[gr8soundz]

  Jason, if you haven't done it already, run don't walk and register the domain names for Headphonekicks as well as Trademark for the name. Let's just say I have good instincts in these matters and it will be well worth it to you. If you don't, somebody else will scoop the name.

 
+1

 

[Sonic Defender]

  How about "Down Under Headphone Stands"?

Good, but not quite as good, plus you don't want to regionalize your name unless you want to specifically target that region as your main focus. Stay in location stealth mode with your name. You can find an American to partner with, they will print for US/Canadian/Mexican based customers so as to minimize shipping costs. You own the Trademark and designs, they get a cut. I think this could be a great gig if done right. Eventually you'll need to consider making the stands with colour options.

 

[ButtUglyJeff]

Headphone Kicks is snappier off of the tongue...
 
I bet you would get offers from all kinds of head-fiers, offering up their headphones for "modeling"

 

[lugnut]

  Received the Z7s today, and I have been listening to it a bit in balanced mode from my Pono. 
Short story, WOW! A really fantastic HP! Listening to the Eagles Hotel California in 192/24 is awe inspiring.
 
So far so VERY VERY good!
 
Regards,
Eric
 
PS - Joey99 is the man! He 3d printed me a stand for the Z7s and they are on the way! Thanks Joey (Jason)!

I see you have a pair of Fidelio X2 for sale. Would you mind to compare them to Z7s, what they have in common, how they are different ?
I ask because I have the X2s and for my ears they surpassed headphones costing more. I am also thinking about buying a pair of Z7s.
Thanks

 

[ImperialBlade]

Hello Lugnut,
 
Good question about the X2 vs Z7.
 
They are close sort of...see below. Hope this helps.
 
Comparison:
 
X2
single ended (not balanced)
Open HP
Lighter
Cloth pads (not sure the material)
Very comfy
Good for long listening sessions
Does not need a lot of amplification to sound "right"
Very wide sounding, due to being open
Pretty tall sounding
Bass and sub-bass very good
Mids recessed a little
Highs very good
Very natural or very good for female vocals
Not so good with fast bass heavier tracks
Overall, a very very good all around headphone that sound very natural and does so with ease. Amping not needed.
 
 
Z7
Can run balanced or single ended
Closed HP, but sounds "Open"
Heavier (not by much)
Leather Pads
Very comfy
Not sure how long listening sessions will be (undetermined)
Scales with amplification, more amp better sound. In balanced mode it jaw dropping
Wide sounding, might sound wider upon "burn in"
Sound ceiling is tall is well, might get taller
Bass and sub-bass in pretty astounding
Mids recessed a little
Highs very good
Good for female vocals, might sound wider upon "burn in"
Fantastic for fast bass heavier tracks
Overall, a great headphone when running in balanced mode. Limits of it are not yet defined (for me). Likely to sound even better with burn in. Amping needed to make this gem shine.
 
Regards,
Eric

 

[lugnut]

Blade, wow thanks for the info ! Sounds like the Sonys may be what I am looking for, in a closed HP. If I am reading your statements right, the Sonys are a step or two up from the X2 but have a similar sound ?

 

[joey99]

  Not sure if this is getting ahead of things, but I think a nice circular section or oval that can allow the cable to be coiled nicely would be a great addition to a design. Hard to know if this would work, but if it could, that might be a nice up-sell/add-on.

I'm thinking about that one ... to make it look integrated as well as wrap up a 3m cable like mine is a hard one.
 

  +1 for Headphone Kicks, solid, solid name, and it has that trendy edge to it. I think you may have yourself a cool little enterprise starting. Let me know if you get a TH900 set of kicks going on. How stable are these in terms of sliding or tiping over?

It's incredibly stable and really can't be knocked over .. it will just slide around when you push it.

 

[ImperialBlade]

  Blade, wow thanks for the info ! Sounds like the Sonys may be what I am looking for, in a closed HP. If I am reading your statements right, the Sonys are a step or two up from the X2 but have a similar sound ?

Hello Lugnut,
 
Yes, I would say that!
 
Regards,
Eric

 

[inseconds99]

Can anyone compare the Z7 with the TH600/900 or d7000? I am listening to mostly hip hop and edm, I currently own the HD800's for all other usages. This headphone will be strictly used for listening to bassy music, want the most detail I can get while still having huge bass.

 

[Sonic Defender]

Well, I just sold my Z7 for a TH 900 and I did own a D7000 for a year so I'll try my best. I listen to tons of EDM, DNB, and other electronica so what we listen for is likely similar. The Z7 is quite good, but it won't beat either the TH900 or D7000 at anything I feel. It will get you close, and don't get me wrong, the Z7 is very nice. Where things differ most with the Fostex for instance is that the Fostex is more extended in both extremes. I don't find the Fostex at all bright, but some seem to. In contrast for certain the Z7 is rolled off in the treble. It is a well done roll-off, reminds me of my HD650, but that memory is fuzzy as I sold that about 3 years ago now.
 
The Z7 does suffer a little from the rolled off sub bass, but it isn't anemic, but there can be no debate that it can't keep up with the Fostex or Denon. The other aspect of the Z7 that I had trouble identifying was what appeared to be a lack of depth or weight to things. Again, this isn't meant to read that it was poor in this regard, but to my ears there was a small lack of weight. For an analogy I use the idea of colour saturation. The TH 900 can by way of comparison be called more saturated than the Z7 would be. There were times that the bass was present, but it lacked a little weight and authority to it. I feel the mids are comparable with the Fostex again having a slight edge.
 
The Z7 is very strong in terms of the mid and upper bass going by memory. I think for musical genres that don't depend greatly on deep bass this emphasis is actually a good thing. If I had to give the Z7 a rating out of 10 for EDM, electronic music I would give it a solid 8 where the Fostex would score a 9, maybe a 9.5.
 
Now the Z7 is never fatiguing and the build quality and comfort is excellent. If a buyer was tight for cash I would say the Z7 would be the better value easily, but if budget can accommodate the Fostex the differences in my mind are worth it, but we aren't talking night and day. The Fostex is just a little more balanced sounding as well as having more authority to the sound (closer to reference, but still not reference). The D7000 would be quite similar, but it perhaps suffers from less instrument separation than the Fostex and it is less balanced sounding with treble that was a tad bright at times.
 
All of this said, for the $400-450 you can score a Z7 for that is pretty solid value there! Not sure if that helps.

 

[zazex]

  Well, I just sold my Z7 for a TH 900 and I did own a D7000 for a year so I'll try my best. I listen to tons of EDM, DNB, and other electronica so what we listen for is likely similar. The Z7 is quite good, but it won't beat either the TH900 or D7000 at anything I feel. It will get you close, and don't get me wrong, the Z7 is very nice. Where things differ most with the Fostex for instance is that the Fostex is more extended in both extremes. I don't find the Fostex at all bright, but some seem to. In contrast for certain the Z7 is rolled off in the treble. It is a well done roll-off, reminds me of my HD650, but that memory is fuzzy as I sold that about 3 years ago now.
 
The Z7 does suffer a little from the rolled off sub bass, but it isn't anemic, but there can be no debate that it can't keep up with the Fostex or Denon. The other aspect of the Z7 that I had trouble identifying was what appeared to be a lack of depth or weight to things. Again, this isn't meant to read that it was poor in this regard, but to my ears there was a small lack of weight. For an analogy I use the idea of colour saturation. The TH 900 can by way of comparison be called more saturated than the Z7 would be. There were times that the bass was present, but it lacked a little weight and authority to it. I feel the mids are comparable with the Fostex again having a slight edge.
 
The Z7 is very strong in terms of the mid and upper bass going by memory. I think for musical genres that don't depend greatly on deep bass this emphasis is actually a good thing. If I had to give the Z7 a rating out of 10 for EDM, electronic music I would give it a solid 8 where the Fostex would score a 9, maybe a 9.5.
 
Now the Z7 is never fatiguing and the build quality and comfort is excellent. If a buyer was tight for cash I would say the Z7 would be the better value easily, but if budget can accommodate the Fostex the differences in my mind are worth it, but we aren't talking night and day. The Fostex is just a little more balanced sounding as well as having more authority to the sound (closer to reference, but still not reference). The D7000 would be quite similar, but it perhaps suffers from less instrument separation than the Fostex and it is less balanced sounding with treble that was a tad bright at times.
 
All of this said, for the $400-450 you can score a Z7 for that is pretty solid value there! Not sure if that helps.

 
Great descriptive writeup as usual.
 
Wondering - have you heard the Z7's with the dedicated Kimber Kables? -
and if you have, what your impressions are.
 
Cheers,

 

[Sonic Defender]

The Z7 impressions were from my Norne Solv X cable as I had cCasper TFG make me an adapter to use the cable so I can't imagine the Kimber being any better than the Norne. I also listened with the stock cables with the PHA 3 (balanced). I would even say that the HE 560 was more satisfying for EDM and electronica than the Z7 again due to the deeper bass, and more weight of instruments. If you haven't heard the 560 doing EDM your in for a treat! Quite surprising really. Still, even between the 560 and Fostex, I would likely take the Fostex, but that is a much closer race than with the Z7 and TH 900.

 

[zazex]

Thx,

 

[joey99]

I got to sit down for about 10mins to listen to the TH900 today .. what a great looking headphone. For me, for my music I definitely prefer the Z7. I listen to female vocals mostly and the Z7 just brings that lush and smoothness .. maybe it's a more relaxing sound. The TH900 I found maybe you can call it more detailed or more trebly or a faster sound but I found it slightly harsh and might get tiring after a while. Both are great just depends what floats your boat really. 
 
I also found the oppo pm3 and the Audio Technica  W1000Z really good as well. I could live with either of those. 

 

[Sonic Defender]

  I got to sit down for about 10mins to listen to the TH900 today .. what a great looking headphone. For me, for my music I definitely prefer the Z7. I listen to female vocals mostly and the Z7 just brings that lush and smoothness .. maybe it's a more relaxing sound. The TH900 I found maybe you can call it more detailed or more trebly or a faster sound but I found it slightly harsh and might get tiring after a while. Both are great just depends what floats your boat really. 
 
I also found the oppo pm3 and the Audio Technica  W1000Z really good as well. I could live with either of those. 

Might be rig dependent to a degree as my amp has a touch of softness to it. I also like female vocals, but with my Z7 now gone I can't compare head to head so on the lushness measure hard for me to say. Both good, but if I had to chose for EDM and electronic music in general I still have to say that I feel the TH 900 is the better choice. Now diminishing returns, better value, that becomes less clear, but for me I can say I have no regrets with the Fostex. I would say that I would rather deal with extra treble energy as opposed to less as a cut is always cleaner than an addition so if I ever felt the treble was hot at all with the Fostex cutting with a parametric EQ is simple. Adding is never as clean so if I wanted to adjust for the little roll-off of the Z7 that is less easy.