[mulveling]

 
Quote:

Originally Posted by carm /img/forum/go_quote.gif
 
As far as I know R10 has been introduced to the market  in 1989, but there you go: 

Any ideas, how this could be possible ?

Sure. 

• It's a misprint. 1998 might actually have been in the 900's, serial #-wise. Less seriously: Perhaps they were running out of 9's and had to conserve; better to hack the decade than the century. Better yet, maybe they made up for the erroneous 7 by filling-in a loop with a pen/marker, but the fix has faded over the years.
• It's a certificate to a different Sony high-end product that actually was produced in 1978.
• It's a photo-chop or a paper-hack job - why does the 7 look a bit faded compared to the other printing?

 
Those headphones were not produced in 1978.

 

[purk]

 
Quote:

As far as I know R10 has been introduced to the market  in 1989, but there you go: 

 
Any ideas, how this could be possible ?

I'm going to guess that it is a missprinted.  That production year should be in 1998 not 1978.  The user manual from the 1989 has white color cover then later change to red and blue.  Most R10s with SN above 1000 have blue cover user manual.

 

[takezo]

it's probably not a misprint. for some reason, the year is indicated in Showa years, which can be
googled. so, 1978 really means, 1978 + 25 = 2003.
 
btw, seller indicates the earpads are starting to come off as the adhesive is getting weaker.
good price with two days to go on the auction. (i'm not the seller; nor associated with seller)
 
http://page7.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/g98748263

 

[Skylab]

I am now the owner of S/N 1129. Today was the first chance I had for a long listening session. Using them with my Leben CS300XS. This is a terrific combo, and the sound is absolutely jaw dropping.

 

[Jalo]

Congratulation Sky, I have always wanted a pair.  Is it the bass heavy version?  That will be my choice.  Would you care to give some observations (not reviews) how it compares to th HE-6 or the LCD2?

 

[Skylab]

Thanks! Yes mine are the bass heavy. And they sound terrific. My initial impression is that they are better in pretty much every way over either the HE-6 or LCD-2, but honestly not by a super huge margin, as the improvements at the very high end are more and more subtle. But for me they were worth it since I have to do a lot of listening with closed headphones, and to have a closed headphone that is better than even the best of my open headphones is a dream come true for me. And the R10 really are pretty incredible sounding. The mids are just to die for, and the soundstaging is amazing in absolute terms, and especially so for a sealed can.

 

[Jalo]

Hehehehe, Sky, you have a headphone collection that I can only find in my dream.  I listened to a R10 bass heavy version for an hour at the LA Can fest connected to a towering (3 feet high) Single Power amp and I was mesmerized by the sound chamber like characteristic.  It sounded very good, it doesn't have that openness that a open phone will give but the sound was sweet, smooth, immediate, personal, and very hypnotic.  I think I'll find one eventually.  I envy you.

 

[grokit]

 
Quote:

Congratulation Sky, I have always wanted a pair.  Is it the bass heavy version?  That will be my choice.  Would you care to give some observations (not reviews) how it compares to th HE-6 or the LCD2?

 
Don't forget the Ed10 in this shoot-out 

 

[Jalo]

Quote:

 
Quote:

Congratulation Sky, I have always wanted a pair.  Is it the bass heavy version?  That will be my choice.  Would you care to give some observations (not reviews) how it compares to th HE-6 or the LCD2?

 
Don't forget the Ed10 in this shoot-out 

You are right and I know Sky is still waiting for his ED10.  But the R-10 is in a different category.  First of all, the ED10 is an open phone and right now there are quite a few open phones (LCD2, HE6, T1, 800 etc) competing for the King of the Hill position.  Second, I have already seen two to three negative impressions with the ED10 and in the FS forum.  But in the Closed phone category, the R10 is almost unmatched plus it is discontinued so that makes it special.

 

[grokit]

 
Quote:

Quote:

Quote:

Congratulation Sky, I have always wanted a pair.  Is it the bass heavy version?  That will be my choice.  Would you care to give some observations (not reviews) how it compares to th HE-6 or the LCD2?

 
Don't forget the Ed10 in this shoot-out 

You are right and I know Sky is still waiting for his ED10.  But the R-10 is in a different category.  First of all, the ED10 is an open phone and right now there are quite a few open phones (LCD2, HE6, T1, 800 etc) competing for the King of the Hill position.  Second, I have already seen two to three negative impressions with the ED10 and in the FS forum.  But in the Closed phone category, the R10 is almost unmatched plus it is discontinued so that makes it special.

 
 
Just trying to get another top dynamic into this comparison, as orthos are in more of a different category than open vs. closed IMO. And third, there are a diversity of opinions on the HE-6/LCD-2 as well.

 

[wild4sound]

By all accounts this is a phenomenal phone.
 
Granted, this is a niche segment price wise but several companies are putting out TOTL and statement phones. 
 
A lot has changed since this phone came to market . Some good and some bad, and lessons have been learnt.
 
I am bemused that neither Sony nor any other company takes up the slack and capitulate on this winning formula. 
 
Headphone listening has never been more vibrant so why not reincarnate the R10 .
 
Care to speculate why we do not have a R10 mkII in production, if not from Sony then another company under agreement if patents hold the key.
 
Just hoping for a route to ownership .

 

[grokit]

I think Sony lost money on the R10, not very encouraging for re-entry.

 

[coolcat]

If you used to read my post,you know,how crazy I am for the ED10,but the R10 is really something special.
It's easy for me to said ,the R10 is the best headphones I've listened to.

 

[Skylab]

I will for sure include the Ed 10.  I got them 3 days ago, but just started breaking them in yesterday. 

 

[Frank I]

Its official Rob is now ready for CNET and Steve Guttenberg should profile the gear Rob has and his collection is to die for. Best of luck with those new babies.