[dweaver]

I have the Slapper case and it does hold the Z7 quite comfortably.

 

[grizzlybeast]

So far(def not saying anything new):

The bass is detailed yet not as focused as I would like. Its a smooth and full bass with okay slam. The slam is not all lost but its a bit enveloping. Somehow the midrange still has a very enjoyable sound to it on some songs. One thing for sure is that eqing the bass to have a harder punch is an absolute mess and better left alone. The right bassy song is rewarding though. It does better with synth bass than 808's. EDM may work okay here. I need to try it. Compared to my Zmf blackwood I prefer the zmf in the bass because I can eq it to hit harder and tighter. Left alone the z7 has a lot more bass making the zb sound bass light. The mh40 bass is similar in tightness, worse in texture, a lot better in slam, less in qty. I started to get annoyed by the bass and preferred the zmf (eq'd)bass so much more that I listed the sony for trade right away.....

Until I played some vocal heavy music and my mouth opened a bit. I immediately switched back to the Zmf Blackwood and the singer got further away, noticeably thinner, but the z7 had a little less weight which actually worked in the vocalists favor. It needed a bit more air but had good projection. This was a male vocal, and he didn't sound as muffled as I was expecting because of the bass hump and rolled highs. This proved to have less bass spill into the mids than most hps with this amount of bass. The mids are full imo and not strident(sooo far!). If just for that one song, the z7 could earn a longer stay here. Also I enjoyed the violins very much in that song.

The soundstage imo is NOT wide or really large like I expected. So far it sounds decent in volume but has good dimensionality with ques above my head, and a good center image. There are quite a few closed backs out there that give a larger stage, but not a whole lot that reveal as an many positions. The zb has a soundstage that is a lot wider and airier; it sounds open by comparison.

The highs can be more involved than these have to offer and on a first day it doesn't seem as easy to eq.

They remind me alot like an mh40 bit with less attack/punch, better soundstage, better vocals, better texture, better imaging, comfort and even build, but more song specific and not as much of an all arounder as I expected.

 

[dweaver]

The one thing I have noticed is that these do change with use. If you can afford to wait and are willing to burn these in. The bass changes as does the midrange and treble.

 

[Mickice]

The other thing is I want to see if Sony announces something in the $1K - $2K range in 2015.

I wouldn't count on it, Z7 is the peak of their current tech, I'd love to see them dabble in planar's tho.

 

[Zoop]

not sure if this has been mentioned before. i went to John Lewis in Oxford Street (london) and spotted they have a pair of Z7 on demo. it's hooked up to a ZX1 without PHA-3. the demo unit forced you to try the z7 with ZX1 but i notice you can unplug it from the headphone side if you bring your own cable and player. Cheers.

 

[grizzlybeast]

The one thing I have noticed is that these do change with use. If you can afford to wait and are willing to burn these in. The bass changes as does the midrange and treble.

The other thing is I want to see if Sony announces something in the $1K - $2K range in 2015.

I wouldn't count on it, Z7 is the peak of their current tech, I'd love to see them dabble in planar's tho.

What I was saying is that I really like the mids on some songs. When I went to vocal tracks I was expecting them to sound muffled do to the balance but certain vocals and instruments sound really good. Certain hps are genre selective and others are song selective and this one seems song selective. Some hip hop sounds great and others sound pretty bad.
It's not hard to see ppls love for it. But some issues keep them from being a total recommendation because they are technical issues more than balance issues and cant be fixed. If these scale and get better with cables etc, i would say they have tons of potential. Some instruments sound inspirational and the balance is enjoyable. Today I will try to eq the treble with higher hopes than I have for the bass. The bass just needs to be planted. Im sure the clarity will get even better with more money thrown at it.
Out of the box: loved em
20 mins later: hated em
Compared em to my main closed back: hated em then loved em
Listened to vocal centered music, violins etc: loved them

Burn in would have to yeild drastic changes for my opinion of the bass to change. I have to get used to it. The dx700 had a bass of similar quantity but it hit pretty hard making it worth it. This is clearer overall though with a less cavernous sound and smaller stage.

 

[Neo Zuko]

Still I think Sony could make a better headphone if they wanted. I mean, it's Sony. If this particular tech is maxed out they can just make new tech. That's kinda what they do.

 

[grizzlybeast]

^ thats true!
But why haven't they? Like ever? This is my fav sony hp so far. Easily even with its problems. Never heard the old woodie flagship

Random but Some impressions I disagree with: distant sound, hard to power, flat mids. These are VERY loud and clear from my iPhone, the mids are very full and round, and nothing sounds distant, rather intimate listen. Dang these are growing on me fast.

 

[XERO1]

Dang these are growing on me fast.

 
IMO, you need at least 1 week with any new pair of headphones to both allow them to properly break in, and just as importantly, to allow your brain enough time to fully acclimate to their sound signature.
 
Once both of these things have happened, only then should you start to make any definitive observations about their sound quality.

 

[grizzlybeast]

^ dude I have been through so many headphones I assume that I can tell right away. But you are right!

 

[purk]

I wouldn't count on it, Z7 is the peak of their current tech, I'd love to see them dabble in planar's tho.

 

It's funny when you said that.  All they have to do is to bring back the CD3000 and tame the high a little bit and they have a true winner under $1000.  Sony technologies probably peaked in the early 1990's if you ask me.  The R10 is a legend for a reason b/c they are that much better than the current offerings unless you have a really good Stax SR009/007 system.

 

[Neo Zuko]

Sony is good at making stuff. Like my PS4.

 

[FortisFlyer75]

I have the Slapper case and it does hold the Z7 quite comfortably.

 
I have the Slappa case for my Sony 7520's, nice case only thing for me as they are generic case is I have to watch my cables as I can not have them taken off now I've had the cables modded and welded onto the cups! Good to know the Z7 fits in there if I get them as they look a lot bigger to my 7520's. 

  not sure if this has been mentioned before. i went to John Lewis in Oxford Street (london) and spotted they have a pair of Z7 on demo. it's hooked up to a ZX1 without PHA-3. the demo unit forced you to try the z7 with ZX1 but i notice you can unplug it from the headphone side if you bring your own cable and player. Cheers.

Thanks for sharing that, I might have pop into London soon then to try them, take it is still fairly loud with ambient noise around in the store in that department? This is where my battery on the Hugo will come into play to demo them with my ZX1 up town.
 

  It's funny when you said that.  All they have to do is to bring back the CD3000 and tame the high a little bit and they have a true winner under $1000.  Sony technologies probably peaked in the early 1990's if you ask me.  The R10 is a legend for a reason b/c they are that much better than the current offerings unless you have a really good Stax SR009/007 system.

Oh yes, the 90's, when they still had plenty of money to burn!  I've noticed the Highs can still be an issue with some models in the last few years, mainly reason I let my Z1000's go which was a shame. 
 
Would quote Grizzly and Neo but be too many to do on this page! , but been a good read on this page though and is interesting how it comes around again the Sony flagship question whether they will break through the 1K barrier for the first time since I think it was when I last used Minidisc? plus taking into account the paint is still drying on the Z7's it is a intriguing thought will Sony bring out a higher model so soon...?
 
I don't think we will see the likes of R10's status for a very long time (next ice age maybe) or ever (most likely) currently with Sony digging them selves out of a few holes deficit wise but I can see even with the Z7 not so long released Sony bringing out a 1K can now they are taking their audio division a little bit more seriously again since their re-shuffle and seems a natural progression to go from the Z7 is now in place.  If they are now dabbling with Ciem's (something I thought I would not see Sony doing currently) then there is hope of a new big brother to the Z7. Could be they are still gauging this new Z7 model feedback and sales figures before signing off development of a new higher flagship model.  
Guess we will have to keep out eyes on next few days @ CES.   
 
That's still not to say I am getting itchy pants on not trying to pull the trigger on a Z7 if one was going for the right price! 

 

[longboy]

I'd buy the Z7 at $500 but I don't trust the third party sellers on Amazon.

I trust them. Most recently, I got a new NuForce DAC-9 off eBay. Didn't have the bucks to get the Z7 at the same time.

 

[cheznous]

It's funny when you said that.  All they have to do is to bring back the CD3000 and tame the high a little bit and they have a true winner under $1000.  Sony technologies probably peaked in the early 1990's if you ask me.  The R10 is a legend for a reason b/c they are that much better than the current offerings unless you have a really good Stax SR009/007 system.

I think a lot will depend on how successful Sony are at pushing HD audio. Credit to them for trying but success will be measured by convincing the kids that HD audio is the future. Members of this forum are passionate but I am not sure we are really Sonys target audience.