[bobeau]

Sony does put out demo models of stuff. I remember walking into the Sony Flagship store in Singapore and they had the ZX300 DAP which you could try but none were for sale. I’ll have to call them up to see if they have an IER-Z1R there. Strange too, as you wouldn’t think they would have demos for try if the tuning was still in the oven.

I gather they're done with tuning if they're demoing these at retailers (as opposed to just at audio shows). Probably just ramping up production.

 

[Vitaly2017]

A friend had them and I didn't like them. They lacked punchy bass which is why I like certain headphones and IEMs (most of 64 Audio offerings and not a brand like Noble Audio which is more neutral), but they had nice detail and a pretty good soundstage.

Go for tia forte man this thing moves air like no other! And same time never pressure issues! Lots of bass and nice treble very smoothe... I recall reading reviews saying tia has no bass. Now that i own one... crap bass? Man it has 5 times the bass of my old shure 846. Its not a bass head iem but I totaly disagree with the fact that tia has no bass that is so wrong to state. Its a perfect bass configuration the DD in tia is really amazing and I wonder if the z1r can actually beat it haha

 

[fiascogarcia]

Go for tia forte man this thing moves air like no other! And same time never pressure issues! Lots of bass and nice treble very smoothe... I recall reading reviews saying tia has no bass. Now that i own one... **** bass? Man it has 5 times the bass of my old shure 846. Its not a bass head iem but I totaly disagree with the fact that tia has no bass that is so wrong to state. Its a perfect bass configuration the DD in tia is really amazing and I wonder if the z1r can actually beat it haha

I agree. If your source can supply the bass, the iem will not disappoint.

 

[kms108]

All of a sudden, this thread is moving fast, looks like Sony might have a winner on hand if it can deliver the performance people expect. I'm sure it won't disappoint, haven't heard Sony to delay a product this long.

 

[Ricky64]

@https://www.head-fi.org/members/wcdchee.378182/

Cool.

Are the IER-Z1R for sale?

I just tried the z1r today and I must say that I’m disappointed.

I was comparing it to the new noble Khan and quite frankly the Khan takes it in most ways.

The Sony is very Wide, wider than the Khan, but it lacks the depth and height of the Khan. The Khan is also immediately and significantly more transparent, precise and resolving than the Sony.

Given how closely they are priced, anyone looking for a TOTL IEM has got to try the Khan when it’s out.

Regarding to the above post, @WCDchee owns the full Noble line, the Tia Fourte, and the CA Vega. I suspect he has a different preferred sound signature than many folks that prefer the manner Sony voices their products.

 

[Redcarmoose]

I think Solaris sounds like an Just ear tuned Atlas, with warmth mids, punchy bass, and good detailed trebles, not bad at all, but it missed the holographic sound stage from Andromeda which I am still enjoy them so much.

IER Z1R is something with so airy and huge sound stage, comes with highly detail rendered mids and trebles, and also with more punchy bass, more like listening to near field monitors than IEM, which is much more ear catching than what Solaris can offered. Only drawback is you need to drive the volume up much higher than solaris.

You make it sound like there's some conspiracy theory. It's just an IEM.

A conspiracy theory? No, just simple lust; created from the small amount of reviews like what’s posted above.

 

[FangJoker]

Go for tia forte man this thing moves air like no other! And same time never pressure issues! Lots of bass and nice treble very smoothe... I recall reading reviews saying tia has no bass. Now that i own one... **** bass? Man it has 5 times the bass of my old shure 846. Its not a bass head iem but I totaly disagree with the fact that tia has no bass that is so wrong to state. Its a perfect bass configuration the DD in tia is really amazing and I wonder if the z1r can actually beat it haha

I like the Trio better. The Fourte treble seemed a bit off to me, but the soundstage was quite a bit wider. If I was also to spend Fourte money, I'd gamble on the SE6 instead.

 

[Mimouille]

Go for tia forte man this thing moves air like no other! And same time never pressure issues! Lots of bass and nice treble very smoothe... I recall reading reviews saying tia has no bass. Now that i own one... **** bass? Man it has 5 times the bass of my old shure 846. Its not a bass head iem but I totaly disagree with the fact that tia has no bass that is so wrong to state. Its a perfect bass configuration the DD in tia is really amazing and I wonder if the z1r can actually beat it haha

I think the Tia sounds impressive in space and bass, but the mids are very distant and the overall coherence is not realistic at all. I would not want this to be my only IEM.

 

[Vitaly2017]

I think the Tia sounds impressive in space and bass, but the mids are very distant and the overall coherence is not realistic at all. I would not want this to be my only IEM.

Well its not a bad tuning. So funny you mentioned the mids to be distant and felt the exact same issue so i boosted that with eq on my 1z hehe. I also own empire ear phantoms and the mids there are impressive it wins over tia easily...
While tia has the most impressive bass I ever heard I also find treble slightly to bright.... Also fixed via eq now lots of fun...

But I presume the z1r+1z should be a killer combo 1z shows its self so sublime with dynamic drivers.
Z1r has 2 of them...

 

[Vitaly2017]

I like the Trio better. The Fourte treble seemed a bit off to me, but the soundstage was quite a bit wider. If I was also to spend Fourte money, I'd gamble on the SE6 instead.

Well i got a stealingly good deal on my tia and 1z haha. So couldnt refuse tje offer!

Tia for 2250 and 1z1z at 2150! Practically brand new with 80 hours on 1z and 100 on tia!
I even had to do some extra burn in procedures lol...
I feel 1z has opened much more now. Very neety dap to own.

 

[WCDchee]

I think the z1r is a good sounding piece, very wide in stage, big sound and big impact, but was ultimately very forward and lacking in depth and height and overall space compared to the fourte.

Where the fourte succeeds for me is in its ability to sound like the the space beyond the instruments never end. With no other IEMs do I get that sensation. Not the z1r definitely.

The fourte while lacking the upper midrange presence, actually presents the midrange very forward in the stage in terms of the positioning. That said, you clearly hear how the space and stage expands much deeper beyond.

 

[Mimouille]

Well its not a bad tuning. So funny you mentioned the mids to be distant and felt the exact same issue so i boosted that with eq on my 1z hehe. I also own empire ear phantoms and the mids there are impressive it wins over tia easily...
While tia has the most impressive bass I ever heard I also find treble slightly to bright.... Also fixed via eq now lots of fun...

But I presume the z1r+1z should be a killer combo 1z shows its self so sublime with dynamic drivers.
Z1r has 2 of them...

To me, if I need to eq and IEM I usually don't buy it. Especially not 3600$. But that's just a personal approach.

I think the z1r is a good sounding piece, very wide in stage, big sound and big impact, but was ultimately very forward and lacking in depth and height and overall space compared to the fourte.

Where the fourte succeeds for me is in its ability to sound like the the space beyond the instruments never end. With no other IEMs do I get that sensation. Not the z1r definitely.

The fourte while lacking the upper midrange presence, actually presents the midrange very forward in the stage in terms of the positioning. That said, you clearly hear how the space and stage expands much deeper beyond.

Well in actual music, space beyond the instruments ends at some point

 

[WCDchee]

To me, if I need to eq and IEM I usually don't buy it. Especially not 3600$. But that's just a personal approach.



Well in actual music, space beyond the instruments ends at some point

Well it’s a bit if an exaggeration you know what I mean. But the boundary just seems to extend further and more realistically.

 

[Vitaly2017]

To me, if I need to eq and IEM I usually don't buy it. Especially not 3600$. But that's just a personal approach.



Well in actual music, space beyond the instruments ends at some point

Thats a very vague and untouchable territory lol some do eq some dont. When auditioned tia for the first time i was blown away by its ability ti produce a natural timbre in tonality it was life like and I could feel the air mooving. Now after owning it for 3 weeks I discover this little characteristic of the mids... I am still very impressed by tia forte. And eq on 1z dap seems to be very clean so no downgrade in sq for its all good ...

 

[jmills8]

Thats a very vague and untouchable territory lol some do eq some dont. When auditioned tia for the first time i was blown away by its ability ti produce a natural timbre in tonality it was life like and I could feel the air mooving. Now after owning it for 3 weeks I discover this little characteristic of the mids... I am still very impressed by tia forte. And eq on 1z dap seems to be very clean so no downgrade in sq for its all good ...

Others eq by buying another iem every month. Others will buy another hyped dap.