[nc8000]

Now another Album and that horrible sharp treble is here again.

no way i can enjoy them unless brain/headphones change.

This experience seems to be the most common complaint against these phones and you are certainly not the only one who feels this way though I don’t understand it as I don’t detect any spike or piercing treble

 

[Soundizer]

This experience seems to be the most common complaint against these phones and you are certainly not the only one who feels this way though I don’t understand it as I don’t detect any spike or piercing treble

Maybe because you are using an expensive cable. I already spent £1,686 so no way i will pay £1000 for a cable. I need 3meter .


Really disappointed.

I might just return them tomorrow.

 

[Soundizer]

so almost all owners are using a different expensive cable.

 

[nc8000]

Maybe because you are using an expensive cable. I already spent £1,686 so no way i will pay £1000 for a cable. I need 3meter .


Really disappointed.

I might just return them tomorrow.

Yes the Axios cable to me is better but I also didn’t experience piercing highs with the stock cable. These phones might just not be for you

 

[Soundizer]

Will treble smooth out a little more?

 

[raelamb]

Will treble smooth out a little more?

Relax. Breathe. All will be more than ok. Valhalla is in sight.

 

[cosplayerkyo]

You can give the Muc-B20SB1 cable a shot

 

[fullranger]

Give Beck’s Sea Change album a listen. It’s much less sss’y in the upper range. A wonderfully recorded “dark” sound.

 

[nc8000]

Will treble smooth out a little more?

Burn in will change the sound but if you hate it now I doubt burn in will change that for you

 

[Soundizer]

Burn in will change the sound but if you hate it now I doubt burn in will change that for you

I don’t hate them. Base extension is excellent, soundstage and instrumentals separate well.
Just any female ss causes irritation.

 

[Soundizer]

You can give the Muc-B20SB1 cable a shot

Thank you. Only 2 meters. I require 3meters or 4.

 

[Soundizer]

Relax. Breathe. All will be more than ok. Valhalla is in sight.

Valhalla?

 

[Gus141]

I don’t hate them. Base extension is excellent, soundstage and instrumentals separate well.
Just any female ss causes irritation.

I had the same reaction as you. Some vocals were very sibilant or buzzy/digital and I didn’t like that part but loved everything else. So I EQd them semi-aggressively to get all the peaks and valleys closer to the Harman AE curve using an ADI-2 DAC (it only has 5 PEQ filters/bands available though). I also dialed in a Base/Treble setting on the ADI-2 DAC to add a shelf filter on the lower bass.

These settings made the Z1R for me the best sounding headphone I had every listened to.

Obviously my settings may not be to anyones liking, but I just wanted to say, try some EQ (I was a no-DSP purist before the Z1R and just changed cables, tube rolled, opamp rolled, etc. to get the sound I wanted. With the ADI-2 DAC’s DSP abilities, that all changed, and I now really enjoy the stock cables on my Z1Rs.

Here are my PEQ settings (all peak filters) if anyone is interested:
Band1: Gain +1.0, Freq 1.35k, Q 2.7
B2: +4.5, 2.9k, Q 9.9
B3: -7.5, 3.3k, Q 3.3
B4: +8, 4.2k, Q 3.1
B5: -5.5, 10.0k, Q 3.6

Bass/Treble:
Bass: gain +2.0, 85Hz, Q 0.9
Treble: 0/no change

I know some say the Z1R already is a bass-heavy can, but I’m a bit of a basshead

edit: attached pic of PEQ curve on ADI-2 DAC’s display.

 

[ervin192]

Are you using the Focal Clear cable with the Z1R instead? Do you compare the ss sound with using the Sony stock?

 

[gammarayson]

I prefer the Sony Kimber. I had a third party one made from a very good supplier, all was great, but the screw on thing on the earpiece side did not really work, the connection was loose and I had it reterminate free of charge to be used with my HD800.

Where can I buy the Sony Kimber in Europe please, and are there different lengths and terminations(XLR, single-ended)?