View Full Version : MDR-EX90LP vs super.fi5 pro
Hi all - well my old sony earbuds are giving up the ghost. Unfortunately i can't walk around with my senn HD-595 or sony MDR-SA5000 headsets on a regular basis with my music player so I'm looking for something a bit more compact ;)
Anyway, apologies if this has been covered before, but i really did try the search function to no avail. So, which out of the EX90s or super.fi5 pro would you get?
I've heard great things about both and can't quite make up my mind without testing...which you really can't do in the uk with earbuds as they don't take returns.
The EX90 is apparently really comfortable and has very good sound quality. The super.fi's also have amazing sound quality, but more noise isolation and probably aren't quite as comfortable.
Here's the really important part though - I haven't found anything comparing the Sony and superfi audio performance - they both might sound great, but which in general do people find to be better?
THANKS!!!
EX90: £70
superfi: £169 meep.
Jackonicko
10-31-2006, 05:03 AM
The SuperFi 5EB has such good bass that it's immediately, clearly, demonstrably better than the EX90.
The SuperFi 5EB is very nice, but because the bass performance is 'ordinary' the difference between it and cheaper phones is less obvious, and rather more subtle.
But there's more to it than sound quality. There's comfort, fit ('stick-in-the-earability) and practicality, too.
I own all three, and guess which set lie unused in my study drawer, which set I carry around a lot, and which set stay slung around my neck? (The Pros get no use except when I want to compare the latest headphones someone has sent me, I use the EBs fairly often, and the EX90 is my day-to-day phone - especially for walking).
The EX90 has great sound quality for the price (but buy the SL/SP from Japan or Hong Kong, not the LP that you can now buy in the UK, the short cord model with extension lead is much less breakable) but is still a £70 headphone.
When it comes to audio quality, either SuperFi 5 (and the EB is only £139) is better. But is the Pro £99 better? Is the EB £69 better?
I got mine for nothing, so it's not a judgement that I had to make.
Jackonicko
10-31-2006, 05:04 AM
And for walking it's EX90 all the way. There's too much isolation to walk safely with the SuperFis - you'll never hear the bus that kills you!
Hey, thanks for the info, given that you've got all three.
TBH that's what i thought, but it's good to hear someone confirm it.
In fact i never walk around with music in my ear at all - it's usually in a library when I'm working or in a plane or just lounging about so no fear about the buses!!! They kill you anyway where i am with their crappy brakes with or without sound :)
Other than getting my dad to bring me a set from Hong Kong when he is next there, is there any way to get the SP in the UK (I'll do some quick googling after i post this too).
Do you think the Superfi.pros give enough isolation on a plane? (barring bone conduction of course).
TBH I'll probably end up getting both, but the sonys first :rolleyes:
Found the EX-90SP at audiocubes.com for £60 including delivery - then add VAT and that's £70. Hope there aren't any more surcharges. Are audiocubes ok? They seem to get rave reviews.
Jackonicko
10-31-2006, 10:18 AM
Audiocubes are pretty reputable and ship to the UK
http://www.audiocubes.com/product/Sony_MDR-EX90SL_Earphones.html
As to isolation on airplanes, it depends which aeroplane and where you're sitting. I have a cheap pair of Phillips phones with active noise cancelling for air travel.
Jokieman
11-05-2006, 02:30 AM
Hey Jackonicko I've heard the EB's Bass pretty much overwhelms the mids and highs. Can you Clarify, also how do they fit, are they comfortable? They look extremely bulky to me.
No One
11-05-2006, 03:10 AM
It doesn't seem like a fair comparison to me. The UEs are twin drivers compared to the EX90's one.
I own the Sonys, they are pretty good on sound and isolation. But my ears start to hurt and go sore after listening for more than one hour.
scott2414
11-05-2006, 10:38 AM
I have both and there is no comparison between these 2, the super.fi 5pro blows the sony away in all aspects. Sony is where I started with headphones and then moved on after visiting head-fi.com. The sony's will be good, but once you move up to the super.fi or shure or UM's you will see what I mean.
Jackonicko
11-05-2006, 07:11 PM
1) The SuperFi 5EBs bass does not overwhelm the mids and highs. They are not much more bass heavy than the HJE70 or EX71, and give good mids with good powerful, well defined bass. They are pretty comfortable but you wouldn't lie on your side wearing them.
2) The Sony EX90 does not match the SuperFi 5 for sound, but is better than the SuperFi 3 and is much, much more comfortable. It's better than the Shure E2 or E3.
Hmm, ok - so perhaps the comparison isn't particularly fair - so does anyone have any ideas to what extent the ety ER4P stacks up against the super.fi 5 pros?
Identical price, but interesting to see if there are differences.
Jackonicko
11-06-2006, 06:34 PM
SuperFi every time. Ety's are over-priced.
Really?? I have to admit i'm surprised given that the ety 4p gets so many good reviews and ipodlounge thinks that its better than the super.fi 5 pros. I dunno. So given they are the same price the super.fis are marginally better?
I really wish i could try these out as it's a lot to dump on headphones and avoid the desire to keep on trying others out.
Perhaps it would help if I admitted that 99.99% of my music is classical in the broader sense of the word.
Jokieman
11-06-2006, 08:16 PM
Really?? I have to admit i'm surprised given that the ety 4p gets so many good reviews and iLounge thinks that its better than the super.fi 5 pros. I dunno. So given they are the same price the super.fis are marginally better?
I really wish i could try these out as it's a lot to dump on headphones and avoid the desire to keep on trying others out.
Perhaps it would help if I admitted that 99.99% of my music is classical in the broader sense of the word.
It's a different sound I think. Some people like to hear every individual instrument, which IMO over the course of an hour or so is very fatiguing to my hearing. While others like a more "fun" sound that basically is less analytical/cool and more warm/musical.
I've found that Music makes a big difference when you're thinking about what kind of headphone to get. You might check into the Altec Lansing iM716's..
If you want a wider range of opinions, head on over to http://www6.head-fi.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=2 and make a post detailing your price range, the type of music you like to listen to, and any preference for mids/highs/lows, etc. Also mention what kind of sound you want, warm, or cool. For classical music I would think you might want a more analytical or colder sound, but I'm no expert.
Thanks jokieman - i've been searching through head-fi and the stuff there looks good. I might piggyback on the other Er4p versus super.fi 5 pro thread.
Yeah, I get what you mean. It's just like my hd595 versus the sony MDR-sa5000.
The sony sounds much like the analytical er-4p from what i've been reading and the hd-595 being less clinical like the superfis. I love them both but i could sit for 12hours plus with the senns and feel the music surround me and less for the sonys which also are immersive but do start to tire me. Unfortunately it would only take me a minute to decide between the two :(
And i also appreciate there is no silver bullet. If i'm listening to a fugue or a piece of some intricate orchestral work i would probably want the etys and mdr. If i was just deluging myself with mahler or wagner or verdi or whatnot then the senns or superfi would fit the bill.
but yeah, I'll definitely give head-fi a go.
Anyone have a winning lottery ticket?
yinyang
11-06-2006, 10:55 PM
welcome to the lounge :)
to re-inforce the type of music comment, i feel that the super.fi 5Pros deal pretty well with Vivaldi and Bach, and also most types of other music, ranging from hip hop to pop :)
there is a 'mod' for the super.fi 5Pros where you switch the cables so that the bulk of the phones are less noticeable, and they sit flush with your ear a bit more. for me they seem a bit more comfortable this way and I can wear them for quite a few hours, though the fact that i need to interact with people at work means that they can't stay in for an eight hour stretch!!
coming from the Ety ER6i the UEs are definitely much warmer, though I feel that adds a nice texture to the sound. some people claim that etys tend to be 'flat', which to others, flat means 'accurate'. i think the UEs are more fun to listen with, which unfortunately is a very subjective term, so just be prepared for a lot of very non-specific terminolgy :)
good luck with your search!