Soooo, last night I returned to the Master for the first time after several weeks of listening almost exclusively to the Z1R. I'd just bought the new SOHN album,
Rennen, and thought I'd listen to one or two songs in bed just before falling asleep. As soon as the first notes hit my ears, I was grinning from ear to ear. (I call it the Pioneer grin, looks something like this:
.) My body literally started to release adrenaline, and I got all tingly. In all seriousness, the sound was so visceral as to literally have a physical impact. So very exciting, quite indescribable really. During the past couple of weeks, there had never been a question to me that the Master1 was subjectively the superior headphone, but I had almost forgotten just
how good it really is. It plays in a different league, as far as I'm concerned. I was unable to stop and listened to the whole album in one go.
I would like to ask any M1 owners a personal favor:
Please get the album
Rennen by SOHN if you can, and listen to it through a decent source and your Pio. Redbook will do. If you have any doubts about the prowess of this can (which I doubt), I think it is tailor-made to demonstrate how capable the Master1 really is. I can't even highlight one or two certain songs, the whole album is stellar. Even if you shouldn't like the songwriting or the artist's voice, the sound design and production on this is just to die for and has to be heard. Sounds were exploding all around my head like fireworks, projected into the room with laser-sharp precision; it sounded so out of my head it was almost unbelievable. Now some of this may have to be accredited to the effect of switching back after a prolonged time period, thereby accentuating the M1's relative strengths. But the combination of vast soundstage, pinpoint imaging and full-bodied sound is just generally out of this world. All that was via just the Hugo, btw, and I was fairly sober.
So I guess, for me at least it's open headphones over closed cans any day (assuming it's not a day when construction work is going on in front of your study's window
), and the SE-Master1 over any other open headphone I've heard to date. It's just headshakingly amazing. Sorry if I'm gushing again, but last night really made a fresh impression on me, and I felt compelled to share. I guess in a way I still am amazed by the fact that an electronic device can affect me in such a basal manner. It's like I'm astounded by my own capacity for affection for this wonderful object. This has to be my single most rewarding purchase since buying a PS1 and
Final Fantasy VII on the same day (whoops, showing my age here; elder members might remember). It's just that good.