I've recently bought a Sony NW-HD3 Network Walkman and the headphones supplied are pretty basic in quality. (Got the volume fix sorted by looking at another forum on this site by the way).

So is it possible to get a pair of in ear cans for under £40 that would be better quality than the supplied ones, people have recommended Sony EX71's, MDR-J20's, MDRED-228LP?, and the Senneiser PX100's, if someone uses these out there let me know what you think,

Cheers.

Audio Technica ATH-CM5
I would say that this is quite a good earphone. These phones are no doubt that from the midrange and up, i am very very pleased. I just found it the best sounding earphone i could get my hands on for cheap. The CM5 has quite a marked improvement in detail in the upper octaves. While bass performance is not very outstanding. I would characterise this earphone as being detailed and forward sounding. Bass from the CM5 is pretty thin, I can tell from listening that the bass from the CM5 is proportionately less than what one would expect from a tonally balanced phone. Overall, i'll definitely say its money well spent by far.

[Funky]

Those Sony stock earbuds are not bad in fact. They are really clean and clear. If you are looking for upgrading, e888 are well-worth the money. Some people are disappointed by the e888 because of the fitting problem and burn in period. Anyway, the e888 are a premium earbud and will work very well for you after burning in. Some people complain of weak bass, but I've never had that problem. Comparing to the low-end EX71, the bass isn't the same. I'd say the E888 are more natural-sounding than any other bud, and more balanced. So basically, I would stick with the E888 unless you can afford more expensive headphones.

Thanks for the info on the phones, I'll check them out.

Funky, what is your opinions on the ATH-CM5 if you've heard that too, particularly how it compares to the Sony E888. I'm looking for some good buds for my future upgrade.

Simon.c, PX100 should be the best on your list. These are very light and probable. Sound quality is outstanding, and I like them for just about every type of music. But I did find that they needed a little burn in.

[Funky]

Originally Posted by yageaki

Funky, what is your opinions on the ATH-CM5 if you've heard that too, particularly how it compares to the Sony E888. I'm looking for some good buds for my future upgrade.

If I recall correctly, I remember the sound of e888 are nice, pretty warm, and pretty good with at least all the kinds of music I listen to, while CM5 have a clearer, more analytical sound, and tighter in the bass. The E888 are smoother in the treble. Lately, Audio-Technica replaced the cm5 with the cm3. Japanese gear exporter ***************** has the headphones available now. The stick earphones come in the 5 iPod mini colors, and they look gorgeous.