Sony MDR-1A Prestige Overhead Headphones - Black

Product Information

Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. No surprise really, given the 40mm drivers are said to be capable of delivering a 3-100,000Hz frequency response, which is way outside of human hearing capability at both the low- and high-end.

This kind of bass emphasis is of course the norm among style headphones, but is a sign that the ‘Hi-Res’ tag is there for the most part because these are supposedly ‘high-end’ headphones and that Hi-Res Audio is the current buzzword in hi-fi. Perhaps it would be a guilty pleasure to whip out every now and then, or it might even be so bad I would appreciate what I already have even more. The earcups can also rotate sideways thanks to an enfolding design that makes transport easier in that carry case.

It doesn't sound significantly bloated on most tracks and has a decently (but not very) solid texture, but can certainly get somewhat boomy at times and become fluid-sounding on bass-heavy tracks--again, typical for more "consumer"-oriented headphones, but leagues better than most in that regard.

The mid-upper part of the Sony’s mids is slightly recessed, making vocals sound a little hollow as more of the sense of the vocal’s detail is made up of higher frequencies. pic of metallic parts) The silver version has this very cool gold accent by the headphone connector that appears as part of Sony’s Hi-Res audio branding it has adopted as of late. Because the testing occurred on a crowded show floor, it was relatively hard to make out the subtle nuances of the headphones.Your perception of music is temporarily altered; in that sense the MDR-1A is really quite like a drug. Not to the point that you feel like the headphones themselves aren't secure, but such minute repositioning can make a difference to sound - and if the drivers aren't central to your ears then the high-end can dip a little.

Fortunately, these headphones perform so well that these minor gripes become forgotten the moment you hit “play”. Bass-lovers will, as usual, have to go to companies like Beats or Skullcandy for the beefy lows but those seeking balanced audio will appreciate the MDR-1AM2.I felt the midbass on the Z7 was also a bit too strong relative to the mids and highs, the short time that I owned it. The headphones, it should be pointed out, were connected to one of Sony’s Hi-Def Walkman, the NW ZX300, which was only playing hi-res FLAC files. As tough as we find that to swallow, though, these are great wireless headphones whose practical success and fun sound makes them thoroughly enjoyable.