Direct Sound EX29 Plus Extreme Isolation High Precision Audio Stereo Headphones Midnight Black

I owned the original model of these headphones for 4 years before the left ear shorted. By that time, Direct Sound had released the updated model (dubbed Plus) and seemingly discontinued the previous. I thought it a good time to upgrade and was initially pleased with the changes.The cable is two parts, allowing you to disconnect while still wearing the headphones. As I always need sound protection due to my hyperacusis, this is a boon. I don't need to worm for the audio jack on my PC, I can just disconnect it right under the fork and walk around the house. The headband is tighter than the previous version, which helps with sound isolation a little bit (tighter fit) but feels like they're too small for my head initially. The cable used to be a double, though, which mitigated naturally pretzelling. The new, single cable comes already ready to pretzel.After about a month, I noticed the ear pads falling off. Some adhesive was still left, so they hadn't actually fallen off, but I could definitely see a tug removing them. Additionally, a couple weeks later, the left Y connector on the headband snapped as I stretched them to put on. Many reviews cite this same cheap construction. Whether it's the new design or the reseller, I don't know (Direct Sound's site claims the new headband is "more durable"). Luckily I never threw out my old pair and the entire design of these headphones is modular. I swapped out the broken headband for my old one and it's fine-ish. The slightly looser fit means less sound isolation.Direct Sound's site offers replacement parts for every piece of the headphone. This was cool and consumer friendly on their part, as you needn't replace the entire headphone when something broke. But now it feels like they deliberately made the new version frailer to encourage more part sales. ...Or it could be the reseller refurbishing, I can't say. I'd have to order directly from Direct Sound to compare and I don't intend to order a second set. Amazon is consistently cheaper than buying directly.That said, I did contact the reseller through Amazon and they provide a 1 year warranty for the headphones. Just ship them the broken pair and they'll ship you a new one.If you can find the old model (non Plus), I'd recommend that. Failing that, however, I'd recommend getting the old IncrediFlex headband that Direct Sound still sells under replacement parts. Assuming it is planned obsolescence in the newer design, the older design should last you much longer.UPDATE: 3 years later, the right speaker died. Ordered replacement speakers from Direct Sound's site and 4 business days later, they arrived (est. 3-5); they came with an extra extension cable I didn't order (and wasn't charged for) as well as picture instructions on how to replace the speakers! You only need the 1/4 inch jack adapter the cable comes with, otherwise it's all doable with just your hands (though the adhesive was a bit strong in places). The new cable is tethered, as opposed to a simple rubber sheath on the previous, which should be more pretzel resistant.And an update on the ear pads that fell off: they only fell off that one time, staying firm for the last 3 years I've had them. I finally replaced them with the (now also 3 years old) replacement pads I bought back then and that definitely helped the comfort.I also switched back to the old headband as the new one was pinching the crown of my skull. They still sell this old headband model on their site as a separate part so, true to the original review, I recommend buying it if you have problems with the new design (comfort, durability, or otherwise).

Using these headphones for the occasional studio recording and a cassette tape to digital conversion project. While the sound quality and noise cancellation are great, the headphones themselves are of a terrible quality. The right side pad peeled itself away from the frame and will not stick back on without help from glue. And most recently, the headband snapped in half when putting the headphones on at the beginning of a recording session. I make a big point to NOT spread ANY headphones wide to put them on but, that didn’t seem to matter.I’ve had these for a relatively short time and only used them less than 20 times.I will not be buying replacements.

Sound quality is better than I’d expected, but the isolation was absolutely not. I'd be surprised if these offer more than 20dB passive isolation.The Vic Firth isolation headphones make a much better seal and reject way more outside sound.

I recently invested in a pair of Direct Sound EX-29 headphones, anticipating a worthwhile audio experience. The sound quality, I must admit, was impressive; it delivered a clear, immersive sound that would have otherwise made them a pleasure to use. However, the overall experience was marred by significant construction issues that are hard to overlook.The most glaring problem I encountered with these headphones was the quality of the adhesive used to secure the ear pads. Within just a few days of usage, the glue started to deteriorate, causing the pads to disintegrate and crumble. This is not something I would expect from a product that's priced as a premium offering.The fallout from the crumbling pads made for a highly uncomfortable user experience. The residue would cling to my ears and hair, turning what should have been an enjoyable audio session into a complete hassle.I attempted to reach out to the customer service department to address the issue, but their responses were less than satisfactory and failed to offer any real solution or explanation.In conclusion, despite the Direct Sound EX-29 headphones delivering commendable sound quality, their overall construction and durability left much to be desired. The faulty glue and crumbling pads significantly undermined the otherwise positive audio performance, resulting in a product that I find hard to recommend. If you're considering a long-term investment in headphones, I would suggest looking elsewhere for a product that delivers not just on sound quality, but also on durability and customer service.

I bought these and loved them for a time, until about 40-50 hours of hard drumming. you drop them , they can and will break easily. the clamp that holds the ear piece broke. i taped it. the ear covers started pealing off , i double side taped it. then the left ear went out completely. they want you to buy extra parts. don't . I got some shure noise cancelling in ears for same price and they're working better for recording and drumming .

This is a worthless product to a certain extent. Sure, it is very good at sound isolation BUT the plastic headset easily comes apart. I slightly moved the headset apart a month or so, after I bought the product, in order to put it on my head, and it broke off on the right side with ease. Not worth buying, therefore.