Sony MDR-EX71SL/WK Fontopia Headphones (White)

by Sony

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 3.8 x 1 inches ; 1 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B00030CHRQ
• Item model number: MDREX71SL/WK
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (287 customer reviews)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: September 4, 2004

Product Description

iPod friendly SONY MDR-EX71SLWK Headphones fit snugly, yet comfortably, inside the ear. This eliminates the need for a headband, so you can enjoy audio while exercising, skating or dancing! Gold plated, L-shaped stereo mini plug Includes streamlined, compact hard carrying case and second set of earpads White with silver and gray accents to coordinate with the iPod

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Insulation wears off!, January 11, 2006

By 

Thomas Hillhouse "Amazon SUX" (Philadelphia, PA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sony MDR-EX71SL/WK Fontopia Headphones (White) (Electronics)

Other reviewers have noted this as well, and they're right! The plastic insulation around the headphone wires will break down over time into a sticky mess. You're left with bare wire. Sure, the headphones sound good, but the faulty insulation makes these headphones not worth the money.

PLUS, when you call SONY and complain, they only offer you the option of replacing the headphones (for a charge of $30) or having them "repaired" for $60.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect for ipod Shuffle or reg. ipod w/ remote, or armband!, May 10, 2005

By 

MW (Colorado) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sony MDR-EX71SL/WK Fontopia Headphones (White) (Electronics)

THE SOUND & FIT:
Being fully "in-ear" headphones, they produce incredible bass and block out outside noise. It has a great balance of mids and treble too. I ordered Apple in ear buds and loved the improvement in sound over the standard earphones that come with the ipod but, they would not stay fully seated in my ears even when relatively still. These Sony's sound at least as great, if not better, than the upgraded (and more expensive) Apple in ear buds and blow away the standard ear phones that come with the ipod. They look great (in white) and match my ipods perfectly. They do not fall out either! -Even when jogging. The Apple buds don't really conform to the shape of your canal, but these Sony's do, so that they can be held in place better. The ear pieces have a nice, premium, rubberized feel and look expensive. They are an excellent value!

WORDS OF ADVICE:
There is 1 drawback, which depending on your use, could be a big advantage... The cord. It is a 2 piece cord. The 1st piece is too short to use by itself with a normal ipod. When connected to the extension piece, it is way too long.
BUT... If you have a ipod Shuffle, there is no better choice out there if you use your shuffle with the neck lanyard. The cord is the PERFECT length. Also, if you have the Apple remote cord, this is the perfect set of headphones to use with your remote and regular ipod. To give you an idea of how long the cord is without the extension... With the speakers in my ear, the jack at the end of the cord hits me 1 inch above my belly button (I am 5'8")

BOTTOM LINE:
You'll love the sound, the feel, and the look, and depending on your particular use, you could also love the cord length!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Let's set a few things straight..., February 14, 2007

By 

atx drummer - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sony MDR-EX71SL/WK Fontopia Headphones (White) (Electronics)

First off, these are great headphones for what they are. They are not meant to be premium creme of the crop audiophile quality, but they are worlds better than any cheap open air earphones you'll get for your mp3 player.
To explain a few of the mdr ex71's features:
1) the short cord with the extension. It is made like this so runners can attach their music player to their arm and not have a huge cord whipping around in their way. Conversely, the extension add-on cord is so you have ample room to put your music player in just about any pocket on your body and not be uncomfortable. Some say with the extension it is too long, but I appreciate this aspect. (I am 6'4" and find most earphones' cord slightly too short.)
2) The "poor" quality rubber of the cord. This might seem true, superficially, but these phones have the least undesirable microphonics of the in-ear phones I've tried. This is the noise that reverberates in your ears from the cord being touched, blown by the wind, etc. This is due to the make of the cord. Plain and simple. And if it starts coming apart on you, why not try to mend it with a little electrical tape?
3) the uneven lengths of the left and right sides. This is so you'll wear the right side behind your neck. This further reduces the cord noise previously discussed and eases the distribution of weight from the left side onto your neck. Plus it helps keep the cord out of your way from whatever you're doing. In my opinion, this is a no-brainer advantage over the traditional Y-split cords.
4) The make of the silicon earbuds is superb. They stay in easier than any others that I've tried and seem not to get as dirty. Personal experience, but hopefully yours would be similar.
I've noticed other reviewers have published outlandish rants concerning one or more of the features mentioned above, obviously without knowledge of why the phones were developed this way. I hope this makes things clear.
Lastly, the sound produced by these is wonderful for the average listener. The proper size earbud must be used in order to get a good seal for getting strong bass response and keeping out ambient sounds. I've found the treble to be a little strong at first, but that is often the case before drivers "break in," so to speak. All in all, these phones are a solid choice if you're in the market for in-ear phones and don't want to break the bank.