[Beagle]

I was considering that maybe the dome-shaped cups on the Z1R give it a more distant perspective, but the larger area might cause the bass to linger and build up, hence the lack of tightness and punch. Would likely affect the mids as well.

 

[Sp12er3]

That's exactly it!

I had the same impression with the Z1R, no matter how many times I've tried it with various sources/amps: the listening experience seemed kinda detached, with bass neither here nor there. Don't get me wrong: the Z1R pumped bass in oodles but it didn't have that matter-of-fact visceral punch that left me underwhelmed. Perhaps it was Sony's jab at sounding "hifi"? That's why listening to the Z1R and the Z7M2 side by side gives you that impression that the Z7M2 has a much better job of tightening the bass rather nicely.

I like that characteristic of the Z1R actually, I find it has character, and changes depending on source material (the music) rather than the chain (DAC/ AMP) it went through. Also the soundstage, does the same thing as well. It's not always big, it depends on the source, I find I can imagine the recording room very easily with the Z1R.

Other closed backs I've tried just either make everything too close up or unnaturally far.
Needless to say, Z1R is in my dream endgame list, but that price tag is too tough pill to swallow for the current me.

The TH610, and now the Z7M2 are in my shortlist for future closed back upgrade. Hope I can find a place where I can demo them. Jaben might have the Z7 coming.. Maybe I can ask them to send it around their chains as I can't go to the capital too often these days.

Note I did try the OG Z7 briefly, but it didn't wow me at all, other than the fantastic build it has.

 

[Sp12er3]

Dunno if this have been posted here before or not, but headfonics made one article for the whole line up

https://headfonics.com/2018/08/sony-expand-their-one-signature-sound-series/2/

 

[Left Channel]

Dunno if this have been posted here before or not, but headfonics made one article for the whole line up

https://headfonics.com/2018/08/sony-expand-their-one-signature-sound-series/2/

Thanks, I re-read it and noticed a detail I'd missed or forgotten: these are 56Ω. The first model is 70Ω .

Not a major difference, but I wonder: has anyone who owns both found they have to turn down the volume for this model?

 

[DaejeonCitizen]

Thanks, I re-read it and noticed a detail I'd missed or forgotten: these are 56Ω. The first model is 70Ω .

Not a major difference, but I wonder: has anyone who owns both found they have to turn down the volume for this model?

Can't compare with the originals but they get very loud out of my ZX300 balanced. 90/120 is about as much as I can go with most stuff.

 

[Optional]

I'm excited, mine are to be delivered Friday. I'm in need of a closed set of cans for home (ATH-A950's are my work set) and wanted to find something to complement my HD700's.

 

[Optional]

Wow, ok, well, they're here

Very comfortable, driven very well by a simple Schiit stack, hugely different sound signature than my HD700's, way more bass but still friendly to female vocalists (bulk of my listening).
Tonight I'm going to game with them while my fiance streams on Twitch in the same room so we can test the isolation between her sewing machines and myself, which was actually, the whole reason for the purchase of new closed cans.

Very much enjoying them, the build quality is amazing, the cable quality is top notch (with the screw on tips.. very nice), now just for (I don't believe in this really..) burn in to loosen up those diaphragms.

I'm searching (with another pair of users on reddit) for a proper travel case for these, though they might just.. not need one considering how solid they are. Has anyone else here bought a case for Z7/Z7M2's?

 

[Mark Up]

a case for Z7/Z7M2's?

When I had the Z7 I had two hard cases that would fit them. The Slappa case (Google it) and another that had a matte finish that fit just fine. Very well built, both of them.

 

[lugnut]

Here is a review for the Z7 M2 , I don't think this has been linked here, if it has sorry ! https://majorhifi.com/sony-mdr-z7m2-over-ear-headphones-review/
I know all reviews are not always spot on, if this one is, I think I will stick with my original Z7. That is considering price ($299 new open box) and the type of music I listen to. I can also see the changes of the M2 being better for some, price is high, but I would bet it will come down in time.

 

[Mark Up]

The review makes it appear they've turned them into AudioQuest NightOwls. The sub bass was good on the old Z7. I could have done with more under 30 hz. If these have less, forget it for me.

 

[Beagle]

Do any headphones have usable, audible bass under 30Hz?

 

[runssical]

Nice!! Hopefully these have a more neutrally balanced signature than the originals.

I've been listening to a lot of new music (and some recordings I'm familiar with) the past week with my Z7 and i have been blown away. I've had these headphones for 18 months but they just keep sounding better as time goes by. Very neutral transparent sound. Incredible detail. I have not done any mods.

 

[Mark Up]

Do any headphones have usable, audible bass under 30Hz?

Yes. Sony MDR-1A with Meze 99 pads did. Audeze LCD-X does. Shure SRH-1540. All of the infamous V and U shaped Fostex / Denon. It may not matter to those who don't listen to music stuff with really low sub bass. It does if you do, especially if you're a mixing / mastering engineer that uses headphones for an alternative to get a different take on what they're hearing aside from the studio monitors they normally use. If you can't hear it, and hear it at the level it actually is at, not 10-15 db lower than it is on cans that roll off early but still extend, like the LCD-2 or Sennheiser HD-59X do. Example songs to test are "The Way You Move" by Outkast. That's about 31 hz. "The Weekend" by Kelis is about 29 hz. Dinah Jane Hanson a brand new song out called "Bottled Up" with sub bass in the mid 20 hz area, the lowest I've heard in a major pop song. That's not counting second or third harmonics that could go lower, to even 20 hz or below. I've personally witnessed people mixing sub bass stuff that was horrible in a large club system with quad 18" subs when they hit those lows. Apparently they used nearfields that roll off near 50 hz or higher, or headphones without the sub bass (AKG K240 or whatever) and they had no idea it was that loud, or it was there, but at -10 db down, so they turned it up 10 db too much.

 

[sergeant blackburn]

Hi everyone,

if you could tell me please, would the sony z7 or z7m2 be great for modern pop music and female vocalists?

my sony mdr-1a does a decent job, my only complaint is that I can't wear them for over an hour because they're kinda small on my ears, and meant for portable use.

 

[Left Channel]

Hi everyone,

if you could tell me please, would the sony z7 or z7m2 be great for modern pop music and female vocalists?

my sony mdr-1a does a decent job, my only complaint is that I can't wear them for over an hour because they're kinda small on my ears, and meant for portable use.

The Z7s are the most comfortable headphones I've ever owned. I have always found vocals a bit recessed though, so I am going to try the Z7M2 this week. (I also have the Audeze LCD2 Closed Back which I think would be great for your music and have a great sound stage for closed-backs, but they are enormous, heavy, and tight.)