The Audiophiliac falls in love with an older Sony, the MDR-SA5000, and wonders, why doesn't Sony even try to make world-class headphones in 2013? November 16, 2013 7:36 AM PST The Sony MDR SA5000 headphones (Credit: Sony) When I first spotted the Sony MDR SA5000 headphones at a local Head-Fi meeting in Bayside, Queens, my first impression was that it was eerily similar to Sennheiser's HD 800 headphones. The MDR SA5000 is clearly derived from Sony's old flagship $3,000 Qualia Q10 headphones; both Sonys were first announced in 2004. The HD 800 was introduced in 2009. Related stories On becoming an audiophile Chasing the ultimate sound system Can an audiophile find joy in a full-size $40 headphone? The magnesium-framed, open-back MDR-SA5000 is superlight (260 grams) and remarkably comfortable. The real leather earpads' head-clamping pressure is oh-so-gentle, and the sound is remarkably detailed, spacious, and open -- I found the MDR-SA5000 extraordinary in those regards. I generally like Sony headphones, but the last audiophile model I tested was the MDR-R10, and it can't touch the MDR-SA5000 for clarity of sound. To be fair, the R10 is a closed-back design, so sure, its soundstage and stereo imaging are cramped by comparison. The R10 makes a lot more bass, but then again, most modern high-end headphones outshine the MDR-SA5000's low-end oomph. Bass isn't terribly deep or powerful, but what's there is clear and mud-free. I bought the MDR-SA5000 at the Head-Fi meet for $150, and I'm glad I did! The Sennheiser HD 800 headphones (Credit: Sennheiser) I didn't have a Sennheiser HD 800 on hand to compare with the MDR-SA5000, so I used my Sennheiser HD 700, and the two models shared a common capacity for wide-open soundstaging. The HD 700 is more dynamically alive and powerful than the MDR-SA5000, it's a better headphone overall. That said, I really enjoy the MDR-SA5000's sonic purity; percussionist Mickey Hart's "Planet Drum" CD had more "snap" and presence over the MDR-SA5000. Quiet details, like room sound and the reverberation of the drums in the studio, were easier to hear over the MDR-SA5000. It's a fairly large and fragile-feeling design, so it's definitely not suitable for on-the-go use. Used and new MDR SA5000s can be found on Amazon and other sites with prices starting around $400 for the used ones. A similar, carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer frame model -- the Sony MDR-SA3000 -- is available for a lot less. I haven't heard it, but users claim it sounds much like the MDR-SA5000. Sony has always made decent headphones, but in recent times the company has apparently given up on making great ones. I wonder what's going on; the high-end headphone market is booming, but Sony isn't even trying to field a contender. What gives?
The Audiophiliac falls in love with an older Sony, the MDR-SA5000, and wonders, why doesn't Sony even try to make world-class headphones in 2013?
The Sony MDR SA5000 headphones
(Credit: Sony)
When I first spotted the Sony MDR SA5000 headphones at a local Head-Fi meeting in Bayside, Queens, my first impression was that it was eerily similar to Sennheiser's HD 800 headphones. The MDR SA5000 is clearly derived from Sony's old flagship $3,000 Qualia Q10 headphones; both Sonys were first announced in 2004. The HD 800 was introduced in 2009.
Related stories
- On becoming an audiophile
- Chasing the ultimate sound system
- Can an audiophile find joy in a full-size $40 headphone?
The magnesium-framed, open-back MDR-SA5000 is superlight (260 grams) and remarkably comfortable. The real leather earpads' head-clamping pressure is oh-so-gentle, and the sound is remarkably detailed, spacious, and open -- I found the MDR-SA5000 extraordinary in those regards. I generally like Sony headphones, but the last audiophile model I tested was the MDR-R10, and it can't touch the MDR-SA5000 for clarity of sound. To be fair, the R10 is a closed-back design, so sure, its soundstage and stereo imaging are cramped by comparison. The R10 makes a lot more bass, but then again, most modern high-end headphones outshine the MDR-SA5000's low-end oomph. Bass isn't terribly deep or powerful, but what's there is clear and mud-free. I bought the MDR-SA5000 at the Head-Fi meet for $150, and I'm glad I did!
The Sennheiser HD 800 headphones
(Credit: Sennheiser)
I didn't have a Sennheiser HD 800 on hand to compare with the MDR-SA5000, so I used my Sennheiser HD 700, and the two models shared a common capacity for wide-open soundstaging. The HD 700 is more dynamically alive and powerful than the MDR-SA5000, it's a better headphone overall. That said, I really enjoy the MDR-SA5000's sonic purity; percussionist Mickey Hart's "Planet Drum" CD had more "snap" and presence over the MDR-SA5000. Quiet details, like room sound and the reverberation of the drums in the studio, were easier to hear over the MDR-SA5000. It's a fairly large and fragile-feeling design, so it's definitely not suitable for on-the-go use. Used and new MDR SA5000s can be found on Amazon and other sites with prices starting around $400 for the used ones. A similar, carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer frame model -- the Sony MDR-SA3000 -- is available for a lot less. I haven't heard it, but users claim it sounds much like the MDR-SA5000.
Sony has always made decent headphones, but in recent times the company has apparently given up on making great ones. I wonder what's going on; the high-end headphone market is booming, but Sony isn't even trying to field a contender. What gives?
