Out of all the flagships, this has me the most excited. I was washed away in the T1's fanfair, but realized I would not have a significant upgrade over some of what I have.
I have not owne3d a Sony flagship, and I like the price, as I was disliking all these phones that cost more than my Grace amp, but these appear to be even more interesting because I approve of their design, and I guerss time will tell if I like how it sounds? I am, with this phone, looking at a serious listening headpone, like the Sony's version of the RS1. I like the industrial design, and simplicity with such clean lines, and if materials really are what I hope them to be, then this is almost my dream phone for a better-than-studio listen at home, and any sony edgyness, I have enough associated gear that can bring on the warmth while the Grace brings on the heft.
I may begin saving up for these, a flagship, finally I can see myself actually wearing. The 600ohm DT990s are on hold
until I find out more information on these beauties. IF they function with a high sensitivity, then I would be in heaven being able to use my low power tube amp with them as well, or even a DAP. People spend full price on HD800s to plug into an ipod, so I can't imagine this being any worse than such an arrangement. I see it as being better, as I imagine isolation being fairly good. I have, lately, began loving closed cans, and with the exception of my sr325is, my favorites are closed, or semi closed, such as the DT880, though my 770s can sound sublime. There just seems to be this idea that an open headphone is going to sound huge and, often, I am spooked by that sound way out at the other end of the room from a closed set of phones, save for the sr325s. I know my senns are too laid back to image that well, but that is another reason to like a closed can... Even the XB700s image extremely well because of the seal they make, and just now my old k271Ss that were made in austria, not china, they have impressed me more than a lot of phones recently. I want to use my m50s, but they sound a bit less open and sound better on the lower power amp, but designed right, a closed can is able to bring everything to the table an open can could, except for lqack of isolation, as an open can wins on the watching TV with headphones on but music off award.
I would rather the isolation. The improved isolation of the 880/990 pads on my 770s was just the ticket to make them stand on their own as well.
For 750 dollars, I would expect a quality headphone from Sony here, since it seems the money ws put into the functional engineering, rather than aesthetics. Industrial design just works.
