[discoprince]

That's tempting. I think I'm gonna sell my 1Rs and buy the 1A.

 

[jjcha]

have you guys tried out the 1A? how does it compare to the older 1rmk2?

Mine are finally shipped by sony and should be here tomorrow. Will post thoughts vs the mk2.

 

[XERO1]

Mine are finally shipped by sony and should be here tomorrow. Will post thoughts vs the mk2.

Sweet!  Can't wait hear your impressions.

 

[discoprince]

Let's hear about those new thicker pads too!

 

[jjcha]

Well, the pads are certainly thicker!  I was surprised when I brought them out of the box.  I'll take a photo later side by side with the 1R mk 2, but man these are thick.  I liked the 1Rs as they felt thicker than the old V6s and their like but weren't big boomy pillow-like things.  These are - and they remind me more of the padding on the HD600 and SA5000 and other cans than on portable headphones.  The cans are getting pretty warm (but note I'm very sensitive to warm pads) as I sit in this slightly warm library.  It's early, but from a literal warmth standpoint, I wish I had brought the 1Rs instead this evening.
 
Sound wise, I've only got the 1A with me right now, so it's hard to make direct comparisons.  Will say overall it's the same general approach as the 1R mk 2 but there definitely is a fuller bass.  Pretty thick.  But so far it has the general soundstaging/imaging, tone, extension that I always liked about the 1R mk 2 except wow this baby is thicker on the bottom.
 
Not gonna say it's a Meghan Trainor, but the 1A is definitely bringing the booty.
 
Lol, actually listening to All About that Bass and I'm hearing details that I hadn't heard before, but that's to be expected out of listening with any new can. 
 
Right now running it out of the Meridian Explorer which is a warmer, smoother sound.  Will try it with the Audio Geek Out later, which is more sharp/defined in its approach.
 
More thoughts later.

 

[XERO1]

 
Not gonna say it's a Meghan Trainor, but the 1A is definitely bringing the booty.
 

 
Is it nice and tight or soft and flabby?

 

[Fidelity King]

How are the highs on these?

 

[jjcha]

How are the highs on these?

 
I'll have more thoughts in the next few days as I compare with the 1R mk2 and the Sennheiser Momentum.  But will say these aren't particularly bright cans. 
 
I come from a K 1000 and Qualia 010 and SA5000 background, so I prefer bright over dark headphones.  These aren't it.  They're rolled off at the way top similar to some of audio-technica's headphones (the A900 and the darker woodies come to mind).  I wouldn't call them as dark as the HD650, but they're close enough that if someone told me they didn't like bright headphones, I'd say these are just fine.  Extension isn't particularly impressive, nor is treble energy.  Treble is certainly there, again these don't seem as dark as like the Omega 2s or even the LCD-3s (I don't know the latter headphone that well), but these aren't as bright as certain Grados, for example.
 
So if the Qualia 010 and K 1000 are like a 9 or 10 in terms of brightness, and the HD650 are like a 2 or a 3, I'd put these as somewhere in the middle, like a 5 or so.  +/- 1 or 2.
 
Hope this is helpful.

 

[ja3wook]

You say you find the MDR-1A's less comfortable? Also, is the jack rattle thing still an issue?

 

[BaronVonRhett]

does any sort of case or carrying pouch code with it?

 

[augenleet]

does any sort of case or carrying pouch code with it?

Yes, this one:

 

[Daniel4IEM]

With regards to the quote about pad warmth, do your ears heat up? I have that exact problem on the ATH-A900X and for that reason am looking to replace them. Had good experience with the MDR-1R, and get the sense the MDR-1A would be more like the A900X. 
 

  Well, the pads are certainly thicker!  I was surprised when I brought them out of the box.  I'll take a photo later side by side with the 1R mk 2, but man these are thick.  I liked the 1Rs as they felt thicker than the old V6s and their like but weren't big boomy pillow-like things.  These are - and they remind me more of the padding on the HD600 and SA5000 and other cans than on portable headphones.  The cans are getting pretty warm (but note I'm very sensitive to warm pads) as I sit in this slightly warm library.  It's early, but from a literal warmth standpoint, I wish I had brought the 1Rs instead this evening.
 
Sound wise, I've only got the 1A with me right now, so it's hard to make direct comparisons.  Will say overall it's the same general approach as the 1R mk 2 but there definitely is a fuller bass.  Pretty thick.  But so far it has the general soundstaging/imaging, tone, extension that I always liked about the 1R mk 2 except wow this baby is thicker on the bottom.
 
Not gonna say it's a Meghan Trainor, but the 1A is definitely bringing the booty.
 
Lol, actually listening to All About that Bass and I'm hearing details that I hadn't heard before, but that's to be expected out of listening with any new can. 
 
Right now running it out of the Meridian Explorer which is a warmer, smoother sound.  Will try it with the Audio Geek Out later, which is more sharp/defined in its approach.
 
More thoughts later.

 

[jjcha]

  With regards to the quote about pad warmth, do your ears heat up? I have that exact problem on the ATH-A900X and for that reason am looking to replace them. Had good experience with the MDR-1R, and get the sense the MDR-1A would be more like the A900X. 
 

 
I agree.  I've had a variety of audio-technica, including the A900LTD, and they do get pretty warm.  The 1A is somewhere between the 1R and the A900, but in my opinion, closer to the A900 in "feel".  Not as thick/bad but can get warm if you're sensitive to it, like you and I are.
 
Here's a photo versus the 1R and 1A
 

 
And here's one against the W10VTG, which has similar pads to the A900
 

 
So obviously not as big as the audio-technica, but the difference between the 1R and 1A does matter.

 

[Daniel4IEM]

Thanks for the reply. Sounds like the 1R would suit me nicely then. And I suspect price will begin to drop to now that 1A is out

 

[Stefan882]

Just received my MDR 1A today, Sony started delivery in Germany. My initial impression: clearly better than the 1R which I owned before. The MDR 1A is producing a much richer stoundstage, with much better bass. btw. I did read about this cable connection issue the 1R had and some ppl were facing, looks like the 1A has also new connector.