Sony MDR-1R Headphones

[Analog]

Packaging 

 

 

The Sony MDR-1R come packaged in a very sleek hard cardboard box, which black from the outside and inside. This creates the impression that you are really buying a quality product. I appreciate little things like that. 

 

 

 

 

The headphones themselves are put in a what at the first glance looks as a foamy surface, though when  further inspected it is actually a plastic outer shell covered in an extremely thin, but surprisingly good feeling silk-alike textile material. 

 

 

 

 

Inside the box one can find the headphones themselves, two detachable 3.5mm cables (1.2m each) and a nice rugged bag for the headphones. There are two cables, because one of them is obviously designed to be used with a media device since it has a volume rocker and an omni directional mic, however this feature only works with iOS devices which is quite disappointing... Also the fact that both cables are only 1.2m makes them completely unable to be plugged in the back of the motherboard or in a DAC/AMP, which are not right by your side. Considering the fact that these are 200USD  headphones, Sony could have at lest included one longer cable with these. Other than that both cables are good quality and are gold-plated. 

 

 

 

 

 

The Product - Sony MDR-1R

 

 

These headphones are available in two colors - black/red and silver/brown, however I should note that the silver/brown ones cost about 20USD more than the standard black/red ones. Considering that there is nothing special about the silver/brown headphones, I can't really understand why they have to cost more... 

 

 

The headphones are mostly made out of plastic and a little bit of metal. Although the hinges look like aluminum, they are actually some kind of fancy painted plastic. Surprisingly though it feels quite good. Thanks to this choice of materials on behalf of Sony, these headphones are extremely light and can be comfortably used for quite long time whiteout putting unwanted strain on your head.

 

The padding on the ear cups is not too large and really soft, even too soft. This can potentially cause some problems to people who's ears are bit bigger. Mine are kind of medium sized and I haven't got any problems with them even when I use them for 6-7h strait. The ear cups have a closed design, however interestingly they they don't keep your ears warm. I haven't yet experience any kind of discomfort or sweating after long use. I must give Sony points for this.  

 

The padding on the headband is very thick, despite the fact that it doesn't look that way. It provides amazing comfort once the headset is on your head. I usually wear my headphones for 6-7, even soemtimes 8h per day and I feel no strain on my head at all.  

 

 

On the bottom of the left ear cup one can find the 3.5mm jack where the detachable cable connects to headphone. I really like the modular interface, because this gives you the possibility to use any other 3.5mm to 3.5mm cable to connect these headphones to the desired devices. It also adds to the portability and facilitates the transportation of the headphones in their case. 

 

 

Specs

 

Drivers - 40mm (HD driver unit)

Diaphragm - Liquid Crystal Polymer Film Diaphragm

Frequency Response (Hz) - 4-80,000Hz

Sensitivity (dB/mW) - 105dB/mW

Magnet - Neodymium

Impedance (Ohm) - 48 Ω at 1 kH

Weight (g) - 240g

 

 

 

Sound Quality

 

I'll say right from the start that these headphones have indeed an amazing sound quality and that stays like this throughout all of the sound ranges even at maximum volume. Everything is clear and good sounding, I have no complaints here, however that is just me.

 

These headphones are definitely not suited for everyone, since although they are not advertised as reference headphone they do sound quite flat. I have tried them with a more bass-aggressive EQ, but that doesn't really help that much. Anyway, the bass that they do provide is neither deep, nor punchy. Some of the songs, which are usually considered even too bass-heavy like, for example, Steve Mac ft Mosquito - Loving You More (Freemasons Remix), Mt. Eden - Sierra Leone just feel flat and dull.

 

Other than that the headphones are particularly good in the mids and highs, without sounding too open. This makes them perfect for watching videos and movies, where too much bass and washed up vocals can be a real problem. Watching movies and YouTube videos on my tablet or smart phone with these headphones is joy.

 

Conclusion

 

The Sony MDR-1R are a good pair of headphones designed to compete mainly with fashion headphones like the SkullCandy or Beats and it does a damn good job at that. However, considering their price Sony should have put a little bit more effort into mainly the packaging and the accessories, a point where the above mentioned brands shine. Anyway, if you are looking into some good, reliable headphones, which not only sound good, but look good and are light as well and you are willing to make the sacrifice of the lesser bass, these are for you.

 

Pros:

- Good build quality

- Light weight 

- Good looking

- Clear sound (especially vocals)

- Very comfortable

- Priced well compared to other fashion headphones

 

Cons:

- Mic and volume control only works with iOS

- The included cables are too short to reach anything other than your pocket

- Not enough emphasis on bass

 

 

PS: The pictures in this review are from the Internet.

[hawaiims]

Hmmmm..  I never thought about this, but these headphones would actually be great as a headset using a v-moda boommic. The 3.5mm input seems to have no locking mechanism and just be a standard 3.5mm plug so it should work out. That way you could use this as a headset without a clunky cable or taping something to the earcup. 

[Youbetternot]

How much are these?

[Izaya Orihara]

How much are these?

200$. 

[TastyRabbit]

I've got a pair of mdr-55. I found them to have amazing audio quality for the price. I paid about £40 for them and use a condenser mic. I tested loads of headphones in the shop and found the Sony one preferable to my ears than the beats etc...

[Sors]

The Mic and central button in the controller do work in android, I use them with my Xperia SP and all the commands work (1 press to play/pause, 2 presses for next song, 3 presses for previous song).   The volume + and - do not work though.

 

I also use these as headset in the PS4. 

[iceballfunela]

4-80,000 hz frequency response, because you'll definitely hear all that shit.

[peaking duck]

good write up..thanks

[Lays]

They look pretty cool.

 

I wish more headphones came with detachable cables.

[linusforsell]

I actually tried to get Linus to pick up a pair of MDR-1RBT (the Bluetooth version) to add some more variance to his lineup of headphone reviews; It's a great pair of headphones, albeit a bit pricey, but you also get what you pay for: Pure quality sound and build.

 

Regarding the bass, I feel that if you get a good seal on your ears, and crank the volume waay up, the base becomes incredible (especially when run over BT) while still maintaining clarity in both mids and highs — It's addictive!

[Heisenbleurgh]

These remind me a little of the Sennheiser Momentums. Looks good and the previous Sony headphones I've tried have a nice sound quality too.

[LorelynF]

Nice review, very informative and concise.

[BabaBooey]

I actually tried to get Linus to pick up a pair of MDR-1RBT (the Bluetooth version) to add some more variance to his lineup of headphone reviews; It's a great pair of headphones, albeit a bit pricey, but you also get what you pay for: Pure quality sound and build.

 

Regarding the bass, I feel that if you get a good seal on your ears, and crank the volume waay up, the bass becomes incredible (especially when run over BT) while still maintaining clarity in both mids and highs — It's addictive!

I bought the BT version recently, and I love them. They are so comfortable, but they may be a little warm, especially during summer time.

The base is great and the sound quality overall is great. I have tried other BT headphones before and they weren't great, but the MDR-1RBT blew me away.

They are as you say, a bit pricey, I bought mine for 2500 NOK(412 USD), but they are totally worth it. The cords of my headphones/earphones drove me mad, and now I can travel with the Sony's, free of the damn cord and I get to enjoy great sound

[Dragonzeanse]

After using my Sony MDR-X05s, I forgot that they also make reference-sounding headphones. This is a good review, but I'd add more detail to the sound category. Try listing your benchmarks (what games you play, what videos you watch) and including more variety like different genres and songs.