[jirams]

Got my F1s just after HeadFi went off the air.

So far I only listen to them, rather than my HD650!!

Amazing phones - why are they so unknown on HeadFi? I have absolutely no problem with bass on my Opera amp with classical music. I do find them a little less comfortable than I had expected - I keep wanting to adjust them when they touch my ears - they are quite critical for getting the best sound on the head position. I had to shorten the overlong cable to about 1.5 metres length. The cable uses a common earth return conductor - I may recable them when I can work out how to get into the LH capsule, does anyone know how to do this?

Join the F1 club and post your comments again.

 

[Fitz]

They've been on my "list" for a little while, one day I'll probably get a pair.

 

[jirams]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fitz /img/forum/go_quote.gif They've been on my "list" for a little while, one day I'll probably get a pair.

Hurray up - that will make 2 of us

 

[GlendaleViper]

Haven't heard these yet. Presumably the predecessor of the SA-1000?

If you want a good chuckle in the meantime, you need to look into the only user review on amazon.com.

Had to quote this:

"The sony's look awkward on a tall and thin person with a suit on and a briefcase, but the Bose's look incredibly expensive, and they are, and are not for the t-shirt wearing pedestrian or casual man or woman."

 

[jirams]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GlendaleViper /img/forum/go_quote.gif Haven't heard these yet. Presumably the predecessor of the SA-1000?

Nah - see

AudioCubes.com - Sony MDR-F1 Open-Air Headphones - MDR-F1 -

 

[JML]

I have one. Plenty of reviews and postings several years ago about these.

Perhaps the most comfortable headphones every made, and maybe the best for binaural recordings. Needs plenty of power to sound their best. Shortcomings are the lack of deep bass extension and a lack of transparency.

 

[jirams]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JML /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have one. Plenty of reviews and postings several years ago about these. Perhaps the most comfortable headphones every made, and maybe the best for binaural recordings. Needs plenty of power to sound their best. Shortcomings are the lack of deep bass extension and a lack of transparency.

No lack of bass and transparency IMO nowadays, with Corda Opera amp

 

[JML]

Well, all I have is a Corda HA-1, so maybe it's time to upgrade...

 

[majid]

I keep a pair at work that I've had for over 5 tears, well before I was introduced to Head-Fi. I have them hooked up to a Headroom Coda LE (upgraded to the Home electronics module), a fairly decent amp.

They are extremely lightweight and comfortable, but sonically nowhere near my home HD650 or AKG K701. The bass is very withdrawn (and I am not even a basshead, I like neutral presentation for classical music). They also do not have the precise resolution of my other cans. Violins do not have "bite" and individual instruments in an orchestra tend to blend together.

Does anyone know where to get replacement Toray "ecsaine" pads? Mine are getting quite ratty.

 

[wae5]

It's easy to overlook the fact that the OP is commenting on an amp/phone combo rather than just the phones themselves so I wouldn't allow myself to be carried away by his enthusiasm for the the MDR-f1s unless I had his amp too.

 

[jirams]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wae5 /img/forum/go_quote.gif It's easy to overlook the fact that the OP is commenting on an amp/phone combo rather than just the phones themselves so I wouldn't allow myself to be carried away by his enthusiasm for the the MDR-f1s unless I had his amp too.

Fair comment - the F1 has a very low impedance (around 12 ohms) and no doubt the lower impedance output of the Opera assists them in sounding so good to me at least.

 

[ford2]

I love F-1s nearly as much as my SA 5000s, ever since I started alternating these two phones my Darths live in a drawer.
I drive mine from Aria but in all honesty they sound just as good straight from my card,RME Digi.
I love the open feeling of the F-1s and as I have stated before comfort of a phone has to be taken into consideration along with the sound.

Tony.

 

[Sanddancer]

These were my pre-head-fi headphones and while they're not up to par with some of the others I use these days, they still do get a fair amount of head time. I find that they're perfect when I want to passively listen to music without it intruding and disctracting me from whatever it is I'm supposed to be concentrating on.

Quote:

Originally Posted by majid /img/forum/go_quote.gif Does anyone know where to get replacement Toray "ecsaine" pads? Mine are getting quite ratty.

I recently bought a pair of replacements from Audiocubes. Think they were $65. They also had replacements for the Ecsaine part of the headband. Just tried searching on audiocubes.com and audiocubes2.com (sure this was where I got them) and I can't find them on either

 

[A3C]

Yes, the F1's are the most comfortable pair of cans ever made, as said JML.

 

[blessingx]

Second most comfortable. The first would be the pillow-like MDR-CD780s.