[MrGrimble]

  MSR7 has emphasized highs therefore it is not my taste while listening electronic genre by default. I use custom EQ reducing gain of high freq. in such case. Additionally, LG V20 has ESS DAC and I would recomend to read something about LG V20 sound signature first. ESS has usually highs glare, if it is not properly reduced by device (phone, DAP,...) itself. Please look for measurement of MSR7 and MSR7NC active/passive on innerfidelity. You can see, that NC is not night and day, especially on low freq. I guess, that bus ride produce mainly low freq. noise and if your HP are not efficient to remove such noise, it is mixed together with your music. This makes listening slightly flat. I didnt hear MSR7NC active, but MSR7 and MSR7NC passive sounds same (sound signature). All innerfidelity measurements seems to be very similar. NC of MSR7NC is not as good as Bose or Etymonics. I dont know how much is output impedance of V20 HP output, but 10 Ohms output impedance of source unequally changes final (MSR7) freq. char. inside 2dB.

Thanks for your input.
Well I'm not sold yet on the MSR7, so if you have any others recommendations for an all around HP that could fit my desctiption, I would appriciate it.

 

[SAMplify101]

how do these pads differ from m50x pads? and are the only replacements for the brown ones from here and here?

 

[FYLegend]

If you're in a country where Audio-Technica has a service center or headquarters you might be able to purchase some. I purchased a spare pair of earpads in Taiwan at the showroom in Taipei (just give them a call and pick it up in a few days)
 
On a side note I tried the DSR7 a few weeks ago when I went to Taiwan. It sounded fairly similar to the MSR7 but the top end was a bit more splashy. I thought the difference between SR9 and DSR9 was much bigger, with the DSR9 having deeper bass and more splashy highs.

 

[Sp12er3]

I'm thinking of buying the MSR7 and pair them with the LG V20 QUAD DAC.
The main use will be with Rock & Electronic Music on bus rides from home to work and back.

So, first of all, am I looking at the right headphones for this kind of use?
Are the MSR7NC a better choice because of the noise cancelling, or will the MSR7 suffice for bus rides?
Do they sound the same, or does the NC changes the sound of the headphones?

Also, I'm a bit worried about the low impedance of the MSR7 on the LG V20.
Did someone get a chance to hear the MSR7 with the V20, or compare between the low & high impedance options?
I know that there's a workaround, to trigger the high impedance DAC option with low impedance headphones as the MSR7, but mabye the extra bucks of the high impedance MSR7NC's could save me this hassle.

Hope you could help me decide

Really if its for daily use, I'd recommend the much more versatile Sony MDR 1000x rather than using a low isolation headphone like MSR7, (if you can stretchy your budget a bit of course) lower maybe Parrot Zik, both can use bluetooth and are much more Usable (comfort, flexibility of folding, ANC, non offensive sound profile for long use, etc), Using the MSR outdoor would just make you pump up the volume too much to compensate noise and make your ear tire easily, especially with its treble forward nature

 

[MrGrimble]

Really if its for daily use, I'd recommend the much more versatile Sony MDR 1000x rather than using a low isolation headphone like MSR7, (if you can stretchy your budget a bit of course) lower maybe Parrot Zik, both can use bluetooth and are much more Usable (comfort, flexibility of folding, ANC, non offensive sound profile for long use, etc), Using the MSR outdoor would just make you pump up the volume too much to compensate noise and make your ear tire easily, especially with its treble forward nature

Yes, this seems the logical choice for outdoors listening. I just hope that listening to the 1000x via wired connection + the quad DAC on the V20 will sound better than wirelessly, 'cause if I'll only hear the MDR 1000x with BT, then why the hell did I buy such an expensive a smartphone?

 

[ZOMBIEWINEGUM]

I wrote up a review for these headphones 

 

 

[indieke]

I have them for several months now. And like them less and less. When you get them on your head, you say "woaw", Fast, neutral, even warm sounding while giving a very detailed impression. If you listen to this for 20 minutes you are sold!
 
I have also  a Sony MDR 1 A, ad they sound less live and exiting compared to it. But....... when you listen a longer time, the sony is less tiring, you can listen to it for hours without fatigue, even on a plane they still perform without sound cancelation.
 
The ATH MSR 7 gives much easier fatigue. No, not the crispy highs, just the whole package. Although I found the sound much more balanced then the  Sony, the Sony has a more expanded sound. To be short the ATH, gives the impression it is all playing in your head, beneath the headband and pumping with a lot of pressure on your brains. About the headband it gives after many hours still too much pressure, it is not comfortable on my head.
 
So I took the Sony, two months on holiday and it was fine. Hours of listening pleasure. More imperfections in balance of the sound, maybe, but then not tiring at all and forgetting you have it on your head. Better, also for jazz music, more crisp, and most of all it is not playing in your head, as it sounds like the music expands beyond the phone itself.
 
Again for a short listening session  the ATH will impress more, but for longer use, give me the Sony any time even with some shortcomings, that will also depend on the kind of recording. 

 

[iancraig10]

I also get torn between the two of them. The Sony is a warmer sounding headphone with more bass quantity too. I can never really decide between the two.

 

[indieke]

Like I said, they are both good cans.  The balance of the ATH is better, but everything is too much playing in my brain, and then the Sony is just more pleasant for longer sessions.
Short the ATH is more impressive, but plays too close to my brain. But that can be personal, a lot of owners not seem to bother with it.
 
This said, I never owned a headphone like the 1 A, that I could  listen as long without and fatigue. So, as a headphone has another use as speaker, it is as important as the sound quality on itself.

 

[solblack]

I also get torn between the two of them. The Sony is a warmer sounding headphone with more bass quantity too. I can never really decide between the two.

I'm not! MSR7 wins everytime!
I don't know of this "Fatigue" because I have none and it's my commute headphone so I use it all day long.
Too warm if you ask me MDR .
I love the MSR7 it's perfect far as I'm concern. MSR7 and iBasso DX80 equal harmony in my world.

What "Source" are you using for music?

 

[indieke]

I am using Fiioo X3 generation one and two. 

 

[solblack]

Oh ok.
Do you like the sound from it? Have you tried other music source when using the MDR or MSR7?

 

[FranTBW]

I'm not! MSR7 wins everytime!
I don't know of this "Fatigue" because I have none and it's my commute headphone so I use it all day long.
Too warm if you ask me MDR .
I love the MSR7 it's perfect far as I'm concern. MSR7 and iBasso DX80 equal harmony in my world.
What "Source" are you using for music?

I share this sentiment, I like the MSR more than the MDR. Sony's felt very muddy compared to the MSR, and even though the MSR was brighter and much sharper, my brain grew to like it and I had no issue with the heat

 

[iancraig10]

I'm not! MSR7 wins everytime!
I don't know of this "Fatigue" because I have none and it's my commute headphone so I use it all day long.
Too warm if you ask me MDR .
I love the MSR7 it's perfect far as I'm concern. MSR7 and iBasso DX80 equal harmony in my world.
What "Source" are you using for music?

Fiio x3 and X5.

I miss the warmth of the Sony sometimes. Then again, I also use a vmoda m100 which has a ton of bass so the Sony is in the middle.

I don't believe that the msr7 is 'perfect' at all. No big deal, just a different timbre. Sometimes I'm able to pick out some lovely bass rhythms and riffs going on in music with the m100 which the msr7 barely notices. Horses for courses I think.

 

[solblack]

Fiio x3 and X5.

I miss the warmth of the Sony sometimes. Then again, I also use a vmoda m100 which has a ton of bass so the Sony is in the middle.

I don't believe that the msr7 is 'perfect' at all. No big deal, just a different timbre. Sometimes I'm able to pick out some lovely bass rhythms and riffs going on in music with the m100 which the msr7 barely notices. Horses for courses I think.

I agree each it's own.