dvdrsmth
01-07-2007, 12:41 AM
Over the last couple of years I have been on a quest to find a reasonably priced (~$100) replacements for the stock iPod earphones. Over the last few years I have demo'ed and returned/sold the following:
1. Sony E71
2. Shure E2C
3. Shure E3C
4. Etymotic ER-6i
5. Apple in-ear headphones
6. Bose IE (I was curious!!)
6. Misc ones not worth mentioning
Again, I ended up either selling or returning all of the above either for overall poor sound quality (Apple, Sony 71's, Bose) or the feeling of having a medical device crammed into the inner depths of my skull (Shure and Ety's). Until Sony released these little gems my favorite portable headphones were the Sennheiser's PX200's. Still, even with the great sound quality and portability of the PX200's, what I really wanted was a solution without the extra bulk.
In all fairness, the Shure E3C's/ER6i's have better overall sound quality, but I could never get past what was required to get them to sound good; i.e. the fit. When I was listening to the Shure's I was constantly reminded that they were in my ears (deep!). The outside noise isolation was great on the occasion when I needed to block out noise (riding bus, etc) but in the end the extreme isolation really turned out to be more a nuisance than a feature.
So, back to the EX90's. Overall the sound is balanced yet detailed and revealing. The highs can be a bit harsh at times. The harshness seems to be more apparent at higher volume levels. I find myself wanting to listen to the 90's at a higher volume level to get a similar bass response of other headphones I've used (this is where a sealed system like the Shure's will always win). However, don't get me wrong, the bass is still satisfying at moderate volume levels. I'll break out the Sennheiser's or another pair of cans when I want jaw rattling bass. Tip: try the different ear inserts to get the best fit as this does help the bass response (since the 90's are an "open" design, getting a good seal is not crucial given the large drivers).
All-in-all the engineers at Sony hit a homerun with the MDREX90's in my opinion. I believe sound quality compromises were made in all the right areas for this design. The end result is a highly satisfying product that is comfortable, reasonably priced (at least on sale), and stylish.
Finally, the sound of the 90's does change some with time (especially in the first couple of hours). Allow at least one night of break-in before passing final judgment.
1. Sony E71
2. Shure E2C
3. Shure E3C
4. Etymotic ER-6i
5. Apple in-ear headphones
6. Bose IE (I was curious!!)
6. Misc ones not worth mentioning
Again, I ended up either selling or returning all of the above either for overall poor sound quality (Apple, Sony 71's, Bose) or the feeling of having a medical device crammed into the inner depths of my skull (Shure and Ety's). Until Sony released these little gems my favorite portable headphones were the Sennheiser's PX200's. Still, even with the great sound quality and portability of the PX200's, what I really wanted was a solution without the extra bulk.
In all fairness, the Shure E3C's/ER6i's have better overall sound quality, but I could never get past what was required to get them to sound good; i.e. the fit. When I was listening to the Shure's I was constantly reminded that they were in my ears (deep!). The outside noise isolation was great on the occasion when I needed to block out noise (riding bus, etc) but in the end the extreme isolation really turned out to be more a nuisance than a feature.
So, back to the EX90's. Overall the sound is balanced yet detailed and revealing. The highs can be a bit harsh at times. The harshness seems to be more apparent at higher volume levels. I find myself wanting to listen to the 90's at a higher volume level to get a similar bass response of other headphones I've used (this is where a sealed system like the Shure's will always win). However, don't get me wrong, the bass is still satisfying at moderate volume levels. I'll break out the Sennheiser's or another pair of cans when I want jaw rattling bass. Tip: try the different ear inserts to get the best fit as this does help the bass response (since the 90's are an "open" design, getting a good seal is not crucial given the large drivers).
All-in-all the engineers at Sony hit a homerun with the MDREX90's in my opinion. I believe sound quality compromises were made in all the right areas for this design. The end result is a highly satisfying product that is comfortable, reasonably priced (at least on sale), and stylish.
Finally, the sound of the 90's does change some with time (especially in the first couple of hours). Allow at least one night of break-in before passing final judgment.