Customer Reviews

Sony MDR-SA5000 DJ Stereo Headphones

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I've owned quite a few high-end headphones over the last few years, but this new model from Sony take a page from Metallica, and kills 'em all. The comfort and design are unparalleled, and the materials used are top-notch, outclassing similarly priced and even more expensive cans. The sound is unprecedented, certainly among sub-$1000 dynamic headphones. The frequency spectrum is amazingly well balanced, from the deepest bass to the highest treble, with no readily apparent gaps or peaks. The frequencies transition very smoothly, which results in virtually no listener fatigue. Detail is excellent, surpassing all other dynamic headphones I've heard, rivaling that of the expensive, esoteric electrostatic models. Individual instruments and sounds are rendered wonderfully, each with it's own distinct static place in the spectrum, and are placed with pinpoint precision around your head.

If you listen to a lower-quality source or amp, the SA5000 might not be for you, as it will spit that garbage right back into your face. In that situation, more forgiving cans like the Sennheisers or Grados would be better suited. If you have some great sounding gear though, like my Benchmark DAC-1, then the SA5000 will give you the detail and transparency that other cans will hide.

Here are my impressions of a few other prominent high-end cans compared to the SA5000:

Grado RS1 (An ergonomic nightmare, and no benchmark for build quality, the Grado succeeds in making even a lowly MP3 player sound exciting to listen to. However, it achieves this through a bumped upper bass and upper mids, which can grow annoying when used on a high-class source and amp, which reveals these colorations. Also has the most distortion (sibilance) and least frequency extension of the group. It's best attribute is that bass boost, which is quite thumpin' with the right music.)

Sennheiser HD650 (This headphone makes almost anything quite listenable, with its slow, decay-oriented presentation, and muted high end, it takes the edge right off even the harshest recordings. This is good if you like your hi-fi to whisper sweet lullabies, however it makes the sound quite dull and lifeless compared to any of the other cans mention. The Zu Mobius cable helps fix this, and extend the lower and upper ends, but it is still no match for the detail and accuracy of the SA5000.)

Sony MDR-CD3000 (The SA5000's predecessor, by comparison has bloated bass and a lacking midrange. The extreme frequencies are also underrepresented. Its only "advantage" is an artificially wide soundstage that can make a studio rock recording sound more like a live concert. The cans are also VERY large and bulky, which makes them a tad annoying to wear, though they are very soft.)

I have been a serious audiophile for 5 years now, always specializing in headphones. I have auditioned a great many headphones over the years and have become a fairly discerning listener when it comes to audio quality.

SYSTEM:

-Harmonix Reimyo CDP-777 CD Player (w/mod by Upgrade Company)
-SinglePower SDS-XLR Balanced Headphone Amplifier
-Over 200 NOS tubes
-Sony MDR-R10s, Sennheiser HD650, Grado RS-1, AKG K701
-Grand Prix Monaco Modular Isolation System
-Virtual Dynamics Genesis Interconnects
-Virtual Dynamics Master Power Cords

REVIEW:

Tone: The SA5Ks lean towards the treble, and are a little bright. Neither the mids or bass seem more/less pronounced than the other, but the treble is definitely front and center for these phones. This is likely a bi-product of these phone's emphasis on speed, detail, and clean representation.

Bass: The bass is a weak point for this headphone. Extension isn't terrible, but impact is on the light side and the tone doesn't have alot of body or bloom. These are very fast, clean headphones, and sometimes the result of increasing detail is losing tone and body.

Mids: Decent mids, but certainly nothing special. Of course, I'm very spoiled by my R10's mids as they're likely the best in all headphonedom. But again, very clean, and pretty accurate. But these certainly aren't romantic headphones that will make you melt at hearing female voices or classical music.

Higs: Bright and piercing out of the box, but burn in has a way of bringing the highs under control. After burn in, the highs actually come across as a highlight - especially with fast, exciting music that relies on lead instruments often playing in high registers.

Detail: THIS is where these headphones shine. It's likely due to the speed at which these headphones retrieve and deliver audio information, but they can make a claim to being the most detailed headphones on the market. It's not just the fact that you'll be able to hear everything, but that you'll be able to hear everything presented in such a clean, transparent manner. They certainly won't miss anything, and if it's in the recording, it will fish it out.

Speed: Obviously as I've already said these are EXTREMELY fast headphones. But before you interpret that as an intrinsic, positive quality, there's also a downside. Speed has to do with how fast a component transmits attack (the point at which a note enters) and decay (the point at which it fades/leaves). With phones of such speed what you get is attacks that hit very quickly, last very shortly, decays that end quickly, and a somewhat thin note "body". This means that legato music (like violins and other strings) often don't flow as well as they might. However, staccato music (think of fast metal riffing) is delivered on point without a "sludge" effect of notes running into each other.

An example might be if you were to listen to the E-string chugging of thrash metal bands (Metallica, Megadeth, etc). On a slower headphone it's easy to miss the pick/attack of the individual notes - but that's not so on the SA5Ks as they catch the attack of each rapid fire note and due to the quick decay are able to hit the next one with no note obscuration. This is also evident on the quick beats of techno and other club music.

Soundstage/Imaging: The soundstage is decent on the Y-axis (up/down), but weak on the X-axis (left right). The headphones also have a way of flattening sound images so you're not getting much depth either. However, making up for this is the pinpoint precise imaging which presents images with clearly defined edges, allowing instruments to breathe despite the limitations of the X-axis. Again, this is likely due to the speed of the headphone which doesn't allow for sound to be slowed and thus infringing into other sounds' space.

Component Matching: They definitely work best with a system that can fill out their lean character; providing more body and punch. Don't worry about slowing them down to the point where the detail and clarity is lost as I don't think that's possible. I've tried them even with very lethargic and sludgy tubes and the result is still a fast, clear sound that merely has better bass and fuller mids. One tube that goes wonderful with the SA5k is the Sylvania 6SN7W, which provides alot of body, dynamics, and "umph!". Of secondary importance is finding components that can extend the soundstage.

Music Best/Least Suited For: They're best suited for fast, complex music that doesn't rely on slow, toneful, emotive passages too much. Genres like progressive metal or techno sound excellent on these cans. They are also excellent with rock and other metal, even though I still often prefer Grado's kick and presentation. They're least suited for classical, emotive vocal music, and anything that uses slow, toneful, sweeping passages. Again, these ARE NOT romantic headphones. They are somewhat cold and merciless and really not for people who listen to music or audio to be swept away by beautiful sound.

Comparisons: These headphones are almost the opposite of those like the Senn HD650, which are slow phones with alot of body that can make it seem as if you're listening to music through a veil. However, the Senns work better on classical and vocal music. They also have better bass and soundstaging. The cans that come off as an amalgamation of the SA5Ks detail and the HD650's musicality is the AKG K701s. They have superb soundstage and air, good bass and highs, great mids, but also don't lose out on the detail department. I really don't have time to go into detailed comparisons with 1000 other phones, so hopefully this can provide a little more insight into how the SA5K sounds.

Comfort: I can't find any faults in this department. As far as I can tell these are well designed headphones that are easy to wear for hours on end.

CONCLUSION:

The SA5K's greatest strengths are its incredible detail, speed, and clarity. Its weakness are its lack of body, warmth, musicality, and potentially harsh brightness. In the audio world it's often much more about personal preference than objective good/bad, better/best. So be careful and pick components which suit your tastes and musical needs. The SA5Ks are great headphones, and are competitive with others in their price range, but they are not monster killers (R10s, L3000s, Qualias), or the greatest headphones in history (or even in production now). They have a very unique sound that's very easy to impress upon first listen or impress any audio neophyte. But be warned that while many of the Amazon reviewers make it sound as if these phones are unbeatable, there may be a better option for you.

Review system:
Cd Transport: Spectral SDR-3000
DAC: Spectral SDR-2000 Rev C
Headphone amps: Krell KSA-5V, Ray Samuels Emmeline XP-7
Cables: Spectral Spectralink, Omega Mikro Planar Ebony Active RCA, Nordost Vishnu power cords
A/C: Furman IT Reference, #10g 20 Amp dedicated line

These headphones need very good upstream gear- I would suggest a source and that can deliver a full range sound, from the deepest bass to extended highs.
A dedicated amp is required for the 5000's to perform at their best. Transient attacks, treble extension, and detail are hallmarks of the design. A microscope on the recording with tremendous resolving power, but this headphone requires careful attention to setup. It is very easy for them to become bright and sibilant if connected to pedestrian equipment.
I use both a small battery powered amp as well as a pure class A power headphone amp with the Sony's, and there is to say the least a huge difference in the qualities that these headphones will deliver. The Ray Samuels Emmeline XP-7 amp, which uses 2 9V batteries provides transparency and clarity that lays any recording bare, but at times can be a bit unpleasant, i.e. thin and squeaky, depending on the quality of the recording. The mid-range and bass are obviously not as fleshed out and extended with this setup.
With the Krell KSA-5V, the 5000's will really let you realize the merits of class A power. It can make the sensation of wearing headphones disappear. You get the sense of space and air that the recording took place. This combo is the most immersive, near virtual reality sound that I have experienced, conventional speakers included.
Criticisms of weak bass and bright or piercing treble is purely dependent on your setup, with the appropriate equipment, the dynamics and extension of all frequencies is without peer.
Both the Grado 325's and Sennheiser HD600's saw use for several years and I have found that the 5000's can combine the midrange and smoothness of the Senns with the explosiveness of the Grados while exceeding either model's strengths.
I am reminded of using electrostatics, but with dynamic slam when listening to them. In a nutshell the MDR-SA5000's are a superior headphone, being the most neutral and transparent component for reproducing sound.

Many of the wrongs in the world (of gadgets, that is) are, and have been, attributed to Sony, yet nobody makes it responsible for the sinking of Titanic. And this pair of headphones may be its saving grace for Sony spared little/nothing to win customers over. To get to the topic at hand, Sony MDR-SA5000 is just an outstanding piece of equipment, for which Sony deserves kudos especially when the price is less than 4-hundred. And I should clarify, the 4-hundred ceiling is imposed by competition, not by the performance of the equipment.

Sonically speaking, I am not going to enter the religious wars waged by the likes of those peddling several-hundred-dollar cables (aka interconnect, in hype-driven lingo) against the unsuspecting music lovers, but draw your attention to a few facts/specs. A while back, Sony tried to market its Qualia line, but had to merge it into its mainstream product lines due to the fast pace of change in consumer technologies. I strongly suspect the SA5000 is Qualia 010 minus {the $2400 price tag, the more streamlined looks, and the individual size customization}; In other words, you get twice as wide a dynamic range competing alternatives, lightweight, and superior/highly adjustable fit, for about $400.

How does music come trough these headphones? Scary! Case in point: Take the 1st movement of the Keyboard Concerto #1 by Bach, in the interpretation of Perahia with ASMF and you'll be (unpleasantly) surprised to hear something like a guitar lost between the stereo channels and shortly rising above instruments. Not to mention the constant sound of fingering the piano/wind instruments... Obviously, equipment like this is that much more revealing for the role of good sound engineering--the above mentioned is a relatively recent recording from 2000. Hint: Play with the volume and settle for a level that's in agreement with you. Studio-recorded recent pop&rock is excellent--no hiss, and plenty of differentiated lows. As for jazz, just try some Charlie Parker (Jazz Masters on Verve) and you'll be amazed by how his horn jumps out in the high-middle range, not to mention the bass itself. Kind of Blue (the 1997 SBM version) is just exquisite. The Achilles heel of my configuration is in the HISS associated with most older and/or live recordings. To sum it up, very fast to reveal changes in sound and excellent separation among instruments even at low volumes.

As for as equipment, I do have a Creek head-amp, but decided to use the SA5000 with an ancient SACD Sony DAV, dedicated exclusively to listening through these headphones. BTW, the Creek is connected to Sennheisers (600 and 650 alternately). The Senns are uncomfortable in comparison to SA5000. Now, that I brought the Senns into the picture, I'll share with you my $800 lesson: neither two listeners, nor two pairs of headphones are alike. It's all personal, so stop reading and go listen to as many as you can find in your price range before you buy.

For those unable to meet Sony's price, consider the next version down with half the dynamic range of SA5000, at half the price, yet still beyond the dynamic range of most other headphones.

(written by one who likes music so much more than music equipment per se)

I have used these headphones out of mp3 players and out of top of the line A-biased balanced gear. They are very unforgiving of source, and I believe most of the time people do not like these headphones is simply because of that. In my opinion, Sony made the mistake of not putting a big warning label on the headphone packaging, manual, and maybe headphone itself, that the SA5000 needs to be paired with audio gear and recordings very carefully to sound "right". I don't really hold this against Sony as this is a studio headphone yet audiophiles always try to use studio headphones for non-studio purposes without taking the appropriate measures to make them sound more forgiving.

As a yardstick, these headphones utterly decimate the ultrasone pro 900 in terms of build quality and technical detail and imaging precision, and my pro 900 is quite modded to increase its coherent soundstage and revealing detail but it is inherently limited due to bufferboard design and closed-back design, whereas SA5000 has an extremely minimal bufferboard. This means also SA5000 has a very "immediate" presentation, and gives less illusion of soundstage depth except for what is inside the recording and added by the rest of the audio chain. Stock cable is "decent", I think ~28 awg, but ground combines into a single conductor at the Y split, maybe not very durable when pulled so be careful.

I do not recommend these headphones to audiophiles unless they are GOING ALL OUT to make sure these headphones synergize well with their gear and music. These headphones are even somewhat unforgiving of my $3000+ audio setup and makes 75% of my recordings sound like mp3's with flabby bass and obviously flawed mixing. These headphones belong in the studio where those clowns can hear how bad their work is and maybe develop a conscience and stop ruining our music.

After listening to all sorts of music with the SA5000 and comparing it to a few good selections from Sennheiser (5xx) and Shure (840), I can come to only one conclusion: Balanced, accurate and pleasing. There was a review here that said the S5000 isn't suitable for classical pieces. That person is either tone-deaf, or just deaf:-) He was reasoning that fast attack is the reason for that. I think he's reading too much into how compressors work without understanding the application. The fast response of the SA5000 gives it the edge in all genres of music because it can capture it more accurately. Not because it "releases" too fast:-)) This is just hilarious. If you want mud in your ear, get a Bose and think you got great stuff, whereas, in reality, you get overboosted bass.

For soprano voices and complex music, the SA5000 are the best headphones money can buy in this price range. For great female vocals, it is as good as it gets. Try them with Eva Cassidy or even Whitney Houston, and see I mean. If you want your music colored, with boomy lows, then get an equalizer to adjust it to suit your tastes. The purpose of a headphone is to deliver what's been recorded as accurately as possible. If you want to modify that, then you need the right tools. For mixing and studio work, don't walk, run and get a pair of SA5000s. You will have the precision tool for any kind of music you are dealing with. Then get a pair of radically different cans, like the Ultrasones (perhaps Pro 2900s or even the lower end units) to get a second opinion on your mix. This will cover 90% of the "critical" listening you must do to get your mix right and work out the kinks. Then play it thru the iPod, also with IEMS, to get an idea what everyone else will hear from your work. You can safely ignore the "amazing" detail some audiohead experts put into their reviews on the net. It's mostly nonsense, as shown over and over again.

If you don't have the right gear in your signal chain, from the source, DAC, thru the amp, the cable and headphones to your ears, then the weakest link theory applies. In many cases, the weakest link is unfortunately the listener who has been exposed to too loud and too bassy audio since early teens. But you need each link in the chain to be up to the task. No point in listening low bit-rate mp3s with great equipment. It will only make it sound worse. I tried some youtube audio with the SA5000s, they sounded horrible. Not because the SA5000 has "fast attack and release", because the source is junk. Sony simply makes that more obvious than other more flattering cans.

For non-critical listening, that is, you are not trying to fix the mix, there are many choices that will sound pleasing. Sennheiser makes some decent ones. You can ignore the fake experts who claim HD650 is slow. IMHO, some people are just tone-deaf and no amount of technical mumbo-jumbo can cure that. The Sennheiser 5xx and 6xx lines are well-balanced in tone across the spectrum, just a little tighter soundstage and you get used to that. BTW, HD595 is on sale for $149 on Amazon. It's a bargain for what you get out of them. Not everyone can afford $1499 HD800s, and frankly don't need them. On the other hand, some people like the overpriced Grados.

As for negatives for the Sony, it's in the implementation. The cable is not detachable. The headband will hurt some heads. The leather wrapped around the metal pieces that go over that head is too thin. It needs more padding.

I have always preferred Sony's headphone presentation and sonic signature so I guess you can say this will bias my opinion. But it is only bias if your prejudice favors one manufacturer compared with another in a way considered to be unfair. Well Sony needs to be arrested for not playing fair. I don't know what went into building these headphones but they are amazing. I have been listening to the SA5K for 6 months. I regularly rotate back and forth between my AKG 701 and Beyer 880 but only the Sony makes me part of the music.
These are headphones that rely on a quality source, strong amp to deliver the gourmet sounds. The fit is very comfortable which is important for extended listening. I also own it's big brother, Sony Qualia 010, which is the only headphone I found more comfortable and transparent than the SA5K. If you have never owned a Sony headphone, go out and get this pair...these are among their best and will reach legendary status like the Sony R-10, CD-3000 and the Q010 when they are no longer available.

First of all, the first review posted was posted after only seven hours of use. I too found the sound very harsh after only 7 hours, but after about 60 hours of burn in this became less of an issue, as the sound is now more relaxed. For those of you wondering what the difference is between the SA1000 headphones, as the pictures look the same, the 5000s are made out of leather and metal rather than fabric and plastic. Therefore, the 5000s are more durable and will probobly last longer, but I actually found the SA1000 (and therefore probobly the SA3000) headphones more comfortable. The cloth has a lighter touch, so it feels more like you are not wearing headphones. However, everyone's head is shaped differently, so this could just be me. In any case, awesome headphones that I prefer over the Grado RS-1s. A good headphone amp is *strongly* recommended for these as the sound quality difference is extremely noticable. I paid about $350 new from a non-amazon site, and that is certainly as much as I would ever want to pay for headphones.

Comparing them to the SA1000s, they sound better but they are both built on exactly the same technology, so the sound is very similar. If you are on the fence I'd go for the cheaper model, as you will not be dissapointed. However, if you have to have the best sound and the fancy materials, the SA5000s will fit the bill.

When I first saw the specs on these headphones I was impressed. Never had I seen such a wide frequency response, and having owned Sony headphones before and having been satisfied I ignored the price tag and purchased them. Look, they sound great but you need to use them for a while before you get used to them and before they really begin to sound good.

My advise, get them but give them some time!

I have been using the Sony MDR-SA5000 ever since it came out several years ago, and have been using it ever since. During that time I have compared this headphone against many other headphones in its price class, namely Sennheiser HD600, HD650, Beyerdynamic DT880, Sony MDR-CD3000 (now discontinued). To my ears, the Sony MDR-SA5000 trounces all those other headphones in terms of speed, agility and dynamic extension, although the now discontinued Sony MDR-CD3000 does come close. When you hear the Sony MDR-SA5000 side by side with the Sennheiser HD600 and HD650, the Sony makes you feel like you are listening to open, airy electrostatic speakers, while the sennheisers make you feel like you are listening to typical veiled boxed speakers. I have heard Sennheiser has made some major changes in their new flagship HD800 headphone. But the Sennheiser HD800 costs over four times as much as the Sony MDR-SA5000. Until the Sennheiser HD800 comes down in price from its stratospheric price level, I am sticking with my Sony MDR-SA5000.

And last but not the least, in order to get the maximum enjoyment out of this headphone, you have to use it with a quality headphone amp. I am using the Sony with a Benchmark DAC1, which is both a headphone amp and a DAC.