[yanfeng]

How can you booth do this to me ? Don't you realize that I am trying to ...Resist ? for once, I try to be happy with what I already have ?

BTW yanfeng, can you tell us what headphone you are usine with the SONY DMP-Z1 ? Which one do you considère offer the best synergy with it ?

Thanks

I went through every post of this thread as a consequence of my love for Z1. Somewhere in the middle I read about someone who bought Z1 because he thinks he is old and he wants to make better use of the years when his ears can still enjoy music. I really like this philosophy. I am getting old too. I am not rich. I wouldn't buy Z1 if I were younger and I would have a lot more consideration. But now I think in a different way. I wouldn't consider much whether it is worth the price. It's reduced to two factors: 1. do I really like it? 2. can I afford it without ruin my life? So I bought Z1.

Currently I have three headphones: Focal Utopia, Hifiman HE1000SE, Sony Z1R. Z1R is borrowed from a friend who bought this Z1R from me a year ago.
Utopia has the most smooth, thick, and weighty sound. The details are all there but do not rush to show themselves.
HE1000SE is the opposite of Utopia. It has a very transparent, etheral, and handsome sound. The textures and details are more pronounced than Utopia, maybe sometimes a little bit too pronounced, but mostly in a pleasant way. It definitely has less weight and body than Utopia, which makes HE1000SE less suitable for piano music.
Z1R is something between. It's very balanced, full of details, and quite impactful. A very nice all round headphone for all kinds of music. It's also more neutral than Utopia and HE1000SE. Maybe a tad less involving than the other two.

I bought Utopia one day before I received the borrowed Z1R. If I have received it later, I might consider buying Z1R again. It is really excellent synergy with Z1, which brings out the best of Z1R. I had sold Z1R because it's a bit bland with TH1ES. I didn't expect it can truely shine with Z1.

I might still choose Utopia as I think it's still a better headphone than Z1R. It's more involving, and it's better for piano music which I listen a lot.

HE1000SE is also a very good headphone, but it suits more to some genre of music, such as small band and chamber music.

 

[bmichels]

Thanks for your detailed answer. I can see in the Z1R an added advantage: being closed back it should isolate much better than the 2 others ? Is it corect ? Can people around you be disturbed by your music playing ?

Also, from this thread it seems the Abyss Diana also offer a great synergy with the DMP-Z1 ? « Detailed and fast like an electrostatic » they say ! And from my signature you can guess I like electrostatic signature ( I have Stax 009 and also 007 now)

 

[yanfeng]

Thanks for your detailed answer. I can see in the Z1R an added advantage: being closed back it should isolate much better than the 2 others ? Is it corect ? Can people around you be disturbed by your music playing ?

Also, from this thread it seems the Abyss Diana also offer a great synergy with the DMP-Z1 ? « Detailed and fast like an electrostatic » they say ! And from my signature you can guess I like electrostatic signature ( I have Stax 009 and also 007 now)

I haven't paid much attention to sound isolation as that has never bothered others in my home. And the Z1R has been mailed back to my friend as the longer it stays the more risk of me buying it back...

 

[bmichels]

Help...

 

[yanfeng]

Has anyone compared DMP-Z1 with Luxury and Precision LP6 Ti which costs a little bit less but is rumored to be more powerful than Z1?
Link: https://www.head-fi.org/threads/lp6ti-more-details-to-follow.894334/
The world of "portable player" is becoming crazier and crazier.

 

[raypin]

Thanks for your detailed answer. I can see in the Z1R an added advantage: being closed back it should isolate much better than the 2 others ? Is it corect ? Can people around you be disturbed by your music playing ?

Also, from this thread it seems the Abyss Diana also offer a great synergy with the DMP-Z1 ? « Detailed and fast like an electrostatic » they say ! And from my signature you can guess I like electrostatic signature ( I have Stax 009 and also 007 now)

Mm...the guy from Woo Audio said the Diana is gangbusters with the DMP Z1. I’m not sure if he was referring to the Diana or the new Diana Phi (memory gap). My headfi dealer here has a demo Diana but , unfortunately, it is on loan elsewhere. Trying to arrange an audition.

But I very much agree with @yanfeng score with the Z1: Utopia, then Z1R, then the Hifiman HE1000 SE (recently auditioned). But since I use the Z1 for on- the- go, the Z1R tops my list of the best headphones I have heard thus far when it is paired with the Z1. Just excellent synergy with the crucial advantage: sound isolation. From my normal listening volume, the Z1 R performs much better than my HD 820 (fitment problem). Sound leakage is not an issue....unless you are in a dead-silent convent.

Favorite iem pairing so far with the Z1: Hifiman RE 2000 Gold. Lovely combo.

 

[bmichels]

Mm...the guy from Woo Audio said the Diana is gangbusters with the DMP Z1. I’m not sure if he was referring to the Diana or the new Diana Phi (memory gap). My headfi dealer here has a demo Diana but , unfortunately, it is on loan elsewhere. Trying to arrange an audition.

But I very much agree with @yanfeng score with the Z1: Utopia, then Z1R, then the Hifiman HE1000 SE (recently auditioned). But since I use the Z1 for on- the- go, the Z1R tops my list of the best headphones I have heard thus far when it is paired with the Z1. Just excellent synergy with the crucial advantage: sound isolation. From my normal listening volume, the Z1 R performs much better than my HD 820 (fitment problem). Sound leakage is not an issue....unless you are in a dead-silent convent.

Favorite iem pairing so far with the Z1: Hifiman RE 2000 Gold. Lovely combo.

Thanks a lot raypin for your input. Z1R's isolation is indeed a big plus. But Your feedback on the combo Z1+Diana will be very welcome if you can audition the diana.

 

[yanfeng]

I will be having a Luxury and Precision LP6 Ti in a few days and I will be comparing it to DMP-Z1.
What a time to be alive.

 

[bmichels]

I will be having a Luxury and Precision LP6 Ti in a few days and I will be comparing it to DMP-Z1.
What a time to be alive.

we are very interested in your finding

 

[markt1600]

Really appreciate Sony sending Sato-san and others from the Walkman team to CanJam Singapore. After speaking with the team, the Z1 is becoming much more tempting, partially because of the engineering marvel that it is.

I am currently looking for both a DMP/AMP and a pair of headphones and was wondering if anyone has tried pairing the Z1 with the new Focal Stellia? I had previously been looking at the Z1 + Z1R combo but the new Stellia seems like it could have real synergy (particularly given feedback on the Utopia / Z1 combo).

 

[audionewbi]

I really wish Sony also implemented PCM upsampling than DSD. DSD makes sound more analog, but PCM upsampling seems to make the soundstage bigger.

 

[bmichels]

I am currently looking for both a DMP/AMP and a pair of headphones and was wondering if anyone has tried pairing the Z1 with the new Focal Stellia?

+1

 

[Whitigir]

I really wish Sony also implemented PCM upsampling than DSD. DSD makes sound more analog, but PCM upsampling seems to make the soundstage bigger.

It is all dependent on the algorithms

 

[Wooglish]

+1

Z1 just arrived and is still charging, impressions to come...

 

[bmichels]

Z1 just arrived and is still charging, impressions to come...

looking forward to read your finding. Will you use the 4.4 balanced ?

Do you have other headphone to compare to the Stella with the Z1 ?