So do you like those Sonys now?

Love-hate relationship.

I'm not thrilled with the earbud concept. For me they are not as comfortable as my previous in-the-ear headphones, but it's not enough to be a real bother. What I have the most trouble with is that they aren't as secure as headphones that are held in place by an over-the-head spring strap. When I bump one of the wires, it tends to partially (or completely) knock the 'bud out of my ear, and when I roll my chair back to reach the copier, even though the wire is long enough, the weight of the wire puts just enough tension on the earbuds to dislodge them.

Sound-wise: as we discussed previously, I had to compensate for a perceived lack of mid-range with the equalizer, which in turn compromised the maximum volume. I am right on the edge of listenability volume wise (remember, I'm connected directly to the line-outs) and with the player volume set to 0dB, it is just enough. They are much cleaner sounding than my previous headphones, and I can hear clipping begin if I put the player volume setting up to about +3dB.

Overall? Cleaner than my previous headphones, but not as "warm" sounding. Probably more accurate, though. I just have to avoid taking the attitude that "...it's different from what I'm used to so it can't be any good."

tanstaafl.