[pietcux]

I know the following is subjective. I prefer my original ps1k to the ps2ke that got destroyed here. I figured the sony would be a different "off the beaten path" choice for me. I am just asking you guys would you rather have the z1r or the ps2ke? I know they are very different but just wondering which folks would rather have? I love grado, have but one issue. comfort. Other than that wondering how you guy's would compare them to the more mainstream products such as hd800s and utopia? Just trying to get a grasp on their sound. I always tell everyone to listen. I am not preaching my own words because this time I cannot listen. I highly doubt I would buy grey market. So the z1r plus the silver cable is a lot of money and wondering if it is worth it? would you just stop at the sony upgrade cable? I see other people do have cable.

What is the reason to buy a silver cable before you even listened to the Z1r? I listen to music and not to chemical elements like silver.
Sound wise, the Z1r is probably totally different to all gear you know, including your Grados. Most of the people in this tread adore this different sound. No cable and no amp will change it very much. I love it from the Sony WM1A DAP using the included balanced cable. Be prepared that it might take some time to get used to the Z1r. I came from the Z7, so I was prepared already.

 

[Luke Redgen]

Can anyone point to a location to buy a female 4.4mm to male 2.5mm adapter so I can use the balanced cable with my FiiO X7 MK2? I can't obviously find one by Googling.

 

[thebratts]

I know the following is subjective. I prefer my original ps1k to the ps2ke that got destroyed here. I figured the sony would be a different "off the beaten path" choice for me. I am just asking you guys would you rather have the z1r or the ps2ke? I know they are very different but just wondering which folks would rather have? I love grado, have but one issue. comfort. Other than that wondering how you guy's would compare them to the more mainstream products such as hd800s and utopia? Just trying to get a grasp on their sound. I always tell everyone to listen. I am not preaching my own words because this time I cannot listen. I highly doubt I would buy grey market. So the z1r plus the silver cable is a lot of money and wondering if it is worth it? would you just stop at the sony upgrade cable? I see other people do have cable.

I can just chime in with the fact that i have the Utopia and the Z1R and i enjoy them both, the Z1R have a wider soundstage than the Utopia, more bass impact, more warm not as separated instruments (but no other headaphone beats the utopia there).
I can say that for me i have not heard any better headphone that is CLOSED. that's a major feat by Sony i think, especially considering the awesome soundstage for a closed phone. Yes it has bass north of neutral but i don't feel it gets in the way of the midrange that can happen..
And i never feel that the resolution is dramatically different when switching between them, although utopia is in a class of it's own. Voices are fantastic on the Z1r and the Utopia.

BTW i think silver works fine with the Z1r i have a cable from lavricables.

 

[Kermeli]

How is chord mojo with Z1R? Still looking for recommendation dac/amp combo for under 1k€

 

[banco-sg]

How is chord mojo with Z1R? Still looking for recommendation dac/amp combo for under 1k€

mojo and Z1R will make it way too warm

 

[ctaxxxx]

Can anyone point to a location to buy a female 4.4mm to male 2.5mm adapter so I can use the balanced cable with my FiiO X7 MK2? I can't obviously find one by Googling.

Edit: I was wrong...

 

[NoMythsAudio]

Can anyone point to a location to buy a female 4.4mm to male 2.5mm adapter so I can use the balanced cable with my FiiO X7 MK2? I can't obviously find one by Googling.

Here you go:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/4-4mm-Earp...var=521556004336&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649

 

[nc8000]

There is no such thing. You can only do it they other way around. I had to buy a separate cable for this reason.

Why would you say that ?

You can go from any balanced termination to any other balanced or single ended termination. What you can’t do is go from single ended termination to balanced termination.

 

[Luke Redgen]

And that eBay listing seems to prove it. Thanks heaps @nc8000

 

[ctaxxxx]

Why would you say that ?

You can go from any balanced termination to any other balanced or single ended termination. What you can’t do is go from single ended termination to balanced termination.

That's what I thought, but no maker sells such a thing, except for the one @NoMythsAudio just posted. Effect Audio, Impact Audio, Norne, etc. I assumed maybe it wasn't.

 

[Luke Redgen]

Whoops, I shouted out the wrong user, should have said thanks heaps @NoMythsAudio

Just ordered the adapter

 

[Rchandra]

At least Sony isn't pulling a Focal move by making its third version of the Z1Rs LOL jeez the elear, the clear, and now the Elex!?... Common man. It makes me appreciate the time and effort sony took to make the z1r instead of releasing different versions of the z1r through the years.

 

[Slim1970]

At least Sony isn't pulling a Focal move by making its third version of the Z1Rs LOL jeez the elear, the clear, and now the Elex!?... Common man. It makes me appreciate the time and effort sony took to make the z1r instead of releasing different versions of the z1r through the years.

Absolutely agree with this. The Z1R's are one of a kind and no other headphone out there sounds like it. I want a pair of Focals to add to my collection but now I have no clue which one to get without comparing all 4 of them now. I had the Z7's before upgrading to the Z1R's. That upgrade path was simple. The Z1R's are a natural step up in sound, dynamics, soundstage, and all the other audiophile terms over the Z7. With the Focals there only seems to be slight tweaks to similar sounding headphones, which makes the decision that much harder.

 

[pietcux]

Got me the new Eminem album today. What a BASSSSSSS

 

[music_man]

okay, they will be here monday. I will say what I think after 100 hours. so give it a week. before I even listen to them. it is interesting the Kimber(not the sony version) is more money than the headphones. I guess they feel they are worthy. my judgement would be against the other sony flagships r10 and 010. not really the utopia. I try to compare likewise headphones as everyone has a house sound. if it compares well to the r10 I will be very impressed. people use the caveat "for a closed headphone". that was not true of the r10. they were one of the best headphones ever open or closed and many agree. a good condition pair is now $10,000+. much more than they were new. we shall se if that happens with the z1r. nonetheless I will welcome the change of sound from what I am used to. I figure people compare them to the utopia with the utopia being a little better in some respects. I have them on hand to compare as well. I am mostly interested to find out if it is the new r10. perhaps a little different sound but hopefully as good. very well built. I love grado but they are built like a tinker toy and very uncomfortable. I have not seen anyone compare the sony to the ps2ke most likely because they are just vastly different sounding. I would imagine if being compared to the utopia, they are in the same league as the ps2ke if not different. with the cable this is not a cheap headphone. so I expect it to really perform. I have been around long enough to judge a headphones merits independent of it's sound signature. I not only like grado I can appreciate the r10 and 010 and many others. I will try comparisons to other high end phones even the sr009 with blue Hawaii I will burn them in with luxman p750u but will try others. I am limited to balanced with the better cable unless I use an adapter which I also got. I sincerely hope I can dub these the new r10. I will use the msb select and ayre qx5 with mostly crystal cable and nordost throughout. at this level there should be no bottleneck and I can hear them in their full glory. I have been listening to loudspeakers but this will be interesting. if they live up to sony legends. I still use the scd-1 probably the best shiny disc transport ever made imo. it is nice to see sony getting back into high end even though these came out in 2014. it is also nice that you can just power them with a dap too. of course they should scale up with better sources I would imagine. well, this will be interesting. one way or another apparently these are not low end phones as I had originally thought. I do not know why arguments have ensued over them but there is no reason to be uncivil about such a trivial matter imo. in life your and your loved ones health matters much more than any headphones. still, I am excited to try these. I could not listen first as I always preach and I do not return so I own them now. I may perhaps not be so excited but I doubt I will be disappointed either. let you guys know what I think in say 10 days or so from today. so long as I remember lol.