[SHAMuuu]

Hardly a comparison at this point. The DT880 is taking up more of my time.

As far as AD900X vs MDR MA900
The MA900's soundstage feels more like you're in an auditorium and there's an orchestra playing.
The AD900X feels like you're in a cube room with the walls literally made of speakers playing sounds around you. There's a larger distance between each instrument.

I feel however that the MA900 expresses depth better.

The DT880 doesn't really compete in soundstage. It gets exposed at higher volumes, where the individuall sounds get larger and the soundstage kind of runs out of room. You really only notice this if you use headphones with huge sounstages like the MA900, AD900X, AND K701. DT880 definitely has "better" bass and is much more true to the recording than either though.

The MA900 and 900x sounds more like casual listening headphones from description than 880. Would you say that? I don't have 900x or ma900 butt have Sony 70mm (xb) and 880. The 70mm seems slower in high bpm passages than 880. The 70mm bass is more impact and fun but fast paced heavy bass sounds doesn't separate well as 880 which is lightning quick and with 3db boost in subbass 35-80hz (boosting 20hz-34) limits high volume listening 880 is decent but soundstage seems more intimate as it's a Mixing can. I wish the 70mm is faster. Is it faster on ma900? I hope on z1r it is. Surface area diff between 40-50mm and 70mm is surprisingly large.

 

[HollowNoise]

Oh MDR MA900, faithful old friend, how much I owe you for giving me such euphoric moments. I also have a couple of headphones that I can compare with the MA900 if interested, my latest headphone is one I think you will especially be interested in. MA900's long lost brother, The Sony MDR F1, they smell too strong right now, so I've trying to fix that with the vinegar trick . But I'll be able to do some comparisons soon if possible, other headphones I have are the Sennheiser HD 580 and the DT 880 600 Ohm.

 

[Sp12er3]

^Hooo~ going for the old veterans huh? I always wonder how the F1 sound, I hear it's more picky on source tho, the HD580, heard good things about them, but quite hard to find (well all of the ones you said are)
@SHAMuuu the Z1R is definitely CAN be faster if the music demand it to. What Sony gains after much development IMO is better control over the driver, you'd be surprised just how the bass can change depending on the music, it is quite unique.
Of course, with such a wide surface area I don't think it can be as fast and tight as ie Elear

 

[Trunks159]

The MA900 and 900x sounds more like casual listening headphones from description than 880. Would you say that? I don't have 900x or ma900 butt have Sony 70mm (xb) and 880. The 70mm seems slower in high bpm passages than 880. The 70mm bass is more impact and fun but fast paced heavy bass sounds doesn't separate well as 880 which is lightning quick and with 3db boost in subbass 35-80hz (boosting 20hz-34) limits high volume listening 880 is decent but soundstage seems more intimate as it's a Mixing can. I wish the 70mm is faster. Is it faster on ma900? I hope on z1r it is. Surface area diff between 40-50mm and 70mm is surprisingly large.

 

Still only like 25 hours of DT880 experience. Too early to say.

Bout to get into a long session with the 3.

 

[thesmokingman]

  Oh MDR MA900, faithful old friend, how much I owe you for giving me such euphoric moments. I also have a couple of headphones that I can compare with the MA900 if interested, my latest headphone is one I think you will especially be interested in. MA900's long lost brother, The Sony MDR F1, got it 2 days ago for $99, quite the bargain, but they smell too strong so I've trying to fix that with the vinegar trick . But I'll be able to do some comparisons soon if possible, other headphones I have are the Sennheiser HD 580 and the DT 880 600 Ohm.

 
That's a crazy deal on the F1. I am very fond of the F1s, they're a hallmark headphone. The MA900 will be a bit better. Tech has moved on quite a bit from the days of the F1's but they still have that great soundstage. I've since retired the F1 and use the MA900, HE 400i, and MDR-Z7s. I sold off all my other cans, DT 990s, AT 900x, etc etc. Don't need them since the three I use hit all the bases. MA900s for soundstage, 400i for mids, Z7 for everything else especially the serious bass and with the charcoal damping, the mids are quite good given the nature of the can. Anyways, happy listening.
 

  For all you MA900 lovers still lurking in this thread, I was wondering what the next step up headphone wise would be? Would like something close to the same sound and do not want to lose the soundstage. Love the out of head feeling I personally get from these headphones.

I am not getting rid of my MA900 (never ever). Just wonder where one would go from here. Have a feeling it is going to be very expensive. 
 
Thanks so much.  

 
That's easy, the MDR-Z7. Then when you are over those, the MDR-Z1R.

 

[thesmokingman]

  http://www.head-fi.org/t/637168/sony-ma900-resistor-mod
 
Here you go! For me, the stock sound was great but the mids were a little veiled. It was almost as if vocalists were singing with their mouths covered by a thin blanket, for lack of better analogy. But with the mod, the mids cleared that issue up a lot. I should also mention another small mod that I did to my MA900s, I bought the Dekoni velour pads that were intended as an upgrade for the Beyerdynamic DT 770/880/990 on Amazon. The fabric of the stock pads were a bit uncomfortable and hot on my ears after a while, and I found the velour was much softer, with an added byproduct of bringing up the bass just a tad, as the foam in the Dekoni pads offered a little more isolation around the ears. 

 
Here's where the original ideas came from. Its great from a historical context.
 
http://rinchoi.blogspot.com/2012/07/sony-mdr-ma900-in-depth-analysis.html

 

[Trunks159]

Been holding off on giving impressions. Got the Fidelio x2 coming in today. Bout to be a hype battle royal.

MDR MA900 VS DT880 VS AD900X VS FIDELIO X2


Edit:
Fidelio X2 initial impressions:
Wow these have a ton of bass.

 

[thesmokingman]

Been holding off on giving impressions. Got the Fidelio x2 coming in today. Bout to be a hype battle royal.

MDR MA900 VS DT880 VS AD900X VS FIDELIO X2


Edit:
Fidelio X2 initial impressions:
Wow these have a ton of bass.

 
They're the only bassy cans in that group. I still can't get over the pads and that headband, man.

 

[Trunks159]

They're the only bassy cans in that group. I still can't get over the pads and that headband, man.

Really? I have no problems with the comfort.

 

[Sp12er3]

For me, the X2's OK in comfort... the foam inside those pads may be a bit too hard for me. may I know whether you get the glued pads or not?
Yeah they're quite bassy

 

[Trunks159]

Almost home for me to check it out.

Currently, if it's MA900 VS X2, I'd pick the MA900.

 

[thesmokingman]

Really? I have no problems with the comfort.

 
X2 are not very comfortable and that massive freaking headband is annoying. The headband makes listening while laying down real hard and they stick out like crazy, as in physically. The pads sometimes pricked my skin. It's weird... the velour they used is wacky sometimes soft sometimes prickly. And they have a chance to bleed their ink. Otherwise they sound ok, though very V shaped which makes them rather good for electronica. That's not to say the MA900 are perfect either. I'm just willing to live with the MA900's limitations for that sublime soundstage and imaging. Their comfort with the Dekoni pads that I use is also second to none, well maybe the Z7's.

 

[Trunks159]

The sound is the annoying part for me. I haven't listened to a U shaped sound signature in a long while, and it's disengaging coming from the MA900. Comfort and build are great though.

P.S. The pads pop off so they're not glued.

 

[Sp12er3]

Hrm? First time I hear people describe MA900 sound as U shaped, Especially with the bass that's kinda a tiny bit shy and treble that's non fatiguing..

The Philips on the other hand ...

Ah wait, I think you were describing the X2, not the Sony right? Correct me if I'm wrong...
Also, how's your impression so far with both? I remember enjoying the X2, but its more of a "standard" headphone and isn't as unique, either in build and sound, as the MA900, so I chose to moved off it, but I never did manage to do a A/B test with both present, so curious with your opinion on it

 

[HollowNoise]

Yeah I think he was referring to the X2.