[Sp12er3]

@FranTBW, after 2 years of ownership, i think its safe to assume it's the pads (depresses, getting closer to your ear) and your brain getting used to the sound after long use.. Do an blind A/B with a fresh out of the box pair and see if you can hear the differences.
It is great headphone, not denying that.

 

[iancraig10]

Does anyone know of msr7 fakes?

I may have been writing about a fake headphone .............

 

[NDonchev]

Hello, I finally got the MSR7 and I want to share my experience with it. 

I have the MSR7 since 4 days. I haven't had the chance to try them before buying, so it was a bit risky. I should say I'm very new to this and the MSR7 are my first high class headphones (previous - SoundMagic E30).
 
My source at this point is my laptop and a cheap Sony NWZ-B172F player, testing with playing 320kbps MP3 and FLAC.
 
My very first impression was that it sounds ugly, unrefined and detailed, but in a bad sense. The instruments felt like they were separated/detached from each other, but again in a bad sense. It was harsh.
 
However something strange begin to happen... After some listening they started to sound really good. After a few hours there was no more hesitation if I like the MSR7 or not. It was a definite YES! I have no idea if this was due to burn-in or to my brain getting used to the sound. I think it's both, with emphasis on burn-in.
 
Now the sound is amazing. It's spacious, very detailed and overall the quality is great. On some songs I could clearly hear the instruments coming from different places all in and around my head. Some of the instruments sound close to what it will be if they are played live in front of me - real.
 
I know some people say this is a bright headphone. Except the first few hours, I will definitely say it's not bright to me. I will call it balanced. However I don't have much to compare (mostly 4-5 headphones I tried in the music shops). For me it sounds very balanced with enough bass, which is very tight and clean. I'm actually surprised with how much bass the MSR7 have. From reading before buying I got the impression they lack bass.
 
There are some metal songs that doesn't sound as impactful as it could, but others sound great. Radiohead sounds brilliant.
 
As I consider buying a DAP or DAC, I had the chance to try the Sony NWZ-A15 DAP with the MSR7 and wow! They sounded even better. Very clean, tight and overall more impactful. It was a different experience.
 
So, in conclusion - I'm very happy with the MSR7! I think it's an amazing headphone. It is my introduction to the audiophile world and I feel hooked! Next is choosing a good DAP or DAC for them.
 
Big thanks to all of you that helped me make my choice by participating in this great forum. Feel free to ask for more info if it will be helpful.

 

[theMUKe]

Yes, can confirm that the MSR7 definitely need some time to burn in. Out of the box that are bright and harsh but over time they'll become more balanced and soundstage will expand. Still I would say that they are slightly on the bright side. That's why I recommend using a smooth and warm source to drive them. A Wolfson 8740 DAC is usually a good match but of course it also depends on the particular implementation, amping, etc.

 

[iancraig10]

Just beware. There are fakes around for sure. We've been looking at the drivers of real and fakes and there are differences. The fakes sound dreadful but you can be easily fooled since it is a harsh, bassless kind of listen which kind of tallies with some descriptions seen concerning it.

So my comments as far as this headphone goes earlier in this thread are totally incorrect since I was actually listening to a fake!!

 

[Gregio]

Can you recommend any DAP for MSR-7? Around 150$ for christmass gift for myself someone mentioned sony a-15 but maybe there is sonethig else

 

[NDonchev]

Just beware. There are fakes around for sure. We've been looking at the drivers of real and fakes and there are differences. The fakes sound dreadful but you can be easily fooled since it is a harsh, bassless kind of listen which kind of tallies with some descriptions seen concerning it.

So my comments as far as this headphone goes earlier in this thread are totally incorrect since I was actually listening to a fake!!

It will be helpful if you could post detailed info on how to distinguish fake from real MSR7.

 

[NDonchev]

Can you recommend any DAP for MSR-7? Around 150$ for christmass gift for myself

someone mentioned sony a-15 but maybe there is sonethig else

I'm interested in the same matter. Mainly considering between sony a-15 and Fiio X3 II. Which will be better for MSR7? It would be nice if someone can give additional info.

 

[iancraig10]

The outside looks good. I felt that it was really premium ........ until I heard it.

The top driver is an Audio Technica and the bottom driver is the fake.




I guess if it's cheaper than rrp and on EBay ..... watch out.

 

[gonzfi]

I've just bought a pair off ebay for 130 quid new and I'm now panicking they could be fakes....

 

[iancraig10]

If you are in the U.K., there is only one distributer and it goes at no less than retail. This company claims to be in the U.K. and the headphone is guaranteed!! They are telling lies.

Pm me the company you bought from and I'll let you know if it's the same company.

This is why I've been mentioning it.... for anyone buying from EBay. The company has been reported to Audio Technica but I noticed another one as well.

At first they denied it, but once supplied with that photo, they immediately wanted the headphone back. I told them it had been taken apart, fixed, tested and trashed. They still will refund the money so obviously it is fake. They apologised.

They claim to be in Middlesex. They're not.

They look really good. The adjustment mechanism is beautifully smooth and it is very hard to tell that anything is amiss. It's not until you go inside.

I'm a bit annoyed because I wrote a lot of things on here about it's awful sound, when all along, it was a fake. I deleted those posts. It sounds harsh, no bass to speak of and even in my case, a fault in the venting of one driver so what bass there was, was uneven.

Audio Technica are going to investigate.

IMO, fakes shouldn't be tolerated whatsoever. At least if something is fake, or a copy, they should say so at point of sale or else it is being sold illegally, technically.

I'm really not very happy about what happened.

 

[Sp12er3]

Whew that's scary... One more reason to always double check and think whether it worth the price difference : risk than buying from authorized retailer stocks

 

[iancraig10]

Well, it may account for the widely varying opinions. They've been going for a while so anyone buying a cheaper than retail one may well have been listening to one, like me...... then writing bad things about it.

While I don't like a poor headphone, I hate to think that I've been unfair as a result of their fraudulent sales.

So anyone who bought cheap, I'd suggest checking one of the drivers. Especially if you think that it sounds overly harsh and bassless.

 

[gonzfi]

Cancelling my order as we speak... thanks for the heads up.

 

[john57]

You can also tell that the injection molding machines are different.