Best earphones from Sony!

It's a little weak!
Easy to brake!
But great!!

This is state of the art earphones!
Great sound!
Incredible!!

Cool carry case

Almost everything else

Was very disappointed in the sound quality here, this was my first and last earbud purchase. Sound is thin/bright with very little bass response, even after long break-in peroid. Only way to make these sound decent is with megabass activated and that really screws up rest of sound. I have Sony & Phillips vertical-in-ear phones that cost less than $20 each and sound much better than E888LP.

If you want sports headphone, or superlight almost invisible headphone get Sony or Phillips vertical-in-ear design, costs less and sounds better.

Similar Products Used:

Grado RS2, Senn HD580, Grado SR225, Sony MDR V900, others

other-worldly bass reproduction that is only rivaled by my home theater setup. Kick a$$ voice and high freq. soundfx reproduction, unlike the muffled and somewhat less than crisp sound of practically all other headphones this size.

the darn cord takes about 5 min. to untangle every time I go to put them on. If you are an active person, they may not stay in your ear as well as some earbuds I've owned. Mowing, rollerblading and snowboarding (assuming your wearing a stocking cap in conjunction with goggles) all pose no slippage problems but I would switch'em out for something else before I took them jogging. Also, a weakness, but possibly a proof of their worth; my first pair got squished in the center console of my car, so, of course I shell out another 70 bucks for a second pair.

Can I say that if you are considering buying these babies but are somewhat put off by the price, spoil yourself for gosh sakes. I am an avid minidisc user and they compliment my Sony MZ-E90 (availiable only on-line or in Japan) very well. The bass thumps your medulla oblongota(yes, really, and from a measly 16mm driver) the guitars always sound crunchy and thick, the voices are crisp, the brass combination of t-bone, trumpet and sax in bands like Reel Big Fish or The Urge rip a clean hole in the 1.37cm of air between this Sony's sweet cellulose diaphram and your eardrum, the highs are never muddled or overpowered by a strong bass line. These incredible headphones alone will make any music you own more enjoyable to listen to.

Also, a word about break in...Yes, I've had to do it twice, you might think (as the person in an earlier post) that your headphones don't need it-- believe me they do. I couldn't believe how poor my 2nd pair sounded as soon as i plugged in to my favorite tune.(I didn't notice how dramatic the change was till I heard this evolution of sorts in reverse) There is absolutely zero bass and it almost hurts your ears because the sound seems so tinny and flat; similar to your grandpa's old radio out in the garage that he listens to Paul Harvey on. Don't be discouraged, you will be rewarded for your purchase soon enough. I plugged mine into my stereo at a volume level that I considered almost uncomfortable and just left them blaring the local rock station for about 8 to 10 hours every day while I was at work. After the 2nd day the sound was a bit more palatable, and between the 3rd and 4th day I couldn't tell much of a difference, they were properly burned in and had reached their full sonic potential. Just like good whiskey, time and patience had paid off.

Also, to shoot down another myth posted in an earlier review, of course you should put the little foam thingies on the earbuds. That guy must be a glutton for punishment or something, after you try them w/out earbuds there should be no doubt in your mind that the foam pads are included for good reason. These in no way alter the acoustics of your ear canal, just the same as the covers on your home theater speakers don't affect the sound waves radiated off their respective cones. Bottom line, there is no audible difference. Thanks for your time, and happy listening.

Similar Products Used:

el cheapo, original equipment sony earbuds that they package with their portables

Excellent high, low, and in between

brightness sometimes a bit too bright

I am extremely happy with these earbuds. There is little difference between these E888LPs and the sound quality of my Sennheiser HD590s on the amplifier I have. In fact, the earbuds even get better bass response. I love good sound, and wanted a portable version of my Sennheisers; this is it. I am 6'3" and the size is not a problem, I can easily wear these for extended periods of time without discomfort. I recommend these to everyone who asks, and I recommend them to you if you are deciding between these and a cheaper pair; you will appreciate the higher quality sound more than a fat wallet.

Similar Products Used:

Sennheiser HD590, Sony Sapphire earbuds

Accurate, detailed Bass (if properly worn); mids and highs are also detailed and easy on the ears

Typical earbud complaints: Ear wax sometimes builds up, difficult to don (put on) properly, and may cause some physical ear pain; very expensive for earbuds (but nonetheless excellent value compared to comparably priced larger headphones)

I bought these three weeks ago--and the more I listen to them, the more I love these earbuds! I can hear all detail in the kettle drums (on my 20-bit SBM remastered CD release of Dave Brubeck’s 1959 jazz album "Time Out"); the mids and highs don’t fatigue my ears. Some reviewers said that I should break them in for three days for best sound quality, but mine don’t need anywhere that long of a break-in. (my buds needed only three hours, not three days.) I think another reviewer’s saying that it lacks bass out of the box is malarkey: You’ll have to position the buds so that the "pointy" "Silent Cap" contacts the back of your ears to get the best bass response. (With the Y2K version of the MDR-E888LP’s, proper driver positioning--not a long break-in period--is the trick to getting maximum bass response out of them.) Other reviewers said that I have to use the supplied foam earpads for maximum bass, but I found that can muddle the sound quality of ANY earphone/headphone. Sony’s other earbuds don’t even come close to these.

All in all, these are excellent. You can buy circumaural, full-size headphones in this price range, but you’ll have to pay at least twice as much as these earbuds for comparable sound quality.

Similar Products Used:

Sony MDR-E827G, MDR-E837, MDR-ED228LP, MDR-E848LP, very cheap Panasonic earbuds