Sony MDR-CD900ST Studio Monitor Stereo Headphones (Japan Import)

I have been using a well broken-in pair (and much reviled by the headfi.org crowd) of Koss Pro4AAAT for some now. I wanted to try something new and bought these. My decision was based on several factors. These have rave reviews everywhere. I recall reading a post somewhere that the midrange these headphones produce is "magic". But it is more than having been reviewed by golden-eared kids on headfi.org - these are supposedly used in all the studios in Asia by real professionals who make the music that we listen to, and they should know what a good pair of headphones should sound like. These headphones are also considered by many to be superior to the popular highly regarded Sony 7506 headphones. I listened to a number of studio monitor headphones but I never heard Sony 7506. I owned a very similar model, a highly rated Senal SMH-1000, and I gave it up because it sounded too abrasive to my ears. Anyway, Sony MDR-CD9000ST is a very good looking pair of headphones, except for that cheesy 80's "for digital" sticker, as if someone still makes headphones strictly for analog music. The headphones are slim and not overbuilt, but the fit and finish is excellent. They are very light and comfortable. I could keep them on for hours. Compared to these, my Koss headphones feel like two bricks squeezing my head, although I am used to it. But the sound did not impress me. The sonic signature was similar to the Senal headphones, except that the sound was much more delicate and refined. Still, to me the headphones sounded "zingy", "hissy" and "wispy" - bright, sibilant, lightweight and thin. I listened to the headphones for about 20-30 hours and nothing seemed to change. I really wanted to keep these but I like what I like so I am going to have to give them up and go back to my Koss phones. Although I did not care for their sound, I am still going to rate these five stars, because these are very popular professional quality headphones that have their purpose - maybe the studio mixes created by using them turn out to be superior? Unfortunately, only a few models of headphones are available locally to be auditioned, and they are typically the least expensive ones. So we end up relying on amateur reviews to make purchasing decisions. These reviews really don't mean much, because we all have our individual preferences. The self-professed experts throw around terms like soundstage, bass quantity, treble extension, and whether there is a midbass hump or a low treble suckout. You can read stuff like "V-shaped dark presentation" and similar nonsense. Manufacturers would probably laugh if they read some of those reviews. What matters the most to me is how the headphones are voiced. I like gorgeous, fleshed out tones. When I hear an instrument, like a piano or a violin, I listen for the body and texture of the sound. When I hear a drum, I want to feel the energy of the impact. My advice is to listen to these before buying.

I purchased these because of how fond I've been of my MDR-7506 cans- I had done a bit of research that basically indicated to me that these were a tinge more warm and colorful than the MDR-7506's extremely clean and neutral presentation- this is true! These were introduced to market in 1988 and are visually adorned with marketing that says they're "For digital"- my speculation is that these headphones are tuned a little warm to compensate for the shock many listeners would have had going from the warmth and subtle ambiance in analog music to the comparatively sharp and fuzz-less digital sound on the newfangled CDs of the time. If that was the intent, I would say it was a success! These add a layer of color and a light warm roundness to digital music, without making big sacrifices in terms of accuracy and technicality. Compared with the MDR-7506, I would say they have a slightly narrower soundstage and are minimally less technical, but with the tradeoff benefit of that endearing extra warmth and character. I would use the MDR-7506 if accuracy was top priority, but these have less capacity to become fatiguing for long listening sessions and breathe a different sort of life into digital music. On the physical end of things, they're thankfully built Sony studio-tough. Worth noting, these came with a 1/4 in jack and no 3.5 adapter, so if you're planning on interfacing with more modern consumer electronics, you'll likely want to grab an adapter separately. Clamping force is not excessive but perhaps a bit more than on the MDR-7506 (can't say this definitively as my 7506 cans have had a nice headstart breaking in). The MDR-7506 has a longer cable but is more managable due to it being coiled- I've found I need to shorten the cable on these using an easy rubber band solution. Earpads are a refurbishment you should plan on making at some point, as the crumpled pleather is notorious for turning nasty and flaking out over time. All in all, these are great! The MDR line from around this time earned their reputation as spectacular all-time monitors- the biggest compliment I can pay these is that every time I listen to them, I can't believe how great they sound for how old they are, technologically.

There are allot of new amazing headphones out there, all with 'promises, promises'.. The MDR CD900 ST are the last of the loved MDR red band models.. 'They don't build them like they used too !!'.. Yes they do... these are it. 'There has to be a middle ground, a reference we can all work from'.. these are it. 'It's a harsh line between a studio headphone that's flat & a hi fi headphone that makes everything sound great'., These are it. If you're young & itchy, go buy yourself a pair of the Rode NTH100, if you've been in the industry longer than the young have been alive, & you don't want to risk regret with the MDR-M1ST.. treat yourself to a trusted classic. These are the bright eyed, slightly older but hotter sister of the MDR7506. Only negative, (which isn't really a negative ) is that these are 'on ear' not 'over ear' but don't let that put you off, check out YAXI ear pads.. as pictured, amazing.. even with my massive ears, turned these into the most comfortable over ear headphones I've ever worn, could not be happier.

Satisfait merci

Esta es una opinión subjetiva y personal…Realmente valen cada centavo. Frecuencia plana, sonido que no miente, ideal para mezclar grabaciones. No son para escuchar música de manera casual mientras vas a la escuela, o para Djs (a menos que sean músicos de verdad que tengan la capacidad de ejecutar un instrumento y no solo poner play en una maquina). Son para mezclar, escuchar errores en la grabación y corregir ejecuciones por un precio razonable; mucho muy superiores para mezcla que los Sony MDR 7506, estos últimos son mas para escuchar música lúdicamente que para trabajar en ella. Muchos se quejan de los cojines y recomiendan comprar reemplazo. Yo no lo creo así, no son incomodos, son ligeros y de buena calidad, a menos que tengas orejas anormalmente grandes. De cualquier manera Yo recomiendo no usar ningún tipo de audífono por tiempos prolongados, no solo porque te resulten incomodos, sino porque el nivel de audición de tu oído pagará el precio, no es correcto y no hay vuelta atrás en el daño. En fin, excelentes audífonos.

私の1番の購入動機は、「 THE FIRST TAKE 」で使われているものと同じものが欲しかったためです。もともとSONYの音作りは私の耳にあっているので、所有感も満たされて大満足です。デザインはちょっと古臭いけど、あと修理出来る所が良いですね。長く愛用できそうで活躍しそうです。

Excelentes audífonos para trabar por horas, no exageran ni mienten, tus mezclas van a sonar estériles y planas de primera, pero si trabajas lo suficiente te darás cuenta que te exigen lo máximo de ti y el resultado final será de la mejor calidad, tengo los Sony mdr v6 y los sony mdr 7506, se de lo que habló. Espero aprovechen y los compren!