[dweaver]

Yeah at times it seemed like they were sitting on the fence in becoming sibilant but didn't quite make it over.  Don't know if it would be an issue with most of my music preferences

I like it when headphone come close to the point of sibilance but don't cross the line it gives some vocals some edge which helps convey emotion.

 

[dweaver]

Because I wear glasses I struggle with ear pain even with comfy on ear headphones. For me that is enough to sacrifice isolation (actually I wear my Z5 most of the time which isolate similarly to good on ears but in the winter I like my H.ear muffs) for comfort.

 

[Mickice]

MDR-100AAP'S still win on price. Imagine these second hand, crazy low.

 

[waynes world]

Sorry but the MDR100AAP are not good for home use which limits their usability.

I'm not sure that I agree. I got them for portable use, but I am finding that I like them so much that I've been happily using them at home. I don't see why many people couldn't be completely happy using these at home.

 

[Mickice]

Visited a second hand store and picked up 10 CDs for $40.
Some dance and female vocals, should be a fun listen.

 

[god-bluff]

Or wait a year or so for when its (not necessarily better)replacement comes along the price drops by a third or so.
 
I cannot understand why Sony replaces perfectly good phones (eg. PFR-V1, MDR570, Z1000, MA900 etc) on such a regular basis. Headphones are not like mobile phones they do not become instantly obsolete. They can live on  for decades (ie Grados, Beyers, some Sennheiser and Koss and even Sony pro headphones) 

MDR-100AAP'S still win on price. Imagine these second hand, crazy low.

 

[Mickice]

I agree, I hope these stay for years, if not I have 2. 

 

[chailee80]

I'm not sure that I agree. I got them for portable use, but I am finding that I like them so much that I've been happily using them at home. I don't see why many people couldn't be completely happy using these at home.

Yeh I don't see why these wouldn't be any good at home, they sound good out of a tablet or laptop. I've had them plugged into my AV receiver for watching movies and into my pc and Xbox for gaming and they've performed great. A good all round headphone available in some funky colours, what's not to like?

 

[dweaver]

I am using them at the office and home as well. I think it depends on comfort and the all important signature preference.

 

[chailee80]

Or wait a year or so for when its (not necessarily better)replacement comes along the price drops by a third or so.

I cannot understand why Sony replaces perfectly good phones (eg. PFR-V1, MDR570, Z1000, MA900 etc) on such a regular basis. Headphones are not like mobile phones they do not become instantly obsolete. They can live on  for decades (ie Grados, Beyers, some Sennheiser and Koss and even Sony pro headphones) 

At the end of the day it's all about making money, if something isn't selling then there's no point continuing it. Plus people like buying the latest and greatest stuff so it makes sense to bring out new models even if the old ones were fine.

 

[dweaver]

To be honest I think Sony has been struggling to find the right combination of signature, audio clarity and fashion design and price point for the past few years.

They kept wanting to keep this type of sound quality in the 3-400 range, refusing to recognize that the competition was upping the ante with better sound quality or better fashion or better build materials and in many instances a combination of all 3.

But we are being trained as a throw away society as well. Being taught to want a new model every year and so long as we continue to buy they will continue to release minor revisions as new models for ever.

 

[goodyfresh]

 
If you are balking at paying $270 for the P5's check out some prices for B&O Beoplay headphones and tell me if you would pay the premium prices Bose charges for their cans.  Everything is relative, P5's are more expensive than the MDR100AAP's but cheaper than similar class B&O's and Bose headphones. 

Good point, man!

I'm just not a fan of on-ears, in-general, be they comfortable or not and be they well-built or not and be they well-isolating or not.  Meh.  I just muuuch prefer over-ears.

So maybe the P7 would be somethign to try?  Does it sound significantly better than the 100AAP?  I've heard some people claim the P7 suffers from mid-bass bloat, as well as that the earpads wouldn't work well for a glasses-wearer like me.

 

[waynes world]

  Can you please do a quick comparison MT220 vs. 100AAP?
I read somewhere the Yamahas are a bit boosted up top and very revealing of hiss, bad microphones and recordings. (unforgiving). Are their highs fatiguing, or bright?
Also can you please measure the inner size of the ear pads?

 
I have never heard any hiss or microphonics with the mt220's, so that's not an issue. They are very revealing though, so yes, bad recordings might be exposed (I'm not really sure though as I try to stay away from bad recordings). I wouldn't say that the highs are boosted, but the they are more forward and detailed than the 100aap's.
 
Inner earpad sizes:
mt220 = 4cm x 5.5cm rectangular
100aap = 3cm x 6.25cm oval
 
Quick comparo (and take it with a grain of salt, because I suck at this lol)
 
Sound: mt220 > 100aap. Switching between the two, the 100aap's feel flatter and smoother. The details are there throughout the FR, but the mt220's have greater detail and are more resolving. The mt220's  are very balanced, but the bass has more impact and layering, and the highs are more forward and detailed, and the have great "prat". The mt220's soundstage is deeper and more 3d-like and they have better imaging. They really sound marvellous to my ears, but there's so much detail going on that some might find them a bit distracting and possibly even fatiguing after a while. So the mt220's rock, but the flatter sig of the 100aap's is very appealing to me as well - the details are there, but they are smoother and less fatiguing (I'm not sure if "euphonic" is the right term), so I find myself enjoying both the mt220 and 100aap pretty much equally these days - they compliment each other nicely.
 
Portability: 100aap > mt220. The mt220 doesn't have a removable cable and the cable is coiled at the end. The mt220's look very nice though, and I would wear them out if I could.
 
Comfort: 100aap > mt220. The mt220's are very comfortable, but they are also a bit heavier, so I can feel the headband on the top of my head after a while. Never the case with the 100aap's which are very light.
 
Isolation: mt220>100aap? About the same, but the mt220's might isolate a bit better.
 
Hope this helps!

 

[KopaneDePooj]

   
I have never heard any hiss or microphonics with the mt220's, so that's not an issue. They are very revealing though, so yes, bad recordings might be exposed (I'm not really sure though as I try to stay away from bad recordings). I wouldn't say that the highs are boosted, but the they are more forward and detailed than the 100aap's.
 
Inner earpad sizes:
mt220 = 4cm x 5.5cm rectangular
100aap = 3cm x 6.25cm oval
 
Quick comparo (and take it with a grain of salt, because I suck at this lol)
 
Sound: mt220 > 100aap. Switching between the two, the 100aap's feel flatter and smoother. The details are there throughout the FR, but the mt220's have greater detail and are more resolving. The mt220's  are very balanced, but the bass has more impact and layering, and the highs are more forward and detailed, and the have great "prat". The mt220's soundstage is deeper and more 3d-like and they have better imaging. They really sound marvellous to my ears, but there's so much detail going on that some might find them a bit distracting and possibly even fatiguing after a while. So the mt220's rock, but the flatter sig of the 100aap's is very appealing to me as well - the details are there, but they are smoother and less fatiguing (I'm not sure if "euphonic" is the right term), so I find myself enjoying both the mt220 and 100aap pretty much equally these days - they compliment each other nicely.
 
Portability: 100aap > mt220. The mt220 doesn't have a removable cable and the cable is coiled at the end. The mt220's look very nice though, and I would wear them out if I could.
 
Comfort: 100aap > mt220. The mt220's are very comfortable, but they are also a bit heavier, so I can feel the headband on the top of my head after a while. Never the case with the 100aap's which are very light.
 
Isolation: mt220>100aap? About the same, but the mt220's might isolate a bit better.
 
Hope this helps!

Very helpful and thanks a lot!
I just returned the 100AAP because I couldn't get used to the fit on my ears, and I'm looking now at M50x or MT220. I plan to use the new HM5 hybrids with them
http://www.mp4nation.net/brainwavz-hybrid-memory-foam-earpad-black-suitable-for-large-over-the-ear-headphones
 
Thank you waynes

 

[fish1050]

Because I wear glasses I struggle with ear pain even with comfy on ear headphones. For me that is enough to sacrifice isolation (actually I wear my Z5 most of the time which isolate similarly to good on ears but in the winter I like my H.ear muffs) for comfort.

I wear glasses as well and I still find the P5's quite comfortable, the memory foam and the nice thick leather conforms to my ears and the arms of my classes quite well.  I am usually good for 2 to 3 hours. Nice thing about on-ears like the P5 because the cups rest below the tops of my ears I can lift the arms of my glasses up and rest them above the top of the ear cups but still sit them behind my ears so they stay in place which removes all pressure of the arms pressing against my head.  Something I can't do with over-ear headphones
 
I will admit when I first got the P5's they clamped pretty tight and I questioned whether they would work for me.  Then I read a review on them and the reviewer said that the steel headband was quite pliable and the pressure would let up with use.  For about a week whenever I didn't have them on I stuck some hardcover books between the ear cups to stretch the headband and left them overnight.  After about a week the clamping force let up quite a bit, then I flexed the headband a few times and voila a perfect fit and I have been happy ever since.
 
One thing I learned from my time with the P5's, steel headbands are the way to go as they will flex and you can work with them to lessen the clamping force.  Headphones with plastic headbands generally don't flex much and the clamping force stays pretty constant.  If they clamp to tight when new they aren't likely to let up much over time.