[gr8soundz]

   
 
I don't see that the cable from Surf is pure silver.  They state repeatedly on their site that it's silver plated copper.
 
 
For example: "Our cables feature two pairs of twisted MIL spec/ Aerospace wire.  The wire is stranded copper, each strand silver plated, and each conductor insulated with Teflon.  Cardas silver, lead free solder is used to terminate these cables into the connector of your selection.  Heavy duty cables of superior conductivity with quality parts lead to better sound."
 
http://www.surfcables.com/collections/surfcables-silver-teflon-headphone-cables/products/sony-mdr-z7

 
You have to email them (link is at the bottom of the page). John at Surf Cables answers messages pretty quickly.

 

[raulromanjr]

LOL Sorry My bad... 

I was on the way when I was writing that post. 

On the product page of the Kimber cable on Sony Korea's webpage says that it is indeed silver coated, however, in the manual of my Kimber cable only says that it is OFC.

And since gadget67 got confirmed by Kimber that is it just copper only, my post was useless.

The fact that Kimber is only copper makes me want to really jump on that pure silver cable by Surf Cables. 

If you do get the thinner cable option as their thicker offering is rather stiff. I would only get the thicker cable for home listening.

 

[zazex]

My Kimber Kable arrived today (actually yesterday; it's 2:15 AM).
 
I hesitate to post this out of concern it might cause the usual ruckus
between cable agnostics and cable believers,
 
but the Kimber sounded immediately better than the stock cable.
 
More authoritative, smoother, more etched.
Some slight extra sparkle at the top.
 
Beautifully made - looks as if it will
last for years and years.
 
And - this is with a 10 foot (!) cable that Sony shipped -
there was a slight mixup in the ordering process (by phone) -
I wanted the 2 meter version.  Did receive 2 day expedited
shipping gratis, though
 
Well, there's a 30 day refund/exchange policy, so at some 
point within that time frame I'll most likely return this one for the 2 meter.
 
As for whether it's "worth" the $249.00?  All I want to say on that point
is that it's worth it to me.  It sounds better (to me).  I'll let more intrepid
types debate the "worth" issue if they wish.

 

[paulchiu]

  My Kimber Kable arrived today (actually yesterday; it's 2:15 AM).
 
I hesitate to post this out of concern it might cause the usual ruckus
between cable agnostics and cable believers,
 
but the Kimber sounded immediately better than the stock cable.
 
More authoritative, smoother, more etched.
Some slight extra sparkle at the top.
 
Beautifully made - looks as if it will
last for years and years.
 
And - this is with a 10 foot (!) cable that Sony shipped -
there was a slight mixup in the ordering process (by phone) -
I wanted the 2 meter version.  Did receive 2 day expedited
shipping gratis, though
 
Well, there's a 30 day refund/exchange policy, so at some 
point within that time frame I'll most likely return this one for the 2 meter.
 
As for whether it's "worth" the $249.00?  All I want to say on that point
is that it's worth it to me.  It sounds better (to me).  I'll let more intrepid
types debate the "worth" issue if they wish.

 
congrats.  sorry about the length.  i am one of the believers.
did you order the balanced Kimber?  Mine has not arrived.  I ordered a pair along with a new PHA3.
 
it truly is amazing how different and better great cables are over cheap ones.
That more quiet sound floor, clearer instrumentations, better vocals.
 
you may want to try AC, digital and USB as well.

 

[Sonic Defender]

It is sad that I can't have any real opinion on the issue despite having Norne Audio make me a very nice Solv X cable. The problem is that I also changed amps at the same time so any sound difference could be from the amp leaving me unable to tell what is actually improving the sound? As I use an amp with no headphone input I run right from the speaker terminals so if I wanted to compare the stock cable I would have to pay Norne or somebody else to take the stock cable and make a speaker tap from it (not sure if that could even be done) and compare the results of cable swapping. So for my part I remain a reluctant agnostic on the cable debate.
 
Are any of you going to do some blind listening tests? Just curious as I wish like hell that I could. This never ending cable debate screams out for somebody to step-up and do some valid testing. It really wouldn't be hard. Get a friend to help, do about 10 trials (which really isn't many mind you) and see if you can tell them apart. I'm hoping at our headphone meet in July to do blind listening tests for the new Schiit DAC against my M51. Frankly I expect the Yggy to be preferred, but it will be interesting. Maybe if somebody has a custom cable we can test that as well. Anyway, glad people are enjoying what they hear which is of course what matters.

 

[Gadget67]

Mine are out for delivery today. After reading through much of this thread, I am anxious to hear them in person. I bought them mostly to pair with my PHA 3 but I will also use them with my main stationary rig and with a second desktop setup. I also own (and love) Audeze LCD-X, LCD-2 and Sennheiser 600 headphones as well so I'll be able to made comparisons to those. I'm fine with headphones that have different sound signatures but some posters have expressed a variety of negative comments so we will see how it goes!

I'm still confused after all those mixed reviews you can read on the internet. Some  rave about the Z7 and praise them as true audiophile headphones whereas others write them off as mediocre. Would like to hear what you think. 

Since you asked, here are my very early initial impressions. I've got lots of listening and comparing to do, but I do see a distinct trend or two.

As others have said, these are well made and amazingly comfortable. The quality is as good or better than many other headphones that I've owned or had experience with. A definite 10 here and I don't think I'll change my opinion on this.

I've only used them with my PHA 3 so far for about five hours or so. They pair well (obviously I'm using the balanced cable) and the PHA 3 drives them very comfortably at the normal gain level. My Audeze LCD-X needed the gian boost to listen at similar levels. Now I love my Audeze but the Sony's are lighter and much more comfortable. Really, I almost forget I'm wearing them.

So, how do the sound? Well, that's a bit of a conundrum. Contrary to what others have said, my pair doesn't sound muddied and I don't sense any lack of clarity (mids, highs and lows are distinct). Unfortunately, they aren't as "consistent" as I'd like depending on what I'm listening to. For example Boz Skaggs "Dig" red book cd is just too bass heavy with the Sony's. On the other hand, the Eagles Studio Albums 1972-79 are literally perfect for my taste. Ditto for most female vocalists in my collection. Listening to Robin Thicke "Blurred Lines" is a good example of the bass issue. The separation, sounds, blending, etc are fantastic but unfortunately it feels like the bass is pounding a tattoo on my eardrums. The soundstage here feels like I'm in the middle of the action and I can almost feel Miley Cyrus twerking against my leg. I'd rather be in the fifth row.

I've got lots of comparing to do but, for the most part, I like the effect. Not exactly a ringing endorsement but I've got a ways to go before reaching any definitive conclusions, so...stay tuned!!

Now that I've had a chance to evaluate the MDR Z7 a little more, I'd like to update my earlier post (see above)

All of my initial evaluation was done using the Sony PHA 3 to drive the headphones in balanced mode and listening to a variety of music. I've now listened for some 20 hours or so and there isn't anything I've heard that changes my initial conclusions. They are still amazingly comfortable, bass heavy (though, oddly not consistently), great separation and detail and (mostly) very pleasant to listen to. The PHA 3 drives them comfortably and it's a very nice portable combination. So far, so good.

The next test I conducted was to listen to the MDR Z7 just with the Sony ZX2 using the single ended stock cable. The ZX2 drives them reasonably well and all sound adjustments were off. Once again, it's still bass heavy, but pleasant to listen to. Lastly I used the ZX2 sound adjustment software equalizer and, after considerable experimentation, set the clear bass slider to -2. This produced a fairly neutral effect and (mostly) eliminated the bloated bass effect. Those settings don't carry over as you know when using the ZX2 as the music source while driving the headphones with the PHA 3. As you'd expect, (other than the bass issue) the headphones sound best when driven by the PHA 3 in balanced mode.

I also attempted to make comparisons with my other headphones using the PHA 3. I used 3 pin XLR to 3.5 conversion cables to hook up my Audeze LCD-X and LCD-2 headphones but switching back and forth quickly enough is difficult. No one should be shocked to hear that the LCD-X headphones are sonically better but, other than the bass issue, the results seemed more even when comparing the LCD-2s to the Sony's.

My last comparison involved using my Mjolnir/Gugnir stack since I can run two headphones at the same time (Audeze LCD-X and LCD-2 with stock 4 pin XLR balanced cable and Sony with two 3.5 to 3 pin XLR converters). That way I could switch back and forth quickly while listening to the same music samples in balanced mode. Again, no surprise, the LCD-X headphones are superior to the Sony MDR Z7 and at double the price they should be. It's a much closer call with the LCD-2 (revision 2, non fazor). Other than the bass difference it's really pretty even to me. I'm not going to get in to hyperbole about subtle nuances--rolled off this or darker that or precise comments about presence, soundstage, etc. these are just simple listening comparisons and no one should read too much into them. I do believe that with some small EQ adjustments I'd have a really hard time choosing between the LCD-2 and the MDR-Z7. The LCD-X still rules though. The Sony's are WAY more comfortable than either Audeze and I could wear them for hours.

I purchased the Sony's used (like new condition) from a fellow head fi member and I'm definitely keeping them. At full list price, I don't think I'd be a buyer but for a used price of $400-450 these are absolutely worth considering and it's a killer combination with the PHA 3. If I believed a cable "upgrade" would minimize or eliminate the bass issue (I don't) I'd really give them an unqualified recommendation. The bass "issue" isn't there for 95% of what I listen to and others may think it's just fine. You'll have to judge that for yourself if you are considering the MDR-Z7.

Finally, I should note that the PHA 3 is still burning in, and the MDR-Z7's clearly didn't have many hours on them when I got them so if you believe in burn in perhaps things will "improve" with time.

 

[paulchiu]

Now that I've had a chance to evaluate the MDR Z7 a little more, I'd like to update my earlier post (see above)

All of my initial evaluation was done using the Sony PHA 3 to drive the headphones in balanced mode and listening to a variety of music. I've now listened for some 20 hours or so and there isn't anything I've heard that changes my initial conclusions. They are still amazingly comfortable, bass heavy (though, oddly not consistently), great separation and detail and (mostly) very pleasant to listen to. The PHA 3 drives them comfortably and it's a very nice portable combination. So far, so good.

The next test I conducted was to listen to the MDR Z7 just with the Sony ZX2 using the single ended stock cable. The ZX2 drives them reasonably well and all sound adjustments were off. Once again, it's still bass heavy, but pleasant to listen to. Lastly I used the ZX2 sound adjustment software equalizer and, after considerable experimentation, set the clear bass slider to -2. This produced a fairly neutral effect and (mostly) eliminated the bloated bass effect. Those settings don't carry over as you know when using the ZX2 as the music source while driving the headphones with the PHA 3. As you'd expect, (other than the bass issue) the headphones sound best when driven by the PHA 3 in balanced mode.

I also attempted to make comparisons with my other headphones using the PHA 3. I used 3 pin XLR to 3.5 conversion cables to hook up my Audeze LCD-X and LCD-2 headphones but switching back and forth quickly enough is difficult. No one should be shocked to hear that the LCD-X headphones are sonically better but, other than the bass issue, the results seemed more even when comparing the LCD-2s to the Sony's.

My last comparison involved using my Mjolnir/Gugnir stack since I can run two headphones at the same time (Audeze LCD-X and LCD-2 with stock 4 pin XLR balanced cable and Sony with two 3.5 to 3 pin XLR converters). That way I could switch back and forth quickly while listening to the same music samples in balanced mode. Again, no surprise, the LCD-X headphones are superior to the Sony MDR Z7 and at double the price they should be. It's a much closer call with the LCD-2 (revision 2, non fazor). Other than the bass difference it's really pretty even to me. I'm not going to get in to hyperbole about subtle nuances--rolled off this or darker that or precise comments about presence, soundstage, etc. these are just simple listening comparisons and no one should read too much into them. I do believe that with some small EQ adjustments I'd have a really hard time choosing between the LCD-2 and the MDR-Z7. The LCD-X still rules though. The Sony's are WAY more comfortable than either Audeze and I could wear them for hours.

I purchased the Sony's used (like new condition) from a fellow head fi member and I'm definitely keeping them. At full list price, I don't think I'd be a buyer but for a used price of $400-450 these are absolutely worth considering and it's a killer combination with the PHA 3. If I believed a cable "upgrade" would minimize or eliminate the bass issue (I don't) I'd really give them an unqualified recommendation. The bass "issue" isn't there for 95% of what I listen to and others may think it's just fine. You'll have to judge that for yourself if you are considering the MDR-Z7.

Finally, I should note that the PHA 3 is still burning in, and the MDR-Z7's clearly didn't have many hours on them when I got them so if you believe in burn in perhaps things will "improve" with time.

 
thanks for the effort.   i have the LCD3 as well as LCD2.  Did not think the LCD-X was all that different over the LCD3.  If the LCD3 felt like a Grado GS or PS, HD800, Denon 7K, AKG K812, any Ultrasone or the SR-009, it would be my perfect headphone.  I cannot understand why Audeze keeps making head clamps.
 
I am still waiting for Sony to send my my MDR-Z7. Your review really helps prepare me for them.

 

[Gadget67]

thanks for the effort.   i have the LCD3 as well as LCD2.  Did not think the LCD-X was all that different over the LCD3.  If the LCD3 felt like a Grado GS or PS, HD800, Denon 7K, AKG K812, any Ultrasone or the SR-009, it would be my perfect headphone.  I cannot understand why Audeze keeps making head clamps.

I am still waiting for Sony to send my my MDR-Z7. Your review really helps prepare me for them.

I'm glad if it helps. I agree that the Audeze "head clamps" are uncomfortable especially for any extended listening. I saw you also ordered the Kimble Kable so I'm very interested in your reaction to them. If they reduce or at least diminish some of the bass bloat I'd consider getting them. The PHA 3 and the MDR-Z7 really is an enjoyable combination.

 

[HiFiGuy528]

Got some adaptors to use Nordost cable with Z7.

 

[nephilim32]

I agree, the differences seem quite small to me and I am very skeptical of claims that a high-bite rate lossy file is very noticeably different than a lossless, or high resolution version. I buy CDs so when I rip I do use Apple lossless, however, for on the go I have never had an issue with the 256 AAC or a 320mp3 and both sound excellent. I even have some lossy files on my main rig and listening through a decent DAC, expensive silver litz cables through to my 560 I don't hear anything missing.

I think you are my importing music format soulmate. I do the exact same thing. It's lovely.

 

[flipper2gv]

I really want the z7 as I need a closed headphone and there is nothing that seems comparable in this price bracket that might isolate the sound as well.

 

[paulchiu]

Wait.  You guys at Woo now carries Sony and Nordost?
 
 
 
Quote:

Got some adaptors to use Nordost cable with Z7.

 

[HiFiGuy528]

Yes, we offer Nordost cables if the customer needs high quality power cords and audio cables.   We don't sell Sony, yet.  

 

[ButtUglyJeff]

  Yes, we offer Nordost cables if the customer needs high quality power cords and audio cables.   We don't sell Sony, yet.  

 
I would love you hear your impressions on the 2 cables.  Is the Nordost silver?

 

[akhyar]

I would love you hear your impressions on the 2 cables.  Is the Nordost silver?

I believed the Nordost Heimdall 2 cable is silver plated solid core OFC.
Having own the Heimdall speaker cable before, I would love to own the Nordost cable but the price is more than what I paid for my Z7.
But some of the Nordost users that pair the cable with their Audezes' speak fondly of this cable.