Sony's new flagship 2014 - MDR-Z7
Aug 19, 2015 at 5:49 PM Post #5,746 of 9,173
You should thanks me for this.  I started this trend several months back. :wink:


Yes sir ! Thank you ! Every bit of good reviews/impressions does help a lot. I used to be that kind of guy who skeptical about cables and quality, but not any longer. In fact, I do think ZX2 with the use of regular TRS and stock cables on anything is a waste.....and you would not hear enough from the ZX2 just yet.

Same thing as the Z7.....why in the heck did Sony throw in this stock cables to gimp down their flagship is beyond me....and optional upgrade of 250$ kimberkable. Company such as Sony could always have included pure silver cables as in mass deal, and stock in the box.
 
Aug 19, 2015 at 6:28 PM Post #5,747 of 9,173
Yes sir ! Thank you ! Every bit of good reviews/impressions does help a lot. I used to be that kind of guy who skeptical about cables and quality, but not any longer. In fact, I do think ZX2 with the use of regular TRS and stock cables on anything is a waste.....and you would not hear enough from the ZX2 just yet.

Same thing as the Z7.....why in the heck did Sony throw in this stock cables to gimp down their flagship is beyond me....and optional upgrade of 250$ kimberkable. Company such as Sony could always have included pure silver cables as in mass deal, and stock in the box.

I'm using a silver dragon on mine with one end terminated with a female 4-pin XLR.  This allows the Z7 to run balanced from my home amps.  I bought the cable used for $120 (around $300 if buy new) and did the termination work myself.  I also made a 1/8" TRRS to 4-pin XLR female so I can use my Z7 with my ZX2 as well.  Yep, I totally agree that Sony should have included a better cable.  However, this is nothing new really given that the stock cable (high purity but tiny gauge wire) was used for both the CD3000 & SA5000 as well.  I don't think the Kimber is a bad buy given that you do get a lot of cable for the money.  If I were to go that route, I would chop up the Kimber cable in half and use it on other DIY projects.  
 
Aug 19, 2015 at 6:53 PM Post #5,748 of 9,173
I'm using a silver dragon on mine with one end terminated with a female 4-pin XLR.  This allows the Z7 to run balanced from my home amps.  I bought the cable used for $120 (around $300 if buy new) and did the termination work myself.  I also made a 1/8" TRRS to 4-pin XLR female so I can use my Z7 with my ZX2 as well.  Yep, I totally agree that Sony should have included a better cable.  However, this is nothing new really given that the stock cable (high purity but tiny gauge wire) was used for both the CD3000 & SA5000 as well.  I don't think the Kimber is a bad buy given that you do get a lot of cable for the money.  If I were to go that route, I would chop up the Kimber cable in half and use it on other DIY projects.  


Do you have Zx2 Japan version ? Because I hear EU version can not drive Z7 quiet well. Mine is Japan version, and it get considerably loud at 80-85%. It start blowing ears at 90-100%. Yet a few others is saying ZX2 can not power Z7. In my case, it is god like combo, and now with this silver cables....it melt me down like a chocolate on a warm stove :wink:
 
Aug 19, 2015 at 7:11 PM Post #5,749 of 9,173
Do you have Zx2 Japan version ? Because I hear EU version can not drive Z7 quiet well. Mine is Japan version, and it get considerably loud at 80-85%. It start blowing ears at 90-100%. Yet a few others is saying ZX2 can not power Z7. In my case, it is god like combo, and now with this silver cables....it melt me down like a chocolate on a warm stove
wink.gif

It certainly got a good bit better with my silver dragon upgrade.  Yes, I have the Japanese version of the ZX2 but I prefer driving the Z7 out of the PHA3 as well as my balanced desktop amps.  
 
Aug 19, 2015 at 7:48 PM Post #5,750 of 9,173
It certainly got a good bit better with my silver dragon upgrade.  Yes, I have the Japanese version of the ZX2 but I prefer driving the Z7 out of the PHA3 as well as my balanced desktop amps.  


Fair enough :D mean while I love my combo ZX2+Z7, and if I really want to drive it through amp, it would be through 3.5 aux to preserve ZX2 sonic quality via my large home system amplifier :wink:

Mean while, do you mind telling the differences between Z7 straight connect to ZX2 VS Z7 and your home amplifier ? Don't compare it to the PHA3 because PHA3 is a different sound signature :D
 
Aug 21, 2015 at 2:57 PM Post #5,751 of 9,173
   
Not yet.  I'll be sending the cable to get reterminated to 4 pin XLR, for my upcoming Liquid Carbon.  But I needed to give it a listen first...

If you don't mind me asking, where are you sending your cables to get reterminated?  Are you sending the stock cables or the Kimber Kables or something else?  I'm also waiting for my Liquid Carbon and thought I'd like to try my Z7 with them as well
 
Aug 21, 2015 at 5:27 PM Post #5,752 of 9,173
This post is dedicated to silver cables and it sonic improvements. Thank you Lavricables (a head-fier fellow) and from this eBay transaction that I was able to purchase this cables with better price, faster communications, but on top of all, thank you for your superb understanding about your cables and sonic characteristic, a true audiophile at heart. Well recommended if you want fast custom job, fast shipping, experienced by myself that the cables is solid core and silver all the way through by magnifier and some cuts as I wanted to see if it was not any silver plated crap! Anyways, here is the link. Feel free to delete if inappropriate

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Ultimate-Pure-Solid-Silver-99-999-Sony-MDR-ZX2-MDR-Z7-upgrade-cable-Lavricables-/171899128159?hash=item2805fc895f

After 75 hours and I think my silver cables is burn-in enough, so I am going to give a review here as observed from TRRS ZX2 + Z7

Sound sig overall : The same characteristic in my Z7 review but with improvements, vocal carry more emotions, each instruments are with more spaces, bass is with more energy, and mid is even more fluidity and flow....I didn't think it was possible....but it is eargasm to the max.

Now, let's move onto closer examinations of these improvements in order of the most obvious to the least

Mids: String instruments and vocal now carry the emotions at it heart...you know how guitar work ? For example ? When you play a note, the vibration caused the sounds but it is not exactly one perfect tone that you are playing .....it varies in its tonality body and the energy flows, and exactly this reason the artist always control the tone with repeatable finger pressure for emotions ! Exactly, this effect popped in my face. Now I say that with better flows and accuracy, this won't be such easy tells. The same effect for vocals. The whole Mids is going forward and vocals slightly relaxed back a little bit, but with more energy, details, and this super continuous flows.....just eargasm. Period.

Bass: faster pace, much more articulated, sub-bass is no longer slow, and muddy. Mid bass is now playing with authority, faster pace, better housing resonance produced but beat with faster pace for better controlled tonality and accuracy ! Sub-bass would pressurize my ears that I can totally feel it, rumbles and different drum sizes housing resonances can now be easier tell a part. I feel like bass has taken another level of air, space, rhythm, speed, accuracy ! Still carry the same boom, but less bloom...lol, the same rumbles but much more accurate because I can tell so many different sub-bass tones.

Highs: So, So, So, super vividly smooth and energized, so spacious...oh my ghost the airy appearances of some hand chimes. It came out with more details compares to stock cables. Like stock cables had a silk drape around it, also edgy...I don't call it harsh but edgy...like a square tone, where as here it is super smooth as a Hexagon shape, it gets edgy only where it needs be. Clear, detailed, analytical, but yet relaxed because it is airy and not edgy that offend my ear drums.......I didn't know it would get this good....! It is an addiction....lol. For a guy who once was cheaper out and skeptical about cables.....I can't go without quality silver anymore.

Sound Stage: Larger with even better placements, which make instruments layers easily be spotted and imagined. Satisfying ! Breathe taking

Sound Space: I said it got a slight hint of 3rd dimension with stock cables....here imagine you are being suspended in mid-air, and instruments, sound effects are floating around you. I can hear the fading effect from further away to closer in my face, ascending and descending effects. I never thought that hearing music would make me turn my head around to see if it was my wife calling, and through the music and the isolation of my HP it turned to be wishper sounds lol....you know those distant effect of a female (uh, ah) in electric and dances ? I don't mean porn ...lol. Super and duper submersive 3rd dimension.

Overall: articulated bass, more energy and flows, more detailed highs and relaxed high spectrums tonality. Superb !!!




Talk about portability and audio quality....can't get better than this :D. They come with me to work, to cars meet, to coffee, parks.....etc.




 
Aug 21, 2015 at 8:10 PM Post #5,753 of 9,173
  If you don't mind me asking, where are you sending your cables to get reterminated?  Are you sending the stock cables or the Kimber Kables or something else?  I'm also waiting for my Liquid Carbon and thought I'd like to try my Z7 with them as well

 

 
I already had it done.  @PETEREK (formerly Casper as in the photo)  He did a great job and now I'm all set for the Liquid Carbon.  He can do a Kimber Kable or a stock cable mod for you too.
 
Here's his Etsy shop.
 
https://www.etsy.com/shop/cCasperTFG
 
Aug 21, 2015 at 8:54 PM Post #5,754 of 9,173
   

 
I already had it done.  @PETEREK (formerly Casper as in the photo)  He did a great job and now I'm all set for the Liquid Carbon.  He can do a Kimber Kable or a stock cable mod for you too.
 
Here's his Etsy shop.
 
https://www.etsy.com/shop/cCasperTFG

Wow, they look great!  He really did a nice job on them.  Unfortunately, I bought mine used so I didn't get the stock balanced cables but the seller did throw in the Kimber Kable for free.  If I get the Kimber modded, I won't be able to utilize the PHA3.  Hmmm.......
 
Thank you for replying.  I've got some thinking to do
 
Aug 22, 2015 at 5:41 AM Post #5,755 of 9,173
  Wow, they look great!  He really did a nice job on them.  Unfortunately, I bought mine used so I didn't get the stock balanced cables but the seller did throw in the Kimber Kable for free.  If I get the Kimber modded, I won't be able to utilize the PHA3.  Hmmm.......
 
Thank you for replying.  I've got some thinking to do

 
Well, keep in mind mine was the 1/4" Kimber, and while reterminating he also made me this:
 

 
So I can plug into 1/4" stuff too...
 
Aug 22, 2015 at 8:55 AM Post #5,757 of 9,173
Any improvements over non-balanced listening experiences yet
smily_headphones1.gif
?

 
Not yet, but I think its just because my HiFi-M8 isn't truly balanced, just impedance balanced.  When I get my Liquid Carbon, in a few weeks, I will test single ended vs balanced.  I do expect a significant improvement, but I'll let my ears tell me...
 
Aug 22, 2015 at 10:06 AM Post #5,758 of 9,173
  Wow, they look great!  He really did a nice job on them.  Unfortunately, I bought mine used so I didn't get the stock balanced cables but the seller did throw in the Kimber Kable for free.  If I get the Kimber modded, I won't be able to utilize the PHA3.  Hmmm.......
 
Thank you for replying.  I've got some thinking to do


Not true, have cCasper TFG make you a small adapter that would also allow the use of the PHA 3. I suspect this is possible, but ask to be sure.
 
Aug 22, 2015 at 11:06 AM Post #5,759 of 9,173
   
Well, keep in mind mine was the 1/4" Kimber, and while reterminating he also made me this:
 

 
So I can plug into 1/4" stuff too...

That's awesome!  I'll have to contact him and see what can be done.  Thank you!
 
Aug 22, 2015 at 11:12 AM Post #5,760 of 9,173
 
Not true, have cCasper TFG make you a small adapter that would also allow the use of the PHA 3. I suspect this is possible, but ask to be sure.

Thanks!  That makes perfect sense.  Sometimes I tend to forget sensible thinking due to my work environment lol
 

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