AIAIAI TMA-1 Closed Headphone

[EddieE]

Latest pad rolling - Stax SR-X pads:



Apologies for the not so great photo.

Unfortunately this one is not quite so easy to arrive at due to the super rip off prices of these pads ($29.99 from audiocubes II) which will probably mean most won't try it. I already had a pair for another mod which didn't work out.

Shame as the clarity you achieve through this configuration is quite jaw dropping. The mid-bass emphasis is gone and the treble is back.

Some filtering is needed to bring back warmth and make them sound more realistic and smooth (I used one layer of kitchen fleece and one layer of beyer DT250 foam but may add more kitchen filter to warm it and smooth it further later).

So far more promising than the cheap velours were but I'll need a few days to really decide if I prefer this or not.

[The Larch]

Of the two cables I use the tiny one more. Very nice on the go.

[Confispect]

Can't wait to a 'full review' surfaces. Seriously.

[dfkt]

After seeing EddieE's experiments, I went out and bought original Sennheiser HD 25 velours pads. After ripping the foam pads off their base plate the HD 25 pads fit like a glove - as if they're made for the TMA-1.







Difference to the original AIAIAI protein leather pads is rather minimal, but generally making the TMA-1 sound a smidgen worse instead of better. The velours pads make the TMA-1 lose some bass/midbass - yet at the same time lose some clarity, which is rather weird. Maybe because the hole in the middle of the HD 25 pads has a smaller diameter? Either way, the differences are tiny by any standards - recommended if you want to use velours instead of leather, but not useful for changing the overall sound of the TMA-1.

Well, that was EUR 20 down the drain, more or less.

[IDvsEGO]

do the cups come off of the band? If so is it pretty easy? I need a new set of phones but want them to be stowable in my laptop bag. If I could easily take the cups off without causing any kind of damage, it would make them more portable and put them up there with the M50 in my considerations.

[The Larch]

NO the cups don't come off the band unless you rewire them. The wire runs though the head band.

[IDvsEGO]

bah. thanks for the quick reply.

[The Larch]

If you rewired them to dual entry it could work, some guy over at headfi did it.

[dfkt]

Review are go: http://anythingbutipod.com/2010/12/aiaiai-tma-1-review/

[Adub]

Wooooo, great read, well done!

[dispose]

Originally Posted by dfkt

Review are go: http://anythingbutipod.com/2010/12/aiaiai-tma-1-review/

Excellent and thorough review, as always... I'll be ordering a pair this week. Can you suggest a site which sells cheap cables and is located in Europe? I think I am going to hate the coiled cable too.

[The DarkSide]

Excellent review dfkt, as always!!!

Now, quick question: The BayerDynamic headband pad, is this it: http://www.fullcompass.com/product/336761.html

And, does it provide the decent padding my sensitive noggin might desire???

EDIT: I think this is actually the better pad: http://north-america.beyerdynamic.co...pfpolster.html

[lestatar]

dfkt strikes again! Awesome review for some mighty sweet lookin' stealth cans. I really am tempted, pretty much for the first time ever...

[The DarkSide]

Originally Posted by lestatar

dfkt strikes again! Awesome review for some mighty sweet lookin' stealth cans. I really am tempted, pretty much for the first time ever...

Stop talkin' and get them + a Cowon J3 already,...we're gettin' a bit miffed that your not buying these great items already. Then again, you got the clip+ up & running w/RB before I did. So, we BOTH need to get the TMA-1,...and I will.

[lestatar]

lol...my wants are bigger than my needs at them moment TDS. Plus relocating 10K miles away to a foreign country has had a slightly negative effect on my discretionary spending

not to mention all the drinking and skirt chasing

as for the J3, I am content to push such a great PMP - my own needs are quite humble and I don't need such a bigboy player [at the moment]...

You could make like Santa Claus and send me a J3 or a pair of those AIAIAI things for Xmas, you know - like a care package from the States

[The DarkSide]

Dude, I'm still waiting for some gifted 32gb microSD cards, and maybe a 128gb/256gb or better 1.8" SSD or 2.

[dfkt]

Originally Posted by The DarkSide

EDIT: I think this is actually the better pad: http://north-america.beyerdynamic.co...pfpolster.html

That's the broader DT770 headband - don't think the DT108/109 headband from the other link is broad enough.

[EddieE]

Another simple option (and less visible one) is to get a strip of HD25 headband padding - they are adhesive but non permanent and will make anything comfortable.

[CLipster]

DFKT or anyone that has these,

what would you guys suggest for a shorter cord, not coiled?

Would or could I get this at the same time that I order the The TMA's

thanks

[Woembah]

Today I also finally got the TMA-1's

I've been following this thread for over a month, and from the beginning i fell in love with these headphones (they're so damn sexy!). It took me a while to decide if I should get them, as well as to save the money to actually be able to get them. This is the first time I spent over €30 for headphones and also the first time I've bought actual cans instead of IEM's. I've been using the notorious but actually pretty great sounding Crossroads XBi IEM's before, but last Monday they broke for the last time (can't remember how many times i've replaced/re-soldered the cable, but this time i screwed up and one of the monitors died). I was very happy with those, especially considering I only paid €12 for them, but now I've moved on

I bought the TMA-1's from someone who got them as a christmas-present from work and sold them to me for €140 which i think is a pretty good deal. The only issue was that there was a logo from the company (G-star RAW) printed on one of the earcups but it was very easy to remove.

My first impressions were mixed. I was used to the rather extreme amounts of bass that the XBi's produced so I had to get used to this whole new experience. After a while though, I began to notice how the bass was lower in quantity, but actually so much better when speaking of quality. And now that I've listened for a few hours, I really just think that the bass on the TMA's is quite perfect. I've also noticed how detailed and crisp the mids and highs are.

The comfort is also excellent. I have a rather big head so the clamping force feels just right to me where with other headphones I tried it felt like my brain was being squashed.

I don't have the expertise or terminology that dfkt has, so for the rest i'll just leave it with the note that I've never enjoyed my music this much before

And the rubber, it feels sooo good...

One negative point though: It doesn't come with a mirror so that you can look at them while listening. Would have been a nice touch XD

I'm mainly using them with a Nokia 5800 XpressMusic btw.