[tavilach]

For the past eight months or so, I've used Sony EX51LP earbuds to listen to my iPod around campus and in my dorm room. I don't have much experience with music, but to my ears these earbuds sound great. There's just one problem: They're practically made out of jelly. My first pair was solid, but it somehow snapped after a few months. It happens. The next pair I got seemed fine until after about a month, when the wiring started to peel off like silly putty. I figured that it was a fluke, and got a new pair (I didn't have time to deal with the warranty). A month later, the same thing happened. Not knowing what else to do, I just bought another. I think I went through four pairs of $25 earbuds...

This silly putty nature has been mentioned repeatetdly on Amazon. My original one was great, but it seems that they've started to use, well, silly putty around the wires.

Now, I'm willing to spend $100 or so to get a decent pair that won't conk out on me, because in the long run I'll be saving money. Here are the essential features of the EX51LP's that I love:

1) The sound quality is great, at least to my virgin ears. I wouldn't need sound better than these puppies, but I want whatever I get to be just as good. I love how powerful the bass is on such small little things.

2) I love the way one side is longer than the other, so that I can wrap it around my neck. This way, when I want to hear something (which is hard to do with in-ear headphones), I pop 'em out and they hang around my neck. That's great. I need headphones that will enable me to pop them out at any time, without putting them away or having them tug on my shirt.

3) The sound isolation is wonderful. I need earbuds that block out a lot of external noise, so that I can concentrate on reading or whatever else I'm doing.

If anyone has any ideas, please do share!

[budster101]

http://www.theistore.com/shuree3c.html#

You can get these on Amazon for $122

They are the best... well the e4c's are better... but $299.00

[tavilach]

I've heard of those, and I'm sure #1 and #3 are satisfied, but what about #2? BTW, that zip case looks like it would be really useful.

[G.O.O.D.]

Although I don't have a pair of e3c's I can almost guarantee you that one side is longer than the other, similar to what you have with your Sony's. That's the typical design.

These are a great set of earbuds, nothing but great reviews. You might also try Etymotic earbuds, they are similarly priced and sound equally as good if not better (depending on who you talk to).

It's amazing how much of a difference a good set of headphones makes. Enjoy and shop around before you make any final decisions.

Remember, no one was ever mad that they bought the best. It's worth the price tag, they'll last you.

~BG

[budster101]

Yes, and they come with different inserts for your ears, so you can customize what is more comfortable for you. The E4cs are incredible looking...

But $$$

[tavilach]

Where would I go to try out Shure and Etymotic earbuds?

By the way, there really are a lot of people on Amazon who seem to think that the E3c's produce extremely weak bass, and that worries me. And apparently the Etymotics are better in that regard? Oh, I'm so clueless . And what about the E2c's? Are they any good?

Furthermore, is the sound isolation of these Shure earbuds better than that of the Sony EX51's? If so, I'm a little pissed! I didn't know it could get any better than the Sony's for a reasonable price! Sound isolation is essentially for my studies . Of course, it could definetely introduce problems while walking around. The Sony's blocked out a lot, but I could still hear the jist of things that were going on two feet from me.

This made me giggle:

(Review for the E3c's)

"I feel a bit of a fool, because how do you get this thing stuck in your ear? But it happened to me, and it wasn't as if I did anything extraordinarily stupid. I read the instruction booklet, and I stuck the earphones in my ears. That's all I basically did.

I attached one of the smaller cushiony sleeves to each side of the earphones. They were really comfy--slid right into my ear, felt just right--like they were positioned the way they were supposed to be. Then one time when I was trying to remove the earphone from one side, the plastic sleeve detached from the earphone and stuck in my ear. I couldn't get it out by myself, so off to the ER I went. The ER doctor said it got really stuck in there.

I try to think back and wonder what I possibly did wrong that could have contributed to the ER visit, and I still come back to, "I put them in my ears. I positioned them so they were comfortable and worked well. That's all I did." Seriously, it isn't rocket science. The sleeves were attached snugly to the earphone body, and yet one of them still came off inside my ear. If it can happen to me, it can happen to someone else.

Other than the trip to the ER, these earphones worked fine. The short time I had them, they really isolated outside sound well, and the sound was great. I wish they'd work out for me, but understandably, I am leery of in-ear headphones right now--at least ones with removable sleeves that *might* slip off inside your ear canal."

Edit: It doesn't look to me like one side is longer than the other.

[G.O.O.D.]

1. If both sides are equally long and not short, is that a bad thing? Sounds like you just want long headphone extensions, which is what you've got with these.

2. As far as bass goes, most high end headphones/earbuds do not produce heavy base. Why? Heavy bass distorts musical clarity which is precisely why high-end headphones have the high price tag, clarity. Thus with these buds you'll have clear, crisp bass but nothing overwhelming.

If you want heavy bass stick with the Sony's you've got. Those are some of the most bass heavy earbuds on the market, a very nice headphone for those who listen to hip-hop. If you're looking for a significant amount of bass and don't need earbuds check out the Sennheiser HD 25-SP or the Sennheiser HD 280 Pro . Both are very nice, but obviously not as compact as earbuds.

3. The isolation will be fine. They go in your ear canal, they'll have a good seal, certainly equal to if not better than the Sony's.

Stuff to think about, repost with any other questions and I'll see if I can help.

~BG

[tavilach]

Originally Posted by G.O.O.D.

1. If both sides are equally long and not short, is that a bad thing? Sounds like you just want long headphone extensions, which is what you've got with these.

2. As far as bass goes, most high end headphones/earbuds do not produce heavy base. Why? Heavy bass distorts musical clarity which is precisely why high-end headphones have the high price tag, clarity. Thus with these buds you'll have clear, crisp bass but nothing overwhelming.

If you want heavy bass stick with the Sony's you've got. Those are some of the most bass heavy earbuds on the market, a very nice headphone for those who listen to hip-hop. If you're looking for a significant amount of bass and don't need earbuds check out the Sennheiser HD 25-SP or the Sennheiser HD 280 Pro . Both are very nice, but obviously not as compact as earbuds.

3. The isolation will be fine. They go in your ear canal, they'll have a good seal, certainly equal to if not better than the Sony's.

Stuff to think about, repost with any other questions and I'll see if I can help.

~BG

I don't think I necessarily need high bass, I'm just used to turning up the volume and letting the bass fill my ears, because otherwise I hear the ear cushions more than the music itself. I don't really know how to describe it...

As for your first comment, if both are very long, I have a feeling that I won't feel balanced with one of them wrapped around the back of my neck. With the Sony's, the lengths become equal after the wrapping.

[G.O.O.D.]

Sounds like you've got a tough choice then. You seem to have a unique problem that very few people have with these headphones. Trouble is, they're tough to find in retail stores. The only place I've seen that have Etymotics and Shure are airports. I'm pretty sure the Apple Store does not sell them.

~BG

[G.O.O.D.]

Originally Posted by tavilach

I don't think I necessarily need high bass, I'm just used to turning up the volume and letting the bass fill my ears, because otherwise I hear the ear cushions more than the music itself. I don't really know how to describe it...

As for your first comment, if both are very long, I have a feeling that I won't feel balanced with one of them wrapped around the back of my neck. With the Sony's, the lengths become equal after the wrapping.

These are the ones I've got, they're the next model up from what you've got. I love them and they've got the same type of design as what you've got now. It sounds like you might just stick with the Sony's, I'm not sure if the Shure's actually offer any bonuses to you for the added price tag. Increased sound quality is the reason for the price tag and that doesn't really sound like it's particularly important to you. I think the Sony's might be good enough for you.

~BG

[tavilach]

Originally Posted by G.O.O.D.

These are the ones I've got, they're the next model up from what you've got. I love them and they've got the same type of design as what you've got now. It sounds like you might just stick with the Sony's, I'm not sure if the Shure's actually offer any bonuses to you for the added price tag. Increased sound quality is the reason for the price tag and that doesn't really sound like it's particularly important to you. I think the Sony's might be good enough for you.

~BG

You probably got the EX71's before they started making them out of silly putty. My first pair was actually a pair of EX71's, and they certainly weren't made of silly putty. Both models, though, now seem to be made of that jellylike material (according to the recent reviews of both of them, and my own experience going through multiple EX51's), and I need a pair of headphones that won't break every month. And hey, just because I'm used to heavy bass doesn't mean I wouldn't like more accurate music. I'd just want to test them out, you know? Frankly, the more solid build and better isolation is worth the price tag, considering all the money I've lost on the Sony's.

Going back to the Sony's is just not an option. It's quite remarkable how the coating just disintegrates around the wire after a few weeks of use. You'd have to see it to really understand the insanity!

If you think I wouldn't like the E3c's, there's got to be something other than the Sony's that would fit my needs. People like the Sony's, probably because they have old models (with the same name, I guess) that were made properly. My proper model broke, and ever since then, with these newer ones, it's been a nightmare. I guarantee that people who start buying the newer, silly putty models will start posting awful reviews on Amazon, and maybe at that point people will start to see what I'm saying, and to figure out alternatives to the Sony's. I can't wait for that, though. I need people to understand that the Sony's are horrible with this new wire formula, so that they can recommend another pair of earbuds. How about Etymotic? What are they known for? I'm willing to pay a premium for headphones that sound reasonable (like the Sony's) and don't break.

Open your minds, people . Thanks for the suggestions already made, but I want more :-P.

[tavilach]

By the way, it seems that the Japanese version of the EX51 has a well-made cord. Does anyone know where I would buy this? That might be the best option for me, although the better sound isolation of the E3c's is very tempting. I wish I could try them out! Again, any ideas on where I would do that?

[G.O.O.D.]

Sorry if you felt insulted by my last post, I meant no harm. A lot of the time the high price tag headphones are really just not for some people because they are unnecessary. This may or may not be your case. Take my hip-hop example for instance, if you listen to a lot of hip-hop most high-end headphones and the prices that come with them are overkill. I think you understand what I mean, but nontheless. It's nice to have that $$$ gear.

So, I saw your post at ilounge.com so here's a few links within the site that you may or may not have visited already.

Etymotic ER-6i. These were made expressly for iPod users. Check out the review, they loved them.

Shure E3c. You've probably read this one already, these are similarly priced to the ER-6i's.

Shure E2c. A cheaper model of the Shure's but still a good earbud.

All Earbud Reviews at iLounge. Scroll down and find the headphones section, these are all the earbud reviews that they've got. In my experience, iLounge is pretty spot on with what I like and don't like when it comes to outfitting my iPod. You may take some time to gauge this for yourself as well, as that will be an important part of making the decision.

Based on my taste in music and experience with headphones I'd like the have the Ety ER-6i's (or ER-6's, same thing just not white). You shouldn't have much trouble finding a place where people compare Ety's to Shure's and vice versa, those are basically THE TOP TWO of earbuds.

That said, I'm still not sure if there's a place where you can go to try these out. I'll continue to look, maybe a retailer stocks them somewhere, you might call around to the high-end audio places near you.

~BG

[tavilach]

Thanks for the tips, G.O.O.D. If anyone else has any advice, that'd be great.

[tavilach]

I have a few more questions about the E3c's:

The cords apparently drape over your ears, merge, and then go down your back. Does that mean that I can take them out of my ear and they'll rest on my shoulders while I'm walking around, rather than my shirt?

If anyone has actually compared the noise isolation between the E3c's and the Sony EX51's, that'd be really great to hear. If there is little difference, I'll probably just go with the Japanese version of the EX51's. I still have yet to find exactly where to get them, though.

People complained about the fit of the E3c's in the ear. Is this something one gets used to? I found my Sony's to be extremely comfortable, and comfort is definetely important.

Do the Etymotic earbuds isolate sound better or worse than the E3c's? How do they compare to the Sony's?

If anyone has answers, please speak up!

[Randman]

My "normal" earbuds are the Sony ex-71s but I just got a pair of EC3s (some guy had two boxes given to him so I got it unopened at a great discount). The fit is good (plenty of the ear covers to choose from) and the sound is indeed better. The Sony Nudes are nice though since they have the extension cord part which you can take off. When I use the short version with my shuffle at the gym, it fits perfectly with no excess cordage.

Have to get the EC3s a little more time since I'm still breaking them.

As far as them dangling, any set of headphones will dangle depending on which way you wear them.

[tavilach]

In reference to your dangling comment: Hmm. Never thought about that.

Anyway, since I'm leaving for Berkeley in 7 days, I just ordered the Shures. I'll try 'em out, and if I don't like them, I'll just have my parents send them back after I've left. Not a big deal.

Hope they work out .