The other day my last pair of el-neato refurb CAD15 Mongolian EX71s went the way that so many of my other Sony earbuds have gone...down the toilet. Yep...left-channel decides to go on permanent vacation: over listening to it briefly over a couple of days I could actually hear the left channel dwindling, fading...not with a bang but with a whimper.
So screw it...as much as I like the EX71s (aware of their flaws as I am), I decided to take the next step up (well, okay - two or three) and get my hands on Sony's EX90 stereo monitor earbuds at Melbourne's Galleria Sony Store. It was either this or a pair of the XD400s (same price - AUD199 - yeahyeah, I know
). This is what happens when music/sound becomes an important part of your life! I was a bit hesitant, but once I made sure the EX90s use the same size ear-gaskets as the EX71s (they do, and I have truckloads of old 71 gaskets) I threw off my emergency MDR-E31s and grabbed 'em.First impressions: opening the box, I got a dim sense that Sony was almost willing to treat its customer right! Even the packaging is very aesthetically attractive (it better be!)...frosted cardboard box, spare gaskets, and FINALLY a half-decent carrying case that seems to actually protect the buds - you put the buds in a rectangular plastic holder and wrap the cord around a robust plastic frame that fits snugly into a small rectangular Sony leather case. Sweet! Sony has also returned to the scientifically-determined headphone cord-length: no extension cords needed!
Now the buds themselves: Sony seems to have learned from the EX71s - holding the buds as if to put them on, the actual buds are tilted forward (i.e. in the direction you look) to a 45-deg angle (or something), which allows you to fit them into your ear much easier. The EX90s feel solid but not too heavy in your fingers (and your ears), and the headphone cord is sturdy - IMHO a vast, vast improvement over my other buds (maybe it's cos the EX71s were refurb, but in the middle of the night on a train in northern China the cord casing started peeling off with the consistency of melted cheese!). I find walking in the city much, much easier with the EX90s than the 71s as the buds slipped less in my ears (the old EX71s would never fit perfectly in my left ear).
Finally, the sound quality. Someone on these forums once remarked that the EX90s sound like E888s stuck in to earbuds. Owning a pair of E888s and actually not liking them (not enough isolation/they don't fit very well), I can't speak to that; but at risk of stating the obvious, the EX90s blow the EX71s out of the water. The EX90s' frequency response is 5-25K, and although this might sound close to the 71s' overstated bass, Sony has truly balanced the deep bass response (which is still there!) with very clear highs and crisp middles. Maybe it's just me coming off the EX71s, but the EX90s' high response is truly impressive. Sound in general isn't as muddy as the EX71s, and although the 90s don't seem to block out external noise quite as well as the 71s, once I got into listening to my music it wasn't discernible enough to be a big deal.
All in all: I got really sick of shit build quality on the 71s and wanted, "once and for all," to get good buds that I felt would last. Although I paid a little more than I would have otherwise (Oz can be pretty expensive sometimes!), I am quite happy with the EX90s and would definitely recommend them to anyone (depending on the price!).
Hope this helps some people out there looking for good buds. Anyone else have these?
EDIT: (Feb16) Sorry for the delay, but I finally found some spare time and took some photos of the EX90s. Sorry for the quality, but I don't have enough time to take the pics I'd like to
...I have included a CF card and mouse in the shots to ensure a sense of perspective.I'll just make some comments that you can see for yourselves in the pics. The EX90 earpieces are made of sturdy aluminum, and as you can see the gaskets are at an angle to allow easy insertion into your ears. For those of us with EX71s, the 90s use the same ear gaskets, which definitely helped sell me on these as I have fistfuls of old EX71 gaskets. Inside the gaskets the EX71s had a little paper layer(?) which some pricked open with a pen or something for better sound - but the 90s have what looks to be a fine wire mesh similar to what you put in the bottom of a smoking pipe.
You will also see the leather carrying case supplied by Sony - it contains a plastic frame used to secure the buds when not in use (the L-shape plug tucks in under the case's bottom). At first I was skeptical (especially after dealing with that hapless E888 carrying case!) but the frame really DOES secure the buds (as you can see from the last pic) and slides easily into the case. The only reason I don't use the case as often is because I use the EX90s outdoors, so the buds are usually hanging around my neck - but it's ideal for when you want to put them away for a little while.
Hope these pictures help give people an idea of what the 90s are like. The sound on these babys is GREAT; havnig tried the 90s for a while I'd say I've gotten used to giving up the emphasized bass of the 71s for a full bass on the 90s, but with a solid and detailed overall sound.
peace
WaywardTraveller
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