[kcee]

  I think that usb dac mode is only available to the beta testers iirc.

Yeah but I think it should be available soon it said for everyone. Would be cool to hear your impressions with the MA900. Was thinking about the x3 anyways, if the usb dac mode works well that would be excellent value.

 

[Trunks159]

Hah, I haven't noticed how good the ma900 really is. When going through my collection again, most of the headphones just sounded very boxed in. The hd558 seems really muddy and it has a very meh soundstage, and all closed cans except the a900x are deemed unuseable. Its a blessing and a curse!

 

[donunus]

I actually like the senn 5xx series and don't find them muddy with the right amp (low output impedance). But as for the ma900 vs hd650 comparisons on this thread it makes me curious as to why no one has really said that the sony's are veiled or anything like that when the hd650s are at many times veiled with the wrong equipment pairing. Heck lots of older hd650s are veiled regardless of what you pair them with.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

I find neither to be veiled. The two pairs of HD650s I owned were both quite balanced AND neutral overall with a warmth layer, a mid bass hump and a slight smoothing of the treble. Overall though, they had a spectacular balance. It was the HD650 that first got me into wanting to try more warm/smooth cans, and I've been on that kick ever since. The LCD2 is the king of that sound signature for me.

I did use the HD650s with speedy, neutralish SS amps though. (Audio-Gd Compass 2 with Sabre ES9018 VERY neutral), and ODAC + A-GD SA-31 (which is just a hint warm, but mainly neutral).

Even enjoyed the 650 with the Fiio E9K.

 

[donunus]

One of the hd650s did sound good even with my old FiiO E9 (not even the K version yet). The two other pairs sounded worse. One was the version with the old black felt material covering the driver, and the other was a silver driver material that didn't sound quite right.  

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

I believe Fiio designed the E9 with the HD600 in mind, so it makes sense that the 650 would do well with it. I didn't feel I missed much of anything even when I directly compared it to the SA-31 at the time . I would be happy with the 650/E9k/ODAC.

 

[donunus]

The E9 actually sounded better to me overall with the hd650 than a Burson HA160D. 

 

[donunus]

So anyway, back to topic the bass of the sony's are more lightweight and nimble vs the hd650s though am I right? More in between the 600s and 650s I hope.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Yeah, the MA900's bass is in between the Q701 and HD650, FWIR. It has a mild bass hump, but it's not as strong as the 650's, and the sub bass doesn't extend too low on the MA900. Bass basically becomes in line with the mids at around 50hz, with it's strongest point being at 100hz. Anything under 50hz is more polite/reserved than anything else. Overall, you can expect a very linear sound curve on the MA900 with roll offs in the extremities.

And yes, they are faster/more nimble than the 650 by quite a stretch. As for weight? Lol, no full size headphone I've ever used can touch the MA900 in terms of weight. It's practically impossible how light it is. Even among some on ears, the MA900 still comes off as impossibly light.

The MA900 is muuuuuuuch more airy than the 650, and not as full sounding (though in the realm of being full bodied, even ampless).

The best description i've seen of it's sound is someone on Amazon stating that it sounds like it's always running off tubes. I have never heard a full tube amp (just hybrid), and I imagined well balanced, neutral headphone running off a tube amp to sound something like the MA900 always does. It has an analog sound to it.

 

[donunus]

Alright, I just wanted to get a few more words about them before buying. They sound like a great deal at the price level so i'm ordering one.

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

They essentially made me give up everything else. I sold off my higher end gear, and stuck with just this and the E17. That's how strongly I feel about the MA900.

They aren't mid-fi beaters (K70x, DT880, HD650, HE-400 are all generally better, with some caveats). They're just really solid at their price level, with an agreeable, all-purpose sound signature (akin to something Sennheiser would put out), with a large soundstage, amazing imaging, and non-fatiguing sound. Be realistic about them (put them basically on a HD598 refinement level, just a tad better, but not 650 level).

What may sway you towards them is how they feel. It's hard to go back to general headphones after wearing the MA900 for a period. That, the price, and them not being finicky as to what amps you pair them up with make them an easy secondary choice, when you're fatigued from wearing a standard headphone.

 

[MattTCG]

  Alright, I just wanted to get a few more words about them before buying. They sound like a great deal at the price level so i'm ordering one.

 
MLE gets $10 in his pp every time someone orders the ma900. 

 (kidding)...(and I get $5) Come on, really kidding. 

 

They essentially made me give up everything else. I sold off my higher end gear, and stuck with just this and the E17. That's how strongly I feel about the MA900.

They aren't mid-fi beaters (K70x, DT880, HD650, HE-400 are all generally better, with some caveats). They're just really solid at their price level, with an agreeable, all-purpose sound signature (akin to something Sennheiser would put out), with a large soundstage, amazing imaging, and non-fatiguing sound. Be realistic about them (put them basically on a HD598 refinement level, just a tad better, but not 650 level).

What may sway you towards them is how they feel. It's hard to go back to general headphones after wearing the MA900 for a period. That, the price, and them not being finicky as to what amps you pair them up with make them an easy secondary choice, when you're fatigued from wearing a standard headphone.

 
This description is spot on. Remember that you'll get zero isolation with these in both directions. The cable is very long and IMO cheaply made. Originally I had some question about the build quality, but now I'm happy with them now that I've had a chance to put them through the paces a bit. 
 
Now, I don't plan to sell off everything and keep the ma900 as my only hp. But if I needed to I could and would still have plenty of fun listening to music. 

 

[xkonfuzed]

Alright, I just wanted to get a few more words about them before buying. They sound like a great deal at the price level so i'm ordering one.

In terms of refinement, I'd say they are somewhere between the HD598 and HD650. Soundstage-wise, they're excellent. You won't be disappointed. They are currently my main gaming cans, I prefer them (for gaming) over the DT880's due to the superior imaging capabilities and wider soundstage.

 

[MattTCG]

I can listen to pretty much all genres with them. My favorite would be material that shows off the sound stage. Classical music recorded in a concert hall will blow your mind. Jazz plays well on them. Willie Nelson recorded an album in a Mexican theater called Teatro, sounds fantastic. 

 

[xkonfuzed]

Reggae is also surprisingly good.