Sony MDR-1A Premium Hi-Res Stereo Headphones

DISCLAIMER: I am not affiliated with any companies. I will try to be as objective as a i can in the reviews.


Before you continue reading, you can and should read my ‘about author’ page on head-fi to get a taste of my sound preference. You’ll also find the test tracks there. I bought these for $100 AUD from someone who owned it for 1 year.

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.
I usually listen at a low to very low volume. When using my Xiaomi 4X i listen at 20% of max volume (3 notches). Thus why i prefer a slight L or V shaped sound signature as bass output decreases with lower volumes. This also means my evaluation of the bass might not be as accurate.



Sound
Sound test is based on the cable without the control button as the cable with button sounds awful. I will talk more about the button cable later. I will be mostly comparing the 1A to the Sony mdr-zx600. Throughout this review I may refer to the mdr1A as the '1A' and the mdr-zx600 as the '600'.
Overall the 1A has a 'V' shaped sound with elevated bass and slightly elevated highs. It could be considered as a warm sounding headphone.

- Slightly softer (one notch on Xiaomi 4x) than mdr600 even though 1A impedence is less.

- A bit less clarity and more muddled than mdr600. Especially with high hats and cymbals which sound unnatural and a bit splashy when compared to the 600. Snare drums also sound low quality like it has been downgraded from 320 to 128kbps. I suspect the 1A’s unnatural sound could be attributed to the massive peak at around 9khz and a big drop off from around 12khz onwards (thanks to rtings.com frequency graph).

- Around same bass as mdr600 though 600 may have a tiny bit more boom due to on ear design which position driver closer to ear and seals better. Quality wise both are same, no bleeding or overwhelming of other frequencies. The bass is very nice on both headphones, i'm a big fan of Sony's bass.

- 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.

- Guitars and pianos do sound more realistic on 1A and has very pleasing natural tone. Very weird considering it has more laid back mids and highs than mdr600. Maybe due to its better soundstage it sounds more realistic as most classical/acoustic sound best with wide soundstage, as though you’re in a concert hall. Or it could be a result of the 9khz peak.



Soundstage and imaging

- This is where the headphones really shine. Soundstage, imaging is excellent especially left/right separation when compared with 600 which barely has any. Depth is also great, but height is just ok. The 600 is on ear while 1A over ear so 600’s lack of imaging is understandable. Excellent soundstage may be attributed to the long vent slit at the top of the housing.

Isolation

- Even though 1A is closed back, Isolation is quite bad and very similar to how open backs would perform. This is probably due to the large vent slit at the top of the housing



Design, build, and comfort

- Look very premium, classy and luxurious.

- Build is very nice. Mostly plastic but very sturdy and durable looking and well finished. Adjustment band is metal and has nice precise clicking response when adjusting. Pads are pleather which made me sweat a little but the foam is very soft, plush feeling, and thick. Pads fit my ears nicely though note that I have relatively small ears. Headband top is also nicely padded; same pleather material as pads except might be a little thicker. Cable look and feel very nice and I would say relatively thick compared to conventional ones. End connecting to housing is very sturdy and connects firmly. Also has cable with single button for play/pause but sound quality deteriorates a lot with this cable, everything becomes muddled, sounds like downgrading from 320 to 128kbps. Would take the mdr600 over 1A with button cable any day. The mdr600 was so good that once it was on sale again I bought another one for backup, this time it had a mic/play/pause button in the cable. Comparing my original mdr600 with the backup one which had play/pause button in it, they sounded the same. For the mdr1A which cost 3 times more than the mdr600, it was highly disappointing that sound quality deteriorated with the cable that had play/pause button.



Summary

- Overall, I think the mdr1A is just a mdr600 driver placed in a over ear headphone housing as both have the same Sony sound signature. Mdr600 driver in the housing might even sound a little better. Maybe the aluminium coat on the 1A's driver is actually just a marketing gimp and is holding the sound back, who knows. Considering it is around 3 times the price of the mdr600’s, sonically it is just not worth it and as a result I would not recommend these headphones. Even though it may be very comfortable and soundstage/imaging is excellent, the detail and clarity is subpar to the mdr600 and for something that cost 3 times more this is unacceptable. Its lack of isolation is also a big letdown considering these were marketed as ‘portable’ headphones.



Comparing the headphones to speakers, I would much prefer a good set of speakers (mdr600) in front of me rather than a surround sound system (mdr1A) that has speakers which sound less clear. I got my mdr600 for $50 AUD (a few years ago when AUD was approximately equal to USD) which is half price off RRP ($100 AUD). On the other hand, the mdr1A rarely has sales in Australia, is very rare to find in stores, and is usually $300 AUD. I expect a lot more for something that cost 6 times more than what I paid for the mdr600. Personally, I would not pay more than $150 AUD for these considering the mdr600 have better clarity and detail for just $50AUD. As a result of the lacking clarity and detail, I have sold the mdr1A after one month of listening. Perhaps if I did not have the 600’s already I would’ve kept it but since I do and I’m so accustomed to its fit, I could not justify keeping the mdr1A. Maybe the mdr600 is just performing way above its price point.



All in all I’m a bit on the fence with this can. The bass, soundstage/imaging, build, and comfort is exceptional but the mids, highs, clarity, and isolation is very disappointing considering the price. Personally, the biggest deal breaker is the mids, highs and clarity as I firmly believe that as headphone price increases, the clarity and detail should also increase which is not the case here. Surely there must be other headphones at this price range or lower which can offer all the goods of the mdr1A without all its cons. Then again, every headphone at this price range is unique and must have some compromises so where one lacks in a certain aspect, another is better at it. Maybe the rival ATH MSR7’s would be the ones for me but from reviews I see they are bass light and uncomfortable. I guess it’s all about compromise so choose the one that pleases you most.

First of all, above any other factor, these are just SO COMFORTABLE!! There are very expensive headphones I used that sound really good but feel like someone is trying to crush my head. These have really little(if any) clamping force that I forget that I have them on sometimes, but they are so well designed and tailored that they don't fall off even when I'm doing a headbang.
The sound is really great but it might not be what you are looking for. It is pretty much a v shape. The bass, as mentioned, is more than usual but it is very very rich and articulated (not to be confused with beats bass). The highs could be dry for some poor records but with the right source you get a smooth and airy treble. The mids is not its best range but it is decently articulated. It does not position instruments as well as some open back headphones but with the right source the mids will not sound messed up. After all, these are portable headphones that look really cool but you can definitely get a good sound out if it with the right source, even with your phone.

I just bought this headphone this week. In the stores, I tested the headphone selections using Samsung Galaxy S7 Exynos version and Spotify's Extreme Quality.
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.
 
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.
 
This headphone works well with my S7 but not with my backup phone, Xiaomi Mi4i. So, always test the headphone with your source setup when buying headphones.

I just got these cans and I'm liking them so far. I'm not an audiophile by any means, my daily drivers are the HD598. I don't have much experience with other cans, so I can only make direct comparisons to the 598s.
 
In terms of comfort, they are both very comfortable on my head. If I had to choose, I would give the edge to the 598s. The velour padding allows my ears to breath better, while the sony pads are just a tad too small for my ears which is slightly annoying because I have to adjust them once in a while. 
 
In terms of sound quality, each headphone has their own strength and weaknesses.
The HD598s excel in soundstage (obviously because they're open) BUT the sonys are not lacking by any means. For classical or acoustic music, I can see myself reaching for the 598s 9 out of 10 times.
The Sonys excel in bass response (again pretty obvious). Many audiophiles mentioned that the bass is bloated, and they are probably right, but to my ears, these are just perfectly tuned for bass. The sonys produces wonderful but not overpowering sub-bass, with a solid hitting mid bass slam. I could see myself reaching for the sonys for most music that does not require a fast bass response. 
The mids on the HD598 are forward and slightly grainy, but sound very natural to my ears. The mids on the sonys sound just as good, however it's more laid back and smoother in signature. Both sound great here, it just depends if you are active listening or just causally listening. 
The highs are surprisingly detailed on the sonys, and even more present than the 598s. I found myself dialing down the treble frequencies on the sonys by about 2-3 db. 
 
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. 
 
Overall, I like both sets, and they do bring different things to the table.If I had to pick one, I would take the sonys due to their portability and better bass response. 

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.
 
I took a risk reading the reviews in here, and I can say, I'm glad I did.
 
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.
 
These Sonys? They have bass in spades. Nicely controlled, and taut. They have a silky smooth midrange. The treble is very, very clear and detailed. They are tremendously dynamic. But the thing I like the most is how very well balanced they are. For all the fun they bring to the mix, they never color the sound too much.
 
They are the opposite of my Sennheisers, which are laid back and neutral. These are upfront, fun, and neutral.
 
They don't have the "closed back" kind of sound other headphones have. In fact, they may be the best closed back headphone i've ever heard.
 
They can be powered by almost anything. My Galaxy phone has never sounded better. They really don't need that much power, which is a big plus.
 
Compared to my Momentum 1.0s, 2.0s, and my Adidas Monster Originals (a surprisingly competent headphone, BTW), these things are so much better. In a single word - they are balanced. No matter what you throw at them, they never stop being balanced and neutral. Which is a very hard thing for any headphone to do.
 
The only thing I really dislike about them is how moving around makes the plastic creak. Sounds cheap.
 
But that's the only cheap sound you'll hear from these cans.
 
Very highly recommended. For the price, I can't think of anything better. These are the headphones I'd marry if I could.

Edit/Update:  This entire review has been completely overhauled now, as it was one of my true "noob reviews" from back when I knew pretty much nothing of real substance about good audio.  Silly me.
 
Comfort:
These things feel luxurious.  Perfect clamping-force. . .it is low, but high enough that they stay firmly on my head, even when I start bobbing my head or am walking around.  This is notable as I have a fairly narrow head.  It's very easy to form a good seal with these over the ears, and the space inside the ear-pads should be sufficient for most folks unless they have ears that are seriously quite large.  I can wear these for two, three, four, five, however many hours without it ever causing me any discomfort due to pressure.  The ear-pads are super-soft, like feather pillows. 
 
My only (slight) issue with the comfort is that the pleather on the ear-pads is prone to making the ears get warm and sweaty.  This is a common issue with over-ear headphones with pleather (rather than velour or alcantara or the like) ear-pads, so it's something I really don't mind very much at all, and it's not to an excessive degree since the pads are still quite breathable.  You'll notice that I still gave these headphones maximum marks in the comfort category on the rating-scale here, so obviously the warmth/sweaty-ears issue is only a slight one, IMO. YMMV, however.
 
People with large ears or ears that really stick out may have some issue though, as the earcups are somewhat-small on the interior and somewhat shallow.
 
Overall, these are actually the most comfortable portable headphones I have worn.
 
Build and Design/Looks:
 
These things seem quite sturdy.  The housings may be mostly plastic, but you can feel the sturdyness of the metal frame underneath, and while light they do have good heft.  I wouldn't recommend tossing them around or anything, but they can take their fair share of abuse.
 
They look amazing!  These are some real stylish headphones right here, seriously.  Sony hit a homerun with comfort and style for these!
 
 
Accessories:
The cables that come with these are very nice, in fact some of the nicest detachable cables I've seen with just-about any headphone in this general price-class.  It comes with two of them, both with the same type of very good wiring (which I don't think makes a difference to the sound I can hear, but makes them much sturdier and less prone to shorting-out, which is what matters) and one of them with an inline mic.  The audio-only cable is a model that is sold separately by Sony for over $50!
 
The case it comes with is basically just a bag.  No hard case.  Not a fan of soft carry-cases since they don't actually protect headphones.
 
 
The Big Part:  Sound------
 
Bass:  Boosted, especially the mid-bass, as is typical with "consumer" headphones and the vast majority of Sony's newer headphones.  However, it's not boosted to anything like basshead-levels.  It doesn't sound significantly bloated on most tracks and has a decently (but not very) solid texture, but can certainly get somewhat boomy at times and become fluid-sounding on bass-heavy tracks--again, typical for more "consumer"-oriented headphones, but leagues better than most in that regard.  The bass does not really noticably distort unless cranked to high (for me, near-painful) volumes, however.  Also, unlike the MDR-1R which it replaces, these have good sub-bass extension!  Thumbs up for that change, Sony.
 
Mids:  Quite prominent sounding, despite the boosted bass, due to the slightly rolled-off lower and mid treble.  Very smooth and creamy sounding.  It makes for a very pleasant, fun, and easy longterm listening experience, but I myself prefer greater levels of detail in exchange for some of that smoothness, as long as a headphone still sounds engaging and fun.  Some detail is certainly sacrificed in achieving that smoothed-out sound, especially a good bit of micro-detail.  But, for those who want something with very sweat and creamy mids (and treble, see below) which will always be completely non-fatiguing and make for very easy listening, these headphones are great.
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.
 
Treble:  Slightly rolled-off, but not nearly as rolled-off as with the MDR-1R.  Very smooth sounding but still with decent levels of detail, much like the mids.  In fact, simply refer to my description of the mids in that regard to understand how the treble sounds with regards to detail vs smoothness.  The highs do also have a surpringly good amount of upper-end sparkle, extended well into the lower parts of the top octave, too!  They're able to give a pretty nicely shimmery effect to things like cymbals.  The sparkle is a nice surprise along with the powerful bass, giving them a somewhat v-shaped signature from the mid-bass up to around 11k or 12k (at least).
 
Isolation
It's decent.  Much better than, say, the HiFiMan Edition S (which works as an over-ear for me) in "closed" mode, but still beaten-out by many other closed over-ear models such as:  AKG K553 (with proper fit), PSB M4U 1, most closed Sennheiser headphones, and more.  I find it's perfectly fine for things like riding the bus and walking around town, though!
 
Soundstage and Imaging:  About medium-width for a headphone in this price-class.  Something like the AKG K553 or the PSB M4U 1 has it beat in that regard.  Pretty good depth, enough to get a decent sense of layering and some spatial separation between many instruments and vocals.  But there are closed headphones in this price-range (even the $165 price range it goes for used) which do have it beat just in terms of soundstage and imaging.
 
 
 
Note that these are overall a notably huge improvement in nearly every way (less rolled-off treble, more solid bass-texture, less bleed from bass to mids, less distortion, more clarity, a bit mroe soundstage) over the MDR-1R which they replaced in Sony's product-line.
 
Value:
At this point in time, these are outclassed by other headphones in the $300 price-range.  In some cases far outclassed, in my opinion.  If they want to keep having a headphone model in this price-range, Sony needs to update this to another MDR-1-something model.  So if you plan on getting new headphones, and are in the United States (Sony does weird things with pricing around the world, and they're cheap some places) I would generally say to not buy the MDR-1A, which still go for $298 in the United States.  Come on Sony, get with the times.
 
However, they commonly go used (in good or very good condition) for under $170 or even $160.  For that price, they are good headphones, and recommended as something to check out for any bass lovers (but perhaps not true bassheads) who still want good mids and upper-end treble sparkle and don't mind a somewhat more smoothed-out sound making for easy portable listening.
 
These will not satisfy the hardcore detail and uber-clarity oriented audiophiles looking for something in this pricerange, as they sound made for fun on-the-go listening rather than for analytical focus. 

For music on the go. This are my favourites for the moment. I rate it even higher than the Sennheiser Momentum because the cans are much more comfortable.
 
In terms of Bass qualities,I prefer them to my AKG 551 which I rated very highly also. 
 
So my favourte portable headphones are as follows:
 
1. Sony MDR 1A
2. Sennheiser momentum
3. AKG 551
4. House of Marley EM-FH003-HA Exodus 
5. Harmon Kardon Soho white

Review: MDR-1A is the Head of Its’ Class (UPDATE: 1 Year Later at the bottom)
 
Intro
 
There exists a number of different schools of headphones with many different classes. In elementary school we had Apples Earpods as required reading, middle school saw the kids wearing their cool looking skull candies, and in high school all the popular kids, who either had jobs or parents with money, could be seen donning their colorful and fun sounding Beats By Dre headphones. Going into college, interests and style becomes more refined while education in sound becomes more advanced. Some headphones are on the “5-year program”, while others are hard at work getting 4.0’s and prepping for their masters. 
 
In a competitive class of ~$300 headphones, Sony’s MDR-1A, with its’ double major in both sound engineering and design, is making a case for class valedictorian.
 
Sound
 
If you’re looking for bass, you will certainly find it with these headphones, but there are some distinctions that make it of the awesome variety and not the crap variety. Bass response is reasonably controlled and tight in its presentation. Where the bass really shines is its’ overall impact and volume. It can be described as nothing short of stupendous. 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. Equally as impressive is the bass region’s versatility in regards to different music genres. If the cool kids are throwing a rager and bass was invited to the party, it shows up in spades. If, however, the parents are having a house-warming or wine-and-cheese party, bass will still show up with a few small gifts, but doesn’t have a problem behaving himself. 
 
The mids are nice, very clear, a little creamy sounding, and just the right "distance" for my preferences. I will say that I like a mildly recessed mid-range, which is what I hear with these headphones. Male vocals tend to showcase that mild-recession more than female vocals. The bass blends slightly into these lower ranges of the mids, but contribute to more of a smoothing and creamy effect for the lower midrange as opposed to muddying or sloppiness. In fact, detailing and separation remains impressive and is aided by how well the mids blend into the higher frequencies. No spikes or shrill vocals to speak of. It is comforting to hear the mids so well represented here because often times when the “cool” kids show up with their crazy colors and bass and crash symbols, they tend to pick on the mids. Sometimes they get beat up, but at this party everyone seems to be getting along great.
 
The highs on these headphones are also very impressive. Detail and separation is crisp and and delicious, preventing some tracks from sounding congested. It also contributes to overall atmosphere and what is excellent soundstaging with this pair of headphones. Highs are a little rolled of on the top end and avoid sounding terribly bright or sharp. It works really well for pumping up the volume and locking in for long listening sessions without fatiguing easily.
 
Soundstaging is very good for these closed back headphones. Depth, separation, headroom, and width are all top notch in my book and some of the best for a closed back design. Bands and instruments are well placed, live concerts can be felt as if your a part of the crowd, and some soundtracks like Gone Girl, House of Cards, or the Social Network absorb you into a whole other world.
 
These headphones are so good in its’ sound reproduction that they can be pretty unforgiving to poorly mixed tracks and low quality audio, which is a good thing. Some headphones lack detailing and offer a somewhat blurry or highly colored sound. That can actually help low-quality music files to be passably listenable. With these however, listening to lower-quality audio files becomes incredibly apparent and distracting. So go ahead and change that spotify audio quality setting to extreme, download your MP3s in 320KBPS, rip your CDs into lossless, upgrade your source, and do whatever you gotta to do give these things the fuel they deserve to really sing.
 
Note: These headphones have an impedance of just 24 Ohms making these very easy to drive from a variety of sources like your smartphone, laptop, and whatever whoosie-whatsie you plug these into. While amps and dacs generally aren’t necessary for pleasant listening with these headphones, they certainly benefit from high quality sources and audio. Also note that using a source with an output impedance of higher than ~3 Ohms may impact sound signature and quality.
 
Design
 
Design is the marriage between aesthetics and function (among other tertiary traits and subtraits). Good design not only executes either one of those well, but also executes the relationship between the two well to provide a great package deal. So how does the MDR-1A perform in this area?
 
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?) leather with “invisible” seams, while also providing some old-fashioned, tried-and-true headphone design techniques, such as how the enclosed speakers appear as distinct circles as opposed to a unibody design that blends into the earpads.
 
Insert close up of enclosing speaker
 
The choice of coloring is very versatile between the two options. The black pair has this slight spattered technique on the exterior plastic housing (the same as on many higher-end Nikon cameras). The use of black with the slight metallic red accent seems like a great choice that can appeal to a wide crowd. The color is subtle enough to provide youthful appeal, but understated enough, especially in  conjunction with the dominating black that it wont alienate a more refined adult. 
 
The silver and brown versions offers a different style and appeal. The silver appears as more of a very light, metallic cobalt as opposed to the silver coloring that appears on Apple products. The brown is very deep and rich. In dimly lit situations, it appears almost the shade of coffee; just a shade or two away from black. In better lit situations, it takes on this beautifully rich brown akin to a piece of hershey’s milk chocolate. Most of the headphone has a matte finish, but there are a few touches of a high-shine metallics that help with it’s modernistic appeal. (pic of metallic parts) The silver version has this very cool gold accent by the headphone connector that appears as part of Sony’s Hi-Res audio branding it has adopted as of late. In keeping with good design through both form and function, the headphone connector also slopes forward just a touch, which helps to avoid cord rubbing, microphonics and the like. There are also ports that sit on top of the headphone housing to help provide airflow and space for speaker movement, thusly aiding in its’ ability to create some truly awesome bass and volume.
 
Comfort
 
Putting these on for the first time, it became immediately apparent that these are the most comfortable headphones I have ever worn. After having listened to them for a few weeks and putting these things through some long listening sessions (had these on for almost 12 hours in one day), I have to say that my claim stands. This thing is king. As a design choice, Sony chose an almost all plastic body and housing (aside from metal headband) and it feels incredible to wear. 
 
The choice of plastic seems deliberate for comfort reasons as opposed to a cost-saving method, but it does come at the cost of durability. These headphones are also non-collapsable, so making for compact travel is pretty difficult with these.
 
While it is nice that these headphones are easy to drive and highly compatible wit a myriad of portable devices, these headphones themselves are not particularly portable. 
 
 
Accessories
 
Sony includes what is needed with these headphones, but includes little else. Inside the packaging you’ll find two cables of equal length, a soft carrying pouch made of leather and ballistic nylon, and the headphones. One cable has a microphone and control button with all black housing. For the silver headphones on the non-mic’d cable, one connector end color matches with the headphones housing color and looks very sleek. There is no creaking or wobbling with connectors either, which plagued some MDR-1R owners. For a pair of headphones designed to play well with smartphones and laptops, it seems like a hard carrying case should have been included for portability, especially since these headphones are non-collapsable. For those looking for what seem like standard extras, airline adapter, 1/4" adapter, hard case, and then some…you'll be disappointed. Fortunately, these headphones perform so well that these minor gripes become forgotten the moment you hit “play”.
 
Overall
 
Sorry ladies, I am off the market. Post it on facebook, ‘cause it’s official. I am taken by the MDR-1A they have me head over heels……..OK, maybe it’s not that serious, but these headphones are winners for Sony! Almost everything is so great with these that you quickly become enamored and any minor gripes fall by the wayside. 
 
While the bass is certainly the headliner for the MDR-1A, it’s sort of by default because everything else well executed. However, those seeking a flat frequency response may not be satisfied. These headphones aren’t terribly portable either and the choice of plastic housing may impact long-term durability. 
 
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.
 
The Highs
 

1. Excellent Bass in quantity, impact, and depth
2. Very good clarity across the spectrum
3. Some of the best soundstage for an over-ear
4. Versatile sound for all genres of music and plain ole’ fun to listen to
5. Premium look, attractively stylish and well designed overall
6. Most comfortable headphones ever(?). Mattress companies should be taking note
7. Sounds great out of smart devices, laptops. Even better from high-quality gear

 
The Mids
 

1. While a mostly positive design choice, plastic housing decreases durability
2. Slightly rolled off highs, but not at the sacrifice of detail, clarity, and contribution to depth
3. Cable with mic and control is nice length for smartphone, but other cable should be longer
4. Non-collapsable, which can be a preference

 
The Lows
 

1. Not very portable
2. Included accessories are just enough, but may disappoint
3. Very mild bleed of bass into lower midrange
4. Those seeking flat frequency response will not find it here

 
Sony’s offering with the MDR-1A offer some best-in-class sound and are a very good value at its' MSRP of $300. The value is even more fantastic if you can get them for less. Some very minor gripes aside, these headphones don’t just sound fantastic, they also look fantastic and they feel fantastic. In a packed class of headphones that offer huge logos, aggressive color palettes, bells and whistles, and some skewed sounding signatures, the MDR-1A performs the essentials with straight A’s. 
 
UPDATE (06/03/16): Having had these for over a year and having listened to them quite a bit, I have a few additional positive marks to add. I have found that these headphones fare much better for portability than I had given them credit for. Since they fold flat, it would actually appear that there may be better structural rigidity than a pair that simply folded in at the hinge. It's a little hard to explain, but it mostly has to do with pressure distribution on the headphones in the case of impact or bending. Laying flat would appear to distribute pressure in a manner that is spread across the stronger parts of the headphones and help to minimize pressure on the weak points of the headphones. I have not done any thorough scientific tests to determine this. Laying the headphones flat also minimize their footprint when placed in a laptop bag or a backpack, making them much easier to carry around. I still would have liked a hard carry case included, but these aren't half bad. 
 
I have found that these respond really well to EQ. The bass impact and sub-bass depth is rather impressive to my ears when EQ'd or paired with amps that have a bass boosting feature. One other thing I am very pleased with is that because of the low impedance of these cans, they play well with just about any source. I use a sony NZW-A25 right now (I have an amps I use occasionally) and they sound pretty dang good straight through the source. These do benefit from having power applied (their max power input is 1500mW) via a good source or amp, but they sound pretty damn good on just about anything.
 
I am very happy to say that even one year after having owned these, they have held up beautifully and remain my favorite pair of cans I have used in the price range. So much so that I have had no desire to search further, higher, or wider to find a better pair. 
 
 
Sources and Music
 
All listening was done using an Astell and Kern AK100ii and all tracks were 16/44 lossless. I did some testing on youtube music as well as various listening on Spotify at 320kbps using an iPhone 6 Plus and Macbook Pro.
 
Music listened to included Daft Punk’s Random Access Memories, John Mayer’s Paradise Valley, Ghost Stories by Coldplay, DeadMau5 While 1<2, The Social Network OST (Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross), Gone Girl OST, Linkin Park’s Albums, Incubus, House of Cards OST, Man of Steel OST, Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift, Miles Davis Another Kind of Blue, Lil Wayne on Spotify, and some various hip hop tracks on either Spotify or Youtube.
 
Track Notes
 
Track notes: The bass is so versatile and well-tuned to my listening. With DeadMau5, impact and subbass is strong. With John Mayer, it provides some warmth to his voice and energy to his music, but has good enough separation to let his guitar shine. Coldyplay’s Ghost Stories was a joy to listen to with these things. House of Cards provided great and subtle sub-bass extension adding to mood. I’m not that big of a rap and hip hop guy anymore nowadays, but I still listen. I gotta say these things do is justice. Want to hear something just jaw dropping with these? “It’s Good”, Lil Wayne off of Carter IV. Holy crap…..
 
Track notes: Daft Punk’s Give Life back to music sounded fantastic. The sparkling after the power intro sounded just too good. The separation and detailing in all of the movie sountracks was also just top notch. Added to the overall depth and atmosphere of the music.
High hats and crashes from Linkin Park and Incubus were pretty radical too. Just makes you really want to rock out.
 
Track Notes: Almost every range of vocal was well presented and sounded very good. While I did not have any stand out tracks, I didn’t have any that stood out for being bad or too veiled or clouded. They really are great, smooth, placed well, and blend well with the overall sound signature.

Disclaimer: I am, by no stretch of the word, an audiophile, not even close to being one. I'm just a guy who likes bang for the buck. I got them for a bang for the buck price, but you may not be so lucky.
 
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.
 
Have they messed up on a few areas? Yeah, maybe- but that doesn't affect my review of them, just little nitpicks from my part. First of all, this is my first pair of headphones that have costed more than 100$. Although Amazon.com lists them at 300$, I got them dirt cheap, for about 132$ (Sweden is typically a very expensive country to but stuff from, so it was very refreshing to see items of this calibre listed at such a low price.) I couldn't compare them to other 300$ headphones, like the Momentum or BW's P5's. But I'll tell you right away these come with a clothe carrying case, which might be detrimental to some if you like tossing your cans in a bag or treat them badly( I don't, so this doesn't bug me as much.) As I said before, they're made from plastic, so if you want more metal, walk away. If you don't mind that, then you're set.