Sony MDR-EX71SLB Fontopia Headphones - Black

When the fontopia range of headphones came out I bought a pair, the older version of these (EX-70's) and to be honest was neither happy nor sad (but I wanted to say dam these headphones are the business man!). They went back to the drawing board with these and created a gem that should have been but fell at the final hurdle. They may seem expensive but these are top spec headphones. The sound output is awesome (you would need a good pair of DJ headphones to beat these – you would need to pay a lot more then!) as with the previous model except bass and treble output has increased furthermore! With all fontopia headphones tiny little 9mm motors drive the speakers. Designed to fit into your ear nice and snug with a set of different plugs (depending on your ear size) to prevent them falling out like a cheap pair of headphones would. It comes with a small plastic holder to keep the headphones protected (same as previous model) when not in use.

When I forked out for the old pair I was missing something, they were still great but I had no extras. I was expecting more than some top spec headphones for the price. With the new version you get a free soft pouch to keep your player in. I think the pouch though was designed for one thing – for Sony’s line of NETMD players (i.e. MZ-N1 etc) as it fits one of these perfect. This time you don’t get a load of wire. It was nothing but a nuisance when you were on the move. They have included extension cord if you need the extra wire instead – thanks Sony! Most walkmans have controllers to switch between tracks the extra wire is not needed unless you don’t use a controller (personally sometimes I don’t) or don’t have one, its helpful either way!

So here comes the moment of truth…

GOOD NEWS:

SOUND: Top notch you can hear every note being played for any genre of music COMFORT: Fits perfect in your ear nicely
STYLE: Nicely packaged and presented the headphones have a silver metallic finish for each one with the Sony brand where the wire splits to each headphone.

BAD NEWS:

PRICE: It is worth it if you want the best sound and headphones that don’t fall out your ears!

Supplied with:

Extension cord (1m) Earbuds (Sx2, Mx2, Lx2) Holder and carrying pouch & the usual 1yr guarantee from Sony.


Sony does it again.   June 25, 2003
80 out of 82 found this review helpful

These tiny headphones are excellent.

When fitted correctly (see below), all external noise is cut out and, with my Sony MD / MP3, I'm rewarded with strong (but not overbearing) bass; treble which has "presence" without being tinny; and crisp clear vocals.

Combined with their unique design - which makes them for me by far the most comfortable in-the-ear phones I've ever owned (plus, they never fall out!) - and I'm one v. satisfied customer...

One point to highlight: to ensure the best depth and clarity of sound from these little gems, it's important to use them with the correct size of (silicone) earpiece for your ear (S, M and L are supplied). They should be a tight, although comfortable, fit. With all external noise blocked out, you'll be rewarded with great sound. I highlight this because when using mine for the first time (with the medium earpieces that were fitted) I was dissapointed by the quietness of vocals and a bass that was too powerful. However, this problem was quickly resolved by my replacing with the larger earpieces.

Since I bought these phones for their sound quality - rather than the accompanying accessories - I won't comment on, for example, the small plastic carry case. Suffice to say, it adequately does its job but is easily lost.

Although not cheap, for their quality, I think these headphones offer good value for money. I'd recommend them to anyone looking for a comfortable, lightweight design, combined with outstanding sound.


Failed after 3 weeks   February 13, 2004
76 out of 95 found this review helpful

I know this is a harsh rating to give, but I think a product needs to be rated on more than simply how nice it is when it works. It's useful for people to know how reliable a product is as well as how well it performs. On the basis of this product failing after 3 weeks use (the left channel has cut out), I can only give it 1 star. You may discount this review on the basis that it could be a one off, but if everyone gave feedback when products go wrong, the buyers would get a much better idea of which products are built well... and which ones need to be replaced every few months (or weeks!).

Sound wise, these phones may not be to everyone's taste. I went for them mainly because they are small, and they block out outside noise (very handy on the tube). They are also comfortable to wear. However, the sound is nothing special. The bass is strong, which is a plus, but it lacks clarity, and the mid range seems distant. For the money, you could definitely get better sound from a pair of closed ear headphones, but if you're only after earbuds then these are probably the best bet at this price.

I've generally been finding that Sony aren't making products as well built as they used to. Also, try not to lose the rubber buds that fit on the end as Sony charge 6 for replacements.


Sony MDR-EX71SLB   May 25, 2003
53 out of 57 found this review helpful

I open the packet of headphones hoping it were not going to be an anti climax and finally the people at Sony listened (literally) these headphones are fantastic! These reasons I tell you why...

When the fontopia range of headphones came out I bought a pair, the older version of these (EX-70's) and to be honest was neither happy nor sad (but I wanted to say dam these headphones are the business man!). They went back to the drawing board with these and created a gem that should have been but fell at the final hurdle. They may seem expensive but these are top spec headphones. The sound output is awesome (you would need a good pair of DJ headphones to beat these – you would need to pay a lot more then!) as with the previous model except bass and treble output has increased furthermore! With all fontopia headphones tiny little 9mm motors drive the speakers. Designed to fit into your ear nice and snug with a set of different plugs (depending on your ear size) to prevent them falling out like a cheap pair of headphones would. It comes with a small plastic holder to keep the headphones protected (same as previous model) when not in use.

When I forked out for the old pair I was missing something, they were still great but I had no extras. I was expecting more than some top spec headphones for the price. With the new version you get a free soft pouch to keep your player in. I think the pouch though was designed for one thing – for Sony’s line of NETMD players (i.e. MZ-N1 etc) as it fits one of these perfect. This time you don’t get a load of wire. It was nothing but a nuisance when you were on the move. They have included extension cord if you need the extra wire instead – thanks Sony! Most walkmans have controllers to switch between tracks the extra wire is not needed unless you don’t use a controller (personally sometimes I don’t) or don’t have one, its helpful either way!

So here comes the moment of truth…

GOOD NEWS:

SOUND: Top notch you can hear every note being played for any genre of music
COMFORT: Fits perfect in your ear nicely and the pouch is soft and furry!!
STYLE: Nicely packaged and presented the headphones have a silver metallic finish for each one with the Sony brand where the wire splits to each headphone.

BAD NEWS:

PRICE: Expensive but It is worth it if you want the best sound and headphones that don’t fall out your ears!

Supplied with:

Extension cord (1m) Earbuds (Sx2, Mx2, Lx2) Holder and carrying pouch & the usual 1yr guarantee from Sony.


Good, but not faultless   July 8, 2005
45 out of 45 found this review helpful

I have been using these headphones daily for over a year now. I love bass and bought these because the specifications state frequency responses as low as single figures (although realistically you shouldn't be able to hear these).

One of the first things you have to do is experiment with the rubber plugs that attach to the headphones to make them fit snugly in the ear canal (this air-tight seal is a key factor in how the low frequency signals are generated). I have to be honest and say that none of the three plug sizes supplied really fit my ear perfectly. The large size simply does not fit in my ear, but I find the medium size plugs do work themselves loose relatively quickly, which is frustrating because I have to regularly push them back into the ear canal. If the earplugs do not fit perfectly then the low frequency response falls off sharply.

When fitted correctly they sound fantastic. Tight treble and mid-range and deep bass make for a very enjoyable listening experience. Being a bass addict I hooked these up to my computer and used cooledit pro to see how low they dropped, and with the volume cranked up I could still hear frequencies as low as 14Hz - impressive.

I have a few of other major issues with these headphones however:

1) A few people in these reviews have complained of one earphone dying. This was an issue I experienced as well. However, like others here have mentioned, this is not an electrical fault. There is only a tiny hole in the headphone for the music to be transmitted through (easiest seem with the rubber plugs removed). This gets blocked easily but can be cleared by gently blowing through the three small holes on the back of the headphone. Alternatively you can suck the front of the headphone but the idea is less appealing given it leave in the darkest depths of you ear. I make a conscious effort to keep my ears wax free, but they have been blocked a couple of times with regular use.

2) As mentioned I bought these for the bass. Two problems here. One I have already mentioned is that the low bass frequencies are only achieved when a good seal in the ear is achieved and unfortunately none of the supplied plugs do this perfectly for me. The second is the volume at which you can listen to bassy music. If you try and crank the volume up with bass boost circuits engaged (I use a Sony MZ-N1 MD player) the headphones distort at quite low volumes. Driving the headphones hard with bassy music simply is not possible. I find they suffer way before my ears do, but I do like loud music. Sony quote 80% more powerful than standard headphones. I have no idea where this number came from or how they measured it because it is very misleading. They are not loud enough for me.

3) I have a problem with the wires. Because the earphones are lodged in your ear canal and make an airtight seal with your eardrums, noise is easily transmitted. For example if you tap the cable (or it bounces off you clothing when you walk) you can hear this quite vividly. It is not a problem when you are listening to moderate to loud music, but for quite listening it is very annoying.

In summary I am satisfied with my purchase (no more, no less), and at the moment there are no headphones that can parallel the bass performance I bought them for. If they broke tomorrow I would probably buy a replacement pair despite their problems due to lack of alternatives. For home use I prefer to use my full size earcup Sennheiser HD500's. If you like bass OR high volumes then buy these. If you want both then you wont find it here, sorry.