My girlfriend just got me a new iPod with the Sony MDR-EX51LP headphones, and I gotta say this is one of the best earbud headphones out there for the money.

She paid $40 from apple.com but you can pick these up for around $30 shipped from buy.com or macwarehouse.

Though these are not noise cancelling headphones the amount of noise this thing blocks out is great for the cost. Along with that the sound clarity and quality is awesome. They are almost as good as my studio reference headphones. These don't put out as much bass as I thought they would but for 9mm drivers it is still amazing.

I'd say for anyone interested in getting some headphones for jogging, working out, or anything where you have to be mobile, these are a good buy.

 

I've got the MDR-EX71SL which I got on eBay for $23+shipping. They're a great step up from the 51s. The buds are comfy, and I've used them since a few days after I got my nano. They're black so it matches my black nano great!
The bass response on the EX71SL is great, as long as you've got the correct buds. If you use some that are too big or too small, the bass will fall out. Also, if they're not positioned correctly (all the way in), the bass will be insufficient. The onlydownside is the headphone cables are VERY thin and teh whole thing feels super fragile. They come with a carrying case but I never use it. They come with an extension because the regular cable is like 2' long. The other downside is that they block out so much noise sometimes you can hear yourself breating or if the cables hit stuff, you hear it quite a bit.

 

excellent post. I've been a user of this series of headphones since about '96. Currently I have both the 71's and the 51's. I had the 71's first, but got tired of the long ass cord with the extender in the middle and got the 51's. The build quality on the 51's is not as good (uses plastic) but I felt free-er without the extender thing and I really like em. But now I use both on and off, primarily the 51's. Sound quality is identical, along with their specs.

For some reason, the OLDER series of these had more bass than the newer ones. I wish Sony wouldn't have changed this, I broke my old ones and had to get the new ones and was surprised at the reduction in bass. But still, these are what I would recommend to anyone with an mp3 player of any sort.

 

How much better are they then the stock earbuds that come with the Nano? I think the sound quality is pretty good but the're not very comfortable.

 

They're not just better - they're exponentially better. The sound quality of the stock earbuds on the nano suck ass compared to these. Plus they're more comfy and the sound isolation is great (vs no isolation provided by the nano oem ones.)

There are other options, but at this price range, the Sony Fontopia line is great.

 

I have a variation of these that come with the W800. Very good headphones. People said they weren't that great, but they are pretty damn good to me. I could take a little more bass response though.

 

I think these headphones are a pretty good deal! I ended up getting pairs for both my mom and my brother. I was a bit hesitant to buy these since I'm squeamish about putting things in my ears but they were so comfy. I guess I have small earholes or something, but the stock Apple earbuds don't fit me at all.

The one thing I worry about is wearing these out on the street - I can't really hear any background noise.

 

I have the 71's as well and I love them. They are such great earbuds.

 

^^^ yeah. you have to be careful. these block out a LOT of sound - especially if you listen to your music loud, which I do. so if I'm in a very public place, I either turn the music down or take em out. a positive thing about this is, you can use em as ear plugs too they are great but you definitely have to be aware of your surroundings and listen responsibly.

 

I think sound quality is huge, however the comfort of these headphones are amazing. I find that most headphones can't stay in my ear that long due to uncomfort. However after listening to music with these earbuds I sometimes forget I even have headphones on.

I wish I got these sooner.

 

Anybody have an extra pair of the regular size buds they want to give me? I lost one of them and now have to use the big ones which dont fit quite as well. I cant justify buying new headphones for just one ear piece thingy. Was tempted to buy a pair taking one of the ear things and returning it but then realized that would be totally wrong.

 

LOL, I used to do that a lot when I was younger. Buying stuff, then removing something I need, then returning it. But now I don't steel and stuff like that cause it's wrong.

 

Are the 71s that much better than the 51s? The cord on the 51s sounds much more manageable...

 

one time I had to buy a replacement set, such as this - those pieces are very important.

http://www.audiocubes.com/product/So...X51SP_NX1.html

$10, better than nothing. you might be able to find em for cheaper somewhere else.

 

sound quality is identical. the cord on the 71 gets in the way sometimes. I would say go for the 51's.

 

Exactly what I wanted to hear - thanks!

 

I love mine. If I am indoors, I have to be a bit careful because they tune out almost everything.

I'm in London for the time being and they are amazing for walks across the city. I can still hear if a car is coming or beeping, but I won't be as bothered by all the traffic or people - because I tune it out.

 

I saw some 81s at goodguys. Are they "better" than the 51s and 71s?

 

You couldve just asked me.


Though I'm now down to the two smallest earbuds, one medium and one large.

 

You have them? Cool - I'll just steal yours and get new buds for them.

 

by the specs, they are rated at 5 - 23,000Hz vs. 6 - 23,000Hz for the 71's/51's - technically this means they have lower bass, but I don't know whether you would be able to distinguish that. that's the only difference, number-wise.

physically, they have a different design:



I think this is just personal preference - but I prefer the less-bulky design of the 71's/51's.

 

I have the 81's... had the 71's for years before that. The 71's would always fall out of my ears... well, occasionally... lol...

The 81's provide a bit more stability (with the top ear thingy), but, they look relatively hideous on your ears, because they don't really sit flush with your ears... they lie a bit forward I find, to get a grip to work... so they end up looking kinda funky, but it's all good -- they still sound fantastic.