Sony MDR MA900 Impressions Thread
Aug 22, 2013 at 2:31 PM Post #121 of 2,659
If I may.. when driving the MA900 with the ZxR set at 600 ohm what gain you use? 
I find pretty hard understanding this headphones.. their impedance is "regulated" at 12ohm.. and as my Sound blaster Z has the amp FIXED at 600 (only the ZxR can choose) I wonder how the MA900 will fare with it :|
 
Aug 22, 2013 at 3:54 PM Post #122 of 2,659
Quote:
If I may.. when driving the MA900 with the ZxR set at 600 ohm what gain you use? 
I find pretty hard understanding this headphones.. their impedance is "regulated" at 12ohm.. and as my Sound blaster Z has the amp FIXED at 600 (only the ZxR can choose) I wonder how the MA900 will fare with it :|

 
just use the "normal gain" setting (up to 300ohm) on zxr .. you don't need much amping for ma900. it is extremely efficient, I'm currently using high gain option (64-150ohm) on my xonar phoebus.
 
Aug 22, 2013 at 6:02 PM Post #127 of 2,659
Thanks :) I was pretty worried as.. you know, my old cresyn earbuds, who happily "volunteerd" to be the first thing connected to the SBZ, are alive by sheer luck -.-' Whilst with the old card I could keep the gain in windows at 50% with the Z I have to keep it at 5% max... practically i can't adjust volume :| And of course switching from headphone to speakers retain the gain set, so should I ever forget to lower the volume before switching from speakers to headphones the cresyn would literally explode :|
That's why I was asking how the MA900 fared in this regard, if they where "true 16ohm" or not.. if these are 16ohm for true I'll have to keep the gain at minimum for these too I fear.
 
Aug 22, 2013 at 6:53 PM Post #128 of 2,659
Quote:
Thanks :) I was pretty worried as.. you know, my old cresyn earbuds, who happily "volunteerd" to be the first thing connected to the SBZ, are alive by sheer luck -.-' Whilst with the old card I could keep the gain in windows at 50% with the Z I have to keep it at 5% max... practically i can't adjust volume :| And of course switching from headphone to speakers retain the gain set, so should I ever forget to lower the volume before switching from speakers to headphones the cresyn would literally explode :|
That's why I was asking how the MA900 fared in this regard, if they where "true 16ohm" or not.. if these are 16ohm for true I'll have to keep the gain at minimum for these too I fear.

 
honestly I wouldn't advice using this on high volumes if your SB Z don't have a impedance setting controller .. always just make sure to lower your volume ..
 
Aug 22, 2013 at 11:13 PM Post #129 of 2,659
I thought they were metal?


Yeah, my bad. Just, it looks like black plastic. That's why I said finish. Sorry for the confusion.
 
Aug 27, 2013 at 6:26 AM Post #130 of 2,659
The more I use the MA900, the more I'm seeing it as the best alternative to the K702 Annies if you can't afford them. Half the price too. The Annie has more balance and a broader range in the bass, but the MA900 has added mid bass, is faster, and the soundstage is larger than even the X1.

They're both warm and smooth (MA900/Annie), both fun and all purpose/all rounders, with both having stellars mids (seriously, the MA900 has fantastic mids), and both are very comfy. The MA900 is seriously the most comfortable full sized headphone I've owned aside the Steelseries Siberia V1, and makes even the X1 seem too hot on the ears and heavy.

Is it better than the Annie? No. But it holds up very well for half the price, and can be worn for longer periods, and isn't picky with amping.

For those who want the Annie but can't afford them, I couldn't recommend anything else more than the MA900. Not even the Q701 which while being a more refined/superior headphone, doesn't come close in comfort, is picky with amping, lacks some bass for true all purpose use, and has some fatiguing upper mids at times.

If you can afford the Annie, you know that's my favorite well balanced headphone. If you can't, try the MA900 if you feel the X1 might be too bassy or don't wanna deal with the non-replaceable pads issue.

It's to the point that I'm comparing the X1 and MA900 directly, and while I do prefer the X1 (I mean that is an ideal headphone sound-wise for my preference), I find myself reaching for the MA900 90% of the time due to it's lightweight, breathable comfort, great balance, and huge soundstage.

It's really hard for me to have more than one great home headphone, because I start ignoring the others.


Again, if you own the Annie/Q701, the MA900 is redundant. You do have your trade offs in the bass between the MA900 and Q701 (the MA900 is definitely more fun), and the Q701 is a more detailed headphone, while being a lot more demanding amp-wise. The Annie and MA900 probably cater to the same things, with the Annie being superior in basically all fronts except speed, though at double the cost.

If you own the X1, it does bass and clarity better, while the MA900 does mids better. Either way, it may also be redundant to own the MA900 as the X1 is more fun, and more detailed, though not as rich in the mids, and not as comfy.

So AGAIN, I'll say get the MA900 if you can't spring for the Annie or are just curious about a great under $200 headphone with no real downsides to it.

I think even if i owned the Annies, I'd still reach for the MA900 the vast majority of the time due to the added comfort. It's a damn good headphone to have.


I was going to sell it, but now... I can't see myself without it. if I were able to afford a D7000, i would prefer selling the X1. Seriously.
 
Aug 27, 2013 at 6:58 PM Post #131 of 2,659
Can someone give me a cheap place to buy the ma900's (preferably from Amazon or eBay)? I saw someone post a deal the other day on them for $135 i think. 
 
Aug 28, 2013 at 4:35 PM Post #135 of 2,659
Quote:
From what I've read the MA900 sound seem like my TDK BA200 , Interesting


I have HD650 now any they are very similar sounding cans.
normal_smile .gif

 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top