Jun 5 2015, 05:35 PM, updated 11y ago
Introduction
The MDR-1A has made itself into the market to replace the MDR-1R, which is regarded as one of the most comfortable over-ear headphones, provide good overall sound with clean treble and mids. There are some problems with the MDR-1R though such as hinge and wind noise when on the go, rattling issues and the build quality. Let's see if the MDR-1A is any different from the MDR-1R
The MDR-1A retails for RM1,059 (inclusive of GST) , which puts them directly against Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro, Sennheiser HD598, ATH-M70X and ATH-MSR7.
Packaging and Accessories
The MDR-1A comes with 2 cables, 1 with in-line remote and microphone, 1 with special controller that....nah just a normal 3.5mm straight cable, both are 1.2m Silver-coated OFC cable, and also the carrying pouch, which I would prefer a slim profile case that could provide better protection for your investment. I also would like Sony to include a 3m cable for home usage that requires a lot of moving, since 1.2m is not really enough unless your setup is right in front of you.
Looking into the headphones itself, it doesn't really change much from the MDR-1R in terms of the aesthetic, and that's not a bad thing. Like the MDR-1R, the MDR-1A maintains a low-profile and sleek looking headphones without any flashes such as other competitors (....beats...). Instead of glossy finish on the exterior of the earcup, they went with a rocky-feeling type of surface that prevents fingerprints on the earcups, brilliant! There are still some metallic parts on each side of the earcup that has 'MDR-1A' writings on it, that is prone to fingerprints. In my opinion, it looks absolutely fabulous and should fit in most people preferences. If you want a more professional looks, the MDR-1A is available with silver and brown colour mix.
Build Quality
At first, the MDR-1A feels light, yet sturdy in your hand with metals and high-quality plastic used just to keep the headphones light rather than to save costs. However, since I'm a careful owner, I never really put them into a stress test, and no one should ever do. For MDR-1A owner, I would recommend not to carefully use them and not to throw them carelessly, not because I'm afraid it will broke, but just to keep the aesthetic looks clean and neat.
Comfort
Now, without any doubt the previous MDR-1R is extremely comfortable to wear for extended periods of time due to its luxurious and soft leather earpads. Fortunately, The MDR-1A continues the legacy with some changes. The earpads looks cleaner and neat with smooth leather surface that is plush to my ears and breath quite well. Unfortunately, not as comfy as my 9H
. The overall construction is light with also very soft headband materials used. Through my testing, I can wear these for 5 hours without any issues. Although I do have one issues with the inner side of the earpads. The inner side has a different feeling leather than the outer side that touches my skin, and it feels kind of same like what Sennheiser used on their HD429 and HD449 (In this case, the RS175 as well, which I still have no idea why they used that paperish feeling earpads). But, it doesn't affect the comfort that these headphones offers, which is superb. Its just that the inner side might peel after some use if users are not careful enough to wipe any sweat or face oil on the earpads. In the end, in terms of comfort, the MDR-1A with its lightweight design with comfy leather earpads should satisfy most people.Sound Quality
The most important aspects in buying headphones, sound quality. How did they sound? Now, I did my testing using the Xonar Essence STX on my desktop, my HTC One X, and compared it directly against the Beyerdynamic DT770 Pro and Sony XBA-A2 as a cheaper in-ear alternatives. I haven't had any chance to try it out with any HI-RES Audio compatible devices, so all tests are made on WAV and 320KBPS files (the differences between MP3's 320 and lossless audio formats such as WAV's and FLAC's are not noticeable / hardly noticeable in most cases)
The previous MDR-1R doesn't actually provide tons of bass in the sub-bass region and mid-bass, but still adequate to keep the music interesting. However, the MDR-1A does quite the opposite. The lows are greatly emphasized on the MDR-1A, but never feel too overbearing. Comparing it with the DT770 Pro, the MDR-1A has deeper bass in the low end region, with punchy and satisfying quantity of bass. It is also quite expansive, but not as expansive as the DT770 Pro. Low end are slightly more defined in DT770 Pro, not to say the MDR-1A has sloppy bass, it has a good amount of definition and control in the bass department. Against the XBA-A2, it sounds quite similar with the MDR-1A provide fuller and more defined bass than the XBA-A2. I have to say the MDR-1A performs splendidly in the lows region.
The mids sounds very clear and clean on the MDR-1A. Vocals come in a bit more forward than the DT770 Pro and not as direct as the XBA-A2. With the lows emphasized, I'm actually surprised on how the well it blends in with the mids. I would say it is mildly recessed, but it is hardly noticeable. Male vocals sounds slightly less defined breathiness than female vocals, but still enjoyable. Instruments separation are not as great as the DT770 Pro, but it is not that hard identifying the directions of the instruments. Surprisingly, acoustic songs sounds fantastic and doesn't come with weird 'growling' sound from the low-end. Details in the mids are quite impressive, quite on par with DT770 Pro, and better than XBA-A2.
The highs are also a strong point for MDR-1A. It is crisp, lively sounding, while not being harsh to your ears. It is slightly rolled off, but you still get the sparkly highs that is on par with the DT770 Pro and close to HD598. Although it is not as delicate as DT770 Pro, which has a bit more engaging sound to it. Some people that prefers treble-emphasized sound signature would also be happy and entertained by how it sounds. In treble department, the MDR-1A are more forgiving than DT770 Pro, but not as forgiving as the HD598.
Soundstage is what I would say expansive and quite roomy for closed back design. Even though not as roomy as the DT770 Pro, I do think the MDR-1A does better than the M50X and XBA-A2. I would describe the overall sound signature as a quite balanced sounding, as it does not overpowering in any region, and performs very well in every department. Some purists might say that MDR-1A are bass-heavy and not for audiophiles, but this is actually not true. V-shaped sounding signature are proven to be balanced if they have the right amount of lows, mids and highs without over-emphasizing.
When driving these headphones, there is no problem using it with my HTC One X, but it doesn't performs at its best so to speak. Pairing it with the Xonar Essence STX brings out more details in the mids, cleaner sound and controlled bass.
Conclusion
The MDR-1A is a stylish looking headphone that sounds great, comfortable on your ear and travel-friendly with its carrying pouch. But is it worth every penny? Honestly, users might find the price tag a bit too high. There are other alternatives such as M50X and HD598. However, the MDR-1A are much,much more comfortable than M50X (yeah, that's right, thats 2 much
) and the HD598 are not as durable as MDR-1A. Whether it is worth the money or not, it is up to you to decide. In my opinion, the MDR-1A offers an enjoyable experience that is quite competitive at this price range.PROS :
- Stylish design with low-profile and sleek looks
- Sounds great with deep, defined lows and brilliant highs
- Extremely comfortable
- Included carrying pouch and 2 cables
CONS :
- Price tag (RM1,059)
- Long term reliability for the earpads (inner side)
- Would have like a 3m cable, but this is just my personal opinion
Comfy, sounds great and looks amazing
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