Creative EP 630 Headphone Reviews

Manufacturer Creative Model EP 630
Headphone Type Canal Headband Type None
Weight (g) 9 Driver Type Dynamic
Enclosure Material Plastic Isolation (dB) 10
Impedance (ohms) 16 Cable Length (cm) 120
Frequency Response (Hz) 6 - 23000  
Connector 3.5mm Street Price US$25
Buy from Amazon.com  
Average reviewer scores
Bass Extension 6.2 Bass Impact 6.2
Bass Quality 6.0 Mids Quality 5.5
Highs Quality 5.2 Soundstage 4.9
Detail 5.2 Portability 7.5
Isolation 7.3 Comfort 6.6
Durability 5.5 Improvement With Amplification 3.5
Value for Money 7.6    
Overall Score 5.7 Total Reviews 11

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Reviews by our members

Review by Lead Reviewer commando on 22 Jan 07  17:13
Individual review
Bass Extension5
Bass Impact4
Bass Quality6
Mids Quality5
Highs Quality5
Detail4
Comfort4
Durability5
Value9

These are the headphones I use for work and commuting. They're great value, the scores are low only because we're comparing with $2000+ headphones. These are better than the EX71s sound wise, but are very slightly less comfortable. I wish they had uneven cord lengths, I think some versions do but mine are equal. Highly recommended.

Review by Senior Member chunkage on 13 Aug 09  03:52
Individual review
Bass Extension5
Bass Impact6
Bass Quality5
Mids Quality4
Highs Quality5
Detail5
Comfort7
Durability5
Value6

There popular earbuds are both inexpensive and offer a pleasing upgrade to iPod-style buds. Solid design and extreme portability make them even more appealing.

- The EP 630 has a warm, fairly detailed sound, thanks to the soft rubber earpieces, which also offer good isolation. Unfortunately, the cables are also microphonic with any movement. Fair balance, though there's a small bump in the mid-range.

- Durability is uncertain at this point. However, sensible use would dictate making sure the joints near the terminal ends don't get too much stress; especially near the earpieces, they seem delicate.

- You can even listen while resting on the side with surprising comfort; unlike most IEMs, this earbud fits easily and can barely be felt once inserted.

- WIth the right storage, the EP 630 can be wound up to minimal size, but avoid the kinks and knots that plague many designs. The rubber cables return to relative straightness very easily, making this one of the more no-fuss designs available. As a result, it wins high marks for portability.

Considering price, the EP 630 is a solid value.

Review by Senior Member samurai1200 on 11 Dec 08  14:28
Individual review
Bass Extension6
Bass Impact5
Bass Quality5
Mids Quality6
Highs Quality6
Detail6
Comfort7
Durability7
Value7

Pros:
-Great isolation (3 different fitment sizes)
-Warm bass
-Overall decent sound (see other reviews, they pretty much sum up what I think about the sound).

Cons:
-CABLE NOISE (!!!)
-somewhat sharp 5-8khz region

Comments:
For the price, I think these phones are great. The sound quality is pretty impressive, and easily driven (though with the nice isolation, you really don't need to have your phones up very loud). Amps don't really alter the sound too much on these phones.

The deal-breaker for me, though, was the CABLE NOISE. I tried walking around with these every-so-often, but the cable rumble was just out of hand. For that reason, I mainly use these at home when i need to quickly grab some headphones to plug into my laptop.

Review by Senior Member thrillmetoo on 07 Feb 08  22:12
Individual review
Bass Extension5
Bass Impact6
Bass Quality5
Mids Quality5
Highs Quality3
Detail4
Comfort5
Durability5
Value6

Ratings are based on the current price and compared to other IEM. These can be had for as low as 20 dollars. The main problem I have with these IEM is the tinny highs. I just can't get used to that. I have very piculiar ears, and these are the first IEM that more or less stay in place.
Value for money: 6

Review by Senior Member pez on 05 Aug 07  09:22
Individual review
Bass Extension7
Bass Impact7
Bass Quality6
Mids Quality6
Highs Quality5
Detail5
Comfort9
Durability9
Value9

Owned these for about 8 months now and I have to say I am pleased. I truly think these are the best IEM's under $50. Bass is a strong point in these IEM's, and treble and mids are presented good as well. Highs though, are a bit muddy-ed up by the bass and treble, but they aren't completely gone. These have good sound quality over all for the price, which was about $30 when I purchased mine. I highly recommend these to anyone looking for a cheap alternative or for first time IEM buyers.

Review by Member vision4life on 10 Jul 09  06:59
Individual review
Bass Extension8
Bass Impact7
Bass Quality7
Mids Quality7
Highs Quality6
Detail5
Comfort6
Durability4
Value9

Currently I use these in-ears daily on the bike to listen music from my iPod. Conventional in-ears don't work for me. They just fall out. That is the main reason I bought the EP630 nearly two years ago! And they still work. But the rubber sleeves at the ear-bits is worn out. So I think that soon I have to replace them. Again EP630? Or something else? Maybe EP830? Or AKG K320, 330 or 340? I will see. I am very satisfied with the EP630, for its great value for money.

Review by Member gabysrivera on 06 Oct 08  06:05
Individual review
Bass Extension8
Bass Impact9
Bass Quality9
Mids Quality8
Highs Quality8
Detail8
Comfort9
Durability8
Value10

I have bought Creative EP-630 and Bose In-ear headphones and in comparison, the Creative Sounds Much, Much better than the Bose... The Creative Reproduce more efficient, the Bass,mid, high notes with more clarity and have better volume. Great Buy!... I bought it on ebay for $13.95...The Bose cost to me $95.00 and ones you hear the Creative..mmmm don't want to use the Bose again...

Review by Member jbcom on 22 Jul 08  13:10
Individual review
Bass Extension8
Bass Impact7
Bass Quality7
Mids Quality5
Highs Quality4
Detail5
Comfort7
Durability3
Value5

I bought these headphones based on the positive reviews on this and other websites, was fairly happy with the overall sound and comfort, for such small drivers etc. Isolation was good except, booming vibrations can be heard when moving cable around which is distracting.

My main issue with these headphone is durability, the driver on the left side broke away from the rest of the cable (silver part from black part) and soon the solder had broken and the left side rendered useless. I don't be purchasing these again. sennheiser CX300 look identical except for the plug, I imagine these may be plagued with similar issues.

Review by Member Otherwise on 03 Feb 07  05:18
Individual review
Bass Extension6
Bass Impact7
Bass Quality7
Mids Quality6
Highs Quality6
Detail5
Comfort8
Durability5
Value8

Very good little plugs for the money. I have owned (and still do) the Sony MDR-EX71 plugs, and even when modded, they cannot keep up with the EP630s. Reproduction of the EP630s is clearly smoother. The quality of the highs and mids is, if not the most accurate in the world, quite compelling. With a tiny tiny bit of equalisation around 2-5kHz, they can be listened for hours and hours. Listening comfort is very good, they sit firmly in ear canals. EP630 comes with 3 different size silicone plugs + they are interchangeable with Sony MDR-EX71 ones.

Review by Member aaron-xp on 20 Dec 06  21:50
Individual review
Bass Extension3
Bass Impact4
Bass Quality2
Mids Quality2
Highs Quality2
Detail3
Comfort6
Durability4
Value7

Probably one of the more popular choices for canalphones under USD30.

Bass:
Decent quantity of impact for a canalphone, but the quality is rather bad. Think of it as a blunt pencil, as compared to that of the K501, which probably can be likened to that of a sharp pencil.

Mids/Highs:
Muffled, but at the price point, it's okay.

Portability is rather good, given that they're small, and can take quite a bit of abuse. Just chuck them into your pocket and they should be fine (though they tangle rather easily). Isolation is normal for a canalphone, but lousy if compared to IEMs. The canalphone itself doesn't really look durable, given the cheap plastic housing and tacky rubber cables. But they have lasted me a rather long time, and are still surviving.

Decent value for money for a canalphone at this price point.

Review by Member frenger on 19 Jan 06  23:48
Individual review
Bass Extension7
Bass Impact6
Bass Quality7
Mids Quality7
Highs Quality7
Detail7
Comfort5
Durability5
Value8

The EP 630 seem to me better sounding than the sonys MDR EX81 LP series (at most the bass). I owned the sony MDR canal-buds from their appearance (1x MDR-EX70 1x MDR-EX71LP 1x MDR-EX81LP) The fitting of the EP is better, not as "complicatet" as the EX81 (but the 81er design is better for those who hate the "cablesound" when moving the head). The missing of the "used to" Necstrip is a matter of taste. Just one disatvantage, Due the Design of the Buds (same as on sony MDR EX71) you hear every movement of the cables in the ear (when listining on very low volume). They sound to me best at Normal or Rock Equilizer setting (I use a iriver T10) SRS sounds strange to me due the EPs naturally give a boost to the mids and highs, maybe I need to readjust the SRS Settings for the EPs. And the EPs are more louder on the same setting as the sonys. Maybe when someone means his portable is'nt loud enough, he might get some benefit with this buds. I like the inner design of the EPs more due they have a small fine iron grid where the sound comes out instead of just one small hole as the sonys. Due the the naturally design of our ears (even when cleanig it serveral times during the week) the sony could get impact on the soundquality when the small whole is blocked or nearly blocked by "something". The grid of the EPs is easyer to "service".
What makes me most angry is that both earbud series have no tool to store them when not using them. Well the sonys got the "joke" of a transport protection and sometimes a small sac but these things are unusable in the daily live for them. Where is the nice Windingcase for these?? Even the cheapest Earbud like Sony MDR-E828LP for 6$ have it why not the models that cost 30 - 50$ ?
Ok I have the EPs now for 2 and a half month and I'm very happy with them, use them daly 2 hours (way to work and back). Mainly in subways and trams, so I apriciate the niche soundisolation of the canaldesign for reading books while hearing my music. Well the Isolation quality depends on which of the 3 sets of delivered canalbud-fittings you are using and how deep inside the ear you carry them, but the fittings are just the same as the sonys, no real differnce notable . Take in a borderline case the bigger ones (the smaller are only for samller ears not to use to get more comfort!) and push them deep into the earcanal and just enjoy them :-)

Creative EP 630