[alwass89]

Any info on where one can buy the new 1A Limited edition?

 

[deafdoorknob]

from Sony Hong Kong

"With regards to your concern, please be advised that further information on the release of the enquired MDR-1A LIMITED EDITION headphone are expected later in the month of September 2016.

The information available currently suggest a possible release near early October 2016".

 

[KopaneDePooj]

just saw this handsome number while researching its bigger brother!

http://www.sony.com.hk/en/electronics/headband-headphones/mdr-1a-headphones/specifications





its impedence appears to be double that of the original.

those perforated earpads resemble those of focal utopia.

 
 

  The first post of this thread has just been updated with some addition info about the new MDR-1A Limited Edition!
 
Check it out!

 
Nice addition to the line, but the impedance was always 48 Ohm, it's written on the back of my box and also here:
http://www.sony.com/electronics/headband-headphones/mdr-1a-headphones/specifications
 
So @XERO1 you might want want to remove the comment about the impedance change on the 1st post.

 

[deafdoorknob]

Nice addition to the line, but the impedance was always 48 Ohm, it's written on the back of my box and also here:
http://www.sony.com/electronics/headband-headphones/mdr-1a-headphones/specifications

So @XERO1
you might want want to remove the comment about the impedance change on the 1st post.

the mistake was sony HK's methinks

 

[vcmusik]

I sure hope the driver has some sort of re-tuning or improvement. Not that I don't like the original 1A sound, but if they're going all out with a new LE model, I'd expect it to at least sound different, if not better. That being said, it seems from the offcial spec sheet that the only thing different is the exterior materials and color scheme. Hope new info proves me wrong. 

 

[wordfool]

Had a chance to listen to the MDR-1A for the first time and was a bit "meh". Nice clarity and detail, plenty of bass slam, supremely comfortable, but the bass is just a bit too bloated and bloomy (even though I like headphones on the bassier side). Massive Attack's Future Proof, for example, starts off with a deep, rumbling electronic bassline that the Sonys just turned into a bit of a featureless, low drone so dominant that the vocals struggled to rise above it. Granted, a lot of headphones struggle with that, but my DT990s manage to at least vaguely separate the bass notes and not drown out the vocals. The Sonys were much better with pure rock -- AC/DC's Back in Black sounded awesome with a great punchiness and weight. On the Sennheiser Momentums that I also tried, that track just sounded a bit anemic and the guitar riff at higher volume almost made my ears bleed (I never seem to get along with Sennheisers). 

 

[DavidA]

  Had a chance to listed top the MDR-1A for the first time and was a bit "meh". Nice clarity and detail, plenty of bass slam, supremely comfortable, but the bass is just a bit too bloated and bloomy (even though I like headphones on the bassier side). Massive Attack's Future Proof, for example, starts off with a deep, rumbling electronic bassline that the Sonys just turned into a bit of a featureless, low drone that was over-dominant and the vocals struggled to rise above. Granted, a lot of headphones struggle with that, but my DT990s manage to at least vaguely separate the bass notes and not drown out the vocals. The Sonys were much better with pure rock -- AC/DC's Back in Black sounded awesome with a great punchiness and weight. On the Sennheiser Momentums that I also tried, that track just sounded a bit anemic and the guitar riff at higher volume almost made my ears bleed (I never seem to get along with Sennheisers). 

The MDR-1A bass is way over done, I needed to do the dynamat mod to make it listenable, still on the fence on the tape mod but I just might do it down the road.

 

[XERO1]

   
 
 
Nice addition to the line, but the impedance was always 48 Ohm, it's written on the back of my box and also here:
http://www.sony.com/electronics/headband-headphones/mdr-1a-headphones/specifications
 
So @XERO1 you might want want to remove the comment about the impedance change on the 1st post.

 ​
You are correct.  I just double-checked the 1A's PDF manual and it also lists the impedance as 48 Ohms.
 
I have updated the original post and removed the incorrect reference to the impedance difference.
 
Although there is still a chance that the LE's could be retuned, it now seems pretty unlikely. 

 
Even if it isn't retuned, the 1A is still a very good sounding yet bass-heavy headphone, and as has been documented in this thread, there are effective mods that allow you to retune the bass response to your taste.

 

[SHAMuuu]

  The MDR-1A bass is way over done, I needed to do the dynamat mod to make it listenable, still on the fence on the tape mod but I just might do it down the road.

 
I'm surprised by that.
 
The 1R seems to have lots of fans, and same with 950ap for fun sounds. I wonder how far the sounds are, and the fun factor.
 
But then again, its fun tinkering with Sony cans, they are flexible, and don't just suddenly go full crappy with slightest distancing shifts, and dampening.
 
I wouldn't mind tinkering with a 950, but would have elevated heart rate for 1Rs.

 

[DavidA]

   
I'm surprised by that.
 
The 1R seems to have lots of fans, and same with 950ap for fun sounds. I wonder how far the sounds are, and the fun factor.
 
But then again, its fun tinkering with Sony cans, they are flexible, and don't just suddenly go full crappy with slightest distancing shifts, and dampening.
 
I wouldn't mind tinkering with a 950, but would have elevated heart rate for 1Rs.

I think the reason I felt that the bass of the MDR-1A is over done is due to the other headphones that I have, headphones with the best bass to me that I own are TH-600, HE-400 (modded), and Stax SRD-34 (modded).  Other headphones that I feel have good tight bass that go deep are HD-700, HE-560 and ypsilon driver build.  I think the reference point that everyone has is different so that is how we judge and form our opinions and the reason for a lot of the different descriptions.

 

[FastAndClean]

the bass of 1A is absolute garbage

 

[dbdynsty25]

  the bass of A1 is absolute garbage

 
This thread is about the 1A, so your post is kind of irrelevant.  

 

[FastAndClean]

   
This thread is about the 1A, so your post is kind of irrelevant.  

you got me on that one

 

[wordfool]

  I think the reason I felt that the bass of the MDR-1A is over done is due to the other headphones that I have, headphones with the best bass to me that I own are TH-600, HE-400 (modded), and Stax SRD-34 (modded).  Other headphones that I feel have good tight bass that go deep are HD-700, HE-560 and ypsilon driver build.  I think the reference point that everyone has is different so that is how we judge and form our opinions and the reason for a lot of the different descriptions.

 
Everyone's reference points are indeed different. I thought I would like the 1A coming from the Beyer sound, but even compared to my DT-990s I thought the 1A bass was not great -- a bit bloated and undefined. Granted, I was not using my usual DAC, which might have improved the Sonys, but I doubt it would have performed miracles.  

 

[DavidA]

   
Everyone's reference points are indeed different. I thought I would like the 1A coming from the Beyer sound, but even compared to my DT-990s I thought the 1A bass was not great -- a bit bloated and undefined. Granted, I was not using my usual DAC, which might have improved the Sonys, but I doubt it would have performed miracles.  

Agree, no DAC or amp would improve the bass that much with the MDR-1A, and if one did it would be a miracle indeed.  I also have a DT-990 premium, with a BH Crack they are quite nice but quite a different sound signature from the 1A.