Home > Consumer Reviews > Sony MDR-EX71SLW Stereo Earphones - White

I bought these to replace the black version that I'd had for a good year and a half, before accidentally breaking them.

Essentially, the sound quality of the white version is exactly the same, however, the reliability is not. The first pair I had lasted three months of reasonable usage, and with me taking good care of them, then inexplicably (no damage or anything could be seen) the left earphone stopped working. Amazon kindly sent a replacement pair, which then stopped working in the left ear in much the same way after a month of usage; literally I took the earphone out to speak to somebody, then popped it back in and no sound. If an earphone can't stand up to simply being removed and replaced then it's not worth buying.

My advice - buy the black version!

Extremely uncomfortable at first, but I got used to them within a couple of weeks. They have a superb sound, and are ideal for anyone that listens to music whilst walking next to busy roads as they block out the background noise (just keep your eyes peeled!). Unfortunately after 3 months of daily use they started to fall apart, until finally the wire connecting the left earphone wore completely through. The wires are 'protected' by a really flimsy layer of rubber type material, and it is this that gave way first. But it is not the only thing to fall apart, as the plastic seal on the right earphone has also split. I only bought them 5 months ago, so it's not very good really, especially from a company like Sony.

...but with some fundamental flaws which don't ensure 100% compatability.

1. The power of these headphones, providing fluid, effortless bass is obviously a good thing for iPod owners, tired of their tinny freebie pack in 'phones from Apple. However, they require more power from the iPods battery, so consequently you need the volume turned up higher for a similar volume, draining your battery a little bit more.

2. The headphone jack on the extension cord is at 90 degrees to the cable, unlike on Apple's which remains straight to the cable. This can cause a bit of dubious bending in certain pocket scenarios.

However, neither of these very minor cons should put off any potential buyers. The increased sound quality is well worth it. As previously said, bass is improved upon. As is texture. The frequency range is wide so whereas with other headphones you here a low rumbling mush - bass notes and hits can easily be distinguished allowing you to hear music as the artist intended.

After shelling out large amounts of dosh for your music, you might as well get as much from it as possible by buying these.

Plus points:
1. The most comfortable 'phones ever made - seriously, they hardly notice when in
2. Assuming you can get a snug fit in your ear with the rubber sleeves, the bass is very good and they block out background noise reasonably well

Minus points:
1. Treble is a little harsh and mids lacking - probably well suited if you like dance music, I suspect disastrous for classical
2. The cable is a little flimsy (but actually better than my old - black - MDR-EX71's: thanks for listening Sony)
3. As with most other people, I find the cable too short and the supplied extension lead too long.

Summary:
Sound is always going to be a compromise versus size for in-ear phones. As with all similar in-ear phones (Shure, Etymotic etc) you need to get a snug fit to get decent sound - obviously this is very hard to check out in advance unless you have a willing friend. I use a paid of Etymotic ER-6i's for long trips - the sound is phenomonal, however these cost £80+, so I use the Sony's for workouts, gardening etc. Having tried nearly everything these really are the best in-ear phones for £25, particularly if you like dance/rock music.

I've had these headphones for a month now as a replacement to the standard headphones that came with my iPod (which started to hiss continuously after a week)and I must say they are every bit as good as headphones that cost 3 times as much! I compared them to my friends £130 Shure in-ear headphones and the difference in sound quality wasn't as great as you might think...

There is a BUT - you must have them pushed right in to the ear canal to get the full range of bass, if they sit loosely or you don't push them in enough you won't be able to appreciate the sound quality and they will sound tinny. It feels a bit weird at first to actually push something into your ear but you soon get used to it, its quite comfortable with the added benefit of blocking out external noise. Buy them, you won't regret it...