[rutter]

@rutter, at ~$1000, you can look into the new Woo Audio WA11 Dac/Amp that will give you 1.2 Watt with 4.4 out. I personally think the 1A/1Z with balance out and high gain is sufficient to drive the Z1r

I had plenty of volume room with the ZX300 on high gain balanced but the sound I'd argue clearly wasn't right whereas the $100 Fiio A5 I think ends up sounding better single-ended you'd think because of 800mw into 32 ohms. I can't find the Sony power specifications after a quick search but the ZX300 and WM1A are supposed to be within 50mw of one another at like 250mw (into what?). So what is the wm1a supposed to do over the ZX300 to drive these? Not to mention people are claiming balanced the two sound very close to one another. The ZX300 sounds like the wm1a, which sounds like the wm1z, and the DX2xxs with amp 8 some say sound better than the wm1z... you gotta love this forum.

Astell & Kern KANN is right on $1K these days.

Looks questionable.

 

[rutter]

Both the iBassos with amp8 and the Hiby R6 Pro have an output power of around 750mw at 32 ohms, whereas single-ended the power dips down at around 250mw. I'm having trouble finding the output power of the WM1A for instance. Apparently Sony doesn't do specifications like everyone else.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/sony-nw-wm1z-wm1a.815841/

Output Power(JEITA 16Ω/mW) : Balanced standard-jack: 250mW+250mW , Stereo mini-jack: 60mW+60mW

For both the WM1Z and the WM1A, not even at 32 ohms. So Sony daps are weak as hell? I love how nobody recommends certain power for the ier-z1r and the zx300 is even bundled with it. This is another sort of thing I despise, complete lack of consideration for the customer.

 

[Jalo]

I had plenty of volume room with the ZX300 on high gain balanced but the sound I'd argue clearly wasn't right whereas the $100 Fiio A5 I think ends up sounding better single-ended you'd think because of 800mw into 32 ohms. I can't find the Sony power specifications after a quick search but the ZX300 and WM1A are supposed to be within 50mw of one another at like 250mw (into what?). So what is the wm1a supposed to do over the ZX300 to drive these? Not to mention people are claiming balanced the two sound very close to one another. The ZX300 sounds like the wm1a, which sounds like the wm1z, and the DX2xxs with amp 8 some say sound better than the wm1z... you gotta love this forum.

Is one pound of sand equal to one pound of gold? I don't think merely looking into the amp power and wattage allows you to compare one amp to another.Power rating sometimes is not the only factor, you have to look at how clear the power, whether the power rating is only peak at a fraction of a second or does it sustain at that level. Like you said the $100 Fiio A5 sounds better than ZX300, there must be other factor in play. The spec sheet doesn't give you the sound.

 

[rutter]

So you're claiming a $100 portable amp without a special dac is just better sounding than Sony's $600-700 dap? I'm strongly inclined to put my one pound of gold on the big power difference accounting for the discrepancy. This isn't a quiz on how much you know about power ratings. If you can find another factor of sufficient magnitude, go right ahead.

 

[TSAVAlan]

You prefer the z1r on the $100 fiio and that is great for you.

I thought the ier-z1r sounded great on the dmp-z1 balanced. Also I really liked the ier-z1r out of the Wm1z single ended which clearly has a ton less power. My preference is my preference. I think people in this hobby can get too sucked into looking at power outputs at times.

Heck, I use a speaker amp to power my planar headphones and I also use my headphone amp. One can give me a whole lot more power but there is certainly a conveince using the headphone amp. Neither choice is wrong, we just have a ton of options in this hobby.

 

[rutter]

Try the zx300 and tell me it doesn't sound wrong. There's nothing great whatsoever about this. People also need to stop claiming that I have found my desirable sound with cheap stuff when I bring them up being too close or in this instance perhaps better than something more expensive. If that were the case would I repeatedly talk about the iBasso daps? I'm trying to find common sense. That is what would be great.

 

[Ricky64]

Ok, the Z1R is apparently in the US. I've just been notified by Amazon US that mine is shipping.
I kind of gave up, and just this past week purchased the Tia Trio. Not sure I need two brand new $2K iems.....

 

[BlendS]

Ok, the Z1R is apparently in the US. I've just been notified by Amazon US that mine is shipping.
I kind of gave up, and just this past week purchased the Tia Trio. Not sure I need two brand new $2K iems.....

Amazon has a pretty good return policy... or you can sell it to me

 

[rutter]

https://www.sony.com/electronics/in-ear-headphones/ier-z1r/specifications

40 ohms with a sensitivity of 103 db/mw. I recall crinacle remarking how unlike other iems cramming runaway numbers of small drivers to questionable effect (*cough* 64 Audio) the IER-Z1R goes with only three big drivers. Do these qualities suggest something about optimal power output? I've also heard that the particular drivers are a factor as well.

The Fiio A5 is not the way to go. The same way I needed to pair it with the ZX300's dac to make the HD650 sound impressive this relatively cheap portable amplifier is no silver bullet, but the fact that it can make some female vocals sibilant whereas I was wracking my head with how weak they were through the ZX300 alone is suggestive (though I still need to EQ). I wonder what gain crinacle used on the iFi Micro Black Label when reviewing the Z1R. There are three levels on it and a max output of 1W I think. What other daps at around $1000 with power are there besides the Hiby R6 Pro and the iBasso DX200s with amp 8? I'm surprised no one is commenting with one of these combos.

 

[jmills8]

https://www.sony.com/electronics/in-ear-headphones/ier-z1r/specifications

40 ohms with a sensitivity of 103 db/mw. I recall crinacle remarking how unlike other iems cramming runaway numbers of small drivers to questionable effect (*cough* 64 Audio) the IER-Z1R goes with only three big drivers. Do these qualities suggest something about optimal power output? I've also heard that the particular drivers are a factor as well.

The Fiio A5 is not the way to go. The same way I needed to pair it with the ZX300's dac to make the HD650 sound impressive this relatively cheap portable amplifier is no silver bullet, but the fact that it can make some female vocals sibilant whereas I was wracking my head with how weak they were through the ZX300 alone is suggestive. I wonder what gain crinacle used on the iFi Micro Black Label when reviewing the Z1R. There are three levels on it and a max output of 1W I think. What other daps at around $1000 with power are there besides the Hiby R6 Pro and the iBasso DX200s with amp 8? I'm surprised no one is commenting with one of these combos.

No dap can push like the ifi bl and the ifi has a great dac.

 

[rutter]

I had it at one point with a Hifiman Edition X v2, was not impressed by it at all. At least I could tell the Chord Mojo was doing something whereas this seemed like an inert little brick to me. I'd consider it with the ier-z1r but it's only a dac+amp, not a player. Its maximum power output at 1W isn't that great, multiple daps are at 750mw.

 

[ddmt]

OMG, my ears must have been so bad. I've listened to z1r with zx300 (balanced, in high gain, volume around 50-60) and they sounded quite good, not as good as dap-z1 & z1r combo of course. I should check my ears soon.

 

[rutter]

Ha, you're really funny. Did you have anything else to compare to? I see you'll be getting the DX220 in a week or two. If you have amp 8 then you could provide a good deal of insight if you'd feel inclined to write something descriptive.

 

[Sp12er3]

Try the zx300 and tell me it doesn't sound wrong. There's nothing great whatsoever about this. People also need to stop claiming that I have found my desirable sound with cheap stuff when I bring them up being too close or in this instance perhaps better than something more expensive. If that were the case would I repeatedly talk about the iBasso daps? I'm trying to find common sense. That is what would be great.

I think why you don't get any response about this inquiry is because people just don't get what you're so angry about....

People are mostly "fine" about the Z1R's mids and you're putting down the ears of the tuner, Mr Eiji Kuwahara.


The Sony Signature models are, unlike any other Sony products, mostly artisan/ boutique work with their specific, niche design, and the tuning it has definitely ain't mass market, heck it is not even the "Audiophile" tuning either. Some people would even call it "weird", but that's just how it is.

They make it to specifically sound the way it is and they're proud of what they've made.

You love em and stay with it, or doesn't get why and hate it, is usually what people ended up with after listening to them. On Sony Signature models especially, it seems diversity in opinions are quite apparent.
(heck there's not even many people that has it in their hands yet, what else can people say when they have nothing to work on... Even here I can only try them on a Jaben Review tour that just so come in my local branch)

With how you've only been going on about EQ ing it, I think you've been squarely on the latter side really. Especially on how rushed and OCD you seem to be on everything that goes into it. Just relax, wait on it, let it flex more with time, if it still ain't what you want, only then...

Why not just... Let it go and try something else~?

Whats great is there's sooooo many options these days that you can get lost in that new search and discovery.

 

[Ra97oR]

I can't believe this discussion is still on going... There isn't really a right or wrong sound, if you don't like a certain pairing don't go around and telling others that their hearing is broken.

On the topic of driving the Z1R with 1W, I am pretty sure then your hearing or the IEMs will be rekt in a short notice.