[noinoi24]

how did you do that?

 

[Jerryberry]

And here we have it guys ! Jude has passed his verdict ! We have confirmation that the mdr 1000x are the best in terms of NC ! Beating the Bose at its own game and more !
 
http://www.head-fi.org/a/head-fi-buying-guide-travel-headphones#user_sony_mdr-1000x

 

[beowulf]

  And here we have it guys ! Jude has passed his verdict ! We have confirmation that the mdr 1000x are the best in terms of NC ! Beating the Bose at its own game and more !
 
http://www.head-fi.org/a/head-fi-buying-guide-travel-headphones#user_sony_mdr-1000x

 
Good review.
 
Yesterday I spent some time with the 1000X and ended up doing a side-by-side with the MDR-Z1R and a few different sources. I have to say I finally started valuing this little Sony more. Sound quality is quite good and while it can't compete with the bigger cousin, it still performs quite well, with NC either on or off (I was listening at home in a quiet environment, so NC was mostly irrelevant).
 
I don't agree with Jude in two points. The first is the touch panel. Got me a bit to get used to it but now I find it very accurate. Jude used pause (double tap, one finger) as an example of a gesture he found less efficient, but that's probably the one I use the most and it never fails. Although you have to tap the central area of the cup, the diameter is very generous, so it's not difficult at all.
 
The other point I don't fully agree is "build quality is outstanding". After the many units with plastic creaking noises, that's considerably below outstanding in my book. Hell, I spent part of the evening yesterday using sandpaper to make some edges smoother and reduce the noise. That's not outstanding at $400/400e. It is merely OK.
 
One thing seems obvious tho, the days of the QC35 are gone.

 

[jude]

 
Good review.
 
Yesterday I spent some time with the 1000X and ended up doing a side-by-side with the MDR-Z1R and a few different sources. I have to say I finally started valuing this little Sony more. Sound quality is quite good and while it can't compete with the bigger cousin, it still performs quite well.
 
I don't agree with Jude in two points. The first is the touch panel. Got me a bit to get used to it but now I find it very accurate. Jude used pause (double tap, one finger) as an example of a gesture he found less efficient, but that's probably the one I use the most and it never fails. Although you have to tap the central area of the cup, the diameter is very generous, so it's not difficult at all.
 
The other point I don't fully agree is "build quality is outstanding". After the many units with plastic creaking noises, that's considerably below outstanding in my book. Hell, I spent part of the evening yesterday using sandpaper to make some edges smoother and reduce the noise. That's not outstanding at $400/400e. It is merely OK.
 
One thing seems obvious tho, the days of the QC35 are gone.

 
@beowulf, regarding the touch panel: Maybe it's my little hands? No idea. Maybe I'm just spoiled by the Zik3 and PXC550's capacitive touch panels, which are far more responsive than the MDR-1000X we have here? Perhaps. I'll give it a concerted effort today (though I've spent a lot of time with the MDR-1000X already), and see if i can work anything else out.
 
Regarding the build quality: We don't have a creaking issue here with this one. There's nothing on it I'd want to sand down or smooth. Of course, I believe you (and others) who are having problems, but the one we have here is spot-on in terms of build.
 
I think the first review I read of the MDR-1000X was Tim Gideon's at PCMag. He got his ears on the MDR-1000X and posted his review before I'd even had a chance to hear it. After reading his review, I was prepared to be underwhelmed but was shocked when the headphone arrived and I used it myself. I suspect that maybe Tim had a bum unit? Not sure, but his experience with it most certainly does not parallel mine.
 
Oh well, @beowulf, at least our experiences are generally in-line with each other where they arguably count most. For travel (which I do a fair amount of), I absolutely love the MDR-1000X. I also use it as a wireless around-town, office, and home headphone a lot, too, LDAC-paired with the Walkman NW-WM1Z. This headphone is with me most of the time lately.

 

[beowulf]

   
@beowulf, regarding the touch panel: Maybe it's my little hands? No idea. Maybe I'm just spoiled by the Zik3 and PXC550's capacitive touch panels, which are far more responsive than the MDR-1000X we have here? Perhaps. I'll give it a concerted effort today (though I've spent a lot of time with the MDR-1000X already), and see if i can work anything else out.

 
I think it is just practice Jude. I posted some story some time ago about how I was cooking and literally cleaning a fresh fish while I had the 1000X on, and used the clean side of my hand near the wrist to double tap and pause, pretty clumsy use case, but it still worked.
 
Most of the time a quite double tap with just the tip of your finger works too. As long as you hit the central area (still quite wide) it never fails to activate. There's a bit of lag in the response tho, takes a bit to pause, but it is perfectly acceptable.
 
Concerning the touch panel, I really like the hold cup/3 finger touch to mute and amplify, quite useful when you want to show the girlfriend that you're not [totally] ignoring her.
But it would be nice to have some sort of toggle mode, as it can be annoying to keep holding if the conversation is longer than two or three words but not long enough to turn on the ambient voice mode.
 
Also, am I missing something or the ambient sound modes toggle between "Normal" (mixing external sound via the mic) and "Voice" (mixing only voice) but don't go back to "Off"?  I'd expect 3 toggles, not just two. The only way to disable the external mic usage is to turn NC off and on again. Maybe I missed something indeed.
 
I haven't used the PXC550 but read that it is very sensitive, so perhaps that explains the feeling you got with the 1000X not being responsive. I do recall reading that they might be "too responsive" as one user said he was returning the PXC550 because he wore a hoodie often and just the cloth touching the cups would activate features, causing havoc while commuting.
 
 

  Regarding the build quality: We don't have a creaking issue here with this one. There's nothing on it I'd want to sand down or smooth. Of course, I believe you (and others) who are having problems, but the one we have here is spot-on in terms of build.

 
Right, I get you on that one and am a bit puzzled since it is obvious that many units do not have this issue. Lots of users have totally silent units. Others have it and there's even that video review of the guy who placed a mic inside the cups and it shows how much it creaks and squeaks while he talks.
 
After my sandpaper work yesterday the noise is almost totally gone, so maybe it's just some units coming out with more clearance near the rotation points. Common sense would tell us that the structure would get noisier with use, but in this case the opposite will happen, getting quieter as it wears the plastic.
 
I wouldn't worry about it since many units seem to be OK and the others can either be returned/swapped or easily "modded" with sandpaper.
 
 

Oh well, @beowulf, at least our experiences are generally in-line with each other where they arguably count most. For travel (which I do a fair amount of), I absolutely love the MDR-1000X. I also use it as a wireless around-town, office, and home headphone a lot, too, LDAC-paired with the Walkman NW-WM1Z. This headphone is with me most of the time lately.

 
In that I am in full agreement. They do sound great, in fact, they sound great even when compared to decent wired headphones, so considering they're wireless, the results are excellent, with ANC on or off. For travel/commute or even doing stuff around the house (or office) they are fantastic.
 
I also lucked out this time since the pads seem custom-designed to my ear shape and size. Perfect seal, no wobble, no pressure. Doesn't happen with many cans, but it always feels great when it does
 
I started skeptical and not really loving the 1000X (got them mostly because there was a sale at Amazon and it was almost $100 off). Must have been the initial annoyance with the plastic squeaking that ruined it for me. But after over a month, I got to love that touch panel, the ANC and mostly the sound quality. 
 
Yesterday with the direct comparison Z1R vs 1000X I really had to give the little ones some more merit. They sound good, very good. Melissa Menago on Chesky was no less fun than with full size wired cans.
 
Which reminds me, are you going to review the Z1R?

 

[mchurgin]

I went back to the store with my receipt showing that I purchased the headphones a few days ago, and they credited me the difference in the sale price. The other option would be to actually return the headphones and walk down the isle and repurchase them for the sale price.

 

[Powerwolf]

   
  Also, am I missing something or the ambient sound modes toggle between "Normal" (mixing external sound via the mic) and "Voice" (mixing only voice) but don't go back to "Off"?  I'd expect 3 toggles, not just two. The only way to disable the external mic usage is to turn NC off and on again. Maybe I missed something indeed.
 

 
In Ambient or Ambient voice mode it´s enough to touch NC one Time for NC on !
 
 
Second Touch is NC off

 

[A.Mir]

Hey A.Mir as a fellow headfier from DK i can attest to the 1000x as being a really good set of cans that is a better overall proposition then the QC35s or the pxc550. And i work in a company where we get to test the PXCs But i guess its also a case of different strokes for different folks.  

Thanks Jerryberry.
I think I have to audition the MDR-1000X. They were recently on sale with 20% but I didn't pull the trigger - I puss'ed out.

 

[A.Mir]

The creaking noise that some of you have experienced, is it loud and even audible when hearing music? Is it somehow amplified by the NC?

 

[Powerwolf]

@A.Mir
 
No, it´s not loud, but annoying if you want to enjoy silence, Audi Books, Silence during Song.
 
During normal Music it´s not noticeable.
 
 
Doesn´t matter if the Headset/Amplifier is on. It´s still always there on and off, so it´s no electronic bug

 

[beowulf]

  @A.Mir
 
No, it´s not loud, but annoying if you want to enjoy silence, Audi Books, Silence during Song.
 
During normal Music it´s not noticeable.
 
Doesn´t matter if the Headset/Amplifier is on. It´s still always there on and off, so it´s no electronic bug

 
I heard it not only with audiobooks but also in music with quiet passages (somewhat common in classical) and sometimes even in active pop stuff. The more you moved, the more obvious it would be. The NC does not amplify it indeed, but the way the cups are closed/tight and the seal make it more audible. Reminds me a bit of the microphonics you get with IEMs and some cables.
 
I'm going to do some more tests tonight but am quite convinced that some sandpaper work totally solves the noise. Mine improved a lot after 10 minutes doing that, and with a bit more sanding to totally avoid the plastic rubbing it might be fully solved.
 
Plus I don't know the % of units that have the plastic creaking, but lots of users got 1000Xs that don't seem to have the plastic contacting and making the noise. Given that, I wouldn't avoid this model just because of it.

 

[Jerryberry]

The creaking noise that some of you have experienced, is it loud and even audible when hearing music? Is it somehow amplified by the NC?

 
Its a pity you didnt take advantage of the black friday deals but just go buy it and if ya not happy return it.. but you will keep it. Dont even think twice. Jude here has already stated this things the best NCs out there . I have never had any of this creaking issues and its a small sample so don't let it get to ya. 
 
here just read this and be done ! http://www.head-fi.org/a/head-fi-buying-guide-travel-headphones#user_sony_mdr-1000x  

 

[beowulf]

   
Its a pity you didnt take advantage of the black friday deals but just go buy it and if ya not happy return it..

 
Sony has been having some weird roller-coster pricing dips, at least in Europe. The Z1R had a huge drop from MSRP for a couple of weeks (in the UK mostly) and now seems to be back up. The 1000X also dropped a lot (400>351) and I've seen it as low as 268 (Portugal) but then ramped up again in most places.
 
I haven't bought Sony stuff in years, so I don't know if this common with their pricing, but it sure is weird for products that were just launched. Chances are, if you keep an eye on the 1000X and use something like camelcamelcamel, you might get lucky and snatch a pair much cheaper than MSRP or any Black Friday deal.

 

[A.Mir]

A lot of useful information here - as usual. Thanks guys.

I got a (weird?) question though. One thing that bothers me with the MDR-1000X and PCX 550 is the use of faux leather on the headband.

I have a bad experience with my JVC RX900 where the headband started cracking after a couple of years due to being in contact with my oily scalp.
I would be devastated if that should happen to my 1000X. At least Bose uses alcantara on the QC35.

 

[dweaver]

A lot of useful information here - as usual. Thanks guys.

I got a (weird?) question though. One thing that bothers me with the MDR-1000X and PCX 550 is the use of faux leather on the headband.

I have a bad experience with my JVC RX900 where the headband started cracking after a couple of years due to being in contact with my oily scalp.
I would be devastated if that should happen to my 1000X. At least Bose uses alcantara on the QC35.

that's a great question for both 1000X and PXC550, unfortunately only time will be able to answer it .