[Closingracer]

Thx for the comparisons! I was thinking about buying an 1AM2 since it gets very positive reviews everywhere and there are some good deal for the equivalent of ~150 USD now, but the Z7M2 with those 70mm drivers are so tempting, its a hard decision, unfortunately I have no chance to compare them...

For a long time I thought I'm a bass-head, but after auditioning the 1AM2, I'm not 100% sure anymore.
Its hard to describe. I definitely need an emphasized bass (the signature of some brands sounds awfully thin and boring to me, esp. with 60/70s Rock with lacking bass impact, thus need some boost).
I miss not necessarily the the 'eardrum-hitting' type of bass, but rather the 'visceral' kind of sub-bass you almost feel within your body, around 50-80hz and below with a good extension and rumble. My theory is that I cannot tolerate sub-bass roll-off (unfortunately most headphones suffer from this), when mid-bass overshadows the sub-bass and/or bleeds to the mids.

These are the headphones/IEMs I had recent experience with, for reference:
- 1AM2: auditioned it in a noisy store with an iPad, but even with this non-ideal setup I immediately liked the smooth and fun signature a lot!
- XB950BT: meh, lots off mid-bass bloat, bleeding into the mids
- Sennheiser IE8: lots of mid-bass, overshadowing the sub-bass
- XB90EX: my IEM, I love it, but I treat them like babies now, since it is not manufactured anymore and the unused ones are sold on eBay for 500+ USD lol... If I ever find an over-ear equivalent of it, that could be my endgame

My 'gear':
- DAC/AMP: Fiio E10 (at the moment)
- Sources: Spotify Premium mostly, Soundcloud/Mixcloud sometimes. No Hi-Res sources.
- Music styles: Deep/Soulful/Funky/Jazzy/House/Acid Jazz/Rock/Fusion. As background music during work in the office. Mostly non-vocal focused songs. No classical.

Normally one would think that a 70mm driver is a guarantee for awesome rumbling subwoofer-like bass compared to the 40mm ones, but interestingly, based on the reviews so far, on average, the 1AM2 seems to get more praise for its bass (at least in its category), and the Z7M2 seems more controversial and even bass-shy for some. (all expensive headphones seem to be somewhat controversial though)

What do you think, would the Z7M2 be an overkill for streaming audio, and possibly sound 'less fun' than the 1AM2 if it reveals the weaknesses of the recordings and/or sources?

Or in other words: is the Z7M2 tuned for a more 'audiophile' signature (more analytical, and more mid/treble focus) and possibly the 1AM2 has a more forgiving, 'consumer'-friendly sound and maybe a better choice for non-perfect sources/recordings or certain music styles?

The Z7M2 is far from analytical and flat. There is a bass boost to it but I wouldn’t call For bass heads. I love bass and wouldn’t say a true bass head but I love bass. These are boosted slightly and it’s tight. To compare the Sony Z7M2 I have a Bowers & Wilkins PX and the V-Moda Bassfit ( wish there was reviews on it) which is a sport wireless earphone. The Sony lacks the bass of even the PX but it’s not flat. I would put it slightly below the PX.

 

[Closingracer]

What I find interesting is my iPhone can run these loud enough for me meanwhile my gaming laptop albeit is $700 can’t power this to be loud enough. Weird.

 

[Closingracer]

Would any other cable work for these ? Would like a shorter cable then this 3 meter one.

 

[Asahi Templar]

I think you can now add me to that list as well.

And I'm not hearing that 10k treble peak at all.

Hmmm...

Now that I got my I can give some more thoughts. I am using the Massdrop THX 789 amp and a Modi 3 with it.

I dont hear much of a 10K peak either, but I am having an issue with a peak around 3.1-3.4 khz, it can be quite annoying at times. That does seem to be there in the measurements they took and I can confirm I hear it with a frequency generator. I dont notice much at first but after an hour or so my ears get a bit irritated and I need to turn down the volume more than I would like. I may just be exceptionally sensitive to this area and others may not have this issue, but it is rough for me.


I imagine people saying they find these harsh are saying that as a result of that upper mid energy.

Ironically enough, I think the area around 4k also needs MORE energy to bring out the attack of some instruments, it sounds a bit flat at times as a result.

There seems to be another peak n the 5.8-6hz range but that one is not as much of an issue for me.

I EQedthe 3k peak down a little and these are really very pleasant to listen to. I have to reiterate that this is the best separation I have heard on a closed back and vocals sound really great. Its a good balance of being pretty relaxed sounding but having a lot of detail.

Subbass extension is pretty good, to me it sounds like it extends pretty linearly down to 34hz, then starts rolling off hard and becomes weak at 29hz, becoming basically inaudible after that (without EQ or a lot of volume of course).

Midbass has a hump but not much of one for a dynamic closed back, but as that one review said on a bass heavy track the bass becomes MASSIVE sounding. I have not heard another headphone present bass this way as on most tracks it sounds pretty flat in the bass but every now and then you run into one that sounds HUGE. I assume its got a specific hump that causes that to happen or maybe a result of the large drivers. I didnt find it covered up the mids as they talked about but it certainly pull all your attention on the bass.

The best example of this ii have heard is in Buck Tick's Dress ( The single version not the (worse IMO) anime version). The bass it that sounds like you have got the worlds biggest bass guitar right next to your ear. On most headphones it is a bassy track but not that much.

i have left it playing music while I am busy today, perhaps some burn in will help with the upper mids.

 

[CoryGillmore]

Asahi, do you happen to have the 1AM2? How do the 2 compare? I adore the 1AM2, which caused me to purchase the Z7M2.

 

[Viper Necklampy]

So, does sensitivity of 102db of z7m1 is far better of 98db of z7m2? I play At loud volumes. I think i'll try to buy z7, then z7m2 to see what i like more, then sent back the one that I like less. This Will be probably the best option Because with 500€ of headphones + 500€ amp is no kidding, you should at least try what you like more, because you keep that for At least 3-4 years. I never spent so much in headphones...

 

[Left Channel]

It seems to me the only people saying the Z7M2 is harsh are those who already own and love the Z7 (and even then I think it's just an initial impression that would go away over time). The Z7M2 is for the people who did not like the Z7 because they found the bass too strong and the midrange recessed. Sony should have called the model 2 the "Z8" or something, to avoid all this confusion....

 

[Left Channel]

So, does sensitivity of 102db of z7m1 is far better of 98db of z7m2? I play At loud volumes. I think i'll try to buy z7, then z7m2 to see what i like more, then sent back the one that I like less. This Will be probably the best option Because with 500€ of headphones + 500€ amp is no kidding, you should at least try what you like more, because you keep that for At least 3-4 years. I never spent so much in headphones...

I own both and as I've already posted the sensitivity differences are minor, but the Z7M2 requires less drive so I do think you can get more volume out of it. The main difference between the two is the sound signature. On that, seem my previous post above.

 

[Closingracer]

It seems to me the only people saying the Z7M2 is harsh are those who already own and love the Z7 (and even then I think it's just an initial impression that would go away over time). The Z7M2 is for the people who did not like the Z7 because they found the bass too strong and the midrange recessed. Sony should have called the model 2 the "Z8" or something, to avoid all this confusion....

Especially since they even raised the price of it by $200. It’s a different product because now you’re saying the Z7 was bad or a worse product then the Z7M2. They are just different headphones

 

[Left Channel]

Especially since they even raised the price of it by $200. It’s a different product because now you’re saying the Z7 was bad or a worse product then the Z7M2. They are just different headphones

I'm not saying one is bad or worse than the other. I've seen some strident opinions to that effect though. They really are just different headphones, and as I said Sony could have saved themselves a lot of grief by just naming this one the "Z8" or something.

 

[RobertSM]

I've happily owned the MDR-Z7M2 for a solid 5-6 weeks or so.

To add to some others thoughts:

Regarding the sensitively: I'm not an electrical engineer, but I think the larger magnets played a big roll in the impedance and thus the sensitivity.

Regarding the headphones and sources and amps. I ran my MDR-Z7M2 from my Samsung S9+ for about a week prior to receiving my dac/amp back from the manufacturer for service. The HP ran ok. I sort of think of it as a car running on standard octane gas. They performed ok.

But once I got them some clean and soild juice via the WA8, it was like they really began to shine. Like a car again, when you use the highest grade octane gas available. It just preformed way better. If you really want to get the most out of them, I suggest amplification of some sort.

I dont think they are a perfect set of cans. But they are really really good for me. They are hugely comfortable and pair well with many genres of music and scale well. They isolate well and were within my budget. I expect to enjoy them for a while.

Hope those that are owners also enjoy for sometime to come. For those that are on the fence read the thread and see if they may work for you. I know many of us are quite happy.

One final thing regarding sonic graphs.

I think they are fun and sometimes insightful. But I only use that information as a very basic guide. Audio chain, source quality, gear choice and ones mood also are key components as to how you perceive music. I view this hobby and the gear as a vehicle to enjoy the music. Others take the gear way way way more seriously than I do. I always want to buy the best within my budget and always from a prospective of using it enjoy the tunes. Just my opinion.

 

[Viper Necklampy]

I've happily owned the MDR-Z7M2 for a solid 5-6 weeks or so.

To add to some others thoughts:

Regarding the sensitively: I'm not an electrical engineer, but I think the larger magnets played a big roll in the impedance and thus the sensitivity.

Oh I speak.. But.. Do you tried the original Z7? What's about very high volume like a real-life concert with that 98dB/mW on Z7M2? Is that breathtaking? And compared to Z7 if you tried them too.. Are the Z7 more breathtaking At higher volume thanks to the 102dB/mW? I just Wanna know that.. I really like high volume

OPS sorry, i'm new to the forum, unfortunately i didn't reply somehow your post? But like copy/pasted your words.. I tried to delete this post but I can't.. Forgive me

 

[RobertSM]

@Viper Necklampy, runnig the MDR-Z7M2's via the cell phone, I don't think this combo will get the SPL and loudness you desire. When I pair the cans with the Woo Audio WA8 I can get crazy SPL and loudness to the point of it being able to create injury to my ears. I have zero knowledge with the Z7's so I dare not comment on them.

 

[purk]

Just went through the whole thread and the sound signature may work really well for my liking. I had the Z1R and thought that the bass was a tad overwhelmed for my liking. I have really good amplification and prefer a more balanced approach to the sound. I was trying to buy the Z7MKII off from amazon.jp yesterday but it isn't available for international shipping.

 

[Beagle]

A lot of it is amp-dependent. But in most cases the bass is less 'large' than that of the Z1R, so the overall character is more focused on the midrange, with enough top so as to not intrude on that.