[Trunks159]

Please do!

 

[xkonfuzed]

Please do!

+1.

Take your time though, no pressure

 

[Nirmalanow]

  I think I may have finally found a pair of already modded MA900s, so if the deal goes through, I will be able to do some side by side comparisons of the modded and unmodded versions soon. I will post my observations on here.

As happens around here, I suddenly found a good price on a pair of HD700s and decided to buy them instead....
 
Oh well, I may never know how the mods would have sounded.
 
Anyone interested can get in touch with this member who has the modded Sony's and see if you can work out a deal: http://www.head-fi.org/u/186938/alexloures

 

[walfredo]

A second recommendation of amp for the MA900:  Matrix mini-i.
 
It is my computer dac/amp and I had not tried the MA900 with until now.  
 
Oh, man!!!  It is as lively and fleshed out as with the Shanling PH300, but the bass is even better.  More texture and depth.

 

[Nirmalanow]

I just got a pair of open box new HD700s for $530. They sound awesome, but the real surprise is how damn close the MA900s are to the Sennheiser's that retail for 3 times as much. The higher priced headphones do have a higher degree of transparency and the bass is tighter and cleaner, but the MA900s are great. If you like a lot of spaciousness and separation in your headphone sound, these two phones are in the same ballpark. They both also sound especially good with the added features of my iCAN amp. I am not sure if I could live anymore without the enhancements the iCAN brings to the sound.

 

[soccerdude84]

Anyone know how comfortable these are with glasses on? I don't like how some headphones squeeze the temple part into my head.

 

[xanlamin]

absolutely comfortable with glasses on

 

[xkonfuzed]

No problem with glasses at all..

 

[Ron12]

I got quite interested in the MA900... If anyone would be willing to sell me one (shipping to EU), please let me know

 

[soccerdude84]

Just snagged these for 150 on ebay, like new
 
can't wait to try them out

 

[Trunks159]

Prepair to be enlightened.

 

[a_recording]

  I just got a pair of open box new HD700s for $530. They sound awesome, but the real surprise is how damn close the MA900s are to the Sennheiser's that retail for 3 times as much. The higher priced headphones do have a higher degree of transparency and the bass is tighter and cleaner, but the MA900s are great. If you like a lot of spaciousness and separation in your headphone sound, these two phones are in the same ballpark. They both also sound especially good with the added features of my iCAN amp. I am not sure if I could live anymore without the enhancements the iCAN brings to the sound.

 
Now this is interesting. I am always, always trying to find the drop-in upgrade to the MA900. Try as I might, I can't, except for say the Sennheiser HD650 - which is similar enough to the point where I don't feel it's worth it. How would you compare the HD700 and MA900? Is the HD700 dramatically more treble forward than the MA900?

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

FWIR, the HD700 is supposedly quite aggresive on the treble compared to the 650. Considering how mellow the MA900 is in treble which is more like an 650, I dont know how the HD700 would be similar.

Goldenear's graph flr the 700 looks a lot like Innerfidelity's graph. Goldenear graphed the MA900 as well, and is the complete opposite of the 700 up top. So, again, not sure how they can be similar, but graphs don't always indicate what we hear.

 

[a_recording]

Yes, that's generally what I've been led to believe.
 
It really bites that the MA900 is not only underrated, it appears to have been discontinued with no successor.
 
Though... I did meet Sony's chief sound engineer, Koji Nageno (who also worked on the MDR-F1), and I got his business card. Maybe I should send him some sad emails and he will take pity and design an MA1000!

 

[Mad Lust Envy]

Seriously? That's awesome. You should tell him how popular the MA900 has been of late. A successor would prove to be quite interesting indeed.