[Left Channel]

And the Z7 is romantic if anything, all sweet and gooey like. Z7 would definitely take you on a real date before trying to "Netflix and chill" you.

 

[Sp12er3]

Have they come back in stock anywhere as new yet? I hope they release a woody! And I hope it isn't just a flagship. Could you imagine a wood Z7M3? I also want an open back from Sony.

Its rare for Sony to ever came back to their past tech,
They put out the MDR R10, set it as the golden standard and leave it be.
Sony is a tech company, they always choose to invent new stuff than going back to stuff they discontinued. It’s in their roots to advance forward.
Unless they found a new way to reinvent it, a chance for a woody from Sony is very low,
Let Wood cup headphones be the “thing” other manufacturer put as their selling point.

 

[XM3orZ7m2]

The drivers actually have a relatively normal size dome but with a pretty huge surround. The outer edge of the surround doesn't move, so it's isn't the same as having a driver with a soft surround where there's pistonic movement of the whole diaphragm.
I would say that the 70mm driver is mostly a bit of marketing hyperbole, just to be able to boast some big numbers. If this wasn't the case, the Sonys would be best in class headphones and they're not.
Probably time to don my flame-proof suit {over my Z7M2s).

Actually the hard surround the z7m2 does move, here's the innerfidelity article that year down of a similar dynamic driver https://www.innerfidelity.com/content/how-headphone-dynamic-drivers-work.

There's a gif of that driver moving as well

 

[dazzerfong]

Actually the hard surround the z7m2 does move, here's the innerfidelity article that year down of a similar dynamic driver https://www.innerfidelity.com/content/how-headphone-dynamic-drivers-work.

There's a gif of that driver moving as well

That's a V-Moda headphone driver. Not even close to similar.

 

[XM3orZ7m2]

But there's no soft surround like the z7m2 driver

 

[miguel.yarce]

To finance my WM1A I sacrificed having a potable amp/dac and decided to just have one constant portable sound - that was coming from using iems, having since found new appreciation for my overheads I am happy that my D5200, and hopefully in the future the Z7M2 can be driven adequately from my WM1A.

I had the WM1A and paired with the Z7M2 but I feel that It needed more power to drive correctly the Z7M2, In the same time I had a Hiby R6Pro and the result was better than the Sony DAP the issue for me was the timbre I like a lot more the Sony's one. Now I have an Ibasso DX200 with AMP8 and a Fiio m11pro and with the THX amp, this one is superior to the other daps. I think that very near to the O2 that I have already sold .

I have heard that the Z7 are easily to drive, the issue is to find the balanced cable specially here in Mexico.

Regards!

 

[Hinomotocho]

I had the WM1A and paired with the Z7M2 but I feel that It needed more power to drive correctly the Z7M2, In the same time I had a Hiby R6Pro and the result was better than the Sony DAP the issue for me was the timbre I like a lot more the Sony's one. Now I have an Ibasso DX200 with AMP8 and a Fiio m11pro and with the THX amp, this one is superior to the other daps. I think that very near to the O2 that I have already sold .

I have heard that the Z7 are easily to drive, the issue is to find the balanced cable specially here in Mexico.

Regards!

Thanks for your post.
I know some people are happy with portable daps driving overheads like the WM1A and the Z7M2, but I feel quite often you can miss out on a better quality sound/better balanced sound if they are underpowered.
My Denon D5200 are easier to drive and I am enjoying them using the balanced output of my WM1A but I am considering a portable amp to see what a bit more power may achieve.

 

[Gamerlingual]

Thanks for your post.
I know some people are happy with portable daps driving overheads like the WM1A and the Z7M2, but I feel quite often you can miss out on a better quality sound/better balanced sound if they are underpowered.
My Denon D5200 are easier to drive and I am enjoying them using the balanced output of my WM1A but I am considering a portable amp to see what a bit more power may achieve.

I use the WM1A with the Z7M2 on High Gain and the volume is kept around 50. Doesn't require much power and they pair great.

 

[XM3orZ7m2]

STOCK ALERT

A whole bunch of companies have z7m2 in stock in low quantities including Amazon/BestBuy.

Adorama / BH still on backorder though haha
https://www.sony.com/electronics/headband-headphones/mdr-z7m2/buy

 

[CoryGillmore]

I use the WM1A with the Z7M2 on High Gain and the volume is kept around 50. Doesn't require much power and they pair great.

My ears must be shot. I can't even get enjoyment on volume setting 50 (high gain) on the much more efficient 1AM2 with my ZX300.

Half way through this post I realized you were talking about a WM1A, which is a bit more powerful than my ZX300. I still feel like everyone I talk to uses much lower volume settings than I do though. I prefer my Z7 and Z7M2 powered from my Jot/Modius Schiit stack but with my 1AM2 and IER-M9, depending on the loudness of the album, I use volume settings of 65-80. Which seems to be way higher than others in the ZX300 thread

 

[jaibautista]

I also own both the Z7M2 and the WM1A. While the WM1A can drive the Z7M2 loud enough to cause long-term hearing problems, at my normal listening levels (~90-95/120 with the WM1A) they don't sound as punchy/dynamic/resolving/holographic/spacious as when they're plugged to my desktop rig (Steinberg UR22 Mk2 > Rupert Neve RNHP via the former's HP out/latter's 3.5mm in). Meanwhile, I get better results with the 1AM2/WM1A pairing (~70-75/120) than the desktop rig, perhaps because the latter has too much power that it distorts the sound at higher volume levels (I don't get that distortion with the Z7M2 when I crank the volume levels a bit higher).

 

[Gamerlingual]

Interesting. I listen to the Z7M2 on 55 on High Gain and the 1AM2 at 40 in High again and it sounds plentiful for my ears. Still wondering if the sound quality difference between this and the MDR-Z1R really is $1300 apart. I really like both headphones regardless of price. The Z7M2 I think punches above its value

 

[jaibautista]

Interesting. I listen to the Z7M2 on 55 on High Gain and the 1AM2 at 40 in High again and it sounds plentiful for my ears. Still wondering if the sound quality difference between this and the MDR-Z1R really is $1300 apart. I really both headphones regardless of price. The Z7M2 I think punches above its value

IMHO, having tried both side by side, the USD1,300 price difference isn't reasonable. Although I prefer the MDR-Z1R's aesthetics (gotta love those paper headband cups and the sheepskin treatment), I prefer the Z7M2's sound by a mile due to its tighter/less hazy bass and the resulting midrange clarity/focus relative to the MDR-Z1R's. When I was in Hong Kong around two years ago, I decided to drop by Jaben Hong Kong and saw a Sony TA-ZH1ES DAC/amp beside the MDR-Z1R; I was dismayed with what I heard (it still sounded good but it didn't blow me out of the water). In fact, I derived higher listening satisfaction trying the Fostex T60RP + TA-ZH1ES combo than the MDR-Z1R + TA-ZH1ES combo.

Of course, if someone would willingly gift me a MDR-Z1R I would gladly accept it without any questions asked. I would even consider buying an MDR-Z1R because I'm a huge Sony fan but only if the price is right, i.e., way, way less than its asking SRP.

 

[jaibautista]

[oooops double post]

 

[Gamerlingual]

IMHO, having tried both side by side, the USD1,300 price difference isn't reasonable. Although I prefer the MDR-Z1R's aesthetics (gotta love those paper headband cups and the sheepskin treatment), I prefer the Z7M2's sound by a mile due to its tighter/less hazy bass and the resulting midrange clarity/focus relative to the MDR-Z1R's. When I was in Hong Kong around two years ago, I decided to drop by Jaben Hong Kong and saw a Sony TA-ZH1ES DAC/amp beside the MDR-Z1R; I was dismayed with what I heard (it still sounded good but it didn't blow me out of the water). In fact, I derived higher listening satisfaction trying the Fostex T60RP + TA-ZH1ES combo than the MDR-Z1R + TA-ZH1ES combo.

Of course, if someone would willingly gift me a MDR-Z1R I would gladly accept it without any questions asked. I would even consider buying an MDR-Z1R because I'm a huge Sony fan but only if the price is right, i.e., way, way less than its asking SRP.

I’m hoping for $1000 or less. The Kimber Kable made a huge difference in making it sound better.

I’m thinking the Z7M2 has a boxy, non-echo sound in the mids due to that clarity focus you speak of. I’m wondering if the mids are better than the MDR-Z1R, but I can say the Z7M2 is way more gentle to the ears by a long shot. That’s why I got the Z7M2 but didn’t have the Kimber Kable. Then I sampled the Kable and said welp, both headphones sound better but the Z1R’s highs were not piercing anymore. That did the job there. Then again, the Kimber made the Z7M2 sound better in the mid range as well with even more clarity.

Still, I wonder if there is a guide on how to analyze headphones carefully. Still looking for one to this day