Maybe the standard does lowered. The material usage of the pads is happened to be the same as the MDR-SA5000 (its Japanese domestic version, to be exact). That is 77,700 yen, less than half of the Z1R price.
I don't have that much confidence and trust, given the fact I've began researching the replacement cables long time ago.
Basically I tend to agree with what Sp12er3 pointed out that, as price is labeled 200k yen, but not 360k (the R10) nor 280k (the Qualia) for this model, there should be some difference. Pricing of Sony products tells stories.
I wasn’t implying such a lot of lowered standard or anything, it’s just different Sony, that come from different time, if I remember right, both CD3000 And SA5000 comes after their flag, R10 and Q010, while the Z1R, relies a lot from the research and feedback they got from a more mature line of 70mm drivers, 2 closed 1 open. And clearly the one most influenced it is the Z7, both in tuning and build (cable and accessory included) I don’t see it to be such a stretch that the premium they put on Z1R’s MSRP over Z’s OG MSRP is enough to warrant the addition they put into it, ie the cup, new frame, premium box, etc R&D cost included.
They probably know, based on their own research that the standard the Z7 came with is enough to satisfy 90+% percent of their customer, thus they basically “don’t fix what’s not broken from it”, which is good for them, as the Z7 really was an overachiever in regard of build, Z1R just pick that as standard, add in more goodies, and put it at their appropriate price. It’s a safe starting point, and are a very smart of them to use it, unlike R10 and Q010, the Z1R has a safe point it can comfortably settle themselves in.
That's not my point. Actually I don't think that soldering treatment is intolerable or poorly practiced, but it's soldered by experienced hands. Kimber also emphasizes that AXIOS is not soldered so for the Sony/Kimber? Soldered. Pretty acceptable.
But the stock cable is poor, genuinely. Claimed as 'silver plated ofc' but in fact 2-silver plated / 2-pure copper hybrid, and brings harshness in treble (confirmed by a very large percent of its users). If you swap the cu wires for silver plated taken from another stock cable to form a pure 4 silver plated construction, the harshness is then diminished, the sound improves without adding any third-party material.
So I would definitely disagree the opinion that 'Sony doesn't mean to lower their standards, the reason why they choose the vinyl instead of leather is most probably because they sound better rather than they are cheaper'. If they always pursuit the SQ they shouldn't be providing those stock cables, and being misleading in its description. No, the main reason they select inferior parts for the MDR-Z1R is because they wish to reduce its cost, this is what I trust.
Really don’t have much to say about how it ended up affecting the sound for some, but it’s such a nicely supple and non tangling cable I just can’t make myself fault them, My own’s Z7’s cables is years old and is still going strong I’m glad they put similar design for Z1R that’s all. Tuning match? Well I can just find different amp to compensate, the sibilance I hear from the Z1R back then wasn’t such an annoying thing, it’s just noticeable IMO. (And I must admit the mastering on most Anisong is just trash~) it’s Gone on other tracks
On a totally separate note, I recently bought the Sony Z7M2. I already have the MDR-Z1R and that the cables that Sony has included with both Z7M2 and Z1R are same.
Considering that these headphones are at a very different price point and one would generally expect that more expensive headphones have higher class accessories (case in point the leather Box with Z1R while just a cardboard box with Z7M2).There are many ways to look at this.
1. Sony has determined that there is base line high quality sound that can be produced by certain level of material and manufacturing and they established that with the Z1R cables and now using the bulk manufacturing to make the same cable available with lower priced model Z7M2.
2. Sony understands that people buying these level of headphones have further refined requirements and will be buying after market cables for their unique requirements and it is better to stay with some base level cable at a reasonable cost in the package.That is why they are able to provide the same cable with much lower price model.
3. For their target house sound, they really do not see any benefit in going beyond a certain level of materials / manufacturing on the cable side, irrespective of the level of headphone offering.Hence no difference in the cable between Z1R & Z7M2.
Not sure which one of these are absolutely true but my personal bias is for the all 3
Hope that helps in some way in keeping the discussion atmosphere friendly.......
Obviously I Agree with point 1, tho 2 is also possible knowing just how thriving with options the cable markets are these days. Pretty different from R10 and Q010’s days (I mean they gave the Q010 that proprietary connector, now that’s one more fitting to complaint about)
As it's moderated, hope you won't mind I quote you again to answer that slightly modded cables would lessen specific vocal spikes and tighten the bass to a small extent. Whether that's subjective? We'll see next.
For you 3 points here I would say there's no need to have a personal bias among them because they are all reasonable thoughts Sony would consider, and added that they need some costdown
. But there's one thing must to be clarified that the cable of the Z7 is NOT identical to the Z1R. Not sure for the M2 but for the older model, definitely not, as wire gauge is smaller. If you don't cut it you won't discover this fact since they look identical in appearance except for being labeled as "MDR-Z1R" or "MDR-Z7".
Nobody should expect a group in a major company like Sony is so simple as audiophiles with a pure enthusiasm in pursuing SQ, or they'll be tricked. If one doesn't care, stay silent is wiser than bringing trivial subjectivity questions to anybody that's practically researching.
In what way do you find the cable that came with the Z7 differ from Z1R? On the exterior, the serrations alone make it feels the same for me, he thick jack, locking mechanism, they all feel good. Its like a bulked up ver of the cable they put on their IEMs, I do like it.
