[plakat]

Yeah I heard the Stealth and didn’t feel anything or hear anything exceptional. It was like it was dead. Very Little impact or dynamics. Very sterile and lifeless.

While taste obviously differs, this might also have something to do with the amp used... the Stealth seems to like rather powerful amps, especially when bass comes into play. I've heard them again just today, and while I do think that they have a detailed but very polite upper mids / treble section, the bass sure is far from lifeless. It does not snap like Focals do, but since that's one reason I don't like Utopia et. al., the bass of the Stealth is fine with me. It's new brother E3 elevates both bass and upper mids/lower treble a bit more btw.

 

[Waddiewadkins]

2k is somehow 'mid-range' now. Jesus....

I really liked the Noire's, and they would be perfect if for a bit more impact/dynamic. I kept the Beyer T5 (which I EQ slightly) for their more expansive soundstage and impact which suits electronic music...but miss the comfort and natural sound of the Noires

T5v3? Yes I found these eventually online... just found the 8xx ,, mad that they weren't more apparent or forthcoming in forums or mentioned in comparisons. So there's a Drop version of the 800,, its expensive but comparable to Noire price. It has the incredible soundstage but tuned darker than the 800s, missing the treble extension but with EQ you can do things. Maybe with used open box etc can find a 800€, or lower.

 

[Waddiewadkins]

2k is somehow 'mid-range' now. Jesus....

I really liked the Noire's, and they would be perfect if for a bit more impact/dynamic. I kept the Beyer T5 (which I EQ slightly) for their more expansive soundstage and impact which suits electronic music...but miss the comfort and natural sound of the Noires

Oh wait sorry the 8xx are open back.

 

[SolarCetacean]

I'm really liking my MDR-Z1R. I find it extremely immersive, particularly for orchestral music. The spatial presentation of being on the conductor's podium is very immersive, hearing first violins just to my left, the soloist just to my right, brass to my right and a little further away, booming bass drums a bit further out, and the choir behind them is so engaging. All of the weirdness in the tonality works for that sort of presentation and if I EQ out that weirdness, the compelling spatial presentation is lost. Then it sounds like I'm in the audience rather than up front with the conductor. I find it captures the energy of orchestral music better than most headphones I've tried. Once I figured out its intended experience, I enjoy it everywhere. EDM also sounds really good, since the bass is powerful, and the vocals are pushed further away which works nicely with more aggressively mixed/mastered tracks. Sure, the peaks at 3K and 10K can be distracting sometimes, but they don't bother me all that much. I keep thinking that I should have gotten these headphones years ago.

My Aeon 2 Closed with perforated earpads has been handed off to my wife. After owning it for two and a half years, I got sick of trying and failing to enjoy it. The dynamics were weak no matter what I did (unless I used dynamic EQ, which restricts me to computer sources), vocals were too forward and intense, and something was always off about the timbre. Without any inserts, it had rubbery bass and too-sharp treble. With the thickest inserts, it was too dead, with the trailing ends of notes truncated, like everything was played staccato in an anechoic chamber. With the middle insert, it was sort of both, but to smaller degrees each. It's the thing where if I'm listening to it as background music, then it sounds just fine, very detailed and neutral. But the more I paid attention to the music, the less I enjoyed it. My wife isn't an audiophile, so she isn't as picky as I am about the sound, and she thinks the lack of dynamics is a good thing since she is sensitive to sudden sounds. She's happily using it now, which is great!

 

[Halimj7]

I'm really liking my MDR-Z1R. I find it extremely immersive, particularly for orchestral music. The spatial presentation of being on the conductor's podium is very immersive, hearing first violins just to my left, the soloist just to my right, brass to my right and a little further away, booming bass drums a bit further out, and the choir behind them is so engaging. All of the weirdness in the tonality works for that sort of presentation and if I EQ out that weirdness, the compelling spatial presentation is lost. Then it sounds like I'm in the audience rather than up front with the conductor. I find it captures the energy of orchestral music better than most headphones I've tried. Once I figured out its intended experience, I enjoy it everywhere. EDM also sounds really good, since the bass is powerful, and the vocals are pushed further away which works nicely with more aggressively mixed/mastered tracks. Sure, the peaks at 3K and 10K can be distracting sometimes, but they don't bother me all that much. I keep thinking that I should have gotten these headphones years ago.

My Aeon 2 Closed with perforated earpads has been handed off to my wife. After owning it for two and a half years, I got sick of trying and failing to enjoy it. The dynamics were weak no matter what I did (unless I used dynamic EQ, which restricts me to computer sources), vocals were too forward and intense, and something was always off about the timbre. Without any inserts, it had rubbery bass and too-sharp treble. With the thickest inserts, it was too dead, with the trailing ends of notes truncated, like everything was played staccato in an anechoic chamber. With the middle insert, it was sort of both, but to smaller degrees each. It's the thing where if I'm listening to it as background music, then it sounds just fine, very detailed and neutral. But the more I paid attention to the music, the less I enjoyed it. My wife isn't an audiophile, so she isn't as picky as I am about the sound, and she thinks the lack of dynamics is a good thing since she is sensitive to sudden sounds. She's happily using it now, which is great!

I love Sony audio. I own and love DMP Z1, Thes-z1 and have all their DAPS. But I just have not loved their headphones. I tried so hard to love the MDR-Z1R. Build, comfort and isolation are great. Sound was O.K. but not much better than the $600 Audio-Technica wp900 imo. Have you tried the wp900? Might save you some money.

 

[kumar402]

Z1R is not an easy headphone to love but with right amp and source it can sound great. I don’t have it with me at the moment but with my current chain of Pasithea and Bliss, I have a feeling it might sound great.

I enjoyed it a lot with Poly Mojo OG combo as well.

 

[SolarCetacean]

I love Sony audio. I own and love DMP Z1, Thes-z1 and have all their DAPS. But I just have not loved their headphones. I tried so hard to love the MDR-Z1R. Build, comfort and isolation are great. Sound was O.K. but not much better than the $600 Audio-Technica wp900 imo. Have you tried the wp900? Might save you some money.

I haven't tried the WP900, though I've been curious about it. My first audiophile headphone was the Audio Technica A990Z, so it's high time I brought an AT back into my collection. I have a modded MDR-Z7M2 which I also like, and what hooked me on the Sony sound. I've been thinking of trying out the WP900 and the AWAS, though I'm not sure if they would provide a similar experience to the Z1R. I've found that I really dislike forward vocals and the Z1R is exceptional in how it usually pushes vocals further away.

 

[Halimj7]

I haven't tried the WP900, though I've been curious about it. My first audiophile headphone was the Audio Technica A990Z, so it's high time I brought an AT back into my collection. I have a modded MDR-Z7M2 which I also like, and what hooked me on the Sony sound. I've been thinking of trying out the WP900 and the AWAS, though I'm not sure if they would provide a similar experience to the Z1R. I've found that I really dislike forward vocals and the Z1R is exceptional in how it usually pushes vocals further away.

AWAS is truly special but is a lot different/almost opposite from the Z1R and wp900. AWAS is a very organic and natural sounding headphone. It does not try hard to wow you but produces instruments so effortlessly. It has a slight lift in upper mids. What are you pairing your Z1R with? Any special cables? Thanks. Glad you are enjoying.

 

[ozz007]

I order a close JMaudio the XTC2.5 let you all know how it sounds

 

[SolarCetacean]

AWAS is truly special but is a lot different/almost opposite from the Z1R and wp900. AWAS is a very organic and natural sounding headphone. It does not try hard to wow you but produces instruments so effortlessly. It has a slight lift in upper mids. What are you pairing your Z1R with? Any special cables? Thanks. Glad you are enjoying.

Exciting, it's a shame that the AWAS is so hard to find and it's too expensive for me to just blind buy. It's been a few years since I owned an AT, but I recall liking their vocal presentation a lot. But that was before I developed this allergy to forward vocals. But AT seem to do something special with them, just like how the Stax SR-X9000 also has forward vocals, but I found them "sweet" rather than shouty or overly intense like the Dan Clark headphones I've tried. The AWAS is the next stop on my closed-back hunt.

I'm looking at the WP900 as a more portable/ergonomic option. I have the Z7M2 for that right now, but it lacks a bit of portability still due to its cable connectors in the back. I can't lean back into a pillow that well. Plus the Z7 sticks out quite a bit laterally. It's a real shame I dislike the Aeon 2, since it would have been perfect for that role.

I've paired the Z1R with all of my usual gear, the ZX707 Walkman, the FiiO K9 Pro AKM, and the Ferrum Erco. I'm using the stock 4.4mm cables. I listened to it on my Walkman with Kimber silver cables at CAF but I thought it was extra harsh and sharp and that those cables didn't improve it. I do think the Z1R sometimes sounds weird, especially before I figured out its schtick. It's one of those things where once the sound "clicks", I don't find its issues that problematic because I know what that tuning is supposed to accomplish.

 

[Waddiewadkins]

Very keen in WP900 for a year! Seem like a safer bet than Elegias in terms of buying without audition and not wanting to do the returns thing.

 

[Waddiewadkins]

Exciting, it's a shame that the AWAS is so hard to find and it's too expensive for me to just blind buy. It's been a few years since I owned an AT, but I recall liking their vocal presentation a lot. But that was before I developed this allergy to forward vocals. But AT seem to do something special with them, just like how the Stax SR-X9000 also has forward vocals, but I found them "sweet" rather than shouty or overly intense like the Dan Clark headphones I've tried. The AWAS is the next stop on my closed-back hunt.

I'm looking at the WP900 as a more portable/ergonomic option. I have the Z7M2 for that right now, but it lacks a bit of portability still due to its cable connectors in the back. I can't lean back into a pillow that well. Plus the Z7 sticks out quite a bit laterally. It's a real shame I dislike the Aeon 2, since it would have been perfect for that role.

I've paired the Z1R with all of my usual gear, the ZX707 Walkman, the FiiO K9 Pro AKM, and the Ferrum Erco. I'm using the stock 4.4mm cables. I listened to it on my Walkman with Kimber silver cables at CAF but I thought it was extra harsh and sharp and that those cables didn't improve it. I do think the Z1R sometimes sounds weird, especially before I figured out its schtick. It's one of those things where once the sound "clicks", I don't find its issues that problematic because I know what that tuning is supposed to accomplish.

Z7M2 - air traffic ground controller look?

 

[Rhamnetin]

Over the past month I've compared the HiFiMan Sundara closed, AKG K371, Focal Celestee, ETA Mini Closed, and DCA E3, all with the Chord Mojo 2. That's all over the spectrum in budget, but the E3 is now the one to beat. Of all headphones, it sounds more like my 3-way monitors than any other which really amazes me. It has no faults to my ears. Its linearity makes it very distinct from other headphones but it's exactly what I wanted: maximum realism. I also still can't believe how clean the treble response is, and the portability is very nice. It certainly seems like my end game.

The K371 also gets a top recommendation for me for its value and portability (and it's extremely sensitive which is nice). It's a bit too bassy but EQ helps. The Focal Celestee really needed its ~3.8 KHz frequency response dip boosted, after which it's fine but not at all worth the price. I actually prefer both the K371 and ETA to it, and found imaging to be slightly less precise if anything with the Celestee vs the K371.

The Sundara closed back has far too little sub-bass and overall is my least favorite primarily for that reason. The ETA Mini Closed and AKG K371 were extremely close, with the biggest difference being the elevated bass response on the K371 but other than that, very little to separate them besides price. The K371 seems to have a larger sound stage, the ETA might have a tiny bit better separation but I'm not sure about that.

At the end of the day, the AKG K371, ETA Mini Closed, and Focal Celestee all sounded like they were on the same level with the Chord Mojo 2. Only the DCA E3 managed to separate itself from not only those but every other headphone I've listened to properly. One of very few expensive headphones to live up to its price. I want to compare it to the HiFiMan HE-R10P Stealth one day as well as the newer Audeze LCD-XC (the old one was unimpressive for me to say the least).

 

[Waddiewadkins]

Over the past month I've compared the HiFiMan Sundara closed, AKG K371, Focal Celestee, ETA Mini Closed, and DCA E3, all with the Chord Mojo 2. That's all over the spectrum in budget, but the E3 is now the one to beat. Of all headphones, it sounds more like my 3-way monitors than any other which really amazes me. It has no faults to my ears. Its linearity makes it very distinct from other headphones but it's exactly what I wanted: maximum realism. I also still can't believe how clean the treble response is, and the portability is very nice. It certainly seems like my end game.

The K371 also gets a top recommendation for me for its value and portability (and it's extremely sensitive which is nice). It's a bit too bassy but EQ helps. The Focal Celestee really needed its ~3.8 KHz frequency response dip boosted, after which it's fine but not at all worth the price. I actually prefer both the K371 and ETA to it, and found imaging to be slightly less precise if anything with the Celestee vs the K371.

The Sundara closed back has far too little sub-bass and overall is my least favorite primarily for that reason. The ETA Mini Closed and AKG K371 were extremely close, with the biggest difference being the elevated bass response on the K371 but other than that, very little to separate them besides price. The K371 seems to have a larger sound stage, the ETA might have a tiny bit better separation but I'm not sure about that.

At the end of the day, the AKG K371, ETA Mini Closed, and Focal Celestee all sounded like they were on the same level with the Chord Mojo 2. Only the DCA E3 managed to separate itself from not only those but every other headphone I've listened to properly. One of very few expensive headphones to live up to its price. I want to compare it to the HiFiMan HE-R10P Stealth one day as well as the newer Audeze LCD-XC (the old one was unimpressive for me to say the least).

Might get E3 on pay plan

 

[SolarCetacean]

I've been part-time following the E3 discussion. People say it's more dynamic, but I'll believe it when I hear it because the Aeon 2 Noire wasn't dynamic and the Stealth wasn't dynamic, while the Corina and the Expanse masked their low dynamics with bass quantity. The Stealth was uninspiring both times I tried it. It's better than the Noire, I'll give it that much, with more controlled treble and less rubbery bass, but most of the things that I grew to loathe on the Noire were still there on the Stealth; that blunting of notes and the constriction of note decay. I actually liked the Stealth better on the Woo Audio WA22 tube amp than on clean-sounding solid state gear. I presume the added distortion and lack of damping resulted in slightly more reverberation which contributed to that sense of openness. And openness is one of the most important qualities I look for in a headphone.

Anyways, I'll give the E3 a try the next time I head out to HeadAmp and I'll listen to it first so my mind isn't already in comparison mode. It never hurts to try something out, especially if the trip involves eating great empanadas at a nearby bakery (if any of you are in Charlottesville VA, I recommend trying out Cumbre Bakery). Hopefully I'll be pleasantly surprised with the E3, but I admit I'm biased to not expect it.