Sony MDR-EX650AP Premium Wired Earphones with Brass Housing, Neodymium dynamic drivers, Smartphone Mic and Control - Black/Gold

After going through my second pair of e10s I was struggling on deciding whether to buy another set or try a new pair of earphones. Ultimately, I chose to buy this Sony pair--a decision I do not regret. Simply put, these are the best set of earphones I have ever purchased and I would urge anyone considering them to take the jump, like I did, and get them.Sound Quality:Perhaps the most important aspect of any audio equipment, I can gladly say that these earphones more than deliver on the premise of sound quality. While I may not know all the fancy terms ("bass", "treble"??) I easily recommend these to the casual listeners and audiophiles on a budget alike, looking to splurge on a great piece of equipment. Part of what made look for a new model of earphones was that I felt my last pair lacked a certain "oomph" behind the vocals melody, and production, and luckily these headphones surpass my expectations. Overall, on sound quality alone, these are a steal.Design/Ergonomics:Adding to the impressive sound of the earphones, sony's unique brass design is simply stunning. The duality of black and brass running through design creates a stylish yet subdued look. I've had many compliment's from friends about the premium, quality look that these boast. For the fashion conscious, these will prove a hit no doubt. Comfort-wise these once again Sony blows the ball out of the park. The four interchangeable buds ensure these will fit even the most demanding ears but for me the stock buds fit perfectly.Build Quality:Unsurprisingly, these live more than well up to sony's connotation with quality. The cable, although thin, has a beautiful feel and texture and the brass elements feel solid and sturdy.Negatives:I'm happy to report that negatives come few and far between here. Since I don't use it I can't comment much on the little control bar although some may be disappointed that it lacks volume control. Additionally, despite its great feel, the cable lacks any 'anti-tangle' measures so-to-speak which is a minor but nevertheless unfortunate omission.

I bought a set of Sony MDR-EX110LP Deep Bass Earphones last month for a tenner as insurance against my current headphones breaking during a long all day Journey. I laughed when one of the ear pieces had stopped working when I started using them on the first train of the day. I had the backup Sony MDR-EX110LP Deep Bass Earphones in my shirt pocket and I was good to go while marveling at my instinct to buy backup earphones. The sound was fine for my needs, they served me well on the journey, but the amount of cable was aggravating and it feels delicate. It also tangled a lot which was a pain when pulling into a station and having to rush to leave the train.So I bought Sony MDR-EX650 Earphones with Brass Housing when I returned home so I don't have the same problem on the next journey. Reviews said they don't TANGLE and the reviews are correct. I wrap them around my fingers and stuff them in the storage pouch with the brass ear pods hanging out side them. The pouch stays flat and and fits a shirt pocket perfectly.The sound was not much better than the ones I bought last month but I read some reviews saying they have to be broken in like a pair of shoes, that they improve after a while. I was skeptical about this but sure enough from yesterday they have sounded amazing. The bass when the volume is high is crisp and punchy, no distortion at all, and this has a downside for me. It was making me turn up the volume too high without realising. I'm more conscious of it now but it just shows what a few extra quid gets you. I'm really impressed with the sound.There is a button on the left sided wire and when pressed it cuts off the music. It says something about a microphone but I have no idea what it means. It's handy not having to take the phone out my pocked and then its cover to cut off the music, but then I have to remove the earphones because of the noise cancelling. After pressing the button on the wire to hear sound around me I hear nothing. My phone is an Android.The brass feels and looks great. A review said they fall out the ear if doing activities but mine have not fallen out my ears once. They also don't feel any different to plastic ones in the ear. I like the brass, it gives them a classy look when in the ears.I paid £49.99, I see they're £59.99 today. Having heard the quality and experienced the robustness of the wire I would buy these again and pay more for them if it was necessary. I still have the backup ones I bought last month and they will probably fit in the flat pouch with these ones when I remember where I put them, If they do then bonus. I'll go one better and get a double 3mm Earphone jack in the pouch too. This way somebody near me on a train can listen to my music too and be overwhelmed by my taste.