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- Loud, clear sound
- Secure, clip-on design
- Inexpensive
- Lightweight
- Over-the-ear style may be uncomfortable
- Cord subject to fraying
- Flimsy carrying pouch
The Sony MDR-EX81 clip-on earphones receive good reviews in the sports headphone category. They consist of two earbuds, each attached to a rubber hook that wraps around the top of your ears and holds the buds upside securely in your ears. Although most reviewers find them comfortable, some have trouble getting a tight fit, which affects sound quality and may cause the buds to fall out during movement such as jogging. Others find the MDR-EX81 quite secure. Sound quality is rated highly, especially considering their low price, although the MDR-EX81 obviously won't provide the detail of high-end earbuds. The big complaint in reviews is that the cord wears away, exposing the wire. We read this complaint often enough that it prompted us to remove these headphones from consideration as a ConsumerSearch Best Reviewed product.
The Sony MDR-EX81 earphones have been on the market for a number of years, but they receive few professional reviews, as review sites tend to focus on high-performance (and high-priced) models. Laptop Magazine and iLounge.com rated them quite favorably when they were first introduced. HeadphoneReviews.org has a useful user post on the MDR-EX81. Amazon.com tracks the most user feedback on these Sonys over time, and comments suggest that the earphones are solid, if unspectacular, performers.
| Sony MDR-EX81LP Bud-Style Stereo Earphones (Black) | |
(278 reviews) In Stock. |
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| Featured Stores | Store Rating | Notes | Total Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Our Sources
1. iLounge.com
iLounge.com reviews iPod and iPhone accessories, including headphones and earphones. Write-ups by editor-in-chief Jeremy Horwitz are detailed, though some older reviews are less so, and site navigation is difficult at times. He gives several earphones an A grade, including the Sony MDR-EX81. They test very well for sound quality and comfort, and Horwitz's recommendation is tempered only by a complaint about the included carrying pouch.
Review: Sony MDR EX81 Earphones, Jeremy Horwitz, Nov. 15, 2004
2. Laptop MagazineDetails/Subscribe
Review quality on this site, which specializes in mobile devices, is uneven. Reviews prior to 2007 aren't given the same full treatment as newer reviews. The headphone category lists only 13 models, but you'll find older reviews if you search by model name. Jeffrey L. Wilson provides a very brief write-up of the Sony MDR-EX81, recommending them as a step up from MP3 player-bundled earbuds.
Review: Sony Fontopia MDR-EX81-LP, Jeffrey L. Wilson
HeadphoneReviews.org is an audiophile review site, with users submitting write-ups and ratings in various categories. The Sony MDR-EX81 earphones only get one review, and are thus unranked. Anonymous reviewer "frenger" notes that the sound quality is much improved over previous Sony models in the same category, but he would prefer a more substantial carrying case to be included.
Review: Sony MDR-EX81 Headphone Reviews, "frenger", April 8, 2005
4. Amazon.com
The Sony MDR-EX81 earphones receive more than 250 user reviews on Amazon. The same model, in white, also gets about the same amount of reviews on a separate page. Scores are solid, although there is a pretty even split between users who give the earphones good, bad, and mediocre ratings. Sound and value is praised, but some users complain of fraying cords.
Review: Sony MDR-EX81LP Bud-Style Stereo Earphones (Black), Contributors to Amazon.com
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