[Nostoi]

Cool man. Good luck. Hope you find a good one.
FYI, you might like the z7m2. The bass is more neutral than the mk1 and z1r. Sound is more neutral overall. Highs seem a little smoother and rolled off, maybe more to your tastes.

Would be interested in a fuller comparison between thew Z1R and the Z7MK2 if you had a moment, especially in terms of overall sound signature, speed of sub-bass, and treble/mid region. Thanks!

 

[Mark Up]

Thanks, will give the Z7M2 a try. Maybe Sony learned some things from the mk1 and Z1R and went in a different direction with the Z7M2 which would be more to my liking.

Fellow musician eh? Cool. I had the Meze 99 Classic and Neo. Both had a bump in the high bass, lower low mids that wore on me. The Neo was a little better there, but still not quite flat enough. They remind me of the Sony MDR-Z7, which even modified, still had too much midrange resonance. I know the Z1R and the Z7M2 address this. Shure SRH-1540 surprised me. Stock, great bass, but peaky highs, despite overall warmth. I put on NVX ComfortMax Standard non-angled pads (copy of Brainwavs HM5 pads, but better comfort, and sub bass vs. the HM5 pads). Subs dropped slightly vs. the stock SRH-1540 alcantara pads, but treble smoothed out. Still nice detail, and a 3D sounds stage improvement vs. stock, yet easy on the ears.

 

[Left Channel]

OK, if we're going to play this game: I like my Z7M2 more than my Z7, LCD2 Closed, HD 650, DT-770 Pro, and others. Way more.

 

[329161]

Would be interested in a fuller comparison between thew Z1R and the Z7MK2 if you had a moment, especially in terms of overall sound signature, speed of sub-bass, and treble/mid region. Thanks!

Z1r is a weird beast. Bass seems elevated, but it's also somehow balanced with the rest of the signature. Frequencies are clearly delineated. High frequencies have superb soundstage. Due to bass quantity, it's speed isn't lightening fast like eg the Elegia. The z7 m2 shares this bass quality, but it is less in quantity and resolution than the z1r. Soundstage of the mids and highs is also noticeably narrower than on the 1r. The treble is also more prominent on the 1r, with better quality and air.

 

[Nostoi]

Z1r is a weird beast. Bass seems elevated, but it's also somehow balanced with the rest of the signature. Frequencies are clearly delineated. High frequencies have superb soundstage. Due to bass quantity, it's speed isn't lightening fast like eg the Elegia. The z7 m2 shares this bass quality, but it is less in quantity and resolution than the z1r. Soundstage of the mids and highs is also noticeably narrower than on the 1r. The treble is also more prominent on the 1r, with better quality and air.

Thanks, that's interesting. I did try the Elegia and didn't really warm to it - indeed, not warm enough, though I can see the appeal. I have the option of keeping the Z7M2 and getting a high end pair of IEMs (like the Campfire Vega) or returning them in exchange for the Z1R. I do like the Z7M2 a lot, but as mentioned before, I do find they're highly dependent on being EQ'd correctly. The airiness of the 1R with the bass of the Z7m2 sounds appealing.

 

[Phronesis]

^ I think the apparent "airiness" and sense of stage of the Z1R is due to the suppressed presence region combined with elevated treble around 10 kHz. To my ears, that airiness and stage comes at a big price with respect to accuracy of the sound for acoustic instruments. Other people's ears may hear it differently.

 

[329161]

Thanks, that's interesting. I did try the Elegia and didn't really warm to it - indeed, not warm enough, though I can see the appeal. I have the option of keeping the Z7M2 and getting a high end pair of IEMs (like the Campfire Vega) or returning them in exchange for the Z1R. I do like the Z7M2 a lot, but as mentioned before, I do find they're highly dependent on being EQ'd correctly. The airiness of the 1R with the bass of the Z7m2 sounds appealing.

A bit off topic but for a fantastic iem try the new Sony M9. Better than any high end Campfire I've heard including Andromeda, Vega. Atlas and Dorado.

 

[Nostoi]

A bit off topic but for a fantastic iem try the new Sony M9. Better than any high end Campfire I've heard including Andromeda, Vega. Atlas and Dorado.

Thanks, had my eye on these but they seem hard to track down in Europe. Could order from Penon but I had to pay tax duties the last time. Anyway, will keep an eye out. Does the sound signature resemble the 1R/Z7M2?

 

[Left Channel]

Agree I might like Sony IEMs too. But what I'd really like to get my hands on is a new set of open-backs with the latest Sony sound signature.

 

[329161]

Thanks, had my eye on these but they seem hard to track down in Europe. Could order from Penon but I had to pay tax duties the last time. Anyway, will keep an eye out. Does the sound signature resemble the 1R/Z7M2?

I've pm'd you to stop the derailing.

 

[sergeant blackburn]

Ugh, so after a month of ownership I've decided I am returning my Z7M2...I just keep going back and forth between the Z7M2 and the 1AM2 and oddly enough I just prefer the 1AM2. I didn't want to admit it but I've liked them more this whole damn time. I guess I've just been using IEMs too long because I don't like the more spacious sound sig of the Z7M2 when compared to the more in your face presentation of the 1AM2. Maybe if I had imported them from Japan at nearly half price it would be an easier pill to swallow but the fact I paid over $900 for these cans and I prefer the sound of their $300 little brother has me thinking I can find a much better way to spend over $900.

yeah I gotta say it's a matter of preference. I understand when that youtuber said they're too quiet (FOR HIS TASTE!), for me I like the chill presentation, I can listen for hours without getting a headache!
as for mdr1A, I'll take my time and try to compare in a bit of detail to z7m2 later hopefully. For now, on the mdr1A I feel the details are crammed together in comparison with much more bass!, the low end is much better (buttery smooth) on z7m2.

OK, if we're going to play this game: I like my Z7M2 more than my Z7, LCD2 Closed, HD 650, DT-770 Pro, and others. Way more.

can you please explain briefly why you find them more enjoyable? what are these other headphones fail to deliver?
man that reviewer said he would take any headphones over them.

 

[CoryGillmore]

yeah I gotta say it's a matter of preference. I understand when that youtuber said they're too quiet (FOR HIS TASTE!), for me I like the chill presentation, I can listen for hours without getting a headache!
as for mdr1A, I'll take my time and try to compare in a bit of detail to z7m2 later hopefully. For now, on the mdr1A I feel the details are crammed together in comparison with much more bass!, the low end is much better (buttery smooth) on z7m2.


can you please explain briefly why you find them more enjoyable? what are these other headphones fail to deliver?
man that reviewer said he would take any headphones over them.

I haven't heard the 1A but I LOVE the exaggerated bass of the 1AM2! That's what makes them so damn fun to me. Plus the more narrow soundstage just makes them have a fuller sound to me.

 

[Left Channel]

can you please explain briefly why you find them more enjoyable? what are these other headphones fail to deliver?
man that reviewer said he would take any headphones over them.

Everyone's ears are different. Eyes too: his head-mounted camera makes me nauseous.

I mostly still like the Z7 but they are just too dark for me, swallowing some vocals and percussion (midrange, upper midrange, and presence). The Z7M2 retain the smooth all-pervasive bass, rich luscious forgiveness, and overall comfort in both sound and physical design, while adding the parts of the spectrum I'd felt were missing.

The LCD2 Closed Backs come close to the Z7M2, but the bass is a bit rougher and more abrupt. To put both in a more positive light, the Audeze bass is more "slamming" while the Sony bass is broader. But the LCD2 Closed are also a little brighter, and I find them more fatiguing on both ends of the spectrum, while Z7M2 seem smoother and more welcoming. The LCD2 Closed Backs offer a slightly wider sound stage, since after all they are ginourmous, but that's also why they are just waaay too heavy for long listening sessions. I can keep the Sonys on for hours.

The HD 650 are still in rotation for now. Open backs have their place and time, and compared to other Sennheisers these are designed for a bit more warmth and enjoyment. They do offer clarity, but also present bass in a rougher more aggressive way that beats at my ears and wears me out faster. Switching to the Z7 or Z7M2 brings me a feeling of great comfort each time.

The DT-770 Pro are such completely different animals that it's difficult to discuss them in the same context. I used to switch to them from the Z7 when I needed more clarity in some music or in most videos with speech, but with the Z7M2 this is no longer a problem. The DT-770 Pro are good for critical music listening in many ways, but as I increase their volume the "V" sound signature can create some of the same impressions I mentioned for Sennheiser, yet with the volume low I sometimes feel they are too quiet and veiled. I guess I just am not used to them anymore.

I haven't even mentioned my neutral professional studio cans from Audio Technica and JVC, as they are for entirely different purposes and don't get much use these days. My DAP IEMs and phone earbuds are both good combos of warmth and clarity though: the Westone UM Pro30 and Beyerdynamic Byron wired.

 

[Mark Up]

Great review Left Channel. The HD650 impressions must vary based on how we hear differently. I have the MassDrop HD58X which has more bass level and extension than the HD650. Those I still consider lacking a bit in bass compared to what I prefer, thus the HD650 (which I'd owned before for an extended time) to me was never fatiguing in the bass, as I remember.

 

[purk]

Great review Left Channel. The HD650 impressions must vary based on how we hear differently. I have the MassDrop HD58X which has more bass level and extension than the HD650. Those I still consider lacking a bit in bass compared to what I prefer, thus the HD650 (which I'd owned before for an extended time) to me was never fatiguing in the bass, as I remember.

Due to hard to drive nature of the HD-650, those difference maybe just due to different setup. I have heard okay to top-shelf level type of sound of the HD650 based on varies degree of amplifications.