[Zoide]

Wow.
 
I was looking at Sony Latin America's Facebook page and the Z7s are $485 on the Colombian online store!
 
http://store.sony.com.co/co/site/catalog/ProductDisplay.jsp?stockType=A&parentCatId=cat1100001&ref=catalogue&category=acessorios&page=&tabNum=1&id=MDR-Z7&marketing=cmp-socm_organic_bo-none-fb-desk-v&s-cmt-hi-res-Oct01
 
Here's the Google currency conversion: https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#safe=off&q=999000+cop+to+usd
 
No, I'm not Colombian and I can't forward them to you But I'd love to know if there's a way to send them to other places...

 

[Maxvla]

Reference is a slippery word. I get that people want to go back to the original intended sound, but at some point it doesn't matter so much as having an enjoyable listen. I say start with reference and adjust as minimally as possible to your tastes. Sometimes those minimal adjustments are large.

@kman

I'd love to try some R10s. Unfortunately I've never chanced across a pair. I'd never buy a pair, though, as their drivers are naturally decomposing. I wonder if they even sound the same as when they were made 10-20 years ago.

 

[Zoide]

the Z7 is the best I've ever heard (coming from an HD800 owner).

 
Wait... So you're saying the Z7 has even better soundstage than the HD800? 

 
I thought the HD800 was the best there is (apart from the ultra-expensive Sony MDR-R10 or from things that aren't really headphones such as the AKG K1000). And while I've read some people praise its soundstage, not everyone has raved about it.

 

[kphfrail]

For me, who listens mostly to aggressive music like electronica, metal, hard rock and some pop, these phones are a dream.

For some reason, I always got the impression you listened to mostly classical music. Not sure why, hah!

 

[Maxvla]

@Zoide

Careful when you chop things out of context. I specifically said frontal staging.

 

[Dopaminer]

   
Wait... So you're saying the Z7 has even better soundstage than the HD800? 

 
 

 
I was also surprised by Maxxvla`s opinion. I am also an HD800 owner and the Z7 is great but IMO not close.  Also, I felt the Ultrasone Performance 880 soundstage was better than the Z7 in my comparisons last weekend at the Tokyo show

 

[kman1211]

Reference is a slippery word. I get that people want to go back to the original intended sound, but at some point it doesn't matter so much as having an enjoyable listen. I say start with reference and adjust as minimally as possible to your tastes. Sometimes those minimal adjustments are large.

@kman

I'd love to try some R10s. Unfortunately I've never chanced across a pair. I'd never buy a pair, though, as their drivers are naturally decomposing. I wonder if they even sound the same as when they were made 10-20 years ago.

I have to agree, I often wondered what really is the most accurate sound but I ended up not caring and started going with what I think is the most natural and immersive sounding. If it's colored or whatnot doesn't matter to me.
 
They are very hard to come by, I do think they are must listens if one has the chance though. I have heard some are not aging well, which is depressing as the bass-heavy R10 are basically everything I wanted in a headphone. I wouldn't buy a pair either as it's a bit of game of chance now and I know the owner of the two pairs I heard would never let go of them. I am personally hoping the Z7 satisfies me as a third main headphone. Sony seems to be getting serious about high-end audio again, who knows what headphones they will release in the future. 

 

[Zoide]

@Zoide

Careful when you chop things out of context. I specifically said frontal staging.

Sorry about that.

 

[Wnuwk Siphon]

 

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

Shipped from japan,
I got to finally listen to my Z7 :
-Jriver played from SSD BRIX i7u4500 minipc (gizmo remote)
-USB interface : Explorer (TOSLINK)
-DAC : Director
-AMP : Lafigaro 339 reboot. GEC 6AS7G & L63 tubes
 

 
FLAC on SSD used :
Billie Jean - Micheal Jackson's  25th anniversary Thriller
Nobody Home - Pink Floyd's The Wall
Aura - Lady Gaga's Artpop
Sugar Coated Sour - The Dillinger escape plan's Calculating Infinity
Improv Munchen - King Crimson's Heavy ConstruKction
Love - John Lennon's Plastic Ono band
Mother Tongues - John Mclaughlin Trio's live at royal festival hall
The Salmon dance - Chemical brothers' We are the night
 

 
FOCUS
I would call the Z7 very focused.
There's this precision in keeping the focus
You are more than invited to select a single detail that the Z7 present sonically Inside your head.
You can track it, look at it, feel the body of it, the atmosphere around the examined elements.
On the faint détails that usually are masked by miscellanous gunk the z7 shines
 
MONITOR
That reminded me of the monitoring type of listenning. The ambiance of the recording has never been so well expressed in any headphone I had. I can see people buying this headphone just to be able to mix sub bass mixes, tracking unwanted bass signal in productions,etc. I really like the fact that I now have a headphone capable of reproducing sub bass at that level.
 
PRECISION
The sound is precise at loud volume where there is an orchestral fortissimo including the thundering basses and the screaming choirs.
I would imagine the large (alu?coated membrane permits the Z7 to play as loud as earthshaking explosions while still retaining perfect placement of the instruments, easy lack of distorsion. Fortissmos are moment where the entire audio chain is at the most Under stress.
 

 
 
ACID
I like it. But it is still a reminder of studio monitor where utter detail retrieval is a needed workhorse. Highs are clear and Under the spotlight. In comparaison HD650 high are more a refined like when you wanna relax, while the z7 are alive and I would say with a touch acidity like an apple let's put it tastewise.
 
VOLUME
With calm and clear mind, the volume can be raised very high for a headphone. You don't head harshness because there is none. But don't damage your precious hearing boy.
 
SOUND SIGNATURE
I still don't know about the exact signature, but the z7 was very nice to listen to as the above détails.
The Z7 responded differently between the ibasso DX90 and the home rig. It's way more enjoyable on the full rig.
In a word, the bass is shaking down there and the sound is acid.

 

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

HOLY MOTORS
I love the build of this thing. The headband is solid, smooth, leather and metal to the touch of very nice quality! And this is the most silent and dampen headband I ever used. BUT the size is too little even fully extended : My biggest drawback of the z7.
The leather is nice because I feel it drinks from my skin oïl, where leatherette would only stock it on the surface. I love leather.

 

 
Thank you for a great review and those awesome photo's!
 
Would you care to elaborate a bit on the reproduction of Dillinger Escape Plan..? Things don't get much more fortissimo than Dillinger and if I understand your acid-remarks correctly I can see how this works out very favorably for this kind of music..?

 

[joey99]

gorgeous pics and nice review .. makes me want one badly .. not sure if I can wait till my holiday to hong kong end of the year but wouldn't mind a listen first. Anyone seem these in Sydney yet on display to try?

 

[capitanharlock]

The Z7 finally arrived, and I had a very quick listening of my favorite music (mostly rock).
The following are highly subjective impressions, I am not a pro reviewer neither I had the time to make a critical listening.
 
I used Itunes via a Dell Pc, connected via usb to a Teac Ha-P50, set on high gain.
 
The music was all apple lossless coded, directly ripped from my cds.
 
I made a very quick comparison with my beloved Grado Ps500e on this cd:

 
and...
Boys, maybe it's the Teac, maybe it's my personal taste, but I really prefer the Grados.
As many already said, the Sonys seem to have more bass, but in the sense that these bass are hiding some details and some "clarity" in the mid-highs.
I usually listen at (very) high volume and with the Z7 I could physically feel the air moving inside the ear cups, I guess 'cause they are closed, while the Grados are not.
 
I guess that the Teac is not powerful enough to drive the Z7, and I will soon connect them to a tube Opera Consonance Headphone amp.
 
I obviously need to let the Sonys sound some more hours (the Grados already did) before judge them, but at the moment I can tell you the real difference between the two:while listening "to Hotel California" with the Grados I get a lot of goosebumps along my back, and this is not happening with the Sonys...

 

[GREQ]

 
I usually listen at (very) high volume ....

Nooo!! Don't do it!! *dives in slow motion at your volume control*

 

[telecaster]

Thank you for a great review and those awesome photo's!

Would you care to elaborate a bit on the reproduction of Dillinger Escape Plan..? Things don't get much more fortissimo than Dillinger and if I understand your acid-remarks correctly I can see how this works out very favorably for this kind of music..?

Mind you that i like some songs of Dillinger Im no expert in the gendra even though I was at Cannibal Corpse's show last night in Paris. It was greeeat gig! To sum it up the z7 plays Dillinger perfectly and Dillinger have beautifully mixed records.

For me z7 are just perfect for pop and death metal in general. Im way more picky with acoustic, indian, and classical music when it come to sound signature.
For that i still think that the true quality of the z7 will be more obvious as soon as the largest number of users all with various backgrounds will speak up.

For me they handle power very well generally and especially the classical music fortissimi

They have a unseen ability to play big bass while still being top notch on the rest of the spectrum at higher volume where HD650 for example would sound shrill.

Remember that only one membrane has to reproduce the bass AND the rests.

The acidity is not bad point its just an identity detail of the z7

 

[ButtUglyJeff]

  The Z7 finally arrived, and I had a very quick listening of my favorite music (mostly rock).
The following are highly subjective impressions, I am not a pro reviewer neither I had the time to make a critical listening.
 
I used Itunes via a Dell Pc, connected via usb to a Teac Ha-P50, set on high gain.
 
The music was all apple lossless coded, directly ripped from my cds.
 
I made a very quick comparison with my beloved Grado Ps500e on this cd:

 
and...
Boys, maybe it's the Teac, maybe it's my personal taste, but I really prefer the Grados.
As many already said, the Sonys seem to have more bass, but in the sense that these bass are hiding some details and some "clarity" in the mid-highs.
I usually listen at (very) high volume and with the Z7 I could physically feel the air moving inside the ear cups, I guess 'cause they are closed, while the Grados are not.
 
I guess that the Teac is not powerful enough to drive the Z7, and I will soon connect them to a tube Opera Consonance Headphone amp.
 
I obviously need to let the Sonys sound some more hours (the Grados already did) before judge them, but at the moment I can tell you the real difference between the two:while listening "to Hotel California" with the Grados I get a lot of goosebumps along my back, and this is not happening with the Sonys...

 
...and the PS500 series is quite bassy for Grados. Maybe its the more aggressive nature of Grado that you enjoy?  I would fully understand that, as my next headphone will most likely be the RS1e.  The Sony I would consider to be "laid back" by comparison.

 

[Maxx134]

Hi my buddy who started me on the Denon kick!

I put up a comparison to my Lawton modded D7000.........(still have your D2000 tho it's now a LA2000). These can easily hang with a TH-600 from my memory (say that since when I did a side by side with the TH-600 and D7000 they were clones).

Hi and thanks I read your impressions

If YOU don't like the sound of these headphones, does NOT make them "bad" or not HiFi"; it ONLY means they are not for YOU!

Just because you don't like some Hermès runway pieces, does NOT make them "bad", it simply means they're not for you!

These are amazing headphones for those who love them, and horrible for those who don't!

I have to agree your quite correct about preferences and that applies to any top end can may not be to your liking simply because of the signature and your personal preference...

Yet my idea of making some comparisons was only to get a feel at what overall level of performance this unit will fall in,
and so far it seems to me (in the long run) that it will be considered somewhere in upper mid-tier catagory,

Especially that it is not turning out to be a monitor or reference sound, instead a more modern fun signature..

So as far as calling it a Sony flag ship, I think thats still in the future..

Time for the modders to pick up where Sony left off,
and the clues are everywhere that it could be more. .
Like all that space to work with inside. .