[ayt999]

so uh... I'm in japan... I love headphones... and the sony building is only an hour away by train... so logically I go there a day after arriving in japan.

the Sony Building:

hey look!! an AIBO prototype from 1997:

a sony mini-component system that plays SACD and has a 6.3mm headphone jack (no clue how good the headphone out is):

me with the MDR-R10 using the above mini-component system's headphone out and a SACD (I asked if it was available for sale, but it wasn't in stock at the sony building nor the sony factory so I cannot get it? maybe I need to ask harder. it is still made by special order?):

and now... the QUALIA store!!!!:

QUALIA 016 (very very small...

):

QUALIA 016 prototype PCB and stuff:

closer shot of the QUALIA 016 prototype PCB:

QUALIA 017 (very nice... heavy though. internals is the same as their standard MD player (non HiMD) but the canalphones were great. uses the same driver technology as the 010 and strong magnets. I asked if it was available separately and they told me that they were thinking about doing so.):

QUALIA 015 (didn't pay much attention to this

):

close up of QUALIA 015:

QUALIA 004 (no projections shown, just the product. it is a huge one, costly too at over 20 grand.)

another shot of the QUALIA 004:

QUALIA 007 (I love headphones... didn't test the speakers on this one):

another shot of the QUALIA 007:

still reading this? good... the QUALIA 010 that you were waiting for (behind the glass showcase):

close up of the one in the showcase:

the book that comes with the QUALIA 010 (behind the glass, again):

a smudged picture of the QUALIA 010:

QUALIA 010 and QUALIA 007 as the source:

close up of the QUALIA 010:

another angle of the QUALIA 010:

I assume I am the first one at Head-Fi to do this

(a preproduction QUALIA 010, the production one is going to be at the store sometime in june. they will contact me when they get it in. still have to wait until July 1st to order one.):

 

[pspivak]

Well????

What did it sound like?

 

[null]

YEAH! Give us some JUICE!

 

[ayt999]

well, it wasn't bad at all. I went there with my grandmother so I didn't listen to the R10 or the 010 for too long but they were both great headphones. also, the soundtrack they were using was some classical piece and I am not really familiar with that type of music (and yet I have an uncle that is a professional classical trumpet player that is an assistant professor at a japanese music university.

nevermind that I have two nice trumpets and play it myself....) so my comments are sparse for now. I better go there again (by myself this time) to get a better listen with the cans.

let's just say for now that I have an ATH-L3000 and a PS-1 and the QUALIA 010 to me (using whatever I remember from the 5 to 10 minutes or so that I listened to it) is on par with those cans and I wouldn't mind owning a pair. next time I better take notes, I don't remember too much.

 

[3lusiv3]

Nice pictures. I love seeing stuff like this.

 

[Oddball]

Thanks for sharing your "epic" trip to the Sony building with the rest of us who can't go to Japan. I like pictures... The R10s looks really shiny in that picture.

 

[ayt999]

hehe, so this is an "epic" journey eh? how fun. tomorrow or so will be another "epic" journey where I go to a store to buy a STAX Omega II... then I shall make another trip to the sony building before I return to the US.

as for the build quality of the 010, it is very light and sturdy. the headband is made from carbon fiber and there are three sizes to fit different head sizes (as you should know) and the only difference between them is the distance from one cup to the other (width of the mesh thing on the headband is the same). from what I gathered, the headband is not interchangable and you are stuck with whatever you got it with. the other parts of the headphone are equally well built and they even had some spare driver units and stuff to show to me. I forgot to take pictures of those but they should be on the QUALIA website or something.

the one I tested out was handmade and I am unsure how the production models will be made, but hopefully the build quality will carry on to the final build.

 

[lan]

Nice.

How was the tonal balance of 010 vs R10? more neutral?

 

[Chefguru]

Score lol.

Hey what did you think of the 010's pads vs the r10's?



Ummm i'm looking at the headband and the material on it seems to be put on rather sloppy

 

[elliot]

Your camera's lens has crazy barrel distortion.

Thanks for the pics though!
What did you think of the 010's sound?

 

[kartik]

AAAAAAAAAAAARGHHH!

MY PRECIOUS!

WE MUSTS HAVE THE PRECIOUS!

 

[gpalmer]

Cool, but we want 010 impressions!

Seriously I'm glad to see it looks like you're enjoying the trip. What were your general impressions of the store and the line after being exposed to both?

 

[Sovkiller]

Lucky person.....

 

[ServinginEcuador]

How much will the 010 run there in Japan? Is it cheaper than in the US? If so, you might be able to pick a pair up for a head-fier or two for your return.

 

[corvette68]

I saw on EIFL that the Qualia's are $2150. Of course this may be a price because we cant get them here yet, I dont know.