Such a strong attenuation of the treble is quite unheard of in the world of audiophile headphones. Even the Sennheiser HD650 with its signature dark sound sounds like a bright Grado when compared next to the TMA-1. When I heard the TMA-1 for the first time, I was speechless. Not in the sense of awe, but more like “what the heck was AIAIAI thinking, creating a headphone that sound muffled like this?” Luckily an inspiration come and suddenly I remembered those treble happy club recordings. On the next song, I started to discover what the TMA-1 is all about. “Impressive”, I said. The guys who designed this must really know their music. There is enough attenuation on the treble that makes these recordings so enjoyable now. Keep in mind that the treble is not rolled off, rather they are not as prominent as in the other headphones. I actually think that the treble extension is very good on the TMA-1, and slightly better than on my favorite all-rounder closed headphone, the M-50 Audio Technica.
The TMA-1 is a wonderful headphone. The midrange clarity is among the best I’ve heard on closed headphones this price range, and it clearly beats the M-50 which is no slouch either. The bass is clean, tight, and powerful — far from the boomy and bloated label people often throw at it. The only thing that you need to get used to is the treble attenuation. Does it make sense to make a headphone like this? I mean, something that has its frequency balance so skewed that you will need to re-arrange your perception to be able to understand it? I think this is where AIAIAI shines from the big manufacturer. They set on a goal to create the best headphone for clubbers, and they do it. Instead of trying to compete with the big guys with the typical audiophile offering, they tapped into a very niche market of house and electronic music. Yet, when you think of it, the market is not a small one, and say if 6 out of 10 people under 30 listens to such music, then AIAIAI will have a very hard time filling up the demand. Not to mention the design that is classier than the Skullcandies, yet will attract the exact same demographics.