Sony Fontopia MDREX51LP Earphone - MDREX51LP
Sony MDR-EX51LP Fontopia Lightweight Closed Earbuds

Excellent value for price. It performs as advertised. I wish the carry case provided was more compact and sturdy.
 
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I was absolutely delighted when I received my Sony Fontopia ear buds the very next day! (I only paid for regular delivery). I really think I hit a home run buying these earbuds. I use them on my ZEN mp3 player and on my new Sony VAIO to watch Blue Ray HD movies...they're excellent for both. The lows, the highs and the mid-range are fully experienced and I couldn't be happier, especially for the price. The only thing I don't like about them is the lack of symmetry on the wire; it's shorter to the left ear than the right but I'm not going to let something so minor spoil my enjoyment of an otherwise perfect product. I love SONY products as a whole and I have been happy with all I have had over the years. I would highly recommend to anyone to buy this great pair of earbuds. You can't go wrong.
 
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Let me start by saying that I hate earbuds. There's something with my ear canal that just makes them uncomfortable and especially easy to fall out. That being said these don't make me love earbuds, but I've had a good experience. The sound is good. The base sounds very good, suprisingly so, and the overall comfort is good. At times I still have the same issues that I do with other buds, but like I said I think its me. But I was sitting listening to music one day and there was a point that it felt like I didn't have anything on my ears at all it was a weird "matrix/melding" experience and I thought wow these are cool. The sound is way better than other buds that I've had before, especially for the price. Also if you want to block out all noises around you these are for you. There have been a few times where people have to walk up to me and tap me to let me know they were talking to me, because I couldn't hear them.
 
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Please do yourself a favor and compare with other products the response bandwidth under tech specs. The wider the bandwidth, the more treble and bass. Other earphones selling in this price range may have 18 to 21000 Hz. This one has 6 to 23000. There is a huge amount of sound between 6 and 18 Hz that you will be missing out on if you buy, say, the otherwise beautiful Maximo iM-390. I've gone through dozens of earphones before finding these perfect ones (in my under $40 price range, anyway). Nothing compares in terms of sound quality and fit. Well, construction quality, too, I guess, since my Philips ones kept breaking, and my old Sony, the predecessor of this one, just keeps going, despite some significant yanks on the cord, accidental stepping on them, being submerged in water, etc. One thing I've had to fix on these was the rubber ear pads -- after, like, a year of wear, they kept falling off when I pulled the ear plugs out of my ear, and I have lost some pads (luckily, there are 3 sets included). So I superglued them -- it really works. These don't have an extension cord like the Maximo or Philips. That's good and bad -- somehow, magically, these seem to untangle themselves when I pull them out of the pocket. The others tend to get jumbled, and take a frustratingly long time to unsnarl. I think that has to do with how smooth and curvy the design is, and of course, the shorter cord helps.
 
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Just bought a pair and I'm very happy with them. They are very comfortable and you will often forget that you are wearing them. The sound is great especially for the value. The bass is very good and I've been able to pick up sounds that I couldn't hear with other earphones . Would definitely recommend these to anyone.
 
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I have to wear headphones all day while I'm working as a transcriptionist and these are the most comfortable ones I've found in the last 10 years. I've had mine for almost a year now and haven't had any problems.
 
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I bought these headphones for running and they work great.
 
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Bought these, and was very surprised at the sound quality, and the ability to drown out background noise. I even ran these through the washing machine, and they still work!
 
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i wanted earphones that fit nicely in your ear without any pain. this item is perfect.
 
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I have had several styles, brands, etc. of ear buds over the past several years. These are by far the most comfortable I have used. I am going to order several more pairs so I have this particular brand in all the places I might need them... car, work, home, etc.
 
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They fit well, don't move around, and the sound is excellent out of my iPod Shuffle. Great value
 
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Great for workouts, won't slip out, they provide three size "rubber" type ear buds. SOOOOO comfortable compared to the generic ear pieces you get with MP3 players. I recommend these to all my runner friends. Only downside is that since they fit so well, it magnifies the sound of my breathing in my own head. But other than that, perfect fit for workouts and running.
 
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My order arrived in less than 18 hours using standard ground UPS delivery. The sound is superb, much better sound and comfort than Ipod's earphones.
 
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My wife and I both have a pair of these and it fits both of our ears. It also has excellent noise cancelling!
 
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I just got these earphones and was surprised how much noise they cut out without being officially labeled as a "Noise Cancelling Headphones". They are exceedingly comfortable and produce great sound. The one issue I have with these earphones is that because they fit pretty far into the ear canal, I find that movements I make are amplified and I can hear them (similar to a doctor's stethoscope). With these earphones in, if I swallow, cough, or turn my head so that the cord moves, I can hear it amplified to myself - sometimes over the music! With that said, sitting still at work or on a plane these are still excellent headphones.
 
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These are great headphones if you get a good seal with your ear canal. They are comfortable because the ear pieces are squishy soft rubber; however they need to be pushed into the ear quite a bit to get a good seal so that they a) sound good, b) don't fall out. I like the cord length - just right. Now if only they had a decent carrying case. It comes with a small (1-inch long) plastic pill-shaped container that only holds the ear pieces - although it wasn't meant for that - you are suppose to wrap the excess cord around it and then close it. They definately keep the outside noise out - which is a big plus for some people.
 
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I wasn't sure what to expect with these headphones, but I was pleasantly surprised at the quality of these. They have plenty of bass for those that like the rap or hip hop, and they are crystal clear. Just make sure you have a good sound device that can take advantage of the amazing quality of these. They come with extra ear pieces in case your ears are too big. They are nice and small and feel of a great quality build...not cheap. The only gripe I have is that any friction on the cord is reverberated into your ears since all the outside noise is canceled out. It is only a minor annoyance, but if you are doing lots of activity then the added noise is quite a turn off.
 
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I bought these mainly for when I go mountain biking. They work very well. However, they do tend to loosen once my ears start to really sweat. But, it doesn't take long to dry them off and pop them back in. The interchangeable sleeves work great; if you use the smallest ones, you will have lots of bass, and if you use the slightly larger ones, you will have less bass. These are pretty good headphones for sports or exercising.
 
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The Shure Earphones work well to keep out background noise, but don't support strong bass frequencies. If your need is isolation at moderate volume this is your better value. Added bonus of the rubber earplug style is an optimum hold in your ear with the various earplug sizes. It won't fall out while running.
 
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These head phones are the best. I hated ear buds because they always made my ear soar. However, these are amazing. They do not hurt at all. They are extremely comfortable and sound great. I like to walk around campus wearing them because they also cut out a lot of sounds. My wife kept taking mine, so we got her a pair as well. They are well worth the price.
 
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I won an IPOD in a contest several months ago and I'm very pleased with my MP3 experience. However, I was not pleased with the earbuds that come with the IPOD. After reading many reviews I decided to purchase these earbuds and I must say that for the price, they are an excellent value. I like the fact that there are different size earcushions that easily fit on the end of the earbuds. The sound quality is very good. These earbuds can be worn for hours without any discomfort and as several of the other reviews have noted, they block out most of the surrounding background noise. The only drawback for me personally is the fact that one side of the earbud cord is shorter than the other. My preference would be to have both sides of the cord the same length but this is a minor point that I can easily overlook. I have purchased many items from Buy.com and I can not say enough good things about them. If you are looking for a good set of earbuds for a reasonable price this item is for you.
 
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I bought these headphones a month back and so far, they have worked like a charm. The bass is excellent and the mid and treble are good too. Definitely worth buying.
 
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For the price, you can't beat these headphones. Don't expect the same quality you'll get from Shure headphones, but these are a great value. Since they are in ead headphones, they do a great job of blocking out some noise and have a pretty good range of sound. I would definitely recommend these as an upgrade over the standard iPod earphones that are given.
 
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Very good sound for the price. Deep bass and good isolation from outside noise. With the three different sizes you can find one that stays in. Very light and compact. The case only holds the earpieces, so find a safe place for the two sets you aren't using. Puppies love to eat the silicon earbuds. I also used these as replacements for the earbuds on my Sony MDR-NC11A Noise Cancelling set(that the dog ate).
 
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The best earbuds for the money, by far. Durable cord, nice around the neck design, comfortable earbuds that rarely get uncomfortable, and premium bose-quality sound. The EX71 does have nice earbuds which are more flexible so they can get in your ear better, but the driver is exactly the same so they sound the same. Also, the cord on the EX71 is too short, or long with the extension, for a side pocket while this one is perfect. The cord on the EX51 also resists turning gummy and pealing off, which the EX71 can do. Trust me, I have had both and only the EX51 has survived.
 
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I have not found a better pair that fits in my ears and they sound great. I even washed them by mistake and they still work great - I would not try this again. I would recomend them to anyone.
 
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These are the best sounding earbuds I have ever owned: the sound is really impressive, the bass powerful and the range of sounds unbelievable for such small headphones. They are very comfortable and soft, fitting snugly inside the ear, with no discomfort after extended use. The only drawback is the practically unusable minuscule carrying case which only stores the earbuds while the wire is left hanging outside.
 
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I'm not on my third pair. The product when addressing sound is amazing. My lower rating for overall satisfaction is based on the reason I'm on my third pair. The rubber on the cord that strings from your left to right ear breaks down overtime when the set is used when working out. I believe its the sweat that breaks down the rubber, leaving the internal wiring exposed.
 
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Sounds excellent, but they fray pretty fast.
 
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I bought these a couple of months back, and love these headphones. They come with a handful of different sized earpieces, which take a day or two to kind of get used to, but once you do, they rule. The one complaint I have with these is that the wire covering, after getting twisted up pretty good, start to shred, exposing the bare wires - which I guess isn't a problem in and of itself, but maybe make them more prone to getting snipped. I've had numberous other Sony headphones, and never noticed this happen. But other than that problem, these things rule - and they are much cheaper here than Best Buy!
 
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The plastic that covers the wire will start to break apart with heavy use in about 6 months. Nothing serious yet but the wire is exposed through cracks here and there. A pitty. They are really great otherwise. I love them and so does my wife (she has smaller ears so the small ear piece size is great - there are 3 different sizes that come in the packet). I have decided to only use them for jogging, which they are ideal for, and get cheaper ear buds made with sturdier plastic around the wire for casual everyday use.
 
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I had trouble with the fit of the earbuds that came with my Nomad Zen Extra. The MDR-EX51LP fit snugly and don't fall out when I jog. I don't like the fact that the right bud wire is longer than the left, there is a tendency for the wires to pull down and to the left. The only real problem I am having is the rubber insulation on the wire is coming off, exposing bare wire. I have never seen this in any other headphones I have owned. Overall I like the sound quality and snug fit I get from the sony MDR-EX51LP. They did only cost $25.
 
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Awesome fit and sound....the base(lows)are not as good as the Koss Earbuds but very nice just the same.
 
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These sound awsome. I've used them with an iPod and my Iriver MP3 player and never looked back. Perfect sound reproduction, almost too much bass. Just don't lose the extra silicone ear pieces. Sony will not sell you extras. I tried to get some.
 
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I love these, they're easy to use and fit comfortably at night and during the day. These are probably the best set of head phones I've bought in a while!
 
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I just bought these headphones and am very happy with them. I was at a Best Buy the other day, and these headphones sold for 40 dollars, so the 25 dollars that they are is a great price to get them at. At first, i though I would need the largest rubber covers, and when i put them on, I didn't feel the sound quality was great at all. I recomend you try the smallest rubber covers that come with the headphones first, and work your way up. When i put the smaller ones on and put them in my ears, I realized that they were the right ones and the sound improved greatly. If the sounds feels far away or too "bassy" it's probably because the rubber covers are too big for your ears, and you should try the smallers ones that are included with the earbuds. The sounds is great and definitely worth the cost. For 25 bucks, you can't go wrong!
 
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These buds are well worth the $25...easily the best pair for the money. A bit weak in the midrange, but highs are clean and lows are not bad for such small buds. Three sized ear pieces ensure a comfortable tight fit. Overall, after nearly 20 hours of listening, I am quite pleased with this purchase. Wonderful alternative to the $40+ iPod buds.
 
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Great fit, i cant feel that there on, and delivers excellent bass and sound quality. The day I these arrived I had listened to one of my friends Bang and Olufsen A8 Headphones, and they were supposed to fit good on your ears, but they hurt my ears. Then when these came in I liked them way better than my friends 160 dollar headphones. Overall great for the price.
 
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I just got mine and looked into my closet where I have 3 pairs of buds and 10 pairs of headphones. The buds that came with my Nomad Zen Xtra do not fit me although they seem to sound OK. So, I thought to get some good phones/buds to match the hi audio quality of the Nomad Zen Xtra player. After seeing lots of raving about these and the MDR-EX71SL I got a pair of the MDR-EX51LP. Another pair of Sony buds that I have seem to be more efficient (louder at the same volume setting) and also have a more pronounced midrange coloring. The MDR-EX51LP are flatter all the way through the bass. In fact, I'll echo the common comments -- these produce bass exceptionally well. All other ranges have good definition too. I also find these to be the most comfortable -- after about 30 seconds I don't notice wearing them. You do need to make sure that you have them properly seated in your ear canal, otherwise the quality drops off dramatically, however once you get them and fiddle a bit you'll quickly know when they are properly seated (or not). Enjoy & rock on .........
 
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If you're tired of constantly fiddling with the standard "ear bud" style headphones to keep them in place and sounding good, these are the phones for you. Properly inserted, they stay put and sound excellent. They're light enough you hardly know they're on. And the positive seal blocks out ambient noise quite well. Certainly you could pay more for something with even better sound reproduction capability, but for under $30 bucks, I doubt you'll find anything that comes close to these.
 
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I have never been happy with earphones that have a strap or the disk type ear buds that slide sideways into my ear. For some reason they always fall out and never quite fit properly. I am a live sound engineer by trade and have been using form fitting bud (like these) style ear phones on stage for years. Performers use these as in ear monitors instead of load speakers on stage. The high cost of these professional earphones kept me from using them on a daily basis. When I saw these online I thought I would give them a shot. I am very very pleased with the fit of these. They stay in during my morning jogs with no problem at all. But even more impressive is how they sound!...the tight fit results in excellent bass response! Overall audio clarity is not quite as good as professional models, but for the price you can not even compare them on that level. Most users would not even be able to tell the difference... Get a pair! You wont be disappointed.
 
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for $25 these sound excellent... and very comfortable to wear... they dont have that brassy sound that hurts the ears after a couple of songs... highly recommend them... they do take some time to break in..
 
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These canalphones might be the best bang for the buck (sold in the US). They're a bit bassy and have a weakish midrange, but you'll be hard pressed to find a pair of canalphones (earphones that are inserted into the ear canal) as good for this price. Overall, the sound quality is very good and the small drivers remain stylishly flush to your ears -- no jutting out, like with some other models. Inserted, they remain tight in your ears (three different-sized ear pieces included) and form a good seal for isolation. If you're looking to upgrade the earphones that came with your iPod or other music player, this is a solid choice.
 
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Just to let you know that I hate earbuds; detest them, loathe them, abhor them (But seriously, let people know how you really feel). But I LOVE these because unlike other earbuds which look and feel like mini-car stereo speakers, (the sensation of cramming car stereo speakers in your ears is akin to putting in a standard earbud), theses FIT in your ears like, well, a glove. They don't fall out, they don't feel uncomfortable, they feel great, and SOUND great. You can't buy a better earbud. Worth it for three times the price.
 
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Ok people, listen up, i have perchased these earphones about 2 weeks ago and am MORE than happey with them, They fit your ears just right with those soft earpieces that dont make your ears hurt after a long time of staying in. And the sound doesnt get much better than this. It is very comfortable for riding you bike through the loud wind, AND ONLY HEAR THE BEAUTIFUL MUSIC! Its just sad how good these things are. People. If you want to get something that fitts the discription of what i have writein, FOR UNDER $30!, It would just be foolish not to buy them huh?
 
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When I first tried these with my iPod, I was very disappointed, (bass was almost non-existent and sound was tinny) but after some adjustment, and by trying different size ear adapters that are provided with the headphones, I was able to get a good seal and much better sound. The trick is to stick them far enough into the ear so that there is a complete seal. If you are already somewhat uncomfortable with using in-ear headphones, these may not be the right choice, since they have to be in pretty deep to work properly.
 
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I needed some headphones that would stay put while running. Most earbuds are too large for my ear canal and pop out with activity. These are adjustable to 3 sizes. The medium size works great for me. The sound is not as good as I had hoped, but adequate. At first I could hear my feet pounding through the headphones as I ran, but tucking the wires into a headband to release the tension fixed that. These are now the headphones of choice for running for me.
 
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Great at cutting the noise and has all around awsome performance.. the fact that they send three different sized silicon buds is awsome..great product!
 
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These earbud headphones are very comparable to Sony Mdr-V600 headphones. For $25 bucks they're hard to beat.
 
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Over the years I have owned MANY sets of headphones, including several pairs of ear buds. This pair of Sony's are the most comfortable I've worn, of any type. Also, the bass is excellent. It is strange to put them in your ear the first time and feel them plug your ears completely. Its like being on a plane when it pressurizes. After the intial strangeness passes, the sound and comfort will win you over. In addition, they will not fall out of my ear, no matter how hard I have tried to shake them out, which is a must for me since I use them while running. Overall, and excellent buy.
 
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$30 buys you great in-ear sound that feels comfy sitting inside your ear canal and provides crisp highs, deep lows and well-rounded sound no matter if you're listening to bippy-boppy pop candy or loud, brash, headbanging metal. For less than half of what you'd pay for Shure's in-ear wonders, you get comparable sound and, for me, they feel better in my ears.
 
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