Sony MDR-1A Prestige Overhead Headphones - Black

Product Information

We put them up against the Sennheiser Momentum (we’re still waiting for the wireless set to arrive) and Oppo PM-3, and both show up the Sony MDR-1ABT mid-range. The separation of sound gives an all-encompassing stereo listen that's really engaging - more so if you have high-resolution audio files - and although it's not a neutral listen, the Sony MDR-1A add the exact kind of pomp we like our audio to have. Compared to many of its competition, the MDR-1A feels like it has a wider soundstage which is clearer, more immersive and well separated. While I hear a slight bleed into the lower mid-range and just a touch of bloom in mid bass region, it’s really impressive how it handles these details considering its’ overall volume and impact. This type of device allows you to listen at lower volume levels, causing less ear fatigue as you don't have to crank up the volume to overcome background noise.

This is a massive achievement by Sony; I know I’m not the only one to compliment the comfort on these.

What we're saying here is the MDR-1A is for audiophiles who want to hear the sound as accurately as possible, so there's no jacked-up bass or zippy treble -- the MDR-1A just tells it like it is. It works surprisingly well, making any learning curve involved with the Sony MDR-1ABT short and frustration-free. Laying the headphones flat also minimize their footprint when placed in a laptop bag or a backpack, making them much easier to carry around.

On tracks with intense sub-bass content, like The Knife ' s " Silent Shout, " the MDR-1A delivers a thunderous low frequency response. According to Sony, the lead in this one is balanced with each channel getting its own ground cable and ‘sub’ cable. The Sony MDR-1A is a newer, updated version of the 1R which is lighter, smaller and more affordable.But the heightened bass region also has the effect of filling out the quieter sections of tracks, resulting in an almost dream-like immersed musical experience.

Before you continue reading, you can and should read my ‘about author’ page on head-fi to get a taste of my sound preference. Thus why i prefer a slight L or V shaped sound signature as bass output decreases with lower volumes. It also contributes to overall atmosphere and what is excellent soundstaging with this pair of headphones.The mids are nice, very clear, a little creamy sounding, and just the right "distance" for my preferences.

There was a bit of creakiness when stretching the arms and it certainly doesn’t feel as premium as something like the Beyerdynamic T51i or the V-Moda Crossfade M-100. No surprise really, given the 40mm drivers are said to be capable of delivering a 3-100,000Hz frequency response, which is way outside of human hearing capability at both the low- and high-end. The MDR-1A and both of it’s color options offer a lot of modern appeal with the use of clean, rounded shapes, soft and supple (fuax?The tone is slightly soft compared with some and you’ll likely get a slightly more hi-fi sound from the Sennheiser Momentum Wireless. The headphones likely have a low enough impedance to work with most smartphones but, again, we were on a crowded show floor with locked samples so it was impossible to test. a first number of 6 denotes that it is completely dustproof, and a second number of 7 denotes that the device can withstand full immersion in water. because the jack got so worn off my phone stopped recognising it (my pc still does recognise it though which is weird).