Disclaimer
Hi everyone, Before I start the review, I would like to thank Sony for making this awesome headphone.
Sorry for the photo quality, I'm still using iphone 4 and my photo taking skills are quite poor T_T , but that will soon to change with the Samsung Galaxy S8 hopefully.
This review is made by myself based on my observation and listening pleasure of The Z1R on various gear that I have after about a bit over a month of ownership.
I have no affiliation to Sony in any way and everything said here is true from the heart as it is plain fact, based on my experience of course.
The pricing in Australia is 2499 AUD (1900 USD using google), so the review will be made using that as the value.
I can say outright that this is an awesome headphone and worth the money, but, as this is a TOTL headphone, I'll try to be as critical as possible and nitpick evrything that can be nitpick.
INTRODUCTION (If you read my other review, you can skip this lol)
I'm an Indonesian working as a Web Developer in Melbourne, Australia.
Other than programming/coding, listening to music is another one of my hobby.
When I start my headphone hobby, music listening has been a very rewarding experience for me and has helped me in many aspects of life other than music enjoyment, although, with the booming price of high end headphones/IEM atm, it has become a bit of a heavy hit on my wallet >_<.
Starting from almost 3 years ago I've been really hooked by metal music, and nowadays my everyday music listening always incorporate metal tracks, I guess you can call me a Metalhead, I also listen to other genres occasionally, but metal music is my focus.
I don't actually listen to all kinds of music, lets say for example Classical, therefore it is important to understand that this review is based on my observation on the kinds of musics I like, and those are mainly:
- Metal (many kinds, mainly the extreme kind, like 80% off the time)
- Rock (mostly Porcupine Tree, Steven Wilson, Riverside(rock/metal), Radiohead or something like it)
- EDM (Mostly trance)
- Jazz (Norah Jones, Diana Krall and the likes)
- Indonesian Song (it's basically the Indonesian version of pop, guitar used is mostly acoustic guitar, sounds natural and relaxing however, mastering of the song is usually poor, this is good to test how good a headphone/Iem handle poorly recorded material)
- etc
Genre's excluded from my impression(I don't listen to this music on Z1R)
- Rap
- Classical
- Bollywood stuff
Gear Used
- Sony MDR-Z1R
- MrSpeakers Ether Flow
- Chord Mojo
- Cavalli Liquid Carbon
- Fiio X5 III
PACKAGING
The box is big and well packaged, the carton used is quite thick, and the graphic on it is well designed, inside you will find the headphone storage case wrap in cottony white bag underneath the black carrybag, very nice as Sony definitely is not trying to cut cost on packaging here, the best packaging out of all headphone that I have or have reviewed.
STORAGE CASE
Crazy premium feel made from leather in black gives it a classy feel, like you're into something special with this product, even the flap is metal, no plastic here.
Inside you will find a black soft cloth to protect the headphone and its accessories, very luxurious feel, especially when you open the case and you see your headphone sitting nicely in it.
Again, this is the best case I've ever seen out of all headphone that I have or have reviewed.
It is not very practical though, had Sony provided a carrying case that you can store in the big black treasure case as well, than this would be the perfect thing ever.
ACCESSORIES
3.5 SE terminated cable (+ adaptor to 1/4 inch)
4.4 balanced terminated cable (new standard, I really like this a lot, but again not the most practical, not yet)
Documentation
A pouch to store you cables or your other accessories
The treasure box itself
The Z1R / BUILD QUALITY
The headphone in a word is gorgeus, no BS here, genuine leather for the pads, metal grill for the earcups, adjustable metal bar with numbers, locking mechanism for the cables for clean look, matte finish for the yoke.
The earpads are hand stitched so it is impossible to have identical pads on each side, mine is ever so slightly softer on the left side, but as far as I can tell the comfort and the sound are unaffected by this slight variation.
Every once in a while some tiny debris coud get stuck on the grill on the earcups, but compressed air can take care of it very quickly, easy 10 seconds work on each cups.
The cable has a locking connector to the headphone, IMO this is not mainly intended for protection, when fully screwed, the headphone looks so clean and elegant in black without any silver or other metallic obstrusive color diverging it from the design goals of which to look supreme and elegant.
The design is excellent and it makes it possible for the headphone to look premium, feels light, durable and clean at the same time, how great is that?
Again, this is the best looking and designed headphone I've ever seen out of all headphone that I have or have reviewed.
Fit, Comfort and ease of use
The fit is excellent, it is light and the earpads are soft and big, it is roomy but it's not very deep, some people with ears that sticks out a lot might not like it, the ears could touch the cloth grill inside.
for normal size ears though, there is no problem at all, the headphone is very enjoyable to use for long periods due to its lightness and excellent clamping force with soft earpads with leather that feels nice to the skin.
There are numbers for easy adjustment, making sure left and right is the same and even weight distribution on the head.
If you have a headphone case, this is the perfect headphone to take to work. It is closed back yet airy and has the sound quality to boot, very practical in almost all situation.
Noise Isolation is good(It does leak on very high volume, like super loud volume) but the passive noise cancellation is not the best, however with the music on and playing, all background noise are suppressed very well, leaving you alone with your music without disturbing other people.
SOUND ANALYSIS
The Signature
The sound signature is definitely not what you call typical neutral, it definitely has boosted bass and some warm feel to it, with treble/upper treble being laid back but still apparent to complete the music piece.
It is smooth and relaxing yet detailed at the same time, for a closed back it is quite airy too and the soundstage is immense.
I would say that the tuning is to mimic a speaker setup in a well damped rrom instead of open and airy like a live performance.
The Bass
The bass sounds big and full, extension is superb and despite it being boosted, it almost never intrudes the mids at all, maybe a couple of times it did, but it could be my imagination.
Honestly the bass on this is probably the defining features.
It sounds studio room like in its presentation, like you're playing your music on a speaker in a closed room.
Details are paramount, there are many details in the bass that I didn't hear in my other cans, possibly due to its excellent technicality but also the tonality.
The Mids
The mids is smooth and a bit lush with a little bit of warm on the tone.
Vocals sound full bodied but vibration is still heard very clearly carrying the singers emotion in it.
Guitars sounds awesome on this, the bite is present but never too harsh for me, it is almost like the Z1R is shining the spotlight on this specific instrument.
Many old metal recordings were not mastered very well, on this occasions the guitar can be harsh and shrilling, but with the Z1R it is smooth, extended and present in the mix
Overall Guitars both electric or acoustic, sounds excellent on this.
The mids on this can may not be as detailed as other TOTL open headphone, but it is close, and due to the closed nature, you gat that private feel in it, you hear the sound in the mids right from it starts till it ends, for all those details it extracts, it presents them to you effortlessly without you paying attention to it.
To sum it up, the way this can present its mids is very optimized to its technical ability.
The Treble
Treble is smooth but detailed at the same time, this is one of the unusual thing about the Z1R, I definitely notice the treble despite it being laid back and possibly smoothened, could be because of the excellent imaging and separation of this can but I'm liking it even though it sounds a little restrained due to its laidbackness.
It has the same effect as the mids though, for every bit you hear, you hear from beginning till the end but it is not as effortless as the mids.
Extension is great but I think the presentation is tailored for specific purpose, long-term listening pleasure. It is not the most exposing treble and not tuned for in your face details bombardment kinda thing, It extends well but it is in the background.
The treble by no means is good but you can't deny that the mids and bass are the focus of this cans.
I find that the treble plays down on your taste the most, I listen to metal music, so bright treble is often not good for me as my metal recordings are bright and added brightness could be fatiguing, so I like The Z1R.
For classical music listeners though, it could be a different story.
Pairings
I tested the Z1R using my desktop set up which is:
Laptop -> Chord Mojo -> Cavalli Liquid Carbon -> Z1R
And also Fiio X5 III that I'm currently reviewing atm.
I find that differnce from pairings on this can is not super apparent, this headphone stays true to it's sound sig no matter what drives it, but I'll try to be as critical as possible.
Chord Mojo -> Cavalli Liquid Carbon -> Z1R (SE)
With this setup, I think the warmness of The LC and mojo makes the Z1R even warmer, but still the bass never intrudes the mids, bass hits hard and treble is still detailed but laid back.
Mids are lush, emotional and smooth, love the mids on this combo.
Extension is excellent and the sound sounds full and big.
This definitely more of the flavour that the Z1R already offered, but I don't think it makes the Z1R sounds too warm at all.
Good pairing, but this is desktop(not quite but intended to function like one) amp we're talking about here, only excellent results will suffice as this is supposed to be your best equipment to drive your headphone.
To nitpick, The Z1R needs a little bit more qunatity in the mids(couple more db) and slight more forward treble to make it even better (positioning not quantity) for my taste. You can definitely do better on other destop amps that are more expensive, neutral amps is best for Z1R IMO, I'm actually thinking of auditioning The Violectric V281 to pair with the Z1R as it is apparently more neutral and dynamic presentation could be an upgrade.
FIIO x5 III (SE mode only)
I only had the Fiio for three days so I'm still warming up to it's sound.
Bass is good but not as punchy and dynamic as desktop setup or the mojo alone. mids very slightly more intimate but not as lush. Treble still there and detailed. smaller soundstage compared to the LC.
Excellent pairing considering I'm comparing DAP with desktop set up, but for some reason it does not seem as powerfull as my other setup, the sound is not as impactfull and full in my mind.
I could happily use this Dap to drive the Z1R no problem if I don't have the other gear.
Chord Mojo
Bass is tighter compared to other 2 setups, dynamic is there too and better than the Fiio, soundstage similar to the Fiio, not as big as with the LC. Treble is not as laid back as the other 2 and details seems more apparent especially compared to the Fiio X5.
Mids is not as lush as The LC and Fiio X5, but maintains excellent body without sounding thin.
It seems to me The Mojo sounds the thinnest(not bad just compared to the others) out of all my combination and provides and excellent change to the theme here, oh and it sounds great too.
Comparisons
Mr Speakers Ether Flow & Ether C (not C Flow), I will also say which one I like more for each aspects, remember this is only my taste not for everyone.
Comfort
About the same, The sony a bit lighter though.
Durability
About the same, Ether flow / Ether C a feels bit more flexible and seems easier to replace parts if it breaks.
Looks
Sony all the way, like not even close, for me anyway. It looks so clean and has that everything is in one piece feel. It makes The Ethers look like a joined piece from many parts if you know what I mean.
Bass
Compared to Ether C 1.1 and Ether Flow, the Z1R is way darker in it's presentation with plenty of bass yet somehow almost never intrudes the mids. I can say that the bass presention is of a different type from the Ether C, the Ether C was tight and lean with excellent speed and low in quantity and good sub-bass, The Ether Flow has that mid bass hump, speed and is very natural sounding, while The Z1R also has that naturalness on the body, still tight but it has a good amount of emphasis compared to the other two, the speed is not as fast as the Ether C/EF from what I remember, but it is still plenty fast to keep up with the music and it's not a problem at all for most music.
Extension wise, I have to say that The Z1R extends way better than the Ether C and EF, the extension and decay is much more noticeable due to both better technicalities and also extra emphasis, there details in my music that I never notice in the other 2 cans that I do with the Z1R.
winner: MDR-Z1R, I really don't like how thin the Ether C sound and it looks like some work needs to be done to fix that part(EF has the fix, but still Z1R has that extra detail and extension)
Mids
All headphone is a bit laidback generally(I'll explaina bit later) on this, the positioning of the vocal is not as forward compared to the bass on Z1R and also the treble on the Ck, while the Ether Flow can sound scooped out at times.
Mids on the C and EF I feel has more details, but The Ether C is thin and unenjoyable for me, The EF has good body but on some recording I notice that it upper mids extension is scooped out, while MDR Z1R is more lush and has a slight warm touch on it.
Extension is quite similar, only that Upper mids part on the EF I'm not so sure of.
When you hear vocal decay on The Z1R, you literally can hear everything from start to end, while I'm not too sure about this with the C and EF.
Both can expose sibilant in the music but moreso on The EF and even more on The Ether C due to its thin bright nature, The Z1R is so smooth in the vocals, sibilance is still there if its there in the recording but the tuning and smoothness definitely helps and it doesn't bother me at all (think the vocals in the CA andromeda, can be sibilant but somehow it's not bothersome at all) but at the expense of minute details I think. The C and EF are going for details so it will expose all those bad qualities straight up to you.
winner: I don't know on this one honestly, The C I feel is too thin so I don't like it, but The EF is very good and overall is a bit better than the Z1R despite it sounding scooped out at times.
Trebles
just like the bass, the treble on this can is the exact opposite, the Z1R's is toned down a bit, while the Ether C is very upfront on the treble and The EF not as bright as the C still a bit bright.
Details I feel is about the same, The Z1R is weird in that it is dark, but somehow you can still hear all those details in the treble. The treble is definitely less than the mids and especially the bass.
just like everything else, The treble on The C is thin and the decay is very quick, while the Z1R is slower in general but just like the mids, you can hear the decay from start to finish more than the C.
winner: depends on your preference, I like the Z1R more, I listen to Metal so brightness is not my thing. For other Music, EF wins, Ether C is again thin and not enjoyable.
Soundstage
Between The Ether C and Z1R, I'm not sure on this one since it's been a while and this is the part where the difference is minor, I'd say it's about the same, but The Z1R sounds really wide for a closed headphone. but it's not a stark enough difference to say one is better than the other.
The EF being open is easy winner on this.
winner: EF > EC = Z1R
Imaging
I've mentioned that the Vocals is a bit laid back on the Z1R, strangely enough, this headphone really portrays the positioning of the percussion and vocals extremely well, some drums sounds so far in the back and the laid back vocals can sound up-front and personal sometimes, it really depends on the mastering, I've never experience such a big change in positioning that can be this extreme in any headphone including the Ether C and the Ether Flow.
winner: Z1R for me, as it portrays recording environment more accurateley and precisely than the other two.
Summary
This is a great headphone and best in class for it's type, practicality is way better than other TOTL due to it being a closed back.
Despite being closed, soundstage is great, quite airy and crazy precise imaging.
Bass performance is superb but coloured, never intrudes the mids and excellent extension.
Mids are excellent with plenty of details to satisfy, smooth but not overly so and can still expose both details and recording imperfection.
Treble is laid back but details still apparent, if you're a treblehead, this is not for you though.
Value is great here in Australia IMO, but not so in other region.
Z1R gets a 5 star, it is obviously not a perfect headphone, but what is?
Since the day I got it, it stays on my head way more than any other headphone I've owned, there are a few reasons for this, it looks awesome, sounds bloody great, extremely nice storing case and the sheer practicality due to detachable connectors, easy to drive from a DAP and provides isolation to be used in many situations.
In this regard, it is unbeatable by other TOTL, you can't really use an open headphone in your workplace, it might disturb someone else unless on really low volume, but then it's not as enjoyable isn't it?
It's a complete packaged really and more well rounded across all areas(everything, not only sound) compared to the other competitions.
Despite some shortcomings, this is my favourite headphone to date and this is why I gave it 5 stars.