[doctorjazz]

 

[dweaver]

  Hi dweaver, could you do a brief comparison between z7 and q701? I know it's kinda ridiculous open vs. closed but q701 is the only hp I have in common with you.

OK before we get started I am using a hole modded Q701 so it is warmer sounding and has slightly more bass than the default Q701. I am using my computer coming from my AudioEngine D1 at a moderate volume level.
 
First song Babel by Mumford and Sons
 
Q701 - the song being vocally oriented sounds great on the Q701. The bass in the song is nicely placed and not to thick. There is a nice sense of air and decay in the guitars. Nothing sounds out of place or overly accented. You can hear wonderful detail throughout the song. The Q701 has a wonderful sense of air.
 
Z7 - The bass in the song is a lot thicker and slower than the Q701 but enjoyable as the speed is not so off that it becomes to slow. Vocals are slightly heavier / warmer but not in a way that makes them sound off just slightly more meatier if you will. There is a drop off in detail in the upper registers but I get a similar sense of immediacy as different areas are accented on the Z7 compared to the Q701. I would say the Z7 is slightly more intimate sounding as the vocals sound slightly closer. This is likely due to the less emphasis on the treble detail.
 
Your my Thrill - Diana Krall
 
Z7 - at the beginning of the song the piano sounds thick and weighty and then the bass kicks in with a nice heavy note that is detailed and full of decay. Her voice starts and she sounds very sultry and very close. You can hear the drum kit but cymbals are not very prominent acting more as an accompaniment.
 
Q701 - The piano starts up but sounds further off and is not thick or weighty. The bass kicks in but again it sounds more like an accompaniment than something that is more center stage. Diana's voice kicks in and is more delicate and soft with more whisp. The drum kit has more shimmer and detail. The over all effect of the song is one of air.
 
The over all difference is the Z7 is like your watching Diana play in a small intimate club that is warm and inviting. The Q701 is like watching Diana as a larger concert hall but not so large as to loose the intimacy completely.
 
Anvil of Crom - Basil Poledouris - from Conan the Barbarian
 
Q701 - the start of the song is kettle drums and large brass. On the Q701 the brass sounds not bad but the kettle drums lack weight. But you can hear lots of cymbal sounds in the background. When the violins kick in they sound very airy and vibrant. The sound stage is very large and instrument separation is good.
 
Z7 - the kettle drums have a nice full sound and the brass also sounds fuller. The cymbals in the background actually sound cleaner and have better articulation but loose some of the shimmer and airiness present in the Q701. The violins are slightly darker and not quite as airy sounding but blend very well in the over all soundscape being presented. The instrument separation is clean on the Z7 but is done by a reduction in shimmer of instruments like the cymbals.
 
The Q701 is what I would expect to hear at a concert, the Z7 is what I would expect to hear at the movies. Given that this is a sound track I would assume the Z7 is a more faithful reproduction of the sound intended.
 
Symphony No 3 - Arvo Part
 
Z7 - The cellos at the beginning of the track I am using sound very full and thick. The sense of sound stage is enveloping as the different cellos and later instruments join the music. Brass instruments sound exceptionally poignant. I feel completely surrounded while the song plays and can feel the emotion and atmosphere of the music completely. The song hits a very heavy dark section that is simply so well done it sweeps me away then violins kick in and they are vibrant and clear. Small bells are played 3/4 of the way through the song and are again clear and poignant, followed by a minimalist violin section that is clear followed by a wonderful brass section that is restrained and poignant then decends into a deep kettle drum brass filled crescendo that is simply awe inspiring. The songs ends and I am the True Vine by Arvo Part kicks in and the voices are so vibrant and cannot help but listen as they sing...
 
Q701 - The cellos at the beginning of the song sound distant and lack urgency. As instruments join the song they sound quite distant from each other. The sense of airiness is almost too much causing me to strain to pull the music together. As the song starts to descend into it's first dark section the brass is clear and articulate but lacks the poignancy I heard in the Z7. But as the violins pull the song up they are clear and vibrant. The bells sound very distant and tiny, the violins and brass sound clear but lack vibrancy. The song then descends into it's final kettle drum filled crescendo but lacks the weight and power of the Z7. When I am the True Vine starts it sounds very ethereal again I find myself swept up in the vocals.
 
This song clearly shows how a well designed bass oriented headphone can completely transform a song into an experience versus just listening to a song. The vocals that started after the main selection were quite interesting as the Q701 was much more delicate and airy while the Z7 was more vibrant and heavier, the Q701 sounded more heavenly while the Z7 sounded more earthy.
 
OK that's all the comparison I have time for tonight, hopefully this gives you some idea of the differences.

 

[doctorjazz]

From what I am reading the MSR-7 is brighter than the MDR10R and 1R so may be a nice change up or might end up being to bright. One thing I am starting to question is switching between signatures all the time. When I do I find myself suddenly not liking a signature which leads to me selling equipment only to be lured back to that signature later on. Its like I am addicted to different sound instead of my music. If anything I may decide to keep a couple IEM's and headphones with signatures I like the most then just switch between those when I am getting bored rather than keep buying new equipment.

I'm with you! My problem is that I enjoy all of these different signatures, which makes it really hard for me to sell anything lol

1+

 

[doctorjazz]

[COLOR=FF00AA][COLOR=FF00AA]dweaver

offline
6,033 Posts. Joined 12/2008
Location: Canada
Quote:
Originally Posted by ZGant 
 
Hi dweaver, could you do a brief comparison between z7 and q701? I know it's kinda ridiculous open vs. closed but q701 is the only hp I have in common with you.

OK before we get started I am using a hole modded Q701 so it is warmer sounding and has slightly more bass than the default Q701. I am using my computer coming from my AudioEngine D1 at a moderate volume level.[/COLOR][/COLOR]

OK, curious about this hole mod, have a Q701 that I actually do like in stock form, but always interested in something that may bring out something not quite there. Of course, it has to be doable by someone with 10 thumbs on 2 left hands...

 

[dweaver]

The Q701 thread has documented steps for doing the hole mod. You basically take the little plastic grill off and using tweezers you peel off the piece of tape covering the hole on the back of the driver. It's tricky but doable. It definitely changes the sound making the Q701 much warmer sounding and adds some bass.

 

[doctorjazz]

The Q701 thread has documented steps for doing the hole mod. You basically take the little plastic grill off and using tweezers you peel off the piece of tape covering the hole on the back of the driver. It's tricky but doable. It definitely changes the sound making the Q701 much warmer sounding and adds some bass.

thanks, I'll search for it.

 

[ZGant]

OK before we get started I am using a hole modded Q701 so it is warmer sounding and has slightly more bass than the default Q701. I am using my computer coming from my AudioEngine D1 at a moderate volume level.

First song Babel by Mumford and Sons

Q701 - the song being vocally oriented sounds great on the Q701. The bass in the song is nicely placed and not to thick. There is a nice sense of air and decay in the guitars. Nothing sounds out of place or overly accented. You can hear wonderful detail throughout the song. The Q701 has a wonderful sense of air.

Z7 - The bass in the song is a lot thicker and slower than the Q701 but enjoyable as the speed is not so off that it becomes to slow. Vocals are slightly heavier / warmer but not in a way that makes them sound off just slightly more meatier if you will. There is a drop off in detail in the upper registers but I get a similar sense of immediacy as different areas are accented on the Z7 compared to the Q701. I would say the Z7 is slightly more intimate sounding as the vocals sound slightly closer. This is likely due to the less emphasis on the treble detail.

Your my Thrill - Diana Krall

Z7 - at the beginning of the song the piano sounds thick and weighty and then the bass kicks in with a nice heavy note that is detailed and full of decay. Her voice starts and she sounds very sultry and very close. You can hear the drum kit but cymbals are not very prominent acting more as an accompaniment.

Q701 - The piano starts up but sounds further off and is not thick or weighty. The bass kicks in but again it sounds more like an accompaniment than something that is more center stage. Diana's voice kicks in and is more delicate and soft with more whisp. The drum kit has more shimmer and detail. The over all effect of the song is one of air.

The over all difference is the Z7 is like your watching Diana play in a small intimate club that is warm and inviting. The Q701 is like watching Diana as a larger concert hall but not so large as to loose the intimacy completely.

Anvil of Crom - Basil Poledouris - from Conan the Barbarian

Q701 - the start of the song is kettle drums and large brass. On the Q701 the brass sounds not bad but the kettle drums lack weight. But you can hear lots of cymbal sounds in the background. When the violins kick in they sound very airy and vibrant. The sound stage is very large and instrument separation is good.

Z7 - the kettle drums have a nice full sound and the brass also sounds fuller. The cymbals in the background actually sound cleaner and have better articulation but loose some of the shimmer and airiness present in the Q701. The violins are slightly darker and not quite as airy sounding but blend very well in the over all soundscape being presented. The instrument separation is clean on the Z7 but is done by a reduction in shimmer of instruments like the cymbals.

The Q701 is what I would expect to hear at a concert, the Z7 is what I would expect to hear at the movies. Given that this is a sound track I would assume the Z7 is a more faithful reproduction of the sound intended.

Symphony No 3 - Arvo Part

Z7 - The cellos at the beginning of the track I am using sound very full and thick. The sense of sound stage is enveloping as the different cellos and later instruments join the music. Brass instruments sound exceptionally poignant. I feel completely surrounded while the song plays and can feel the emotion and atmosphere of the music completely. The song hits a very heavy dark section that is simply so well done it sweeps me away then violins kick in and they are vibrant and clear. Small bells are played 3/4 of the way through the song and are again clear and poignant, followed by a minimalist violin section that is clear followed by a wonderful brass section that is restrained and poignant then decends into a deep kettle drum brass filled crescendo that is simply awe inspiring. The songs ends and I am the True Vine by Arvo Part kicks in and the voices are so vibrant and cannot help but listen as they sing...

Q701 - The cellos at the beginning of the song sound distant and lack urgency. As instruments join the song they sound quite distant from each other. The sense of airiness is almost too much causing me to strain to pull the music together. As the song starts to descend into it's first dark section the brass is clear and articulate but lacks the poignancy I heard in the Z7. But as the violins pull the song up they are clear and vibrant. The bells sound very distant and tiny, the violins and brass sound clear but lack vibrancy. The song then descends into it's final kettle drum filled crescendo but lacks the weight and power of the Z7. When I am the True Vine starts it sounds very ethereal again I find myself swept up in the vocals.

This song clearly shows how a well designed bass oriented headphone can completely transform a song into an experience versus just listening to a song. The vocals that started after the main selection were quite interesting as the Q701 was much more delicate and airy while the Z7 was more vibrant and heavier, the Q701 sounded more heavenly while the Z7 sounded more earthy.

OK that's all the comparison I have time for tonight, hopefully this gives you some idea of the differences.

I had only hoped for sound sig differences but you delivered much more. Many thanks

 

[mochill]

Panasonic rp-hjx20 .....anyone wants to try

 

[nihontoman]

  Panasonic rp-hjx20 .....anyone wants to try

damn, this thing actually makes sense response should be better than conventional design

 

[jant71]

Not sure how good for $99 though. If it approached the HJE900 it would be pricier, no? Not too convinced by earphones designed to be used with apps anyway. DTX 11.1 app don't work on my X1/E11K  

 

[nihontoman]

  Not sure how good for $99 though. If it approached the HJE900 it would be pricier, no? Not too convinced by earphones designed to be used with apps anyway. DTX 11.1 app don't work on my X1/E11K  

 
wonder what that app does for other headphones

 

[jant71]

Ooops, it is DTS headphone X. Supposed to be surround sound for the X series.
http://www.dhpxml.com/
 
Either it is tuned for the headphones in some way or maybe it just is marketing and works well with anything.
It does say the effect may not work as well with other headphones.

 

[Ghostfit]

It's been awhile !  ....wat did I missed ! wat did I missed !

 

[B9Scrambler]

Question: How do the UE350 stack up versus more modern offerings?

I picked up a paid brand new for 11 CAD at a local Factory Direct. They're pretty laid back and nonfatiguing, but so far are pretty nice. No real flaws that stick out, except worse than average isolation.

 

[7S Cameron]

 
^
Most likely the uppermids cuz tested my tracks for treble sibilance/ harshness and their highs are pretty gentle to my ears. Almost on par/ similar extension as the Sony H3s in that regards.

Now that i mentioned it the Brainwavz S5 seems to have a similar of harshness as these CKR9's. Interesting.....

Alright, just making sure!

If you want, I'll tour the msr7s for you to hear the headphone reality, but that will have to be after new years.

Hope you and the gang whom I already gathered won't mind waiting.

Any chance of me getting in on that tour?