One of the biggest problems with most earbuds is that they tend to be uncomfortable, not to mention the average sound quality. There are many different factors that contribute to the problem, but the most common cause is the material being used. The majority of earbuds are made of rigid plastic and come with a thin foam cover, which does nothing.
The Sony ex 500’s are some of the most comfortable earbuds on the market today which are defined by 3 areas, design, material used and covering.
Sony MDR EX500 Earbud Features
As mentioned above the 3 areas that contribute to the overall comfort of the headphones is are as follows:
Design - The EX500’s are designed to fit securely in your ear canal where as most other earbud styles sit on the inner part of your ear.
Material - Instead of plastic these earbuds are constructed using metal which does make them slightly heavier, this is actually a good thing as most other styles are too light and fall out of your ear more easily. Not to mention the fact that the use of metal helps to reduce sound vibrations.
Coverings - While traditional earbuds use foam covers (newer models are using silicon now) the Sony ex500 earbuds use silicon which result in a better fit and more comfortable wear.
Sound Quality - The bigger the driver the better the sound and deeper the bass. With a 13.5 millimeter driver the ex-500lp’s deliver a great quality of sound and overall sound clarity.
This is a fairly new product for 2009 here, what some people who have purchased the ex500’s are saying about it.
“This set has Chrystal clear clarity, outstanding Bass and outstanding highs. Honestly these are the most articulate set of earbuds I’ve used, and with the price ranging from well under $100.00 I would recommend this set to anyone.”
Bob
“Though they’re bigger and heavier, they’re quite possibly the most comfortable in-ear headphones I’ve ever used. In addition to being comfortable, these headphones sound fantastic. The 13.5″ driver provides excellent bass response while still offering up clean, crisp highs”
L. Klop
Read more reviews here
Firstly these are not a typical cheap pair of earbuds, they are very high quality and you are going to pay for that. These retail for $129.99 which is alot and I don’t recommend them if you are going to use them for sports or any other high impact activity. These are best suited for stationary use.
That being said you can find these on sale and for much less than the $129.99 price tag. Doing some research I’ve found these listed on 6 online retailer sites for less than $100, most recently for $84.99 (35% off) here
If you are an avid runner like me than you have had the annoying experience of your earbuds falling out of your ears. Usually at the worst time possible, when it happens 5-10 times on a run it can take the enjoyment out of running and distract you from focusing on your breathing and form.
Well Sony has developed the perfect solution for listening to music while running in the MDR as20j. They fit nicely over your ears and also delivers great sound quality as well. The only down side that I can see is that these are not compatible with my Nike+ and many runners have noted this as well.
Sony MDR AS20J Features
When it comes to running and music many runners will trade sound quality for comfort any day, fortunately you don’t have to with these Sony headphones.
The great loop design ensures that your earphones will never fall out again.
13.5 millimeter driver for better bass and a better sound quality
low impedance which means that almost any mp3 player will allow you to get the maximum sound out of them. No more low sound even with the volume on high
Sweat and rain proof if you’re like me that is a big plus 
Here are what other runners and non runners alike are saying about the MDR AS20J’s
“The MDR-AS20J stay in place while running. You literally can just forget about them. They will not budge. The cord is also very light which helps with the bouncing of running. The MDR-AS20J are very comfortable for me though they are not adjustable. Some users may have fit issues. ”
Jeffery Lewis
“Like many other picky runners, I have been in search of the “perfect” headphones for quite some time now. The standard iPod ear buds fall out of my ears (as do most other ear buds) and it seems as though every other pair of headphones I tried required constant adjusting while running. That’s not the case with these!”
R Siegert
“They fit the bill for a runner. They’re very comfortable to my large ears. Build quality is good and they’re a great value. The only reason I subtract a star is for sound quality. Most average earphones to me have 75% treble and 25% bass, but these phones seem 66% mids and 33% bass. They’re not the clearest, but there’s lots of sound”
Falcon
Besides the style function and comfort of these the Sony MDR AS20J’s are affordable with a stock price of $20 it’s great deal. You can get for $15 on sale if you are patient.
Buy it at Amazon and you could have it shipped for free as it is eligible for the super saver shipping program.
Check out the sale price here
I’m a fan of over the ear style headphones, it’s no secret. But I admit they are not perfect and for certain situations earbuds are just a much better choice. For example headphones are not ideal for portable music (like on the bus) as many of them block out the surrounding noise (which can cause problems) In that case ear buds are the better option.
Choosing a quality pair at an affordable price can be a challenge. I think if you are going to buy earbuds either to replace your existing ipod earbuds or just a pair that delivers better sound quality, then the Sony MDR ex75 earbuds are a great choice.
Sony MDR ex75 features
Sound quality is all about range and the wider the driver the better the quality (usually). The ex75 has a 9 millimeter driver which delivers a better range for higher highs and lower lows.
Comfort, the new angled design allows the earbuds to fit more comfortably in your ear with less movement. That means no more falling earphones while running walking etc..
Style - The new silver on black design provides a good look to go along with the great sound.
This is a relatively new product even still it has become quite popular and I’ve found 70 reviews from many happy customers. Here is what a few of them are saying about the Sony ex75 earbuds.
Read more of the reviews here
“When I opened the package I was immediately thrown off by the shape of these in-ear headphones. However, after placing them in my ears, I began to wonder why headphones haven’t been made like this for years”
D. Savage
“If you’re like me you try to review the heck out of this kind of thing until you realize it’s 2AM next week and your wife and kids have left you for someone who cares about petty things like this a bit less………..Just buy them and quit reading every single review. If you have about $30 bucks, then you won’t be disappointed. There are good reviews and bad reviews on every set of earphones so just do it and go enjoy life”
Hopkin
“There’s really not much to say except that so far this product is pretty amazing. I have had a number of earbuds before but i really like this on first off because it is Y shaped. The sound/bass of these things are amazing. The only down side is the cable is too short and with the extension cord it is too long. Otherwise it is a good bet for your money.”
Matthew Jacob
These retail for $60 that is a bit much for earbuds in my opinion but luckily these go on sale all the time, sometimes for as much as 60% off most of the online sites are pretty competitive but I still prefer Amazon if the product is available in your country (Ie Sony has some weird warranty issues with shipping to Canada so most models aren’t available there) That goes for most online retailers that deal with Sony.
That being said Amazon has great partners and as a result is able to get great discounts that they offer to you. At the time of this post you can get them through Amazon for under $20 saving you $40. That is an amazing deal.
Check out the deal here
