Sony MDR-EX51LP Fontopia Headphones Editorial Review: Sony's first closed-type Fontopia design reduces outside noise for high-intensity listening, helping to generate powerful, resonant bass response. So exercise, dance, or skate with the new MDR-EX51LP Fontopia headphones. Featuring a super-light in-the-ear design for a snug, comfortable fit inside the ear - eliminating the headband, super-small 9 mm drivers, and soft, silicon earbuds, these headphones were created to enhance your on-the-go listening. Two sizes of earbuds are also included. So move to your music with the MDR-EX51LP.
Customer Reviews: Great Sound and Price I've owned so many of these I've lost count for family members and gifts. They sound great and I can even participate in loud activities (lawn mowing) and still listen to them. Great sound, great range, great price (if under $20). What more can you ask for?
Will shock your ear during exercise. Will fall apart within 1 year. I have now owned 3 pairs of these headphones (and a fourth over the ear version). This will be my last pair.
Both of the previous pairs broke apart at the ear bud. The wire disconnects from the transducer and they become worthless. I switched to the Sony MDR-EX81LP Bud-Style (hangs over the ear) Stereo Earphones to try and eliminate this problem.
Now the earphone shocks my ear while running. I am worried that it will damage my hearing.
I have slowly eliminated all the user-related variable to failure and determined that Sony produces cheap headphones that are UNSAFE and will fall apart. I can say this with confidence because I have purchased 4 pair total over the last 3 years.
A month in and good so far I bought a pair of the same headphones in black several years ago, and after several years one of the ear buds stopped working. I've been using the white version for about a month now and everything is kosher.
The rubber used to cover the wires is a bit more rigid as others have noted. I haven't spotted any wear on it and I do keep the headphones in my pocket. Almost everything I own is destroyed instantly, so in a way it's impressive that the earphones have made it this far.
I'm also a big fan of the asymmetrical wiring. Rather than hanging off your ears, the ear buds are balanced off the wire that drapes behind your neck. It's a lot more comfortable and minimizes the number of times my iPod has shot off the treadmill when I moved too suddenly (file under the 'destroying everything I own' part).
Low frequencies don't sound terribly good on these headphones and the volume is a tad low, so I certainly wouldn't recommend these for high fidelity acoustics. However, the ear bud suction cups do seem to block out a lot of the background noise, so I can hear dialog on the TV in a crowded gym if I turn the volume up.
I paid about $20 for these. You can't get much cheaper than that.
Summary: Cheap and comfortable ear buds for around town, but not your listening room.
To be avoided I am a huge Sony fan, so when I thought I'd like to try sound isolating earbuds, I read the reviews and chose these for there supposed sound. I'd also purchased a set of Skullcandy INK'D Earbuds - Dark Grey. The Skullcandy INK'D buds DO have two issues--they don't label L&R and when the wires are jostled, the sound is conducted to the earbuds, probably due to the heavier wire than in the Sonys--but otherwise the Skullcandy buds, blow the Sonys away. These Sony earbuds have a very thin, anemic sound. The Skullcandy buds, on the other hand, come close to sounding like real headphones. The Sonys are going back and I'm getting two more sets of INK'D.
Don't get strayed by the negatives! Great product, great sound (bass), great price! Buy it! I originally was strayed by the negative reviews, but I purchased the earphones anyway because I wanted to compare JBUDS and these. My boyfriend always purchases these because he kept on complaining about my ipod headphones. I'm glad he told me to buy these. They're wonderful! Just take care of the wires, and try to not to knot them by utilizing the carrying case.
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