Customer Reviews

Sony MDR1R Prestige Headphones - Silver

I needed a pair of headphones for mutiple uses at home (Laptop/Drum-Kit/TV), but mostly music.

I had quickly heard a pair in Black in a well known retail store, and thought I'd try a pair at home properly when I saw them in Silver.

They come in a nice presentation box (although mine had suffered too much damage in posting to warrant keeping, so set was sent back), with 2x cables (detachable from the left side can). One has in-line mic/controls, the other is straight-through. And a pull cord bag for portable use.

Sound wise:

These headphones have a fantastic mid-range and upper-bass area. I makes music drive along with pace and punch and authority with lovely addictive timimg. I tried these up against Beyer 770 (600), Philips X1's, Sennheiser HD598's, AT-ATHA550X's, Soundmagic HP100's and they beat all of these for mid-range drive.

Since pretty much most of the vocal/instrumentation occurs in the mid-range, this makes for a very pleasing listen to modern rock/pop/dance in fact anything other than large scale orchestral or Hip-Hop is really good.

But is has 2 weaknesses.

1. The Bass, is very Punchy (which is a great quality), but could use a bit more extension down deep and you do miss it on odd tracks and orchestral works.

2. They do occasionally reveal sibilance in the top end, albeit it very mild and not something overly noticed.

This means a 4 rather than 5 stars.

That said, they had fairly good sound isolation and, in my opinion, great looks in Silver/Brown. They are also very, very comfortable (some of the best comfort Cans I've had), and fold flat. So, for a stylish pair for outdoor/indoor use, with anything modern/chart (which is clearly Sony's target audience), these are cracking pair of Cans that will put smiles on a lot of faces. And if you fit that audience, then call it 5 Stars.

Build quality is impressive, has that quality feel about them without being heavy, are very light on your head and supremely comfortable.

They are a slightly dark sounding headphone, on the bassy side of neutral, with an emphasis on mid bass with the sub bass region somewhat rolled off. Very good instrument separation with an above average soundstage for a closed headphone, vocals aren't in your face forward, and treble has a nice sparkle without sounding sibilant.

These are very easy to drive, getting nice and loud running them from an HTC HD2 smartphone, Google Nexus 7 tablet and a Cowon J3 PMP.

All in all they are a very musical headphone that you can plug into anything and get plenty loud, a pleasure to listen to.

This is the second set of premium headphones I've had the privilege to experience recently - I bought my father a set of Sennheiser Momentums which I've also reviewed on Amazon. These Sony MDR-1Rs reek of quality in terms of presentation, construction and performance. As I see it these are the pros and cons of these high end cans -

Pros

- The presentation and construction are first class - the MDR-1Rs come in a book type case and are beautifully engineered. They have the same sort of understated styling that an Audi or Mercedes has. All the metalwork, joints, cables and earcups are finished to the highest standard.

- Included in the box is a stylish carry pouch and two, non-tangle cables - one with a remote for iPhone use, the other a shorter length for other devices - that can be plugged in to the side of the left earcup.

- The comfort and fit of these headphones is very good, and it seems more than chance as two friends have tried them too and think the same. They are light plus there is a wide range of adjustment and the "cans" don't need to press into your head to achieve a good acoustic seal which doesn't leak sound to the outside world. In addition, the headband is very well padded and you can wear these headphones for long periods without fatigue.

- The sound quality is stunning. The treble/mid-range is very distinct and agile whilst the bass is quite pronounced but still remains natural. Also, the sound stage seems really wide - with some closed back headphones the stage is inclined to sound a bit narrow. That is not at all the case with these Sony MDR-1Rs that were developed in direct consultation with pop musicians. Singer songwriter Katy B and Magnetic Man joined evaluation sessions with chief mastering engineer Naweed Ahmed of Whitfield Mastering to produce these cans.

Cons

- Some sound seems to get in when on the move, although, as mentioned above there is little leakage from inside the phones.
- The headband doesn't fold although the earpieces do fold flat.
- The MDR-1Rs are not as neutral as the Sennheiser Momentums - there's certainly an emphasis on bass (but then that reflects a lot of contemporary music).

Overall, these Sony headphones really do deliver an excellent sound and are very comfortable to use either at home or on the move. I don't think you'll experience listening fatigue as a result of the fit or audio quality of these phones. Also, their construction suggests they'll last a long time and survive the rough and tumble of life on the move. In my opinion these Sony MDR-1Rs fully justify their price tag. Recommended.

(There are noise cancelling (MDR-1RNC) and Bluetooth (MDR-1RBT) variants of these MDR-1R headphones available too).

Build quality is impressive, has that quality feel about them without being heavy, are very light on your head and supremely comfortable.

They are a slightly dark sounding headphone, on the bassy side of neutral, with an emphasis on mid bass with the sub bass region somewhat rolled off. Very good instrument separation with an above average soundstage for a closed headphone, vocals aren't in your face forward, and treble has a nice sparkle without sounding sibilant.

These are very easy to drive, getting nice and loud running them from an HTC HD2 smartphone, Google Nexus 7 tablet and a Cowon J3 PMP.

All in all they are a very musical headphone that you can plug into anything and get plenty loud, a pleasure to listen to.

Sony's MDR-1R headphones have been around for well over a year now and they are designed for use with digital devices like smart-phones and MP3 players - and for this purpose they sound great! They are not really intended for studio reference or audiophile use though, as they are not completely neutral. I listen with headphones quite often and this Sony model is my current favourite.

Sony have launched a newer model - the MDR-10R - which currently sells for less, even the model including Bluetooth is much cheaper at the time of this review. Those looking for headphones to use on the go, or those looking for a more powerful bass response, my find the newer model suits them better. I use both, and I find the MDR-1R is my favourite for using at home and the MDR-10RBT is great when out-and-about as the Bluetooth is a really useful feature, and the extra bass helps block external noise.

Oh wow, these headphones impress. Now, I am no stranger to high quality, hi-fi sound. To start off, I am not the largest fan of completely neutral headphones as is evident in my other reviews. Now, these 'phones are not neutral, like for example the Sennheiser Momentum. If you want pure sound with absolutely no coloration, then those are for you. I will warn you however, their sound, for me at least, is too clinical and too "reference".

Back to 1R. These are awesome in pretty much every way. You can listen to any music genre and the tunes really sing. I have tried these with EDM, Rock, Pop, female and male vocal, Alternative Rock and Classical. These have a very interesting sound signature which I have yet to hear from any headphones. They are very easy to listen to and will never tire with their excellent mids, punchy bass as well as sparkly and exciting highs.

Bass:
Some reviewers have said that they do not lack some low end punch. I would mostly have to disagree, although they do have something to base it on. If you are listening to "WHUMP WHUMP WHUMP" sort of music, sure, these aren't going to rumble and blast bass into your eardrum UNLESS you amp them or tweak with the EQ. That is fairly easily done and have the desired effect in Dubstep. The rest of the base is beautifully presented and sound nothing short of awesome. In my opinion, they have the kind of bass that works for every genre, not just basted bass like the beats. Now I am a basshead, and trust me, if I say there is enough bass, then there is enough bass :), unless of course you really like headphones vibrating on your skull, which personally I would rather use a sub woofer for. 9/10

Mids:
This is where the 1R's really shine. The mids are beautifully presented and are crisp, clear and sound amazing. I would actually say that these headphones are the closest I would go to "reference" sound because of these slightly boosted mids that give these that special sound that personally I love. You have to try them on and listen to it, or better yet, buy them and then burn them in for a good 20 hours and then listen. They will sound great. 10/10

Highs:
The highs are sparkly in a good way. They are presented in a very slightly recessed manner so that they are not overwhelming and it is this that takes away that reference feel from them. I personally really enjoy the treble on these, and most other people listening to more modern music will too. Don't get me wrong, they still sound really impressive despite the highs and as mentioned, I personally prefer highs that are not too overpowering, as with the Beyerdynamic DT770 80 Ohm. 9/10

Comfort:
The comfort of these is probably the best I have felt on an earphone so far. The pads are incredibly soft. I mean so soft that you can't even compare it to other earpads that use real or faux leather. They are sublime. 10/10

Isolation:
The isolation on these, being closed headphones is adequate. I have heard better isolation from headphones before, but it will do on the bus. However, don't even try to take them on the tube. The isolation won't block out that thundery sound too well at all.

Overall then, I would recommend these headphones to everyone that wants a pair of easy to listen to and outstandingly sounding headphones. Sure if, you are a seasoned audiophile with a �700 Sennheiser HD 800 and a similarly priced amp, these won't cut it, but for the rest of us, I would certainly say "go get 'em".

This item arrived promptly, and what a pair of headphones. I all ready had a pair of Sony noise cancelling headphones which are great but these are different class. Sounds are great, the power is brilliant, clear when loud and I would highly recommend these to anyone who loves their music.

The 3.5mm jacks for the replaceable cables don't fit the socket in the headphones very snugly. While this doesn't affect the sound quality, it can communicate noise into the left earpiece when the cable moves e.g., when you are walking. Minor quibble, and not enough to regret the purchase.

Usual premium look and feel from Sony. Am a Sony fan. Good sound and good noise cancelling effect too. However, wasn't blown away, for some reason. My first overhead headphones, found it bit uncomfortable wearing it for long. Also, I couldn't lie down or sit comfortably. May be, it is subjective and my personal feeling. Or my expectations are too high, don't know.

Hence, had to return it. As always, great service from Amazon. Thanks to the hard working staff at Amazon.

These headphones were purchased as a Christmas gift. My boyfriend loved it and has not taken it off since! He has said these are the best headphones he has ever had. On the rare occasion he has allowed me to use them the sound quality was superb and the noise cancelling was awesome. I might have to buy one for me!!