MDR-Z1000 new Sony flagship headphones - Page 86

Quote:

Originally Posted by compoopers 

In that case, I think I am going to stick with the Z1000's. Hopefully if I dislike them I can get a refund, but honestly they don't look so bad.
To give some context the reason I want closed headphones is because I am moving to a dorm. I had Sennheiser HD555 with foam mod and they are quite good for me but they leak just way too freaking much and it would be disturbing to roommates. I was looking for good mids and highs because I listen to quite a lot of jazz music which emphasizes those things (or so head-fi has led me to believe). The denons leak too much for closed so the Z1000s seemed perfect.

I'm also looking for a phone that leaks very little to use in library type situations.

The AKG 550 might be something you'd want to look at as well, although less ergonomic (kinda big, doesn't have a case, etc).

I don't think I am far out from getting the Z1000 and trying it out

Just be aware that the Z1000's pads are actually kind of smallish for a circumaural headphone. In fact they're even slightly smaller than the Edition 8's I believe. As a result, some people with larger sized ears actually wear them on-ear rather than around the ear. They wont isolate very well if that's the case.

The K550 is more likely a better isolating headphone, but in my opinion it's not a very enjoyable headphone. It's bass is far more anemic compared to the Z1000 and the mids are thinner and sound tinny on many recordings. Basically it's the sort of headphone that sounds good with certain genres---acoustic, folk, jazz---but not so good with others.

I find the Z1000 to be more versatile.

Soundstage on the K550 is going to have more depth versus the flatter but wider, pancake-like presentation of the Z1000. The Z1000 is also a bit thick sounding versus the thinness of the K550, so it's easier to pick out lots of details with the K550. I find it easier to actually enjoy the Z1000 however.

Quote:

Originally Posted by compoopers 

Interesting....
Of the three, I'm still favoring the Z1000.
How do Z1000s compare to Shure 940s? That is another recommendation someone gave me, but I hadn't looked into them at all.
This will probably be the final showdown for me.
Jazz is my main genre. However I also listen to hip hop, small amounts of rock/folk rock, and small amounts of classical. So I'd say that would be my 'target range'. I'm more into all-arounders than colored headphones that are good for specific things.

The SRH-940 is a pretty colored sounding headphone to me, with a pretty significant treble tilt.

That being said, I have always thought the 940 sounded really sweet with brass instruments.  I personally have never found the treble to be fatiguing either, but it is certainly upfront sounding.  Many on the 940 forum have claimed the 940 to be a detail monster as well, although I feel a little more conservatively about it.  I think the detail retrieval is pretty good, but certainly not anything to be astounded or amazed by.  The treble detail is certainly good, but I have to admit some texture/tone is lost in the lower midrange region.

I am a fan of the 940, but I admit it isn't the most natural sounding set.  If you're looking for something that doesn't leak a lot, the 940 might not be your best option.  The isolation is okay, but I wouldn't say it is good enough at keeping sound in to use at a library or on a plane... that's really the only reason my current 940s are for sale.  I'm really hoping (when I get a buyer) that the Z1000 fixes a few of the issues I have with the 940's sound (no low mid texture; could use more bass, not necessarily sub bass) and provides something that is more ergonomic (smaller, leaks less).

I thought I would share that with you, because it seems as though you're in the hunt for a similar headphone that I am in the hunt for.  We seem to both be arriving at the Z1000

Quote:

Originally Posted by compoopers 

Thanks for the wonderful input. The leaking issue is very dear to me -- I simply would feel horrible annoying my roommate who was trying to sleep with my music.
The ZX1000s seem like a great fit, and with J&R's return policy i really don't see how it could go wrong.
I will not be purchasing them for a while yet, so if you get a hold of a pair, please please write a review in this thread or somewhere and link it from here!

I usually spend at the very least a month with something before I review it formally, but I will definitely share my impressions if I get them any time soon.

Also - I would value what MuppetFace has to say about the Z1000... one of the few members around here whose comments I take seriously

Agreed with MuppetFace's impressions. The Z1000s just have a really fun, engaging presentation of music. Honestly if Sony had made the pad depth maybe 0.5cm deeper, I would likely never have let go of them. A proper over-ear with the same driver material and some more scalability with amping would be something may of us would snatch up in a heartbeat, IMO.

If anyone comes up with a mod to make the pads thicker I would be interested. My ears sit on the drivers a lot and it makes them ache and sweat.

I think this might be my next closed headphone. The MSRP is not crazy, and I really like the way it looks, whats the street price for these now a days?

You can usually find them for between $300 and $350, depending on where you look. And think of what you'll be saving on amplification! (my clip+ drove them just fine)

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeadMan 

If anyone comes up with a mod to make the pads thicker I would be interested. My ears sit on the drivers a lot and it makes them ache and sweat.

I seem to recall people putting some stuffing under the pads to lift them up a bit more. 

Since amplification has been coming up again, the Z1000s run great with portable devices but I find they really scale well with better equipment.

+1, I pretty much hear the same thing as muppet on my Z1000, it's my portable headphone.

(LCD-2 for home)