Sony's canalphone twist pays off

A first glance at these 'phones reveals the MDR's trademark asymetrical left and right wire lengths, the left being shorter in a design made to allow the wires to be worn behind the listener's head. Upon closer inspection, though, one sees that the 90s differ from their lower-priced brethren in that the part that extends into the ear canal juts from the driver housings at about a 45-degree angle. Look closer still, and one will find wee vents in the housing units. And therein lies the key difference between the 90s and other canalphones.

Typical canalphones produce their best sound when a perfect seal is created between the 'phones and the wearer's ear; break that seal, and the bass evaporates and the remaining sound is weak. Sony's 90s, though, with their larger drivers (13.5mm, an increase of 4.5mm over the MDR-EX71s), were built to produce maximum quality sound despite the fact that such a seal cannot be achieved due to the vents. This gives the 90s a few advantages over other canalphones in this price range.

First, the venting allows the sounds produced by the drivers some breathing room: vocals and trebles convey more of their natural timbre, while the bass sounds a bit more rounded, a bit less like it's being "stuffed" into one's ears. Second, the 90s are easier and more comfortable to wear; they do not need to be crammed as far as possible into the ear, and the wearer does not need to work to adjust the 'phones to fit "just so" for best sound, or need to make continual readjustments to keep that sound. All one needs to do with the 90s is pop them in, push "play," and go.

A potential drawback to this design is that when sound can leak out of a set of 'phones, that also means sound can leak in. As such, these 'phones do not block exterior sound as effectively as other canalphones. However, they do block a fair amount of sound; I find that even with the music off I need to take them out of my ears to conduct normal conversation, and I have experienced that they block enough sound in outdoor urban settings for me to adequately hear and enjoy the music without increasing the volume to unsafe levels. Additionally, as an offset to the somewhat decreased sound isolation, the wearer of a set of the 90s will not hear his or her every movement, footfall, or rustle of the cords amplified to the degree that they can be with typical canalphones. I appreciate that I can wear the 90s when going for a run and not be distracted by the plodding of my feet and the jostling of the cords. Others, though, may desire a greater level of noise isolation, so YMMV.

So, that covers the mechanics of the 90s -- but how do they actually sound when stacked up against the competition? To this, I can answer that the 90s perform very well. As an owner of Sony's EX71s, I have enjoyed their impressive bass for rock, pop and hearty electronica, but their midrange is muddy enough to detract from mellower pieces, and the trebles, although present, are somewhat indistinct. The 90s continue the MDR's tradition of bravo bass performance that makes one want to "move to the beat," but offer a level of detail that makes listening to quieter and more nuanced pieces a joy as well. I find they reproduce orchestral music very nicely, conveying the subtleties of hushed passages, and allowing each instrument to be fairly present when the entire orchestra kicks in, with a minimum of any sense of muddle. I'd rate the sound quality as superior to that of the competent Shure's E2c's, as the 90s offer the aforementioned roomier sound, added oomph in the lower registers, and more detail in the higher frequencies. I've also tested the 90s against the gold standard of under-$100 dollar 'phones, the Grado SR60s, and while the Grados do offer a richer, more detailed listening experience, the 90s hold up rather well considering their small size, whereas the Grados were definitely not built for the road.

On the downside, the 90s share with the other entries in Sony's MDR series thin cords that tangle if one just looks at them funny; be sure to hang on to the provided leather carrying case for toting. Other users have reported this series' cords are subject to premature fraying, although I've owned my 71s for about five or six months with no wear issues to-date.

In short, I would recommend these 'phones to anyone who wants exceptionally good sound for the money not only for portable use, but for home use as well, if they listen to music mainly through portable devices and computers and are hesitant to spring for a "home" pair of 'phones as well as an "away" pair.