bauce
100+ Head-Fier
is the latest one from 2016 like I’m seeing on Sony?
Sony Z1R....listening impressions only
Hi,
Thinking about getting a MDR-Z1R.
Direct competitor is of course the Denon AH-D9200. I've read a bunch of comparisons and i'm still not sure. Besides from the sonic differences which i've nailed down to:
Sony: Boomier bass, brighter in the highs, big soundstage
Denon: More detail, less soundstage, less bass but with more quality & punch, a bit less treble
The Sony seems also to be more comfy (I have glasses and don't like too much clamp force).
I have not read much about their isolation, especially in comparison, which is also a deciding factor for me.
A lot of people strongly prefer one over the other (which doesn't make the decision easier).
Thinking about getting a MDR-Z1R.
Direct competitor is of course the Denon AH-D9200. I've read a bunch of comparisons and i'm still not sure. Besides from the sonic differences which i've nailed down to:
Sony: Boomier bass, brighter in the highs, big soundstage
Denon: More detail, less soundstage, less bass but with more quality & punch, a bit less treble
The Sony seems also to be more comfy (I have glasses and don't like too much clamp force).
I have not read much about their isolation, especially in comparison, which is also a deciding factor for me.
A lot of people strongly prefer one over the other (which doesn't make the decision easier).
JoshSchiit
Head-Fier
I know that sound isolation on the Sony is kinda like earbuds because above 75 dB and ppl around you start to hear the high end of your music. I definitely think it gives good isolation from the user to the world. I think it’s more about sound quality than pure isolation, and high frequency sounds escape thru the paper and metal mesh rather easily, for the purpose of an open soundstage
I think the sony work particularly great with an equalizer, allowing detail and everything else to be adjusted. I think the bass can be boomy and/or have a quality punch to it.
Also i think sony has superior soundstage, that’s a big factor for me, and i love the relaxed timbre and it’s ability to get the atmosphere and background of the song.
Sorry ive never tried the denon
I only need the isolation factor for me, it doesn't matter if it leaks sound. I have to run a dehumidifier ~2 meters away on consecutive rainy / cold days (so especially in the winter). It's not terribly loud but it disturbs the enjoyment of my open backs so i want something better / different than my Elegia.
JoshSchiit
Head-Fier
Yeah the sony will block out noises for me quite well. construction or birds or people outside and its no problem, like it would be a problem with my open backs
nc8000
Headphoneus Supremus
The Z1R delivers decent (good enough that my wife can watch tv or sleep next to me without either of us annoying the other) but not fantastic isolation in and out. I have not tried the D9200 so can’t comment on it but I had a D5000 for a short while and it had very poor isolation in and out to the point where some open designs were almost better isolating
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Thanks, that helps a bit, the D5000 seems to have the same chassis as the D5200 which looks like the same chassis as the D9200...
There's probably not a big difference there, if at all...
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By the way, what is up with the scratched headbands from ~80% of the used ones?
Is there a material problem or do most people not tend to care that much? Or hang it over the wrong stand? Do you guys have it scratched / heavily used in the middle?
There is one that looks excellent in the classified though...
Is there a material problem or do most people not tend to care that much? Or hang it over the wrong stand? Do you guys have it scratched / heavily used in the middle?
There is one that looks excellent in the classified though...
nc8000
Headphoneus Supremus
It’s not scratches but creases/cracks. This is what mine look like after 6 years nearly daily use hanging on a hook on the wall so not bad at all
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Big thanks for that picture, that gives me a lot of confidence that it should not be a general problem as i thought it would. I will take good care of it aswell.
JoshSchiit
Head-Fier
nice picture
These will remian in my collection for the foreseeable future. Definitely a bassy headphone but the low end is so layered and textured. Comfort is unlike anything else i own, maybe besides the Empyrean. Aesthetics is work of art. One of the best investments i have ever made in this hobby.
Thank you sir. One of my fav headphones. Unfortunately I think I'm gonna put mine up for sale
The1Signature
1000+ Head-Fier
i just sold my mdr-z1r to a headfier colleague. however, i remember when i had the same questions like you.
a friend of mine did an intense comparison few weeks ago including the mdr-z1r, focal celestee, meze liric, and your mentioned denon ah-d9200. he came to the same conclusion as i: the sony mdr-z1r is the most comfortable closed-back headphone among the one that were compared + sony's signature sound gives this special something - making the music warm. due to these particularities, he bought the mdr-z1r. he is doing the burn-in right now as mention by @gLer - thanks again.
for me personally, since i listen just 1-2 hours peer week and have too many headphones + daps, i realized that i prefer open-back headphones. hence, i bought the meze elite (and had the meze empyrean). it might change in the future when i will be able to listen to music more often, like 1 hour every day. but as long as i can listen to music just during the weekend in a particular time slot, i prefer open-back headphones.
buy the z1r, you won't regret it
I did!buy the z1r, you won't regret it
There was one in the classified in excellent condition, i bought it, it will get shipped on monday.
Of course open backs are the normal go-to, but as i wrote i wanted another closed one.
Time to sell some stuff in the near future, maybe the LCD-2f has to go.
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