Question about sony's MDR-EX81SL

[jtorchy]

This is going to sound really stupid, but there any problems when you use Japanese products on US based ones? I have only seen these items selling on Japanese sites online (well except for one english one as well). I just don't wanna lay down money on something that isn't going to work on my ipod. They have been getting good reviews I heard, and is the same product as the 71's (except sony finally figured out having the h.ear design to go along with it).

[chicken]

Yes you can use them without any problems, the only time you really run into problems is importing things that run on mains power (diff votages in various countries) or language problems in interfaces. Headphones have neither of these, so you can safely import them from anywhere and plug them straight in.

[JBF]

I'm just worried that if I buy the 81s to replace the 71s that I lost... that the 81s might not fit properly when I wear my glasses.

[smessvader]

I ordered the EX-81s from a japanese seller on ebay, and although i don't understand the directions, everything works great! I highly recommend these phones - they are awesome for the price. They are very comfortable (esp. if you've already tried the 71's) and the sound is great - much better than the 71's. I have a feeling that the bass improved quite a bit after 2 weeks of use, by the way, so don't worry if it sounds weak at first. Also, despite Horwitz's review, I think the little case provided is great - it protects the actual plugs from getting dirty, which is really all you need. good luck!

[dadeef]

I got the ex81's at warehouse123.com(from Hong Kong). Ive had these headphones for over a month now. These headphones are very comfortable. It dosent have as much bass as the 71's though but remedies that with more accurate bass and more details when you are listening.

[TonySunshine]

I own both the 71's and 81's, and honestly, I prefer the 71's. Why? Cuz the clips on the 81's rnt as great as u think. They rnt adjustable, jus flexable, which doesnt really help the fit. And since the earbuds now come from the top of ur ear instead of the bottom, I find it harder to get a good position and seal. As for the sound, its hard to tell the difference. The 81's have less bass and r slightly more refined, but the difference isnt very significant and doesnt bother me. My advice to you would be to buy a pair of 81's from where u can return them and try them out, especially for the clip fitting.

[jtorchy]

Originally posted by chicken
Yes you can use them without any problems, the only time you really run into problems is importing things that run on mains power (diff votages in various countries) or language problems in interfaces. Headphones have neither of these, so you can safely import them from anywhere and plug them straight in.

damn, I totolly forgot about the glasses factor. *wears a pair of super cool glasses* :)

[canadan]

hey guys, I've been reading several messages that people have been putting up on the board regarding the Sony EX71's versus the EX81's and I'm totally confused as to which one I should get. Is the sound from 71 really richer than the 81's? Is the fit of the 81's really more awkward with tendency for them to slip out? I'm getting one of these pairs for sure but undecided. Honest opinion anyone?

[The Basil]

ex81's are better soundwise, but if you have small(er) ears, get the 71's because the fit will be much better.

[smessvader]

I'll give you my honest opinion, since I have thought a lot about it and tried them both (although in all honesty, I have had the 81s for a few weeks, and I only tried the 71s for about 3 days).

Obviously, the 81s are more expensive, but I think they are totally worth it - I love them. The 71s go in your ears very easily, and sound very good, but I think that when you compare them to the 81s, their bass is noticeably muddier - some might think that means it's "stronger" but only inasmuch as it overpowers the detail that comes through on better headphones like the 81s. Personally, as I reported above, the 81s' bass underwhelmed me at first, but I think that a) the bass got better after "burning in" the phones after about a week, and b) once I switched to the largest plugs - you might notice them more than the medium plugs, but the better the seal, the better the bass. Now, I think that the 81s are phenomenal headphones - not as much detail as etymotic's and not as much rich bass as bose or grado, but a great balance between them, and overall wonderful rich sound across the range.

I also think the fit is great - if you have small ears, then maybe the earhooks won't work for you, but they work great for me. Having the cords go behind my ears (and then putting the necklace cord behind your ears, once you get used to it) basically mean nothing will pull them out of my ear (unlike the 71s, where the necklace cord is a liability). I wear glasses, and they work fine - in fact, I hook them behind my glasses for an even more secure fit. The only downside I have is that when I hear a winter knit hat, they slightly dislodge them and I lose some bass.

In short, unless you have small ears or really want to save the money, I highly recommend the 81s. They are the best earphones for the dollar that I've ever had - My guess is that you won't be disappointed with the 71's, but you'll love the 81s.

[xluben]

I have the EX-81's and I recommend them to anyone looking to buy a new pair of headphones. I feel that their comfort level is equal to the 71's and the sound is better. The ear hooks just fit behind my ears (almost too big), but they help hold the headphones in MUCH better. I use these when I am working out and the clips often get tugged on, but the headphones do not loosen at all. If you have extremely small ears they may not work, or if you ear canals angle upward a lot (this causes the clip to sit away from the head) they may not work, but other than that the clips are great.

I found that these headphones sound a LOT better after a short burn-in period. I used them for a few weeks (an hour a day) and I thought they definitely lacked bass. Actually, the first time I put them in I was fairly dissapointed (I thought the sound was very similar to the Apple headphones). But the last two days I played them non-stop through my computer, and now there is much more bass, and I think they sound great. These headphones would sound even better with an amp between them and the iPod, because I have found that from more powerful sources (computer, stereo) these headphones sound even better than from the iPod.

I would recommend these headphones over the EX-71's if you are willing to pay a little more and get them shipped from China.

[canadan]

thanks so much for the advice, I'm decided, I'll get the EX-81's. They sell alot on ebay, but not sure if I should go to a more trusted source like audio cubes listed from this site. It's probably the safest bet. Thanks again :)

[TigerLord]

I have a few questions on my own regarding the 71SL and 81SL...

My retail apple headphones included with my mini just broke on me... for some reason the plastic over the cord detached and well, even if they still work, they're starting to fade away.

I looked on EBAY for a new pair (8.00$US) ... but then I read these reviews... and I have a few questions.

1- I read that for the 81SL you need the remote to have acceptable lenght (otherwise with the extra cord it is way too long) ... is it SO long?

2- Is the sound difference between factory ipod headphones and 71SL or 81SL so big and worth the 50$US difference ?

3- If yes, which is better between 71SL and 81SL if the white clips on 81SL don't bother me ? I am keen on comfort !

[brownbuffer]

Get the 81's. Huge step up from the stock headphones, comparable to the Shure E2c's with more comfort. As has been said in other threads/websites, the 81's have less bass than the 71's but are much better balanced. The rubber inserts form a sort of gasket in your ear canal, so they naturally block out a lot of noise.

1. I borrowed a friend's remote and it's about right if you're sticking it around your belt or a jacket pocket. I mostly wear shirts with vest pockets, so the regular cable length without extension works perfectly with those. In other situations, I'll use the extension with about half of it rolled up and wrapped with a twist-tie.

2. Huge difference, as mentioned above. Better midrange, clearer definition, though after a few weeks, they still sound a bit cold.

3. The clips are a mixed bag. I prefer clip-style over regular earbuds, so these work well especially if you're the type that inadvertantly tugs on your headphones from time to time. But the clips aren't adjustable, so you may find that depending on your ear size, they may or may not clip so well. If you have the buds inserted well and comfortably, this shouldn't matter much.

Bottom line is that if you want better sound at a good price, the premium over the stock buds and the 71's is justified. I've recommended them to two friends and they love 'em. Got them at Audiocubes.

[mudiare]

I have owned both the 71's and the 81's and here is my verdict and i think it should give you an idea of what to choose

The 71's have more boomy bass and muddy lows. They are not as clear an d the bass can be a little overpowering. They are more comfortable than the 81's and easier to wear and get a decent seal. On the flip side, the junction where both wires (lft and rt) meet is made of chrome plated plastic and is kinda heavy so it makes the shorter headphone ear fall out. The small size of this earphone makes is easy to store, real easy

The 81's are more clear and the bass is not too overpowering. On the other hand, the earclips are a little annoying, the do not look flush on the side of your head, the hang out akwardly and you cannot get as decent a seal as on the 71's without a lot of fiddling. In addition, they are kinda big and thus get dirty really easy. This is annoying and i will estimate that you will have to clean them once or twice a week as opposed to the 71's which have an earbud and does not require as much cleaning. In addition, they make the headphones a pain in the but to store. The junction is made of light (white) plastic and so the problem of the earphone falling out is take care of. Overall, the 81's are a 15-25% increase in sound quality above the 71's but a -10 -15% decrease in convenience (+ for earphone not falling out but - for fit, cleaning, and storage ) below the 71's.

One thing you should note is that the apple earphones are the most convenient headphones to own for the ipod. The wires are the perfect length, the looks are perfect and they are easy to store and clean. The downside is that they do sound a little crappy, and hurt your ears after wearing them for a while.

The problem with the sony earphones is that the earphone cord is short, which is perfect for use with an armband or lanyard (like the one that comes with the speck products case) however, most peopl e who own ipods never use them this way hence the extension cord . The problem with the extension cord is that it is way too long and flimsy. The length of the cord alone is enough of a deal breaker for me when using the headphones. It is downright annoying. You have to fold the cord or find a creative way of wrapping it aound the ipod. This is too much of an iconvenience for me. A lot of people say that you can use the apple remote to correct this, and all i have to say is that it could not be any further from the truth. I purchased the apple remote and it was only about 2 inches shorter than the actual extension cord which by the way is about 8-12 inches too long. I guess people who stated the above were people who had used the regular apple headphones remote as they are about 6-10 inches longer than the sony's without the extension cord. If you fall into this category then no doubt you will enjoy the less cord you get from using the sony sl(short lenght) headphones as they were made to be used with remotes.
In addition, a problem you get from all in ear earphones is the echo effect. When no music is on, you can hear your heart beat or your breathing. If you the cord rubs or touches anything, you will hear the sound amplified by a factor of ten sort of like a stethoscope (sorry about spelling) even when the player is on. Any noises generated from chewing, breathing hard and amplifies when using these type of earphones Personally, i have not really had a problem with this occurence and i do not think this is a dealbreaker for me or anyone in paticular.
Finally the sonys use a behind the ear fitment with uneven cord length. This means that you do not get the regular Y joint that most headphones feature. This feature is supposed to let the earphones hang on your shoulder when you take them out (which everyone does all the time when you want to hear something or someone or traffic .......) However, this means that your cord goes down one side and not the middle. This is perfect for me when working out or with an armband because the cord never gets in the way. But when using the headphones with the extension cord, it gets a little bit annoying because you can only put your ipod on the side where the cord falls as opposed to when using the regular ipod headphones which allow you to place the ipod on either side because the cord falls in the middle

In conclusion, I use both the apple in ear headphones and the sony ex81. I use the apples for regular day to day activity and the 81's when i am working out. Personally i will sacrifice sound quality for convenience which is why i still use the apple earphones because they are simple and elegant.

One final word, the sony's look great and complement the ipod but not as well as the original earphones. For another pair of earphones that match the ipod well, consider the audio technica ath-cm3 which is available for about $60 from www.audiocubes.com. The 71's can be gotten for as low as $30 for a black one and 35 for a white one. If you are going to get the black one, get the ex-51sl which cost about 20-24 from amazon.com. They offer the same sound as the 71's but use one long cord as opposed to short cord with extension. Note however that it the cord is still too long (my friend has them they are about 6-9 inches longer than the apple ones) and they do not look as good as the 71's (due to the lack of the chrome detailing on the phones). The 81's cost anywhere from 50-65 depending on where you get them from. If you are on a really tight budget and do not care about looks or short cord length, go for the 51s, they provide excellent sound at a decent price. If you must have the short cord length, but dont care about looks or matching color, then spring for the black 71's which by the way come with a better case then the white ones (dunno why). If you want great sound and want matching color, then choose the white 71's which are perfect amind the minor nuances. Finally if you have the money and want to step up to clearer sound, choose the 81's especially if you have an armband or remote. If you are an audiophile, then you should not even be reading this long commentary, go for the high end shures and etymotics.
If you have read the entire commentary to the end, then congratulations you are a nerd. Thanks for your time

[TigerLord]

Man, your post was great... you did answer any question probably anyone would have... great 1st post ! And the end was funny ! Well I guess that makes me a nerd now doesn't it :)

I am NOT on a tight budget, but seeing how the 81SL are not so better than the 71SL, and there is a 40-45 price difference, Im probaly gonna go with the 71SL ... and yes, style does matter for me, so I will order the white ones ! :) I always had crappy earphones, and I thought the apple earbuds gave good sound... it shows are a noob I am at this :) So for me the 71SL will probably be enought !!!

Thanks for your post !

[ruach10]

update- ex81s are now avalible in the usa and 51s now come in white

also 81s come with one piece cord like 51s

check it out!!:Dhttp://www.sonystyle.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/eCS/Store/en/-/USD/SY_DisplayProductInformation-Start?CategoryName=pa_PADepartmentAccessories_Head phones_Fontopia%2e%2fEarbud&ProductSKU=MDREX81LP%2fW&TabName=specs
ecost (http://www.ecost.com/ecost/shop/detail.asp?dpno=528492)