[Steve160k]

I have been sitting on the fence with this headphone for a while now. I had a brief demo at the Bristol HiFi show,and the comfort was easily the best out of all i tried. Not much time to make a dicision to purchase unfortunately. For those who have them how are they for female vocals?This is my music preference - Diana Krall/Melody Gardot/Freya Ridings/Marrissa Nadler/Beth Gibbons/Lisa Gerrard/Hannah Reid - London Grammar etc. Are they transparent and intimate headphones? I like smaller more intimate sound stage like a small club with the artist singing in your ear, hear them breath, rather than a large sound stage as an open air concert. Also a lot of David Gilmour / [Pink Floyd / Jeff Buckley / Gary Moore. How are they on acoustic / electric guitar? The Audio Technica ADX5000 is supposed to be very tranaparent to suit my listening preference but is open back, and some say bass light. The new closed back Audio Technica's have just been released. Decisions not easy when you have no chance for a proper comparison. Hugo 2 & possibly TT2 will be driving them. Who has bought the MDR Z1R without previously testing, and found them to be the headphone to stop you looking at upgrades, and just enjoying the music?

 

[kefs]

I have been sitting on the fence with this headphone for a while now. I had a brief demo at the Bristol HiFi show,and the comfort was easily the best out of all i tried. Not much time to make a dicision to purchase unfortunately. For those who have them how are they for female vocals?This is my music preference - Diana Krall/Melody Gardot/Freya Ridings/Marrissa Nadler/Beth Gibbons/Lisa Gerrard/Hannah Reid - London Grammar etc. Are they transparent and intimate headphones? I like smaller more intimate sound stage like a small club with the artist singing in your ear, hear them breath, rather than a large sound stage as an open air concert. Also a lot of David Gilmour / [Pink Floyd / Jeff Buckley / Gary Moore. How are they on acoustic / electric guitar? The Audio Technica ADX5000 is supposed to be very tranaparent to suit my listening preference but is open back, and some say bass light. The new closed back Audio Technica's have just been released. Decisions not easy when you have no chance for a proper comparison. Hugo 2 & possibly TT2 will be driving them. Who has bought the MDR Z1R without previously testing, and found them to be the headphone to stop you looking at upgrades, and just enjoying the music?

Soundstage is as the recordings intended, so intimate if it was recorded so, and huge if it was meant to be huge, but overall circumnural i found to be not that wide until i changed cables, then it was metres around your head and more in front as i felt some vocals in particular felt from behind your head before

 

[kefs]

Not sure if this might be helpful to anyone, got sent it by EE Europarts the Sony parts supplier in the UK as i am after a pair of pad holders so i can pad swap easily, but they don't appear to be available ! Need to get me a 3d printer

 

[candlejack]

Not sure if this might be helpful to anyone, got sent it by EE Europarts the Sony parts supplier in the UK as i am after a pair of pad holders so i can pad swap easily, but they don't appear to be available ! Need to get me a 3d printer

Cool. But it would be even better if could upload the image itself instead of the scrrenshot. Or is that what you received as well?

 

[nc8000]

Cool. But it would be even better if could upload the image itself instead of the scrrenshot. Or is that what you received as well?

Even better would be the full pdf service manual that I assume this comes from or at least also the left side picture as some of the parts, like the pads, have different part numbers for left and right side as far as I understand it

 

[kefs]

This is as i recieved it more or less. Looks very basic for an official Sony document.

 

[nc8000]

This is as i recieved it more or less. Looks very basic for an official Sony document.

I would assume it is one page from the service manual

 

[akãjerovia]

the wide inviting absorbing sound continues to impress me. one small point i find the pads get unusually hot after about 30 minutes. it might be because i'm used to the slim design of the oppo pm1. after trials i find setting number 3/4 gives me a bit of room without loosing grip. this is my first large size factor headphone apart from the pm1. does fit improve with time as the pads relax into your shape?

I use them on 7 to not pressure the headband against the top of my head, can listen for hours, no disconform.

 

[bytor33]

the wide inviting absorbing sound continues to impress me. one small point i find the pads get unusually hot after about 30 minutes. it might be because i'm used to the slim design of the oppo pm1. after trials i find setting number 3/4 gives me a bit of room without loosing grip. this is my first large size factor headphone apart from the pm1. does fit improve with time as the pads relax into your shape?

It's not just you, the Z1R pads are hot and the only headphones I've ever worn that cause a little bit of sweat on the earpads. And I'm a very dry, non-sweaty person. My pads have pretty much stayed the same over the years, but I wipe them off after each use. Maybe they would change/conform a bit more if you just let the sweat soak in and never wipe them.

Will continue to listen over the coming days and do a few more a/b tests with the Sony kimber while I still have it

I know they're both fairly microphonic, but how do the microphonics compare between the Axios and the regular Sony Kimber? Is the Axios a lot worse in that regard? I can live with the microphonics on my Sony Kimber but wouldn't want to deal with any more than that.

 

[Damz87]

It's not just you, the Z1R pads are hot and the only headphones I've ever worn that cause a little bit of sweat on the earpads. And I'm a very dry, non-sweaty person. My pads have pretty much stayed the same over the years, but I wipe them off after each use. Maybe they would change/conform a bit more if you just let the sweat soak in and never wipe them.


I know they're both fairly microphonic, but how do the microphonics compare between the Axios and the regular Sony Kimber? Is the Axios a lot worse in that regard? I can live with the microphonics on my Sony Kimber but wouldn't want to deal with any more than that.

Microphonics are a non-issue for me personally with either cable, but to be fair I don’t move around much when using the Z1R’s. I honestly haven’t even noticed it

 

[nc8000]

It's not just you, the Z1R pads are hot and the only headphones I've ever worn that cause a little bit of sweat on the earpads. And I'm a very dry, non-sweaty person. My pads have pretty much stayed the same over the years, but I wipe them off after each use. Maybe they would change/conform a bit more if you just let the sweat soak in and never wipe them.


I know they're both fairly microphonic, but how do the microphonics compare between the Axios and the regular Sony Kimber? Is the Axios a lot worse in that regard? I can live with the microphonics on my Sony Kimber but wouldn't want to deal with any more than that.

The stock cable is not microphonic but the Axios is but as I don’t move when I listen it’s not an issue fir me

 

[candlejack]

They look like nice cables for sure, but it's hilarious to me that the Axios charges an extra $100 for the 4.4 balanced jack, compared to the 6.3.

When I see this kind of price gouging, I'm starting to root for wireless.

 

[Lookout57]

They look like nice cables for sure, but it's hilarious to me that the Axios charges an extra $100 for the 4.4 balanced jack, compared to the 6.3.

When I see this kind of price gouging, I'm starting to root for wireless.

Probably since it's a low volume item unlike the 6.3.

 

[gerelmx1986]

I don't mind the microphonics as I don't move

 

[candlejack]

Probably since it's a low volume item unlike the 6.3.

Ok, but we're talking about $100 *extra*. Have we lost sense of the true value of $100?