[Sonic Defender]

My Sony Z7 sounds very very good when driven by my Chord Hugo!

If u really want performance, I rather you get a desktop amp like Musical Fidelity V90 series DAC and headphone amp. Z7 70 ohms might seems easy to drive but without proper amping, Z7 sounds dull and boring.

Agree, a decent amp is important. Being driven, and being driven well are different things. You can get loud, but thin sounding when an amp is being pushed to the edge of it's abilities. This doesn't mean you need to spend hundreds of dollars, something like a FiiO E12 should be decent. I keep forgetting to test with my E12.

 

[D-TECH]

The leather on the back of the headband (where your head rests on) is starting to wrinkle with mine Z7 (horizontal lines). Do you guys have the same?
 
I'm afraid it will not last more than a few years. 
 
Also, the joints have started to squeak. 

 

[Bengkia369]

The leather on the back of the headband (where your head rests on) is starting to wrinkle with mine Z7 (horizontal lines). Do you guys have the same?

I'm afraid it will not last more than a few years. 

Also, the joints have started to squeak. 

Same thing with mine. Nothing much to worry about actually.

 

[Bengkia369]

Agree, a decent amp is important. Being driven, and being driven well are different things. You can get loud, but thin sounding when an amp is being pushed to the edge of it's abilities. This doesn't mean you need to spend hundreds of dollars, something like a FiiO E12 should be decent. I keep forgetting to test with my E12.

When Z7 is driven well, it really show its protential.
Try playing Sade's "Hang on to your love", this bass heavy and busy song Z7 handle really well with bass yet does not "blur" out the details, the layering is really very good. Btw, mine is a stock Z7 with Kimble Kable driven with Cowon Plenue 1 + Chord Hugo.

 

[Sonic Defender]

I enjoyed the Z7 quite a bit more from the M3 Gungnir combo right away without even the EQ cut at 250hz, and it only got better after the EQ cut. I still don't hear the Z7 as transparent and layered as others, but I am still just getting used to it so I will wait and see how that goes. As it stands now the Z7 is good in those areas, but not stunning.

 

[Mink]

The Z7s are a headstart for happiness!

 

[Demibeard]

Quote:

Cables aside, has anyone tried the Z7 with a tube amp? Just curious.

 
Hi Yes, mine are connected to a Little Dot MKIII (Stock) with Yugoslavian 6HM5s (Short Tube) drivers and Electro Harmonix 6H30Pi Gold power tubes, the source is a Sony NWZ-ZX1.
 
The Z7s are on stock cables, although I am thinking of replacing it.
 
Being located in europe and not being a fan of eBay, choices are somewhat limited though.

 

[AppleheadMay]

  Quote:
 
Hi Yes, mine are connected to a Little Dot MKIII (Stock) with Yugoslavian 6HM5s (Short Tube) drivers and Electro Harmonix 6H30Pi Gold power tubes, the source is a Sony NWZ-ZX1.
 
The Z7s are on stock cables, although I am thinking of replacing it.
 
Being located in europe and not being a fan of eBay, choices are somewhat limited though.

 
Try a European based cable maker then. As I hear, one of the best and often copied by a lot of US companies is Frank Donghi's Toxic Cables.
http://toxic-cables.co.uk​
He makes a lot more than you can see on his website. Choices of copper, silver, silver/gold. Choises in cable girth, litz or solid. Choices in silk sheathing (somewhat better than cotton and a lot more comfortable than nylon). Choices of plugs, splitters and headphone terminations. Ask for his opinion for a Z7 cable. I would think about something with silver based on what I heard in this thread.
 
He's a member here on HF and he has his own cable thread. There are other threads about his cables as well. A little search should give you a lot of info. His prices have a wide range but are more than fair for the materials he uses.

 

[Kerouac]

Originally Posted by AppleheadMay /img/forum/go_quote.gif

  Quote:
 
Hi Yes, mine are connected to a Little Dot MKIII (Stock) with Yugoslavian 6HM5s (Short Tube) drivers and Electro Harmonix 6H30Pi Gold power tubes, the source is a Sony NWZ-ZX1.
 
The Z7s are on stock cables, although I am thinking of replacing it.
 
Being located in europe and not being a fan of eBay, choices are somewhat limited though.

 
Try a European based cable maker then. As I hear, one of the best and often copied by a lot of US companies is Frank Donghi's Toxic Cables.
http://toxic-cables.co.uk​
He makes a lot more than you can see on his website. Choices of copper, silver, silver/gold. Choises in cable girth, litz or solid. Choices in silk sheathing (somewhat better than cotton and a lot more comfortable than nylon). Choices of plugs, splitters and headphone terminations. Ask for his opinion for a Z7 cable. I would think about something with silver based on what I heard in this thread.
 
He's a member here on HF and he has his own cable thread. There are other threads about his cables as well. A little search should give you a lot of info. His prices have a wide range but are more than fair for the materials he uses.

Yep...Toxic (Frank) delivers excellent sound- and buildquality cables

When you check under his profile on hf, you'll see all his cables and prices
 
Forza AudioWork is imo also a nice (less expensive) cable company in EU (Poland)
http://forzaaudioworks.com/en/
 

 

[cehowardNote3]

  I'm a owner of the following headphones...
 
Beyer DT880 250ohms
Grado PS500
Grado SR325e
Beyer T51p
Sony MDR-Z7
 
strange thing is, I always go back to my Sony Z7...the female vocals are just so intoxicating!

How does the Sony MDR-Z7 vs the Beyer T51p and Beyer T70p?

 

[Allanmarcus]

  How many hours burn-in time are approximately needed for the Z7?

depends on if you subscribe to "burn in voodoo"
 
Better question to ask is "how many hours does it take for my brain to become used to the headphones?"
 
When they start sounding good to you, you are burned in. 

 

[Allanmarcus]

  How does the Sony MDR-Z7 vs the Beyer T51p and Beyer T70p?

The Z7's will be way warmer. I have 770's and 990's, and the Z7's sound almost veiled on some tracks compared to the beyer's. For example, I'm listening to Stevie Ray Vaughan's The Sky is Crying album, and the kick drum is very impactful, but when I switch to my 770's the whole album comes alive. To paraphrase comments from sennheiser 598 comments, it's like the band is plying in the same room as me when listen to the 770's, but when using Z7's, I'm in the lobby.
 
Male voices are more forward with the Z7's, which means other things are less forward.
 
I love the T51p, and the beyer sound in general. If you are into the beyer sound, you may find the Z7s too warm.
 
OK, switching to Fleetwood Mac Rumours, Second Hand News sound smoother and less grainy than on the 770s.
 
Ug. 

 

[AzNyCans]

This song really does sound amazing on the Z7's. Wow. Great impact and instrument separation. Layering is terrific too as you mentioned!
TF

 

[Sonic Defender]

 
The Z7's will be way warmer. I have 770's and 990's, and the Z7's sound almost veiled on some tracks compared to the beyer's. For example, I'm listening to Stevie Ray Vaughan's The Sky is Crying album, and the kick drum is very impactful, but when I switch to my 770's the whole album comes alive. To paraphrase comments from sennheiser 598 comments, it's like the band is plying in the same room as me when listen to the 770's, but when using Z7's, I'm in the lobby.
 
Male voices are more forward with the Z7's, which means other things are less forward.
 
I love the T51p, and the beyer sound in general. If you are into the beyer sound, you may find the Z7s too warm.
 
OK, switching to Fleetwood Mac Rumours, Second Hand News sound smoother and less grainy than on the 770s.
 
Ug. 

I really like Beyerdynamic, and you nailed it. The Z7 by way of comparison is the more forgiving warmer headphone (which is absolutely fine and often a good thing). I'll repeat myself here and say that once you cut some of the muddy bass out of the Z7, you start to hear more balance and other aspects of the sound seem more clear.

 

[cehowardNote3]

 
The Z7's will be way warmer. I have 770's and 990's, and the Z7's sound almost veiled on some tracks compared to the beyer's. For example, I'm listening to Stevie Ray Vaughan's The Sky is Crying album, and the kick drum is very impactful, but when I switch to my 770's the whole album comes alive. To paraphrase comments from sennheiser 598 comments, it's like the band is plying in the same room as me when listen to the 770's, but when using Z7's, I'm in the lobby.
 
Male voices are more forward with the Z7's, which means other things are less forward.
 
I love the T51p, and the beyer sound in general. If you are into the beyer sound, you may find the Z7s too warm.
 
OK, switching to Fleetwood Mac Rumours, Second Hand News sound smoother and less grainy than on the 770s.
 
Ug. 

 
Thanks much for feedback.. Kind of making a choice between the Z7 and the Beyer t70p..