Sony MDR-1A Prestige Overhead Headphones - Black

Product Information

They can be powered by almost anything. My Galaxy phone has never sounded better. They really don't need that much power, which is a big plus. Somewhere in between decent Hi-Fi headphones and price-conscious over-ears, the MDR-1AM2 seek to find the perfect balance between audio precision and a price that most can afford. It seems to strike the balance well - but, of course, one can only hear so much with 180,000 attendees speaking loudly right outside a listening booth. Look forward to the full review later this year for a comprehensive analysis of the highs, lows and mids of Sony's new flagship cans.

Since 1982, PCMag has tested and rated thousands of products to help you make better buying decisions. See how we test. They look amazing! These are some real stylish headphones right here, seriously. Sony hit a homerun with comfort and style for these!

Attached to the plastic bridge are 40mm HD driver units that house aluminum-coated liquid crystal polymer diaphragms. If that all sounds like an incoherent mess of jumbled words, all that means is the diaphragms have a certain solidity to them that reduce any resonance that detract from the quality of the sound. Carroll is a headphone junkie residing in Brooklyn. He's a huge fan of Grado, UK hip hop, and the English Language in general. When not testing audio equipment or writing, you'll find him taking photographs or fiddling with circuit boards. At 7.94 ounces (225 grams) without the cable attached, the MDR-1A is also slightly lighter than the MDR-1R (240 grams), which was already considered lightweight for an over-ear model. The headphone fits snugly but not too snugly and should fit a variety of head sizes well. These Sonys? They have bass in spades. Nicely controlled, and taut. They have a silky smooth midrange. The treble is very, very clear and detailed. They are tremendously dynamic. But the thing I like the most is how very well balanced they are. For all the fun they bring to the mix, they never color the sound too much. For our large noggin the MDR-1A fit is fine, but those with smaller heads might struggle to get the same experience. That's something to keep in mind, as you might not get the same five-star experience, but from our week's worth of listening sessions, and given the sensible price point, we have to say the Sony MDR-1A is a top class choice.

See the full article here: https://jamesfiorucci.wordpress.com/2023/05/07/simple-audio-review-sony-mdr-1a/ The tone of the mid-range is great too. They are pretty-sounding headphones that are able to make voices – both the spoken and sung king – sound natural. I've heard a sound demo of it through Youtube (Thanks, Zeos!), and it sounded quite soft. Go see it for yourself with different headphones, I'll have the link here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4Ls4kawqusThere’s also an additional headphone cable without control and mic. We’d use this when listening at home through a proper hi-fi system - music sounds a little more assured and solid. Applying that same high-end approach to non-noise-cancelling headphones, Sony’s latest MDR-1AM2 Over-Ear Headphones sport 40mm drivers with Liquid Crystal Polymer diaphragms and a frequency response of up to 100,000Hz - or around five times what the human ear is capable of hearing. As this headphone is usually compared to MSR7, I don't recommend MSR7 on comfort aspect. I am Asian with regular size head but MSR7's earcup pressure feels like torture. Because the testing occurred on a crowded show floor, it was relatively hard to make out the subtle nuances of the headphones. Coming from Sennheiser HD-600, 580s, Ety ER-4s, Fiio X1s, AKG 701s, Momentum 2.0s, etc. I didn't know exactly what to expect out of these headphones. They are, after all, Sonys. And Sony can build really bad stuff.

It sounds to us like this happens as part of the DAC chain: the part that converts the digital wireless signal into the analogue one that eventually drives the 40mm dynamic drivers used here. Plus it’s what makes sense from a technical perspective. From tube journeys to drown out the on-the-go air hiss and drawl of talk-aloud commuters to extended desk-based listening sessions, these Sony cans always feel comfortable, no hint of pinch or discomfort. The 225g weight feels buoyant on the head too, aided by the plush, squidgy headband at the top. It's not leather, though, which might be a disappointment for some. Despite the padding, the Sony MDR-1ABT can still cause some discomfort if not setup properly. If you own a pair and find them a bit comfortable, try rearranging the headband. The fit is firmer than something like the Bose QC25, but they are generally very comfy.There isn’t much else to say about the midrange though, because it’s nothing special. You can’t be expecting HD600 levels of mid-forwardness and intimacy in a V-shaped headphone. Sorry for not being very technical here, but the MDR-1A is just meh in the midrange so there’s no point delving any deeper here. Onto the treble.