I be first introduce to what we now call the 71EX series by a good friend from Beijing who let I borrow hers : I fall in love and have to get a pair when I make my first trip to Japan . those be Fontopia N.U.D.E. ex70 series - soon to be replace by the 71ex with less clingy cord and more trim head -lrb- same driver\/innards -rrb- . in short - these bud be pretty awesome . since that first pair , I have own two other set -lrb- 3 total -rrb- , due to rain , a washer , and a washer\/dryer run respectively . here be a breakdown : - comfort : the top . Easy to sleep\/nap in - its entirely possible to forget you be wear they . still , inner-ear bud be not for everyone . if you be new to this style , give these a fair chance to get use to em ' before declare they uncomfy ; -rrb- . - isolation : Great . effective enough to avoid use these while driving\/cycling\/attending a lecture . very nice feature when try to take a nap or otherwise tuning out noisy surroundings . - Inexpensive ... certainly a plus as you will not break the bank if you break em ' or decide inner-ear bud be not right for you - sound quality : Fair mid , crisp high , and strong but somewhat muddly low -lrb- i.e. rapid bass drum hit will sound more like `` thummm-thummm '' than `` thmp ! thmp ! '' -rrb- . if I have to rate these on sound quality alone , I would probably give these 3\/5 star , but the above benefit bump it up higher , and be the reason I keep buy the same bud even after accidentally ruin they multiple time . in summary : a highly recommend introduction to the world of inner-ear bud . great way to try the style out without diving head-first with you wallet . for a step up in quality\/price , search amazon\/google for cx300 -lrb- ~ $ 30 -rrb- , ex85\/ex90 -lrb- ~ $ 60 -rrb- , V-Moda Vibe -lrb- ~ $ 75 -rrb- . also recommend study up at the ilounge headphone forum - invaluable resource for nonfanboy observation regard these and many other model .