-the-top?

I think those are my main questions. I have no earbuds, I think these might be nice.

Any comments are welcome. I am most interested in hearing what people think of these phones rather than suggestions for more expensive alternatives. If anyone found the EX71s too problematic in any way I'd like to hear that too.

 

[terrymx]

well....there is the sharp hp-md33s which i tried and is much better than the ex71, and there is the panasonic canalphone which is getting some recognition too. they both go for $39.

i do agree the ex71 are comfortable. much easier to put on than the e2c. though e2c isolate better. as for the sound, i didnt enjoy anything about it. muddy bass, recessed mids, sharp and thin treble. i like the free earbuds that came with my iriver imp350 more.

 

[ayt999]

I don't find them uncomfortable at all. it comes with three different sizes of interchangable buds (I think that is what you call them) so unless your ear canals are incredibly small or large there should be one that fits you.

coming out of a gilmore balanced reference (ya, a $2000 amp is most likely overkill for these... but that is what I readily have to test the EX71 with right now so it will do) the bass is definitely there and has presence, but I don't find it overly loud. I'm figuring the bass is about the same volume as that of the grado PS1. I guess it is grooving? the upper end is a bit harsh though... I haven't listened to them too much so that's about as much as I can comment on the sound.

 

[Damage]

Let the EX71s burn in (or degredate as Bangraman puts it) and they sound much much better, with the trebles mellowing out and bass getting a bit robust. Right out of the box, however, the trebles are metallic and very harsh.

As for Shure E2s, I couldn't find any fault with them, other than that the driver housing was huge for my ears and caused discomfort. In comfort, EX71 has pretty much E2s beat by a mile (and maybe even the E3s in some regards). The EXs are much easier to use.

Are they good groovin' Canalbuds? Maybe. But for the buck, I don't think you can get much better than these, at least canalwise.

 

[chadbang]

I gave my ex70s away (I've heard they made some improvements to the ex71s, but not all that much), that's how much I hated their piercing treble. Comfort-wise, fantasic. Soundwise, painful. However I do like plundering the Ex70 ear tips to mount on my Shure E2s -- which I feel are MUCH better earbuds.

 

[commando]

Did I hear my name being taken in vain?

Actually i've never tried E2s, it's the E3s I thought the EX71s were better than, and I think they're significantly better. Better bass, more clarify, and better comfort. Just the isolation is less.

I got 71s over MD33s because the uneven cord length on the 71 are fantastic for the gym, IMO. The 71s are a good step above the 70s, i've heard both (70s only briefly).

I've read EX71 and EX51 are identical, it's just packaging or something like that different. Can't say for sure though.

Like i've said before I wouldn't use Shures if they were free, but the 71s i'd happily pay for.

 

[quke]

I don't have a confirmation for this either but it seems that the only difference between EX51 and EX71 is the cord which is splitted in two pieces in EX71. The specs look identical anyway. Aren't the Senn MX400 and MX500 sound wise the same too? It would only be logical that the Sonys were also.

 

[Steve999]

Thanks for the feedback on the EX71s everyone! That's all extremely helpful.

One still unanswered question: Do any big-time non-internet retailers carry these things (Sony EX51 or EX71) (Best Buy, Circuit City, Target, Tower Records, Borders Books, etc. etc.)? I'm in the Maryland and DC area.

Any more comments on the sound are very welcome. Between the Linkwitz review above and your comments, I think I'm getting the idea, extended and prominent bass, extended and prominent highs, and enough in between to satisfy some folks but not others. This is a sound a lot of audio pros (apparently including the Linkwitz fellow who did the write-up I linked to in my initial post) seem to think of as relatively accurate and uncolored, though it's not always so well-liked at head-fi. I'm thinking it might be sort of like the V6 except maybe even a little better?

Thanks again, this has been really interesting and a great help.

 

[John Reeves]

Hi,

IMHO emphasised muddy one note bass, and shrill treble. This was my experience even before I joined Head-Fi and emptied my wallet. Kept them for a week and then returned them. Didn't like the unequal cord lengths either, since I prefer to keep my DAP on my RHS.

Cheers

John

 

[tracyrick]

I had these Sony's a long time before I bought my ER-4Ps. Difference is night and day.
Sony's - 1. Cheap, don't have to worry about breaking them. Not a big risk to try them out. 2. Fit well for me, easy to manage. 3. Big boomy bass sound, but muddy. 4. Lacking in details. Bottom line: Good for casual listening or just rocking out, but not good for audiophile.
ER-4P - See million other reviews. These are great. Much less bass than Sony's, but much cleaner and clearer sounding.

Answer this for yourself: Do you want to hear the individual bass notes (ER-4P), or do you want a boomy pumping bass sound (Sony)?

Oh - if you buy either of these, just get them on the internet to get best price. That's how I bought both of mine.

 

[tracyrick]

Hey, I read the review you reference. This sentence especially caught my eye:

"Recently I evaluated Sony MDR-EX71SL ear buds and was surprised by their accuracy of sound reproduction"

I don't get this quote at all. No way the Sony's are accurate. Sorry. Yeah, he also adds that the bass is louder because of the pathway length (this is true) but I don't think he highlights enough the boominess of the bass vs. the incredible details of the ER-4S.

 

[jpelg]

I've owned the EX70's, and Etymotic ER4S's & ERP's. I agree 100% w/tracyrick. There is no comparison.

IMO, that article was a good (or at least interesting) one, until he included the blurbs about the Sony's. After that, he lost all credibility in my eyes (I'm sure he doesn't care

). Dunno how he can possibly come to those conclusions *shrug*.

 

[lojay]

I have both Shure e3c's and Sony EX71SL's. I was preparing to do a comparision, but I haven't tried them enough yet. However, I'll still give you some impressions.

I bought them under the influence of Commando, and I can tell you, they are truely some opposites in sound. That is why if you're picky, (i.e. an audiophile?

) you're likely to like one and hate the other.

I've found the EX71 to lack clarity compared to most phones discussed here, and that is one thing I believe even Commando would agree. Instruments sound not so defined. One may argue that it is due to it's laid back nature, but I personally find it to lack clarity compared with the laid backness of the Senn line, even the 497, not to mention the HD650. Some may say that the detailness of the EX71 are on the same level of free Sony earbuds. But it may not be lack of detail, IMO, even if it is its neutral nature (that refuses to push anything out in front of you) that makes it less detailed blah blah blah, it still sounds like a free sony earbud.

But by neutralness and by name of getting it "right", its a winner. For its price, I've yet to hear a better balanced hp (FYI their are NOT many hp's in the same price catagory...

) . Note that the low's are not severely bloated, but not really clear as well. The amount of bass is alright, but definetly not overwhelming. By accurate, the EQ guy didn't mean that it should sound as detailed as a Stax, but rather it should be the other audiophile qualities he considered before he calls the EX71 accurate. Perhaps its how the EX71 rock better than the Shure's at equal volumes, or how the loudness of "things" in a song are represented correctly, rather than the Shures making crap louder and making everthing else veiled in some recordings. I dunno, I agree tha his and Commando's comments on the EX71 quite left me puzzled and suprised at first.

The bottomline is, though, I'm be listening more on the Shures than the EX71's ultimately. I acknowledge now that I'm a detail freak, and the Ety's would be my heaven. Thanks! (Now THAT's a twist in the ending)

 

[traficante]

Another vote for the ex70/71 being better then the shure e3. The shures are the cleanest, least distorted phones i've ever tried but there frequency response resembles AM radio. Heck, after listening to the shures my mx500 with RS fomies seem bright.

 

[commando]

I agree with lojay in that you'll either love them or hate them. I've already said what I think so I won't bore anyone with it again