[Makiah S]

  Also, in case there are newbies in the thread, I'd like to point out:
 
1) Whether or not there's an audible difference between two decently built cables has always been a controversial topic. You can head over to the Sound Science forum for relevant discussion: http://www.head-fi.org/f/133/sound-science
 
2) Even if you believe that cables make an audible difference, the conventional wisdom is that they come last in the diminishing returns chain of audio upgrades. The chain is usually Headphones > Amp > DAC > Cables, or Headphones > DAC > Amp > Cables.
 
If you want to spend 50-100% of the headphones' cost in fancy cables, go right ahead. Just keep in mind that if your budget is tight, there might be better ways to spend your money

Yea Cables are always ALWAYS the last thing I buy. though the price is subjective. I mean that by there are a plethera of Cable Builders so you a choice, Brian at BTG isn't a bad Choice either and he makes some nice looking stuff 
 

  First, fast impression, with only Chico Hamilton's "Gongs East!" cd:  the Z7 is a closed (with all the traits closed headphones bring to the table) version of the HD800.  And more enjoyable than the HD800, which can often sound like what a root canal feels like.
 
So first impression:  enjoyable.  Fun.  Fun high-end.
 
This is better than I expected.  Can't wait to hear more.

 
Yea I'm getting the idea that the MDR Z7 needs to be feed by some nicer gear to really get that best sound quality. The higher up the Chain you move in portable gear, the more transparency you'll get [ideally] SO that said, I'm actually about to pull the trigger on an HM901, and my hm801 is gettin shipped out tommorow [got really schiit faced last night, had class at 8 this morning so I sleep like from noon till now xD] 
 
As far as teh Cable goes, $200 is my upper limit, as I know of two guys who build cables for a very reasonable price. 

 

[gr8soundz]

If the z7 sounds as good as I hope then my "chain" (portable one at least til I can afford a hugo) is done. Will be using them direct to ibasso R10. Just need something less weildy than the stock 10ft cable. Cheapest options so far about $100.
 
Saw this balanced cable for the sony 1a; wonder if it might work with the z7 (in reverse)?
http://store.sony.com/high-performance-portable-audio-cable-for-mdr-1a-zid27-MUCS20BL1/cat-27-catid-All-Portable-Audio-Cables
 

 

[ButtUglyJeff]

  If the z7 sounds as good as I hope then my "chain" (portable one at least til I can afford a hugo) is done. Will be using them direct to ibasso R10. Just need something less weildy than the stock 10ft cable. Cheapest options so far about $100.
 
Saw this balanced cable for the sony 1a; wonder if it might work with the z7 (in reverse)?
http://store.sony.com/high-performance-portable-audio-cable-for-mdr-1a-zid27-MUCS20BL1/cat-27-catid-All-Portable-Audio-Cables
 

 
Well the stock cable has a threaded sleeve to lock on to the headphone.  Not sure how necessary that actually is...

 

[gr8soundz]

   
Well the stock cable has a threaded sleeve to lock on to the headphone.  Not sure how necessary that actually is...

 
Yeah, thats why I keep looking at the kimber. From the photos the kimber doesn't look silver plated. Not to mention the cost.
 
Still looking to see if I can get a custom silver plated (or better) 8-wire at less than half cost of the kimber.

 

[DoctaCosmos]

Anyone know of anyone that could make a cable for these that could have a mic built in or if the design would allow for a vmoda boom mic

 

[up late]

I don't have Vibro or AD on hand, but I do have other T50RP mods: the Paradox and Slants. The Paradox and Slants are a bit better, especially if Z7 is unmodded. I stuffed acoustic fiber to tone down the Z7's bassyness / hollow coloration; and added small strips on the baffle and driver to "tighten" up the Z7's sound. After mods, Z7 has tonality similar to Slants. Slightly bassy and warm tuning, upper mids a touch recessed with a bump in the mid treble. Slants seem to emphasize the definition or tape-noise region, "sssh". The Z7 has a bump slightly below that in the sibilance region "ssss". The Paradox / Slants have more heft and don't sound as soft in the bass and also have more bass texture. The Z7 may have marginally better mids - close call here. Z7 isn't as deep in terms of stage, esp. compared to Slants. Z7 isn't as crisp - it tends toward an overall softer and relaxed sound with some "indistinctness."

Compared to TH900. TH900 is technically superior with much better bass quality and much more bass quantity down in the sub to low bass regions.  Z7 bass seems emphasized evenly (with not as much heft in sub bass compared to TH900) with some bleed into the mids. TH900 sounds much clearer has extremely good "blackground" (one of the best). However TH900 also has a sharp treble peak which adds sort of a hard slappy glare or sharpness, which to me, I find bothersome on most systems. The Z7's treble bump is more gentle with just minor emphasis on es's.

In stock form, I find Z7 rather uncompetitive (mid-tier), because of an overly warm and bassy sound which tends toward softness and indistinctness. After mods, I find the Z7 a rather compelling solidly upper mid-teir dynamic headphone with better detail retrieval and bass quality / quantity while still retaining its warm signature.

I may be looking at the Z7 with rose-tinted glasses b/c I am somewhat of a Sony fanboy.

x2 re. th900. would add that its sound is more dry than lush.

 

[Jodet]

After nearly four hours of listening..... I'm liking these more and more.   VERY good headphones. 
 
They sound great on my tube amp but they are a particularly good match with my V200. 

 

[DoctaCosmos]

@uplate are you saying the th900 is more dry than lush or the z7

 

[purrin]

It's drier. part of it is the slight lower mid suckout of the TH900. really helps clarity aspect and prevent its monster bass from intruding into the rest of the band. but at slight cost - being on the dry side. Probably explains why I prefer the TH900 on lusher tube amps like the Stratus.

 

[XERO1]

Here's the link for the 2m balanced Kimber Kable (MUC-B20BL1) on the Sony US website.
 
http://store.sony.com/high-performance-balanced-audio-cable-for-mdr-z7-zid27-MUCB20BL1/cat-27-catid-All-Headphones-Earbuds?_t=pfm%3Dproduct_cross_sell%26pfmvalue%3D27-MUCB20BL1
 
It's $250 and it looks like it won't be available until at least December.
 
Kimber Kable has never used silver-plated copper in their interconnects or speaker cables. They either use pure copper VariStrand conductors or pure silver VariStrand conductors (or various combinations of the two).

 

[money4me247]

 
So...let me get this straight. You don't want to listen to the headphones with the stock cable, but you know that the aftermarket cable makes them sound much better?

 
hahah... that is a good point.
 

  Also, in case there are newbies in the thread, I'd like to point out:
 
1) Whether or not there's an audible difference between two decently built cables has always been a controversial topic. You can head over to the Sound Science forum for relevant discussion: http://www.head-fi.org/f/133/sound-science
 
2) Even if you believe that cables make an audible difference, the conventional wisdom is that they come last in the diminishing returns chain of audio upgrades. The chain is usually Headphones > Amp > DAC > Cables, or Headphones > DAC > Amp > Cables.
 
If you want to spend 50-100% of the headphones' cost in fancy cables, go right ahead. Just keep in mind that if your budget is tight, there might be better ways to spend your money

 
omg, yes. can't believe this thread turned into a cable discussion thread. zzzzzzz...
 
i'll believe it when people can accurately pick out the correct cable in a blind ABx comparison. even if there was a the differences between cables, the actual difference would be so extremely marginal that your $200+ dollars on your fancy cable might as well go into a pair of nicer headphones or $200 worth of alcohol/recreational drugs. Probably have a bigger impact on sound quality than the cable hahah.

 

[Makiah S]

   
hahah... that is a good point.
 
 
omg, yes. can't believe this thread turned into a cable discussion thread. zzzzzzz...
 
i'll believe it when people can accurately pick out the correct cable in a blind ABx comparison. even if there was a the differences between cables, the actual difference would be so extremely marginal that your $200+ dollars on your fancy cable might as well go into a pair of nicer headphones or $200 worth of alcohol/recreational drugs. Probably have a bigger impact on sound quality than the cable hahah.

Ehh guys something I learned recently, is some of the high end cables are poruposefully "defeactive" in a sense, or the point is creating flaws in the cable creates a benifit to the freq response of the headphone

 

[Soundsgoodtome]

Your local dealer or bar appreciates this!

hahah... that is a good point.


omg, yes. can't believe this thread turned into a cable discussion thread. zzzzzzz...

i'll believe it when people can accurately pick out the correct cable in a blind ABx comparison. even if there was a the differences between cables, the actual difference would be so extremely marginal that your $200+ dollars on your fancy cable might as well go into a pair of nicer headphones or $200 worth of alcohol/recreational drugs. Probably have a bigger impact on sound quality than the cable hahah.

 

[DoctaCosmos]

I have denon ah-d600 headphones that came with two cables. A portable with a mic and an " audiophile" one. They do sound different from one another.

 

[thatBeatsguy]

I have denon ah-d600 headphones that came with two cables. A portable with a mic and an " audiophile" one. They do sound different from one another.

Ahh...cables. Probably the most confusing part of headphone equipment. Ever.