[a_recording]

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Thats why I don't usually count auditions into whether im going to buy the headphone. Only a bit. I dont think I would want to stand in the Sony Store hogging the headphones for 30+ minutes..

 
Yes! Can be awkward.
 
I generally go with the philosophy of, if other people whose opinions you trust seem to like it, then give it a chance and if you still don't like it after a good listen then sell it onwards.
 
It's really rare that unless you have some sort of mental hang up, you won't find redeeming qualities in any piece of $150+ audio gear that a big group of people on Head Fi like. That said, there is always the opposite danger of being swept away by hype.
 
Luckily if you are open minded and adventurous, and not afraid to venture in to the FS forum, it all works well :3

 

[wolfetan44]

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Yes! Can be awkward.
 
I generally go with the philosophy of, if other people whose opinions you trust seem to like it, then give it a chance and if you still don't like it after a good listen then sell it onwards.
 
It's really rare that unless you have some sort of mental hang up, you won't find redeeming qualities in any piece of $150+ audio gear that a big group of people on Head Fi like. That said, there is always the opposite danger of being swept away by hype.
 
Luckily if you are open minded and adventurous, and not afraid to venture in to the FS forum, it all works well :3

I always listen to MalVeauX

 

[john53]

My Sony MDR 1R sound better after many hours of burn in.
 
The intitial burn in of 80-100 hour (maybe it was a bit less),was in low volume straight of the ipod,and didn't make so audible changes.
 
I put more hours on them,both from ipod and from my xcan v8,in higher volumes (but not while listening to them in order to protect my hearing).
 
The sound now is clearly better.It's not brain burn in,because I a/b them with shure 840 with same songs I did when I first bought them,and the difference is not that huge anymore as it was when new.They sound more balanced now across the spectrum,and the sound has a bit more air and clarity.
It is still warm and a bit "beutifully veiled",but not too strong as when it was new.At the first hours my pair had a very coloured and thick sound with reduced transparensy,it was veiled.
 
I actually start to appreciate them now because they give a slight warm and coloured sound but not too much,they are more enjoyable and attractive now.The sound is more musical,like I'm listening to a sweet sound that comes from a good hi fi system with tubes.And another  thing I appreciate to them,is the nice soundstage imaging capability,with satisfying depth.The combination of nice imaging and detail with sweet sound gives music a nice and attractive feeling.
 
I'll keep them for sure,I'll not sell them,as I was planning to do initially.And I think that maybe I should be a bit more carefull with my opinions when I try a new good quality pair of headphones.

 

[jerry1130]

I agree with your assessment. They have a very engaging non fatiguing sound. IMO they are perfect for office use when comfort, isolation and ability to wear for long periods are important. 

 

[Andrew_WOT]

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I agree with your assessment. They have a very engaging non fatiguing sound. IMO they are perfect for office use when comfort, isolation and ability to wear for long periods are important. 

Not really, all I can do in the office when listening music on them is just staring at the screen.

 

[jerry1130]

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Not really, all I can do in the office when listening music on them is just staring at the screen.

 
Haha at least I don't have to take them off every 15 mins like my HD25-ii. 

 

[Andrew_WOT]

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Haha at least I don't have to take them off every 15 mins like my HD25-ii. 

On a serious note, they are the most comfortable and relaxing closed I've used to day. 8 hours straight in the office with just short breaks is not a problem at all, no ear ringing at the end of the day or any sort of fatigue, I literally force myself to take them off, after you accustom to their signature it just gets so addictive, I agree with the poster above, they do sound like good quality, warm signature hi-fi speakers, my Denon speakers sound almost exactly like that, add to that unusual for closed phones  spacious  soundstage and it gets even more speakers like experience.
Another thing I've noticed and really like about them is that they are very good for low volume listening, there is no obvious audible "holes" in response or lack of details which you usually compensate by bumping up volume, that results in fatigue free long listening sessions.

 

[ZenErik]

The 1R is solid, but I didn't like it as much as my AD2000 or W5000. Suppose that isn't too shocking. That 1R has already found a new owner. Hope they enjoy it!

 

[Andrew_WOT]

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The 1R is solid, but I didn't like it as much as my AD2000 or W5000. Suppose that isn't too shocking. That 1R has already found a new owner. Hope they enjoy it!

Yep, let's get realistic what we are comparing them to, closed portable vs. ATH flagships.
Plus ATH-AD2000 is open and W5000 (my all times favorite) is not far from it.

 

[Dyaems]

am i the only one who has fit issues with the 1R? the clamp is too tight for me. not really m50 tight clamp but it gets on me. maybe my headphones doesnt have much clamp and i have gotten used to it haha

 

[AnakChan]

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am i the only one who has fit issues with the 1R? the clamp is too tight for me. not really m50 tight clamp but it gets on me. maybe my headphones doesnt have much clamp and i have gotten used to it haha

 
I guess that maybe possible. I guess you've tried moving the cups lower, etc? I actually find the MDR-1R to be the most comfortable headphone I've tried. Believe it or not, even with my Stax SR-009 or Fostex TH-900, I find they're not as comfortable as the MDR-1R especially with glasses on.

 

[droid23]

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The 1R to my ears are more full-bodied while the DT 1350 is leaner. The 1R is a little more warm and musical to my ears. They're just a bit more fun to listen to. I find the 1Rs to be very detailed as well and the soundstage is a nice relief after using on-ear portables for so long. Imaging is great as well. The bass is detailed with good impact but may not be as seamlessly detailed as the DT 1350. The mids are beautiful and slightly warmer and the treble is crispy and sparkly without being strident to my ears. I've been on the hunt for a portable circumaural for longer than I've been on HF and I was really not expecting to like these as much but I think these might be keepers.

 
I recently bought the AKG K167 TIESTO and I really like their sound signature (very detailed and punchy sub-bass, slightly underrepresented mid-bass, crystal clear mids and highs which sound "revealing" and analytical in a really good way but are not fatiguing in any means, the sounstage is really huge in my opinon). The isolation is one of the best I ever experienced and they're really comfy, too...
 
...but yesterday I got the chance to listen to the 1Rs shortly. I really liked how they sound and how you describe them is exactly what I remembered. Immediately it was clear to me, that they do not necessarily need to be amped. Maybe I grab them today at my retailer just out of curiosity and to directly compare them to my 167s which IMO are the most fun to listen to in a long time.

 

[droid23]

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Once again, I am trying to find some sensibly-priced closed cans for use at home...

Key requirements are:
- Open, detailed sound with good treble resolution
- Wide, "airy" soundstage
- Controlled bass (no "bloat")
- Speed and attack

Do you think the MDR-1Rs are the best option? Any advice or further suggestions?

 
I would like to recommend the AKG K167 TIESTO to you. Please give them a chance because I also listen to Classic and Jazz quite a bit and was really surprised by the "Speed & Attack" of these cans. Also the precise bass representation combined with a still wide soundstage adds to the needed musicality when listening to these genres.

 

[roma101]

I recently bought the AKG K167 TIESTO and I really like their sound signature (very detailed and punchy sub-bass, slightly underrepresented mid-bass, crystal clear mids and highs which sound "revealing" and analytical in a really good way but are not fatiguing in any means, the sounstage is really huge in my opinon). The isolation is one of the best I ever experienced and they're really comfy, too...

...but yesterday I got the chance to listen to the 1Rs shortly. I really liked how they sound and how you describe them is exactly what I remembered. Immediately it was clear to me, that they do not necessarily need to be amped. Maybe I grab them today at my retailer just out of curiosity and to directly compare them to my 167s which IMO are the most fun to listen to in a long time.

Funny you should mention this because I bit the bullet yesterday on some K167s. Just couldn't resist. Should be getting them in the next day or two and I'll be directly comparing to the 1R. If you end up getting the 1R we should absolutely compare notes.

 

[RPGWiZaRD]

I'm also going back n forth right now whether to concider K167 or 1R a try. What I prefer & need:
 
- Boosted bass (I'm a bit of a basshead really so neither might be satisfying possibly but I do have a digiZoid ZO2.1 which boosts bass by a huge amount) but should be equally much subbass and midbass presence, that's really #1 priority, I concider midbass vs subbass barrier going at 80Hz for reference so the more closer centered the peak is to 80Hz the better for my needs. 
- As Forward / "in-your-face" midrange / vocals as possible to go with the boosted bass. I like slightly warm sound.
- Neutral highs
- Soundstage size isn't very important, imaging slightly more so, I proritize depth more than width.
- NO RESONANCE spikes in mids & highs (especially female vocals should sound crisp and clean and fade away instantly)
- I'm a bit more skewed towards "musical" over "analytical", I want to enjoy / get a good feeling from the music, not analyze the details (to some extent, hearing great details is also an enjoyment obviously but not a priority)
- I prefer a decent amount of clamping and isolation is always a big plus in my book due to loud computer fans I want to drown out as much as possible with the headphones.
 
I have a hard time picking, these 2 are like pretty close to neutral but the opposite sides of "neutral" if you get my meaning, at least that's the picture I get when reading about them, I'd put K167 slightly towards the "analytical" side and 1R slightly towards the "musical" side based on my interpretion of all feedback.