[Rchandra]

How loud do you have to push the z1r to get the bass to hit you hard?

 

[up late]

 
They are my personal cans. My review pair was borrowed.
 
I began playing with an EQ today. Starting with a ~+4d low shelf below 100 Hz for the Utopias, that made them more interesting.   On the other hand, boosting 5kHz by about 4.5dB on the Sonys seems to fix their muffled sound. After I'd done that, I found this graph in the thread that I'd missed, which reveals the problem quite clearly:
 

 
enjoying your thread. here is another objective data point for you. @thatonenoob took these measurements of the z1r (and th900).
 
 

TH900 PINK/ Z1R BLUE
-No compensation, no smoothing applied.
 

TH900 CSD
1/48th
 

Z1R CSD
1/48th

 

[boomtube]

Any chance LCD-4 might be added to the lineup?

 

[Currawong]

  Any chance LCD-4 might be added to the lineup?

I wish. 

 

[syn959]

 
I wish. 

 
Perhaps someone will be kind enough to lend you one to compare! Not me though, since I've been scared away from Audeze due weight and comfort concerns.
 
I have all the headphones in the thread except the Z1R's so very interested in your write ups. I just got the Ether Flow today and on first listen I like it better than Ether 1.1, but not up there with the Utopia. Perhaps over time the gap will narrow.

 

[Currawong]

A bit of a surprise I had was after spending some hours listening with just the Utopias, I thought I'd switch to the HD800.  Basically after the Utopias, the HD800s (not S) sound veiled in comparison. It was rather shocking.

 

[MidFiMoney]

  A bit of a surprise I had was after spending some hours listening with just the Utopias, I thought I'd switch to the HD800.  Basically after the Utopias, the HD800s (not S) sound veiled in comparison. It was rather shocking.

That's definitely noteworthy because I've heard the 800 is more detailed than the 800S. Keep it coming! 

 

[kaushama]

A bit of a surprise I had was after spending some hours listening with just the Utopias, I thought I'd switch to the HD800.  Basically after the Utopias, the HD800s (not S) sound veiled in comparison. It was rather shocking.

Any thoughts on the same quality in between Utopia and HEK V2? V1 had a reputation to be veiled in sound signature than HD800.

 

[joseph69]

@Currawong 
 
"Thanks to @AnakChan, Dan Clark and HiFiMan Japan I'm going to be spending the next couple of weeks listening to and comparing these flagships."
 
Isn't HiFiMan headquarters in China?

 

[ductrung3993]

Not sure about z1r and utopia but he1000 is the clear "best" out of the rest

 

[canali]

 

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

 

A bit of a surprise I had was after spending some hours listening with just the Utopias, I thought I'd switch to the HD800.  Basically after the Utopias, the HD800s (not S) sound veiled in comparison. It was rather shocking.

Very interesting thanks for your efforts, Currawong...much appreciated!

Looking forward to your video, esp how the z1r sounds
compares to the senn 800, utopia and hifiman1000v2.

 

[FLTWS]

  A bit of a surprise I had was after spending some hours listening with just the Utopias, I thought I'd switch to the HD800.  Basically after the Utopias, the HD800s (not S) sound veiled in comparison. It was rather shocking.

 
I'll be comparing the 2 myself after I get some hours  on my Utopias and replacement cabling.
 
The HD800 sounding "veiled" would be a shocker.

 

[czy6412]

Well HD800 is obvious not the most transparent headphone. The most transparent dynamic headphone I have heard is GS2000e, which I did a direct comparison with Utopia and Grado is more transparent. Utopia is really close, but still a slight behind in terms of transparency.

 

[MidFiMoney]

Well HD800 is obvious not the most transparent headphone. The most transparent dynamic headphone I have heard is GS2000e, which I did a direct comparison with Utopia and Grado is more transparent. Utopia is really close, but still a slight behind in terms of transparency.

Hmmm... This is the first time that I've heard anyone mention the Grados in comparison to the Utopia. Also the first time I've heard anyone place the Utopia behind another dynamic driver in any category other than soundstage. Interesting in deed. 

 

[RCBinTN]

  A bit of a surprise I had was after spending some hours listening with just the Utopias, I thought I'd switch to the HD800.  Basically after the Utopias, the HD800s (not S) sound veiled in comparison. It was rather shocking.

 
That is interesting.  So, if you listen to the HD800 for a few hours, then switch to the Utopia, would they sound overly bright?  I've experienced a similar effect when switching between my HD800 and LCD-X.