Sony MDR-1AM2 vs Focal Elear

The Sony MDR-1AM2 managed to earn a spot in roundups from two sources that are known for their trustworthy review methodology - hardwarezone.com.sg and Head-fi - but fell short of making it to the top of their lists.

As for the Focal Elear, it wasn't able to earn a top spot in any roundups from trusted sources that conduct their own hands-on testing. Nevertheless, it managed to impress reviewers at Headfonics, Head-fi, and Rtings enough to make it onto their respective shortlists.

As for a direct Sony MDR-1AM2 vs. Focal Elear comparison of their review performance, we examined sources that tested and rated both products, like Head-fi. It turns out that all such sources consider the Focal Elear to be the superior product.

We also looked at the available data to find which sources liked each of them best and learned that the Sony MDR-1AM2 most impressed reviewers at musicphotolife.com - they gave it a score of 8, whereas the Focal Elear got rated best by Headfonics - 8.5.

Lastly, we calculated their review averages and compared them to their competitors. The average review score for Open-Back Headphones in general is 7.8 out of 10, while the Sony MDR-1AM2 and Focal Elear earned averages of 7.7 and 7.3, respectively.