I Actually Went Back to Wired Headphones

Categories: Life 2024-05-08

About Me Going Back to Wired Headphones

A man’s happiness can be simple. I actually went back to wired headphones. I spent some time on weekends trying out a lot of good headphones offline, and surprisingly ended up buying these Sony MV1 open-back monitor headphones. They don’t have noise cancellation and are wired, but I love them. I want to share my selection process with you all.

I compared them with the AirPods Max in person. The sound quality is excellent and they are very convenient, but they are too heavy. If you don’t wear them often and value aesthetics, sound quality, and Apple ecosystem integration, they are actually a good fit.

I also tried the Sony wireless WH-1000XM5 and 4. The noise cancellation is great and they are also lightweight. If you don’t care much about sound quality but need noise-cancelling headphones, I highly recommend the 5. They are also comfortable to wear and perfect for travel.

I also tried the Bose QC45 and 700. The former is more comfortable than the latter, very comfortable, and looks good too. The 700 is also very stylish, but the sound is a bit muffled. The prompt tone is very anti-human, with a weak and listless feeling, but they are really comfortable to wear. If you prioritize comfort and like bass, you can consider them.

I care a lot about sound quality, so I even tried the Sennheiser HD 600, 650, and 660S. They are all wired and require a front-end to drive them. In terms of sound quality, if you are used to listening to symphony, the 600 is truly amazing. A 30-year-old product is still very competitive. If you like listening to vocals, the 650 is super suitable. I think this one has the best sound quality for the price for me. The 660 is a bit of a combination of the two, and you can consider it if you have enough money. However, ordinary devices can’t drive these 300 and 150 ohm impedance machines. You need to configure a heavy external front-end, which is only suitable for use in a home study. Considering portability and money, I finally gave up. In addition, the wearing comfort is actually acceptable, but not as good as the Sony and Bose mentioned earlier.

Later in the Sony store, I asked the staff if there were any headphones with good sound quality to try. They pointed me to a small room with all kinds of wired high-end equipment. I went in and listened, and the sound quality was amazing, the kind that makes your ears pregnant. I looked at the price, 20,000 plus a 10,000 front-end, and gave up. I could only appreciate them, not afford them.

As I was coming out, I found these very inconspicuous black plastic-cased Sony MV1 headphones on an inconspicuous table outside. I picked them up and put them on casually. Wow! How are they so light? How are they so comfortable to wear? How is the sound quality so good? It completely broke my preconceived notions. Aren’t monitor headphones for professionals? They are also so suitable for listening to music, with an incredibly open and spacious sound, comparable to the Sennheiser HD660S I just heard.

So I decided to buy this rare species. It’s cheaper to buy online. I received them recently. As soon as I get home, I savor them carefully. The drumbeat of O-Daiko, the soft female vocals of One I Love, the ambient sound of Bubbles, and Michael’s Billie Jean feel like he’s singing right next to my ear. It’s a magical headphone that I really love.

Finally, when it comes to choosing headphones, if you have an Apple device and don’t care about sound quality, the AirPods series is very suitable and convenient. For noise cancellation, get the Pro. For aesthetics and if you have the money and don’t mind a brick on your head, get the Max. If you care about sound quality and also need noise cancellation, I recommend the Sony XM5, or the XM4 for better value. If you prioritize comfort and noise cancellation, you can try Bose in person. For home use and for the ultimate sound quality, you can try Sennheiser.

If you are like me and have a small noise-cancelling Apple earphone for daily commuting, and want to listen casually, considering sound quality, lightness, comfort, and don’t mind wired, then you can try this one. However, since everyone’s ears are different, I still highly recommend trying them out offline. Don’t follow the trend, you have to listen to your own ears in the end.

Some Pictures of the Sony MV1

Some Good Music for Testing Headphones

https://music.apple.com/cn/playlist/%E8%AF%95%E8%AF%95%E8%80%B3%E6%9C%BA/pl.u-V9D7mPEUB1GbxBk

I have selected some music for testing headphones, covering a wide range, including drums, vocals, symphony, ambient sound, etc. It gives me the feeling that wired headphones can sound so good. I’m a novice in music appreciation, so recommendations are welcome. In addition, it is recommended to use Apple Music to listen to lossless audio, and turn off volume balance, and set the lossless format to the maximum.

Worthwhile Chinese Albums to Listen To

https://music.apple.com/cn/playlist/%E5%8D%81%E5%A4%A7%E4%B8%93%E8%BE%91/pl.u-mJy81mECzBL49zM

Many good songs are from the era around my birth, or even many years earlier. I really miss that era, and it’s great that the songs have been preserved.

Album Name	Artist	Time	Classic Songs
Zhi Hu Zhe Ye	Luo Dayou	1982	Lugang Town, Zhi Hu Zhe Ye
Tang Dynasty	Tang Dynasty Band	1992	A Dream Return to Tang Dynasty, Flying Bird
Rock 'n' Roll on the New Long March	Cui Jian	1989	Rock 'n' Roll on the New Long March
Black Dream	Dou Wei	1994	Advanced Animals
Omnipotent Youth Society	Omnipotent Youth Society	2010	Kill That Shijiazhuang Man
The Spirit of Life	Li Zongsheng	1994	The Price of Love
Fantasy	Jay Chou	2001	Simple Love, Love in BC
Big Heat	Leslie Cheung	1995	The Past, Chase
U 87	Eason Chan	2005	Sunset is Infinitely Good
Black Tangerine	David Tao	1997	Black Tangerine
I'm Going to 2000	Pu Shu	1999	Those Flowers
Kiss Goodbye	Jacky Cheung	1993	Kiss Goodbye
Rock China Music Power	Moyan Sanjie	1995	Many good songs

The End

Besides eating and drinking, life needs a little spiritual happiness to be more interesting.