Sony has new headphones, MDR-1R - Page 53

Well I'm certainly no expert. Just a guy with a credit card and a few headphones. There are things to like about both of these cans IMO, but the Senn is certainly more colored and lags in the accuracy department. Once the musical passage starts to become complex it sort of falls apart.

Edited by swmtnbiker - 11/7/12 at 6:50pm

Thanks for that, great stuff.

Just received today my Sony MDR-1RNC headphones.  A little about me so you know my biases.  I am unapologetically an audiophile.  Will spend more for the fractional improvement.  I strive for neutral uncolored, but musical, reproduction of the music.  I don't like tubby bass.  I don't like shrill or edgy highs.  I strive for balance.  When it comes to headphones I am utterly unforgiving with what I expect sound-wise and comfort wise.  But I am not a snob....The best buy ever for any headphone is the the Koss KSC-35.  I own about 10 of these.  Use them for working out, etc. .... great on the go set of cans for plugging into a nano or iPhone.  At home I listen through VAC tubes and Magico speakers, and still spin vinyl on a Clearaudio Innovation table. 

 

I have on my biz travels listened over the past few years to about 20 different "travel friendly" "noise canceling" headphones. I bought the PSB m4u headphones, and while they sounded great....it was like wearing a submarine on my head. None has reached the level of enjoyment and accuracy and isolation of my Etymotic ER4p headphones....until today.  Enough about me.

 

When I put the Sony cans on today, before turning them on or plugging them in, I thought immediately, "wow, these feel good.  they are really comfortable.  thank you sony for giving a rip about something feeling really really nice around my skull."  

 

Then I plugged them into my iPhone and played some Rhapsody songs....HORRIBLE.  First thought...I'm sending these back.  Then intuitively without reading the instructions, I reached for where I would want and expect an on-off switch to be.  Viola...the power turned on (thank you sony engineers for ergonomic genius...from on/off switch, to simple but perfect instruction manual).  Wow with the digital amp, NC, etc etc at play (thank you Sony I don't want to figure out what level of NC or amplification or equalization to activate), the sound became so so so so so so much better.  Tight bass.  Articulated highs.  Pronounced mids.  And above all, a soundscape...not a miniature in-your-head version of the musical event....rather a full-on, big bodied, spatial event.  Thank you, Sony. Only watch-out....their amplification and EQ does boost the highs in a way that may be a bit un-natural sounding to some. But it is pretty neutral nonetheless.  My verdict on running these with "off" switch....I'd rather Sony said to only run it with amp/etc on....it sounds that bad with it off...but I see benefit of being able to listen last resort if batteries run out.  And I ran amp (head stage) in front of Sony's amplified signal.....verdict...sounds best without anything in-between.  They made these to sound best turned on, plug-and-play with an iPhone.  Without the amp on, even through an outboard headphone amp, they don't sound quite right.

 

My skepticism remained.  I pulled out my Headstage amp (newest version) and Etymotic ER4P phones.  Dialed those to their best sounding as I have had them 10 years.   Then...switched to simple iPhone feed straight to Sony's......Sony's equaled the sound (almost) of the Etys driven by LOD Headstage...Etys win on harmonics and tone.  Sony's win on impact, range and spatial cues (you are there). Etys equal detail and small presentation.  Sony's equal big presentation and everything laid out before the listener.   

 

I won't be selling my Etymotics.  They are that good.  But the Sony's are oh so incredible.  Sony has packaged something in a user-friendly, simple, straightforward package.  No muss, no fuss.  I am impressed.  And I am very picky.  I will be keeping these.  If Sony's aim was to cancel noise (yes, better than anything I have experienced on that front, and I have listened to just about all NC cans the past year), reproduce all the frequencies, and keep it easy and simple, I give them an A+.  Nicely done.  My favorite thing that I was most worried about was the NC levels they reference (train, office, etc.).  It's automatic....their software does it for you.  They should state that fact in their marketing materials.  I was pleasantly surprised I don't have to slide a switch based on environment I'm in.  It does it automatically.  They state negative 25db noise reduction....I'd say that is very conservative.  And all the while...a transparent, full-on, sweet encompassing sound.  Very nice.

 

Nicely played, Sony.  

Edited by podeschi - 11/8/12 at 6:40am

I've been doing some listening to the 1R and Momentum's and I really can't pick a winner.  Each does well with different genres.  Today was the first time I really did some comparisons with both.  What I can say with certainty is that vocals are more forward with the 1R, stage is wider, and it has a flatter frequency response.  

 

The Momentum's stage seems slightly deeper, at least with certain songs.  I was listening to all different genres of music and another aspect that I noticed was that the R1's and most other portable headphones that I own can't touch the crashes of drums, especially in the treble region like cymbals that the Momentum's can.  

As is the case with many things in this hobby, it all boils down to preference and taste. Both are good headphones, but IMO both are a bit overpriced. If they were $75-$100 cheaper either one would be a steal.

Edited by swmtnbiker - 11/7/12 at 8:08pm

make both a winner and keep them both =P

These reviews... My wallet is crying in the corner :(

 

Is it fair to say that the non-NC version (1R) sounds better than the NC version (1RNC) set to on/power? Or would the extra power from the NC version bump the SQ higher vs. the non-NC version?

 

 

Also, I am shamelessly bumping my request for pictures of the silver MDR-1Rs on someone's head. I still can't decide between black or silver and could use an image.

 

Edited by treal512 - 11/7/12 at 8:32pm

40mm drivers versus 50mm with a digital amp and eq house-tuned.  I'd choose noise cancelling and bigger drivers.

Edited by podeschi - 11/8/12 at 6:40am

Ooh, I did not know that was such a difference 

 

So, I finally got a set of MDR-1RNC for myself, and two desktop amps (impulse buys, I know..)

 

Still haven't had a chance to listen to the regular 1R yet - Sony doesn't have them yet for me to compare.  But, so far, I am really loving these headphones.  They sound excellent both with and without the NC (and S-master amp) tuned on.  I am using them with my X walkman with the NC switched off, since the X's built in amp is already an excellent match.  Plus, I don't always need the NC on :)

 

I would describe the sound to be slightly forward, and very rich and full.  The bass is strong and accurate, but never overpowers the mids.  Overall, the sound is layered well and allows you to easily tune in or out of different elements of the music (bass, vocals, etc.).  They sound excellent   SQ definitely does improve with NC/amp on.

 

 

Edited by frisiviti - 11/7/12 at 9:20pm

Oh my gosh ..I can't wait for my nc version now... These reviews are killing me ... Dang headfier..

That makes me a little sad because I had no intention (or use) of getting the more expensive 1RNC version. Does anyone have any impressions/reviews between the 1R and 1RNC model? Sorry if I have overlooked this being posted already.

Does the 1RBT have the same S-Master Amp as the 1RNC?

It's the 'lifestyle' pricing BS. Just compare the price of HD-25's to the Amperior, over here the difference is £120.
I'm expecting my Momentums to be delivered today, but even if I like them they're going back as £250 is crazy pricing. The £170 1R's I will potentially keep as expensive earmuffs for the winter.

Speaking of pricing vs SQ differences, I am wondering if my recently acquired SRH840s are comparable with these cans.

On another note it's good to hear the NC version may be just as good as the non-NC version.