Sony MDR1A Premium Hi-Res Stereo Headphones (Black)

I'm reviewing this MDR1A while keeping a few popular headphones that i also own in mind as this is the only way i can describe how i think this is "good". Within this current price range and below, I currently own V-Moda Crossfade M-100, Audio Technica ATH-M50X, and the Sony MDR-V6. I primarily use my headphones for mobile and PC audio, buying CDs to turn them to lossless digital if i can help it. If not, then MP3s with usually 192 kbps or higher quality. (PC has ASUS Xonar Essence STX sound card.)Impressions and stuff i learned quickly:-Light- a lot lighter than expected, well built, feels comfortable, sound quality is good, looks good without looking gimmicky/flashy.-Sound does leak out but not too bad. Will depend on how loud you play and how tight this fits on your head.-The mid-low to low frequencies sound good without being overpowered and muddying the mids to high frequencies.-Some might consider the sound from this as "warm".-In-line mic sound good on Skype and phone test. Susceptible to recording/picking up noise easily when moving around (brushing against shirt, etc.).-Even though the in-line one-button remote works with Android phones, the music/media control is limited by default. - play, pause, answer/end call works, no volume or skip/reverse functionality.-The Smartkey app that is suggested for the in-line remote to have more functionality does not properly work with an HTC One (M8). I read on the fine print that this app usually only works fine on Sony's Xperia Android phones.-This one seems like it has a few changes compared to previous iterations such as the MDR1R but i haven't tried those so i can't comment on them.I'm not a professional audiophile of any sort. This is just my opinion as a consumer with limited experience. I'm just a consumer who likes to find a good sounding, comfortable headphones that plays sound as accurate as possible. That being said, I think this pair is not the "flattest" sounding that i've used. I still have my old Sony MDR-V6 which i consider as "flat" sounding, meaning it doesn't have overpowered base and/or eardrum screeching treble. Though some might find it weak in the bass.I would consider the MDR1A close (but not the same) to the ATH-M50X in overall sound and comfort. Both are comfortable in part of their big, soft swiveling ear cups. This helps it in adapting to any angles on the sides of your head. This, however, partly weakens the clamping grip if you're using it while lying on your back (the M50X especially since it's heavier).The difference is that the MDR1A's mid-low to low frequency sounds 'better'. I'm not sure if its wider Frequency response spectrum (3Hz-100kHz compared to the M50X's 15-28kHz) plays a part in it. The difference between three to fifteen Hertz for the bass might not be a big deal though. (Also, I don't think 100kHz can be heard by humans anyway.) This smaller spectrum range might also be why the M50X sounds comfortable as it puts out frequencies only within usual ranges, but can sometimes sound "too comfortable". This IS a plus but can sometimes make certain bass heavy parts of some songs sound minutely less punchy. (NOTE: VERY minutely that you might not even notice overall.) But like i said I'm not much an audiophile so... eh.The MDR1A earcup materials is soft, comfortable, and does not muddle the mids and lows (like a lot of "gaming headphones" (Razer Kraken "PRO".... lol)). The main thing/s i can compare between this and the V-Moda M-100 is difference in comfort. I can say that their bass punchiness is comparable to a point. But sometimes the M-100 has the tendency to make audio sound like i'm listening through a box (or boxlike room) meant to make the bass sound better. Half the time it's awesome, but sometimes feeling like listening through a box is not. The build quality on both MDR1A and M-100 are superb regardless of different materials used. The M-100 has good metalic parts that gives it a premium feel and heft and therefore a little bit heavier. The clamping force might be hard because the ear cups don't swivel. The ear cup shape is unique but smaller compared to the MDR1A.The MDR1A has softer ear cups pads and headband. The ear cup pads are angled to be thicker in the bottom to help seal in the sound. As mentioned above, the swiveling helps in making this comfortable. And did i mention the MDR1A is a lot lighter? Because IT IS a lot lighter. Not being able to fold it to be more compact might be a big deal for others.Would i recommend these? Yes. For this price tag? More likely if it was closer to the M50X's price.

I'm an audio junkie for sure but I've always focused on loud speakers with big amps and such. All of my audio gear is out being serviced for smoke damage after a fire. So, what is a guy to do in a small, temporary living space? Headphones!I'm extremely picky but also not independently wealthy so I try to find the 90% mark with my audio choices. After a certain point the sound/quality improvement is minimal for the additional cost. These headphones fit that bill for me!Sound is wonderful and full. The bass is solid and hits really low but doesn't sound excessive or bloated. Mids and vocals are smooth and present. Highs are detailed and without any harshness (at least at the moderate volumes I use). As others have noted, these may not be studio or reference cans. These are for enjoyment! I want accuracy but I'm fine with a little tweak here and there and Sony got this very right with these. I listen to a wide range of music at 320 bitrate and everything just works with these.Fit, finish and quality are above average. The "leather" is likely all synthetic or hybrid and time will tell how well it holds up. Comfort is very, very good! The foam isn't super thick but it's very soft and is comfortable for hours on end.I didn't like the right angle cord they came with. Amazon has a compatible 9ft straight cord that works great. I also added a small USB DAC (NextDrive Spectra Portable USB DAC) and that improved the sound drastically!I tried Audio Technica ATH-M50x before these and they weren't comfortable and the sound quality wasn't even close! I also tried Edifier P841's. They are significantly less money so not a fair comparison in that way. Sound quality was just not remotely good enough.SIVGA SV006 were also tried. I almost kept them. They are better than their price suggests. I liked the wood back and overall look. They just weren't comfortable enough and when compared A-B with these Sony's it wasn't even a contest. If your budget is under $100 then you will likely be very happy with them, though.