[bauce]

I just bought this guy to drive my future MDR hopefully I will not disappointed
Though I don’t have MDR yet lol but hopefully I will find a deal very soon

Which one are you looking at getting?

 

[bauce]

I got my z1r a few days ago and am already trying to build a better system around this. Just bought the TA-ZH1ES on ebay. Its been an expensive week but I already absolutely love these. Been listening to Boris Brejcha sets non stop.

 

[stephze]

I have recently purchased the Sony MDR-Z1Rs for the third time. You're probably wondering why I have purchased the same thing over and over again; the answer to that question is that I am indecisive and susceptible to peer pressure.

I love these headphones, I always have. I knew that these were the headphones for me when I got them the first time. However, I allowed other people to convince me that I had bad tastes and simply liked the Z1Rs because I didn't know any better.

Surely, I must be deaf and/or uneducated if I like the Z1Rs. Everyone else with any sense agrees that they're terrible!

This is the narrative that was fed to me over and over again by the other audiophiles that I knew and at the time it did negatively impact my psyche.

As a result, every time a new headphone came out claiming to be the best thing since the advent of digital audio I sold off the Z1Rs and jumped back into the rabbit hole-just to be disappointed again and again.

At this point, I have cycled through nearly every flagship on the market just to conclude that the Z1Rs were what I wanted all along. I lament all of the time and money that I wasted to simply end up back where I started, with the headphones that I knew that I wanted in the first place.

-but I had to see if they were right. I had to see if the Z1Rs were the worst flagships. They aren't, in fact they're still my favorite headphones. I just let other people talk me into doubting my own ears.

I'm not sure how many of you were in the community back when the Z1Rs first launched but it was an awful show. I'm still a bit upset about the entire experience. However, I have tried almost every other flagship currently on the market, including electrostatics, and I still love the Z1Rs. They have a special sound that none of the other flagships can touch. Their visceral bass combined with their pure midrange and their comfortably relaxed, but still sparkly, treble results in a trifecta rarely found in flagship headphones. Not to mention that they have incredibly spacious staging in a closed-back package. Every other flagship headphone seems to be chasing the same imaginary ideal that fatigues my ears and gives me a migraine after 30 minutes of playtime. Sony's objective is different, their priority is to be enjoyable.

With the Z1Rs, I can sink into my chair, close my eyes, and forget that they're even on my head. I can listen to the Z1Rs for hours on end without a hint of fatigue. They can rock my skull like a pair of stereo subwoofers playing EDM or they can whisper string quartets into my ears. Whatever I am in the mood for, they have the versatility to deliver it without ever being painful.

I wish that I could say that I enjoyed all of the time that I spent chasing my own tail with other headphones but the truth is that I didn't. I wish that I had the courage to ignore the haters and not burn through tens of thousands of dollars on audio gear that I didn't enjoy. If I could travel back in time I would just keep my first pair of Z1Rs and ignore all of the flavor of the month headphones that people kept saying were a new step in the history of audio reproduction. They were all disappointing and overhyped. This community has a real problem with telling people that they need to get the new hotness and not be happy with what they already have. Once you find a headphone that checks all of your boxes and have great electronics to drive it that's pretty much all there is to it. There is no mythical nirvana waiting to be discovered on the other side of the rainbow. Audio reproduction is not magic. If you like what you have then please, cherish it. If you don't like what you have then that's when you need to make a change. Don't repeat my mistakes.

This is a great take. I recently picked up some Focal Utopias, HD6xx, and have been listening to my coworker’s Sundaras. The Utopia are objectively better, but I can’t say they are more enjoyable. The Z1R’s occupy a very special place for me, and I can’t see myself parting with them. Their relaxed signature and comfort always gets me back to what’s important and that’s enjoying my music.

 

[davidmthekidd]

I just wanted to remind folks, this is the best investment for your Z1R's, I compared it to the stock cable and the difference was stark, the stock cables seems quieter and less dynamic. Axios Kimber CU cable:

https://kimber.com/axios

 

[nc8000]

I just wanted to remind folks, this is the best investment for your Z1R's, I compared it to the stock cable and the difference was stark, the stock cables seems quieter and less dynamic. Axios Kimber CU cable:

https://kimber.com/axios

It is a very good cable with a pleasent sound but in the end I preffered the silver sound of the Lavri Grand and sold my Axios. The Axios though has the far better build quality and looks.

 

[davidmthekidd]

It is a very good cable with a pleasent sound but in the end I preffered the silver sound of the Lavri Grand and sold my Axios. The Axios though has the far better build quality and looks.

hmm interesting, the silver makes the Z1R sound brighter no? or more balanced sound wise. any thoughts would be welcome. oh, which line did you get?

 

[Lookout57]

hmm interesting, the silver makes the Z1R sound brighter no? or more balanced sound wise. any thoughts would be welcome. oh, which line did you get?

No, an OCC Silver cable adds more depth and detail without any harshness.

I will be putting my AXIOS Cu up for sale soon as I haven't used it since I got my DHC Prion4.

 

[nc8000]

No, an OCC Silver cable adds more depth and detail without any harshness.

I will be putting my AXIOS Cu up for sale soon as I haven't used it since I got my DHC Prion4.

Exactly. I first had the older 8 strand version and then a year ago got the newer 4 strand version of the Lavri Grand

 

[gLer]

hmm interesting, the silver makes the Z1R sound brighter no? or more balanced sound wise. any thoughts would be welcome. oh, which line did you get?

I'll have the @lavricables Grand in for review soon, so will compare it with the Lavri Ultimate, Axios Cu and stock. I'll post some initial impressions here, and the full review on THL next month.

 

[davidmthekidd]

I'll have the Lavri Grand in for review soon, so will compare it with the Axios Cu and stock. I'll post some initial impressions here, and the full review on THL next month.

Perfect, waiting for this!

 

[Slim1970]

No, an OCC Silver cable adds more depth and detail without any harshness.

I will be putting my AXIOS Cu up for sale soon as I haven't used it since I got my DHC Prion4.

The Prion 4 is one of the best cables ever made. If I was thinking I would've had mine reterminated to work with my Z1R's. Instead I sold it when I sold my 2.5mm Susvara's. It is a much better cable than the AXIOS Cu, which is my go to cable for the Z1R's.

 

[bauce]

I am looking for a media player of sorts like the Walkman but I don’t have my own library of music anymore. Is there anything that tidal works on that you’d recommended for using with the z1r? I know fiio makes some but want something thats proven to sound great with the z1r. Guess a dragonfly is also is good option.

 

[stephze]

I am looking for a media player of sorts like the Walkman but I don’t have my own library of music anymore. Is there anything that tidal works on that you’d recommended for using with the z1r? I know fiio makes some but want something thats proven to sound great with the z1r. Guess a dragonfly is also is good option.

I probably use my Qudelix-5k through my phone more than my WM1A. It has the added benefit of 10 band parametric EQ and AutoEQ integration to automatically load any profile they’ve done. I’d probably get slaughtered for saying this on other parts of the forum, but I’d argue it sounds every bit as good, if not better at times than the WM1A with Mr Walkman firmware, and much cheaper.

 

[JoshSchiit]

I have had both. The Sony/kimber went back
Differences - SIGNIFICANTLY better build quality and quality of all materials used in the Axios
Better sound with the Axios

The Sony/Kimber collaboration is better than the stock
The Axios is better than the Sony/Kimber

You need to decide which price point you want to pay

Hi im wondering if the kimber kable hybrid silver/copper would be better than my Cu axios

 

[Lookout57]

Hi im wondering if the kimber kable hybrid silver/copper would be better than my Cu axios

Yes, if it's a true fusion with copper and silver strands.

If it's silver plated copper, run away as fast as possible, as this is what the stock cable is.