[thaddeussmith]

As a mocked early adopter, I feel vindicated.

 

[Curly21029]

 
Quote:

As a mocked early adopter, I feel vindicated.

"Mocked?"  Really?  I'm sorry to hear that.  I'm assuming that it was by those that didn't give the TMA-1 a fair listen.  I've still been entertaining the idea of purchasing a different headphone to use as my main, but have stopped myself every time I put these on my head.  Apart from my want for a larger soundstage, (these still sound more than sufficiently expansive for a closed headphone, mind you) these get so much right that everything else feels like too much of a compromise and I fear that my new purchase would be collecting dust in short order.  I'd still like to try the HD650 and DT990 600Ω, but the TMA-1 continues to wow me as a beautiful marriage of form, function, and value and I'll be going out of my way to experience AiAiAi's future offerings from now on.

 

[thaddeussmith]

Not personally mocked really. There was just a TON of naysaying, both here and on the various tech blog comments, by people who felt these would be horrendous performers and that anyone who bought them over the HD-25's or similar was wasting their money. These opionions were based solely on tech specs and appearance, never without any actual play time..

 

[Anaxilus]

DP.

 

[Anaxilus]

Quote:

m50 doesn't have much isolation =P 
 
it's not really closed back headphone....

I'm not sure how you come to either conclusion or that it's problematic to replace M50 pads.  Those are 3 claims that are to me just plain false.
 
@Curly.  Great review.  however the use of EQ really throws me for a loop in getting a proper impression on how the two would compare.  I guess since one is half the cost of the other and supra aural versus circum aural there is a place in the universe for both to coexist.  The HD25 does seem to be the better topic of comparison.  Great read nonetheless.

 

[BRSxIgnition]

Quote:

Not personally mocked really. There was just a TON of naysaying, both here and on the various tech blog comments, by people who felt these would be horrendous performers and that anyone who bought them over the HD-25's or similar was wasting their money. These opionions were based solely on tech specs and appearance, never without any actual play time..

I hate people who do that, but it's a fact of life.
 
The only way to get a proper opinion is to find someone with both, or, to try both yourself. Unfortunately, the first is hard, and the second is sometimes impossible depending on where you live.
 
I had the M50's for a while before, about a year or so, but the pads began to get work and then when my younger brother was listening to them, the cord got caught on something and one of the wires broke. I took it in twice to get it repaired, but it still stopped working both times.
 
I still have them in my cupboard here, but hopefully when I get my TMA-1's, they will let the M50's rest in peace.
 
@Curly:
 
Can you tell me exactly how much the EQ'ing affects the sound? Is it an amazing improvement? A small but noticeable one? Or something an true. true audiophile would only notice? I can EQ if listening out of my laptop, but the iPod touch has pre-set EQ settings. The one's that sound like they might work are:
 
Treble Booster
&
Bass Reducer
 
Would it work with those? Would it sound fine without those?
 
Non-EQ'ed, how do the TMA-1's and M50's compare?

 

[Curly21029]

 
Quote:

Quote:

m50 doesn't have much isolation =P 
 
it's not really closed back headphone....

I'm not sure how you come to either conclusion or that it's problematic to replace M50 pads.  Those are 3 claims that are to me just plain false.
 
@Curly.  Great review.  however the use of EQ really throws me for a loop in getting a proper impression on how the two would compare.  I guess since one is half the cost of the other and supra aural versus circum aural there is a place in the universe for both to coexist.  The HD25 does seem to be the better topic of comparison.  Great read nonetheless.

 

I too would like to see the TMA-1 and HD25 compared directly.  Unfortunately, I have no first-hand experience with the latter and have no intention to spend my own money on a pair at this point.  I would be more than happy to do a similar write up should I manage to get one on loan, but that's just wishful thinking at this point.  As stated in the original post, I've seen intrigue from other posters to see how the TMA-1 would stack up against the M50.  Seeing as how I had both on hand, I was more than happy to oblige.  I've also had enough ownership time to do comparisons with the PRO-900, ALO-780J, HD600, AKG 271s, and Headphile V3 and V4, but the TMA-1 is the only headphone I currently own so much of it would be from memory and not as in-depth as the comparison in this thread. (I'm more apt to having 1 or 2 headphones that can do it all rather than an expansive collection of specialized cans)
 
Concerning cost, I believe they both share the MSRP of $199, but I obtained my TMA-1 for $149 whereas the M50 cost me a mere $80.
 
In regards to the use of EQ, I historically haven't relied on one, but I'm not opposed to using the resources available either.  I approached this much the same way one would compare televisions/monitors directly: there's a certain performance gap created by out-of-the-box settings, but this often lessens as adjustments are made to come closer to a specific standard.
 
Quote:

Not personally mocked really. There was just a TON of naysaying, both here and on the various tech blog comments, by people who felt these would be horrendous performers and that anyone who bought them over the HD-25's or similar was wasting their money. These opionions were based solely on tech specs and appearance, never without any actual play time..

Rejecting the unknown in favor of succumbing to the blind loyalty of the familiar is a fairly standard practice, so I perceive opinions like these for what they are: verbalized excrement.

 

[EddieE]

I've just ordered a pair as replacements to my M50 which I gave to my girlfriend, so they are still around for comparison so will add my impressions to this thread when they arrive it that would be welcome.
 
It's a great write up by the way curly, I really enjoyed it. Very thorough, detailed and concise, it definitely helped me make up my mind to give them a whirl as I've been struggling to find any clear cut competitor to the M50 which wasn't ranked just below them in the consensus, and did really feel like something new.
 
Since I'm here I'd like to plus 1 on the disagreement that the M50s don't isolate. So long as the pads aren't flattened they are one of the best cans for isolation I've ever encountered.
 
If you use them daily, just replace the pads every six months or so. 

 

[Curly21029]

 
Quote:

@Curly:
 
Can you tell me exactly how much the EQ'ing affects the sound? Is it an amazing improvement? A small but noticeable one? Or something an true. true audiophile would only notice? I can EQ if listening out of my laptop, but the iPod touch has pre-set EQ settings. The one's that sound like they might work are:
 
Treble Booster
&
Bass Reducer
 
Would it work with those? Would it sound fine without those?
 
Non-EQ'ed, how do the TMA-1's and M50's compare?

The appeal of the SQ will be, as it is with all headphones, purely subjective.  You may like them sans-EQ as others do.  I, however, wanted to "uncap" the treble and was seeking a more balanced sound.  As stated in the review, I started by using the "Treble Booster" setting and then backed it down to my liking.  I wouldn't use the "Bass Reducer" setting as the low end of this headphone is nothing short of spectacular to my ears and doesn't require any adjusting.  If I were to choose between the flat response and the "Treble Booster" setting, I would stick with the former with slightly higher volume than the latter as it sounds more natural IMO.
 
Toward the end of the review, I stated that I would probably recommend the M50 over the TMA-1 un-EQd for most purposes due to its more balanced presentation.  After owning both, however, I would definitely miss the increased resolution of the TMA-1 and would choose it over the M50 for my own personal use regardless of the absence of an EQ or musical selection.  The M50 stands extremely well on its own, but when put in direct comparison to the TMA-1 it's easy to hear what is the more sophisticated headphone.

 

[Curly21029]

 
Quote:

I've just ordered a pair as replacements to my M50 which I gave to my girlfriend, so they are still around for comparison so will add my impressions to this thread when they arrive it that would be welcome.
 
Since I'm here I'd like to plus 1 on the disagreement that the M50s don't isolate. So long as the pads aren't flattened they are one of the best cans for isolation I've ever encountered.
 

I'm looking forward to your impressions!  Enjoy the new toy!
 
I'll also agree that the M50 has very good isolation.  They bested both Ultrasones I owned in this respect but came up just a bit short against the genuine leather-padded Beyers.  The sound leakage is fairly acceptable, but personal isolation is absolutely a non-issue.

 

[BRSxIgnition]

Just got home, seems like they tried dropping off my headphones today, so I will be able to pick them up tomorrow. Can't wait!

 

[Curly21029]

 
Quote:

Just got home, seems like they tried dropping off my headphones today, so I will be able to pick them up tomorrow. Can't wait!

Seems like it's been a long wait for you.  Congrats!
 
FYI, the M50 has made its way to D.C. and is currently being appreciated by my non-audiophile friend.  He's been hunting for some decent cans for a while and, after repeatedly recommending him the M50, I took it upon myself to gift mine to him.  He works for the secret service, so should Obama suddenly trade his Bose for some Audio Technicas you'll know why. 

 

[BRSxIgnition]

Quote:

 
Quote:

Just got home, seems like they tried dropping off my headphones today, so I will be able to pick them up tomorrow. Can't wait!

Seems like it's been a long wait for you.  Congrats!
 
FYI, the M50 has made its way to D.C. and is currently being appreciated by my non-audiophile friend.  He's been hunting for some decent cans for a while and, after repeatedly recommending him the M50, I took it upon myself to gift mine to him.  He works for the secret service, so should Obama suddenly trade his Bose for some Audio Technicas you'll know why. 

Being Canadian, it's all about what the Eskimo's wear here, not so much Obama. We need our music when we ride our polar bears through the snow, ya know. 

 
You're really awesome to give him such a great Christmas gift, hope he enjoys it!
 
Anyway, I ordered them on the 7th, so them getting here this fast through USPS first class shipping is a welcome treat I didn't expect. This is, Im picking them up tomorrow, which is the same day as my college English assessment.. Busy day.
 

 

[BRSxIgnition]

Just started trying them out, they really are damn sexy, I'm burning them in now and while I go to my Assessment later.
 
Some first impressions:
 

1. Damn Sexy.
2. Leak slightly more than M50's.
3. Isolate slightly more than M50's. (Weird, I know.)
4. Clamping force is good, not too much, definitely not sliding at all.
5. Pads are really soft and comfortable.
6. Bass punch is good, sound is rather dark-ish, but fun. (Out of Box - Un-burned)
7. Treble Booster EQ setting works wonders on iTunes and iPods. (Out of Box - Un-burned)
8. Matte finish feels amazing to the touch.

 
I will post more thoughts when they are burned in more for me.

 

[BRSxIgnition]

PS, Curly, did you notice that AIAIAI themselves has this review ported on their Facebook? 
 
http://www.facebook.com/pages/AIAIAI/233434024157