[Giogio]

  Again, I'll ask you: Where/How did you try the MDR-1ABT? They aren't out yet so either you tested them on an event such as CES or you're referring to the wired MDR-A. Please clarify.

They are available in Rakuten Global, in Amazon JP, and in www.yodobashi.com
 

With the greatest of respect, I'll wait and judge with my own ears and sources. Nothing better than home demo. Also, the urbanites are much cheaper than the M2 wireless, so am likely to be more forgiving. Will also be interested to hear what the passive NC is like.

I did read the thread you're talking about, and was one of the many reviews and opinions I read before making a decision to order. I was very disappointed with the M2 wireless, though. Was expecting more from Sennheiser, to be honest both in functionality and (wired) sound quality.

Of course, that is always the best thing you can do.Then stop reading reviews
Sorry, I was just provoking.
What I mean is, people can tell you a lot if you ask them.
I have tried a LOT of BT headphones. From Senny I have tried the MM400-x and MM550-x and the Urbanite Wireless: all of them had a terrible wireless range.
And my answer to you was just because you clearly stated "if they sound dark too" and although I could not yet try the Momentum I would really be very surprised if something which should be more balanced and neutral like the M2 ends being even more dark than the Urbanite which are the darkest BT headphones I have ever tried.
But well. Maybe you like them. I hope so, sincerely. Everybody deserves his perfect pair of BT headphones!
If you are not satisfied, come in my Comparison thread or in the High End thread of n00b2 and we can suggest you a few alternatives, in case you did not do that already.
 

  With the greatest of respect back.. Most of the time, in ALL my replies, I state that I am a newbie. Also, I don't have golden ears either.. With that said, to me, my ears...

It's not a matter of adding a "to me" before saying" it is better.
It's not a matter of education and formalities and not offending other's opinions.
It is a matter that the internet is full of "what's the best" and "I love it" and "I hate it".
And this does not help anybody.
People who come here need to read reasons why you prefer one to the other.
This helps them deciding.
Do not hate me now I do not want to tell you what to do, please.
I just think that you too would like to read "I prefer the M2 because blablabla, while the DefTech are bliblibli" if you would be looking for opinions to decide which you have to try.
 

I guess if the Urbanites can manage a similar, fault free connection to my phone as the 10RBTs, and improve on the sound quality of those a bit, I'll be happy. Or happy-ish. I'd have the M2s back in a heartbeat, price difference or not, if the BT stuttering or ANC were not problematic for me. For those not suffering those concerns, I'm deeply envious.

May I ask you which other headphones you have tried or read about and excluded trying?
I wonder why your choices should be limited to Sony and Senny when there is MUCH more in this world, and better.

 

[subguy812]

I am a big supporter of the wired version(M2), did not like the 1st gen. at all....so I wanted to see what's up with the BT version. I have no BT hp or IEM's prior to these. I have had the BT M2 for 4 days now and am equally as happy with them. I also had some stuttering issues when I placed my phone in my left pocket. In the right pocket, works great. I guess I will carry it in my right pocket no big deal. Sq is on par with the wired version. When wired it is the same. I am really amazed at the sq when using BT. Any way, put me in the group of happy M2 owners.

 

[AcademicBarzo]

 Again, I'll ask you: Where/How did you try the MDR-1ABT? They aren't out yet so either you tested them on an event such as CES or you're referring to the wired MDR-A. Please clarify.

They are available in Rakuten Global, in Amazon JP, and in www.yodobashi.com
 

With the greatest of respect, I'll wait and judge with my own ears and sources. Nothing better than home demo. Also, the urbanites are much cheaper than the M2 wireless, so am likely to be more forgiving. Will also be interested to hear what the passive NC is like.

I did read the thread you're talking about, and was one of the many reviews and opinions I read before making a decision to order. I was very disappointed with the M2 wireless, though. Was expecting more from Sennheiser, to be honest both in functionality and (wired) sound quality.

Of course, that is always the best thing you can do.Then stop reading reviews
Sorry, I was just provoking.
What I mean is, people can tell you a lot if you ask them.
I have tried a LOT of BT headphones. From Senny I have tried the MM400-x and MM550-x and the Urbanite Wireless: all of them had a terrible wireless range.
And my answer to you was just because you clearly stated "if they sound dark too" and although I could not yet try the Momentum I would really be very surprised if something which should be more balanced and neutral like the M2 ends being even more dark than the Urbanite which are the darkest BT headphones I have ever tried.
But well. Maybe you like them. I hope so, sincerely. Everybody deserves his perfect pair of BT headphones!
If you are not satisfied, come in my Comparison thread or in the High End thread of n00b2 and we can suggest you a few alternatives, in case you did not do that already.
 

 With the greatest of respect back.. Most of the time, in ALL my replies, I state that I am a newbie. Also, I don't have golden ears either.. With that said, to me, my ears...

It's not a matter of adding a "to me" before saying" it is better.
It's not a matter of education and formalities and not offending other's opinions.
It is a matter that the internet is full of "what's the best" and "I love it" and "I hate it".
And this does not help anybody.
People who come here need to read reasons why you prefer one to the other.
This helps them deciding.
Do not hate me now I do not want to tell you what to do, please.
I just think that you too would like to read "I prefer the M2 because blablabla, while the DefTech are bliblibli" if you would be looking for opinions to decide which you have to try.
 

I guess if the Urbanites can manage a similar, fault free connection to my phone as the 10RBTs, and improve on the sound quality of those a bit, I'll be happy. Or happy-ish. I'd have the M2s back in a heartbeat, price difference or not, if the BT stuttering or ANC were not problematic for me. For those not suffering those concerns, I'm deeply envious.

May I ask you which other headphones you have tried or read about and excluded trying?
I wonder why your choices should be limited to Sony and Senny when there is MUCH more in this world, and better.

My choices are limited only by experience of wired headphones. Been a fan of Sennheiser since I bought my first real 'hifi' headphones in the early 1990s as a student. Over the years, I've dabbled with other manufacturers (AKG, Audio Technica, JVC, Grado), but have always found my way back to Sennheiser. Hence, their current range of BT headphones was a natural choice (I thought).

I have Sony in mind as they were my 'first' BT headphones. I got them free with a Sony Xperia Z1 on contract.

I've done a fair bit of research, but am always open to trying new stuff. I didn't expect to be as disappointed by the M2s as I was. I expect my whole experience of them was coloured by the BT connection issues, which is, after all, central to their performance.

Given that these are commuter/outside headphones, the M2s are really at the top of what I to pay for headphones. But that's for another thread. Pleased that so many people have a good experience of the M2s, just sorry I'm not one of them.

 

[Giogio]

Pleased that so many people have a good experience of the M2s, just sorry I'm not one of them.

That's normal. Why should you be sorry. Sound is subjective. Nothing is perfect for everybody.
In my signature you find my comparison thread.
And in the first post you find a link to the other big thread about high end bt headphones.
Ask in one of those threads, there are alternatives!
I have tested a lot. If you tell me which kind of sound signature you prefer and what you did not like on these senny apart for the darkness, and what you would like, how you like headphones, which music, etc, I may be able to suggest you something.
Or other people can,

 

[chailee80]

Again, I'll ask you: Where/How did you try the MDR-1ABT? They aren't out yet so either you tested them on an event such as CES or you're referring to the wired MDR-A. Please clarify.

Im not too sure where you are but down my way theyve been out for a few weeks now i believe. The bt pair i listened to were my friends who i believe picked them up when he was in singapore the other week. Just like the 1r models the 1abt sounds much the same as the regular 1a to my ears. Sony went overboard with the bass with these and they're just too muddy and dark sounding for me.

 

[cehowardNote3]

  I am a big supporter of the wired version(M2), did not like the 1st gen. at all....so I wanted to see what's up with the BT version. I have no BT hp or IEM's prior to these. I have had the BT M2 for 4 days now and am equally as happy with them. I also had some stuttering issues when I placed my phone in my left pocket. In the right pocket, works great. I guess I will carry it in my right pocket no big deal. Sq is on par with the wired version. When wired it is the same. I am really amazed at the sq when using BT. Any way, put me in the group of happy M2 owners.

Welcome to the "happy M2 owners" crew!!

 
I just noticed, that a lot of people with connection issues with the M2, say they carry the source in their pocket. I don't have any connection issues, but I don't carry my Note 4 in my pocket. 

 I am a bag freak!! With that said, I have these high end waist bags, and 10 out of 10, my Note 4, the source is in that bag. That bag is either carried on my shoulder, or around my neck..Yup, around my neck, because most likely I have a messenger bag or backpack along with me. On the wired SQ of the M2, yes it is sweet too.. I am a newbie, and it is the best I have heard in headphones.. I am real satisfied for the $530 I paid for these.. They keep me smiling!!

 

[Yappadappadu]

Im not too sure where you are but down my way theyve been out for a few weeks now i believe. The bt pair i listened to were my friends who i believe picked them up when he was in singapore the other week. Just like the 1r models the 1abt sounds much the same as the regular 1a to my ears. Sony went overboard with the bass with these and they're just too muddy and dark sounding for me.

Sorry, my bad then. It makes sense that these would be out in Asia several weeks earlier than US/Europe.
I think I actually do like the sound signature of the MDR-1A so what you said about the wireless version sounds good to me. Just hope that they don't have the same Apple device issues (skipping at the beginning of each track) as the old MDR-1RBT.

 

[HansVaessen]

   
Have had the same experience. Contacted Sennheiser Netherlands - they support-guy said he tested the BTD500 with the momentum 2.0 and it should work fine... The dongle must be defective, he said, so I had it replaced. Guess what? Same problem..
 

FYI: Meanwhile received message from Sennheiser NL:
 
They tested with the BTD800 instead of BTD500. BTD800 worked fine. They now have offered me to replace the 500 with the 800. Good service.

 

[Giogio]

  FYI: Meanwhile received message from Sennheiser NL:
 
They tested with the BTD800 instead of BTD500. BTD800 worked fine. They now have offered me to replace the 500 with the 800. Good service.

Cool, I did not know that dongle.
When you receive it, can you please test the wireless range? If it is more or less or same as the 500?

 

[cehowardNote3]

 
Cool, I did not know that dongle.
When you receive it, can you please test the wireless range? If it is more or less or same as the 500?

I have noticed, that the UNCLUTTERED range of most BT units are about 120 to 150 ft.. However, it is when obstacles are in the way, comes the blocks out..
 
My M2s,  and My Harman Kardon Bts, both at the gym, the line of sight distance was in excess of 120 ft.. 

 

[Giogio]

  I have noticed, that the UNCLUTTERED range of most BT units are about 120 to 150 ft.. However, it is when obstacles are in the way, comes the blocks out..
 
My M2s,  and My Harman Kardon Bts, both at the gym, the line of sight distance was in excess of 120 ft.. 

You are talking of "with your phone", right?
Well, that is a good result, considering that class 2 devices are not supposed to get more than 33ft.
 
But I was interested in that BTD800 at home. I remember that the BTD500 sucked very bad in range, like all Senny BT products (not as bad as the BeoPlay H8 which are by far the headphones with worst range ever, but still bad among other products).
If the BTD800 has better range and, hopefully, better sound, I may give it a try.
Although my preference in adapters goes to Avantree. They really put passion in that.

 

[n00b2]

 
Cool, I did not know that dongle.
When you receive it, can you please test the wireless range? If it is more or less or same as the 500?

 
That dongle is a bit harder to come by as it seems to be mainly sold with their new Presence headsets and there seems to be 2 versions (one specifically for Microsoft Lync). It is basically an upgraded version of the BT500 from what one of the reps told me when I queried it. Much smaller in size so harder to snap off (think it's small enough to leave in laptop) and the LED is codec indicator is much bigger and it uses bluetooth 4.0 instead of 3.0. One would assume that they would have fixed all the issues of the BTD500 when they released it so am curious as well to see if the problems @HansVaessen is having is resolved.

 

[cehowardNote3]

 
You are talking of "with your phone", right?
Well, that is a good result, considering that class 2 devices are not supposed to get more than 33ft.
 
But I was interested in that BTD800 at home. I remember that the BTD500 sucked very bad in range, like all Senny BT products (not as bad as the BeoPlay H8 which are by far the headphones with worst range ever, but still bad among other products).
If the BTD800 has better range and, hopefully, better sound, I may give it a try.
Although my preference in adapters goes to Avantree. They really put passion in that.

Yes, "with my  phone" =Samsung Note 4.. Note 4 was in sight all the time. 

 

[cjs001]

Are the batteries for these replaceable? Also I heard that you can't turn off the active NoiseGard?

 

[paulchiu]

  Are the batteries for these replaceable? Also I heard that you can't turn off the active NoiseGard?

The battery is replaceable although the manual shows no instructions for doing so.
It says you can gets instructions from a service center or Sennheiser if within the warranty period.
 
With wireless use, noisegard is always on.  With wired use. you can turn it off.