[beowulf]

  I just discovered the operating manual... a few details.
 
It says that all the leather used on Z1R is natural leather, which is good.
 
It also says, "Please don't force the headphones into your ear canals because the high-density solid chassis might damage your ears. Pressing the headphones deeper into your ear canal might induce clicking sound. This is not a malfunction."(Rough translation from Chinese but it really says "into your ear canal"
 
So MDR-Z1R is designed to be an in-ear monitor? Wow, now this is truly an eye opener.

 
Ahahah. This is a truly special model.

I haven't even opened the manual plastic, but I'm tempted now.

 

[Whitigir]

I just discovered the operating manual... a few details.

It says that all the leather used on Z1R is natural leather, which is good.

It also says, "Please don't force the headphones into your ear canals because the high-density solid chassis might damage your ears. Pressing the headphones deeper into your ear canal might induce clicking sound. This is not a malfunction."(Rough translation from Chinese but it really says "into your ear canal"

So MDR-Z1R is designed to be an in-ear monitor? Wow, now this is truly an eye opener.

This had been going on with Z7, and I already stated that it is due to the nature of the driver diaphragm being LCP....it is not micro-porous like SA5000/R10/Q10. By being this large in nature and pressing on to the cup toward your ears canals, the airs in between have to go somewhere, and it pressed agains the driver diaphragms , which in turns resulted into a plasticky rubbing sound. It is normal....but annoying.

The reason why I kept on asking, where in the Sony world is my new 70mm Nano-Composite diaphragm drivers ?

 

[thanatosguan]

This had been going on with Z7, and I already stated that it is due to the nature of the driver diaphragm being LCP....it is not micro-porous like SA5000/R10/Q10. By being this large in nature and pressing on to the cup toward your ears canals, the airs in between have to go somewhere, and it pressed agains the driver diaphragms , which in turns resulted into a plasticky rubbing sound. It is normal....but annoying.

The reason why I kept on asking, where in the Sony world is my new 70mm Nano-Composite diaphragm drivers ?

No. This text is a copy-pasta from IEM operating manual and a clear typo. They also state you can charge your Wlakman(not Walkman) with ZH1ES on their homepage. Sony China is a horribly managed company even in Sony terms.
 
Something similar can be found in XBA-Z5's manual but not on MDR-Z7's manual. Also, the clicking sound mentioned here means the IEM's tip rubbing against your ear canal causing the sound.
 
And I don't hear any plasticky rubbing sound in the Z7...
 
By the way if the air is not pressing against the diaphragm how should a dynamic driver headphone create sound?
 
Edit:
 

This is straight from XBA-Z5's manual in English, which is almost exactly what my Chinese Z1R manual is saying in Chinese. 

 

[Sp12er3]

Wow... that's a funny one.. Hope nobody who read it attempt to test whether it's possible on a whim.

Joke aside is it a known fact there that Sony China is sloppy? I imagine they'd put more effort into it for a country that value personal audio product quite highly.

 

[Kamil21]

A brief blog review in Japanese just out.

http://tecstaff.blog.so-net.ne.jp/2016-10-20_MDR-Z1R-review

 

[thanatosguan]

Wow... that's a funny one.. Hope nobody who read it attempt to test whether it's possible on a whim.

Joke aside is it a known fact there that Sony China is sloppy? I imagine they'd put more effort into it for a country that value personal audio product quite highly.

 
If you choose "Hi-Res" category or "over-ear" category under headphone, you can't find the Z1R. But if you deselect the category filter it's in there. Overall Sony China's portal is very sloppy and all the photos used are not in high resolution, meaning they look a little blurrier than their Japan or US counterpart.

 

[onlychild]

Thinking of buying these from Amazon UK to be delivered to Chicago. Prime member for US amazon, but never bought anything from U.K. Amazon.

Anybody know the return policy from U.K. Amazon if deliverd in the States?

 

[nanaholic]

 
 
If you choose "Hi-Res" category or "over-ear" category under headphone, you can't find the Z1R. But if you deselect the category filter it's in there. Overall Sony China's portal is very sloppy and all the photos used are not in high resolution, meaning they look a little blurrier than their Japan or US counterpart.

 
It's China, where without strict supervision and management most things are just done at "er, good enough, who cares" level. 

 

[Kamil21]

A brief blog review in Japanese just out.

http://tecstaff.blog.so-net.ne.jp/2016-10-20_MDR-Z1R-review

And an enlightening interview with the designer comparing design thoughts between R10, Qualia and Z1R amongst others.

This time in Thai... bring out the Google translate!

http://rev.at1987.com/interviews/shiomi-shunsuke/

 

[thanatosguan]

   
It's China, where without strict supervision and management most things are just done at "er, good enough, who cares" level. 

 
Very sad. Sony has great brand image in China. I showed my "Sony Design: Making Modern" book to one of my colleagues and he was so excited to see the models he used when he was going to school. If Sony hires the right people, they have the chance to create a serious fanbase in China.
 

And an enlightening interview with the designer comparing design thoughts between R10, Qualia and Z1R amongst others.

This time in Thai... bring out the Google translate!

http://rev.at1987.com/interviews/shiomi-shunsuke/

I feel the Google translate on Thai is a bit wonky... did Mr.Shiomi say "R10 is a behavior similar to the instrument. Echoes of the material used as an instrument with a sound like a violin, unlike the Z1R QUALIA is a concept similar to Z1R unwanted sounds from the diaphragm that is changed. It is designed to be an open ear."
 
Does this mean R10 masterfully controlled echoes to its benefit?

 

[Whitigir]

And an enlightening interview with the designer comparing design thoughts between R10, Qualia and Z1R amongst others.

This time in Thai... bring out the Google translate!

http://rev.at1987.com/interviews/shiomi-shunsuke/

Thanks for the link, but I think the engineer is trying to sell the headphones. LCP diaphragms had been around forever, and it was proven inferior to Biocelluloses and Nano-composite from R10 and Q10 respectively. The R10 was voiced to instruments, and it is true. The Qualia Q10 by design, do employ this this "Resonances free housing", and also were an Opened design as well. By all designs, the Q10 is the summit of headphones designs which has all the main aspects

1/ Nano-composite diaphragms, highly rigid, and self dampening (almost 0 self generated sonical sounds)
2/ Large and powerful Magnet and coil
3/ Resonances free Paper materials cups and chambers
4/ Angled chambers to cancel out standing waves and reflective resonances
5/ Opened designs to let in the ultimate air and spaces




Now, I can see the Z1R being designed as a Closed-off headphones that is trying to mimic the Opened design headphones. He stated that because the opened headphones introduce unwanted ambient noises, and closed off have better isolation....however they are trying to mimic the air and spaciousness of opened design with the New cups chamber design, which is also resonances free. Now, my question is

1/ Plastic diaphragms
2/ Magnesium Dome

Both of these materials are known to have self generated resonances....why was it chosen for the top of the line Sony headphones ? Where he mentioned that he wanted to re-create the voice of the "original".....added resonances and colorations is Never original.

From my point of view, the cup chambers designs are " near perfect"....but why LCP and Magnesium dome ? Where is our Bio-cellulose/Nano-composite diaphragms ? Hell, Sony can still use the LCP and aluminum coated larger surround, but the Dome...it could be Nano-Composite materials (highly rigidity and self dampening)

"R10 is a behavior similar to the instrument. Echoes of the material used as an instrument with a sound like a violin, unlike the Z1R QUALIA is a concept similar to Z1R unwanted sounds from the diaphragm that is changed. It is designed to be an open ear."

Does this mean R10 masterfully controlled echoes to its benefit?

Sounds like that , but remember, Biocelluloses are self dampening materials...unlike LCP

 

[purk]

   
Very sad. Sony has great brand image in China. I showed my "Sony Design: Making Modern" book to one of my colleagues and he was so excited to see the models he used when he was going to school. If Sony hires the right people, they have the chance to create a serious fanbase in China.
 
I feel the Google translate on Thai is a bit wonky... did Mr.Shiomi say "R10 is a behavior similar to the instrument. Echoes of the material used as an instrument with a sound like a violin, unlike the Z1R QUALIA is a concept similar to Z1R unwanted sounds from the diaphragm that is changed. It is designed to be an open ear."
 
Does this mean R10 masterfully controlled echoes to its benefit?

Yes, the R10 was designed to control the resonant to its benefit and was also engineered as a musical instrument.  The Qualia & Z1R are aimed at similar concept of eliminating (or minimizing) the affect of the resonant all together and to remain true to the original sound of diaphragm material as possible.  The method of getting there is different as the Qualia is open while the Z1R  is a closed headphones.  Honest, there will always be a language barrier for a Thai guy trying to interview in English and an Japanese guy trying to answer in English....so he may not be able to convey all of the information.  

 

[thanatosguan]

Both of these materials are known to have self generated resonances....why was it chosen for the top of the line Sony headphones ? Where he mentioned that he wanted to re-create the voice of the "original".....added resonances and colorations is Never original.

From my point of view, the cup chambers designs are " near perfect"....but why LCP and Magnesium dome ? Where is our Bio-cellulose/Nano-composite diaphragms ? Hell, Sony can still use the LCP and aluminum coated larger surround, but the Dome...it could be Nano-Composite materials (highly rigidity and self dampening)
Sounds like that

, but remember, Biocelluloses are self dampening materials...unlike LCP

So why aluminum-coated LCP? According to Nageno-San, there are two primary concerns to be had when picking a material for the driver. Acoustic velocity and internal loss. The ideal material should seek to strike a balance between these two elements. Acoustic velocity is the rate at which a disturbance travels through a medium, and internal loss factors contribute to the resonant ringing in drivers. For example, low internal loss means that drivers will continue to ring even after an input signal has stopped.  Effectively, the resonant characteristics of the driver start to come through and this is unfavorable in most scenarios.   I took a look at an analysis of several driver materials (including Beryllium) with Nageno-San, and unsurprisingly the top choices came out to be aluminum-coated LCP and biocellulose.
 
- From thatonenoob's interview with Mr.Nageno Koji

It seems like you and Mr. Nageno are saying direct opposite things about LCP's physical characteristics. Here he claims LCP and biocellulose are the two materials with best internal loss (self-dampening), and the sound of the material itself doesn't come though. Meaning, LCP and biocellulose doesn't add resonance and color the sound. And you're saying LCP add resonance because it doesn't self-dampen.

 

[purk]

  It seems like you and Mr. Nageno are saying direct opposite things about LCP's physical characteristics. Here he claims LCP and biocellulose are the two materials with best internal loss (self-dampening), and the sound of the material itself doesn't come though. Meaning, LCP and biocellulose doesn't add resonance and color the sound. And you're saying LCP add resonance because it doesn't self-dampen.

All I can say is that the  LCP, Nano composite, and Biocellulose don't sound anything alike.

 

[thanatosguan]

  All I can say is that the  LCP, Nano composite, and Biocellulose don't sound anything alike.

 
But isn't that comparison based on different headphones? I think it's far more accurate to say, R10, Q010 and Z1R doesn't sound the same. A huge amount of that can be attributed to tuning differences.