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Sony MDR-EX51LP Pictorial/Review

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leonyuhanov

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Hi all,

After a wicked party at Phillip Island, i noticed that some lamo stole the headphones from my NW-HD5. So i went out did some research here on Atraclife and other sites and decided to go for the Sony MDR-EX51LP.

Why i bought these:

-Price, they retail for $79AU and because the generous people at SonyStyle in the city are having a X-mas sale(or some such thing), mine were $62

-Size, these things are tiny, they dont intrude if i put my walkman in my shirt pocket

-Looks, they look great

Some pictures:

These are basicaly them, the rubber bit on the end is removable and it comes with a few extra bits if you happen to loose these ones.

phclose.jpg

The jack is slim-line and rather smaller then any i have seen on any headphones, and is the standard L shape.

phjack.jpg

The headphones come with this tiny little pill-case box, so you can store them inside, they are pretty fragile by the look and feel, so its probably a good idea to use this if you buy them

phpempty.jpg

phpopen.jpg

phpclose.jpg

The Good:

-They are relatively chea pand well priced for their quality of build and sound

-They sound amazing, If you turn the bass up you get a really warm full bass sound, whilst the highs are a little less prominent. If you level out the bass a little and boost the highs, you get a perfect sound

-Sound Isolation: the first thing i noticed was my heart beating, then me swalowing my drink followed by my footsteps. These things plug in and its as if you can hear anythign on the outside. I was goign to buy a set of the Shure EC2 but the price was almost tripple

-Very small, lightweit and can fit anywhere

The Bad:

-The sound isolation is something u have to get used to, personaly i freaked out, i have never owned a pair that give this effect, and its rather strange to take them off in the CBD of melbourne, where its noise as. I answered my phone and realized that i had to turn the volume down to minimum on the phone becasue my ears were so sensetive

-They are very small and flimsy, the cable is very thin and the ear-pieces themselevs very small, i doubt they would survive a fat mans sitting down on them

My rating?:

I give these 7/10. good price, great sound, and sleek looks. If you are thinking of buying these, i recomend you try them out first. If you have never used these type of headphones youre goign to get a surprise.

Leon

PS: Comments are welcome.

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i noticed that some lamo stole the headphones from my NW-HD5.

Last time some thieves stole your MD then you bought HD5,,now its headphones....

Are you surrounded by thieves(Kidding )

Great Review ... :ol_biggrin::ol_biggrin::ol_biggrin:

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Thanks for the review, I was planning on getting these, but the local sony store was sold out, so I grabbed the EX71s, advantage also they had a short plug, which I like more than the LP. Indeed shure phones are hella expensive but a nice touch. The sony's are a good compromise.

I do agree on the cable quality, it isn't up to sony's specs, and I hope my 71s last more than 6 months at least.

Is the outer case of the phones plastic as well? or a rubbery like material?

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Is the outer case of the phones plastic as well? or a rubbery like material?

The headphones themselves are made of a solid plastic, but the little rubber add-on is silicone or some such material. The pill box is a solid plastic case, but is really awkward to use. ALso i have just been playing arround with the rubber add-on's you get 3 different pairs:

small: for ultra powerfull bass and little highs

medium: for an equal bass to high ratio

large: these end up leaving your ear slighly open, unlike the small and medium sizes so you get only highs and no bass at all.

its pretty cool, but ill stick to using the medium size, the small makes your head hurt.

I was also going to buy a pair of the 71s, but i prefer the long cable vs the shorter one.

Leon

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The headphones themselves are made of a solid plastic, but the little rubber add-on is silicone or some such material. The pill box is a solid plastic case, but is really awkward to use. ALso i have just been playing arround with the rubber add-on's you get 3 different pairs:

small: for ultra powerfull bass and little highs

medium: for an equal bass to high ratio

large: these end up leaving your ear slighly open, unlike the small and medium sizes so you get only highs and no bass at all.

its pretty cool, but ill stick to using the medium size, the small makes your head hurt.

I was also going to buy a pair of the 71s, but i prefer the long cable vs the shorter one.

Leon

is that what they're for? i've had like two or three pairs of these and I thought the different sizes were just to accomodate for different sized ear-canals...

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  • 2 weeks later...

How is the volume relative to other earphones?

I just noticed that with a pair of these, regardless of what player I connect them to, I have to increase the volume on the player in order to get the same level of sound that I get from other earplugs?

Say I use a Sony device with volume normally at 15, with this pair I have to push volume up to 20 or 21 to get the same volume.

So far I didn't care because the player was in my pocket and I didn't see the volume indicator, but two days ago I noticed that I had volume higher than what I used to have for the same songs with the earplugs that came with the player. SInce then, I tested these with other players, and compared with other earbuds, and the results are always the same: higher volume with the EX51 than other earplugs. :unsure:

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  • 5 months later...
Guest Stuge

these are great phones...i checked the specs, and they are identical to the more expensive ex71's....can anybody confirm that these 2 phones are the same?

You can also go for MDR-EX90

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Isn't that more expensive, though?

I'm planning to get the MDR-EX51LP (when I have enough money >.<), after borrowing my friend's noise cancelling MDR-NC11A earphones. I love the silicon earbuds! Only downside is that you have to have super clean ears. -_-" I can't go back to the cheap earphones . . . it feels weird. O.O

Does anyone know how long the cord is? I've been looking through my Pulse magazines, and it used to be 1.5m, but now it's 1.2m. O.O

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  • 2 weeks later...

I don't think that the MDR-EX90s are available in Australia yet and if they were would probably be more than $120AUD.

As alternatives you might consider:

* JVC HA-FX55 (a more natural sound than the EX51/71 but very thin and long cord)

* Panasonic RP-HJE50

* Sennheiser CX300 (a more natural sound than the EX51/71 but may depend on your choice of music)

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  • 1 month later...

*cry* My earphones broke last night. The plug end got pulled on as I was carrying , and now the left ear doesn't work anymore. >.<

Although I have two other pairs that work perfectly fine, I want to get in-ear ones.

I've heard that the cord of the Sony MDR-EX51/71 disintergrates, though. O.O I tend to put my earphones inside my clothes, to prevent it from being caught on anything (and also to prevent some nutcase from stealing it and ripping it out of my ears) and my Walkman and excess cord in my pocket, so would it be a problem for me?

Edited by kerfuffle
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Kerfuffle,

The plastic coating on the cord for the earphones on the EX51 feels very thin but if you're careful should last well. Don't wind them around sharp edges. I've had a pair of EX51 for a couple of years and they have survived daily train travel with the player either in my backpack or pocket connected to a remote.

Becareful when closing the plastic case. I closed the internal ribs onto one of the silcon ear buds which now has a small nick in it. And also watch out for the cord as the case could cause crimps in the cords if you don't position them correctly. The case reduces tangles in the earphones when they're not being used.

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Ah, OK then. Thanks bogon07! ^_^

I can get a pair for $70 at JB Hi-Fi. . . but the only problem I have with the MDR-EX51LP is that their origin of production, which is China. O.O I don't want to spend $70 on earphones that's made in China . . . Oh well. *shrugs* I'll go shopping this weekend and see.

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kerfuffle,

Seems that China makes most things these days. Still I'd rather made in China than Nigeria.

If you don't mind a neckstrap/lanyard type then Minidisc Australia is selling the MDR-NX1 for $77AUD (RRP about $120) The light blue is nice and they feel a bit more sturdy than the EX51.

http://www.minidisc.com.au/default.php?cPath=10_38

They also have the Sennheiser CX300 @ $75AUD. Earphone are very subjective and some people rather these better than MDR-EX90s while others hate them.

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I've seen the MDR-NX1 in the Sony Pulse magazine, but I don't think the earphone plug cord is long enough for my NW-HD1 so that I can use the neck strap to hold it. There's a good 6 or so centimetres between the headphone jack and the wrist strap hole (not to mention that when you put it in its fabric case, the wrist strap hole is covered, as it's on a different side to the headphone jack).

I think I'll stick to getting the MDR-EX51s. Thanks for all your advice, bogon07. :)

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kerfuffle,

All the best with your purchase.

Experiment with the different size earbuds for comfort, sound quality & sound isolation.

It is a matter of personal preference. I found the medium buds give good isolation & bass sound but were uncomfortable after 20-30mins unlike the small buds which are good to wear for a couple of hours.

In retrospect you only want to use the MDR-NX1 with a light weight player. The E400/500 alright but I'm not sure of your HD1 as it's weight may become annoying hanging from your neck.

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I don't think that the MDR-EX90s are available in Australia yet and if they were would probably be more than $120AUD.

I was checking the Sony Australia website to see if they had the MDR-EX90s for sale, and they did. The price? $199AUD! O.O

I'd rather spend an extra $60 and get the MDR-NC11AB noise cancelling earphones. -_-"

For some reason, you get a warranty card with the MDR-EX90SL . . .

Edited by kerfuffle
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  • 1 month later...

Yea australia is soo overpriced=[ i checked the price at the hk sony site and it was only 650hk dollar i think whcih is around 100 aus dollar =[

I bought these earphones before but it was the model where it had a neckstrap with it...it was a really great earphone but only few months and my left phone has no noise=[ soo undurable

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  • 3 weeks later...

Yep, for some reason Sony really load up the price of their earphones here. Atleast $50AUD ontop of the conversion from the o/s price.

Look at the MDR-NX1 the RRP was $120AUD now they're recently lowered to around $70AUD @ Sony Central in an effort to makeway for the newer models.

kerfuffle,

Did you end up with the Ex51s ?

Edited by bogon07
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xD Nope. I ended up getting the MDR-E737LP earphones, the ones that originally came with my Walkman. I liked using them when I had them in the beginning with my Walkman, until they broke somehow last year. I also recommended them to my cousin; she loves them. :) So when my *insert ordinate number* pair of earphones broke, and I was desperate for new ones, (not to mention limited on how much I could spend), I went back to the E737s.

I might buy them after the HSC though; nothing like a pair of new earphones as a reward for bludging, er, I mean studying . . . But then the MDR-EX32s which are coming out next month in Japan, aren't they the replacements for the MDR-EX51s? So if I wait a while, the EX32s might come out in Australia at a cheaper price than the EX51s, or the EX51s, like the NX1s, might suddenly decrease in price.

Edited by kerfuffle
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kerfuffle,

Thanks for the update.

Interesting to see what happens when and the new batch of Sony earphones (incl. MDR-EX32s) turn up here.

Good luck with the HSC. I hope you do well.

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Thanks, bogon07. ^_^

I finish on November 7.

Edit: The MDR-EX32LP earphones are coming out here, so I'm going to get those instead. Unless Sony clears the MDR-EX51LPs at less than $59 . . . *shifty look*

JB-HiFi in Sydney have the Ex51s @ $79AUD which you would think is a little high when they are due to be replaced very soon.

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JB-HiFi in Sydney have the Ex51s @ $79AUD which you would think is a little high when they are due to be replaced very soon.

Yeah. Went to the one in Liverpool yesterday and saw them for $75.

I'm planning a trip to the city in December, so hopefully Sony Central (or JB Hi-Fi) will either have them at cheap prices or have the new MDR-EX32s.

Maybe they haven't got wind of the news that they're no longer going to be sold. *thinking*

Edited by kerfuffle
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  • 1 month later...

Went to the (Sydney) Townhall Sound Centre has Ex51 @$69 and the newer Ex32 @$59 along with Ex85 @$149.

The Ex32 is comparable to the Ex51 but it could be prone to problems where the wire joins the earphone itself as it doesn't have the long sheath like the Ex51.

Annoyingly the Ex32 like the EX85 is as usual cheaper in NZ by nearly $20 .

Edited by bogon07
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So they have the EX32s in stock . . . I went a few weeks ago; saw the EX51s at $79.90 and the EX71s at $79. O.O

My cousin's in America at the moment, so I asked her if she could buy me the EX51s, as they're USD$39.95, and when converted into Australian Dollars, it's about AUD$52. And some 'replacement cushions' (silicon earbud replacements) for about AUD$11 (USD$7.99). Hopefully she'll be able to get them for me at a Sony Style shop. ^_^

Edited by kerfuffle
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kerfuffle,

You've got the right idea. The only way to buy Sony earphones in Australia is from overseas as the prices here are plainly attrocious.

The some of the best buys for the new Sony EX52, EX85 & Ex90 are Sony HongKong where they are half price or less.

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I got my MDR-EX51s! ^_^ x100 And the replacement cushions. (Can't believe that the Sony spare parts shop is asking for AUD$10 a bud.) The only bad thing is that they're white and pink, 'cause they were the only colour in stock. xD Oh well.

I haven't had time to listen to it properly yet. xD

Edited by kerfuffle
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Congrats on your new Ex51s. $10 a bud :o is that just one or the pair?

White and pink would look like a packet of marshmellows :D

Give the different sizes a try. I found the smallest the most comfortable and use them even though the medium size has a better sound and more isolation.

Also becareful with the plastic carry pod its internal ribs can pinch the cords sometimes. It didn't damage mine but left a permanent dint in the cord.

Edited by bogon07
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A bud. O____O So if you lost, for example, two small earbuds, you had to pay $20 (plus $3.30 postage and handling). Maybe they tried to slug me $10 a bud 'cause the model I said I lost the earbuds for was the MDR-NC11A noise-cancelling earphones I had borrowed from my friend (I lost a bud at UTS -_-"). But it doesn't matter anymore - the packet of replacement earbuds I got from my cousin has three pairs - one large, one medium and one small. And it only costs US$7.99, or about AUD$10. (But my cousin gave them to me for free. :))

I've been using the small earbuds at the moment. Medium sounds exactly the same. xD I haven't tried large yet, but I doubt I need to. :lol:

Edit: I tried large - fell out of my ears within five seconds of shoving it into my ears. :lol:

Edited by kerfuffle
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The replacement earbuds you see on the internet are usually a set of all three sizes.

I wonder how many people actually use the large size ?

It would be good if you could send back the size/s you don't use and swap them for the size you do. :)

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  • 5 weeks later...

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