[MatthewWeflen]

I have the Z7 (mk1) and the Z1R, love them both. The Z7 to my ears is darker, slower, a bit richer. The Z1R has better resolution and clarity up top and does not sound as narrow as the Z7. I prefer the Z1R, but I've had the Z7 longer and just can't force myself to part with them - they are comfy, built well, and present a fun experience. To my ears the Z7 is a more colored sound signature than the Z1R. Haven't heard the MK2 yet.

You've got quite the collection! Would you care to briefly evaluate them against each other?

 

[lugnut]

I have the Z7 (mk1) and the Z1R, love them both. The Z7 to my ears is darker, slower, a bit richer. The Z1R has better resolution and clarity up top and does not sound as narrow as the Z7. I prefer the Z1R, but I've had the Z7 longer and just can't force myself to part with them - they are comfy, built well, and present a fun experience. To my ears the Z7 is a more colored sound signature than the Z1R. Haven't heard the MK2 yet.

I agree with you on the Z7 vs Z1R sound differences you mention. I have owned the Z7 for several years and have listened to the Z1R and prefer the Z1R. My biggest issue with them is the high cost of the Z1R. I paid $299 for the Z7 new and think the Z1R was $1800 when I was considering them, don't know what they cost now. I just could not bring myself to pay that for the Z1R, with already owning the Z7. I can understand those who would pay that, especially if the Z1R was going to be their main set of cans.

 

[beautiophile]

Yeah, frankly, I would like to keep the Z7, but selling it was critical to WAF (no to mention assuaging my own first-world guilt)

LOL! Did she know the price of Z1R? Or to her, Z7 and Z1R are the same object?
btw, I still miss the Z7 sound although I've bought the mk2 to fill the void of my broken Z7. Could you give me a pm of your ebay link? Just to check my tempted desire.

 

[MatthewWeflen]

LOL! Did she know the price of Z1R? Or to her, Z7 and Z1R are the same object?
btw, I still miss the Z7 sound although I've bought the mk2 to fill the void of my broken Z7. Could you give me a pm of your ebay link? Just to check my tempted desire.

She knows the relative costs of each, but the money earned back on the Z7 ( as well as some other recent ebay sales of mine that saw a profit) would defray the cost of the Z1R. I could of course just buy the Z1R and keep the Z7. But this narrative brings with it greater marital bliss.

 

[MatthewWeflen]

btw, I still miss the Z7 sound although I've bought the mk2 to fill the void of my broken Z7.

How would you compare the Z7 to the Z7M2?

 

[Pirastro]

So I've completely rediscovered my Z7s! Let me give some background: for some time, because of their efficiency, the Z7s have been relegated to portable use - straight out of the MacBook, iPhone or iPad. Also, I used to listen to them through a Chord Mojo and also a Hifi-M8. This was fine. Not great, but just pretty good. However, just recently I got a Marantz HD-DAC1 to replace my Musical Fidelity M1-HPA/V-DACii setup in my study. This allowed for me to set up the Musical Fidelity M1-HPA/Vdacii as a bedside system. Just for shoots and giggles I thought I'd try the MDR-Z7s with this setup and by golly they sound PHENOMENAL! I never realized how well these bad boys scale up and sound awesome with some real class A power! Super excited cause my wife has been complaining about me listening to open headphones in bed while she's trying to sleep. Now, I get awesome sound with closed cans and my wife is sleeping more soundly, lol!

 

[Hinomotocho]

Addicted to Audio in Australia is having a big sale on Sony gear

https://addictedtoaudio.com.au/coll...rbF9lbWFpbCI6ICJiZW5pbm56OThAZ21haWwuY29tIn0=

 

[Mink]

Sony MDR-Z7s for the win. Aren't they just marvelous? That bass really is a thing of beauty. Technically not as good as Nighthawk's bass, that one goes deeper, hits a bit harder and is more linear. But Z7s bass has that analogue late 60's and 70's type of bass, with a fat belly and with a different kind of bloom as NightHawk's.
I have come to the conclusion that I don't have a favorite nor a best pair of headphones. The Z7s are just as excellent as my NightHawks, Night Owls, Avantone Planars, Fidelio X3 and HD650s. I love all my headphones, but for different reasons.
Unfortunately the ear pads are starting to flake a bit, but luckily I have two sets of spare ear pads, not the original of Sony, but both made of genuine leather. The size, depth and thickness is almost identical to the original pads, so I am confident they will work. Not looking forward to the unscrewing of those tiny screws that secure the pads though, why did Sony make it so unnecessarily hard to replace those damn ear pads?

 

[Pirastro]

Sony MDR-Z7s for the win. Aren't they just marvelous? That bass really is a thing of beauty. Technically not as good as Nighthawk's bass, that one goes deeper, hits a bit harder and is more linear. But Z7s bass has that analogue late 60's and 70's type of bass, with a fat belly and with a different kind of bloom as NightHawk's.
I have come to the conclusion that I don't have a favorite nor a best pair of headphones. The Z7s are just as excellent as my NightHawks, Night Owls, Avantone Planars, Fidelio X3 and HD650s. I love all my headphones, but for different reasons.
Unfortunately the ear pads are starting to flake a bit, but luckily I have two sets of spare ear pads, not the original of Sony, but both made of genuine leather. The size, depth and thickness is almost identical to the original pads, so I am confident they will work. Not looking forward to the unscrewing of those tiny screws that secure the pads though, why did Sony make it so unnecessarily hard to replace those damn ear pads?

Just replaced mine with genuine Sony OEM ear pads - ouch, they were expensive! That being said, they were not at all difficult to install.

Also, just thought I'd add that I've really been enjoying the z7s with small ensemble classical music - chamber music. Right now listening to Brahms violin sonatas (Kavakos/wang) streamed 24/96 on Qobuz. Have to say these are my favorite cans for reproducing the sound of the violin. They are not neutral, but add a nice 'body' to the lower string's tone. Piano also sounds smooth and hefty.

 

[Mink]

Just replaced mine with genuine Sony OEM ear pads - ouch, they were expensive! That being said, they were not at all difficult to install.

Also, just thought I'd add that I've really been enjoying the z7s with small ensemble classical music - chamber music. Right now listening to Brahms violin sonatas (Kavakos/wang) streamed 24/96 on Qobuz. Have to say these are my favorite cans for reproducing the sound of the violin. They are not neutral, but add a nice 'body' to the lower string's tone. Piano also sounds smooth and hefty.

Yes, I enjoy classical music as well with the Z7s. There's some nice depth in the sound, a pretty remarkable sense of soundstage and instrument separation. Not always the most natural sounding, but like a good mult-miked recording, say a Philips Volker Strauss recording instead of a single microphone Mercury Living Presence recording.

 

[Tacitus]

I'm possibly more sensitive to the changes in sound that aftermarket cushions have on headphones. They definitely change the sound and often for the worse. A few years ago someone did an exhaustive test of how various aftermarket cushions affected the sound of a popular headphone. i think it was the HD650 or HD600. He used some sort of dummy head with microphones rigged up inside and plotted the sound recorded on a frequency graph. The aftermarket cushions measured poorly compared to the OEMs.

My personal experience with the pricier aftermarket cushions for HD650 is that they made the sound anemic and hollowed out because of the added cushion depth and stiffness of the foam.

The OEM pads for the Z7 can be purchased from Japan retailers for half the price that Sony's American parts store has them listed for. But you have to use a shipping proxy service. I was able to buy the OEM cushions so cheaply that I flipped a couple sets for profit on ebay. I keep one backup set in the closet ready to go when my current pads start to form permanent creases on the sides of the cushions.

Thanks to @runssical's suggestion about OEM earpads for the Z7, I just bought a pair on a Japanese retailer's site for less than half of what Sony charges in the USA. Even with fees for the shipping proxy service, it seems very cost effective to buy some spare pads from Japan, at least if you're in North America.

But in case anyone else is looking for a great deal on a new cable ... no such luck, as far as I could tell. In Japan, Sony's Kimber cables for the Z7/Z1R were similarly priced to what I've seen on Amazon and eBay. And the original Z7 balanced cable is apparently a collectible.

 

[runssical]

Just a heads up regarding Schiit amps and how they mesh with the Z7. I have had two Schiit amps, The Magni 3 (2017) and most recently an Asgard 3. I didn

Thanks to @runssical's suggestion about OEM earpads for the Z7, I just bought a pair on a Japanese retailer's site for less than half of what Sony charges in the USA. Even with fees for the shipping proxy service, it seems very cost effective to buy some spare pads from Japan, at least if you're in North America.

But in case anyone else is looking for a great deal on a new cable ... no such luck, as far as I could tell. In Japan, Sony's Kimber cables for the Z7/Z1R were similarly priced to what I've seen on Amazon and eBay. And the original Z7 balanced cable is apparently a collectible.

Good job saving money going direct. Sony hoses North America with their replacement prices. The cable should be available from Japan. Just make sure you check for the current part number which has been either changed or folded in with the all-black Z7M2 single-ended cable. As for the balanced cable that cable design is just useless. Sony just wanted to give new Z7 owners a carrot to buy their pricey PH3 dac/amp. I'm planning on getting my OEM balanced cable shortened and reterminated to SE with an angled 3.5mm plug. The Z7 doesn't need BO at all.

 

[runssical]

Blue Jeans Cable reterminated my damaged cable with a nice Neutrik plug

 

[gerelmx1986]

Once you hear the MDR-Z1R, the z7 no longer sound good.

 

[runssical]

Once you hear the MDR-Z1R, the z7 no longer sound good.

Well the Z7 sounds better than the Z1R according to my wallet