[Mark Up]

Other than a brief mention in the mod PDF and maybe one other place, nobody has gone into detail about removing the small coin sized felt treble filter over the center of the driver. I imagine it changes the sound a bit, but can't imagine it adds that much treble.

 

[tokyoskies]

HI Mark,
 
I still haven't had the time to work more on the Z7. It has been a while for me to post or do anything, but impressive to see what Whitigir made out of yours. Now I am thinking to get back to it and do some more stuff. 
 
At this moment, I am very much enjoying the sound of my Z7 paired with the ZX2 although depending at the type of music, they can become awfully detailed and this can tire me as I subconsciously try to listen to the smallest stroke, key and what not. I have a good 500+h behind me now with this combo and had only a mere 150h unmodded. Forgotten are the times
 
For me the most improvement is when listening to cello. Sounds weird, but the cello is the instrument which really came alive, more than anything else.. at least to my 42 year old ears. Listening to Chilly Gonzales or Yo-Yo Ma is now an experience rather than joy.. With classical music, spacial placement and breath are so important. I would compare this with 2D flat vs. 3D spacial. The mod really opens this up and gives my music a lot of space and room to develop and breathe. I think this is aided by the massive frequency range of the Z7. We may not be able to hear certain hz, but we are definitely feel the extension into the higher (inaudible) ranges. 
 
Now I am thinking how to modify them some more. I think I will buy 1 more pair and just go nuts on them. I was actually thinking to completely remake the ear pads, re-shape and fill them with whatever. 

 

[Mark Up]

If you take out the small felt pad over the middle of the driver let me know what you hear after it. It seems like an easy mod, and may be reversible if you glue it back on. I find after long, long break in, they were even better. Since then they get used regularly, 15 minutes or so every couple of days. My ears are not adjusting, I've heard continual improvements. Apparently breaking in with use, non-use, use, non-use is a separate process from the continual break in that is done at 100 hours of pink noise, 100 hours of moderately loud modern full range music. The highs mainly. There is more quantity, and detail. They are to where any more highs would be too much (as I'm super sensitive to highs). Still with no sibilance or harshness. Is that center felt pad why? Who knows.

Solid core copper is probably a big part of that. Even the mid bump at 1 khz reduced more. I listen flat no EQ now, and it must be from the extra highs that I'm hearing. They make every other pair I'll try seem inferior, in comparison. Part of it is likely the larger driver. Your ear is just more exposed to it since it covers a larger area. So I have to wonder, if modding the pads by opening them wider left to right (to uncover more driver) would be interesting for you to try (temporarily putting a plastic tie wrap around them or something non-damaging). I am sure there is a reason for the shape of it and I find the more narrow cups like that mellow the highs a little and enhance bass (both of which is great). Not always, and it may not apply here. You never know until you try that.

 

[joey99]

thanks for the cool mod guide .. After having the Z7 for 1 1/2 years, I'm still loving it and don't have any urge to try anything else. 
Out of curiosity I did the tape mod and I'm liking it a lot! Seems to have tightened up everything especially the bass without changing the overall quality of anything else. I'm happy.

 

[Mediahound]

I just got my hands on these. Anyone know a good source for a 4-pin balanced XLR cable of the Z7's?

 

[Currawong]

I made a video which is more or less about the mods on the first page:
 

 

[thesmokingman]

  Other than a brief mention in the mod PDF and maybe one other place, nobody has gone into detail about removing the small coin sized felt treble filter over the center of the driver. I imagine it changes the sound a bit, but can't imagine it adds that much treble.

 
Is it a treble filter? Sony's got a long history of using bass lenses dating back to the MDR-F1 and MA-900 so I always assumed it was something like that?

 

[Whitigir]

I made a video which is more or less about the mods on the first page:

That is correct, tape mod alone will already improve the sound a lot. Have any one seen what Sony done to MDR-Z1R ? Again, porous paper chamber with breathable cup housing, it does have more tricks up it sleeves. however, it will cost you a soft $2,000

 

[Whitigir]

Now, to those who would love even "deeper bass, larger staging, and more trebles, reduced mid ringing". This step is irreversible as the covering net will be damaged permanently. I opened up a driver to experiment it, but there was no way to remove this filter other than cutting the net a little

"remove this center lense filter". Be warn, Do not do this before the previous dampening mod. Once again, do this at your own "risk" as I won't be held responsible for the damages that you have done to it

 

[Mark Up]

I thought when you unscrew and remove the ear pads, the net comes off. The mesh net is not attached to the pads, it's permanently over the driver? I've never seen that before.

 

[Whitigir]

I thought when you unscrew and remove the ear pads, the net comes off. The mesh net is not attached to the pads, it's permanently over the driver? I've never seen that before.

Correct, it is a whole assembly and permanent....

The driver is inside another angled plastic housing, and unless you pushed the driver outside this housing then you can access the net which was placed underneath a strip of tape...

The red is the plastic angled housing for the driver

The green is the net which clearly seen beneath this housing

You can take the net off by pushing it out of the housing which has a lot of adhesive and glues......not to mention that you have to open it up all the way before trying to do the pushing......and risk damaging the driver......that is why I mentioned no other easier way than to induce a cut

 

[Mark Up]

Wow. It looks like I'll avoid that step. Thanks for trying it and explaining the results though, it was really helpful.

 

[ShinRA88]

Hi people, just logged in after so long just to ask questions on this thread:
 
1. Do anyone still have .pdf download of tokyoskies' modifications? for some reason it was set to private?
2. I would like to have video tutorial about z7 modding? I am new to headphone modding but would like to improve my z7 even further
 
Thanks

 

[Hi 5]

Quote:

  Oh and you know you're Pioneering the next Sony Flag ship HP's right?
 
Just like what happened to the HD-800 to HD-800s
 
No doubt this forum is invaluable, Especially to a companies R&D division
 
 

 

 
Quote:

Only if they take it seriously

. Thank you for your kind words

 
 

That is correct, tape mod alone will already improve the sound a lot. Have any one seen what Sony done to MDR-Z1R ? Again, porous paper chamber with breathable cup housing, it does have more tricks up it sleeves.

however, it will cost you a soft $2,000

 
I'd say that pretty much confirms it!

 
I think Sony should send you the
 
NW-WM1Z + MDR-Z1R
 
as a token of appreciation.
 

 

[Whitigir]

I'd say that pretty much confirms it!


I think Sony should send you the

NW-WM1Z + MDR-Z1R

as a token of appreciation.

:wink_face:

Thanks for your kind words . I wished that they did, lol