[Redcarmoose]

Interesting observation. I haven't really come to the same or similar conclusion with current line up of sony except when I heard the SS-NA series speakers. But those were also paired with a Sony amp. I don't have any sony amps for my setup right now. Wondering if the sony amp is doing what you are describing. The last sony amp I had was the TA-ZH1ES which I kinda stupidly sold because my friend ...who likes to watch zeos... watched his review and offered to buy it from me, full retail price for it. I bought an open box for about $500 cheaper a couple of months after it came out so I figured yay, I can make money and buy more stuff. I ended up buying my Z1R a few month after that so I've never paired the two together.

I did put his sentences out of order, yet if you watch the video you’ll hear him say the goal was to emulate live playback locations.

 

[Redcarmoose]

Interesting observation. I haven't really come to the same or similar conclusion with current line up of sony except when I heard the SS-NA series speakers. But those were also paired with a Sony amp. I don't have any sony amps for my setup right now. Wondering if the sony amp is doing what you are describing. The last sony amp I had was the TA-ZH1ES which I kinda stupidly sold because my friend ...who likes to watch zeos... watched his review and offered to buy it from me, full retail price for it. I bought an open box for about $500 cheaper a couple of months after it came out so I figured yay, I can make money and buy more stuff. I ended up buying my Z1R a few month after that so I've never paired the two together.

Room response.
https://www.innerfidelity.com/content/headphone-measurements-explained-frequency-response-part-one

 

[Redcarmoose]

Interesting observation. I haven't really come to the same or similar conclusion with current line up of sony except when I heard the SS-NA series speakers. But those were also paired with a Sony amp. I don't have any sony amps for my setup right now. Wondering if the sony amp is doing what you are describing. The last sony amp I had was the TA-ZH1ES which I kinda stupidly sold because my friend ...who likes to watch zeos... watched his review and offered to buy it from me, full retail price for it. I bought an open box for about $500 cheaper a couple of months after it came out so I figured yay, I can make money and buy more stuff. I ended up buying my Z1R a few month after that so I've never paired the two together.

Sony TA-ZH1ES is warm. I mean if you were to try and have a sound personality idea from 2016 when the signature series came out it was actually tuned even warmer than today due to firmware evolving. Firmware has evolved to be more midrange in character. The TA was darker with firmware 1.00, 1.02 and now maybe slightly brighter or well rounded with 1.03?
This no one talks about. Though it is unarguable with the 1Z DAP.

Before firmware 2.00 the 1Z was way darker. As of 3.02 the 1Z has gone in a less dark path. So it could be said that the amps are adding to the warmth. That is if someone was to say the whole system adds to this room response?

 

[DrunkSaru]

I did put his sentences out of order, yet if you watch the video you’ll hear him say the goal was to emulate live playback locations.

the subtitle translation is a bit off but i get what you're saying.

 

[Redcarmoose]

the subtitle translation is a bit off but i get what you're saying.

You speak Japanese? Then you get what he is saying in both English and Japanese.

 

[DrunkSaru]

yes, i speak Japanese. Used to visit a lot too.. which is how I got my hands on my 900ST so early. I was probably one of the only ones in North America that had one at the time. The times before Amazon and Google, where eBay just started and was still only in North America, and buying stuff from the internet from overseas was unheard of. ... and my browser was still netscape...on ISDN LOL

 

[Redcarmoose]

yes, i speak Japanese. Used to visit a lot too.. which is how I got my hands on my 900ST so early. I was probably one of the only ones in North America that had one at the time. The times before Amazon and Google, where eBay just started and was still only in North America, and buying stuff from the internet from overseas was unheard of. ... and my browser was still netscape...on ISDN LOL

Amazing. I went to Japan but didn’t buy any headphones that you couldn’t buy on-line. Though I somehow didn’t know about all the best headphone stores? Maybe a good thing? Maybe not? Didn’t know about E-earphone.

https://www.e-earphone.jp/

 

[DrunkSaru]

Amazing. I went to Japan but didn’t buy any headphones that you couldn’t buy on-line. Though I somehow didn’t know about all the best headphone stores? Maybe a good thing? Maybe not? Didn’t know about E-earphone.

https://www.e-earphone.jp/

They recently (2 years ago??)opened up a 2nd location\office in Akihabara. I haven't been yet since the last time I went, they were still building it up. Fun place to go through.

 

[plmon]

Just recently got a pair of these. At first, I was pretty turned off by them because the narrow soundstage combined with the detail made it feel almost claustrophobic. But now that I've gotten used to it, it's been eye-opening for me to see that this level of separation and imaging is possible with a smaller soundstage. I also thought it had an almost chameleon-like quality with different songs; it wasn't more "wow, so many new details!" like I heard when trying STAX, but more along the lines of "huh, I didn't really notice the song sounded this way before."

But man, the pads are uncomfortable. I did try some pad rolling, but like many others, I think it affects the sound too much.

 

[Degru]

Just recently got a pair of these. At first, I was pretty turned off by them because the narrow soundstage combined with the detail made it feel almost claustrophobic. But now that I've gotten used to it, it's been eye-opening for me to see that this level of separation and imaging is possible with a smaller soundstage. I also thought it had an almost chameleon-like quality with different songs; it wasn't more "wow, so many new details!" like I heard when trying STAX, but more along the lines of "huh, I didn't really notice the song sounded this way before."

But man, the pads are uncomfortable. I did try some pad rolling, but like many others, I think it affects the sound too much.

Yaxi stpad ( original pleather version, not velour or stpad2) keeps the stock sound signature while being much more comfy and better built.

 

[axtran]

Just recently got a pair of these. At first, I was pretty turned off by them because the narrow soundstage combined with the detail made it feel almost claustrophobic. But now that I've gotten used to it, it's been eye-opening for me to see that this level of separation and imaging is possible with a smaller soundstage. I also thought it had an almost chameleon-like quality with different songs; it wasn't more "wow, so many new details!" like I heard when trying STAX, but more along the lines of "huh, I didn't really notice the song sounded this way before."

But man, the pads are uncomfortable. I did try some pad rolling, but like many others, I think it affects the sound too much.

There's something special with the headphones that are all revered in Japan. My personal likes aside (I'm a AT house sound kind of person), I don't think a lot of Japanese brands and Japan-market-only cans get enough time in the spotlight in the US.

 

[flectalux]

I would describe the Sony CD 900 ST as a product without marketing materials. There is a sticker saying digital, a silly shiny edge on the ear cups (which they finally ditch on the M1ST) but other than that it is completely under stated, pro oriented, basically a business product not a consumer product, the packaging shows it well.
But I think like wide range frequency drivers in speakers, they are shining by clarity. They are not good for many recordings, if the recordings are not really smooth. They are not designed to enjoy music, they are designed to analyse music. So they can sound great, or horrible, where a consumer product will sound ok everywhere, but will have some compromise on great recordings. Imaging using a race car in the city, and being hit hard everytime the road is not perfect, this is how i will describe it. But if you are on a immaculate race track, then let it go...
I need to mention that I use them with a dedicated amp made for this model only. Few japanese manufacturers do this. I believe they are made in very small quantity, as my one is made in Tokyo. I put a picture for reference of my one.

EDIT You can go here https://cocotame.jp/series/008954/ and use a translator, but to say that the CD900ST and M1ST are made in the same factory, by disable people which is a special program from Sony, which is a nice touch. They also say that the same worker were building both of them, as the production process was very close. This website is owned by SONY music group, so this is definitely PR material, but still nice reading material to dig into something we otherwise i believe can not visit.

 

[driftingbunnies]

I ordered a pair of these after finding an article talking about how this headphone was made specifically for Sony Music Japan back in the 80s. It's such a great headphone, I can't believe people don't talk about this more since it's not easily ordered off amazon. I haven't tried any of the other Sony monitoring headphones but the vocals from this is what really gets me. Comfort could be better but it's a $200 headphone so I'm not expecting too much. Really lightweight and has decent detail for a mid-fi headphone. For the price, I honestly don't see any flaws with it. If anyone knows where I can get this recabled to be balanced, let me know!

 

[axtran]

I have fun with these headphones. Here's my modded pair: http://imgur.com/a/DYuGYUz

Dual 2.5mm balanced inputs mounted by epoxy, I cut away a tiny bit of port plastic where the stock cable goes in. I also ended up replacing the headband hinges with a MDR-V6.

 

[driftingbunnies]

I have fun with these headphones. Here's my modded pair: http://imgur.com/a/DYuGYUz

Dual 2.5mm balanced inputs mounted by epoxy, I cut away a tiny bit of port plastic where the stock cable goes in. I also ended up replacing the headband hinges with a MDR-V6.

Can you post where you got your parts? They're not the most expensive headphones so i might give it a shot if it's pretty easy.