[gLer]

In my humble opinion, Yes.
I still prefer Z1R compared to many flagships, u12t, traillii, Odin, Volur (that I tried recently), Monarch mkII, Xenon6, VE Phonix, IE900, Moondrop Dark Saber (if you count this), IE900 etc.

The only one IEM that I concur that Z1R take the defeat is Elysian Annihilator 2023,


or maybe Subtonic Storm (I haven't got chance to try them)..

Annihilator falls short of Z1R bass quality (it's not even close imo) but it does have more quantity and better treble. Very different IEMs imo, but YMMV. I really like both.

PS. Ironically for all the jokes about Z1R fit, it fits me much better than Anni. I wouldn't buy Anni primarily because of comfort, but again, that's a big YMMV.

 

[LunarMihari]

I haven't exactly tried the widest variety of TOTL sets, but of all the kilobuck sets I have in my collection, I can say I find the IER-Z1R better than the monarch mk 2s, MEST mk 2s, U12Ts, and Elysian Gaea. Granted, those aren't exactly the most fair comparisons because the tunings are pretty substantially different across all the listed sets, but the IER-Z1R is still just such a stunner set that sits on a level above all the sets I listed IMO, assuming it fits you properly.

 

[HunqVux]

is z1r still competitive agaisnt newer flagship iem?

Actually, not only the Z1R but the whole IER series still remains competitive these days. I prefer the Z1R and the M9 to U12T, VE Phoenix, Tia Trio,...

 

[DynamicEars]

Annihilator falls short of Z1R bass quality (it's not even close imo) but it does have more quantity and better treble. Very different IEMs imo, but YMMV. I really like both.

PS. Ironically for all the jokes about Z1R fit, it fits me much better than Anni. I wouldn't buy Anni primarily because of comfort, but again, that's a big YMMV.

Did you try the Annihilator OG or 2023? Because there is improvement on 2023 version. However, I should mentioned that the Z1R bass is still the best, not particularly big in quantity but very impactful yet bold deep and ttactile.The Annihilator 2023 bass is also great but like half level below Z1R. But the mids, and trebles especially, Annihilator 2023 take the lead. And then technicalities also top notch. Z1R win on bass quality and some timbre especially in trebles but as much as I love my Z1R, objectively I can say the Annihilator 2023 is better for me. Both are fun IEMs. But like you said back to personal preferences also. I'm sticking with Z1R as I can't let go the bass and for me the Z1R is a value masterpiece that long lasting and tested with time, while I will think twice or thrice to spend 3 grand for that Annihilator 2023.

Just to clarify before the Volur is similar what I perceived with the graph. Some talking about the Volur great bass, but for me, as expected the tuning is so linear, bold and heavy but also at the same time there are mild bleed bass to lower mids and while having big quantity on sub bass, they can't match Z1R quality impact. The tuning is just too linear. No offense to Volur owner, just my personal opinion.

 

[gLer]

Did you try the Annihilator OG or 2023? Because there is improvement on 2023 version. However, I should mentioned that the Z1R bass is still the best, not particularly big in quantity but very impactful yet bold deep and ttactile.The Annihilator 2023 bass is also great but like half level below Z1R. But the mids, and trebles especially, Annihilator 2023 take the lead. And then technicalities also top notch. Z1R win on bass quality and some timbre especially in trebles but as much as I love my Z1R, objectively I can say the Annihilator 2023 is better for me. Both are fun IEMs. But like you said back to personal preferences also. I'm sticking with Z1R as I can't let go the bass and for me the Z1R is a value masterpiece that long lasting and tested with time, while I will think twice or thrice to spend 3 grand for that Annihilator 2023.

Just to clarify before the Volur is similar what I perceived with the graph. Some talking about the Volur great bass, but for me, as expected the tuning is so linear, bold and heavy but also at the same time there are mild bleed bass to lower mids and while having big quantity on sub bass, they can't match Z1R quality impact. The tuning is just too linear. No offense to Volur owner, just my personal opinion.

Yes, Anni 23. My ears aren't compatible with those new thick Elysian nozzles Still a great IEM!

 

[thang3291]

is z1r still competitive agaisnt newer flagship iem?

I haven't had the chance to try many flagship IEMs, but I have tried the Xe6 and personally own the IE900, and the Z1R is still my favorite. People still recommend the Z1R and most big reviewers still put this IEM their top 10, so yeah I'd say it's still very competitive.

 

[musicinmymind]

Did you try the Annihilator OG or 2023? Because there is improvement on 2023 version. However, I should mentioned that the Z1R bass is still the best, not particularly big in quantity but very impactful yet bold deep and ttactile.The Annihilator 2023 bass is also great but like half level below Z1R. But the mids, and trebles especially, Annihilator 2023 take the lead. And then technicalities also top notch. Z1R win on bass quality and some timbre especially in trebles but as much as I love my Z1R, objectively I can say the Annihilator 2023 is better for me. Both are fun IEMs. But like you said back to personal preferences also. I'm sticking with Z1R as I can't let go the bass and for me the Z1R is a value masterpiece that long lasting and tested with time, while I will think twice or thrice to spend 3 grand for that Annihilator 2023.

Just to clarify before the Volur is similar what I perceived with the graph. Some talking about the Volur great bass, but for me, as expected the tuning is so linear, bold and heavy but also at the same time there are mild bleed bass to lower mids and while having big quantity on sub bass, they can't match Z1R quality impact. The tuning is just too linear. No offense to Volur owner, just my personal opinion.

Great points about the Anni 23 vs. Z1R! I completely agree - for me both are very comfortable and easy to put on and take off. However, for travel on the metro, I find the isolation of the Anni 23 to be unbeatable. It's top-notch!

 

[sanakimpro]

Hi guys,
Been a while from Headfi for a while as just really enjoying the ZM2+Z1R combo and keep unlocking new songs and getting more impressed. Truly believe this is almost GOAT/endgame for me and as good as it gets for portable audio...

Unfortunately, I lost one side of the Pentaconn Coreir Brass today (Large size) so came back looking for tip recommendation. Turns out I have a pair of M size Coreir brass and it fits me better and sounds a step better than L size.. Blessing in disguise I guess.. From recent posts, seems Sony's cheap and cheerful EP-EX11 remains highly recommended. I also see Pentaconn now has a Brass vs Aluminium version..

2 questions on tips:
1. Who has tried the Pentaconn Brass vs Aluminium Alloy core? Worth to get both or similar?
2. For the Sedna Max, I don't see ASMR / MAX.. can you please share link? I'm solving for bass impact and quality first, then soundstaging and imaging next.. less fussy about mids and treble

Appreciate your thoughts

P.S. IER-Z1R still available on Sony Malaysia store as of 22 May 2024.. my guess is it's more a short-term supply issue. I think Sony will prefer to announce new Signature series before discontinuing the popular Z1R..

 

[sanakimpro]

Did you try the Annihilator OG or 2023? Because there is improvement on 2023 version. However, I should mentioned that the Z1R bass is still the best, not particularly big in quantity but very impactful yet bold deep and ttactile.The Annihilator 2023 bass is also great but like half level below Z1R. But the mids, and trebles especially, Annihilator 2023 take the lead. And then technicalities also top notch. Z1R win on bass quality and some timbre especially in trebles but as much as I love my Z1R, objectively I can say the Annihilator 2023 is better for me. Both are fun IEMs. But like you said back to personal preferences also. I'm sticking with Z1R as I can't let go the bass and for me the Z1R is a value masterpiece that long lasting and tested with time, while I will think twice or thrice to spend 3 grand for that Annihilator 2023.

Just to clarify before the Volur is similar what I perceived with the graph. Some talking about the Volur great bass, but for me, as expected the tuning is so linear, bold and heavy but also at the same time there are mild bleed bass to lower mids and while having big quantity on sub bass, they can't match Z1R quality impact. The tuning is just too linear. No offense to Volur owner, just my personal opinion.

Very interesting discussions on Z1R vs Anni 23 - I haven't heard Anni 23 but see it's ranked highly on Crin, Headfonia etc.. Is it really worth the hype and owning Anni 23 AND Z1R given the $3K pricetag? I see conflicting opinions on Anni 23's bass quality. Again, I listen mostly to Kpop, OSTs, classical music, and deep, impactful and clean bass is the #1 importance for me..

On a side note, I actually met Mr Lee himself at an audio show in 2022. Quite a nice guy and patient to explain the IEM, cables, how it's made etc. Apparently he makes the IEMs by hand himself At the time, I heard the Anni OG and recalled it was good but put off by the price. And there was also Elysian X which was even more costly..

 

[wolfstar76]

Did you try the Annihilator OG or 2023? Because there is improvement on 2023 version. However, I should mentioned that the Z1R bass is still the best, not particularly big in quantity but very impactful yet bold deep and ttactile.The Annihilator 2023 bass is also great but like half level below Z1R. But the mids, and trebles especially, Annihilator 2023 take the lead. And then technicalities also top notch. Z1R win on bass quality and some timbre especially in trebles but as much as I love my Z1R, objectively I can say the Annihilator 2023 is better for me. Both are fun IEMs. But like you said back to personal preferences also. I'm sticking with Z1R as I can't let go the bass and for me the Z1R is a value masterpiece that long lasting and tested with time, while I will think twice or thrice to spend 3 grand for that Annihilator 2023.

Just to clarify before the Volur is similar what I perceived with the graph. Some talking about the Volur great bass, but for me, as expected the tuning is so linear, bold and heavy but also at the same time there are mild bleed bass to lower mids and while having big quantity on sub bass, they can't match Z1R quality impact. The tuning is just too linear. No offense to Volur owner, just my personal opinion.

Linear in term of sub-bass and mid-bass ratio? I am wondering how does Volur compare to Bonneville, in which case I think the mid-bass is more emphasized.

 

[feverfive]

I know the comparison is difficult at best given IEM vs. full-sized closed back headphones, but curious if any IER-Z1R owners have also spent a fair amount of time with the MDR-Z1R headphones. Is there a comparison to be had between the two?

Last month, I luckily, and **finally** after years of trying, got to audition the IER-Z1R (had them for 2 weeks). I LOVE them from a sonic perspective. But, alas, I am not one of The Chosen in terms of fit. I had to hold each earpiece at the back with a finger while listening to keep them seated in the optimal position (yes, believe me, I tried many, many different ear tips... trust me on that). Even using my fingers to hold them optimally, they also were not at all comfortable for me.

Sooo, I haven't been able to get them out of my mind, thus, enters the MDR-Z1R headphones as a possibility. I had never really considered these in the past as I have only fairly recently been more into headphones than IEMs. So I am playing catch-up trying to learn about a, what?, 7+ year old product, LOL.

 

[wolfstar76]

I know the comparison is difficult at best given IEM vs. full-sized closed back headphones, but curious if any IER-Z1R owners have also spent a fair amount of time with the MDR-Z1R headphones. Is there a comparison to be had between the two?

Last month, I luckily, and **finally** after years of trying, got to audition the IER-Z1R (had them for 2 weeks). I LOVE them from a sonic perspective. But, alas, I am not one of The Chosen in terms of fit. I had to hold each earpiece at the back with a finger while listening to keep them seated in the optimal position (yes, believe me, I tried many, many different ear tips... trust me on that). Even using my fingers to hold them optimally, they also were not at all comfortable for me.

Sooo, I haven't been able to get them out of my mind, thus, enters the MDR-Z1R headphones as a possibility. I had never really considered these in the past as I have only fairly recently been more into headphones than IEMs. So I am playing catch-up trying to learn about a, what?, 7+ year old product, LOL.

No experience with MDR-Z1R, but I would suggest you try to find out the reason of unable to fit. Sometimes, it has nothing to do with tips, it may relate to the cable, especially the hook that has the tendency to pull the IEM out. Headphones are different animal, though.

 

[gLer]

I know the comparison is difficult at best given IEM vs. full-sized closed back headphones, but curious if any IER-Z1R owners have also spent a fair amount of time with the MDR-Z1R headphones. Is there a comparison to be had between the two?

Last month, I luckily, and **finally** after years of trying, got to audition the IER-Z1R (had them for 2 weeks). I LOVE them from a sonic perspective. But, alas, I am not one of The Chosen in terms of fit. I had to hold each earpiece at the back with a finger while listening to keep them seated in the optimal position (yes, believe me, I tried many, many different ear tips... trust me on that). Even using my fingers to hold them optimally, they also were not at all comfortable for me.

Sooo, I haven't been able to get them out of my mind, thus, enters the MDR-Z1R headphones as a possibility. I had never really considered these in the past as I have only fairly recently been more into headphones than IEMs. So I am playing catch-up trying to learn about a, what?, 7+ year old product, LOL.

Sadly they don't sound anything alike. MDR has more forward mid/upper treble, and lacks the resolution of the IER across the range. Still a fantastic sounding headphone though, with probably the best build quality I've seen on any headphone.

 

[fidgeraldo]

Still a fantastic sounding headphone though, with probably the best build quality I've seen on any headphone.

Hmm...still?
Two different worlds...and two differently amazing headphones (IEMs)...there is no still.

Cheers!

 

[gLer]

Hmm...still?
Two different worlds...and two differently amazing headphones (IEMs)...there is no still.

Cheers!

Totally agree, two different worlds. Just answering the OP that they sound nothing alike