Sony MDR-1AM2 - Impressions Thread
May 3, 2018 at 3:39 PM Post #197 of 1,176
A suggestion is get Audio Technica MSR7 pads to put on these (wrapping them around the outside of the cup). They reduce bass, increase clarity, spaciousness and comfort. Google them, you can find them at Amazon.com or on EBay where last I'd checked they cost about $15 a pair or less, usually with free shipping. Another option is the Meze 99 pads ($20 direct at their website). They also give your ear more space, though if they stick out you may still touch the driver just not as much. They slightly increase the clarity, improve the mids, slightly reduce low mids and high bass, an area found to cause "bloated" sound, while they actually increase the sub bass a bit, without it messing with the other frequencies. If you really like a lot of super low sub bass, these deliver it ridiculously.
I just ordered the Meze 99 ear pads. Thank you for making me spend more money on this God-forsaken hobby!
 
May 3, 2018 at 6:43 PM Post #198 of 1,176
I just ordered the Meze 99 ear pads. Thank you for making me spend more money on this God-forsaken hobby!
Just be careful not to listen too loud. I find the enhanced highs and especially sub lows means I can listen at a low level and still hear a all the great detail I need. Great for long mixing, in addition to their light weight and comfort. The mids are also enhanced a bit which is great. Listening loud could actually jar some of the calcium crystals in your inner ears loose causing some dizziness. I had a little of it when I did louder testing (just for a very short time), with the heaviest bass music I had (to hear their full potential). The low subs are unprecedented. Should you want a bit more ear distance, treble, a bit less mids and low mids - high bass bloom & subs, the MSR7 pads are the ticket.
 
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May 3, 2018 at 8:08 PM Post #199 of 1,176
Just be careful not to listen too loud. I find the enhanced highs and especially sub lows means I can listen at a low level and still hear a all the great detail I need. Great for long mixing, in addition to their light weight and comfort. The mids are also enhanced a bit which is great. Listening loud could actually jar some of the calcium crystals in your inner ears loose causing some dizziness. I had a little of it when I did louder testing (just for a very short time), with the heaviest bass music I had (to hear their full potential). The low subs are unprecedented. Should you want a bit more ear distance, treble, a bit less mids and low mids - high bass bloom, less subs, the MSR7 pads are the ticket.
The way you describe it, sounds absolutely perfect for my use. I do not listen at high volumes and typically never exceed 40% and usually find comfort around 30-35%. Sub-bass is like candy to me. I may try them on my MDR-1ABTs as well, just to see how they respond.
 
May 4, 2018 at 9:17 PM Post #200 of 1,176
UPDATE: Everything you stated, Mark Up, was spot on!

Got this on my MDR-1ABTs and they are like new headphones! The sub-bass is absolutely wonderful. I literally cried.
 

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May 5, 2018 at 11:07 AM Post #201 of 1,176
UPDATE: Everything you stated, Mark Up, was spot on!
Glad you liked them. Yeah, what got me was how the increase sub bass while not increasing mid bass, and not creeping into the mids. The true mids (800 hz to 2 khz) seem to get a bit more full and forward. It's surprising because of such great treble and bass extension you'd think it'd be recessed, but it is not really, in a strange way.
 
May 5, 2018 at 1:33 PM Post #202 of 1,176
Interesting thread. I need some new headphones for the office so I was considering the previous MDR-1A's and came across the newer version. I was also thinking about noise cancelling Sony WH-1000XM2 but I've read conflicting things about how effective noise cancelling is for the office, some say more appropriate for the hum of an plane engine, the tube etc whilst others say it does reduce the overall noise down a bit. Admittedly it won't be silent by any stretch of the imagination. So I'm now thinking closed back noise isolation might do something similar and give a better sound? I've also read there's a very slight amount of white noise from noise cancelling headphones albeit undetectable when music is playing but not something I'm that keen on.

I've not seen it mentioned so far but the following is an interesting review of 1AM2's:

https://nerdtechy.com/sony-mdr-1am2-review

and

https://www.straitstimes.com/tech/audio/audio-detailed-sound-from-these-comfortable-headphones
 
May 6, 2018 at 2:31 PM Post #203 of 1,176
1AM2 owners ... what's your impression of the stock balanced cable? i.e durability, quality. I was just checking out Nobunaga cables for a bit of an upgrade, mostly just for the aesthetics and the longterm benefit of having a backup (the stock cable). One is silver-coated OCC, the other is a hybrid of 4 cores silver-coated OCC, 4 cores pure silver. The prices, when buying tax-free as a tourist, work out to be quite reasonable: $85 and $128, give or take a few depending on the exchange rate at the time (gonna be buying stuff on vacation in Tokyo, next month). I actually think the cheaper one would have the best effect on the 1AM2's sound, if any. From what I've read, it doesn't need to be any brighter. Whaddya think, $85 ... wouldya?

https://www.biccamera.com/bc/item/4098308/
https://www.biccamera.com/bc/item/4810500/
 
May 14, 2018 at 2:47 AM Post #206 of 1,176
a1.jpg a3.jpg It took two weeks to get nearly 110 hours of burn in, but I must tell it was worth waiting. Performance is simply superb,

Presently using it with A25 Walkman.

1) Produces a dynamic powerful sound with thumping bass. Clarity and instrument details are top notch.

2) Easy to drive. Attains good volume with less effort. For most of the songs volume 14-16/30 is good enough.

3) Comfort is similar to MDR 100AAP

4) Vocals sound raw and unprocessed. It takes the centre stage, means it stands out with clarity.

5) Using it with my own EQ settings as shown in picture. DSEE HX – on.

6) Out of the box it sounded loud, bassy and less refined. It must be given proper burn in time to show its true talent. After 100 hours everything sounds good. Suits all type of music genres.


Comparative rating based on sound quality.

MDR 1AM2 – 10/10

MDR 100AAP – 8/10

HD 598SE – 6/10

I have plans to buy ZX300 in future and I think performance will be even better with that.

Finally I have to say that MDR 1AM2 headphone produces an addictive sound that once I put it on, won’t feel like taking it off.


Looking forward to your impressions.
 
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May 14, 2018 at 3:11 AM Post #207 of 1,176
It took two weeks to get nearly 110 hours of burn in, but I must tell it was worth waiting. Performance is simply superb,

Presently using it with A25 Walkman.

1) Produces a dynamic powerful sound with thumping bass. Clarity and instrument details are top notch.

2) Easy to drive. Attains good volume with less effort. For most of the songs volume 14-16/30 is good enough.

3) Comfort is similar to MDR 100AAP

4) Vocals sound raw and unprocessed. It takes the centre stage, means it stands out with clarity.

5) Using it with my own EQ settings as shown in picture. DSEE HX – on.

6) Out of the box it sounded loud, bassy and less refined. It must be given proper burn in time to show its true talent. After 100 hours everything sounds good. Suits all type of music genres.


Comparative rating based on sound quality.

MDR 1AM2 – 10/10

MDR 100AAP – 8/10

HD 598SE – 6/10

I have plans to buy ZX300 in future and I think performance will be even better with that.

Finally I have to say that MDR 1AM2 headphone produces an addictive sound that once I put it on, won’t feel like taking it off.
Where do you get this in India?
 
May 15, 2018 at 5:00 PM Post #209 of 1,176
I don't know if anyone here owns or has sampled both, but it'd be interesting to hear how the 1AM2 stacks up on a bang-for-the-buck comparison against the Campfire Cascade. I don't have any illusions that the under-$300 Sony's gonna beat out the $1150 (with 4.4 balanced cable) Cascade on SQ except subjectively with some people perhaps, but is it really worth 4x more? I'd love to audition it, but just considering how the Cascade looks when actually on someone's head I'm thinking it's not a headphone I want to be spending that much on. I just saw this photo in the Cascade thread, and while the person who posted it is happy with the mod, this tells me a lot.

10113582_thumb.jpg
 
May 16, 2018 at 11:26 AM Post #210 of 1,176
it'd be interesting to hear how the 1AM2 stacks up on a bang-for-the-buck comparison against the Campfire Cascade.
I've heard the MDR-1A with different pads and tested the Cascade at Can Jam NYC. First its ear cups don't extend far enough for my head. Second it has even more mid bass bloom vs. every variation of the Sony MDR-1A. People are divided on the 1AM2 vs. the older Sony I have. Some say same bass, some less. The Sony MDR-1A with Meze 99 pads to me will win, as it improves higher end detail and spatial qualities. The Cascade had similar bright but not fatiguing highs (at moderate to lower volume). The MDR-1A has fuller mids, close to perfect there. The Cascade would not have a recessed midrange honestly, it is just a bit overshadowed by the huge mid bass bump. Low mids stock are similar, but the Meze 99 pads clean those up. Sub bass is similar stock, but with Meze pads I'd get sub bass from the MDR-1A like I've never heard from any other can. Huge quantity equal to the mid bass area but no bleed into the lower mids. I just couldn't spend long with the Cascade due to fit issues.
 
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