[reddragon]

Quote:

 
I think the Q010 is better than the SA5000, yes. Just how much better is another matter entirely, however I consider the Q010 to be special myself. I think one of the biggest factors contributing to poor impressions is poor fit. These are extreme fit-dependent and adjusting the headband isn't simple (it actually comes in three different sizes: small, medium, and large).

 
 
ok thanks muppetface. and if i have future questions on headphones, maybe i will shoot you a pm. right now im broke and am enjoying what i have though 

 

[purk]

Quote:

 
 
muppetface i know you have a lot of headphones, so please tell me, is the qualia that much better than the sa5000? i read the 50ish+ headphone flagship comparison and apparently the reviewer didnt think the qualia was that special at all...

I hope Muppet doesn't mind my answer.  The Qualia is much better than the SA5K as long as you have a proper fit.  Wihtout a proper fit, the SA5K will sound better.  The difference is very noticeable especially using a high resolution materials.  I didn't think much of the Qualia when I first tried it b/c I didn't have the right fit, but once I did it is a remarkable headphones deserving of its legendary status.  A small sized headband is the right headband for me as well as many others.  Muppet, are you using "small" or "medium" on yours?  

 

[reddragon]

Quote:

I hope Muppet doesn't mind my answer.  The Qualia is much better than the SA5K as long as you have a proper fit.  Wihtout a proper fit, the SA5K will sound better.  The difference is very noticeable especially using a high resolution materials.  I didn't think much of the Qualia when I first tried it b/c I didn't have the right fit, but once I did it is a remarkable headphones deserving of its legendary status.  A small sized headband is the right headband for me as well as many others.  Muppet, are you using "small" or "medium" on yours?  

 
 
thanks for chiming in purk 

 

[autoteleology]

Something I've always wondered; the Q10 headband has always seemed to me to be atrociously designed (after all, the majority of headphones manage to fit people of all shapes and sizes with just ONE version of the headband...).

Instead of spending ~$700 on a new headband, what's stopping someone from paying less money to have a better one built?

 

[Asr]

Quote:

Something I've always wondered; the Q10 headband has always seemed to me to be atrociously designed (after all, the majority of headphones manage to fit people of all shapes and sizes with just ONE version of the headband...).

Instead of spending ~$700 on a new headband, what's stopping someone from paying less money to have a better one built?

 
If you're asking why no one offers a cheaper replacement Qualia headband, I pose another question: who would bother to do that with the limited market? There was one vendor who actually did that once, but with disastrous results, and the less said about that vendor, the better.
 
I defer to what I like to call the "sponge mod" for Medium or Large headband owners, it involves tying a sponge to the headband.

 

[Radio_head]

Are you sure the Qualia is sponge-worthy?

 

[autoteleology]

Quote:

 
If you're asking why no one offers a cheaper replacement Qualia headband, I pose another question: who would bother to do that with the limited market? There was one vendor who actually did that once, but with disastrous results, and the less said about that vendor, the better.
 
I defer to what I like to call the "sponge mod" for Medium or Large headband owners, it involves tying a sponge to the headband.

 
Oh, I'm not talking about someone selling a mass production version. I'm wondering if it wouldn't be a better idea to have something else made entirely; perhaps one could hire a fabricator to repurpose a superior headband onto the Qualia. I would think with a seven hundred dollar budget, you could get some good work done, but what do I know about manufacturing, lol.

 

[purk]

Well, Mikhail of SP Audio (yes, that mfg) made an all stainless steel headband once for around $700.  Though it allowed adjustments and perfect fit for any user but it did triple the weight of the headphones.  Remember that Qualia's frame is made entirely out of carbon fiber, and it is the lighest full-size phones ever produced.  It also ugly to boot,   I suggest any Qualia owner to get a spare headband when you have the chance as Sony is notorious for discontinuing parts after 10 years.  I personally have both a small & medium sized headband and the small is a perfect fit for me every time.  

 

[mulveling]

I've voiced my opinions on the Qualia before, but of all the headphone I've owned, I miss those the most. So, this bears repeating: the Qualia 010 is vastly superior to the HD800 (as much as I admire Sennheiser), which sounds and looks like a cheap Chinese knock-off by comparison. If you've got a Medium-size 010, then you'll have to work hard for a proper fit. Packing material and/or sponges are mandatory. Purk's Small-size Qualia sounds amazing with no fuss. Extremely jealous of that pair, I am!
 
I'm an unabashed hater of bright, analytical sound (speakers, cartridges, or headphones). I'm also an unabashed lover of warm, euphonic sound. The Qualia are analytical, yet they're so damned good at what they do that I love them anyways -- more than even the L3000, which admittedly is a dark headphone. Also more than the R10, which has its midrange magic, but can't quite pull the complete sonic picture together for me like the 010 does. I've yet to hear an analytical speaker or phono cartridge that I enjoy. The Qualia 010 is the only transducer in that category which I can love. 

 

[purk]

Thanks for checking in Mike.  I sure miss your Blue Qualia 010.  The minute I managed the proper fit and listen to your pair, I know I need to get a pair myself.  I have to blame and thank you at the same time for introducing me to the Qualia 4 years ago.  I now use the 010 at work everyday out of my AT-DHA3000.  The combo sounds wonderful together.

 

[autoteleology]

I never realized how similar the Qualia looks to the MDR-SA series.

 

[maxmays1]

i wonder if you can get a pair of the Qualia raw drivers from sony and hack the sa5000's.

 

[purk]

Quote:

I never realized how similar the Qualia looks to the MDR-SA series.

Similar but not identical at all.  The SA5000 is made mainly out of aluminum while the Qualia uses carbon fiber frame.  The Qualia earcups are also bigger and lighter than the SA5000.  
 
 
 

i wonder if you can get a pair of the Qualia raw drivers from sony and hack the sa5000's.

 
I don't think they use the same driver.  I believe others had investigated and concluded that.  Can't seem to find the link now.

 

[autoteleology]

Quote:

Similar but not identical at all.  The SA5000 is mainly aluminum while the Qualia uses carbon fiber frame.  The Qualia earcups are also bigger and lighther than the SA5000.

 
But the headband is very similar, no? You could hack an SA-1000 headband onto a Qualia for cheap, possibly?

 

[purk]

Quote:

 
But the headband is very similar, no? You could hack an SA-1000 headband onto a Qualia for cheap, possibly?

Maybe but the mechanism is different.  I'm sure that it can be done but it will likely ruin the aesthetics of the Qualia.  The Qualia headband is fixed to the earcups using two screws, one on each side.  The SA5K's headband is of different design is more conventional though.