After a pair of Aiwa headphones I had broke, I began using the packaged headphones that came with my CD player. This lasted all but a day as I refused to listen to my music on the cheap, and ultimately bad sounding headphones. So I began to search the internet, trying to find a new pair that would do my music justice. I decided I wanted to try some earbuds, because I was tired of large, bulky headphones, so I decided on these Sony earbuds, and was not disappointed.

There is very little in the package itself. Besides the headphones, there was a small case for the headphones, and two pairs of replacement earbuds (small and large, the medium ones are on the headphones to start). The case itself is all but useless. You can put the earbuds themselves in the case, but then the cord cannot fit in it, leaving it dangling around. Vice versa, you can wrap the cord in the case, and leave the earbuds exposed to damage. A better designed case would be nice, but as long as your aren't going to be abuse to your headphones, you probably don't need it anyways. The extra earbuds are nice, but they are in two different sizes, one small, and one large. If I were to lose the medium ones that came on the headphones, I could switch to a different size, but I find the other sizes less than adequate for my ear size. One quick note, finding a correct seal with there headphones is everything. The small earbuds barely create a seal in my ear, and the sound suffers. It was airy and very 'bright', with little mid and low tones. If you find there headphones lacking in sound, experiment with earbud size, and ear placement.

The sound itself is very good. Like many others have pointed out, these things are a bass machine, especially for something its size. Assuming you get a good seal, the bass is very tight, and can get very low. CD player users with bass boost may want to experiment with it a little, as too much can make the bass 'boomy' and overpowering. The mid sections are good, but slightly underpowered. I would often find that guitar riffs that could be heard clearly in open air speakers would be muffled with these headphones. It's not something that is horribly noticeable, but it's definantly something that's there. The treble is very clear and never too loud or 'bright'. The overall sound is very nice, and the fact that the music is being pumped directly to the inner ear, makes it feel as if the music is directly in your head. Listening to a good recording with these headphones is like being surrounded by the sound, at times, almost enveloped with the music. Adversaly, poor recordings sound bad, as the little mistakes are fed diretly into your ear.

Using there headphones is also a very comfortable experience. After a while, it's like not having them in. The rubber earbud is flexible, and forms to the ear, never really pushing anywhere, rather, becoming an extension of your ear. The cord is very small and light, which would lead to the idea that it is cheap, but it has proven to be very durable. The right earbud has a longer cord, letting you drape the cord across, rather than the y-shaped cords that rest between the head. Cleaning the earbuds is as simple as taking them off the headphones, washing them in water, and returning them. Of course, something that is inserted into the inner ear can catch a lot of ear wax, so before sharing these with your friends, hand them a q-tip.

Overall, the sounds from these small headphones is great. The soundstage is large, the details in music are very clear, and the isolation is not matched. I recommend them highly to someone that is looking for a big sound is a small package.

Recommended: Yes