[DavidA]

These headphones are supreme and reigns over all when it comes to certain metal and a good portion of hip-hop music due to its heavy warmness.

However, when listening to more relaxed new-age world music these simply doesn't get the job done. In fact, I find them very disappointing because of the lack of clarity.

Oh well, I guess it's back to the search.

If you feel the lack of clarity is due to the bass over powering the mids and highs then you might want to do the dynamat or other damping mods to clean up the bass and slightly reduce them. If not then it could also be the rest of your audio chain, I find the MDR-1A to have decent clarity on all of my DACs and amps once I did the dynamat mod.

 

[Realism]

Great!

I will look into that.

I just regret spending $290 on these. I didn't get them at Best Buy but at a local headphone specialist store. Was looking for something within the $300 range. I should have taken the Focal Listen instead, it was cheaper and much better sounding. But I thought it would be nice to own a Sony headphones for once. I'm sure there are other Sony cans that are actually worth the sales price.

 

[DavidA]

Great!

I will look into that.

I just regret spending $290 on these. I didn't get them at Best Buy but at a local headphone specialist store. Was looking for something within the $300 range. I should have taken the Focal Listen instead, it was cheaper and much better sounding. But I thought it would be nice to own a Sony headphones for once. I'm sure there are other Sony cans that are actually worth the sales price.

$290 is quite high, I've seen them as cheap as $180 back in Nov-Dec last year when I last looked at prices, can't remember where, but it might have been grey market ones. I paid $249 back in 2014 when I got my pair which I though was a bargain at the time but then after a year there were quite a few saying they paid under $200 (can't figure out how to search thread to find the prices that others paid).

 

[gemNeye]

Amazon currently has 11 in Used - Like New condition for $140.33 before taxes with 20% off once added to cart.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-lis...d_mbc?ie=UTF8&condition=used&m=A2L77EE7U53NWQ

 

[cel4145]

Was in Japan in July and had a chance to listen to a wide range of headphones at the BIC Camera in Shibuya. Ended up with a pair of Sony MDR-1As (got them for around $185). Really like the sound signature of these.

 

[DavidA]

Was in Japan in July and had a chance to listen to a wide range of headphones at the BIC Camera in Shibuya. Ended up with a pair of Sony MDR-1As (got them for around $185). Really like the sound signature of these.

welcome to the thread and nice to see there are some who still like the MDR-1A

 

[lasttodie]

The 1A is a great headphone, owned mine since December 2015 and I use them almost everyday, worth every penny

 

[DavidA]

The 1A is a great headphone, owned mine since December 2015 and I use them almost everyday, worth every penny

Have you had to change the ear pads? If you did where is a good place to get replacement ear pads.

 

[lasttodie]

Have you had to change the ear pads? If you did where is a good place to get replacement ear pads.

No change for me, the ear pads are still good, but I bought an extra set from someone on ebay (not originale pads but still good) and they fit my Sony mdr-V6 to. btw I do not remember the sellers name

 

[damex]

heyy...
z7 and z1r sony headphones suddenly die on me within a day after unpack so i exhausted all local stock

i am considering picking mdr-1a.

i tried them - comfortable. feels good playing music out of them (feels too bassy first minutes and then you adjust).
i tried only single ended out of pha3. so... i pretty much like it
they're sold for 150$~ locally (sony's promo). i will also order dual 3.5mm (for pha3) and 4.4mm (zx300) balanced cables for them for around 130-140$~ (for both. might pick only one).

guys, what do you think? is there -something-else- you could suggest me to consider or i am good to go?

it is going to be my daily driver before i manage to pick something else

 

[DavidA]

You can always do the dynamat mod to get the bass tighter and under control. I don't know if they would sound better balanced but I haven't noticed any of my other headphones sound better when used with a balanced DAC and amp, granted these where some pretty high end DACs and amp which I've been told have great designs that there is no difference between the SE or balanced output except for the balanced output having a bit more power.

 

[davidcotton]

How is the isolation on these? Read reviews that it's so so at best.

 

[DavidA]

How is the isolation on these? Read reviews that it's so so at best.

It is so-so due to the top vent about letting sound in but since the vent is on top someone sitting next to you might not hear them as easily.

 

[maheeinfy]

My 1a makes clicking noise in left ear when i shake my head when wearing them

Probably a loose hinge on the left side. Anyone else had this problem?

 

[DavidA]

My 1a makes clicking noise in left ear when i shake my head when wearing them

Probably a loose hinge on the left side. Anyone else had this problem?

haven't had the problem, only a slight squeak when new which went away after a few days