[Jackson 6]

As I recall, Nageno-san explained that the MDR-1A (and MDR-1ADAC) are the successors to the MDR-1R, which in turn mean they are the more portable models. The MDR-Z7 practically requires an amplifier, which in tandem with its relatively large size makes it a less commuter friendly pair of cans. And as thatonenoob pointed out its vented design reduces its isolation.
It was also stated that the MDR-Z7 is not targeting competition as the HD800 or LCDs, just as thatonenoob pointed out - its price range, positioning and intended competitors, are some notches below those.

Good points. The problem is when Sony say 'successor'  it can sometimes mean a downgrade or a side step, and I can quote examples. The 1A will need to be a distinct step up from the 1R, not a mild improvement, and no one is spilling their SQ views on this. The Z7 is probably good for people who can't display or don't possess the speakers from a $1.5-2.1K hi fi system due to the neighbors, so want an alternative in their mitts, so I think it will succeed there, at perhaps 50% of the cost of the LCD etc plus needed hi end amp, with a little more than 50% of the SQ, and it should work for those who haven't heard genuine top enders+amp.

 

[Makiah S]

  Good points. The problem is when Sony say 'successor'  it can sometimes mean a downgrade or a side step, and I can quote examples. The 1A will need to be a distinct step up from the 1R, not a mild improvement, and no one is spilling their SQ views on this. The Z7 is probably good for people who can't display or don't possess the speakers from a $1.5-2.1K hi fi system due to the neighbors, so want an alternative in their mitts, so I think it will succeed there, at perhaps 50% of the cost of the LCD etc plus needed hi end amp, with a little more than 50% of the SQ, and it should work for those who haven't heard genuine top enders+amp.

An that's my thoughts exactly, this new TOTL is a some what Pseudo Flag Ship. What I have found is at the end of the day, tactility is what seperates a TOTL system from a mid tier or even "summit-fi" getting that extra touch of tactility is what I find worthwhile in buying new gear
 
The problem with that though is one ever person has a some what different set of ears, what I feel you might not
 
second is a lot of ppl forget that feeling or the sense of touch is an important part of hearing, what makes "real" sound real is that it can be felt and heard. Sony mentioned those tactile ques when it brought out it's Philosphy in making the MDR Z7
 
so until we can hear it our selvs it's going to be hard to know if it will have that tactile edge, My issue with "warm" headphones is that they are smooth, too much decay will smooth out and remove the tactility from sound, I've found that aggressive headphones with a lot of attack and just the right amount of decay translate this real sense of tactility, it's that feeling that makes the hairs on my neck stand up and get's me excited 
 
I liked the sound of the D2k, it's bass was pretty stellar, but the mids n Highs weren't to tactile, so it didn't get much head time, although for genres of music that were generated with... electronic samples that level of tactility wasn't needed. For EDM the D2k was pretty awesome, it smoothed out the some what overly bright treble of alot of EDM and was technically capable enough to keep the bass powerful and taught even more so than my HE 4, the HE 4 is faster but lacks the power of the D2k imo. How ever the mids on the HE 4 are a step above as it the treble and with a +2 50hrz EQ, the HE 4 has a nice kick to it
 
which takes me to my other point, for portable headphones I do not EQ it's just not possible. My portables are something that I really need to just plug n play. I can live with having like 4 cords, and a big stack of gear. But I can live with fiddleing eq, back to the HE 4 EDM is the only instance where I EQ it, and I don't have time to do that on my Portable rig
 
So my previous solution was own two headphones, one for EDM [the D2k] one for everything else [the W1000x] 
 
So with ALL of that said, I'm still curious about the MDR Z7. Sony has mentioned that it's put into consideration the importance of Tactile ques, so for those of us who care about tactilty and understand it and really crave for it, there's a chance we may notice those "tactile" notes where as others who maybe rn't as concerned with it wont.
 
Which again, brings us back to the we really need to hear this again point. 
 
Some of the impressions have suggested this level of tactility, the "feel the air" event in name suggests this. But we will have to see 

 

[Jackson 6]

Shades off individual notes, or micro detail, I only found once, off an AK 240 with Oppo's in the shop. It would be nice to hope for that, but I'm sensing a typical warm and rich Sony sound, which I love, superb imaging and perhaps tactility.Time will tell.

 

[oventurini]

Yes $700 in the US. And £550 in the UK. So the equivalent of $886. Such a rip of. Where is the difference going? in the importer's pocket?

 

[telecaster]

Tax in excluded in us price shown. Blame UK

 

[ButtUglyJeff]

 
Yes $700 in the US. And £550 in the UK. So the equivalent of $886. Such a rip of. Where is the difference going? in the importer's pocket?

 
$755.99 after New York sales taxes (Amazon Prime 2 day shipping is free)...

 

[Anthony1]

 
Yes $700 in the US. And £550 in the UK. So the equivalent of $886. Such a rip of. Where is the difference going? in the importer's pocket?

Chillax - $1500 Aussie pesos down here

 

[plakat]

I still think Sony is testing the waters with these... I would not be surprised to see a top end followup if the Z7 proves successful. But I don't think this is a purposefully restrained thing to prepare for a new king, I'd see it more as a good offer with some potential. Some kind of development step that has stand-alone product qualities. I don't think a new flagship is necessarily already in development, but this could be the basis for one.

 

[up late]

That was a colossal failure of foresight on the part of Sony. Sony's audio engineers created an amazing piece of audio technology [best closed headphones up to now] and the Sony management did not know what to do with them and how to sell them. Their manufacture was stopped at the number 2000. After selling them for a while and making a big reputation and superior brand name for Sony headphones the company should had created a couple of 'derivatives' at lower price points to sell headphones to the wider circle of consumers - this way Sony could had accelerated the creation of mass market for headphones, Sony could had grabbed a big share of this market just before the sales of headphones rocketed up. At that time Sony executives were busy with mergers and acquisitions, Sony was grabbing big chunks of music publishing and music 'processing' business as well as expanding into TV and film making. The bread and butter and the [COLOR=545454]raison d'être[/COLOR] of Sony's business, the making of audio equipment, kind of 'fell off the company's radar' and was neglected. A big opportunity was wasted; at that critical time in the history of the electronics, when the new technologies were quickly changing the ways of music processing and listening, at that critical time when the new world of 'audio on the move' was arising, there were no visionaries in the Sony corporate boardrooms, only the accountants.
I hope my words somehow, miraculously, find their way into Sony corporate towers.

An that's my thoughts exactly, this new TOTL is a some what Pseudo Flag Ship. What I have found is at the end of the day, tactility is what seperates a TOTL system from a mid tier or even "summit-fi" getting that extra touch of tactility is what I find worthwhile in buying new gear

The problem with that though is one ever person has a some what different set of ears, what I feel you might not

second is a lot of ppl forget that feeling or the sense of touch is an important part of hearing, what makes "real" sound real is that it can be felt and heard. Sony mentioned those tactile ques when it brought out it's Philosphy in making the MDR Z7

so until we can hear it our selvs it's going to be hard to know if it will have that tactile edge, My issue with "warm" headphones is that they are smooth, too much decay will smooth out and remove the tactility from sound, I've found that aggressive headphones with a lot of attack and just the right amount of decay translate this real sense of tactility, it's that feeling that makes the hairs on my neck stand up and get's me excited 

I liked the sound of the D2k, it's bass was pretty stellar, but the mids n Highs weren't to tactile, so it didn't get much head time, although for genres of music that were generated with... electronic samples that level of tactility wasn't needed. For EDM the D2k was pretty awesome, it smoothed out the some what overly bright treble of alot of EDM and was technically capable enough to keep the bass powerful and taught even more so than my HE 4, the HE 4 is faster but lacks the power of the D2k imo. How ever the mids on the HE 4 are a step above as it the treble and with a +2 50hrz EQ, the HE 4 has a nice kick to it

which takes me to my other point, for portable headphones I do not EQ it's just not possible. My portables are something that I really need to just plug n play. I can live with having like 4 cords, and a big stack of gear. But I can live with fiddleing eq, back to the HE 4 EDM is the only instance where I EQ it, and I don't have time to do that on my Portable rig

So my previous solution was own two headphones, one for EDM [the D2k] one for everything else [the W1000x] 

So with ALL of that said, I'm still curious about the MDR Z7. Sony has mentioned that it's put into consideration the importance of Tactile ques, so for those of us who care about tactilty and understand it and really crave for it, there's a chance we may notice those "tactile" notes where as others who maybe rn't as concerned with it wont.

Which again, brings us back to the we really need to hear this again point. 

Some of the impressions have suggested this level of tactility, the "feel the air" event in name suggests this. But we will have to see 

I still think Sony is testing the waters with these... I would not be surprised to see a top end followup if the Z7 proves successful. But I don't think this is a purposefully restrained thing to prepare for a new king, I'd see it more as a good offer with some potential. Some kind of development step that has stand-alone product qualities. I don't think a new flagship is necessarily already in development, but this could be the basis for one.

pass the doob

 

[plakat]

Guess you'll have to roll your own...

 

[AppleheadMay]

Guess I'll be waiting for a true ToTL Sony, no matter the cost. one that should be driven by top desktop amps.

 

[ButtUglyJeff]

I'm finding it a bit odd that the only place to preorder the Z7, in the US, is Amazon.  Not even on the US Sony site...

 

[XERO1]

The US Sony website is often late to their own party.
 
http://store.sony.com/

 

[capitanharlock]

Italian Sony store has it ready to order...

 

[ThatNzGuy]

Has there been any word about 'the king'?