Sony's new flagship 2014 - MDR-Z7
Jan 21, 2015 at 3:40 AM Post #4,006 of 9,173
 
I'm listening to Fleetwood Mac "Rumors" now.  And I welcome what that peak does for the percussion's presentation...
 
And don't forget to crank it up a bit...

 
Oh my, great suggestion, definitely cranking up the volume :)) Wow !
 
Is it the mastering ?
I know feel a transparency here that I found missing so far...
 
Jan 21, 2015 at 6:41 PM Post #4,008 of 9,173
Amazon UK has cut the price of the MDR-Z7 substantially.
 
It's now selling for 339 pounds, down from 550 pounds.
 
If you are in the US, the price is a LOT lower because we don't have to pay VAT, bringing the price down (including import tax and AmazonGlobal Priority shipping, only a few days to the U.S.) to 319 pounds... equivalent to about $485 dollars.  (U.S. price is $699).
 
Here's the link...I am eagerly awaiting my pair!
 
http://amzn.to/1CeJn7y
 
Jan 21, 2015 at 6:59 PM Post #4,009 of 9,173
Now I am finding my interest in trying a different signature waining as I don't want to have my brain go through the process of adjusting itself all the time.


Your wallet's probably happy not to be adjusting itself all of the time as well!
 
Jan 21, 2015 at 8:17 PM Post #4,010 of 9,173
very very true... :)
 
Jan 22, 2015 at 1:01 AM Post #4,011 of 9,173
Your wallet's probably happy not to be adjusting itself all of the time as well!

 
wayne, what are u doing here...aint no place for a mikroskid !!  
( u might be out of the pocket by 500bucks in a few pages' time...get out now!  :p )
 
Jan 22, 2015 at 1:42 AM Post #4,012 of 9,173
  Just picked up the unbalanced Kimber Kable. I'll post my impression shortly but so far... WOW... I might have to edit my review.
 
It's nowhere close to finish burning in, but the sound is a lot more transparent and there's no more of my so-called grainy darkness anymore. It has punch, it has clarity, it has highs and low, and it has wider soundstage. Paired with the WA7... it's musically amazing and I'm sure Mike would attest to that.
 
I can't believe the cable would go from returning the headphone, to possibly selling the Sennheiser instead.
 
We will see how it sounds as it continues to burn in...
 
dL

 
Yeah, the Kimber is a must (min. upgrade).  I'm getting Double Heilx cable soon so will be fun to hear the difference.  @dL. glad you gave the hp some more time.  WA7 does pair very well and has enough power to move those 70mm drivers.
 
BTW, Sony Z5 is worth owning.  Pair with AK120II player is heavenly....
 
Jan 22, 2015 at 2:51 AM Post #4,013 of 9,173
  Yeah, the Kimber is a must (min. upgrade).  I'm getting Double Heilx cable soon so will be fun to hear the difference.  @dL. glad you gave the hp some more time.  WA7 does pair very well and has enough power to move those 70mm drivers.
 
BTW, Sony Z5 is worth owning.  Pair with AK120II player is heavenly....

 
I'm using the Z5 w/ AK120ii (also Vorzuge Pure II amp), and I agree.  It's a great portable setup.  I'm not in the market for full-size headphones right now, but I am definitely tracking the Z7 as it might be an alternative for me in a few months if I can get them less than the current MSRP (which is the same as the soon-to-be released Audeze EL-8).
 
Jan 22, 2015 at 4:09 AM Post #4,014 of 9,173
Coming from my only pair of headphones being the Fostex TH600 (paired with HP-A4) how would the Z7 compare? I've been thinking of picking up a pair as they are at quite a nice price on Amazon but some info on that would be great first before jumping on it. 
 
Jan 22, 2015 at 4:12 AM Post #4,015 of 9,173
Yeah, the Kimber is a must (min. upgrade).  I'm getting Double Heilx cable soon so will be fun to hear the difference.  @dL.
 glad you gave the hp some more time.  WA7 does pair very well and has enough power to move those 70mm drivers.

BTW, Sony Z5 is worth owning.  Pair with AK120II player is heavenly....


I must admit. It was an impulse buy after seeing you mentioned you got one with the WA7.

And today I have officially picked another one up for $498 before tax as I will return my audition one that I had to pay MSRP to Sony Store. This seals the deal. I'm loving it so much that it's a keeper.

Listening to my new one and comparing to the burnt-in one, there's quite a difference in the soundstage, transparency and forward-ness. I highly recommend for those who plans to buy these headphones to really take the time to burn it in. I believe 100 hours is not enough as it still keeps getting better each day.

Also as mentioned by Mike, getting the Kimber cable is a MUST. If you plan to get this headphone, imo you need to factor in the cost of the Kimber as well. It was a world of difference to me, literally from returning it to keeping it. It's that good!

I am enjoying the Z7+Kimber so much on the WA7+TP that I barely use the HD700 anymore. I find this combo gives out a balance of everything. You get great solid lows, forward mids, detailed and smooth highs, decent soundstage (definitely no HD700/800 wide and they shouldn't because they are not fully opened). And through burn-in and Kimber upgrade, the inconsistency with the midrange forward-ness also decreased.

Let me know if there's anything you would like me to share or discover.

P.S. Mike, stop tempting me with the Z5!

dL
 
Jan 22, 2015 at 5:41 AM Post #4,016 of 9,173
Amazon UK has cut the price of the MDR-Z7 substantially.

It's now selling for 339 pounds, down from 550 pounds.

If you are in the US, the price is a LOT lower because we don't have to pay VAT, bringing the price down (including import tax and AmazonGlobal Priority shipping, only a few days to the U.S.) to 319 pounds... equivalent to about $485 dollars.  (U.S. price is $699).

Here's the link...I am eagerly awaiting my pair!

http://amzn.to/1CeJn7y

At this price its a bargain!
 
Jan 22, 2015 at 6:24 AM Post #4,017 of 9,173
£339 seems better. I think the Focal Classic sounds better though. Better mids, bass and more lusher smoother. I thought the Z7 was way over priced at £479-550.
 
Jan 22, 2015 at 8:45 AM Post #4,018 of 9,173
Listening to my new one and comparing to the burnt-in one, there's quite a difference in the soundstage, transparency and forward-ness. I highly recommend for those who plans to buy these headphones to really take the time to burn it in. I believe 100 hours is not enough as it still keeps getting better each day.

Also as mentioned by Mike, getting the Kimber cable is a MUST. If you plan to get this headphone, imo you need to factor in the cost of the Kimber as well. It was a world of difference to me, literally from returning it to keeping it. It's that good!

I am enjoying the Z7+Kimber so much on the WA7+TP that I barely use the HD700 anymore. I find this combo gives out a balance of everything. You get great solid lows, forward mids, detailed and smooth highs, decent soundstage (definitely no HD700/800 wide and they shouldn't because they are not fully opened). And through burn-in and Kimber upgrade, the inconsistency with the midrange forward-ness also decreased.

 
Wallet is not going to like it but you guys feedbacks about Kimber Kable got me ordering them, will have to wait a bit as they come from Japan... You could add a must have is a good amp, the 70 ohm and 100+ dB sensitivity plus the fact you can get them loud on a good smartphone doesn't reflect the need for those to be properly driven. I am really happy about the PHA-3 by the way (except for the fact that PHA-3 AC has not battery :sigh:)
 
About burn in, I am not yet to 100 hours (half of that), but I can already tell the difference in a *big* way (or it's my brain burning in, or both) everything is more coherent indeed and transparency I felt was lacking out of the box is now getting better and better. Those cans are *fun* and non fatiguing, pretty immersive and so comfy you don't want to take them off !
 
Jan 22, 2015 at 9:45 AM Post #4,019 of 9,173

Greetings,
 
This is just a heads-up about my experience, today, after I ordered a pair of Z7's at this great price from Amazon UK.
They've been £474-ish for a while so when I saw them for £339 I jumped on them.
 
They arrived a couple of hours ago, and to cut to the chase, they are most definitely NOT new headphones.
Inside Amazon packaging is the Sony box inside a plastic wrapping. The wrapping had been opened as the white sticky
seal was torn open. The Sony box was not sealed-as-new, it was just the bare box.
The flap that one pulls out to then lift the inside black box out, was bent and either side (where somebody had evidently
opened it previously) was ripped a little.
Pulled out inside black headphone box - right by the little tag that one pulls to lift the box open was a large, smudged
mark, which was obviously a fingerprint that somebody had then tried to wipe clean,
So, I wasn't too happy. I expect something to be brand new, unless otherwise stated. 
I paid less (a lot less) recently, to buy a refurbished MacBook Pro, and that is fine, I realise this that is not an absolutely
brand new item.
But whatever the reason behind Amazon being able to offer the Z7 at this price, I am not happy that something arrives
that has so obviously been opened and used, and yet is still being sold as a new item.
 
Incidentally, when I had a look at the headphones themselves (out of curiosity, as I had already decided they were
going back) I noticed something disconcerting. They are lovely to wear, but when I moved my head (every time) there
was a click-type sound from the left-hand ear cup area.
At first I thought perhaps some part of the cable was touching the ear cup when I moved my head, but it wasn't. I couldn't
make out what it was, but every single time I turned my head from left side to right side, I heard this click-type sound.
Was that perhaps why somebody else returned this? Or do perhaps Sony have a job-lot of returned/defective Z7's that
they have offered to Amazon for a low price? Which Amazon then pass on, and shift lots of units?
 
Anyway, when I ordered these two nights ago, there were supposedly 9 in stock; an hour ago there was 1.
I sincerely hope that others who have jumped on these at this good price, do indeed get a brand new, SEALED item.
I'm not getting a replacement, as now, at this price, I am not confident that these are 100% brand new & "perfect" items.
 
Best of luck.
 
R.
 
Jan 22, 2015 at 10:33 AM Post #4,020 of 9,173
Did you try it with the cable attached or not?

dL
 

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