[XERO1]

The MDR-1AM2 is now available in the US on Amazon.com (via Beach Camera - black model only for now).

https://www.amazon.com/Sony-Resolution-Headphones-Headphone-MDR1AM2/dp/B07BCBT3KC/

 

[Hanafuda]

The Bass did improve, but the earpads did not get bigger and stretching them bigger is actually kinda harder now. Sorry to tell you :/ Sound is way better tho, the highs are really nice now and not so bloated from the mid-bass like before.

Question for ya (since you have the Z7 in your sig) - would you say, portability aside, that the Z7 is worth twice the price of the 1am2? I need a closed solution for when my wife doesn't want to hear my music, but while portable would be nice on occasion my headphone use is 99% at home. I say twice the price because with the Z7 I'd need to get an aftermarket cable (lqicables? surf?) to use the 4.4 jack (w. zx300). My guess would be that the 1am2 would get ya 85% of the way there on SQ and might even be a preferable sound for some, but build is obviously better with Z7 and comfort would be a mixed bag since the 1am2 is so light but earspace is cramped in comparison. Which would you prefer to own, if you had to choose?

 

[asquare3376]

Question for ya (since you have the Z7 in your sig) - would you say, portability aside, that the Z7 is worth twice the price of the 1am2? I need a closed solution for when my wife doesn't want to hear my music, but while portable would be nice on occasion my headphone use is 99% at home. I say twice the price because with the Z7 I'd need to get an aftermarket cable (lqicables? surf?) to use the 4.4 jack (w. zx300). My guess would be that the 1am2 would get ya 85% of the way there on SQ and might even be a preferable sound for some, but build is obviously better with Z7 and comfort would be a mixed bag since the 1am2 is so light but earspace is cramped in comparison. Which would you prefer to own, if you had to choose?

Just pre-ordered the MDR-1AM2.
I own the Z7, Z1R and the original MDR-1A. But always prefer the 1A when it comes to portability, and with the Kimberkable 4.4, it sounds remarkable. Save the extra cash and get some flowers for your wife. Remember, Happy wife = Happy life

 

[Hanafuda]

Just pre-ordered the MDR-1AM2.
I own the Z7, Z1R and the original MDR-1A. But always prefer the 1A when it comes to portability, and with the Kimberkable 4.4, it sounds remarkable. Save the extra cash and get some flowers for your wife. Remember, Happy wife = Happy life

You're right about that. Prolly about the headphone choice too ... hope to hear from bepli too though. I really need to keep my focus on what this is for - just for when I need a closed headphone. I much prefer open, but yeah my wife hates them. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I currently have ma900, for which I have oodles of love, but since Sennheiser's packing in a 4.4 cable with the 660s, think I might give that a try for Christmas.

 

[JerryHead]

I actually before losing the headphones I read some post of yours about the meze 99 pads and since I was having problems with the stock pads I thought about changing them. We'll see how it goes with the new headphones and will change them with either the ATH-MSR7 or Meze 99, thank you!

Hi, just ordered the MDR-1AM2 for use with the ZX300. I'm someone who often can't tolerate headphones due to my ears heating up awfully fast. I almost bought an open back set for this reason, but also need to be discreet when listening around the wife in the living room, which is where/when I'll be mostly using them. Which of these two pads are less likely to heat up ears? Thanks.

 

[XERO1]

Just pre-ordered the MDR-1AM2.
I own the Z7, Z1R and the original MDR-1A. But always prefer the 1A when it comes to portability, and with the Kimberkable 4.4, it sounds remarkable. Save the extra cash and get some flowers for your wife. Remember, Happy wife = Happy life

Awesome! Please let us know how they compare to your MDR-1A when you get them.

 

[Bepli]

You're right about that. Prolly about the headphone choice too ... hope to hear from bepli too though. I really need to keep my focus on what this is for - just for when I need a closed headphone. I much prefer open, but yeah my wife hates them. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ I currently have ma900, for which I have oodles of love, but since Sennheiser's packing in a 4.4 cable with the 660s, think I might give that a try for Christmas.

I really enjoy the Z7 and it was a good step up from the 1A (still same sound signature tho). I also ordered the 1AM2 as a portable closed and I would recommend it to you too. Dont buy the Z7 because its actually semi-open. It will still bleed audio, if you wanna upgrade your listening a lot, get the HD660s if you want a great portable closed get the 1AM2!

 

[JerryHead]

I really enjoy the Z7 and it was a good step up from the 1A (still same sound signature tho). I also ordered the 1AM2 as a portable closed and I would recommend it to you too. Dont buy the Z7 because its actually semi-open. It will still bleed audio, if you wanna upgrade your listening a lot, get the HD660s if you want a great portable closed get the 1AM2!

Can you tell me, if the Z7 is actually semi-open, does that mean it allows for more air flow inside, around the ears?

 

[Bepli]

Can you tell me, if the Z7 is actually semi-open, does that mean it allows for more air flow inside, around the ears?

Yes the Sony Z7 is semi-open. Semi-open means that the reduction of outside noise is very bad but the headphones still is not open. If it its semi open it will let a lot of audio out and in.

 

[Hanafuda]

I really enjoy the Z7 and it was a good step up from the 1A (still same sound signature tho). I also ordered the 1AM2 as a portable closed and I would recommend it to you too. Dont buy the Z7 because its actually semi-open. It will still bleed audio, if you wanna upgrade your listening a lot, get the HD660s if you want a great portable closed get the 1AM2!

Thanks. Why not both, right? That's the plan. When I first started looking at buying a closed headphone I talked myself into looking way up the ladder since we have a vacation to Japan coming in June, so I thought good chance to shoot for the Z1R and save a little. But it was still spending a lot and in the middle of a vacation that's setting us back almost $20k, so had to tone down a bit. Bringing home a 1AM2 won't hurt the wallet as much though so the budget should be good for the 660s at Christmas too. Excluding the ma900 about 5 years ago, I haven't spent money on audio hardware for some time. I'm still using an original Zune 30 on a daily basis lol. I'm gonna be upgrading my listening across the board in every way by years' end, and finally getting to use my archive of flac which has all needed to be converted to mp3 until now. Pretty stoked.

 

[Bepli]

Thanks. Why not both, right? That's the plan. When I first started looking at buying a closed headphone I talked myself into looking way up the ladder since we have a vacation to Japan coming in June, so I thought good chance to shoot for the Z1R and save a little. But it was still spending a lot and in the middle of a vacation that's setting us back almost $20k, so had to tone down a bit. Bringing home a 1AM2 won't hurt the wallet as much though so the budget should be good for the 660s at Christmas too. Excluding the ma900 about 5 years ago, I haven't spent money on audio hardware for some time. I'm still using an original Zune 30 on a daily basis lol. I'm gonna be upgrading my listening across the board in every way by years' end, and finally getting to use my archive of flac which has all needed to be converted to mp3 until now. Pretty stoked.

Nice to hear, hope you will enjoy your stuff. I am also interested in doing vacation to japan. please let me know how the trip went later on

 

[Mark Up]

I've had the MDR-1R and it didn't last. Horrible midrange bloat and lacking sub bass and detail. The MDR-1A I have now was an improvement in every area except ear pads and using ATH-MSR7 pads improved comfort, making the sound a bit more spacious and clear. The Meze 99 pads are on there now and they compete well with the highly modified Sony MDR-Z7 I formerly had. I sold them as the headband could never quite extend far enough to reach my ears, otherwise I'd have kept them for the sound, aside from that, they were comfortable in all other aspects. The full mids are there with the Meze 99 pads, with a bit more treble and much more low sub bass, even more than with stock pads. Still pretty clean in the mids, mid bass. There's a bit wider soundstage on the MDR-Z7 these can't match, but for a fraction of the price, better headband extension for my long head and portability they are close enough for me. They're not the most closed cans, but closed enough for anything but noisy environments. The MDR-Z7 was too, which I would call "very vented" with large bass ports, but not semi-open compared to semi-open cans like the Audioquest Nighthawk which in original wood versions is similar to a MDR-Z7 in sound, except for an odd high midrange dip (worse than the Z7 dip).

 

[Bepli]

I've had the MDR-Z1R and it didn't last. Horrible midrange bloat and lacking sub bass and detail. The MDR-Z1A I have now was an improvement in every area except ear pads and using ATH-MSR7 pads improved comfort, making the sound a bit more spacious and clear. The Meze 99 pads are on there now and they compete well with the highly modified Sony MDR-Z7 I formerly had. I sold them as the headband could never quite extend far enough to reach my ears, otherwise I'd have kept them for the sound, aside from that, they were comfortable in all other aspects. The full mids are there with the Meze 99 pads, with a bit more treble and much more low sub bass, even more than with stock pads. Still pretty clean in the mids, mid bass. There's a bit wider soundstage on the MDR-Z7 these can't match, but for a fraction of the price, better headband extension for my long head and portability they are close enough for me. They're not the most closed cans, but closed enough for anything but noisy environments. The MDR-Z7 was too, which I would call "very vented" with large bass ports, but not semi-open compared to semi-open cans like the Audioquest Nighthawk which in original wood versions is similar to a MDR-Z7 in sound, except for an odd high midrange dip (worse than the Z7 dip).

Get your names right, you have some model names mixed up. The Z7 is more semi open than the Nighthawk (measurably). Also I do not agree with your description of the Z1R or the 1A...

 

[asquare3376]

I've had the MDR-Z1R and it didn't last. Horrible midrange bloat and lacking sub bass and detail. The MDR-Z1A I have now was an improvement in every area.

Z1R lacking sub bass and detail !!! whoa! not true... And what is this MDR-Z1A?

 

[Raketen]

Can you tell me, if the Z7 is actually semi-open, does that mean it allows for more air flow inside, around the ears?

No, this just means instead of being a completely closed back it has large ports in the earcup for the drivers- in terms of ear breathability it wears more like a closed back, but with less isolation.
If you want something with more ear ventilation, check out the old ma900 which the z7 is developed from. The ear is completely open. They are not too hard to find yet.