[Kabonfaiba]

  Thanks for your input. 
How about the bass? Is there more of it, and does it extend further?

 
The bass quality in the 100AAP and 1A is the same. The 100AAP is flatter though, in terms of dynamics, so your ears are naturally drawn more to bass articulation, giving the impression there is more detail.
 
The 1A is tonally closer to the 1R, but with about 5dB added bass around the 100hz area. It's got quite a wide Q factor which draws out sub-bass content as a bonus, but this boost also bleeds into 200hz as a compromise. Leading to the impression that the 1A bass is "bloated". However, almost no other headphones offer the kind of bass slam, married with a detailed soundstage, at this price point.

 

[dragion]

I might be way off point here, but how does the Sony MDR-XB950BT compare to the MDR-100AAP/1A/1R?
I'm of course asking when the XB950BT are hardwired and not via bluetooth.
 
Is there any comparison at all...how do they fit within these headphones?
 
I own the XB950BT...reason for asking.

 

[exlabdriver]

Hi guys.  Checking in from Vancouver Island as new owner of a pair of 100AAPs.  I used my vintage MDR- CD1000 a month or so ago & whilke they are in excellent shape, decided that they just didn't cut it anymore, especially in the low end.  So after lots of research I bought a pair of 100AAPs at Best Buy.ca.
 
While I luv the sound of my CDs & SACDs, I must admit that I have had nothing but frustration with the short TRRS cord that Sony supplied.  I use this headset only with my home audio system - never portable - so I don't need that darn 'Mic' feature.  I use a generic TRS extension cord that attaches to the Sony's 'L Connector' but with only limited success.  Going from a TRRS to a TRS cable is the problem I think.  As I insert the 'L Connector' into the extension cord jack, I get either clean left channel, a bit farther in, clean L & R (but mono), or fully inserted, heavily distorted sound.  If I press the 'Mic' button, everything is wonderful - stereo & clean.  I've spent a lot of frustrating time experimenting with this condition.
 
So I devised a little 'fix' until I can find an appropriate aftermarket extension cord.  With the 'L Connector' fully inserted into the extension, I wrapped a small Zip Tie with a tiny rubber shim around the 'Mic Housing' covering the 'Mic Button' continually pressing it down.  Seems to work so far.
 
Any thoughts?  I wonder if some out there are experiencing 'Mono Sound' with this type of set up & haven't realized it...
 
Thanks for all the great info here...
 
TAM

 

[Malfunkt]

I might be way off point here, but how does the Sony MDR-XB950BT compare to the MDR-100AAP/1A/1R?
I'm of course asking when the XB950BT are hardwired and not via bluetooth.

Is there any comparison at all...how do they fit within these headphones?

I own the XB950BT...reason for asking.

I've owned the XB950BT, 1r and had chance to listen to the AAP in comparison against my 7520.

The AAP is a better sounding headphone than the 950bt. It is much more balanced. Both are rolled off on the high end. The 950bt and 950Ap are pretty much strictly for bassheads and for that they are pretty fun. Their Bluetooth implementation is pretty good. I can't really compare the 1r against the AAP as I need to listen to both again. though I might just go for the aap over the 1r.

Ultimately I prefer Sony's IEMs specifically MDR-EX600 and MDR7550 over any of the above cans sonically. I even felt like the 7550 was better in a number of ways than the MDR-Z7 (though I still quite liked these especially the build). My choice for a closed pair of Sony cans is the 7520. To me it the epitome of Sony's house sound for studio headphones. The bass accuracy leaves the other cans in the dust and the detail retrieval is also on another level.

 

[dragion]

I've owned the XB950BT, 1r and had chance to listen to the AAP in comparison against my 7520.

The AAP is a better sounding headphone than the 950bt. It is much more balanced. Both are rolled off on the high end. The 950bt and 950Ap are pretty much strictly for bassheads and for that they are pretty fun. Their Bluetooth implementation is pretty good. I can't really compare the 1r against the AAP as I need to listen to both again. though I might just go for the aap over the 1r.

Ultimately I prefer Sony's IEMs specifically MDR-EX600 and MDR7550 over any of the above cans sonically. I even felt like the 7550 was better in a number of ways than the MDR-Z7 (though I still quite liked these especially the build). My choice for a closed pair of Sony cans is the 7520. To me it the epitome of Sony's house sound for studio headphones. The bass accuracy leaves the other cans in the dust and the detail retrieval is also on another level.

Thanks Malfukt for the comparison advice.
 
I myself isn't a "basehead" officially, but do enjoy listening to great low end audio...reasons why I own both the XB90EX and the XB950BT.
Have you have any experience regarding the sound signature of the XBA-A3 IEM? I hear that it is comparable to the XBA-Z5...in a sort of way.
 
I would like to get myself a pair of MDR-7550 or EX800ST someday.
 
I enjoy listening to both IEMs and closed over the ear cans...no experience with open backs though.
 
Thanks again for your comment...greatly appreciated.

 

[ShreyasMax]

Happy owner reporting from Delhi, India. Got this as a closed back side grade to complement my Fidelio X2. And it does, exactly that. Comes pretty close to my X2 sound, in spite of being closed back, and in spite of the treble being slightly lesser detailed in comparison. Overall, a great value in the portable over ear territory.

 

[Mickice]

My TV gives these headphones lots of low end, it's lovely. 

 

[dragion]

Correction...picked up the Sony MDR-EX800ST today from another fellow Head-Fier.

 

[Mickice]

Thats cool for in ears, enjoy them. I still think out of SONY's recent full headphone line-up the 100AAP's are a step above with the Z7, the rest are kinda meh. 

 

[dragion]

  Thats cool for in ears, enjoy them. I still think out of SONY's recent full headphone line-up the 100AAP's are a step above with the Z7, the rest are kinda meh. 

Thanks Mickice!
 
I'm still trying to find a good deal on the 100AAP's since the last effort was a huge letdown and had to take a bit of loss.
Still hoping that when the wireless versions are released, that the wired 100AAP's will be a better deal to be had.
 
Waiting patiently....

 

[SchneiderStudios]

Here's my in-depth review for anyone keen on grabbing these, complete with a comparison between the M50x - http://gdgtmac.com/reviews/sony-hear-on-headphones-review

 

[exlabdriver]

Further to my post above (#1428) I continued playing around with my 100AAPs connection to my TRS extension cord to my receiver.  I was never able to get it to work properly so I conversed with Barry at Scan Sound in Florida.  He explained that the symptoms that I've been having are exactly the problem with TRRS to TRS without an adapter.  
 
He stated in an email to me:
 
Our CRD-LRG or UNC-LRG adapters should fix your problem.

Attached are some diagrams that show how the connections are made when you insert your 4-conductor TRRS plug into a 3-conductor TRS jack. Most likely the pins inside the female jack of your extension are not lined up to make contact with the common "ground" connection. Therefore, when you hold down the push-button switch it closes the connection to the "Ground" through the "Mic" part of your plug.

When you press on the push-button, it is completing the ground circuit through your push-button switch. Our adapter will make the correct connections to the parts of your plug needed for audio, eliminating the microphone connection in the process.
 
So today I ordered this adapter to hopefully solve the problem:
 

Headset Adapter 3.5mm 4-Pin Female TRRS to 3-Pin Male TRS Plug

UNC-LRG

 
BTW:  Best Buy Canada has the 100AAP on sale for $30 off ($200 CAN) til 18 Feb.  Luckily I checked their website today & went back with my bill of sale & got a refund of $39 under their 'Price Match Guarantee'.  Can't beat that...
 
TAM

 

[dbdynsty25]

Just ordered a pair of these.  The MDR1A/1ABT is a touch too bassy for me even though I mostly listen to rap/hip hop.  Go figure.  Hopefully, and from what I've read they do, tone down the bass a bit and have a more balanced sound while still being ridiculously comfortable.  I really just wish they folded flat instead of up into itself for storage in my laptop bag.  The 1A was perfect in that regard.  I guess I can never get something that completely fits my needs.  LOL.

 

[Trying2Learn]

I tried this at Best Buy for only a couple tracks but I found it to be pretty bassy. Next to the MDR1A, the build quality was much better and the 1A felt like cheap plastic :/ Both headphones are pretty bassy. Looks pretty nice, cable is nothing special though, but not bad. Not my cup of tea. Perhaps more time with it would've helped, but too much bass for me.

 

[SchneiderStudios]

I tried this at Best Buy for only a couple tracks but I found it to be pretty bassy. Next to the MDR1A, the build quality was much better and the 1A felt like cheap plastic :/ Both headphones are pretty bassy. Looks pretty nice, cable is nothing special though, but not bad. Not my cup of tea. Perhaps more time with it would've helped, but too much bass for me.

Man then you must love Sennheiser and B&O because quite the contrary, IMO.