EX51's not so good....(imho)

[nickgall2nd]

I just picked up some EX51's from Best Buy earlier today and I've already returned them.

My initial impression was pretty positive. I really enjoyed the bass, it was just how I like it. However when I started testing the Apple stock buds with the EX51's one after the other after the other, etc., I noticed that there was very little definition to the mids and highs. I was using Celine Dion "To Love You More" (don't ask) as a benchmark, and her voice just seemed...... wider with the apple buds. More colorful. I could hear little details in her voice that were just lacking with the EX51's. Not that the EX51's sounded bad, but they just didn't sound RIGHT. OBVIOUSLY, the apple buds were completely lacking in bass in comparison to the sonys.

I hear the EX81's are better in the highs and mids. I think maybe they would be right for me, but first I am going to try the JVC HA-FX55VW's. I can find very little info about them out there, but what I have read is positive.

The highest I am willing to go is to the E2C's, and even paying that much for phones makes me uncomfortable. So I hope these JVC's work out...

[dorme1]

I did the same thing, bought some 51's from best buy and returned them right away. They seemed to have decent bass, but the treble was HARSH. I started listening to mazzy star and they sounded great (kind of acoustic) then I went to soundgarden and prong, and prong actually hurt to listen to. I think I'm going to splurge and get some shure e3's from ecost for 115.

[RNELSON]

i like the 51s because they are much more comfortable than e3cs. i also like bass, but it is a bit to bass heavy, and they are very muddy headphones. but they are good for my needs as a non audiophile. i just bought senn hd201s as circumaural closed headphones and so far i have been blown away from the balance and clarity from these 20 dollar headphones. they are big and are good, and like the ex51s they provide some isolation. i was listening to them with my shuffle at a very low volume while studying tonite, and when i was done and took em off i just noticed it was raining. the isolation isnt that great, but it does the job.

[Bulldoze10]

I got mine for $30 online, and for that price I think it's excellent.

You should've waited a couple more days to let em burn in a lil bit, cuz they do get better.

[bdb]

The Sony buds are just given way too much credit on this forum. They're "OK", that's about it. The isolation is great on airplanes, though.