[TSAVJason]

The ringing endorsement from the authorized dealer - at least they don't suck! 




(Just kidding, of course...please don't take offense :wink_face: )

I don't take offense easily so no worries. FYI my "it doesn't suck" means they are "pretty bitchen"

 

[PeteSTRADAMUS]

I hate every single one of you ! ....  I really don't, but hear me out. As i'm wrapping up my loaner for the Focal Elear, which i was so happy and blown away to hear, But now idk if it had driver issues with bass and rattle. But the comfort is a hit or miss. I have to move it around a lot. But the raving reviews i been hearing about the Sony Mdr-Z1R is making me wait to pull the trigger on a Christmas- 
Gift for myself. So thanks a lot guys, Now i'll be with out a personal gift for myself, after i buy all the gifts for the rotten members of my family lol.

 

[Sonic Defender]

  I hate every single one of you ! ....  I really don't, but hear me out. As i'm wrapping up my loaner for the Focal Elear, which i was so happy and blown away to hear, But now idk if it had driver issues with bass and rattle. But the comfort is a hit or miss. I have to move it around a lot. But the raving reviews i been hearing about the Sony Mdr-Z1R is making me wait to pull the trigger on a Christmas- 
Gift for myself. So thanks a lot guys, Now i'll be with out a personal gift for myself, after i buy all the gifts for the rotten members of my family lol.

Family are a drag on this hobby, you may have to ditch them. I was reading your posts in the Elear thread, very odd.

 

[LaCuffia]

If you have the Z7, which is very comfortable in itself, just imagine a bigger, even more luxurious feel with the Z1R.  With a fantastic sound quality to go along with it...Not to make you hate us even more!

 

[Sonic Defender]

If any of you can get a quality copy of this song, please, trust me, you need to play it through your Z1R. The song is Indus from Dead Can Dance's album Spiritchaser. The whole album is well worth getting I will guarantee that, it is in many ways an audiophile dream album. Plenty of meaty textures and well done hand percussion with a nice dark tonality, kind of brooding. @beowulfI'm not sure if I gave this album to you, but if I did, did you listen to it?

 

[PeteSTRADAMUS]

  Family are a drag on this hobby, you may have to ditch them. I was reading your posts in the Elear thread, very odd.

I know, family. Pff i get all the headphones to branch away in style. But yes regarding what i said about the Elear is true. First noticed running straight from my Sony Xperia X and the Galaxy s6 edge. Once i discovered an elevated bass song it became a broken down Ferrari on the autobahn. Looks fast, But what good is it doing if it's broken down. 

 

[PeteSTRADAMUS]

  If you have the Z7, which is very comfortable in itself, just imagine a bigger, even more luxurious feel with the Z1R.  With a fantastic sound quality to go along with it...Not to make you hate us even more!

I loved the Z7, to me was lacking that strong bass hit the Jvc Sz2000's have. But sound quality wise of course it was way better. But to me the Elear sounds way better than the Z7's.

 

[Sonic Defender]

  I know, family. Pff i get all the headphones to branch away in style. But yes regarding what i said about the Elear is true. First noticed running straight from my Sony Xperia X and the Galaxy s6 edge. Once i discovered an elevated bass song it became a broken down Ferrari on the autobahn. Looks fast, But what good is it doing if it's broken down. 

From what others post, it does seem like your Elear was damaged or defective in some way. Regardless, while much more expensive I suspect the Z1R is a fairly large step up, but a closed headphone, so it does depend on where your tastes are.

 

[Sonic Defender]

  I loved the Z7, to me was lacking that strong bass hit the Jvc Sz2000's have. But sound quality wise of course it was way better. But to me the Elear sounds way better than the Z7's.

I liked the Z7, didn't love them. For me they lacked depth of stage and weight to the notes. I can't put it well into words, but there was a somewhat artificial timbre to the sound. I couldn't put my finger on it, but they just couldn't convince me to keep them and I wanted to as I got them nearly new and for a very good price $500 Canadian.

 

[PeteSTRADAMUS]

  From what others post, it does seem like your Elear was damaged or defective in some way. Regardless, while much more expensive I suspect the Z1R is a fairly large step up, but a closed headphone, so it does depend on where your tastes are.

The Focal was the first open back i tried. And it just sounded musical to my ears. Expect the bass section because of the defect in it. I love closed back headphones, but now i'm itching for more open back cans too. I can't be picky with the ladies lol. 

 

[LaCuffia]

I used to listen to mostly open backed headphones, but the Z1R is the first closed that I feel have an open and spacious quality to them.  So you get the best of both worlds.

 

[Sonic Defender]

  The Focal was the first open back i tried. And it just sounded musical to my ears. Expect the bass section because of the defect in it. I love closed back headphones, but now i'm itching for more open back cans too. I can't be picky with the ladies lol. 

If you can try the ONKYO A800 which is an open back, $400 headphone that I feel punches well above it's weight. Apparently Best Buy at this time has the ONKYO headphones. I am listening to the ONKYO H900M the closed version and it is also rather nice. Apparently the drivers were designed by the same company responsible for the Fidelo's.

 

[beowulf]

  I hate every single one of you ! ....  I really don't, but hear me out. As i'm wrapping up my loaner for the Focal Elear, which i was so happy and blown away to hear, But now idk if it had driver issues with bass and rattle. But the comfort is a hit or miss. I have to move it around a lot. But the raving reviews i been hearing about the Sony Mdr-Z1R is making me wait to pull the trigger on a Christmas- 
Gift for myself. So thanks a lot guys, Now i'll be with out a personal gift for myself, after i buy all the gifts for the rotten members of my family lol.

 
Well sometimes treating yourself is well deserved.

I think the Z1R is a gadget that might even go beyond the normal 2-4 year devaluation cycle. That console or TV will be worth a lot less in 5 years, but the Z1R, who knows. If Sony discontinues these babies early and given both sound and build quality, it might turn out to be an investment, you just need to convince the family of that.

Yes, I'm helping you find excuses to go for it.
 
But more seriously, those Elear comments don't fully overlap what I've been reading. Still, it's not a sound for everyone. Same for the Utopia. Just keep in mind that the hop to the Z1R will be totally different in many ways (the most obvious being the open<>closed signature)
 

  If any of you can get a quality copy of this song, please, trust me, you need to play it through your Z1R. The song is Indus from Dead Can Dance's album Spiritchaser. The whole album is well worth getting I will guarantee that, it is in many ways an audiophile dream album. Plenty of meaty textures and well done hand percussion with a nice dark tonality, kind of brooding. @beowulfI'm not sure if I gave this album to you, but if I did, did you listen to it?

Can definitely confirm!

Fantastic album, with a strong tribal African and Caribbean influence, refreshing since it is something I don't usually listen to.
 
The previous track ("Song of the Stars") is also excellent, actually it's my favorite of the whole album. That nice opening sub-bass and the holographic frolic coming after.... Works even better for me than Indus. Still, it's a consistently well recorded album, regardless of musical preferences.
 
Somehow my brain got the Z1R permanently linked to two other releases tho, I don't know why, probably because I got them at about the same time I got the Z1R or shortly before, and both sounded great, that rare "WHOAAA" feeling you get every few years when you find a great gear<>music combo. I keep mentioning them all the time so you probably know already. One is Macy's "Stripped" and other is Menago's "Little Crimes", both on Chesky. These two sound great on any headphones, but are epic on the Z1R. If you don't have them, I recommend you bump them to the top of the list, they're worth the pennies and even if you don't like the music, they're top tier albums to demo equipment.
 
Still listening to Spiritchaser... (had to play it after thinking about it). Good fun. The Z1R lacks that ridiculous wide distance that the 800S allow, a lot of air that is pleasant in several tracks of this album, but somehow, it all combines very well...drums, guitars and vocals, the more intimate but still impressively wide soundstage (for closed cans)... it's just a warmer, more intimate foot-tappin' type of fun.

 

[beowulf]

  The Focal was the first open back i tried. And it just sounded musical to my ears. Expect the bass section because of the defect in it. I love closed back headphones, but now i'm itching for more open back cans too. I can't be picky with the ladies lol. 

  I used to listen to mostly open backed headphones, but the Z1R is the first closed that I feel have an open and spacious quality to them.  So you get the best of both worlds.

 
I've always preferred open sets (I guess the CD3000 has been the only anomaly that lasted years, probably because they sound open), mostly because I really enjoy a ridiculously wide sound sphere around me, make it wide, deep, tall and holographic. So the HD800 remained special for quite some time... yet, open doesn't work all that well because I usually listen in environments where there is a bit of background noise. Even if not much, I often have a power supply fan hum, someone going through books or other noises that easily get in the way with very open sets.
 
The Z1R is an open closed model. It's closed but it sound open. Well, up to a limit. It's not the soundstage king for sure, but it will still trounce tons of closed models when it comes to spaciousness. And more.
 
 

  If you can try the ONKYO A800 which is an open back, $400 headphone that I feel punches well above it's weight. Apparently Best Buy at this time has the ONKYO headphones. I am listening to the ONKYO H900M the closed version and it is also rather nice. Apparently the drivers were designed by the same company responsible for the Fidelo's.

 
I have an itch for a new open model, guess I'll have to have a listen, damn you. Stay away from my wallet.
Then again, I didn't like the Fidelios that much but lost track of their situation now, with all that Philips>Gibson and glue and all. But will definitely check the A800 tho.
Headphones are like wine... anyone can get the really good ones if spending bigtime, but finding the really good ones while still underpriced and before anyone notices them, well, that's the truly enjoyable outcome requiring skill or luck.

 

[Sonic Defender]

 
I have an itch for a new open model, guess I'll have to have a listen, damn you. Stay away from my wallet.
Then again, I didn't like the Fidelios that much but lost track of their situation now, with all that Philips>Gibson and glue and all. But will definitely check the A800 tho.
Headphones are like wine... anyone can get the really good ones if spending bigtime, but finding the really good ones while still underpriced and before anyone notices them, well, that's the truly enjoyable outcome requiring skill or luck.

I personally really like the A800. It isn't going to tear down $1500 headphones, but for well less money it will get you only a few rows back of the best seats. I'm not sure if they are easily available in your neck of the woods, let me know if you do find them.