[money4me247]

  Hey Guys,
 
Looking for opinions, is this too good to be true?
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/BRAND-NEW-SONY-MDR-1A-PREMIUM-HI-RES-STEREO-HEADPHONE-SILVER-IMPORT-MODEL-/151563049238?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2349dc9916
 
It looks okay to me, but thought I would run it by you guys first.
 
Thanks!

That price is good for the MDR-1A. For the Sony models, it is actually quite easy to find them at discount a few months after release. I remember seeing the old MDR-1R at $180 just 2 months after its release from an authorized reseller, so I don't think the price is too good to be true.

 

[jwong77]

Thanks for the feedback, think I'll hang on and see where prices get to in a couple of months.  I still have the 1R's which are fine for now.

 

[genuive]

Now they're finally on their way! Actually ordered both colors for around $122 each, guess I'll settle for a color when I can see them both in person and return or sell the ones I don't like. I guess most of you have them in black? I get a kind of dubstep vibe from the black ones because of the red rim, don't know why. And the silver looks more luxurious in a way, it's a difficult choice...

 

[jmsaxon69]

Now they're finally on their way! Actually ordered both colors for around $122 each, guess I'll settle for a color when I can see them both in person and return or sell the ones I don't like. I guess most of you have them in black? I get a kind of dubstep vibe from the black ones because of the red rim, don't know why. And the silver looks more luxurious in a way, it's a difficult choice...

I have the silver and love them!

 

[genuive]

I have the silver and love them!

Went with the silver as well, they're truly beautiful! 
My first impression of them is that their so comfortable, like pillows on my head. Regarding the sound I think the soundstage/imaging is astonishing for a closed headphone. The bass is great as well, you can both hear it and feel it. They might be a little rolled off at the top, but wasn't really looking for a bright pair. So far I'm more than happy with my purchase, but need to let them burn in for a while to see if they get even better.

 

[jmsaxon69]

I have the silver and love them!

 
I love them so much I am returning them today! So impressed that I want to try the MDR-Z7! So I ordered a pair last night!
 
Oh well, if I don't love them I can always come back to the 1A....

 

[phanker]

Mad man!  I'm living vicariously through you now.  
 
Quote:

   
I love them so much I am returning them today! So impressed that I want to try the MDR-Z7! So I ordered a pair last night!
 
Oh well, if I don't love them I can always come back to the 1A....

 

[randy98mtu]

 
So far on my first VERY EARLY comparison after a night of burn in...
 
The 1A kills the P7....
 
More details later!

I have the P7 and have tried a lot of others and can't find anything that keeps me from turning back to the P7's.  I'm very interested to hear more thoughts.

 

[Aqualie]

Does anyone know where to get replacement ear pads for these? and will they also fit on the old Sony MDR-1R??

 

[jmsaxon69]

I have the P7 and have tried a lot of others and can't find anything that keeps me from turning back to the P7's.  I'm very interested to hear more thoughts.

In my opinion the P7 had a much more narrow soundstage and it was very compressed sounding, these differences were a bit track dependent though. The Sony was much more lush and easy to listen to, maybe better bass extension as well. The P7 does have a more detailed high end and while being more present and detailed is never harsh. I have let both headphones go and have a pair of MDR-Z7 on the way, I was so impressed with the 1A I figured I'd check out he Z7...

 

[Kingston12]

In my opinion the P7 had a much more narrow soundstage and it was very compressed sounding, these differences were a bit track dependent though. The Sony was much more lush and easy to listen to, maybe better bass extension as well. The P7 does have a more detailed high end and while being more present and detailed is never harsh. I have let both headphones go and have a pair of MDR-Z7 on the way, I was so impressed with the 1A I figured I'd check out he Z7...

 
I agree totally about the P7. I love B&W and really wanted to buy the P7s, but over a few listening sessions I couldn't get on with them. I was shocked when the Sonys (at half the price in the UK) outperformed them to my ear.
 
It is just a shame that the creaky plastic build quality of the MDR-1As is not a bit more like the P7s, though! I am on my second pair and both have been bad.
 
I should imagine the Z7s will be excellent if the MDR-1As are anything to go by.

 

[RPGWiZaRD]

Should I buy these or not? Can get them for 139€ (~$159 USD) retail here in Finland. I think it's more the price which seems attractive looking at other countries, usually we get screwed with pricing in Finland compared to US.

Anyway I'm the guy who prefers an emphasized but punchy and tight bass response (need both sub and midbass to be balanced in presence) and balanced mids vs highs and prefer a more "forward" / in-your-face soundstage which to me is more engaging to listen to and that's what gets me going (foottapping etc) when listening to music which is a sign I'm enjoying what I'm listening to. =)

At this point I'd just be satisfied finding a headphone which can deliver equally much satisfaction as M-Audio Q40 which now is discontinued. After even Signature DJ not being able to I've gotten particularly skeptical that I might have already found my personal holy grail.

The 1A box seems to come packed in a plastic wrap, is it possible to return them even if they are opened? Well I guess I could sell them without much loss if at all too but I'd rather return if possible.

 

[Kingston12]

  Should I buy these or not? Can get them for 139€ (~$159 USD) retail here in Finland. I think it's more the price which seems attractive looking at other countries, usually we get screwed with pricing in Finland compared to US.

Anyway I'm the guy who prefers an emphasized but punchy and tight bass response (need both sub and midbass to be balanced in presence) and balanced mids vs highs and prefer a more "forward" / in-your-face soundstage which to me is more engaging to listen to and that's what gets me going (foottapping etc) when listening to music which is a sign I'm enjoying what I'm listening to. =)

At this point I'd just be satisfied finding a headphone which can deliver equally much satisfaction as M-Audio Q40 which now is discontinued. After even Signature DJ not being able to I've gotten particularly skeptical that I might have already found my personal holy grail.

The 1A box seems to come packed in a plastic wrap, is it possible to return them even if they are opened? Well I guess I could sell them without much loss if at all too but I'd rather return if possible.

That is a great price, but I'd definitely try to listen to a pair first. I find these quite a relaxed headphone to listen to with a slightly exaggerated bass. Suits my style perfectly, but it sounds as though you wouldn't find them bright enough.

 

[jmsaxon69]

From what you are saying you will love them. Returns are going to be determined by the seller. Try accessoryjack.com for a great price, I just ordered from them and it was a great transaction.

 

[RPGWiZaRD]

 
That is a great price, but I'd definitely try to listen to a pair first. I find these quite a relaxed headphone to listen to with a slightly exaggerated bass. Suits my style perfectly, but it sounds as though you wouldn't find them bright enough.

I don't actually like bright signatures, it's a problem I have with many headphones actually that there's too much "shizzle" present, that kind of metallic sound which I don't ever hear in real-world but still seems a thing for a lot of people. Well that would be telling half the truth since I USED to like very exaggerated V-shape response with both bass and highs really present while the mids almost being missed in action but these days I tend to enjoy mids more, I want to feel enough thickness and "body" to mids which only happens when the highs aren't exaggerated. The bass doesn't really matter that much but since I'm into EDM kind of music which is bass driven, I tend to like emphasized bass and why I like the digiZoid ZO amp to config it exactly like I want it to be (too much is also bad since I'm more looking for the impact & punch to bass beat rather than a beat being drowned in bass, I want initial high impact why I also need a bit of midbass which usually deals that initial "THUD" and this can't be covered all in subbass or the initial impact will be soft). So yea fast impactful bass would be preferable.

Auditioning a headphone is never a possibility in Finland, possibly if you lived in the capital then there's a few options. Last time I visited that place I was actually able to demo for example Momentums, Sennheiser HD598 and some low/midrange AKGs which already had me excited.