[money4me247]

Quote:

 
Not that this makes a big difference in this discussion, but just to get the facts straight:
Yamaha was making some of the top headphones available for the consumer market
as far back as the late 1970's. 
 
And its pedigree as a serious music company is at least as good as Sony's
if not better.

okay, sure. they may have made headphones, but whenever people are throwing out headphone or brand recommendations, I haven't ever heard of Yamaha being recommended until now.
 
of course, I have not gotten a chance to try the Pro 500 yet. But even just comparing the $300 Pro 400 with the $400 Pro 500, the specs are EXACTLY the same except for the fact that the Pro 500 has aluminium earcups. Sure, the aluminium earcups may positively effect the sound, but in my personal opinion, you shouldn't have to shell out an extra $100 for that. If the Pro 500 was priced at $300, I would say it is a good alternative, but for $400, you are kind of being swindled a bit (in my personal opinion).
 
However, when you can get the Sony MDR-1R for $300 or less (highly rated comfort, very well-rated sound, original design), I don't see why you should pay an extra $100. Both are made of plastic and metal, so it's not like there is a significant upgrade in materials.
 
I doubt the Pro 500 sounds "better," just a different sound signature. If you try both and absolutely love/cannot live without the Yamaha sound-sig over Sony, then go for it. just wanted to make sure you knew there are a ton of other highly rated alternatives in this closed portable niche that is $300. more expensive does not always equal better.

 

[Billyjoegunrack]

Quote:

okay, sure. they may have made headphones, but whenever people are throwing out headphone or brand recommendations, I haven't ever heard of Yamaha being recommended until now.
 
of course, I have not gotten a chance to try the Pro 500 yet. But even just comparing the $300 Pro 400 with the $400 Pro 500, the specs are EXACTLY the same except for the fact that the Pro 500 has aluminium earcups. Sure, the aluminium earcups may positively effect the sound, but in my personal opinion, you shouldn't have to shell out an extra $100 for that. If the Pro 500 was priced at $300, I would say it is a good alternative, but for $400, you are kind of being swindled a bit (in my personal opinion).
 
However, when you can get the Sony MDR-1R for $300 or less (highly rated comfort, very well-rated sound, original design), I don't see why you should pay an extra $100. Both are made of plastic and metal, so it's not like there is a significant upgrade in materials.
 
I doubt the Pro 500 sounds "better," just a different sound signature. If you try both and absolutely love/cannot live without the Yamaha sound-sig over Sony, then go for it. just wanted to make sure you knew there are a ton of other highly rated alternatives in this closed portable niche that is $300. more expensive does not always equal better.

It really is bad form to make recommendations on something you haven't experienced. You saw a picture of a product and you keep making four paragraph long recommendations based solely on the picture. This doesn't help anyone concerned, in fact you bring unnecessary confusion, full of falsehoods in order to hear yourself talk.

 

[xanlamin]

Absolutely correct! Get one yourself, listen to it for few days then give your opinions. If not, it will sound like you telling a blind man what light is.

 

[Billyjoegunrack]

Quote:

Absolutely correct! Get one yourself, listen to it for few days then give your opinions. If not, it will sound like you telling a blind man what light is.

Except in this scenario, he is the blind man.

 

[xanlamin]

Yup, that is what i meant!

 

[money4me247]

Quote:

It really is bad form to make recommendations on something you haven't experienced. You saw a picture of a product and you keep making four paragraph long recommendations based solely on the picture. This doesn't help anyone concerned, in fact you bring unnecessary confusion, full of falsehoods in order to hear yourself talk.

recommendation based on mainly on price point and value. not based on the picture, based on reading extensive reviews about the product.
 
Sony MDR-1R has a colored midcentric sound with a warm bass which will translate better for a wider range of music. From what I've read, the Pro 500 has a colored v-shaped sound with a bass emphasis. There are many other v-shaped sound signature headphones of that exact description that can be found for much cheaper. The whole point of describing headphones in audiophile terms and making comparisons with similar headphones is so that people can get a sense of their sound without having to purchase them and demo. No, I haven't tried the Pro 500 specifically, but I have tried many of the headphones with similar sound signatures that are compared to the Pro 500. Why even have head-fi if your response is always simply to try them yourself?
 
The Pro 500 is charging $100 more for the same headphones with aluminium earcups compared to the Pro 400. That seems to just be price-inflation to me. The M100 has a well-tuned v-shaped sound signature with a bass emphasis that goes for $300.
 
In my personal opinion, I think you can get better value and sonic quality spending $300 on the Sony-MDR and $100 on an amp or the $300 M100 and $100 on a amp. Recommendation solely based on sonic traits as I couldn't care less for style personally. Just noted that the build materials are also similar.
 
I agree OP should go demo himself, but he was asking about recommendations, I recommend the MDR-1R. lol.

 

[jazzman7]

Quote:

How can you even compare if you have not even heard Pro 500?
 
Well I have both of them and I think SQ-wise Pro 500 is clear winner. But I still love both of them. Sony MDR-1R are just so light and comfortable. And they are so smooth sounding that you can enjoy music much longer. But when you A/B with Yamaha they almost sound veiled and muffled. Music is much more engaging with Pro 500 so it makes music much more interesting. But anyway you can read more here.
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/628488/yamaha-pro-headphones
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/653626/yamaha-hph-pro-500-review

+1 on this post!
 
I recently got the Yamaha Pro 500 and also have the M-100.  I do like the sound of the M-100 but feel that the recessed mids are noticeable on certain types of music, especially jazz and classical.   The Pro 500 definitely sounds more open than the M-100 in the midrange (although they are not flat by any means).  It isolates well too, with better imaging than the M-100.   
 
The highs on the Pro 500 are a little hot.  If you tame those with a little EQ [a couple (-dB) at most], the Pro 500 sound amazing.  A very fun phone.  I probably won't walk outside with them, though -- they definitely aren't as durable or as portable as the M-100.  

 

[Billyjoegunrack]

Quote:

recommendation based on mainly on price point and value. not based on the picture, based on reading extensive reviews about the product.
 
Sony MDR-1R has a colored midcentric sound with a warm bass which will translate better for a wider range of music. From what I've read, the Pro 500 has a colored v-shaped sound with a bass emphasis. There are many other v-shaped sound signature headphones of that exact description that can be found for much cheaper. The whole point of describing headphones in audiophile terms and making comparisons with similar headphones is so that people can get a sense of their sound without having to purchase them and demo. No, I haven't tried the Pro 500 specifically, but I have tried many of the headphones with similar sound signatures that are compared to the Pro 500. Why even have head-fi if your response is always simply to try them yourself?
 
The Pro 500 is charging $100 more for the same headphones with aluminium earcups compared to the Pro 400. That seems to just be price-inflation to me. The M100 has a well-tuned v-shaped sound signature with a bass emphasis that goes for $300.
 
In my personal opinion, I think you can get better value and sonic quality spending $300 on the Sony-MDR and $100 on an amp or the $300 M100 and $100 on a amp. Recommendation solely based on sonic traits as I couldn't care less for style personally. Just noted that the build materials are also similar.
 
I agree OP should go demo himself, but he was asking about recommendations, I recommend the MDR-1R. lol.

Such a silly little troll.

 

[money4me247]

Quote:

Such a silly little troll.

You realize you have added nothing of value to this conversion except for personal attacks against me. Who is the troll here?
 
While I haven't personally hear the Pro 500, I have heard the MDR-1R and I think it's sound signature is very good for the price. And I personally wouldn't spend an extra $100 for the Pro 500 for portable use when it is so big and I personally wouldn't throw down an extra $100 for bass boost. Comfort is very important to me as well, so I am wary of headphones that have comfort complaints. Sony MDR-1R is very comfortable.
 
I've heard the M100 and I do think that pair of headphones does give the impression of recessed mids due to the bass emphasis, but the M100 does bass extremely well. I personally wouldn't throw down $100 extra for the Pro 500 when I can easily EQ the mids of a M100 a bit if desired and pair with an amp can really bring out even more detail and richness. I would rather spend $400 on a pair of non-colored headphones or the extra $100 on a amp that really enriches the colored headphones. This is a personal opinion and a suggestion that OP may find helpful or not, but @Billyjoegunrack, your comments aren't really contributing to the conversation, so I wonder why you are here.
 
Edit: I have also tried the AKG K550, which I would say offers much better treble extension/detail and soundstage than the M100. On the AKG K550, the bass is not emphasized which can be a pro/con, but I feel like the AKG K550 offers hi-fi audiophile quality for a closed, portable pair of headphones at $300. The Momentum also offers extremely well-balanced sound and high-quality build materials (stainless steel/leather) at $350. That is another reason that I find it unsettling that Yamaha is charging $400 for colored bass-emphasized headphones made of plastic/aluminium.
 
If OP is looking for the well-balanced but bass-heavy sound of the Pro500, I would consider looking at the M100 + amp. The Sony MDR-1R compares more to the Momentum for a much more mid-centric balanced sound. Depends on your musical preferences/sound signature preferences what you would like.
 
Music that shines w/ the v-shaped sound of the Pro500/M100 would be electronic, dubstep, hip hop, Flo Rida (lol)... anything w/ a solid bassline.
Mid-centric sound does vocals better and is more suited for a wider range of genres.

 

[roma101]

My 2 cents on both of these headphones, having owned them:

The 1R is a beautiful sounding headphone with a warm tonality, very much like a woodie or HD600. Ultimately the mids were a little too warm for my tastes. I loved the overall SQ of these headphones however, as well as the comfort and form factor. Once I received the PRO 500, the SQ was an upgrade in overall detail, coherence, imaging and resolution. The BQ is also better on the 500 although comfort is much better with the 1R by far. Some of the main differences sonically are that tonally the 1R is much warmer and is lighter on bass than the 500. Because of the warmth, I felt while vocals were forward on the 1R, there was a slight veil to that sound. It's more colored than the 500 to my ears.

The 500 sounds more lifelike and engaging to my ears. While a bit bassier than the 1R, all instruments are clear with excellent separation. Mids and highs are highly detailed. There's a natural decay and weight to instruments while the headphone is fast and not slow in any way. The bass has good extension and does not sound overly boomy to my ears, although people who prefer more neutral cans like the DT 1350 or K550 might find them too bassy. I think it strikes a perfect balance, and the bass is appreciated in loud environments since those frequencies are usually the first to go. I find the imaging, soundstage and layering quite impressive. Treble is shimmery and detailed (cymbals and high hats never sounded better to me on a headphone) without being harsh to my ears. While the 1R is fun, warm and musical the 500 exceeds them to my ears in all aspects. You cannot go wrong with either headphone however. Like I said, if it weren't for the 500 I'd still most likely own the 1R. I do miss them sometimes for their comfort, form factor, and their warm flavor. The 500 however is on another level detail-wise and fit my preferences much more.

 

[tseliottt]

Quote:

You realize you have added nothing of value to this conversion except for personal attacks against me. Who is the troll here?
 
While I haven't personally hear the Pro 500, I have heard the MDR-1R and I think it's sound signature is very good for the price. And I personally wouldn't spend an extra $100 for the Pro 500 for portable use when it is so big and I personally wouldn't throw down an extra $100 for bass boost. Comfort is very important to me as well, so I am wary of headphones that have comfort complaints. Sony MDR-1R is very comfortable.
 
I've heard the M100 and I do think that pair of headphones does give the impression of recessed mids due to the bass emphasis, but the M100 does bass extremely well. I personally wouldn't throw down $100 extra for the Pro 500 when I can easily EQ the mids of a M100 a bit if desired and pair with an amp can really bring out even more detail and richness. I would rather spend $400 on a pair of non-colored headphones or the extra $100 on a amp that really enriches the colored headphones. This is a personal opinion and a suggestion that OP may find helpful or not, but @Billyjoegunrack, your comments aren't really contributing to the conversation, so I wonder why you are here.
 
Edit: I have also tried the AKG K550, which I would say offers much better treble extension/detail and soundstage than the M100. On the AKG K550, the bass is not emphasized which can be a pro/con, but I feel like the AKG K550 offers hi-fi audiophile quality for a closed, portable pair of headphones at $300. The Momentum also offers extremely well-balanced sound and high-quality build materials (stainless steel/leather) at $350. That is another reason that I find it unsettling that Yamaha is charging $400 for colored bass-emphasized headphones made of plastic/aluminium.
 
If OP is looking for the well-balanced but bass-heavy sound of the Pro500, I would consider looking at the M100 + amp. The Sony MDR-1R compares more to the Momentum for a much more mid-centric balanced sound. Depends on your musical preferences/sound signature preferences what you would like.
 
Music that shines w/ the v-shaped sound of the Pro500/M100 would be electronic, dubstep, hip hop, Flo Rida (lol)... anything w/ a solid bassline.
Mid-centric sound does vocals better and is more suited for a wider range of genres.

Honestly him calling you out contributes much more to the conversation than someone that spreads false assumptions they base off reading.

 

[roguegeek]

Quote:

Fair enough, I didn't get the Momentum too as I find the Amperior far more exciting. Have you heard the MDR-1RNC? I tot it sounded quite good, even better than MDR-1R.

 
Wow. This is the first I've heard anyone say anything close to that.

 

[xanlamin]

With NC off, SQ is horrible on MDR-1RNC. With NC on, SQ improves tremendously because of S MASTER amping.

 

[roguegeek]

Quote:

With NC off, SQ is horrible on MDR-1RNC. With NC on, SQ improves tremendously because of S MASTER amping.

 
But better than the 1R? No, I don't think so.

 

[money4me247]

Quote:

Honestly him calling you out contributes much more to the conversation than someone that spreads false assumptions they base off reading.

hey, if you want to pay an extra $100 for aluminium earcups, be my guest...
 
I never commented on their sound quality except for the fact that they are v-shaped. All the reviews you find on Head-Fi about these headphones either use that term specifically or mention a bass-boost.
 
My critiques are based on the pricing and the fact that there are many reviewers that prefer the sound quality of the competing $300-price-range closed portable headphones over the $400 Pro 500. Many reviewers also say that the Pro 500 are less comfortable than the Beats. These are not false assumptions. You can look up these reviews yourself. Due to those factors, I personally would recommend the MDR-1R over the Pro 500.
 
The only assumption that is being made here is that by spending an extra $100 on aluminium earcups, the sound quality of the Pro 500 automatically must be better than all other competitors. If you actually do the research and read comparison reviews, you will see that is not the case.
 
If you personally prefer the sound of the Pro 500, that is totally cool. Just understand that not everyone shares your opinion. Insulting those people does not do anything but make yourself look bad. Ad hominem bro.