Earphones

I've got the mdr's as well and I could never go back to the apple 'phones. I've had no problems with volume even with the EU cap, I recently flew back from Seattle and didn't get any plane noise at all. I have seen reports that the manufacturing quality of the mdr's is variable though so it might be worth returning them for another pair.

Hello brian4610,

8 for Apple's earphones - I wouldnt know havent taken them out of they original package.

As for the sony's MDR-71SL, how can u give it 5.5, 6 at least.

No, seriously I have not had a problem with the volume - in fact I find that these earphones drown out the traffic and other noise quite well.

Little hint turn the volume up...

Sorry, I should shut up now.

"Their high-performance neodymium magnets need more power than normal earphones" thats from the ipodlounge review of the EX71s

just use this for a fix
http://www.ringom.no/espen/ipod/

I just picked up a pair of the MDRs at the local Circuit City. I was looking for a pair of earphones with decent sound quality and a good deal of ambient noise attenuation. (For use while lifting weights and on planes.)

When I first fired them up, I was sorta shocked by the muddiness of the sound (although I noticed no problems with the volume). Second and third listenings seemed much better, and although they still seem a bit muddy, they're better than my initial impression.

(I'm surprised to read the "break them in for a night" suggestion, though.)

If the Sony's don't sound loud enough, do check to make sure they're properly situated in the ear. When they're in properly, all sounds in the room should be notably muffled, and while the music is playing, you should find it very difficult to carry on a normal conversation.

The Shure E2's are the best in-canal phones on the market... They can be found at guitar center for $80, which is a little steep, but sound quality is beautiful...with a lot of in-ear phones, you get muddle sound, but the shures are driven real nice, there is separation...

...Personally, I love treble, so I use treble booster, and the phones sound awesome, and if a personal equalizer is ever included on the pod, these will be freakin great.

Originally posted by ironchef9000
The Shure E2's are the best in-canal phones on the market... They can be found at guitar center for $80, which is a little steep, but sound quality is beautiful...with a lot of in-ear phones, you get muddle sound, but the shures are driven real nice, there is separation...

...Personally, I love treble, so I use treble booster, and the phones sound awesome, and if a personal equalizer is ever included on the pod, these will be freakin great.

Well, the BEST in-canal phones are the Ety 4's, but they're $270.00. But they're not for activity--you'll get too much cord noise. I would agree that the best in-canal phones for activity (walking, working out, etc) are the Shure E2's, and are definitely worth the extra $20.00, if you're using sixty bucks as a cut off.

The Apple earbuds are definitely louder than the Sonys. But the Sonys have isolation, so you can actually hear the lower volumes if stuff is happening around you. But if you like your music loud, the isolation doesn't actually make the music LOUDER, just easier to hear. There is a difference.

Personally, I think Apple phones sound better than the Sonys. The Sonys have a screechy treble that cuts through my brain and makes me thirst for blood. Hate 'em.

Originally posted by columbo
"Total Bollocks" that's from me

The EX71's are simply less efficient than the Apple buds. A look at the specs will tell you that.
ur right. no matter what kind of positive spin sony wants to put on their neodynium magnets they require more power for no really noticeable gain and are thus less efficient than normal headphones. what's your point?

hehe
i use the ex's because i like the short cord with the apple remote when im using it out and about
and i cant find any australian distributors of shure e2cs :(

so everyone that uses the MDR-71's and say's they are just as loud are full of sh*t? they are not louder? just more detailed?

Could someone give me an HONEST view on the following head phones (scale of 1-10 would work) Volume, detail, etc...

Apple's
Sony's
Shure's

Thanks

Mine would be

Apple (overall 7-10, loud but when music get going, tends to bleed everything together)

Sony's (overall 6-10, way too soft volume wise....good detail, didn't bleed together, but volume is major issue)

Shure's(7.5-8/10, solid...volume a little soft from apple's, but everything else was very good, except the price)

if you've got the jack, shure's are good, otherwise, stick with apple's.....

I'd go with the Shure's--you won't have to worry about cord noise, sound great (debatable which sounds better, the E6's or Shures, but the Shure's seem to get the most votes), and the Shures are more durable.