Sony Mdr-Ex700Lp Earbud Style Headphones (Black)

by Sony

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 10 x 5 x 2 inches ; 6.9 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B0015AFOL4
• Item model number: MDR-EX700LP
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: May 26, 2006

Product Description

New 16mm driver units for reproducing precision sound faithfully (108dB, 4-28KHz). Thin magnesium housing and new closed vertical in the ear style provide wearing comfort. Newly developed multi-layer diaphragm for reproducing high-resolution sound. 7 sizes of hybrid silicone earbuds for achieving more comfort and secure fitting.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sony MDR-EX700LP vs. Sony MDR-EX700SL earphones: Why you stand to win big., January 29, 2010

By 

Samuel Chell (Kenosha,, WI United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Sony Mdr-Ex700Lp Earbud Style Headphones (Black) (Electronics)

All the fuss about "fake" Sony earphones is off the mark. The so-called "clones," still available on other sites, are the predecessors of the updated model. If you're looking for inarguably the best bargain in earphones, have no hesitations about spending a pittance for top-of-the-line phones. Here's what the firestorm is actually about:

1. The original pair of top-of-the-line Sony phones, going for three hundred, were called "Premium MDR-EX700SL" headphones; the updated models (primarily to satisfy the desires of the American consumer), are called "Supreme MDR-EX700LP" headphones.

2. If you'r unsure which pair you happen to have (I have both), there are some quick and easy tests. First, is the cosmetic one: The prior, SL model has a shorter cord (4 feet) than the new, LP model (6 feet--no doubt the longest cord of any earphones). 2nd, the prior model has an audio plug that extends straight out from the cable; the newer model has a plug that is attached at a right angle to the end of the cord.

3. Peripherals and accessories. The prior, SL models are being sold in a soft leather pouch that closes with velcro. The new, LP model comes with a hard, leather-covered metal case that jack-knifes open. The SL models come with 1-3 different-sized silicone ear tips; the new, LP model comes with a record 7 different-sized silicone hybrid ear tips.

4. The difference in sonic quality. Unless you have both phones, this will be the most difficult distinction to note. The earlier SL models are full-frequencied, with a rich and warm mid-range and "understated" high and low end. They "wear" extremely well, especially for extended listening to jazz, classical, instrumental music. The newer LP models have been "tweaked" in the high end (they're more brilliant, with highs that immediately get the listener's attention) and the low (they've been tuned to take full advantage of the extra- large drivers (3 X the size of some phones going for a hundred or more). Again, the appeal is to the bass hungry, youthful American audiophile audience. The older SL phones have the same size drivers and are capable of producing all of the pitches, or frequencies, of a non-compressed audio file, but they're not altered in a way to knock the socks off the prospective buyer.

My first pair of Sony 700s were the SL models. They came directly from Amazon, and included all of the cosmetic accessories mentioned above (#3). But upon ordering one of the Hong Kong "dirt-cheap" models, I became aware that someone had "swapped out" models with my Amazon phones, replacing the LP with the SP model. After communications with Sony (like Amazon, a first-rate, reliable, consumer-friendly company), the company made things right for me, sending me the latest LP model with the extra-long cord and angled plug. I was immediately impressed by the brilliant highs and the omnipresent lows. But soon I found myself going back to the the SL phones.

In sum, the latest Sony--the Supreme MDR-EX700LP phones--have been updated and "re-tuned" to suit the fancies of the American marketplace and will doubtlessly be appreciated by many listeners of today's popular music. The older phones are still the audio summit when it comes to listening to unforced, uncolored, flat-response (no artificial spikes or enhancement) instrumental music. But in either case, you can't go wrong. After listening to dozens of these things, I've heard five dollar phones that surpass two hundred dollar phones, but I've never heard anything better than either of the Sony phones discussed above.

If most of your listening is to compressed MP3 files, you may wish to consider the MDR-EX300 or MDR-EX500 models, both of which have smaller (but still ample) drivers), capable of pumping out bass frequencies in the mid-range that many younger listeners appear to thrive on. Again, all of the considerations apply, as both of the above are available in SL models (at giveaway prices) and LP models. Heck, buy one of each, or at least extras of the SL models. They're so cheap you have nothing to lose. Use the SL models when you're active and putting the phones at risk; save the LP models for more immobile, serious listening.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars classic sony sound, January 27, 2009

By 

Sami Glick "observer" (mobile) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sony Mdr-Ex700Lp Earbud Style Headphones (Black) (Electronics)

As the owner of the full spectrum of earbud style headphone -- from ipod included crap-phones to top of the line Shures-- I place these 'phone near the top of the spectrum. They're not really worth the $300 asking price, but 30-50 % off that (which most retailers are selling them for) is about right. Sound (after 10 hours of breaking them in) is tight and crisp, without sounding overly bright at higher volumes. The buds have a sort of classic Sony sound -- not part of the bass-midrange- treble mix is over-emphasized, which makes for a generally pleasing sound. Fit and comfort is top of the line, tho -- the variety of color-coded bud tips supplied is unequaled, and the unit itself is light yet surprisingly sturdy and unobtrusive. An elaborate storage case with molded compartments for each phone to sit it, is also included. The only negative, I suppose, is the quality of the cord itself, which feels thin and perhaps prone to breakage. But for $150 (the price I paid) the 700's are recomended.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best in the market right now, July 12, 2009

By 

Shigeru Iwamoto "neko8" (Los Gatos, CA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Sony Mdr-Ex700Lp Earbud Style Headphones (Black) (Electronics)

I have gone from one earphone to another for several years. This is the first one that really sounds as good as full sized speakers in a top class high-end system. You will hear all the nuances in a classical recording, so now my i-Pod Touch is as good as my downstairs sound system.
It is also spectacular in movies like Kingdom of Heaven or Blade Runner.
The isolation from exterior sounds is as good as active noise cancelling systems which modify the sound somewhat, so these are my only earphones for air travel as well.
They are not expensive, since they are probably the last earphones you need to buy.