I have some super sounding Sony walkmen - DD9, DC2, D6C, DD33 - and I am now considering obtaining a pair of suitable vintage headphones. I have the MDR-51 that was originally bundled with the D6C, plus the MDR-102 that came with DD-33. The MDR-51 is quite good, but a bit shy on bass, and the MDR-102 is almost the same but with a little less sparkle. Now I am looking to find something better of roughly the same vintage. Have been looking for a pair of MDR-70 for sometime; there is one at ebay now: http://www.ebay.com/itm/282314107770 Are the MDR-70 good? What other vintage headphones should I consider? Cheers, Richard
I have several pairs of MDR-51's plus a few MDR-40's, MDR-30's and MDR-20's these all sound good the MDR-51's being the the best of these, I agree about the lack of bass but this is more down to them being on ear with foam pads. I have a pair of MDR-54's from 1990 these do have more bass, but I have fitted these with proper cushions rather than foam which improves the bass further, I think they sound very nice, here's the specs and a few pictures of mine. ■ Price \ 3,300 ■ type open-air dynamic type ■ diaphragm 30mm dome type ■ impedance 24Omu ■ playback frequency band 14-24,000Hz ■ permissible input 100 mW ■ sensitivity 105DB / MW ■ code 2m OFC litz wire stereo 2-way plug ■ Weight 52g (It does not contain code) ■ sale August 1990 ■ discontinued around 1994
Thanks, I will be watching out for MDR-54. But I suspect they are just a small evolution MDR-51, and I was hoping the MDR-70 is a bigger step up. Anybody own these or have heard them? Cheers, Richard
I don't have any good lightweight headphone from that era; all are mid-level or low budget SONY/AIWA. The only good one is a full sized one which is extraordinary but also not targeted to walkmans but to high end sound, and it's the best headphone in my entire collection: the MDR-CD3000. But in my experience, small headphones have evolutioned a lot and maybe there were very few -or maybe none- back then that has enough quality. Not sure though, just my opinion...
Totally agree, all the origional walkman headphones i wouldn't touch with a barge pole, they were just suplied to get you started and the mdr cd3000 are fantastic headphones, btw hugo i now have the origional presentation case that goes with the cd3000, just beautiful lad
At last, a topic I really like here! First off, I would like to show a not too good photo about my collection: From left to right it is an MDR-51, and MDR-M44, an MDR-62, another MDR-51, an MDR-4 (cable mod), and an MDR-64. I also had a top category MDR-M88, MDR-60II, MDR-W5. The MDR-51 is really a nice can. I think it has enough bass at least for me. Quite balanced. It is my everyday can. The MDR-M44 is fantastic, the bass is a bit tiny as well but the depth, sound stage and presentation is better than with the MDR-51. The MDR-62 is good news for those who find the bass to be too thin in the 51s as it has a similar presentation but with more bass to it. The MDR-64 is really nice but I think the middle is a bit muffled compared to it's predecessors, still quite balanced. The MDR-4, as predecessor to all, has a decent sound but it lacks the dynamic range and balanced sound and of course soundstage compared to it's successors. Back to the cans I used to have, the M88 was really nice but it was not far better than the M44, in fact I think it was less balanced. Crispy highs and nice mids, though not as clear as the M44. The MDR-60 was very nice in terms of mids and highs but seriously lacked bass. The W5 looks good but really sounds about/below average. I think the CD3000 is not quite fair here though must be a very nice set, should be another category. There is an M44 at Ebay, and an M33. The M33's price is I think way too much, but the M44 if won't go above the clouds, can be bought for a decent price tag. I'd buy the M33 for half the price. Search for them. The only downside to these is the original foams are missing and since Sony made miracles with the original ones, their absence is really a bad thing. And I grab the opportunity here as well to ask you about their AIWA counterparts, especially the T and X range. Does ANYONE know ANYTHING about those? I'd be really interested!!!!! As I've been trying to find those for years now without success... I am so glad now that such a topic exists here
And if you have any experience with the Sony MDR-CD6, please share it as well, I'd be very happy to read about those...
I really like my MDR-3L2 headphones. They were included with the TPS-L2 or could be purchased separately for £15. While they are a very basic pair, I think the sound quality is a lot better than most basic headphones included with phones and mp3 players today. Oh...and they look cool.
The MDR-3 must be nice. Although the best lightweight Sony earphones ever created are probably the MDR-62. Now I have maybe the pinnacle of the category, the Aiwa HP-X10...man, this is just fantastic I don't know if there were any better vintage set than the X10.
Of course I would like to have a CD2000/3000 or even an MDR-R10. But believe me when I say that no contemporary lightweight portable headphones can match a good MDR-51/62, M series Sony or X/T series Aiwa.
glad you're happy with you're headphones, howeaver i listen to most of my music on my main hifi, the cd3000 sound great on my walkmans but come into there own on my hifi....i can only highly recommend them if you can get an affordable pair that actually work because i have seen a few of these that need far to much work as for the mdr 10 i think 99% of the world can only dream about those
Of course...I can imagine the CD3000's potential. I'd like one too. Do you know the difference btw between them and the R10 sonically? I think the higher end lightweight Sonys and Aiwas are really good, have you listened to any of the series mentioned above? I might try the X10 against the CD3000...I guess the 3000 would win...but who knows the X10 might hold it's own. I missed one important set from the list, the MDR-CD6, though I never listened to it. Any of you have any experience? I had a CD5 but I was not that satisfied.
With most of these high end headphones you need a high end sorce, i have heard lots of high end gear but none are like mine it's not because it's high end gear, it's only technics, but it's the way i have put the gear togeather, all those headphones like you'rs i probbably was impressed in my teens but im way way byond that now my friend just be glad you're happy with you're cans because i have to spend over £1000 on mine and sometimes they don't cut it, i had a pair of grado ps1000 and although great cans they were just toys and couldn't handle my hifi gear, now gone to one of my best friends.....once you hear 7k worth of hifi which i did in my mid teens you just can't go back
WOW you impress me! I am really curious about how you managed to put your gear together. Maybe in a PM if no one else is interested. I am for sure! Really interested about how youreached your point where you couldn't "go back". These are capable of nice presentation from HIFI sources as well though maybe not all of them. Of course I'd buy a CD3000. I have a Philips SBC890 which is quite nice but I suspect it's not close to a CD3000.
I know the PortaPro and the Sportapro. They are too bassy for me. Relatively nice dynamics but far from the frequency balance and warmth these Sonys and Aiwas are capable of.
just sent you a pm, and in it i said opinions are like arsholes every one has one lol but based on your post id forget the cd 3000 and the links iv sent you via pm....as i find the porta pro toatal micky mouse, that's not to say im dissing my friend Auto's choice...you need to hear all this gear with you're own ears
Tbh I was maybe too polite with the Portapro. It is mickey mouse. From 2-300 Hz it is not enjoyable at all. But I agree, opinions are opinions, ears are ears, who are to decide but us, individually? Looking forward to read that PM.
