This is so badass. One of the beautiful things about wood, leather, and metal is the way they age with their owner and develop a nice patina. Love it or hate it, you have to admit that ZMFs will age better than many other high-end, head-fi gear. It'll be neat to see more and more aged ZMFs a...

I recall Zach mentioning that he'd personally run the BE2 pads on the Blackwood versions of the Verites. I swapped in the BE2 lambs on my VC, and after a little bit of brain burn-in, man these are becoming my favorite pair pretty quick. It's a more immediate sound. I'm assuming this is due to...

Agreed. I do think the VO hits the proportions just right with the grill size and design. Mine is also African Blackwood. In the light, it showcases its beautiful grain. Yet, ambient lighting gives it a very discreet look—pitch black:

Gorgeous. Man, I feel like the VO doesn't get the love and attention it rightfully deserves.... It's what I'm hanging out with this weekend.

Will you be uploading a review as well, Monster?

Oh, that’s promising to hear. What was the update? I’ve been interested in picking up a 1ZM2 since they launched. I’ve been waiting patiently to see whether Sony has shown any initiative to address some of the most common feedback from customers before making the investment.

Crazy that it’s already been over two years since these released. Since the mark 1 variant was on the market for 5 years before the M2, did Sony ever provide OTA upgrades for the OS or make any revisions?

I'ma throw a guess out there that it's a custom Aegis... ;)

So, would you say you’re personally finding more joy listening to the CC than the CO? I was blown away by the Caldera’s strengths, but just didn’t jibe with the tonality — particularly, the spicy treble. Its timbre was a bit too “zingy,” but I also didn’t try different meshes. Sounds like the...

has anyone tried the ZMF co-pilot on the Z1R? The crescent snap pad isn’t wide enough, so it’s on my MV1 right now (& it’s amazingly comfy.)

Better late than never! ;) Do yourself a favor and let them run in a bit (couple hundred hours; Sony themselves made this recommendation). "While exact quotes from Sony engineers aren't available, a statement from an internal development discussion highlighted the importance of the burn-in...

OP was referring to Atrium Closed, where the sub-bass is definitely the focus of the lower register. The AO is more mid-bass focused for sure.👍

I’ve yet to hear the CC (eagerly awaiting the day I get the opportunity), but currently own the VC & AC. The AC is really great for movies. I do think the MDR-Z1R might be the best closed-back I’ve ever heard for movies/games. I reach for the AC when I want an immersive, organic/analog...

I find the Z1R to be one of the most comfy closed-backs on the market. But. The MV1 is even lighter, open (less heat), and the suede pads are very cozy. That said, the Z1R still cuts above it in terms of sound, and expects higher quality source gear. I love both, but the MV1 is very good value.

Speaking of, I recently picked up a pair of MV1. These things are tuned incredibly well. Can definitely tell they share the same designer as the Z1R. I was relieved to find out that their cup shell is a lightweight aluminum (not plastic.) They are the single most comfortable pair of cans that...