Sony MDR-1A Prestige Overhead Headphones - Black

Product Information

I would be inclined to think that they would still sound very good and fun, mostly due to the sound signature of these headphones.

Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. These headphones are also non-collapsable, so making for compact travel is pretty difficult with these. going from 48 in 1A to only 16 ohms in M2 bothers me, as low impedence drivers are known to be not as resolving. It was two years ago we were first introduced to the Sony MDR range, headed-up by the self-proclaimed "prestige" MDR-1R headphones. As long as you’re not after lean, accurate bass we think most people will sink into the Sony MDR-1A very happily.The Sony MDR-1ABT look, no surprise, an awful lot like the MDR-1A headphones we reviewed earlier this year. Laying flat would appear to distribute pressure in a manner that is spread across the stronger parts of the headphones and help to minimize pressure on the weak points of the headphones. Durability is another huge plus, although they're made from plastic, the headband's metal, which make these pretty durable.

In fact, detailing and separation remains impressive and is aided by how well the mids blend into the higher frequencies. A lower weight is also an advantage for home appliances, as it makes transportation easier, and for many other types of products.The bass blends slightly into these lower ranges of the mids, but contribute to more of a smoothing and creamy effect for the lower midrange as opposed to muddying or sloppiness. This vocal recession is evident when looking at the frequency graph which shows a dip in mids with the lowest amplitude at the low-mids. A timely elevation in the 8-10kHz region of the treble cuts through the bloat in the bass, preventing the MDR-1A from being a muddy disaster of a headphone.

For our large noggin the MDR-1A fit is fine, but those with smaller heads might struggle to get the same experience.Vocal ballads, chest-thumping bass anthems, balls-to-the-wall heavy metal, even the ambient sounds of the solar system (yeah, we're like that) - everything has sounded fantastic. The high end is just the slightest bit rolled off – it might be lacking the smallest amount of detail, but only in the highest high notes. The highs could be dry for some poor records but with the right source you get a smooth and airy treble.

The silver appears as more of a very light, metallic cobalt as opposed to the silver coloring that appears on Apple products. I’ve gotten to the stage where I own enough headphones to cover all possible bases, all types of music. Sony's latest addition to the MDR lineup is a thoughtfully designed, exceedingly comfortable headphone pair made with luxurious materials. 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.As a happy owner of the MDR-1A, I am really looking forward to hearing these as soon as they come out later this spring! I use a sony NZW-A25 right now (I have an amps I use occasionally) and they sound pretty dang good straight through the source.