[Fastnbulbous]

Has anyone heard the $2,300 Sony MDR-Z1R? I like the weight (385 g compared to the LCD-XC's 650 g), but how does it measure up to the mighty MDR-R10 (bass-light), famously ranked the third best of all time behind the Orpheus and SR-009 in Mahler's battle of the flagships?

 

[Fastnbulbous]

Not that weight is the only factor for comfort, but here's the figures:
 
Sony MDR-Z1R: 375
MrSpeakers Ether C Flow: 370
Audeze LCD-XC: 650
Fostex TH-900 MK2: 390
beyerdynamic DT 1770 Pro: 388
MrSpeakers Alpha Prime: 440
Fostex TH-X00: 350

 

[beowulf]

Has anyone heard the $2,300 Sony MDR-Z1R? I like the weight (385 g compared to the LCD-XC's 650 g), but how does it measure up to the mighty MDR-R10 (bass-light), famously ranked the third best of all time behind the Orpheus and SR-009 in Mahler's battle of the flagships?

Not yet but it is ordered. 10 more days...

Build quality should easily surpass any of the models listed.
Sound wise, no idea. Can be the next R10 or just a tepid refined Z7. We'll see.

I have to check out the TH-900 too.

 

[BookerDeWitt]

Awesome review! Thank you for taking the time, I'm about to make my first major headphone purchase, I'm struggling to decide on TH-x00 or alpha prime.... however I'm looking to build my own alpha prime with mods, maybe the smartest thing to do is start with TH-x00 to get some real idea of what good headphones sound like, it would end up costing the same by the time I raise a pair of t50rp's to near alpha prime level, I love the idea of modding my own cans... I'm a car guy at heart so I compare this to buying a Nissan GT-R and raising it to Aventadore levels of performance, or just buy the Aventadore, knowing full well it'll just make me want a Bugatti or Koeniggsegg even more...?

 

[Giupy]

Give us the girl and wipe away the debt!

Sorry, couldn't help it.

I don't know if this is of much help to you, but this is a bit of a guide Mr. Speakers posted right here on Head-fi about modding your Alphas by starting from Fostex T50/40/20RP.

You will always want better headphones, but there are things like common sense, wives and credit limits standing in your way

 

[227qed]

Awesome review! Thank you for taking the time, I'm about to make my first major headphone purchase, I'm struggling to decide on TH-x00 or alpha prime.... however I'm looking to build my own alpha prime with mods, maybe the smartest thing to do is start with TH-x00 to get some real idea of what good headphones sound like, it would end up costing the same by the time I raise a pair of t50rp's to near alpha prime level, I love the idea of modding my own cans... I'm a car guy at heart so I compare this to buying a Nissan GT-R and raising it to Aventadore levels of performance, or just buy the Aventadore, knowing full well it'll just make me want a Bugatti or Koeniggsegg even more...?

I was/am kinda in the same boat. I just picked up some very lightly used X00s for $300 and am blown away by the sound quality. These are my first, what I consider, amazing headphones. Got them primarily because I really want th900s after reading everything about them, but it's a bit scary dropping that kinda coin without know what you're getting!

Knowing what I know now though, I will definitely get the th900s because this is awesome. I want more subbass and soundstage for my endgame and know it'll absolutely be worth it.

I want to have fun with my headphones, and the X00s definitely do that for me. I'm listening to genres I never did before because of how good they sound. Hooked on female vocals now after years of being a total instrumental junky haha.

I have some psb m4u2s, which are regarded as being very similar to the oppo pm-3s, and honestly, I prefer my $80 sony xb90s (iems) to those--and I hate iems haha.

Take this as my subjective experience, but if I was you I'd just go straight to my dream car and prepare to have my mind blown. It's been like hearing music for the very first time with my X00s, can't even comprehend the hifi game, but im going to get there as fast as possible now!

Last thought, the bass on the X00 is awesome. If you like bass, be careful what you get if you do decide to spend big $$$. Hearing and feeling bass frequencies are two very different experiences, and a lot of people here prefer, and recommend the former. Figure out which camp you are in and your choices will become really limited (feeling) or really expanded (hearing).

Good luck, let us know what you decide! A few X00 drops just became active too,FYI.

 

[Fastnbulbous]

There's a pretty nice lineup of new closed headphones around $700 lately. I'm hoping someone can do a similar comparison!
 
MrSpeakers AEON, $799 ($699 preorder)
AudioQuest NightOwl, $699
Audeze EL-8, $699
Oppo PM-2, $695
beyerdynamic DT 1770 Pro, $600 ($500 sale)

 

[TimeLord]

  There's a pretty nice lineup of new closed headphones around $700 lately. I'm hoping someone can do a similar comparison!
 
MrSpeakers AEON, $799 ($699 preorder)
AudioQuest NightOwl, $699
Audeze EL-8, $699
Oppo PM-2, $695
beyerdynamic DT 1770 Pro, $600 ($500 sale)

 
Yes, things are starting to heat up in this price range for closed-backs. I'm looking forward to hearing the AEON at CanJam.
 
A quick point, the Oppo PM-2 is an open headphone. They do have the PM-3 which is a diminutive closed back for $399.

 

[canali]

this interests me, too, ...have senn hd650
looking for an upgrade or complimentary sound:
balanced, detailed, punchy, dynamic
versatile cans, easy to drive/match up with diff dacs.

 

[nephilim32]

There's a pretty nice lineup of new closed headphones around $700 lately. I'm hoping someone can do a similar comparison!

MrSpeakers AEON, $799 ($699 preorder)
AudioQuest NightOwl, $699
Audeze EL-8, $699
Oppo PM-2, $695
beyerdynamic DT 1770 Pro, $600 ($500 sale)

Absolutely great list. I'd love to throw in the Sony MDR Z7's and Foxtex 00 to this list and make a week of it.

 

[canali]

Now this is getting Interesting...

 

[gr8soundz]

Now this is getting Interesting...

+1
 
Would be great to see a shootout between the Aeon, NightOwl, and Z7.
 

 

[TimeLord]

I now need to hear the NightOw and the DT 1770. I have heard everything else. So far the AEON is leading the crowd. I got to hear it at CanJam and it is a really nice can. I want to hear it again in a more controlled environment and assess the bass response some more. That's the one area that needs to improve, though I was told the units on display were not burned-in yet and that will improve. I heard another pair of AEON that had about a week of use and it did have a better bass response, so I'll wait and see.
 
If the DT 1770 has the Beyer "house sound" I'm not going to be interested.

 

[gr8soundz]

  I now need to hear the NightOw and the DT 1770. I have heard everything else. So far the AEON is leading the crowd. I got to hear it at CanJam and it is a really nice can. I want to hear it again in a more controlled environment and assess the bass response some more. That's the one area that needs to improve, though I was told the units on display were not burned-in yet and that will improve. I heard another pair of AEON that had about a week of use and it did have a better bass response, so I'll wait and see.
 
If the DT 1770 has the Beyer "house sound" I'm not going to be interested.

 
Any thoughts on how the 3-year old Sony Z7 compares to the Aeon?
 
I know it's a dynamic vs planar but both are closed headphones and have (or had) similar starting prices. I still have my Z7s (and the PM-3 as well) and wonder how much of an upgrade the Aeon might be.
 

 

[TimeLord]

Any thoughts on how the 3-year old Sony Z7 compares to the Aeon?

I know it's a dynamic vs planar but both are closed headphones and have (or had) similar starting prices. I still have my Z7s (and the PM-3 as well) and wonder how much of an upgrade the Aeon might be.

 

It has been quiet a while since I heard the Z7. I recall not being impressed. There was something strange going on with its treble response. Take this with a grain of salt since it has been a long time...

The PM-3 on the other hand, I have heard it multiple times and it is not a contender. The cup size is too small and it rests on my ears instead of around them. It gets uncomfortable after a few minutes. The bass is anemic probably due to the size of the 40 mm driver on a planar headphone. I have the PM-1 which also has a weak bass response, but it's for home use and it EQs well.

I have an EL-8 Titanium and it is not as good as the EL-8 open version. Something happened to the bass in the closed version. Somehow they managed to make it have a shallow bass response. It does a fine job of reproducing the spectrum, but deep bass abruptly stops instead of reaching all the way down.

Lastly, I also have an Alpha Prime and uts the best closed headphone I have. It's treble response is bit a uncontrolled and its sound stage is very intimate, but overall it does a good job. However, it is not portable in any practical sense of the word.

The AEON didn't have any of the problems listed above if its bass response improves with burn-in.