Warning About EX71

Yes, I concur. VERY comfortable, great isolation but HORRID sound.

i think they sound goood for a non audiophile. i can listen good enough that i can tell the dif between the apples, street styles and the 71s. but i dont see what people are saying when they say that they are muddy. imho, they are clean sounding, very good, non distorted bass. and i never found them to be shrill. they do have a high treble response, but i dont find them to be shrill.

excuse my off topic remark...

man, ipodmaster, thats terrible! im sorry to hear your buds bit the big one. i hope that mine will live through the tough days.

also, all this talk here is making me nervous about getting the ex71's (even though ive already ordered them)

ah well, i can always return them if theyre that bad

sorry again there buddy. on the plus side, you could take advantage of the amazon.com deal that i got. youll just have to wait a little while before they get shipped.

Jason :)

When the "audiophiles" return to the real world, they'll drop $40 for some SOny EX51 Fontopias and be satisfied.

It ain't a Stradivarius guys, it's a friggin mp3 player.

If you listen to a piece of music with a fretless bass (say) the EX71 won't give you the subtlety of the bass notes, just a simple (but heavy) thump. Cymbals and the like will just hiss and whoosh. You don't need to be an audiophile to hear how bad the EX51, 70 and 71 are. Their bass is better than the included Apple buds, but nothing else is. It's inevitable, because they rely on 9-mm drivers, which are just too small.

>> But there is one problem.

Only one problem? ;-)

Sell me yours!!!

I've had mine for only two months. First the left one went, now the right one. I can still hear music but it is very weak. I do a lot of traveling, so I store them in my case. Guess I kinked the cords. Can you sya piece of crap... Does anyone know if the E2c's have this problem?

i had ex71's, and they were ripped out many times by people walking by, or getting caught in the metro on a fare station or something. the cord never broke, and i sold them because bottom line, they are HORRIBLE. :)

I love my 71's also! The white matches the pod perfectly, the cord is just the right length if you use the remote, I really like the behind the neck strap, they fit perfectly, and sound pretty damn good for 40-50 bucks. This is one of the best purchases I've made for my pod.

After the initial break in, my 71's sounded a lot better and I was amazed that the break in would make such a big difference.

People who are complaining about the length of the cord need to use either the extension or the remote. It's as simple as that.

Everyone agrees that the stock pod phones are crap. The 71's are the perfect upgrade for a measly amount. I'm not an audiophile by any means and when listening to my friends Shure's, I couldn't tell much of a difference between my 71's and his phones. His Shure's were louder but they didn't fit as good as the Sony's and I couldn't see or hear the extra money spent.

Just my .02

-B

Originally posted by br-
There are a few problems here:

1) If you cannot discern a definate sonic improvement from the EX71 to the e3, then you are not trained well enough in recognizing acoustic qualities and nuances. There is a HUGE improvement between the phones.

2) The e3's are not very good with regards to sound quality. They get hyped around here alot for their comfort and their looks (specifically how they match the iPod). They boost the midrange to unreasonable levels and lack detail. They pale in comparison to the Etymotic ER4S which cost about $60 more. The ER4S offers a detailed and neutral sound which is very revealing and gives your music a "real-life" quality.

3) If you are happy with the sound from your EX71's, don't bother spending money on better phones. It is a waste of money for those who don't desire an improvement in sound quality and an overall music listening experience.

You are so correct sir. I guess it really breaks down into two groups. People that can and will appreciate high end audio and ones that are content on lower grade pieces that are still better then their stock counterparts.

Personally I wouldn't spend more than $100 on a set of phones but unlike me I'm sure there are plenty of people who will.

I love my Sony's and was dissapointed with the Shures more so because of the price than anything else.

Luckily for all of us there are plenty of choices out there for each individual to make.

-B

Originally posted by br-
If you cannot discern a definate sonic improvement from the EX71 to the e3, then you are not trained well enough in recognizing acoustic qualities and nuances.

As someone who was a professional musician for some three decades, listens to all styles of music, has a B.A. in music and was a graduate teaching assistant at one of the leading music schools in the country, I beg to differ with your assertion that I am not "not trained well enough in recognizing acoustic qualities and nuances."

Originally posted by br-
The e3's are not very good with regards to sound quality.

Well, I guess I'm not the only one who feels this way then. So you're saying that the E3s, although not very good, are still "hugely" better than the EX71s? (Minus the all-important qualifying phrase, "in my opinion," of course.)

Originally posted by br-
They pale in comparison to the Etymotic ER4S which cost about $60 more. The ER4S offers a detailed and neutral sound which is very revealing and gives your music a "real-life" quality.

So the answer to my dissatisfaction is to spend even more money?

Originally posted by br-
If you are happy with the sound from your EX71's, don't bother spending money on better phones. It is a waste of money for those who don't desire an improvement in sound quality and an overall music listening experience.

Has anyone ever told you that you come off a bit condescending and smug? In place of the phrase "for those who don't desire an improvement in sound quality and an overall music listening experience," you might consider substituting, "for those who have a different perception of what constitutes good sound than I do." Or, alternatively, "for those who hear with their ears rather than with their wallets"...

The EX71's wire IS TOO FRAGILE!! I pressed play on my remote today only to find that there was no sound. I didn't know what was wrong... finally found the problem, my wire was friggin sliced!! Dunno how it happened, but what a #### off. I brought it to a small electronics shop and the guy fixed em for $5, but he didnt use enough shrink tube and had to put electrical tape on them!!... $90 (CDN) only to have this happen... :(

Just thought I?d chime in here, a friend of mine just got his set of ER4S phones yesterday. After work we decided to just relax and have some coffee at the local shop. He was using his new phones, then took them out. Somehow when he got up to walk away, he stepped on them and they?re a total loss.

This could happen to any set of phones you have. I?d much rather it happen to my Sony?s than some over priced set.

Originally posted by mr_mxyzptlk
As someone who was a professional musician for some three decades, listens to all styles of music, has a B.A. in music and was a graduate teaching assistant at one of the leading music schools in the country, I beg to differ with your assertion that I am not "not trained well enough in recognizing acoustic qualities and nuances."
It sounds like you are educated well enough in music that you should be able to recognise such a substantial improvement. When I made the switch from the EX71 to the e3, I noticed a large improvement (soundstage, musicality, neutrality, etc). And essentially everyone else who has done the same earphone switch as you and I have, has noticed quite an improvement as well. You can see the testimonials on various headphone forums. Your post was the first I've ever seen of someone saying they could not detect much of an improvement going from the EX71 to the e3. One can only conclude that either everyone else (including myself) has an inaccurate judgement of the phones, or your ears are not trained well enough. Or perhaps you need to see an audiologist and get your ears flushed out.

Originally posted by mr_mxyzptlk
Well, I guess I'm not the only one who feels this way then. So you're saying that the E3s, although not very good, are still "hugely" better than the EX71s?
Yes. It is easy to see a substantial improvement from the EX71 to the e3. Many people are happy with the sound quality of the e3. On the other hand, there are also many people (including myself) who have tried both the ER4 and the e3 and have heard a vast improvement in sound quality going from the e3 to ER4. I would say there is an equal amount of improvement going from the EX71 to the e3 than there is going from the e3 to ER4 (which is large).

Originally posted by mr_mxyzptlk
So the answer to my dissatisfaction is to spend even more money?
Not at all. There are many stores on the internet that offer 30 day money back return policies so you can audition the headphones without taking the risk of you not liking them. If you are interested in an increased acoustic experience, I suggest auditioning them and seeing if they satisfy you. This would be of no risk to you. However, since you said that the main difference you could discern between the e3c and EX71 was "loudness" (because of the reduced impedance) then perhaps it will just be a waste of time.

I was thinking about gettin a pair of Shure E2c's. Does anyone have any? Are they good?

Not to sound like a jerk here, but OF COURSE they're good! They're Shures. I used to buy only Shure sytluses (stylii?) back in my turntable days, 'cause I knew they made the good stuff. That's how Shure has stayed in business all these years.

The question you want to ask yourself is how much better are they than the competition that costs 5 to 10 times less? I've listened to E3cs, and for my money, they just aren't $150 better than my Sonys. But hey, it's your money...

The E2Cs are a good phone to compare with EX71s, because while they're expensive, they're not THAT expensive. And I'd say that it's not a matter of how many times better they are than the Sony 71s, it's that the EX51/70/71 are actually bad (Great isolation, sure, but poor, muddy, hissy sound) while the Shures and the E888s are actually great.

It's like comparing an out-of-date MacDonalds fished from a bin with a freshly cooked burger served up by someone who really knows how to cook a burger!

cool... ordered E2s yesterday

Originally posted by iPod Master
and about price, for me, 150 is quite a bit of cash for a pair of headphones. i was even reluctant to pay the 50 for the 71s.

FYI: Amazon is now selling EX71s for $31.94. This doesn't help me much, since I was one of those "early adopters" who bought my EX71s from Audiocubes for $50 plus shipping not long after they first came out. :| However, for any readers who have only stock earphones, I'd say that this would be the most worthwhile $31.94 you'll ever spend (although br-, Jackonicko, blazer5913 and frescagod would undoubtedly disagree)!

I feel compelled at this juncture to admit the shameful truth: I don't own an iPod! I actually use my Sony EX71 and Shure E3 earphones with (gasp!) another sound source! What makes this relevant to the discussion at hand is that I happened to read a comment in a user review of the EX71s on the Audiocubes site, that helps put the debate regarding the quality of these phones in perspective for me.

This user commented to the effect that the iPod produces a particularly bassy sound, and that using EX71s with an iPod is bass overkill. He liked the sound of these phones with other sources, but felt that they sound terrible with an iPod. Well, for me this explains a lot!

With my sound source (OK, it's an iRiver iMP-550 CD/MP3 player!), the EX71s sound really good, even with flat EQ, but the Shure E3s always seem bass-shy. I have to add a significant amount of bass boost to produce a sound that's as pleasing as that of the un-EQ'd EX71s.

This just serves (to me, anyway!) as a reminder that in evaluating earphones, you have to take the sound source into account too!

Originally posted by br-
There are a few problems here:

1) If you cannot discern a definate sonic improvement from the EX71 to the e3, then you are not trained well enough in recognizing acoustic qualities and nuances. There is a HUGE improvement between the phones.

2) The e3's are not very good with regards to sound quality. They get hyped around here alot for their comfort and their looks (specifically how they match the iPod). They boost the midrange to unreasonable levels and lack detail. They pale in comparison to the Etymotic ER4S which cost about $60 more. The ER4S offers a detailed and neutral sound which is very revealing and gives your music a "real-life" quality.

3) If you are happy with the sound from your EX71's, don't bother spending money on better phones. It is a waste of money for those who don't desire an improvement in sound quality and an overall music listening experience.

Give me a freakin' break here, holmes. Like someone mentioned before, we are talking about COMPRESSED MUSIC, not CDs. You are only going to get as good as was initially ripped. A crappy rip is going to sound like crap on a $4789 pair of earphones. Period.

I have heard the E3s, I have a finely 'trained' ear (but it pales in comparison to my ###), and you know what? They are louder. And that's about it. You can take your snobbery somewhere else, because it is obvious that you are only trying to justify your own poor purchase. If you bought them as some kind of status symbol, you are both wealthy AND a moron. The 71s are the perfect match for a 'PORTABLE' 'COMPRESSED' music player.

o ya. my phones are fixed. a bit of solder, cutting up the cords and some tape can do magic. it isnt as nice as the silver bead, but it works.

WOW great thread.

I bought and LOVEed the E71s and was duly trashed for it as well. But my reference was the stock phones. (String and cans would have sounded better). I argued that $300 phones would be akin to owning a Ferrari in NYC.....Its lossy music, etc. Since I work in the live sound field I have access to E5s and tried them. The difference was HUGE but I did not like the heavy duty cords and the forced behind the ears use as well as the price.

I decided to buy the E3s which were better and only enticed me to buy the only phone designed primarily for prerecorded music rather than LIVE monitoring as the Shures.

So I bought the ETY 4P/S and although the Sony's were and are a great replacement for stock phones, there is no comparison. But I bought the ETYs with the vision of someday soon NOT having to compress music as HDs get larger. The ETY 's revealed the shoddy compression I was "content" with on the E71's. They are much more demanding of a clean source. I also prefer the ETY 4 series over the E5s erogomically and to a much lesser extent sonically. The articulation was amazing. Some do not like the clarity though.

I feel the true value of the expensive phones will reveal themselves when Im lstening to lossless files in the not to distant future. In the mean time, I have to rip at 192 or better in order not to hear artifacts that were covered up by the E71s sufficiently.

I applaud those who love the E71's and are confidant they made the right choice and who as I felt (still do on occasion) it's a waste to listen to lossy music on anything more. But I bought them with an eye towards the future of lossless music on 120+ GB drives and in the meantime enjoy a great listening expierience at much lower volume settings.

The E71s are a great plug...until the ETYs are experienced. If one can't tell the difference...well that that someone will have another $170 or so to spend somewhere else and be happier for it!

The E71s are fine. I will say you won't have an issue with the ETYs though. I had the E3's and sold them as the Etys were the final answer. I see no need nor would I ever pay over $400 for phones. no need too. The technology is as good as its going to get with the ETYs in my opinion. The rest is " snob appeal" like a Rolex or Rolls.

ETY would make better phones if the technology dictated. and the touring acts I work with would be using them as well instead of $400 E5's. They can afford the best and they use the best. I think the ETYs are too sensitive for live monitoring but great for prerecorded music.

I went kicking and screaming into buying a pair, but am not sorry. But I did not use them on the Ipod I sold. so I really cannot speak to that application.

If you like the E71s and your music sounds good enough to you there is nothing wrong with staying the course. I still have mine and am going to keep them. here are guys who spend thousands on an amp because it "sounds' better even though the money spent is for technology the human ear cannot appreciate. After awhile it's about labels, not sound. Just like the Rolex is not about keeping better time.

Wow... the stock phones seem to have gotten a bad rap for themselves.

Does anyone here know a retail store where I can get the EX71s, because I don't have a credit card so the option of buying them online is straight out the window.

Well said Tombo.

Law of diminishing returns means that at some point, things really can't get any better, and even if they were you wouldn't notice it anyway. It's all about the label at that point.

Personally, I like the stock phones. I've never heard a pair before that could play down to 30hz and lower, and still maintain their composure, and this includes many different pairs of headphones and home theatre systems I've been exposed to. The only thing I don't like is that they're uncomfortable. I'm going to try the EX71's, and see if there is any reasonable (read: "financially justifiable") difference to both SQ and comfort.

Eventually, one day, I will own a pair of E3s, but for the money, I find it hard to believe that the difference in SQ is enough to make anyone cry over it.

Just a few weeks ago Tombo77 was saying he couldn't see the point of using phones like the Etys. Regarding his opinions on other phones, pinch of salt and so forth, I believe.

There are quite major changes between all of the canalphones. The EX71's are comparatively good value for money if you don't want to/can't spend more. That's pretty much it. They don't provide the isolation or the sound of the higher-end models.

Don't be misled. The EX71 (and the 70, and the 51) give great isolation and superb comfort, and if you're an undemanding listener or a total basshead you'll love them. But the sound they produce is muddy, with heavy but unsubtle lows and hissy highs. Apart from the isolation and bass, they're worse than the stock buds.

And you don't have to spend hundreds of dollars to get a much better sounding earphone. The Shure E2C sounds way better and so does the E888. It's not a matter of labels, of buying a 'Rolex' of earbuds, it's about buying something that sounds way better for a very modest extra sum.

Of course CD's are a compressed copy of the analogue performance. This is why there is still a vinyl market. Unfortunately, record labels don't sell their master DAT tapes. However, if one desires the greatest amount of audio quality from a CD as a source, introducing lossy compression can only worsen the quality of the sound and isn't recommended.

Originally posted by iPod Master

The cord on the 71s is very thin and flimsy. This means they can rip or damage easily. These headphones should not be used in evtreme activities, but they are fine in most non contact sports. My EX71s just recently broke. The sound does not come out of the right earbud because the cord has been bent by the connector. I do not know how this happened. I have never used this in anything more extreme than shooting basket. This is just a warning to be more careful with you EX71s. [/B]

My right ear went out also,so Im waiting for circuit city to get em in-stock then im gonna go buy a pair and them put my broken ones in it then return them for my money back.
Either that or get a pair of rufurbed ones from sony and sell them on ebay and get some E2c's or somthing not to sure yet.If I do sell them how much do you think I should ask $25-$30?

I was talking about selling the refurbed ones,I was wondering how much does people think I could get.

Ok,Cool,Thanks.