NEW Sony MDR-EX700SL now on eBay!

[BIGHMW]

Before you spend $328.00 USD on these babies from Audio Cubes, check this out from Jun Ibaraki and the fine folks at "BuyFromJapan" on eBay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Sony-MDR-EX700SL-Headp...1QQcmdZViewItem

and

http://cgi.ebay.com/Sony-MDR-EX700SL-Headp...VQQcmdZViewItem

You save 80 USD when you get it from them, and they use EMS Speedpost Express Mail (15 USD shipping)

Who will be the first to review them?

[brianbrant]

This is my first post to this site. I wasn't sure where I wanted to ponder, but this seems the perfect fit.

I'm 61, and formerly a recording studio designer and engineer. My era still boasted SSL. Neve, AKG, Telefunken and Neumann-quality, so I'm not that antique. And I have a degree in broadcast engineering.

Here's my question, and it dovetails to this thread (I hope; if not, don't flame me - I'm new...) The ebay phenomenon is absolutely a double-edged sword. I stumbled upon el-cheapo knockoffs of Sony's highly-regarded EX90 earphones. With shipping, a pair cost about $7.00. It was a test; what could I lose, eh? When the package arrived from Hong Kong in a surprising 10 days, I scrambled to hook them to my Insignia 4-gig player (I own 12; I love 'em). I was stunned at the sound of these Sony fakes. The quality of construction, aside from the fact that the material of the units themselves was clearly not aluminum, was sturdy. (The tips I used came from an Ipod aftermarket operation. I always use large for a better seal.)

Here's my question, and I hope this coincides with the challenge posed here to consider buying through ebay and seeking a lower price on Sony phones. Where is the profit motive to make counterfeit phones? The precision of the set I bought is outstanding (I'm used to professional recording quality) irrespective of the material of the housing. Cables are sturdy; plugs gold (or gold-like) plated. If these Chinese manufacturers looked to make a dent by selling, say, at 50% of the market rate, that would make financial sense. But to get really outstanding (albeit fake) EX90s for a few bucks? That flies in the face of all logic.

To continue re: the 90s. The retail box was even beautifully presented: shiny, black with the Japanese distributed version of the 90s: N-U-D-E... made in Korea. The 3.5 mm plug had the Sony logo and 'Korea' stamped on it. Now I'm wondering if a fake set of EX700s may pop up for... gee... I can fantasize $25 based on my own experience. Would it be worth the risk?

My disclaimer: This is a philosophical question that I couldn't wedge anywhere, so I stuck it here. Also, my hearing isn't impaired even at my age and I transcode MP3s at a high bit rate. (I used to have my own engineers take hearing tests regularly and banished the older guys if their threshold cut off at high frequencies...); I still have 'dog hearing.'

I'm finished. Wordy, rambling, but - bless me, I'm done. Thanks in advance for not flaming me.

[juli_]

[url=http://cgi.ebay.com/Sony-MDR-EX700SL-Headphones Who will be the first to review them?

They've already been reviewed

Zizone wrote a very nice detailed account of them, and included pics to go with it.

http://www.atraclife.com/forums/index.php?...;hl=mdr-ex700sl

[juli_]

But to get really outstanding (albeit fake) EX90s for a few bucks? That flies in the face of all logic.

It seems incredible. Fakes for $7 and they sound good? I'm amazed. I remember all the talk about the Sennheiser CX300 fakes being sold on eBay - and apparently the sound was awful. So it makes no sense that a $7 pair of Sony fakes can sound good. The amount can't possibly cover any parts at all, I just don't get it.

But hey, if they sound good to you - then you've got the bargain of a lifetime

[brianbrant]

I know: ignorance is bliss.

I've rejected Bose triports, other Sony models, and even find my Sennheiser over-the-ear cans, which I use for auditioning CDs, to lack the quality of these fakes. A friend who still does sound reinforcement for local bands and continues to enjoy decent hearing despite exposure to high-decibel bombardment during his never-ending drunken stupors over the years, popped his Sony medium tips onto these counterfeits and was in disbelief. But what vexes me most isn't that these things exist; as I said, ignorance is bliss and my friend and I may be in the sympatico of two dancing fools from another era.

Perhaps the question is rhetorical: how can money be made when no market can be large enough to warrant the tooling necessary to duplicate these things with such precision? Whatever sound the things actually produce (purely a subjective ralm; not to mention compression issues and so on when doing any real-life listening), it has me stumped. I guess I just wanted to throw it into the mix and wait for a thought or two. I ain't got a clue... not one.

[juli_]

Whatever sound the things actually produce (purely a subjective ralm; not to mention compression issues and so on when doing any real-life listening), it has me stumped.

Maybe they sent you the pair they were copying from by mistake????????

I guess you've been lucky - but the problem with fakes, is when people buy a product in good faith (because of the Sony or Sennheiser name etc) and the product turns out to be awful, then they're unlikely to consider buying from the same brand again - once bitten, twice shy.

OK, for the price you paid, you knew they were fake. But there are some fakes that cost the same amount as the genuine article. If they turn out to be inferior (as they normally are), the buyer's money is wasted, and a bad taste is left regarding the brand.

I'm sure there are hundreds of people out there who would quite happily have 'risked' $7 for ANY pair of headphones. If they sound really good, they could have described them as sounding 'similar' to Sony or something. They could even have played a spoof on the name and called them 'Nosy' or 'Ynos (for drinkers!!). My point is that so many people buy fakes (without knowing they are fakes) and end up out of pocket, and very disappointed.

I hate to buy anything which has even a whiff of 'fake' about it. When I bought my 808 clear hard case from eBay (because it wasn't readily available elsewhere) - I quizzed the seller incessantly to make sure it was a genuine Sony article (which it was). And that was just for a case!

[BIGHMW]

I have bought many items from "Buy From Japan" in years past, in fact, they are my exclusive Sony headphone/IEM dealer, and I can assure all of you out there that Jun Ibaraki and the fine folks there sell only genuine new in retail box Sony products direct from Japan, and it arrives lightning fast (usually in about a few days after shipment) via EMS Speedpost (Express Mail from Japan), and they have earned my trust because "BuyFromJapan" sells nothing but the real thing below retail.

I agree that if the price of a pair of EX90SLs that are claimed to be "wholesale" (like at $15.00 USD + shipping from China) is too good to be true, it usually is. I have seen EX90s come from China in so-called "bulk packaging" that are obvious knockoffs, and indeed the feel of the so-called "aluminum" finish is actually plasitic compared to the real ones I buy which are aluminum.

[bryue]

I also bought my EX90sl from "BuyFromJapan" on ebay as well.

The package was shipped very quickly and the package is genuine as well. Everything was there.

What was surprising for me was that they declared that the package is only worth $30 USD and I didn't have to pay any custom duties at all.

I'm very happy about that.

Speaking of knockoffs, it's not surprising though because a lot of manufacturing plants are installed in China and those people can produce extra quantities secretly then sell it under the table.

If you look in ebay, you can find so many cheap EX71sl for about $20 USD. I might be interested to try one of those and replace my broken EX71sl after 2 years of service.

[Ascariss]

hmm indeed, the EX90s from ebay are a bargain for me now, 81 canadian with shipping compared to 149 dollars at the store.