Atticus, Eikon, MDR-Z1R, or Other? For Office Use - EDM, Rock, Filmscores...
Sep 16, 2017 at 7:40 PM Thread Starter Post #1 of 8

Sonic Steven

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Hello everyone!

New member to Head-Fi but have been a longtime guest benefiting from the plethora of information available here. I’m now at the point where I’m thinking of a (serious to me) purchase, and want to hear input from those that have experience with some TOTL cans that could be used in an office setting and fit my genre preferences (especially those that own a Atticus or Eikon along with a Z1R). Quick aside: this is a lengthy post and I greatly appreciate anyone that cares to read this and share their suggestion with me!

Main question/topic presented in this thread: With consideration of the points mentioned below, what is the best headphone/setup within a $2,500USD budget (+/-) for me?

Consideration points for me as an individual:
  • I use headphones daily, M-F, in my office at work. I will wear them for hours at a time if someone doesn’t need me.
  • I use them as a productivity tool, as well as general enjoyment when at home. I run an ecommerce business (not audio related) and thus spend many hours in front of a computer. Headphones help me get into a state of flow where I’m most productive. For this bullet point, the key takeaway is that I desire a headphone that invites you into the music, immediately embracing the toe-tapping, and can motivate me to continue my keyboard pounding an hour after I have started.
  • I have my own office but believe in open door policies. Thus, I’m looking for a headphone that I can use at healthy listening volumes without my employees outside beginning a karaoke session from my music (although that does sound fun!). Hence my current search has catered to closed backs but if someone has a different opinion about this, I’m all ears.
  • I have considered the idea of multiple headphones to suit certain tracks, environments, and use cases, but something closer to a “do it all” headphone would be preferable. Furthermore, it would be awesome to have a great headphone that was rockin’ through a desktop amp, but could also be used (relatively) easily at night from an iPhone source while in bed. If possible, I’d even use them for plane flights, movies at home, etc.
  • Relative to most here on Head-Fi, I am admittedly a noob. I have not been able to attend a meetup, don’t have local stores (that I know of) where I could try different things, and I don’t have any friends that are into this hobby. Consequently, I don’t know what the “large soundstage of the HD800 is like” or how the sound of planars vs. electrostats vs. dynamics differ to my ears. So, the input from Head-Fiers will be extremely valuable to me if I decide to move forward with a purchase.
  • Thus far, my readings have pointed me towards the ZMF Atticus/Eikon or Sony MDR-1ZR. Each having their compromises/differences, they all seem to fit many of my requirements while differing in signature and should be a step up in performance from my current TH-X00’s. However, I’m open to all additional HF suggestions if they fit my environment requirements and music interests.
  • I was considering a used Z1R in the $1400-$1500 area vs. a new Atticus/Eikon (hard to find used in the new wood style Zach just released, plus the lifetime warranty to original owner situation) in the $1000-$1500 area. With the rest of budget, I could either consider a complimentary headphone or a DAC/Amp that would let a particular headphone of choice shine.
My music preference is quite flexible. Here are genres and artists listed in descending order of priority:
1. (Don’t shoot me but…) Electronic Genre [EDM, Drum and Bass, House, Ambient, Chill, Trance]
a. Typically enjoy songs with vocals and real instruments, but sometimes I need background music that is engaging without motivating me to sing along lol.
b. Favorite artists: Swedish House Mafia (SHM), The Glitch Mob, Armin Van Buuren, Elektronomia, Avicii, Mt. Eden, Tiesto, Lindsey Sterling, more..
c. If “Don’t You Worry Child ft. John Martin” by SHM and “Lights (Bassnectar Remix)” by Ellie Goulding & Bassnectar don’t get the head moving, I won’t be interested in the headphones…
2. Rock, including Alt Rock, Pop Rock, etc. Newer artists and older.
a. Favorite artists: Shinedown, 30 Seconds to Mars, Breaking Benjamin, Coldplay, Imagine Dragons, Keane, Led Zeppelin, Queen, Lifehouse, Linkin Park, Goo Goo Dolls, Matchbox Twenty, Third Eye Blind
b. Key tracks: “Call Me” Shinedown. “Closer to the Edge” and “Kings and Queens” by 30 Seconds to Mars. “The Sound of Silence” Disturbed. And any random song of choice from Led Zeppelin, Coldplay, and Matchbox Twenty.​
3. Filmscores, Classical, Instrumentals
a. Really enjoy listening to filmscores sometimes at work when I need a relaxing moment (John Williams, Hans Zimmer, Steve Jablonsky, etc). Just starting to scratch the surface on orchestra pieces. It is admittedly fun when you listen to certain filmscores or symphony pieces through decent headphones and you realize there are instruments playing that you didn’t know existed through iPhone Ear Pods lol. However, extreme levels of detail retrieval and analytical presence isn’t a top priority overall. I’d rather the theme song to Pirates of the Caribbean by Zimmer move me emotionally than for me to discern when the pages are turned by the conductor (Mozart/Bach/Chopin aficionados will probably laugh at this example but I can’t help but feel upbeat when I hear this piece).​
4. The list could go on. I listen to a little country, jazz, etc. at times. But I’d say 90% of my workplace listening would fall into the previous 3 categories.

Music I do not listen to (no harm meant, simply doesn’t fancy me):

1. Death Metal
2. Bluegrass
3. Rap
4. Opera

Audio equipment I have owned or currently own:
  • Audio Technica ATH-M50. First pair of headphones I purchased for a work environment 6 or so years ago.
  • Fostex TH-X00 Ebony. Currently listening to them now. This is the “best” set of headphones I have ever personally owned. They are not perfect, but for my daily listening, they actually work quite well. If I could improve them, I would like to think better headphones would seem less veiled, have clearer mids, and wouldn’t seem to get muddy for certain types of complex music. Things I really enjoy about them: comfortable (to me), good bass extension and quantity (first headphones I’ve ever worn where you can feel them physically rumble on your head haha), can be powered from any device, seem to be holding up to my handling thus far, was the first set of headphones where I listened to music I know well and I could hear aspects/depth/fullness that I had not heard before from headphones. Overall, they get my toes tapping. Which is why I have been content with them for some time now. At this point, I’m really interested in learning “how much better things can sound” and to experience different types of audio reproduction.
  • Schiit Stack (Modi Multibit, Magni 2 Uber). I don’t have any other DAC/Amps to compare to so, uh, yea. They sound pretty good? May my noobness shine for all to see…
Once again, thank you to anyone that cares to read all this and provides a meaningful suggestion. Bonus points go out to those that own the cans in question and can compare sound for my particular music interests! Cheers to all.
 
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Sep 19, 2017 at 1:04 PM Post #2 of 8
I spoke with a head-fi member privately that owns or has owned the Atticus, Eikon, Z1R, TH-900 MK1, Ether C Flow, etc. and has a number of DAC/Amps to drive each well.

In his words:
"To me it's a pretty simple answer between those 3. Z1R all the way, especially if you get one around $1500 or so.
My reasoning is:
  • The Z1R's are incredible light and comfortable.
  • They have a very non fatiguing sound, so you can listen to them hours-on-end just fine.
  • Sonically they're as good or superior in most aspects compared to the Atticus/Eikon.
  • They aren't very amp dependent (as opposed to Atticus/Eikon). Your Schiit stack will work just fine with them, and brighter sources (like most Schiit) would pair well with the Z1R. I like using mine with a Chord Mojo.
  • They isolate fairly well, although I haven't tested this much. Not really a concern for me.
  • The genre's you listed to the Z1R excels at. In fact TH-900 aside, the Z1R's are about as good as it gets for Electronic music. Their bass is very engrossing, robust and controlled. Nothing really compares to it IMHO. It's also great for most modern Pop/Rock/Hip-Hop. Haven't really listened to many films or scores on it, but I'd expect they'd sound great due to the enveloping fullness the Z1R's project.
Hope this helps. Lemme know if you have any other questions. If you do get the Z1R's, upgrading the cable is suggested, but not a must."

I appreciated his points largely because they touch on the (usually less-talked-about) aspects of headphones beyond the sound alone: comfort, fatigue, amp dependency, usefulness in noisier environments, etc. ATM, I think I'm going to give the Z1R's a shot...

Would still like to hear others' opinions for fun and for other members in a similar boat as myself.
 
Sep 19, 2017 at 4:02 PM Post #3 of 8
Definitely Z1R for the very same reasons that you mentioned. It is not picky with amp, in fact, it will pair better with a neutral amp, which i think your magni 2 will do just fine!
 
Sep 19, 2017 at 8:44 PM Post #4 of 8
I myself would go for the Eikons as they have a more natural sound to me. The Z1R's were not to my liking as the treble was just off to me just about the same as my AKG K872's not bad just a bit off. Don't have either but have heard both but not the Z1R's on other than a Sony amp so I would like to hear them on a different setup but I will be buying a pair of ZMF Eikons or maybe Atticus in the near future can't decide just yet as my amps are changing but thought the Eikons were just stellar out of my Kenzie but the Atticus is what my preferred to sound is leaning towards.
 
Sep 19, 2017 at 11:12 PM Post #5 of 8
I myself would go for the Eikons as they have a more natural sound to me. The Z1R's were not to my liking as the treble was just off to me just about the same as my AKG K872's not bad just a bit off. Don't have either but have heard both but not the Z1R's on other than a Sony amp so I would like to hear them on a different setup but I will be buying a pair of ZMF Eikons or maybe Atticus in the near future can't decide just yet as my amps are changing but thought the Eikons were just stellar out of my Kenzie but the Atticus is what my preferred to sound is leaning towards.
I really wish I could hear the Atticus and Eikon in person. Supporting Zach and his team would mean a lot more to me than supporting the "big Sony". If the lower frequency genres weren't so fun to me, I'd almost certainly go A or E. Shoot, I've even considered a modded TH900 for the bass stuff and then Eikon for everything else lol. Going used/used I could probably squeeze the budget, but then have nothing left for an amp. I think another part of me has hope that in several years, I can afford something like the Utopia to compliment a closed, darker HF to take the natural instrument genres to a whole other level (or so sayeth the hype). Which would mean an Eikon might lose its prowess as the musical but resolving headphone. As I understood things, money and listening environment aside, many would take the Utopia over an Eikon for the sound resolution.

This darn hobby. And for someone as new as me, that has only heard the tip of the iceberg, it's hard to move forward. At that point where I gotta schiit or get off the pot and start trying things. Send me a postcard, Wallet. 'Twas nice knowing ya.
 
Sep 19, 2017 at 11:20 PM Post #6 of 8
Definitely Z1R for the very same reasons that you mentioned. It is not picky with amp, in fact, it will pair better with a neutral amp, which i think your magni 2 will do just fine!
Banco, I see you have the Sony amp. Have you tried your Z1R's on other amps and notice a significant difference? Lots of people say the Z1R is nicely amp independent - which makes me wonder if the Sony amp (or an expensive one in general) is as good of a "value" purchase as, say, a nicely paired tub amp with an Atticus (where it seems you really can transform the Atticus into a whole other HF with the right amp pairing).

I'm still getting through all the pages of the Z1R thread, so I'm sure I'm probing for impressions that are already well covered... will just take time to read them all.
 
Sep 20, 2017 at 12:26 AM Post #7 of 8
My original setup was Z1R paired with Asus Xonar Essence STX (neutral), it was good, then i upgraded the op-amps to burson v5, and i found the sound to be harsher and rather bright.

Then, i upgraded to zh1es. I dont really like to combo initially, i found them to be tad too warm (but still detailed) and laid back, but after a while, i grew to like them. I finally understood what sony is trying to achieve with the combo, which is fun, musical, engaging and not tiring at all.

About the sony amp itself, it is really good and actually best paired with soemthing brighter like utopia. It actually helped to reduce utopia brightness for me, and make it more musical but still retaining its characteristic. The pair sounds amazing... One thing that i noticed tho, it is not optimal for high impendance cans, i tried with HD800/s and Beyer DT880.
 
Oct 1, 2017 at 1:54 PM Post #8 of 8
Here we are a few days later, and I'm happy to say I'm now a Z1R owner. Was able to pick up a nice, used set from a head-fi member. Currently enjoying them, but will provide a more in depth review/response as my perceptions relate to this particular thread topic.

A big thing that surprised me immediately - the case Sony provides for the Z1R... wow! I haven't purchased any other "expensive" headphones before, so I don't know what's a common case/presentation, but daum. Totally impractical for portable use, but looks great, seems like it's built for the long haul, and presents everything nicely when sitting on the display shelf.

I'll put it this way: I'm pretty sure Sony spent more on their leather case than Fostex/Massdrop puts into the entire manufacture of the TH-X00's LOL.
 

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