[Undun]

If y'all are looking for open-back Sony Z1Rs, the Pioneer SE-Master 1s are pretty much as close I've heard--just sayin' .

 

[Quadfather]

It seems that Sony may be preparing to release an open-back version of the MDR-Z1R, from an alleged leak on a Chinese forum (Baidu).

This might fake, so take it with a grain of salt.

Here's how it supposedly looks like:

Spoiler

It seems that, unfortunately, it's only a design project, by Mark Huang.

Bummer

 

[gerelmx1986]

Qhile wverybosy gets disappointed by the fake MDR-Z1F i am blissfully enjoying my MDR-Z1Rs

 

[Redcarmoose]

Give that designer a job! He is really good and fooled us all!

Though I’m not going to be wrestling off my cups any time soon.

It was fun to entertain while it lasted!

What had me going was he didn’t copy the MDR-Z1R headband or cup wires at all.

 

[Vamp898]

I think it would be an unwise decision.

Sony sells most of its Z1R in Japan and Asia.

Sennheiser developed the HD 820 for the Asian market because people there buy closed back headphones, because almost nobody is living in a space quiet enough to enjoy open back headphones. Including me.

So they would have sold bad in Japan and Asia and so in their main market.

 

[Quadfather]

I think it would be an unwise decision.

Sony sells most of its Z1R in Japan and Asia.

Sennheiser developed the HD 820 for the Asian market because people there buy closed back headphones, because almost nobody is living in a space quiet enough to enjoy open back headphones. Including me.

So they would have sold bad in Japan and Asia and so in their main market.

I am so grateful that I live somewhere quiet. I can lay in a lawn chair with my open back AKG K812 headphones on and enjoy them immensely.

 

[Uguccione]

Beautiful. I want them!!!

 

[Steven31]

It seems that Sony may be preparing to release an open-back version of the MDR-Z1R, from an alleged leak on a Chinese forum (Baidu).

This might fake, so take it with a grain of salt.

Here's how it supposedly looks like:

Spoiler

It seems that, unfortunately, it's only a design project, by Mark Huang.

I would've thought this was a fake the moment I seen it. To my knowledge, Sony have only ever made 1 open-back headphone (the Qualia) and that was nearly 2 decades ago. Sony seem to have faith in the closed-back headphone design concept, so right away I would've said no, it's a fake. Having said that, the Qualia was apparently a pretty good headphone (so good in fact that Sennheiser stole the design of it for the HD800, well I think they stole it, have you seen how similar the HD800's design is to the Qualia?! I think the HD800 is a blatant copy. I don't know how Sony never sought to sue Sennheiser, lol.)

 

[Uguccione]

You could also tell from the name, the final F tastes like Fake

 

[MrWalkman]

You could also tell from the name, the final F tastes like Fake

Not quite.

Hmm. The Z1F name is kinda fishy since they did release a phone back in 2013 called Xperia Z1F, but then again it is Sony.. not exactly known for creativity when it comes to naming things. It seems the f-designation is for high-end open backs though as with the MDR-F1?

Googling around i also found this on twitter which also is claimed to be from Sony this year.

So they used the F letter for open-back headphones before.

 

[Vamp898]

I am so grateful that I live somewhere quiet. I can lay in a lawn chair with my open back AKG K812 headphones on and enjoy them immensely.

I do actually live somewhere quiet, but not alone and I'm not always at home.

Also I prefer the HD 820 over the HD 800 S anyway.

At my parents place there is a fire place in the living room, that's just unavoidable noise

 

[Quartzwald]

I would've thought this was a fake the moment I seen it. To my knowledge, Sony have only ever made 1 open-back headphone (the Qualia) and that was nearly 2 decades ago. Sony seem to have faith in the closed-back headphone design concept, so right away I would've said no, it's a fake. Having said that, the Qualia was apparently a pretty good headphone (so good in fact that Sennheiser stole the design of it for the HD800, well I think they stole it, have you seen how similar the HD800's design is to the Qualia?! I think the HD800 is a blatant copy. I don't know how Sony never sought to sue Sennheiser, lol.)

I have an SA5000, which is most definitely an open back headphone. And I used to own an M900, which is also definitely an open back.

 

[Amarphael]

I think it would be an unwise decision.

Sony sells most of its Z1R in Japan and Asia.

Sennheiser developed the HD 820 for the Asian market because people there buy closed back headphones, because almost nobody is living in a space quiet enough to enjoy open back headphones. Including me.

So they would have sold bad in Japan and Asia and so in their main market.

How do you explain Sony's previous generation SAx000 (and Qualias) then? Or Audio-Technica's AIR series, with the curent overall flagship (by pricing at least) being open-air? Hifiman planars?

 

[Steven31]

I have an SA5000, which is most definitely an open back headphone. And I used to own an M900, which is also definitely an open back.

Cool. Okay so Sony made more than 1 open-back headphone model nearly 2 decades ago, I did not know they made more than one. I did not (and do not) claim to know everything, lol. My point, if I can try to explain it better, was that, historically, Sony seem to mostly manufacture closed-back headphones. I believe they came up with a winning formula with the design of the Sony MDR R10 headphones in 1989 (A headphone I haven't heard but have read plenty about) and have stayed true to the philosophy of it's design ever since. If you look at the design of allot of Sony's consumer (not the pro studio one's) closed-back headphones since 1989, allot of them share a similar cup shape (the famous bulge) to the MDR R10. Sony have their tried and trusted methods of design, if you study their history and products - not just in the headphone industry but consider the design of their TV's, hifi components and Playstations..the aesthetic design of these products almost never changes. It's a winning design formula/philosophy. For Sony to come out with an open-back headphone in the $1,000 (or probably higher) price category, after a near 20 years absence since their last major one, is in my opinion highly unlikely.

 

[Amarphael]

It was also quite (highly even) unlikely they'd come up with a spiritual successor to R10, but they did.

But you're right in that their emphasis generally has been on closed-back design.