Sony MDR-1RNCMK2

One of the best Sony head phones???

BASS, BASS and did I mention, BASS?

If you want bass, these are NOT what you’re looking for. These headphones are a balanced pair of premium headphones with exceptional sound quality.

Sony had made minor adjustments on the Mk1, which have been enough to warrant these headphones as a breed of their own.

The MDR-1rncMk2 is one of the best premium headphones I’ve used to date. They offer both active and passive noise cancellation with the over the ear, padded ear cups.

Comfortable and Stylish

- allows them to be worn with any outfit- sturdy, can be adjusted both horizontally and vertically. Very aesthetically pleasing to look at too, edges are not harsh. Cable jack allows the cable to seamlessly be attached to the left ear cup, allowing for an overall finished look for the headphones. Has a decent amount of flex and is able to comfortable adapt and mould to a large range of body types, and seal around the ear. The overall construction gives off a superior feel to the headphones, with a metal finish on the end of the headband and a matte plastic finish on the ear cups. The synthetic leather headband offers support for both the 50mm drivers but is designed in such a way that it allows the headphones to be worn for extended periods of time, without discomfort, the feel of which could be compared to being sandwiched between two clouds. The overall weight of the headphones is sturdy, yet the ergonomic design does not make them feel clunky or bulky when worn.

One short fall of the headphones is that the ear cups are relatively shallow. This becomes a problem as the user’s ear lobes rest on the driver’s grill. This does become uncomfortable after some time. The ear cups are also non- replaceable from Sony themselves. Other competitors offer removable ear cups for personalisation at the same price point.

Storage

- The cable can be removed and allows for easy and compact storage. Sony has recognised that the headphones will be worn on the move and had gone the extra mile to provide a hard carrying case as such. A small tab protrudes from the base of the carrying case to allow for the two ear cups to be separated, avoiding scratches when on the go. The ear cups can be swivelled, and the headphones can be laid out flat for easy storage in a laptop bag, or a sports bag.

Sound

- The sound quality is nothing less of what one would expect form Sony at this price point. The sound is well balanced, sounds warm and is able to handle many genres well. The base has been adjusted slightly from the Mk1 and provides a much better range of sounds. This is exemplified when listening to songs with higher pitched voices and female voices- such as Ariana Grande and Marian Hill. The padded ear cups provide a closed seal around the ears and provide great, passive noise cancellation. The seal also ensures there is little to no leakage of sound, allowing more crisp and clear music at lower volumes. It must be noted that these are none the less, consumer grade headphones and not as clear cut as studio headphones but provide a great level of comfort.

The noise cancellation is great at blocking out ambient noise, but when used for extended periods of time, the sound may seem to be artificial. Some users also experience a sense of pressure when noise cancelling is enabled. Although this is a problem for the majority of noise cancelling headphones; they become apparent when most other background noise is absent. This is not an issue when the user becomes accustom to the headphones. If your looking for lighter sound, it is worth checking out the Bose on-ear headphones.

Verdict

100% would recommend these headphones for sound quality and comfort. Although there are minute cons about the headphones, they can be overlooked for the numerous pros that outweigh them.

Specifications

• Type: Closed, dynamic • Driver Unit: 50mm, dome type • Sensitivity: Power ON 103 dB/mW, OFF 100 dB/mW • Power Handling Capacity: 100 mW • Impedance: 51 ? at 1 kHz (when the power is on), 19 ? at 1 kHz (when the power is off) • Frequency Response: 5Hz - 24,000Hz • Diaphragm: Liquid Crystal Polymer Diaphragm • Magnet: Neodymium • Cord: Inline remote and microphone cord for iPod/iPhone/iPad • Cord Length: 1 x 1.2m OFC flat, tangle-free detachable cord (single-sided) with In-line Remote and Mic; 1 x 1.2m OFC flat, tangle-free detachable cord (single-sided); 1 x 3m OFC flat, tangle-free detachable cord (single-sided) • Plug: Gold-plated L-shaped stereo mini plug / Four-conductor gold plated L-shaped stereo mini plug • Power Source / Battery Type: DC 3.7 V Built-in lithium-ion rechargeable battery or DC 5 V USB Voice Control: Yes (iPod / iPhone / iPad) • Weight (Without Cord): Approx. 330 g (without cord)

Microphone • Unit/Type: MEMS • Directivity: Non-directional • Frequency Range: 240-8,000 Hz • Open circuit voltage level: -42dB (0dB = 1 V/Pa) • Output Impedance: 300 ohms or less

Supplied Accessories: • Inline remote and microphone cord for iPod/iPhone/iPad/Android • Connecting cable (1.2m cable) • Connecting cable (3m cable) • Micro-USB cable (1.5 m) • Carrying case