[up late]

Yes they own. As time goes by the people that got scared away by some weird initial reviews are thinning out, and more people are realizing that this is a worthy R10 successor.

Does your amp give more power over the balanced outputs? If so, you should really try using a balanced connection with these, at least when using Sony's TA it makes a really nice difference.

i would characterise those reviews as critical rather than weird. the reaction to them here ranged from indignant to hostile as i recall.

i suspect that there are few people who have had the opportunity to hear the r10, let alone declare the z1r its worthy successor. i also suspect that they have very different sound signatures from what i've read about the r10.

I still have to decide between these and my stellias. The stellias have simply amazing crystal clear detail at all ranges, but the z1rs definitely have a bigger Soundstage and a more relaxed presentation which I think I prefer . Z1rs are probably better in the long run as an everyday headphone. I feel I just want to baby my stellias because they are so darn expensive... If z1rs had stellia detail... Too bad we can't have it all

i can understand your dilemma. i've compared them a number of times. last time i found the z1r's darker, relaxed presentation more to my liking.

The stellias also look like Luis Vitton luggage to me. I tried them and although I didn't get a long listen I thought the MDR-Z1R's crushed them.

"crushed them"? in what sense?

 

[Umwelt]

i would characterise those reviews as critical rather than weird. the reaction to them here ranged from indignant to hostile as i recall.

i suspect that there are few people who have had the opportunity to hear the r10, let alone declare the z1r its worthy successor. i also suspect that they have very different sound signatures from what i've read about the r10.

Well a lot of the initial controversy was due to someone claiming there's a "10k spike", which honestly I've never noticed on these at all. In any case, the market and especially the Japanese reviewers have had the last word.

But you're right that it can seem disingenuous to directly put together the r10 and z1r like that without being able to listen to both today. Might as well say that the z1r is a worthy successor to the qualia 010. The basic point I'd stand by is that the z1r is a worthy member of Sony's flagship headphone history, which doesn't mean that it necessarily sounds similar to any previous one.

 

[up late]

Well a lot of the initial controversy was due to someone claiming there's a "10k spike", which honestly I've never noticed on these at all. In any case, the market and especially the Japanese reviewers have had the last word.

But you're right that it can seem disingenuous to directly put together the r10 and z1r like that without being able to listen to both today. Might as well say that the z1r is a worthy successor to the qualia 010. The basic point I'd stand by is that the z1r is a worthy member of Sony's flagship headphone history, which doesn't mean that it necessarily sounds similar to any previous one.

well the so called "10k spike" "controversy" remains unresolved. there are fr measurements that show the peak and others that don't, just as there are folks who claim that they hear it and find it bothersome, while there are others like yourself who don't. i wonder how the japanese reviewers managed to have the last word on the z1r when we are still discussing it here, but if it has sold well then that is one measure of success - especially for sony.

you're entitled to your opinion of the z1r's place amongst sony's flagship headphones of course, regardless of how similar or different it sounds to its predecessors.

 

[Malevolent]

The stellias also look like Luis Vitton luggage to me. I tried them and although I didn't get a long listen I thought the MDR-Z1R's crushed them.

I don't think that the Z1R is obviously superior to the Stellia; however, they are comparable in the grand scheme of things, IMO.

I prefer the bass texture of the Z1R, and its overall presentation, but the Stellia is the more resolving headphone of the 2, if only ever so slightly. It's a toss-up between the 2, and you'll be hard-pressed to find an outright winner.

Nevertheless, I'm a bigger fan of the Z1R's signature - in the contemporary TOTL market, the Sony flagship is at once a source of delight and one of controversy. That full, lush sound is not often associated with high-end audio, but if you're a fan of this particular signature, the Z1R stands head and shoulders above the competition.

Oh and, I agree - the Stellia looks rather atrocious.

 

[340519]

The stellias also look like Luis Vitton luggage to me. I tried them and although I didn't get a long listen I thought the MDR-Z1R's crushed them.

Yes me I agree. Also, I like my clears but they get dirty so quickly.

 

[340519]

I don't think that the Z1R is obviously superior to the Stellia; however, they are comparable in the grand scheme of things, IMO.

I prefer the bass texture of the Z1R, and its overall presentation, but the Stellia is the more resolving headphone of the 2, if only ever so slightly. It's a toss-up between the 2, and you'll be hard-pressed to find an outright winner.

Nevertheless, I'm a bigger fan of the Z1R's signature - in the contemporary TOTL market, the Sony flagship is at once a source of delight and one of controversy. That full, lush sound is not often associated with high-end audio, but if you're a fan of this particular signature, the Z1R stands head and shoulders above the competition.

Oh and, I agree - the Stellia looks rather atrocious.

I agree as I have some flagships and the Z1R stands toe to toe.

 

[Gamerlingual]

I don't think that the Z1R is obviously superior to the Stellia; however, they are comparable in the grand scheme of things, IMO.

I prefer the bass texture of the Z1R, and its overall presentation, but the Stellia is the more resolving headphone of the 2, if only ever so slightly. It's a toss-up between the 2, and you'll be hard-pressed to find an outright winner.

Nevertheless, I'm a bigger fan of the Z1R's signature - in the contemporary TOTL market, the Sony flagship is at once a source of delight and one of controversy. That full, lush sound is not often associated with high-end audio, but if you're a fan of this particular signature, the Z1R stands head and shoulders above the competition.

Oh and, I agree - the Stellia looks rather atrocious.

Weird. I love the design of the Stellia. But Sony’s is nice as well

 

[340519]

Weird. I love the design of the Stellia. But Sony’s is nice as well

I like the focal aesthetic, but the focal sound signature overall not so much. I just sold a focal electra home theatre set that cost over 20k new, and I couldn't be happier as the focal house sound is so bright. They have always been bright.

 

[Gamerlingual]

I like the focal aesthetic, but the focal sound signature overall not so much. I just sold a focal electra home theatre set that cost over 20k new, and I couldn't be happier as the focal house sound is so bright. They have always been bright.

Piercing highs you mean? The Sony’s pierced mine but sampling with the Kimber Kable smoothed it out and thought it was a better presentation as a whole

 

[340519]

Piercing highs you mean? The Sony’s pierced mine but sampling with the Kimber Kable smoothed it out and thought it was a better presentation as a whole

Yes piercing highs. I find the Z7s and Z1Rs very smooth myself.

 

[Gamerlingual]

Yes piercing highs. I find the Z7s and Z1Rs very smooth myself.

The Z7M2 won it out for me. The Z1R was close, but Z7M2 had a more relaxed signature. Can’t deny the Z1R is great, tho

 

[nc8000]

Have you heard an R10? Do they sound similar to the Z1R? I think I saw somewhere that there's different versions that are tuned differently, some being bassier than others. Is that correct?

It’s been a fair number of years since I heard the R10 and I don’t know if it was the bass light or bass heavy version I heard but from memory they are nowhere near the same sound sig as the Z1R and at the time I was not particularily impressed by them (had the Audio Technica L3000 at the time)

 

[Gamerlingual]

Wrong thread

 

[Vitaly2017]

The Z7M2 won it out for me. The Z1R was close, but Z7M2 had a more relaxed signature. Can’t deny the Z1R is great, tho

The reason why I liked the z7m2 so much cause of the weird high treble of z1r. To me z1r hurts my ears I couldn't stand that treble.

Z7M2 is pure pleasure in comparison and bass is so much faster and tight. To me z7m2 is the headphones z1r too far beyond lol

 

[darmccombs]

I still have to decide between these and my stellias. The stellias have simply amazing crystal clear detail at all ranges, but the z1rs definitely have a bigger Soundstage and a more relaxed presentation which I think I prefer . Z1rs are probably better in the long run as an everyday headphone. I feel I just want to baby my stellias because they are so darn expensive... If z1rs had stellia detail... Too bad we can't have it all

Well some say the Verite Closed is the "have it all" headphone. I have the Z1R, and was considering the Stellia. The ffedback I got from some is that the Stellia is more of a side-grade, than an upgrade. The fact that you are having a hard time choosing seems to confirm this.

I should have a Verite Closed soon, so I'll know soon if the Verite's are all that. The advantage of the Z1R and Stellia is that you don't need a powerful amp to drive them. I'm curious to see if my TA or RME ADI-2 will suffice with the Verites. They do fine with the Z1R.