[Vitaly2017]

Man I gotta get a balanced desktop amp. The Burson Play has been a great introduction to desktop amp/DAC, and I got it at a steal here on the forums, but it will be time to upgrade soon. I'm thinking a Topping DX7 Pro or Monolith THX 788 will be my next audio purchase. Most likely the DX7 Pro, as that 4.4mm output is a huge plus as all my balanced headphones are 4.4mm. I've only ever heard a balanced connection from my lowly ZX300...

Then get ready to be blown away )
I can say wm1z is almost as a good desktop setup and I believe there is a 7% gap.
Imagine you go from zx300 to desktop supremacy lol.
Huge jump.

 

[beowulf]

$1100 for the Z1R? Almost feels illegal lmao

That would be top value. In many years in the hobby I haven't found many super cheap deals.
One of my favorites is a set of HD800 that I bought used but were in pretty much like-new condition, for a lot less.

MDR-Z1R for $1.1K? That's value.
(parachuted here and didn't read the rest of the thread - might be talking nonsense)

 

[Leetransform25]

That would be top value. In many years in the hobby I haven't found many super cheap deals.
One of my favorites is a set of HD800 that I bought used but were in pretty much like-new condition, for a lot less.

MDR-Z1R for $1.1K? That's value.
(parachuted here and didn't read the rest of the thread - might be talking nonsense)

How would you compare the Z1R with the HD800, assuming you've had experience with based on your signature? And is the R10 as legendary as people say?

 

[Benno1988]

Recent deals in Aus have been;

Z1R for 1600 AUD
Z7m2 for 440 AUD
Focal Clear for 1400 AUD
Aeon for 650 AUD
Edit: Elegia for 600 AUD

CBF converting for you this time

 

[beowulf]

How would you compare the Z1R with the HD800, assuming you've had experience with based on your signature? And is the R10 as legendary as people say?

Oh, I've had many posts on those exact comparisons. It's been a while, lazy to search back. But they complement each other amazingly well. Those babies are two of my top favorites.

The R10 were indeed quite legendary, not only in terms of sound but also in the way it was presented to the public. Box, materials, most of it was top notch. These days I think they're more legend than fact, as most biocellulose drivers degraded heavily after almost 25 years. MDR-CD3000, Qualias, lots of dead biocel drivers, they literally rotted over decades. They now sound harsh, with really bad raspy bass. I had some CD3K near to that edge.

Z1R was the first Sony I thought that could come close the the R10. Build quality is better, drivers are great, presentation is pretty decent, but the tuning could have been a bit better. They're slightly too voluptuous, a bit heavy on the lower frequencies. Amazing detail, amazing comfort (better than the HD800, which are already great at it) but sometimes a bit too meaty, like a heavy red wine. Super fun tho.

The HD800 are different. More airy, lots of space, great positioning and separation, like the Z1R, but with a brighter sound, which makes them seem a bit more revealing, but also more fatiguing and often sounding thin on the lower end.

Both are super detailed, but the 800 are a bit more spacious and the Z1R are a bit more fun, meatier, but darker (and much better built).

These two combined are my favorite combo after a few years of use. None is a 10/10 by itself, but if you have them both on your desk and pick the right one for the right sound, it's a combo you cannot beat with a single headphone, regardless of price. IMO. Z1R+HD800 (non-modded) remain my current fave "headphone". I have many posts comparing them, probably because I like both but couldn't live with just one of these. Yet, both combined are my current listening reference, regardless of price band.

 

[purk]

Nice write up.

Did you hear the R10 in balanced and what setup did you try them out with? Did you compare all of them side by side? I don’t recall you ever owning one.

I agree with you on the HD800s being an awesome headphones but I am still on the fence about MDR-Z1R. That extra midbass on them really ruin it for me. I slightly prefer the Z7 M2 over the MDR-Z1R due to a more even tonal balance despite the extra resolution and sense of soundstage that one can get from the Z1R. The R10 to me is a genre specific headphones. For acoustic, vocal, and classical including some very well recorded jazz albums they are just about second to none including the original Sennheiser Orpheus driven out of my DIY T2 Stax amplifier. For rock, and heavy metals they just can’t cut it.

If you have the chance, check out the IER-Z1R. Sony has really done something very special with this one. The low low bass is excellent and the sense of space from this IEM really rivals many top end full size headphones. It is extremely musical and work great across many musical genres. I like it’s tuning more than the MDR-Z1R. The low low bass on the IER is even more extended and prominent than that of the MDR-Z1R. I always find the midbass on the MDR very distracting and is always there even when the music doesn’t call for it. And I even tried the Axios and other cables before selling them. Again, YMMV.

 

[Sp12er3]

That would be top value. In many years in the hobby I haven't found many super cheap deals.
One of my favorites is a set of HD800 that I bought used but were in pretty much like-new condition, for a lot less.

MDR-Z1R for $1.1K? That's value.
(parachuted here and didn't read the rest of the thread - might be talking nonsense)

Sup! Been a while since you last posted, how's your Z1R been faring with age?

 

[sergeant blackburn]

bass test

 

[omegaorgun]

Ya know Z7M2 has grown on me, it also works well with the LCX.

 

[omegaorgun]

bass test

These videos get convoluted it's basically a 20 minute video of a guy talking to himself about bass. Some people might like it. Audio-gd's amp stages are average to average/good.

EDIT: I appreciate he is putting in effort but I wish he did a complete review and described bass, mids and treble etc. first and then do the detailed videos on each section. You end up not having any reference point to understand the headphone as a complete package or how it compares to other headphones.

 

[omegaorgun]

FYI: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000056005636.html?spm=a2g0o.cart.0.0.1fce3c00LkGi1J&mp=1

$25 balanced cable.

 

[purk]

FYI: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000056005636.html?spm=a2g0o.cart.0.0.1fce3c00LkGi1J&mp=1

$25 balanced cable.

Probably a very low quality cable. I wouldn’t waste any time getting it.

 

[alex777]

https://ru.aliexpress.com/item/3288...chweb0_0,searchweb201602_5,searchweb201603_55

I think this is a great cable. Silver!

 

[beowulf]

Sup! Been a while since you last posted

Hmm indeed. It's that part of the cycle where I find a setup/combo that has been just about right and tend to go less active for a while. Y'know, the hobby is good but sometimes we're satiated and satisfied for a while and there's less drive to look for the next bestthing. Also a bit less time for quality listening lately.

Eventually, something exciting will become available/heard and the whole cycle repeats once again.

How's your Z1R been faring with age?

Flawless, on my desk stand since day #1 and I still use them fairly often. The impression didn't change much since the first day I got them. Build quality and comfort seem great, audio quality is, well, not reference in any way, but extremely fun.

I still enjoy them a lot for moments when you want a meatier, warmer, more fun sound (and comfort). Not the type of headphone I'd say "I'm 100% sure I'll keep it forever" but at the moment it still fills a gap in the collection quite well. They're not a masterpiece or perfect, but I do think they're very good nonetheless.

 

[beowulf]

Probably a very low quality cable. I wouldn’t waste any time getting it.

How's it going @purk? Some things change in the scene, but if there's something that never, never changes is Purk's love for quality cabling.