Why You Don't Need Hi-Res Headphones. What are Hi-Res Headphones? And will Hi-Res headphones sound better than regular ones? Headphones wired with hi res audio support

This year, Sony is pushing the Hi-Res quality devices to the masses. Today I'm going to talk about full-size top-of-the-line headphones, which are an update of the very popular MDR-1R model, but with a new driver design that supports an extended dynamic range of up to 100,000 kHz, while maintaining thoughtful ergonomics and stylish appearance.

Design, ergonomics

The first thing that catches your eye - MDR-1A look expensive and restrained at the same time.

The headphones give the impression of a quality product, which is confirmed when you pick them up and put them on your head. The assembly here is at the highest level, all the details fit perfectly, the headphones do not hang out and will definitely last for many years.

The design uses metal - for beautiful, perfectly curved rims, as well as the outer surface of the cups.

In addition, the headband is also made of metal, it is complemented by a soft pad trimmed with black leatherette. The ear cushions are made of the same material, and the cups themselves are covered with a mesh fabric through which the speakers themselves are clearly visible.

The earbuds are very comfortable and ergonomic. Firstly, the headband with the ability to adjust the length in a wide range will allow you to adjust the MDR-1A to literally any adult head size. At the same time, the soft pad does not put pressure on the crown of the head at all even after many hours in the headphones, because they do not weigh that much - 225 g.

Secondly, soft ear cushions completely envelop the ears, providing comfort, but not the best sound isolation. In addition, these are "sitting" headphones - with sudden movements of the head, they strive to fly off, but this does not mean that you cannot listen to music on the road, they sit very well for these purposes. There is one huge plus in this for everyone - you don’t get tired of the headphones at all, I calmly sit in them a full day without discomfort.

And third, but no less important - the cups have a swivel design for more ergonomic placement on the head, about 15 ˚ outward, and also 180 ˚ inward for comfortable positioning on the neck and transportation.

Another important constructive plus is a detachable cable that connects to a connector built into the rim.

This solution will allow the use of a cord of any required length, and will also facilitate the replacement of the cable if the native one has died. By the way, the MDR-1A comes with two detachable 1.2-meter embossed cables with two 3.5 mm gold-plated plugs - a straight one for connecting to headphones, and an L-shaped one for connecting to a device for audio playback.

The second cable is also complemented by a remote control with a microphone for using the headphones with mobile devices.

In addition, along with the MDR-1A in a chic box there is also a soft carrying case with an additional pocket, in which it is convenient to put cables and a player.

Sound

Let's start with the materiel. Unlike its predecessor, the MDR-1A uses 40mm aluminum-coated LCD polymer drivers, which are capable of delivering the widest frequency range of 3-100,000Hz. The resistance is 24 ohms and the sensitivity is 105 dB/mW. Therefore, headphones can be used in conjunction not only with audiophile players that support Hi-Res sound. They are easily "pulled out" even by ordinary smartphones, tablets and laptops. There are no problems with this.

Interestingly, the MDR-1A allows you to hear new notes in your favorite tracks even when playing music from a regular phone, but the headphones perform best with a high-quality sound source. In my case, this is a Sony NWZ-A15 () with 16bit/48kHz and 24bit/96kHz FLAC recordings.

MDR-1A provide surround, deep and most detailed sound - you can hear every nuance of the composition, every string, every note. At the same time, the sound is universal - the headphones equally well reproduce soft vocal compositions, heavy rock recordings and electronic compositions saturated with diverse sounds. I would say that the sound is dominated by bass quite a bit, behind which highs and mids can be lost. Probably, the low frequencies here are more sonorous and deep, compared to the soft mids and crystal clear high frequencies. But this does not spoil the overall impression at all, and even more so does not spoil the sound quality. It's more of the MDR-1A's unique charm that I really liked. Moreover, the sound is the purest, without sibilants and artifacts, while the frequency balance is maintained regardless of the playback volume level.

Impressions

Perhaps the main thing in the Sony MDR-1A is their versatility. They are suitable for any mobile, computer and audiophile devices, and will delight both ordinary users and Hi-Res sound fans with fancy preamps and hefty players with high-quality, balanced, clear and maximally live sound.

PECULIARITIES:

Gorgeous design.

High build quality.

Convenient design.

Versatility.

The highest sound quality.

Wide frequency range.

SPECIFICATIONS:

• Model Sony MDR-1A
• Weight 225g without cord
• Type dynamic, full-size, closed
• neodymium magnet type
• Emitter 40 mm, domed
• Frequency range 3 - 100,000 Hz
• Nominal impedance 24 ohms at 1 kHz
• Sensitivity 105 dB/mW
• Plug L-shaped, gold-plated Jack 3.5
• Cord length 1.2 m, detachable
• Optional cord with remote control and microphone, carrying case

Despite the explosive popularity of music streaming services that offer listeners compressed audio, more and more manufacturers are releasing equipment that supports playback of high-quality audio files. Panasonic has also jumped on this trend by introducing headphones that proudly display the High Res Sound badge on the box: the Panasonic HD10.

Contents of delivery

Headphones are supplied in a package that already at first glance shows that we are not facing ordinary headphones, but something more interesting. Inside the box are: the headphones themselves, a 1.2 meter cable, a 3 meter cable, a soft case and an adapter for a 6.3 mm jack.

Design

By design, we have a symbiosis of solutions from Audio-Technica and Sony. When you pick up the Panasonic HD10 for the first time, you understand that these are the spitting image of Sony 1A or slightly modified Audio-Technica MSR7. The bowls are made of metal, the headband and ear pads are covered with a pleasant leather substitute. The model looks neat and stylish on the head, in general, the appearance is 5 points.

Ergonomics

The most important distinguishing feature of the HD series models is the ability to horizontally adjust the bowls - no one has done this before Panasonic. The design of the HD10 itself is comfortable, you can listen to music for hours, there will be no discomfort.

The ear pads are soft and fit snugly to the head, the range of adjustments is very wide, everyone can find a position for themselves. The bowls rotate almost 180 degrees, thereby allowing you to find the most convenient angle. The ear pads completely cover the ears.

sound

Testing was carried out both using a classic DAC with an ASUS EONE MKII MUSES amplifier, and in a pair of FiiO E12 Mont Blanc portable amplifier + FiiO X5 II player. An iPhone 6s was also used as a daily music source.

When the next creation of Beyerdynamic, JBL, Sony, Audio-Technica and Ko comes out, you subconsciously understand that such companies do not make bad headphones. But when a new Hi-Fi model from Panasonic comes out, which are more known for their affordable ear plugs for 200 UAH, then initially you are wary of it. Of course, there is a Panasonic sub-brand called Technics, under which excellent DJ headphones come out, but that's all, the company does not do any audiophile frills. But such a move is even more interesting and beneficial for an ordinary buyer, because now there is another cool player on the market and in its price category - Panasonic HD10.

From the first time, the sound of the HD10 surprises and pleases very much, everything plays so cleanly and expressively. All overtones, details, every guitar chord and drum roll are heard. After the first listening, you understand that it’s not just that the High Res Sound nameplate flaunts on the packaging - it really is HD in the world of audio. The sound is V-shaped, with distinct low and high frequencies, but if the low ones are beautifully and accurately set, then there are questions about the high ones. It cannot be said that they spoil everything, but if you directly compare it with top competitors in this price range in the manner of the Audio-Technica M50 and Sony 1A, then the difference is felt - the opponents have a smoother sound, while the Panasonic creation has a more cinematic and softer one. This sound is achieved with the right form factor and drivers with a diameter of 50 mm.

Despite the low sensitivity of 92 dB / mW at a resistance of 18 ohms, the headphones feel great even when paired with a smartphone - the iPhone 6s reveals them quite well. With FiiO X5 II, the sound becomes more truthful and makes it easy to monitor that same V-shape, volume with a huge margin even at low gain. When you connect the FiiO E12 Mont Blanc amplifier, the trademark warm bass sound appears, which, unfortunately, does not benefit these headphones, and excess power is also useless, although the HD10 can withstand up to 1500 mW.

Soundproofing is at a good level due to the closed design - others will not hear what is playing at your place, and you will not hear ambient noise. The metro is muffled, but, of course, remains well audible.

Basic testing is carried out using an ASUS EONE MKII MUSES digital-to-analogue converter, a PC is used as the main sound source. To evaluate the sound, a set of special test tracks is played, which can reveal the potential of acoustics or headphones. The latter is Prime Test CD #1 and such individual compositions as Given Up - Linkin Park, Oh Pretty Woman - John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, Funky Monks - Red Hot Chili Peppers, Scream Aim Fire - Bullet For My Valentine in Audio CD format. The following sound indicators are evaluated: stage width (how much the sound panorama is recreated), high frequencies (violin, drum cymbals), low frequencies (bass), mid frequencies (vocals), sound detail (how well details of the composition are heard). The author's opinion is subjective The rating is based on the price of the headphones.

Site score

Pros: design; design; materials; contents of delivery; sound quality

Minuses: No

Conclusion: I would like to congratulate Panasonic on the successful entry into the Hi-Res headphone market with the HD10. The model turned out to be very interesting, with a bright and fresh sound, an unusual and new design with horizontal adjustment of the bowls, a convenient form factor and a beautiful design. Now, in the $200-250 price range, there is a serious competitor to the Audio-Technica M50, Sony 1A and, if you like, the Beyerdynamic DT 770.

Specifications

Probably the first thing that draws attention to the dodocool headset is the Hi-Res certification badge issued by the Japan Audio Society in conjunction with the Consumer Technology Association. Such a certificate is issued naturally for money and indicates compliance with the quality standards adopted by the above companies. Naturally, the lack of certification from other products does not mean anything, but the very presence of the Hi-Res Audio logo ensures that the frequency range of the headphones is carefully studied and is able to reproduce frequencies up to 40 kHz with high quality. Today I propose to talk about the dodocool Hi Res Audio headset and find out the main nuances of Hi-Res certification.

SPECIFICATIONS

• Material: aluminum alloy + ABS + PC + TPE
• Certifications: Hi-Res Audio, FCC, CE, RoHS
• Drivers: dynamic, 9 mm diameter
• Mylar thickness: Titanium diaphragm 6 mu
• Rated power: 3mW
• Maximum power: 5mW
• Call answer button: yes
• Microphone: yes
• Impedance: 16 ohm
• Frequency response: 10 Hz - 45 kHz
• Microphone sensitivity: -42±4dB
• Noise isolation: -23 dB
• Signal distortion: less than 3%
• S.P.L output: 100±4dB @ 1kHz with 126mVrms input
• Cable length: 1.2 m.
• Weight: 17 g.

UNPACKING AND PACKAGING

DESIGN/ERGONOMICS

SOUND

VIDEO

CONCLUSIONS

The product was provided for writing a review by the store. The review is published in accordance with clause 18 of the Site Rules.