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Reviews For: Sony MDR-EX51LP Earbuds

Category: Headphones & Boom-microphone Headsets

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Review Summary For : Sony MDR-EX51LP Earbuds
Reviews: 2MSRP: 30.00
Description:
Great Earbuds - especially if you have a hearing problem.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/SearchCatalog
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0024.5
N4KZ Rating: 2009-06-16
Sound good, ears stay cool Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have used headphones since getting my novice ticket in the late 1960s. When operating CW or listening to weak SSB signals, I always liked the way headphones sounded but didn't like the fact they always made my ears hot. I tried fancy 'phones, expensive 'phones, cheap 'fones, ones with foam ear cushions, you name it. My ears were always hot. Perhaps you don't have this problem -- count yourself lucky. So, lately I tried various speakers instead of headphones but the results were just not the same. Then I read this review on eHam and thought, sure, why not? I like the earbuds with my iPod so why not try some?

So I went to Wal-Mart and sound these very earbuds. But at $38 it seemed expensive. But wait. There was a sale price under the regular price. $31. Still a lot of money, in my view, for earbuds but $31 is better than $38 anytime. I bought them and they sound very, very good. They sound as good as any headphones I've tried and my ears stay cool since they're not covered.

I do detect a very slight high frequency hiss in the Sonys but since I plug them into a Yaesu SP-8 speaker with various audio filters, I just flip it into the SSB mode -- which boosts the low frequencies just a bit -- and the hiss is gone. I only gave them a 4 out of 5 because of the price -- which even at $31 is still too much. But if you want headphone-type performance without excessive ear warming (Al Gore, are you reading this?), then these might be your answer.

73, Dave, N4KZ
K3MOV Rating: 2008-05-16
Great earbuds especially if you have a hearing problem. Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Sony Fontopia® Headphone Earbuds. I have a hearing deficit in one ear and have tried many types of headphones (including Heil's finest) and earbuds to be able to hear "the weak ones". I bought these at the Shack on a whim and have been astonished at the fine physical and electronic characteristics.

Physically you can change the size of the buds to one of three different sizes. Because of my hearing problem, I chose the smallest so that I could get them deep down in there. I thought this would be uncomfortable after a while, but no problem. It's as if my radio is inside my head.

Electronically, I was concerned about hiss due to the wide range. No problem there either. They hear as well as my my Heils and my ICOM SP 20 speaker. Highly recommended for all, but especially if you need a little help hearing.