[john57]

  Someone has any news about MDR-Z7 aside fancy 3D rendered images and promo videos?
 
There is a page on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDRZ7-Hi-Res-Stereo-Headphones/dp/B00NBMHT7Q/?tag=hpg33k-20
"Usually ships within 2 to 4 weeks"
at 700USD
 
They really got to change their first liner "Wide Soundstage Reproduction up to 100 kHz"... it's an awesome driver design with area of ortho's and efficiency of copper-clad dynamic's, but this marketing BS is just a no-go with me. Swiping a 0Hz-100kHz during 10 seconds will leave you with 1s of audio. To be coherent, they'd need to give the distortion specs based on this spectrum width, so... no THD number to be seen anywhere (not surprisingly). 

Yes, manufactures like to play the numbers game in order for the product to standout on paper. For me reproduction to 100Hz sounds like the mid treble is not going to roll off too early in spite of the larger diagram. Without some official standardize test results we can not be sure. It would be interesting to see the Z7 compared to Orthos.

 

[takato14]

  no THD number to be seen anywhere (not surprisingly). 

I'm worried about this myself as well actually.
 
As aforementioned, the DR-Z7 uses a palladium-coated diaphragm. It is known that metal diaphragms can cause "plasticy" and "tinny" sounding frequencies, due to high odd-order distortion caused by modal breakup on the diaphragm from the metal flexing poorly. While it is very tame on the (DR)Z7 when compared to say Ultrasones (which use titanium), I can still hear audible modal breakup in the lower treble; it's rather unclean and strained sounding.
 
The palladium of the (DR)Z7 is much more flexible than titanium, which is why it's less pronounced, but it's still there. Aluminum however is another story; its a very brittle metal, even moreso than titanium if I remember correctly. The large driver surface of the MDR-Z7 might be enough to make the lack of flexibility a non-issue, but if it's not, it may very well sound quite harsh.
 
Of course, this is just what goes through my head as I ponder the design of the transducer, but nonetheless I'm concerned.

 

[john57]

You make a valid concern on how well a LCD will handle an aluminum coating on the surface. For the same reason I do not like in general, metal tweeters since is more likely to sound harsh. There is a chance that this is none issue with the Z7.  We have to wait and see. I do think that LCD( Liquid Crystal Polymer diaphragm) is a good material to use.

 

[Saraguie]

It's great that Amazon has a consumer friendly return policy. No like after receiving, no problem with most of what they sell, pack it back up send in, freight is on you. No re-stocking fees of any kind.

 

[conquerator2]

  I'm worried about this myself as well actually.
 
As aforementioned, the DR-Z7 uses a palladium-coated diaphragm. It is known that metal diaphragms can cause "plasticy" and "tinny" sounding frequencies, due to high odd-order distortion caused by modal breakup on the diaphragm from the metal flexing poorly. While it is very tame on the (DR)Z7 when compared to say Ultrasones (which use titanium), I can still hear audible modal breakup in the lower treble; it's rather unclean and strained sounding.
 
The palladium of the (DR)Z7 is much more flexible than titanium, which is why it's less pronounced, but it's still there. Aluminum however is another story; its a very brittle metal, even moreso than titanium if I remember correctly. The large driver surface of the MDR-Z7 might be enough to make the lack of flexibility a non-issue, but if it's not, it may very well sound quite harsh.
 
Of course, this is just what goes through my head as I ponder the design of the transducer, but nonetheless I'm concerned.

Don't even remind me of the Ultrasones... Ugh. Nothing can have shriller treble than those beasts. I swear my hearing's upper frequency limit dropped by a few khz by using them for a few months ...

 

[DisCHORDDubstep]

Don't even remind me of the Ultrasones... Ugh. Nothing can have shriller treble than those beasts. I swear my hearing's upper frequency limit dropped by a few khz by using them for a few months ...

... A few months?

 

[john57]

  Don't even remind me of the Ultrasones... Ugh. Nothing can have shriller treble than those beasts. I swear my hearing's upper frequency limit dropped by a few khz by using them for a few months ...

Same here when I tried some of their flagship models at a show it was about the shrillest edgiest treble I ever heard.

 

[conquerator2]

... A few months?

They were my foray into 'audiophile' headphones.. The Pro900 more precisely.... But I learnt to appreciate really good headphones afterwards xP

 

[power]

I love my pro 900. Godzilla! Is coming though !

 

[ButtUglyJeff]

To pre-order or not to pre-order......
 
.....I would love if Jude would share a little more.

 

[ButtUglyJeff]

Do you guys think that if Sony did offer a "true" flagship in 2015, that they would move production of the Z7 in China?  That might swing my purchase decision...

 

[john57]

  Do you guys think that if Sony did offer a "true" flagship in 2015, that they would move production of the Z7 in China?  That might swing my purchase decision...

That is hard to say. There is so few products that I know and owned that are still being made in Japan. I still think that Japan has the upper hand in QC. Some of the flagship planar models made in China could have a better QC on their products. More consistency and less cosmetic defects. Will Sony maintain more products lines in Japan, who knows?

 

[Pedro Oliveira]

Guys are there any news about the build and specially the sound quality of the mdr-1a?
Would like to know how they compare against the too colored and a bit muffled (IMO) mdr-1r....

 

[Makiah S]

   
Wood fetishists know that wood is magical, I wish I had their insight!

As a wood fetish I agree with you, adding wood back to any driver imbunes it with a the most magical earthy tone! 
 
but no in all seriousness, wood has different resonnate properties than plastic, metal or any of the like. The classical example of why wood fetishist are what we are, would be guitars, violins or any of the "wood" winds or any of those very old classical instruments
 
heck take a Gretch guitar, I'm talkin a classic 1960 Country Gentleman, if you've ever heard one, or picked it up. It's a pretty freaking heavy guitar. It's the quality of the wood they've used that gives the Gretch it's unique tone, and the guitar is after all a fusion of wood and electronics
 
so headphones, imo, benifit from the wood the same way an instrument does. The timbre is more realistic, the combination of decay and attack is more real with well tuned wood backs, 

 

[M-13]

I noticed that for the 1A the cable jack has a gold ring around it to distinguish it from the 1R. I personally really liked the 1R but I thought the price should have started at $200 and not $299. It did eventually come down to that price and below. I hope the 1A is a nice improvement from the 1R. I always kind of liked the styling.