[Sebhelyesfarku]

I'm not a hardcore audiophile but changing the MX500 to the EX71 on the same track is a very easily recognisable change

Middles disappear, bass and treble UP. But after a couple of tracks I get acclimatised... I need that isolation.

 

[Steve999]

Thanks for the feedback, good stuff, I appreciate it. Nice impressions.

Quote:

Originally Posted by crazyfrenchman27 Steve999, I am the man to answer your question. My major gripe with the comfort of the 71s is that the shortened cord prevents you from connecting the ear buds to portables located around your waist, forcing you to use the extension for most applications (blech!). To remedy this problem, I purchased a pair of 51s to replace my broken 71s. Initially I was concerned that they would differ sonically; fortunately, I found that they produced roughly equivalent sound (do note that I hadn't broken in the 51s sufficiently when I was comparing them). I could not distinguish between the two in my A/B tests. The 51 actually has a cord of acceptable length that you can insert into your portable without compromising comfort, which makes it the clear winner for portable use. Now, as far as my assessment of their sound... I actually don't have the problem with the 71s/51s bass...I think it is much tighter than a lot of bass offered by other portable headphones (namely, Koss Porta Pros). What I do find more problematic is the manner in which the 51s and 71s handle highs, which is, quite frankly, detestable after my exposure to Porta Pros/PX-100s. In comparison to other portable listening devices in their price range, they're not that bad...I'd take them over the MX-400/MX-500 (which don't seem to stick in my ear). They isolate sound in a way that the KSC-35s, Koss Porta Pros, and PX-100s do not. For $40 bucks, get the Porta Pros (if you intend on not using an amp) or the Sennheiser PX-100s (they blow away the Porta Pros with an amp; otherwise I prefer the porta pros). I would only purchase the 51s/71s if you desperately need an ear bud/something that isolates noise in that price range.

 

[kunwar]

they suck big time frankly save more money and go for either the Ety ER-6 or the shure E2c in that order depending on what your presentation choices are.

 

[andrew3199]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sbulack I use EX71SL's with a Headsave Go-Vibe at work and I am very happy with the comfort and the sound that I am getting and with the price that I paid. I find the bass to be full and NOT boomy. The mids are downright sweet. Particular treble sounds CAN be on the harsh side, and that is lessening over time. I'm very happy with the EX71SL's.

Just a thought about Sbulack using the EX71SL's and getting better results with an amp, almost seems the same as the Shure e2's in as much as the e2's need an amp to bring out the best in them E,G tighten up the bass and extending or sweetening the treble, just a thought.

 

[WmAx]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve999 FWIW, the Linkwitz fellow who likes the EX71s (as well as the Shure E2Cs and the ETY 4S) is not exactly what you'd call a lightweight: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&i...=Google+Search

Linkwitz is a highly respected(and deservedly so) engineer of loudspeaker systems. He is dedicated to objective development/research. His recomendatino of accracy on headphones or speakers(if you read more of his articles) is based primarily on tonal linearity as compared to the original recorded material -- recordings that he creates with linear microphones. His observations of accuracy are not based on unknown recordings(for the most part), but ones he directly monitored/attended at teh same distance as the microphones. So, head-fiers woudl be best to keep this in mind when he talks about 'accurate sound'. He is not primarily referring to commercial recordings, (which have no standards or are even guaranteed to be produced with linear mics or some inaccurate sounding mic placement technique(close micing for example)).

However, I don't remember where he specifically stated direct A/B comparision with the live performances(spl matched) at teh same standing position as the mics -- or if he did. He may be referring to his memory of the original performances, which would obviously be signficanlty less accurate.

-Chris

 

[knevan]

EX71 question: My right earbud shorted out, so now it plays really quietly. any suggestions on how to fix it?

 

[commando]

Quote:

Originally Posted by knevan EX71 question: My right earbud shorted out, so now it plays really quietly. any suggestions on how to fix it?

You could try flexing the wire, but to be honest the only thing you can really do is return it for replacement to where you bought it.

 

[PooJou]

Man, people actually like this headphone? no way

Their only redeeming merit is that they isolate. Woop Dee Doo.
They lack detail, that might be because the bass completely overpowers everything else. The bass itself, isn't even nice, it's like a huge muddy lump.
The Shure E2C, is much like the EX71, except more expensive, less comfortable, and a little more detailed. The Huge muddy lump is there, but slightly smaller than the EX71 (you'd expect so in such an expensive earphone)
Why people like the E2C so much is still mystifying to me, as my music comes out sounding like it does out of my brothers $50AUS computer speakers.
</endrant>
The ER-6's on the other hand, isolate much better than either, and actually play the music as it was recorded

however, the lack of bass may get to some people, especially if you listen to bass heavy music.
Those are the three in earphones i have had experience with

 

[andrew3199]

Has anyone tried the EX71 with an amp ? Sbulack seems to have good results and judging by some of his recomendations the guy knows what he's talking about..

 

[sbulack]

Quote:

Originally Posted by andrew3199 Has anyone tried the EX71 with an amp ? Sbulack seems to have good results and judging by some of his recomendations the guy knows what he's talking about..

I very much appreciate the vote of confidence, Andrew. I simply describe what I hear. I'm aware that a number of users of the EX71SL have described the bass as being "boomy", "muddy", and as obscuring sonic events in other parts of the acoustic spectrum. In my own hearing with the EX71SL, I have found the bass to be quite deep (goes down to 24 Hz) and present/prominent, but I have always heard it to be tight, detailed and even textured, and NOT obscuring of simultaneous events in other parts of the acoustic spectrum. I have found the EX71SL to be VERY detailed throughout the acoustic spectrum, amped and unamped. In fact, on the "Goodbye" track on Emmylou Harris's "Wrecking Ball" CD, there are quite a few places where Emmylou's voice becomes so low that, with either AKG K240S or Grado SR225 phones, I can't hear the final syllables of her words. With the EX71SL's, I CAN hear the very subtle sounds that she makes on those final syllables. The Mid-range I get from the EX71SL is quite good - tuneful and sweet - as good as I get from my AKG K240S, only more detailed. I get a good deal more treble energy from the EX71SL than I get from my AKG K240S, and more treble energy than from my Grado SR225's. For the most part, this is a benefit in detail, as the treble timbre is one that I enjoy. A few kinds of treble sounds can be portrayed with harshness. A cymbal shimmer is a pure delight with the EX71SL. Even an undamped cymbal crash is fine with them. But a hard cymbal smack of a two cymbal "sandwich" where the cymbals are kept close together to dampen each other can sound harsh. Fortunately, there's not a lot of those harsh high sounds in what I listen to. And I get a wide, deep and coherent soundstage. Because the sound mixes within the structure of the head, its source triangulates back out to WELL outside the head. For recordings with good spatial information in them, the EX71SL just dissolve and the sounds are coming from well outside of you. For audio without good spatial information in it, it sounds as if the soundstage is inside your head, but more spacious than your head could ever be. Sometimes, it takes a little getting used to.

The EX71SL use the listener's ear canal and head cavities as sounding boards. When I first put the EX71SL into my ears, and I hadn't learned how to properly seat them, they sounded ridiculous - tinny to the extreme. Then I figured out by fiddling with them that they had to be better seated within my ear canal, and a rich, full sound filled my head. So, I suspect that the difference between users who report poor sound from the EX71SL's and users, such as myself, who report wonderful sound from them may have something to do with differences in the condition of our ear canals and head cavities, since they ARE a part of the sound system. Then, as always, there are matters of taste, variability in the manufactured units, etc. at work as well. A work colleague got a pair of EX71SL's after I reported that I was happy with them, and he is "VERY happy" with the set he got. Based on our discussions of audio and headphone gear, he's got decent ears and is an observant fellow.

For the $34.00 price and free Super-Saver shipping offered on amazon.com, my recommendation to someone looking for canal-type earphones is to try the EX71SL to see what performance THEY get from them before looking at higher price options. The spectrum of obtained results runs from "who could possibly LIKE these awful things" to "I'm VERY happy with these". Because the individual user is not only the judge of the sound, but part of the sound system itself, Your Mileage Will Surely Vary.

 

[MikeD]

My biggest issue with these earphones is that cymbals sound overly harsh. The bass is fine, and certainly not "bloated." I found setting the equalizer to flat produces the best sound. Perhaps people having issues with the bass response have the bass boosted. These earphones don't need it.

 

[commando]

I'd go a little further and say it'd be nice to be able to reduce the bass these put out a little, but they're ok as is. Unfortunately my creative flash mp3 player only has frequency boost, not reduce

 

[JaCe_jai]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DigDub 3. the ex51 comes in 2 versions. one is a short cord version without the 1 meter extension cable. another version has a normal cord length. the ex71, sharp and panasonic comes in short cord versions with 1 meter extension cable. the e2c comes in normal length cord. next is the ex51. it sounds different from the ex71. the ex51 is not as smooth as the ex71 or the md33. the bass is a little bit tighter than the ex71 and sounds more exciting than the laid-back nature of the ex71.

could you please elaborate on the differences between ex51/71? i also don't understand what 'tighter' bass means.

 

[andrew3199]

I got myself a pair of EX71's just to see how good (or bad) they actually are, I initially left them hooked up to my pcdp and let it play on repeat shuffle for two sets of batteries, (about 80 hours) I then gave them a listen on my IPod (no amp), while I thought they were not audiophile quality they cirtainly are not bad for the $36 I paid on E-bay, Just recently I took the plunge an decided to get a Supermini for ultimate portability, burning the Supermini in I again left it and the EX71's hooked up to my PCDP for 80 hours,I then tried the combo out of my IPod, I don't know if it was adding the Supermini that provided the extra power to the phones but

what an improvement, the bass was quite a bit tighter, the highs were a little clearer with all the top end sharpness gone, now then! I do not have golden ears by any stretch of the imagination but there was a big improvement in the highs and lows of these phones and have come to the conclusion that they need a hell of a burn in period combined with a decent amp to get them to perform at their best, just a thought.?

 

[commando]

I find my Creative mp3 player drives them perfectly well, and burn in didn't do much for mine.