[DjAmTraX]

That one in the blog has the "for Studio" red sticker. Do they all come with that sticker?

What are they saying about how it sounds on the Apogee DAC? I have that DAC as my bedside system.

 

[Mad Max]

 
Quote:

Here there are few impressions, sadly are in Japanese! Maybe someone can traslate the most intresting parts:
 
http://blog.goo.ne.jp/macmach1/e/ed35a14b69a7342fe0664984aae94334
 
http://kacho.blog.eonet.jp/blog/2010/11/sony-mdr-z1000.html
 
http://www.phileweb.com/review/article/201010/14/186.html

So transparent they say.
The soundstage is very faithful to the recording.
They are somewhat like a magnifying glass into the music.
Laid-back in the mids, also puts you in the conductor's position.
The kacho blogger goes on about it versus K701.  I think he's saying that they come very close.
They have a small port at the top from which sound leaks a little bit.
That phileweb post also describes Z1k's soundstage as faithful to the recording.
The liquid crystal polymer is supposed to satisfy efficiency, "internal loss"(?), and "very rigid"?  Altavista translation has its limits.  =p
Not sure if they are trying to call Z1000 the R10's successor.  Z1k is supposed to improve upon the bio-cellulose drivers of the R10.
I think the "internal loss" refers to vibration absorption.
Sony thought of using liquid crystal polymer years ago but could not because a thin enough diaphragm for that was hard to make.
How can Z1k's faithfulness to soundstage be measured?  Sony used special software to figure that out and had Sony Music's recording engineers and pro musicians audition them.

 

[earthpeople]

After listening to these for a week (just now getting off a cold, but regardless) I am enjoying them quite a bit. A huge thing I've noticed is how they scale with better equipment. Running them from my Clip+ or iPod Touch is fine; they reach sufficient volumes and the sound is decent. However, they really shine when using them at home with my CKKIII and TPA Opus. For instance, with the portable devices the treble can be harsh and if there's a hint of sibilance in the song, it'll be intensified to the point that I simply can't listen to some songs. With my home gear, the treble is beautifully smooth and refined.
 
I know a lot of you who have tried these and posted your impressions have also tried a lot of other higher end headphones and amps. Maybe these are just picky about what gear matches well? I think they sound great with my home equipment and I can't hear the hot treble that some of you have mentioned. I do not have the experience and caliber of equipment you guys do, but I might just be lucky to have stuff that suits well.
 
Also, the bass isn't as exaggerated as I was expecting. It's there when the song asks for it, but so far I haven't once felt it was somewhere it should not be.
 
Vocals are fantastic; I'm especially enjoying female vocals with these.
 
Soundstage is not huge, but I think it does a pretty good job with positioning. Soundstage isn't very important to me, though I don't mind a wide and deep one at all. Classical is listenable, which to be honest I was expecting I would never use these for prior to buying them.
 
These impressions are mostly with respect to my HD580s and IE8s. I'm working on a more in-depth review that I'll try to put up on the product page within the next few days.

 

[crumpler]

Quote:

After listening to these for a week (just now getting off a cold, but regardless) I am enjoying them quite a bit. A huge thing I've noticed is how they scale with better equipment. Running them from my Clip+ or iPod Touch is fine; they reach sufficient volumes and the sound is decent. However, they really shine when using them at home with my CKKIII and TPA Opus. For instance, with the portable devices the treble can be harsh and if there's a hint of sibilance in the song, it'll be intensified to the point that I simply can't listen to some songs. With my home gear, the treble is beautifully smooth and refined.
 
I know a lot of you who have tried these and posted your impressions have also tried a lot of other higher end headphones and amps. Maybe these are just picky about what gear matches well? I think they sound great with my home equipment and I can't hear the hot treble that some of you have mentioned. I do not have the experience and caliber of equipment you guys do, but I might just be lucky to have stuff that suits well.
 
Also, the bass isn't as exaggerated as I was expecting. It's there when the song asks for it, but so far I haven't once felt it was somewhere it should not be.
 
Vocals are fantastic; I'm especially enjoying female vocals with these.
 
Soundstage is not huge, but I think it does a pretty good job with positioning. Soundstage isn't very important to me, though I don't mind a wide and deep one at all. Classical is listenable, which to be honest I was expecting I would never use these for prior to buying them.
 
These impressions are mostly with respect to my HD580s and IE8s. I'm working on a more in-depth review that I'll try to put up on the product page within the next few days.

I'll be keeping an eye out for your upcoming in-depth review! But i'll chime in and say i totally agree with you that these phones do scale up pretty nicely with better equipment.
 
Loving them with my DACport! I just returned from a mini Brisbane meet and had a chance to try the Z1000s with other more expensive and massive rigs beside mine. I'm pleased to report these do hold up well against even more expensive competition, to my ears at least!

 

[davidhunternyc]

I know, I know, sorry to be a downer guys, but really, are these Sony's new flagship headphones? After the R10 and Qualia 010, is this the next step forward? Welcome to 2011 people.

 

[crumpler]

I've yet to listen to the R10s or Qualias but as far as i know, these are the current Sony flagships. I've owned the SA5000s a while back and i do think these stand up to them, albeit in a closed design.
 
I'm loving them so far and it's my primary can for everyday listening now, and i don't feel a particular need to upgrade, something that hasn't happened in a long time.
 
Oh, and i think it just appear on Sony Style USA for $499.

 

[svyr]

> I know, I know, sorry to be a downer guys, but really, are these Sony's new flagship headphones? After the R10 and Qualia 010, is this the next step forward? Welcome to 2011 people.

no. SA5000 and even CD3000 are better (although markedly different). It's far from R10 or Qualia 010

 

[earthpeople]

Several people PMed me about my impressions with the headphones shortly after I bought them, and I finally got the review up on the product page. I know I said a week or so and it's turned out to be more like a month. Sorry for the delay! Just posting this here so hopefully the interested parties will see and can look it up.

 

[Kees]

Why the product page?
 
I don't see Sony MDR Z1000 listed in the product page.

 

[earthpeople]

This page? http://www.head-fi.org/products/sony-mdr-z1000/reviews/

 

[Kees]

Thanks. Nice review.

 

[Mad Max]

Indeed.
Thanks!
 
I've been wondering about grabbing a Z1000 or getting ZX700 instead and modding it plus replacing the earpads with Z1k's.  ZX700 is cheap by comparison, then with modding plus Z1k earpads it should be very, very close or just as good.

 

[imadome]

Quote:

Indeed.
Thanks!
 
I've been wondering about grabbing a Z1000 or getting ZX700 instead and modding it plus replacing the earpads with Z1k's.  ZX700 is cheap by comparison, then with modding plus Z1k earpads it should be very, very close or just as good.

The Z1k and ZX700 have totally different drivers. You know where to buy Z1k drivers?
 

 

[Mad Max]

I thought they had the same drivers.

 

[khaos974]

Nope, different material.