[Currawong]

I reckon the amount we discuss the matter should be in proportion to how much we personally consider it to matter to our own listening. 

 

[zazex]

   
3 possibilities:
 
a.) vivid, vivid imagination
b.) going all the way to -100dB or some such crap. which is  a little silly - if one extends one's definition of "response" far enough one can probably get it to respond to the orbit of Venus or something.
c.) magic. specifically awesome unicorn magic.
 
But yes, unless they're trying to cover sperm whales all the way up to fruit bats as customers, the frequency response seems a bit pointless.
Oh, and I got a listen yesterday. It was a ZX1->PHA-3->Z7 demo rig. It was a nice sound, but I had a slight problem with the bass. It was there but quite a bit loose. But I think I will get a pair, they're really comfy, well built and imo, its failings are really not all that great a deal in comparison to it's rather smooth and quite open sound. As long as you don't think they're something like a modern day Qualia's they're pretty good.
 
just my $0.02...

 
After years of being involved in this as a hobby and (at times) a business, I still don't understand
why people become so emotional about FR graphs for headphones...if the headphones sound good to you,
why do the graphs matter so much - if at all?
 
I've never, for example, looked at the FR graph for the Grado RS1i.  I love the way they sound.
Could a graph change my mind and tell me that the Grado's sound "bad"?  No way!
I regard those graphs as a semi useful tool sometimes, but more often as a diversion.
 
FR graphs for electronics are a different story.

 

[fiascogarcia]

   
After years of being involved in this as a hobby and (at times) a business, I still don't understand
why people become so emotional about FR graphs for headphones...if the headphones sound good to you,
why do the graphs matter so much - if at all?
 
I've never, for example, looked at the FR graph for the Grado RS1i.  I love the way they sound.
Could a graph change my mind and tell me that the Grado's sound "bad"?  No way!
I regard those graphs as a semi useful tool sometimes, but more often as a diversion.
 
FR graphs for electronics are a different story.

Amen.  Hopefully, people only rely on them when they can't audition the phone they're interested in.  Otherwise, listen, listen.

 

[daerron]

   
After years of being involved in this as a hobby and (at times) a business, I still don't understand
why people become so emotional about FR graphs for headphones...if the headphones sound good to you,
why do the graphs matter so much - if at all?
 
I've never, for example, looked at the FR graph for the Grado RS1i.  I love the way they sound.
Could a graph change my mind and tell me that the Grado's sound "bad"?  No way!
I regard those graphs as a semi useful tool sometimes, but more often as a diversion.
 
FR graphs for electronics are a different story.

 
I have to agree FR graphs for Grado's are rather useless because they differ so much from one headphone to the next even in the same model range, you're never quite sure what you are going to get. I've heard three different RS1i models and all sounded slightly different to me.
 
Headphone measurements aren't an exact science either, because there are many variables in the equation. Its also difficult to get good measurements above 10KHz, but they are excellent for pointing out potential problem areas or specific strengths.. I'm usually more interested in the distortion plots and 30/300Hz plots, though again they can only tell you so much. Nothing that substitutes for a demo of the real thing.

 

[dweaver]

I was actually hoping these would suck when I auditioned them because they are so over priced. The problem is they sound darned good and so well made you can't call them over priced junk, just over priced... In the end I bought them anyway. For those that can't stand the price, wait and see, I suspect they will drop in price.

I know I was uncomfortable paying MSRP (they payed my GST at least) and have had butterflies in my stomach since I bought it. But once I recover some of my price by selling off some other gear I know I will start to feel better and will enjoy the music in the meantime. One thing about paying MSRP, I don't see myself selling these any time soon as I won't be willing to take such a loss. So this may help me get off the trying new gear merry go round.

 

[halcyon]

tyll's got the measurements up over at innerfidelity and they're not looking good

 
And just as Les Numeriques measured: phase issues, distortion and lack of deeper bass.

There are things you can read in properly done measurements, regardless of how personally appealing the cans can be.
 
For me, after having listened to dozens of Sonys in the past 15+ years, I'll take a pass without even giving a listen. They are not good enough.
 
Hope they fix those things in the rumoured "true flagship" yet to come...

 

[Brazenways]

I think that rumour for a king can which was lumped together in this thread for another company. Unless you heard something new.

 

[dweaver]

Personally while I can appreciate these might not be the flagship Headphone wanted by some people. They certainly are Sony's current flagship based on build quality, materials, and sound quality as compared to their consumer headphones of the past year or two.

Sony also has a professional lineup designed for those needing more balanced sound so it's not like they are neglecting that market. I also suspect that market doesn't respond well to new flagships being released every year.

So that all being said. It would be nice to see this thread focus on the Z7 versus the speculation or lamentation of headphones future or past. After all if we insist on having one foot firmly planted in the past and other stuck in the future we end up whizzing all over today...

 

[TheBoss]

  Who here is hopefully waiting for Sony to put the 70mm LCP+aluminum drivers to MDR MA900 chassis..... and call it MDR MA1000?
 
Based on the impressions here I think the new 70mm LCP/Aluminum is being hindered by closed type design...   driver of that needs a lot of breathing room!
 
70mm LCP+Aluminum needs MDR MA900 chassis.  Even better if Sony can make the whole MA900 frame all magnesium and drop the weight (sans cable) to just 190 grams.

 
 

I have an extra MA 900 frame and am considering adding the Z7 drivers to it. One challenge is the cups obviously differ. And the ports differ. And the MA900 has the nonwoven fibre focusing gizmo inside.

Fitting the new 70mm driver is unlikely to be plug and play. Does anyone have a view here?
 

 
 
Here's photos from previous pages
 
By the way, is the MA900's " bass lens " detachable?
 
 
MDR Z7
 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
MA900
 
MDR MA900 exposed

 
MDR MA900 with bass lens

 
breakdown
 

 

[TheBoss]

To MDR Z7 owners...
 



 
 
 
 
Is that a foam-ish thing I see covering the center part of the headphone?
 
Can you guys remove that foam and see if it improves the mid & treble ?

 

[ogodei]

That's a plastic or nylon netting, not foam.  I doubt it will affect anything, can try later.

 

[dweaver]

At the price of the Z7 I can't bring myself to sully it quite yet so won't be able to help out the cause... LOL

 

[capitanharlock]

The MDR-MA900 and the MDR-Z7 drivers looks exactly the same to me..

 

[ButtUglyJeff]

  To MDR Z7 owners..
 
 
 
 
 
 
Is that a foam-ish thing I see covering the center part of the headphone?
 
Can you guys remove that foam and see if it improves the mid & treble ?

 
That "felt-like" little disc is only 1mm think, at best.  And its only covering those 3 small pie wedge shaped openings in the center.  Are you thinking you'll get more treble by removing it?  Its buried in there and might be quite a chore to get out...

 

[Tyll Hertsens]

I'm curious what you guys think are the competing headphones in this class?
 
Fostex 600 and 900, T1, Alpha Prime/Dog. What else that sounds really good between $500 and $1000 circumaural, sealed.