[caustic386]

The Monarch MK II does look good but I'm waiting for reviewers I trust.

This is what I'm looking at as well. If I could find one to try out in the USA that doesn't require a 20% restocking fee, I'd be all over it.

Sorry, this doesn’t answer your question, but perhaps it helps with the idea that IER-Z1R can be a true end game, if you like the tonality and you find the fit comfortable.

Fit is best IEM I've ever owned, hands down. Sound is excellent, only complaint is same as I read somewhere at SBAF: the different drivers don't completely 'glue' together. You can sort of tell them apart during some passages. Just retried the KSE1200, Z1R is a clear winner to me.

Hmm. Z1R less in mind now. Fleetwood Mac still sounding great tho. FM is always a win.

I like your attitude; hopefully it's an original master and not some victim-of-the-loudness-war or a "we got the intern to remaster it in 24/96" abortion?

 

[daniel_hokkaido]

If I were to ever downgrade or do a sidegrade, my favorite IEM after the Z1R has to be the Moondrop Variations. The tonality totally fits my need and what I listen to (also quite light and the eargonomics is great for me). The bite on instruments is so nice but it's quite lean and doesn't have much "body" in the midrange. Also, it might be lacking some mid-bass thump (which can be fixed with tip rolling). But at the end of the day, the staging on the Z1R and how relaxed it sounds to me while still being quite vocal forward (and not veiled) makes the Z1R my daily drivers still. The Monarch MK II does look good but I'm waiting for reviewers I trust.

Yeah for how engaging the Z1R is relaxed is something that also is true...or smooth perhaps. I got into headfi as to my ears the upper freqs were rough and harsh .... perhaps Z1R is best example of iem solving for this issue to my ears. The Z5 didn't achieve that and I am grateful Sony are so certain of benefit of DD supertweeter. It certainly works for me! Would next gen Z1R with electrostatic supertweeter make any sense? I wonder

 

[JoshG1217]

Am listening to my Campfire Audio Andromeda right now and just started browsing out of boredom, looking to spend some Sats on "something better" again - Z1R came to mind. Click.

Hmm. Z1R less in mind now. Fleetwood Mac still sounding great tho. FM is always a win.

It's a good iem. It's wide, thr bass hits and it resolves. I really like thr Anandas. They are big and wide and airy, but the z1r is more resolving. Z5 is up for sale. Z1r is not. Paired with ifi signature, it's legit good.

Side note: signature beats dx300. Dx300 is really good, and as a single device it's great. But the signature sounds better.

 

[AMerePerson]

What’s a good place in the USA to try the Z1R?

 

[Vamp898]

I bought gel filled Eartips for my IER-M9 from Canal works and because they improved the IER-M9 I also tried them on the IER-Z1R

Wow, first if all the fit. They never fit that good. This is the very first time the IER-Z1R are actually comfortable in my ear. They just disappear! It's like a normal In-Ear now. Strange.

And they change the sound. However this works but the IER-Z1R sounds now warm with much more bass and mids. The treble is a bit tamed but doesn't lack extension. They are overall more balanced now.

Interesting experience. They sound now like a much better version of the XBA-Z5.

I am wondering if this is how they are supposed to sound from the beginning and I've just never been able to experience it

 

[littlexx26]

I bought gel filled Eartips for my IER-M9 from Canal works and because they improved the IER-M9 I also tried them on the IER-Z1R

Wow, first if all the fit. They never fit that good. This is the very first time the IER-Z1R are actually comfortable in my ear. They just disappear! It's like a normal In-Ear now. Strange.

And they change the sound. However this works but the IER-Z1R sounds now warm with much more bass and mids. The treble is a bit tamed but doesn't lack extension. They are overall more balanced now.

Interesting experience. They sound now like a much better version of the XBA-Z5.

I am wondering if this is how they are supposed to sound from the beginning and I've just never been able to experience it

where to get the gel tips？

 

[Vamp898]

where to get the gel tips？

They are an Japan exclusives, but Amazon Japan ships them worldwide

https://www.amazon.co.jp/カナルワークス-ジェ...41&sprefix=カナルワークス+,aps,235&sr=8-2&th=1&psc=1

 

[gerelmx1986]

 

[hungryewok]

Is official Sony website the only place where I can buy ier z1r in EU? Paying €2.2k msrp, when it's on sale for $1.6k in States just hurts my brain.

 

[gerelmx1986]

AccessoryJack

 

[Vamp898]

Is official Sony website the only place where I can buy ier z1r in EU? Paying €2.2k msrp, when it's on sale for $1.6k in States just hurts my brain

Prices in the US, in general, don't contain taxes afaik.

So it should be 1600$+taxes

In Japan it's sold for 1480€ new recently, but now it's back at 1840€ (full import price)

 

[ducnsh]

Prices in the US, in general, don't contain taxes afaik.

So it should be 1600$+taxes

In Japan it's sold for 1480€ new recently, but now it's back at 1840€ (full import price)

Luckily I had a deal in my country, $1300 (tax included) for the new z1r

 

[Designer Tiger]

I tried this phone and it feel like a little too big for me.

 

[Banbeucmas]

I tried this phone and it feel like a little too big for me.

Yeah, that's a common point about the IER-Z1R. That said, a lot of people here know and still love this beauty to death

 

[snapandslide]

If anyone is looking for a Z1R in the UK, let me know

https://www.head-fi.org/classifieds/uk-sale-sony-z1r.15357/