[AnAnalogSpirit]

I kind of have the same hopes, and I've been listening to the MA300 at night with a quiet room and this is the interesting bit, it sounds more open than my other open cans, yet has more bass than some of my closed cans. I'm thinking the MA900 with its fully open ported design and flatter FR will be a more OPEN experience...
 

 

[kman1211]

I got these headphones over a week ago, I must say I'm quite impressed with them. They are a very good value for their money. Their bass improves a fair amount after some use, it's not really flabby sounding anymore. I love the tone of sound they have and they pair quite well with my FiiO E11. They are extremely comfy. I don't think they have too much bass at all. My Brainwavz HM5 have more powerful and pronounced bass than they do. Also my modded Sennheiser HD 555s had more pronounced bass as well. Due to their tone, they are favorite headphone. I do think my Brainwavz HM5 are the better headphone though.

 

[astroid]

Got these as well, so comfy, relaxing presentation, initially the bass was "loose" but has calmed.
Overall good value but makes me wonder about the 500/900s.

 

[tdockweiler]

Not sure if anyone has noticed, but the frequency graph for these is almost identical to the MDR-MA500 as show below:
 
http://ko.goldenears.net/board/index.php?mid=GR_Headphones&document_srl=2511766
 
I bought a pair for $40. Not too bad and not too good.
The bass is a bit sloppy out of my Sansa Clip. Amping it with my Fiio E11 seemed to give it a little more control. The bass wasn't really that bloated IMO. Not as bad as most headphones these days under $50.
For $40 I'd say they're worth it. I actually think the Koss UR-22v with Pearstone Velour pads sounds better. That combination comes to $40 and is more comfortable.
 
Some areas in the midrange of the MA300 seemed very distant. Maybe a recession in the mids somewhere. It's not due to the soundstage and how it's supposed to sound in the recording.
Some parts were so distant it was hard to even hear them. I wish I could give some examples. It doesn't occur too much and I don't think it's in the vocal areas. Male and Female vocals were perfectly OK for me.
 
I got rid of them because the comfort is below average. Your ears press against the padded driver. I don't know why this would bother me, but it does. Then there is no headband padding.
 
FYI these needed to be at max volume from my Sansa Clip+ just like with my KRK KNS-8400 and DJ100.
 
BTW I think if you don't have a lot of money (under $40) and need something cheap for gaming that's open, these might do the trick.
 
Oh yeah... Clip+ to Fiio E11 with the Buena Vista Social Club CD was kind of impressive with these. You'd think the E11 would be a bad match for these, but it's quite good it seems.

 

[AnAnalogSpirit]

I got irritated by the "bloated" and somewhat surprisingly odd midrange tone of the MDR-MA300. I decided to monkey around with the drivers, and in the end, after progressive attempts at increasing airflow to the driver by adding additional holes in the acoustic damping "paper" or material on the rear of the driver, I ended up removing the ring of acoustic damping "paper" completely. This has helped tremendously, though there was still an oddity to the "tone" of the drivers... So I also went back and removed the felt "O" ring from the center-hole of the ported magnet structure of the drivers, and this mostly eliminated that "odd tone". Now they sound much more clear overall, with a more open sound characteristic, and there is cleaner mids and better treble levels from the drivers being produced with this headphone.
 
It's funny, but I noticed the same thing with the XB series drivers... they sound quite a bit better with the acoustic damping "paper" completely removed from the rear of the drivers. What's interesting is the XB and MA series drivers are very similar, both use PET film, and both have strong magnet structures, and both series seem to prefer less restriction (performing and acting tonally better somehow) when the acoustic damping "paper" is removed from the rear of the driver... Just an observation.

 

[Head-Shot]

Good Afternoon!  Just purchased The Sony MDR MA 300's from the local Source...on Sale for $24.49 Cdn...I must admit I never pass up a Bargain. I'm breaking them in...roughly a half hour in...using them extensively for background Internet Radio use...Last-fm...Live 365...etc. So far am really loving the comfort factor of these phones...Tonally they're fairly flat...emphasizing mid-bass...the mid-range being sightly recessed...and treble roll-off again fairly neutral. But at this stage and price range...as a user I can't be overly critical. For critical listening my personal tastes are with the Beyer Dynamic...Sennheiser...AKG...lines. Regards...Head-Shot

 

[DraconiaN]

Someone reviewed the MDR MA500 yet? i must say that i like the sound of my HD 650 much more than my slighty modded HD 580's...they sound sth too much in the trebles,
causing me headaches after some hours, and the 650's sound is more refined, have a bit more bass, too.

 

[andyj34]

I've just recently bought the Sony MDR MA300 for £20 in the UK as my first foray in owing open headphones.
 
Like most owners, they're comfortable and enclose my [large] ears adequately.
 
The sound is excellent and almost rivals my beloved AKG 450 in terms of bass, though, I do prefer the Sony's from a comfort perspective as after a while the AKG450 clamping pressure becomes wearisome.
 
The only negative (or shall I say room for improvement) is that the headphones should permit movement in all directions and not just vertically.
 
In fact I'm seriously contemplating a second pair for the office or plump for the next model up MDR MA500

 

[imaginonic]

Hi, can you please let us know if the SOny MA 300 is bigger in size than the MA 100?
 
Because I demo'ed the Ma 100 and they were excellent. However, they lacked a comfortable fit, which I'm hoping the 300 I've ordered would have. 
 
But, just to be sure, please let me know if you have any details about the sizes of these two!
 
 
In this illustration, they look like they're exactly the same:
 

 
But in this one, they're different:
 

 
Please advise! 
 
 
Thank you!!

 

[a_recording]

Quote:

Please advise! 
 
Thank you!!

 
I know this is a bit late, but I picked up a pair of MA300's the other day and I already own a pair of the MA100. The MA300 is definitely bigger than the MA100 and with the larger earcup / flexible earpad system it is definitely more comfortable. I am surprised at some of the negative opinions in this thread. This headphone seems to be $35 on Amazon.com and for that price I find it hard to complain about any of the MA series headphones as complete packages. I also own and love the MA900  and now I very much want to get the MA500 out of curiosity.

 

[Verloc]

Quote:

 
I know this is a bit late, but I picked up a pair of MA300's the other day and I already own a pair of the MA100. The MA300 is definitely bigger than the MA100 and with the larger earcup / flexible earpad system it is definitely more comfortable. I am surprised at some of the negative opinions in this thread. This headphone seems to be $35 on Amazon.com and for that price I find it hard to complain about any of the MA series headphones as complete packages. I also own and love the MA900  and now I very much want to get the MA500 out of curiosity.

For $35 the MA300 is a steal. Unamped it's good, but it sounds much, much better amped.
 
I'm very tempted by the MA900 now, as I really enjoy the MA300. How much better is it? I've read your comparison of the MA900 with the ATH-AD900X and ATH-AD1000X, but how much does it differ from the MA300? Does the MA900 have the same tone? Larger soundstage and better imaging? In short, is the price increase justified?
 
I was actually going to pick up a new set of open cans for around $200 to $300, and was looking at all the usual suspects, and wasn't even thinking about Sony when, I saw the MA300 on sale fro $20 (!). I grabbed them, and they've managed to make me forget my original intentions! To be quite honest I'm blown away how good these sound, and now I'm very curious about the MA900.

 

[a_recording]

Quote:

For $35 the MA300 is a steal. Unamped it's good, but it sounds much, much better amped.
 
I'm very tempted by the MA900 now, as I really enjoy the MA300. How much better is it? I've read your comparison of the MA900 with the ATH-AD900X and ATH-AD1000X, but how much does it differ from the MA300? Does the MA900 have the same tone? Larger soundstage and better imaging? In short, is the price increase justified?
 
I was actually going to pick up a new set of open cans for around $200 to $300, and was looking at all the usual suspects, and wasn't even thinking about Sony when, I saw the MA300 on sale fro $20 (!). I grabbed them, and they've managed to make me forget my original intentions! To be quite honest I'm blown away how good these sound, and now I'm very curious about the MA900.

 
Strangely enough the MA300 is by far the bassiest out of the MA100 and MA300. The MA900 is actually the leanest of all of them to my ears. It sounds more open and relaxed - definitely an improvement unless you love your bass. The difference isn't huge and I don't miss bass on the MA900 on anything except the wub wubbiest of songs.

 

[mitadoc]

I tried MA 300 a week ago.They sounded nice and relaxed.There are no so may affordable open back headphones on the market,you know.These are around 30-35 Euro,so they are great deal.

 

[SeEnCreaTive]

I bought some MA-300s about 6 months ago, mostly becuase they were on sale and were meshbacks (I like hearing the room then sound isolation when at home)
 
At first and whole suspension things seemed silly but after more and more use got extremely comfortable, mixed with the semi-decent pads, and open mesh, you can wear them for hours just fine. Although I will say the frame is very flimsy. Generally don't travel with them. Nice long (3m if I remember) and good feeling cable.
 
Sound was a bit funny. When I first started using them I was very disappointed, thinking the $35 I spent on them was way to much, but as they got more and more worn in (which I didn't know was a thing back then), they started sounding very very unexpectedly good. Now after 6 months-ish, they really do sound very good. Going to the store and listening to the already worn in demo models of other headphones, they can generally keep up I feel, and for the price, I think they are really a great introduction into the world of head-fi.