[ledzep]

Will a audioquest dragonfly improve the SQ of the Z7? and whats the recommended cable replacement for portable use?

Depends what your source is, the dragonfly is a nice budget piece of kit. Portable use I'd say make your own.

 

[Jackomik]

My Z7 MOD

1. Dampening of Earcups and Driver Backing with 3M medical grade tape, skipping the vents and ports
Effect: More Refined, Cleaner and Faster Bass Response. (Sub, mid, and upper bass) Adds to both quality and quantity. (Quantity = to bass lovers delight. Tho the quantity is more than for my taste. But there's a fix on mod#3) There's also Noticeable separation of frequencies thus preventing bleeding of bass to the mids. Mids more pronounced and improved treble.

2. Spacers on both Earcups Applied
Use: Prevents the cushions to touch and cover the driver housing (partially) thus eliminating unwanted noise. Also creates more space resulting to additional soundstage and airiness feeling to it.

3. Bass Port Modification and Repositioning
Effects: Creates additional airflow chamber to the bass port allowing to a more fine tuning of bass response, bass quality and space. Porting allows to fine tune of bass quantity as well. (The bigger the port = more bass and makes the sound character warmer. The smaller the port = lesser the sub bass and mid bass punch, also making mids a little forward and making the treble more sparkling)

Repositioning of the port and porting to fine tune to my liking trims the bass quantity to my taste also making the treble more sparkle and not harsh and making the sound character more balanced and much clearer mids. Crispier now from a lousy ong stock. Vocals on the right spot not too forward nor laid back.

-----------------------------------
The Z7 MOD creates positive results in totality. Is it subtle, hell no... big difference (compared to stock Z7) in a positive way.

 

[Jackomik]

 

[Slashn77]

Are these worth $450? A lot of mixed reviews out there that these are decent (for the money) but not great as well as some credible reviewers saying build quality and comfort is very good but sound quality at this mid range price point is fair but wouldn’t recommend.
I would be using around the house with a fiio Q1 SE streaming tidal listening to electronic hip hop and classic rock.
I really want the Aeon closed or cascades for first official semi portable closed can but $800 is a bit steep for me. Have Sennheiser HD 650+599 and some CA L2 and UE900S iems but no closed back cans and those Sennheisers don’t do it for me with edm or hip hop so been looking conflicted

 

[Wes S]

I paid 450 and I could not be happier. I don't know about suggested retail cost, but anything at 450 or under is a deal. I listen to edm, with mine and they are great.

They scale really really well, so if you ever get a more powerful amp, they will improve.

 

[Slashn77]

I paid 450 and I could not be happier. I don't know about suggested retail cost, but anything at 450 or under is a deal. I listen to edm, with mine and they are great.

They scale really really well, so if you ever get a more powerful amp, they will improve.

Ok thanks for the insight. I do have a more powerful amp for desktop but I find myself always moving around the house doing stuff while listening rather than sitting idle

 

[pietcux]

Ok thanks for the insight. I do have a more powerful amp for desktop but I find myself always moving around the house doing stuff while listening rather than sitting idle

For that purpose go get the Sony WM1A player and balanced 4.4mm cable to run them. That is like I do it. you get the most high end portable solution that I know. The dap is also very good pocketable.

 

[Hanafuda]

I think I know the answer, but just checking -- is there any Sony cable sold besides the Kimber MUC-S20SB1 that works on the Z7 (and Z1R) for the balanced 4.4 pentaconn jack? Sony packs one in with the Z1R, but afaik it's not sold separately.

Assuming the answer to that is no, and considering I can get the Sony/Kimber for $215 (in Japan), is there another better 3rd party option for less? I'm thinking the answer there is probably no as well.

With current exchange rates and the automatic 5% tourist discount at Bic Camera, I can get the Z7 plus the Sony/Kimber cable for $605 or maybe a little less (their prices fluctuate, but I'm assuming the highest recent price). I'm thinking this is not a bad deal at all, though I wouldn't even be looking at a cable like that if not out of necessity.

 

[pietcux]

I think I know the answer, but just checking -- is there any Sony cable sold besides the Kimber MUC-S20SB1 that works on the Z7 (and Z1R) for the balanced 4.4 pentaconn jack? Sony packs one in with the Z1R, but afaik it's not sold separately.

Assuming the answer to that is no, and considering I can get the Sony/Kimber for $215 (in Japan), is there another better 3rd party option for less? I'm thinking the answer there is probably no as well.

With current exchange rates and the automatic 5% tourist discount at Bic Camera, I can get the Z7 plus the Sony/Kimber cable for $605 or maybe a little less (their prices fluctuate, but I'm assuming the highest recent price). I'm thinking this is not a bad deal at all, though I wouldn't even be looking at a cable like that if not out of necessity.

Go get that set, you will love it. I have the Z1R and so also the cable. I tried a third party cable, but it did not really work as expected on the headphone connection side. I have the Sony Kimber incoming from Japan and the third party being reworked for my HD800SD.

 

[Hanafuda]

Go get that set, you will love it. I have the Z1R and so also the cable. I tried a third party cable, but it did not really work as expected on the headphone connection side. I have the Sony Kimber incoming from Japan and the third party being reworked for my HD800SD.

Well, I think that's gonna be my poor-man's Z1R. Always possible I may upgrade to the Z1R down the road, and if I do hey at least I'll already have the schnazzy cable lol. If the Z1R would drop back to it's previous "normal" price at Japanese retailers by July 1 it still could happen, but I just refuse to pay full retail. I like money.

 

[pietcux]

Well, I think that's gonna be my poor-man's Z1R. Always possible I may upgrade to the Z1R down the road, and if I do hey at least I'll already have the schnazzy cable lol. If the Z1R would drop back to it's previous "normal" price at Japanese retailers by July 1 it still could happen, but I just refuse to pay full retail. I like money.

I got mine early last year from Amazon UK for 1350€. That seems to be a fair price.

 

[Hanafuda]

I got mine early last year from Amazon UK for 1350€. That seems to be a fair price.

Yeah, that's not bad. When I first started looking at the Z1R, all the Japanese retailers had it at about $1500 US when converted. I was excited -- it was a stretch for the wallet, but a great deal. But in early April they all jumped the price up to full retail on the Z1R, about $400 up from before for the same item. And the price hasn't budged since, at Bic Camera, Yodobashi, Yamada Denki - it's rock solid, full retail. I'm assuming pressure from Sony, but it could also be a supply issue. Only they know.

It would be more than original price I thought I could get them for in Japan, but I could actually buy the non-warrantied 'international' version off Amazon here and have it delivered to my house, including tax, for cheaper than buying it in Japan with 5% off and tax-free right now.

 

[purk]

For that purpose go get the Sony WM1A player and balanced 4.4mm cable to run them. That is like I do it. you get the most high end portable solution that I know. The dap is also very good pocketable.

I suggest the ZX300. Pretty much the same sound quality in much more portable package. I found the WM1Z and Z7 to be too much bass.

 

[Hanafuda]

I suggest the ZX300. Pretty much the same sound quality in much more portable package. I found the WM1Z and Z7 to be too much bass.

Are you actually using the zx300 w/ the Z7? You think the zx300's max balanced output of 200mW / channel is enough to do the Z7 justice in this regard? What's your average volume level (out of 120) on the zx300 with the Z7 on the balanced out, high gain? Reading in this thread and also the reviews in the Head Gear section here, a lot of people claim the Z7 needs oodles (like, tabletop amp levels) of power to sound best. (The obvious response is that all good headphones do, really) The pha-3 that Sony pushed alongside the Z7 when they both launched outputs 320mW / channel. The WM1 series does 250mW / channel. But, on the other hand I read a professional online review somewhere that said the Z7 was nicely driven by the WM1A on the SE jack, and that's only 60mW / channel. I've been planning on buying the zx300 but this foggy info has actually had me considering the WM1A recently, despite the considerable price and size/footprint difference. Not just for the Z7, but other headphones in the future.

On the other hand, if I could go with the zx300, with confidence it's got the oomph and then some for these headphones, I'd only save about $450 or so.

 

[pietcux]

Are you actually using the zx300 w/ the Z7? You think the zx300's max balanced output of 200mW / channel is enough to do the Z7 justice in this regard? What's your average volume level (out of 120) on the zx300 with the Z7 on the balanced out, high gain? Reading in this thread and also the reviews in the Head Gear section here, a lot of people claim the Z7 needs oodles (like, tabletop amp levels) of power to sound best. (The obvious response is that all good headphones do, really) The pha-3 that Sony pushed alongside the Z7 when they both launched outputs 320mW / channel. The WM1 series does 250mW / channel. But, on the other hand I read a professional online review somewhere that said the Z7 was nicely driven by the WM1A on the SE jack, and that's only 60mW / channel. I've been planning on buying the zx300 but this foggy info has actually had me considering the WM1A recently, despite the considerable price and size/footprint difference. Not just for the Z7, but other headphones in the future.

On the other hand, if I could go with the zx300, with confidence it's got the oomph and then some for these headphones, I'd only save about $450 or so.

I cannot comment on the ZX300, but the combination with the WM1A is stellar. That includes the bass performance.