Sony MDR-1A Prestige Overhead Headphones - Black

Product Information

Listening and tests were mainly done with my Xiaomi 4X phone using Spotify's extreme quality (320Kbps, 24bit, 48Khz?). Note, my Xiaomi 4x output is slightly warm sounding and bassy (a solid 3-5db more bass) compared to audio from my Ipod 5th gen and my computer (I5 core). The 4X output also sounds noticeably clearer and has better imaging than both my ipod and computer. No matter what genre of music you throw at them, the MDR-1A handles it well and there is no need to tinker with any adjustments or the equalizer. Everything from vocal ballads to heavy metal sounds fantastic. A V-shaped headphone is an apt way to describe the Sony MDR-1A. But in this case it doesn’t mean they have non-existent mids. More specifically, and to that point, they sound like entry-level audiophile headphones should. They didn’t have the same clarity that some of the higher-end headphones we listened to at CES had but, considering these were a quarter of the price, that’s to be expected. The light construction also helps make the Sony MDR-1A among the very most comfortable headphones in this class: they are extremely comfortable.

MDR-1A was the best during my test in the store. The bass is just correct. Other headphones (MSR7, DT770, Custom One Pro, etc.) sound worse than MDR-1A. They have almost does not have any bass. The tone of the mid-range is great too. They are pretty-sounding headphones that are able to make voices – both the spoken and sung king – sound natural.Speaking of plastic housing! That turns out to be one of the MDR-1A’s biggest upsides! The design choice of plastic housing make this one of the most comfortable pairs of headphones you’re ever likely to wear. However, the fit is fairly loose, which might be an issue for people with small heads. It does have adjustable ear cups, but they only increase in size which might not be suitable for everyone. The ear cups rotate sideways about a hinge which makes sure that your earlobes are fully covered. The Sony MDR-1A are the updated version of the MDR-1R we reviewed a couple of years ago. They’re over-ear, full-size headphones with more than a hint of sophisticated Sony design.

The Sony MDR-1ABT get a partial pass for being wireless headphones, but it does tell you you’re paying a fair bit extra for the privilege of wireless. Ultimately, they don’t look or feel like a truly luxurious pair. Sony MDR-1A review A new version of Sony's over-ear headphones brings a host of new features, but how do they sound? The pads are the softest material I have ever felt, and because the headphones are so light I forget they’re even on my head. No pressure points to speak of. The only headphone I can wear for an entire day non-stop. This is a massive achievement by Sony; I know I’m not the only one to compliment the comfort on these. There isn’t much else to say about the midrange though, because it’s nothing special. You can’t be expecting HD600 levels of mid-forwardness and intimacy in a V-shaped headphone. Sorry for not being very technical here, but the MDR-1A is just meh in the midrange so there’s no point delving any deeper here. Onto the treble. As this headphone is usually compared to MSR7, I don't recommend MSR7 on comfort aspect. I am Asian with regular size head but MSR7's earcup pressure feels like torture.The MDR-1A has good build quality and most of the materials used in it are intended to keep the weight low. Cast aluminum is used in the outer parts of the cup, and almost every other part of these headphones is made of plastic. 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. But, otherwise the MDR-1A feels solid. The Sony MDR-1ABT are a higher class of ‘party’ headphone, but ultimately still falls on that spectrum. This is as much a lesson in expecting tech-heavy headphones like these to route a decent chunk of their cost into these features, rather than pure sound quality. However, you only need to worry about this if you’re after seriously high-end sounding headphones. These are a little more forgiving, and offer a fun, smooth sound that’s perfect for long, relaxed listening.

See the full article here: https://jamesfiorucci.wordpress.com/2023/05/07/simple-audio-review-sony-mdr-1a/ In terms of accessories, you get two standard length 1.2-meter cables, one of which has a one-button inline remote and microphone. It's geared toward Android phones but also works with iPhones, though in a more limited capacity (no volume controls). If you have Android phone, you can use the free SmartKey app to customize the button controls. When people talk about the wild, clear, dynamic Grado sound - they are talking about this. I used to own Grados, but I sold them all. I couldn't stand them at all, and I always wondered what people heard in them. They talked about punchy bass, clear treble, etc, but all I heard was a shrill midrange and colored sound. Coming from Sennheiser HD-600, 580s, Ety ER-4s, Fiio X1s, AKG 701s, Momentum 2.0s, etc. I didn't know exactly what to expect out of these headphones. They are, after all, Sonys. And Sony can build really bad stuff.

Why is Sony MDR-1AM2 better than Sony MDR-1A?

Male vocals sound good on both, but female vocals can be slighly piercing on the sonys, again the detail is there but they are approaching the sibilant zone for me. I loved the SQ of these. They sounded very balanced, not exactly neutral, but very dang close to the middle. My only other pair I could use for reference was my old pair of HD 429's. Of course, it wouldn't be a very fair review if I compared an item that costs nearly 6 times more. To summarize that short rant, I love them. They included 2 removable cables, one with a mic and play/pause button. Very wise decision indeed. These, are just comfortable. no beating around the bush. They weigh almost nothing, and the pads are very comfortable (Pleather) They do get a little hot, but that's a after hours and hours of listening. Durability is another huge plus, although they're made from plastic, the headband's metal, which make these pretty durable. Cable's removable, so if a cable breaks, just swap it out. Although the design is something subjective, I will nonetheless give my opinion on it. They look awesome. I'm especially fond of the red streak that goes around the housing of the headphones. I've heard a sound demo of it through Youtube (Thanks, Zeos!), and it sounded quite soft. Go see it for yourself with different headphones, I'll have the link here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4Ls4kawqus It sounds to us like this happens as part of the DAC chain: the part that converts the digital wireless signal into the analogue one that eventually drives the 40mm dynamic drivers used here. Plus it’s what makes sense from a technical perspective. These headphones do add a bit of bombast to sound and if you are an audiophile looking for a set that perfectly recreates audio, the MDR-1A may be a bit of a disappointment. But, most people won’t have any complaints.

So I landed on the Sony MDR-1A. An absolute BASS monster, so muddy and bloated you’d start puking to the beat of Starboy. I’ll maybe put these on on a Saturday night to listen to some house music, so I can imagine what it might feel like to go to a nightclub (I’ve never been). From the specs, we can see a huge frequency range, a relatively low nominal impedance, and a decent sensitivity – in theory translating to more detail, the ability to play from portable devices, and a fairly standard level of volume, respectively. Expertise Mobile accessories and portable audio, including headphones, earbuds and speakers Credentials There is some bass-bleed into the lower mids, however, in songs with heavy bass. That's definitely a flaw with the lower-mids on these. However, it isn't a huge amount of bleed like is heard from the vast majority of overpriced mass-consumer-oriented headphones out today. Dynamically, the Sony MDR-1As really stand up to scrutiny. They sound exciting and engaging, more so than the likes of the Urbanite XLs.

User reviews

You know it when you hear it -- the MDR-1A just sounds right. The balance of bass, midrange and treble is as smooth as can be, the stereo soundstage is spacious, and dynamic range is, well, dynamic. Also included with the MDR-1A: A drawstring carrying pouch that the headphones fold down flat into for easy stowing. Vocals don’t have as much presence as 600. Too smoothed off for my likings. As a result, less detail and clarity. This vocal recession is evident when looking at the frequency graph which shows a dip in mids with the lowest amplitude at the low-mids. Incredibly light yet with touches of premium pleather and metal, these look a lot more expensive than they are. But enough about the build, comfort is where it’s at with these cans. The Sony MDR-1A are not the most portable set in their class, though. While the ear cups swivel by 90 degrees to make the headphones ‘flat’, the cups do not fold inward (into the headband) to save space. There’s also no case supplied.