Sony Ultra Lightweight MDR-W08L Vertical In-The-Ear Headphones
by Sony
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List Price: Our Price: $2.49 You Save: $7.50 (75%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: Speakers See more product details |
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Sony Ultra Lightweight MDR-W08L Vertical In-The-Ear Headphones
Customer Review: Sometimes the Best Foundations are the Easiest to Overlook
Summary: 5 Stars
When you find yourself searching, in need a pair of headphones, you should ask yourself what you want from your music. Do you want a sound that seems to cover you ear, muffling the noise and perhaps minimizing exposure, or do you want purity of sound that closeness of proximity can bring? Do you want a design that might be right and that might not, with those newer designs that hook behind the ears or those sectional ones that sometimes pinch, or do you want a more basic model that has been time tested? While you might not think of it, how you answer that question makes all the difference in the world. And if you're picky and want something that has met the measure of thousands of hours of this reviewer's personal testing, then this model works. Before the advent of volume control on headphones, this was only the way to go and is still the type I fall back on when I can't find that type. That's because they have a durable plastic structure, an adjustable fit that is pretty hard to wear out, and speakers that seem to take a sonic beating before giving out. Its actually amazing when you note the beating they can take, with so many other products falling by the consumer wayside. Also, they fit firmly in the ear, seating themselves properly, and the plug connecting the headphones to the player rarely wear rout. Besides that, they have one other thing going for them. They are formed well, especially around the speakers.
While many may not see this as a necessity, I've actually experimented with all types of headphones and I've found something that can happen when straying away from Sony. If you're lucky you'll get something that is wired decently, sometimes popping and giving the equal to a shock in the ear and sometimes not, and at worst you'll have a form with a jagged surface. While that might not be bad with something that fits over the ear, something inserted directly into the ear is dangerous when not formed properly. And that's why I swear by these because I've never, in well over 50 pairs of this model alone, had it happen.
If you look at these and you think they are to basic and that the price says something on lower quality, you'd be wrong in many a right. They are perhaps plain in design, not getting fancy in color or the way they fit, but they deliver sounds in only a way that Sony seems to understand. They also last, allowing you to get your maximum use out of the product. Personally, I find that to be the best way to secure loyalty as a customer and something Sony seems to understand. And they've been doing that for me for well over a decade.
Customer Review: on par
Summary: 5 Stars
I had a pair of this style headphone that came with my cassette-Walkman back in 1990. They lasted until a few years ago when the plastic that held them on to the [then] metal headband broke during a move. I had really enjoyed them and they were my only headphones for the 12 or so years.
I held off replacing them since I was just getting married and my fiance had a ton of various headphones from Rio's and portable CD players and such, all of which (headphones) were more modern looking, around the ear, rather than over the head types. Well, after a few years I'm fed up with all those junk headphones. The Rio headphones are garbage, another pair of Jensens with the wrap-around ear style were equally crappy. A pair of Sony's that had a clip to attach around the ear sounded good, but they were the type that sat over top of the ear and they just sat there too loose and therefore lost any bass response unless I pushed them up against my ears with my hands. Then I got a set with a Creative Muvo most recently. They were the in-ear bud type. I've always hated these as they always slip out of my ear or cause discomfort after just a few minutes. They didn't really sound all that good anyway.
The only pair I would use was a pair of Sony's that came with an MP3/CD player from a few years back. They sounded pretty good but they were for a private setting only because they looked stupid, like ear muffs. So I finally sprung for these.
I am very satisfied as these sound great. There's not as much bass as you might get from bigger, over the ear types, like a pair of wireless headphones I have at work, but these sound great and look great. They fit better than the previous model from 1990 I spoke of too. I use these mainly for travel and exercising and I'm confident they'll meet my needs for years to come, and if they break by some carelessness on my part, they aren't expensive to replace.
Update 12/14/06:
Just got an ipod shuffle gen. 2. These headphones are still far better acoustically than the ones that came with the ipod. The downside is that they aren't nearly as compact, especially since the ipod itself it super-tiny. I don't know what kind of ears people need to have for those ear-bud type, but they just don't stay in.
Customer Review: Perfect headphones when you're on the move
Summary: 5 Stars
I already have a nice pair of headphones with better sound quality than these, but they are the big ones that cover up half your head. If you take those to the gym or go out for a run with them, not only do you look ridiculous, but the sweat just pools up and soaks them. So I was in the market for some earbuds, but I knew from experience that earbuds keep falling out and are a royal pain. These are the perfect design, and once you fit them to your head, they won't fall out, and they're so light that you barely even notice them. In short, they are perfect.
I did read the below reviews about how these headphones don't last very long before I bought them. There are two possibilities: one is that one of the internal mechanisms just falls apart, in which case there is nothing to be done. The more likely possibility is that repeated tugging of the wire eventually loosens it from the delicate structure of the headphone. So I simply tied the wire around the headphone and taped it in such a way that even if you tug at the wire, there is no pressure and no possibility of tugging the wire loose from the earbud. I'll let you know how long these headphones last - if they don't last long, then there must be a mechanical problem with these and I'd suggest not buying them.
UPDATE: I loved these headphones, they really had the perfect design. I had read some earlier reviews about them not lasting. My theory was that constant tugging of the wires would eventually pull them loose from the internal speaker, so to prevent that I taped the wires down on the first day. Despite this, they lasted 3 months until the sound in the left earbud started going on and off, and then finally died, proving that it is simply a cheap internal mechanism that was the problem, not any sort of wear and tear. There are enough similar cases as mine that should justify Sony discontinuing this product and coming out with a model that has some decent durability. If I could change my rating I would give it 1 star.
Customer Review: The Best
Summary: 5 Stars
Being an avid music fan, you can find me with headphones on at least 5 hours a day. Most of my time at work is spent at a desk with headphones on and, without a doubt, these are the best bang for the buck.
These headphones are meant for portability. So if you plan on using your headphones with a portable cd player, fm tuner, mp3 player, etc. then life doesn't get any better than with these. Otherwise, you will probably need to purchase an extension cord to go along with them.
The sound is perfect for your average person, and they are unbreakable. Well... almost. The cord will often get loose at a joint somewhere, so you will need to plan on buying a new pair once every 9 months or so if you use your headphones often. But, unless you are jerking on the cords in an unnatural way, you cannot break these. Bend them anyway you want, and they immediately return to their original shape.
If you are going to wear a pair of headphones for extended periods of time, you will probably want the following features:
ultra-light,
flexible/unbreakable,
good sound,
stays on your head (even if you take the buds out of your ears), or hangs around neck,
and are cheap enough that you don't mind buying a pair once or twice a year.
Honestly, there are times when my music has been paused for a short period of time and I have to touch my ears to see if I even have the headphones on. They are *that* comfortable. I buy three at a time so that I have a backup and I can give a pair away to a friend who I see wearing poor sounding or uncomfortable headphones that usually come default with their device (ahem, ipod).
Customer Review: Easily best headphones I've ever used.
Summary: 5 Stars
I've had several different brands and styles of headphones in my life so far [I'm 26 now]. I've used ear buds, Ipod style, Clip on, and even the big professional cushy ear piece style. Of all these, this is the pair I will inevitably return to. I've always found ear buds deliver the best sound, but HATE ear buds cause they just won't STAY in my ear. I like the strap over your head kind, but they don't give as good sound, as well as being really noisy to those around you, which is one of my main concerns with headphones, how loud they must be before the sound starts seeping out to be heard by others nearby. With these I get the best of 2 worlds, ear bud sound quality, but with a strap to hold them in place. A trick I use for further stability is to wear a hat over the strap, They are a flexible plastic that won't just break or give you a headache to do that. Another up side, my cd/mp3 players don't even need to be on half volume to be heard loud and clear, and by the time the volume is high enough to seep out, it's way too loud. These are SO cheap but SO much more effective then even the most expensive headphones I've ever owned.
So why do I ever own different ones? I'm pretty sure Sony is trying to phase out this quality style for whatever reason, so they're hard to find in stores amongst the gimmicky skull candy stuff out now and I have ONE big problem with these that probably won't apply to you so don't worry. My cat LOVES the rubbery wires, if left out I will, and have on 3 very frustrating occasions, come in to find them chewed to bits. I plan to buy a few pairs of these here on amazon and HIDE them when not in use, I can't bear to lose my favorite headphones..again.