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

Having researched for ages, looking at over ear and Bluetooth earphones, reading reviews that were a bit off, I then went back to Sony. I've always used Sony when I could get ones. The reviews talked about the longevity of these and the sound quality. I'm glad I read them.These came with a good selection of cups and I ordered some memory foam ones just in case. But I don't need them.Supremely comfortable all day in the office, these have such a deep balanced sound, bass is good without drowning the music. I also don't need the volume up like I did on my other brands as these are more than 'one louder'.The right side one has a red dot to indicate 'right' and the left marked with left but they are naturally uncomfortable if you try the other way anyway.Good cable and a selection of interchangeable ear cups in varied diameters to fit most earholes.I chose cabled earphones as I use them almost exclusively sat in a noisy office and it means I don't have either take home or leave on the desk a pod for charging. Also they harder to lose with the cable.Build quality is Sony so nuff said.Price is spot on.

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.

Disclaimer: I'm not an audiophile.I had been researching in-ears for a while, in hopes of finding a comparable replacement for my MDR-EX310 in-ears, as one of the earbuds died Comparable in regards to sound quality and price. I was looking for something on a modest budget, about the same price as what my 310s were new (about $80 CDN), and to be honest, there really didn't seem to be much out there that provided the same quality product as the 310s. I wasn't concerned with noise cancellation, being wireless, or bluetooth capabilities (avoiding these features was more to do with staying within my budget than anything else). So I started looking into products from recent years, instead of the latest and greatest. That's when I came across the 650s. I believe they came out in '13 or '14. The reviews I read were very positive. They ticked all of my checkboxes, including price so I thought I'd give them a shot. They also looked similar to my 310s, and I had hoped that the fit would be similar. I can't get technical with this much so I'll just point out what I like in simplest terms:- build quality is quite nice. I like the cable. The brass housing. It's all pretty slick. And the weight is good. The brass housing gives them a solid feel.- the fit is great as the tips fit the same as my old 310s. However, none of the tips came with the same foam insert found in the tips that came with my 310s. I took the foam inserts out of my 310s and put them in the new tips of the 650s, and voila. They've very comfy; they fit snug and I get decent isolation.-this is where I'd like to get technical, but I can't - sound quality. I distinctly remember when I first put on my 310s I was blown away by the sound quality; the bass and clarity; for the money I spent. I was not blown away by the 650s. And maybe that's because they're so similar to my 310s, that I simply don't notice much of a difference, and so the first impression of the 650s isn't "WOW!" like it was for my 310s. That being said, and when I think about it more, this is ok. They still sound good. I'm not disappointed in the sound quality really; maybe the clarity isn't quite there. I like the balance; bass is good; mids are fine. I listen to a lot of metal, which in itself can be pretty muddy depending on the quality of the engineering of the music, and perhaps it's an unrealistic expectation to expect amazing clarity from ~$80 headphones. Based on all of the reviews I've read for in-ears in this price range, I do still strongly feel I made a good choice and will be happy with theses for a long time (hopefully)...- which leads to lastly, durability. I haven't had them long enough to be able to confidently give these 5 stars for durability. My 310s lasted about 6 years until one of the earbuds died. I'm hoping to get at least that much life out of the 650s. As mentioned, I really like the build quality. They appear to be a higher quality product from the jack, to the cable to the actual buds, than the 310s, and I hope that translates to a longer life. This is also why I can't give them an overall rating of 5 stars. They'd need to be able to stand the test of time first. Ratings are subjective anyway.Anyway, that's my 2 cents. I can't see how someone could go wrong with these at this price. You're getting build quality, snug fit (and isolation if you have foam inserts for the tips), and great sound for the money.