[227qed]

^^someone else said the "bass thumps in their chest"...while that would be interesting, I cannot take that comment too seriously haha.  I don't think there are any headphones that put out enough energy to send frequency ripples through your noggin down into the rest of your body.  That would just be terrifying.    I'm just looking validation that the z1r is capable of producing a literal visceral impact that makes your earlobes jiggle and tickles your eardrums, and whether or not its quantification is on the same level as--or above--what the th900 or even an la900 can do.
 
If it is on the same level as th900, I think it will be a winner for me due to the apparently much better mids and (?) more musical and rich presentation.

 

[Whitigir]

No, that is wrong. Z1R is "super capable". It bass and dynamic range does scale up/down to different sources very crazily. I will tell you that the Z1R is capable of "the bass" that I have never "heard or feel" before out of a headphones. Period...not even TH900 can scale like this in the bass region

Regarding the bass that thumb your chest ? I can relate. The Z1R is so capable that it can render a grand slam drum to be so realistic, and authentic like you are hearing it headon in real performances. If you ever heard this powerful slam and deep rumbles before in real life, you could felt it in your chest and heart. The Z1R could render this "feeling", but that is "rendering" and not Physically actually making it happen. It is pretty funny how our brain interpret things. If you heard this grand drum before, your brain would tell you that the Z1R "similarity" is very authentic, and your brain makes you feel this "thumbs and rumbles" to your heart

 

[227qed]

No, that is wrong. Z1R is "super capable". It bass and dynamic range does scale up/down to different sources very crazily. I will tell you that the Z1R is capable of "the bass" that I have never "heard or feel" before out of a headphones. Period...not even TH900 can scale like this in the bass region

 
Eff yeah!  That's the response I was looking for!  Okay, it's settled then.  I'm going to save a bit more and get a Z1R for my birthday in March.  Hopefully there is a price drop by then, but I am now crazy excited.  Thank you thank you!

 

[Soundsgoodtome]

No one is going to do this on their $2,000 headphone. Mind you I was the first to record the thx00 doing the paper rattle.

EQing these to rattle paper or sound bass head completely looses its tuning which makes it special. If head rattling bass is the main objective, buy the $300 bass rattle king. Just my 2c

Soft bass AND chest pounding bass?

If they beat the th900 for bass impact, then it would make @Hawaiibadboy
list of top 10

he'll have to test them!

Otherwise someone put a piece of paper on it , and video tape it lol

:happy_face1:

 

[Soundsgoodtome]

Another observation, for those that can't afford this phone but want to sample it's sound, the XBA-Z5 closely reproduces the tuning of the Z1R in frequency response. You won't get the same imaging and stage but it's close. The xba-Z5 can be dubbed as the on-the- go, travel friendly z1r.

 

[227qed]

No one is going to do this on their $2,000 headphone. Mind you I was the first to record the thx00 doing the paper rattle.

EQing these to rattle paper or sound bass head completely looses its tuning which makes it special. If head rattling bass is the main objective, buy the $300 bass rattle king. Just my 2c

Interesting, thanks for the input.  I think you're right.  I already have the SZ2000 rattle king and THX00 rattle prince.  No real need to make the Z1R heavy hitters and risk damaging them I guess.  I really just wanted to know if they were capable.  I actually cut my bass eq in half with the THX00 and am listening to a lot more music that has doesn't require gobs of bass.  Which is really why I'm really interested in the high end stuff now for classical, jazz, female vocals, etc--all the stuff that didn't sound too great out of the SZ2000.  The THX00 definitely showed me what I've been missing out on.  I'm no longer pure basshead, but wouldn't feel to good about spending the big money on something that couldn't do big bass if I wanted it. 
 
I suppose most of the bass boosting I'd do with these would be for movies and games now..    I think I read that the TH900 has a bigger stage, which gives it a win there.  But I guess the Z1R is now giving TH900 a run for its money in the bass department.  I like action and sci fi games, and when there are spaceships, explosions, etc. I love the cinematic feel that powerful bass and big soundstage can bring to the table.
 
So is TH900 or Z1R better for movies and games in this regard?

 

[pietcux]

Just got the message, that my Z1r got dispatched from A......... UK.

 

[Whitigir]

Interesting, thanks for the input.  I think you're right.  I already have the SZ2000 rattle king and THX00 rattle prince.  No real need to make the Z1R heavy hitters and risk damaging them I guess.  I really just wanted to know if they were capable.  I actually cut my bass eq in half with the THX00 and am listening to a lot more music that has doesn't require gobs of bass.  Which is really why I'm really interested in the high end stuff now for classical, jazz, female vocals, etc--all the stuff that didn't sound too great out of the SZ2000.  The THX00 definitely showed me what I've been missing out on.  I'm no longer pure basshead, but wouldn't feel to good about spending the big money on something that couldn't do big bass if I wanted it. 

I suppose most of the bass boosting I'd do with these would be for movies and games now..    I think I read that the TH900 has a bigger stage, which gives it a win there.  But I guess the Z1R is now giving TH900 a run for its money in the bass department.  I like action and sci fi games, and when there are spaceships, explosions, etc. I love the cinematic feel that powerful bass and big soundstage can bring to the table.

So is TH900 or Z1R better for movies and games in this regard?

IMO, Z1R bass signature is more engaging and the whole spectrum is more linear with great dynamic. The Z1R wins every time for Gaming and Movie entertaining

 

[Oregonian]

   
Man, that's got to be the hardest question ever. I'll try to help but I'll probably won't be any help at all. 
I compared both (and some other phones) at length this weekend.
Let me first say that my TH-900 is actually a full LA-900. If you'd ask me to choose betwwen a stock TH900 and the Z1R I'd get the Z1R.
With the LA-900 the picture looks different. If I really have to compare the bass, and I'm sure not everyone will agree certainly if they heard the stock TH-900, I'd say the bass on the Z1R is a bit deeper, the one on the LA-900 is a bit faster with a little more impact. Though the differences are minimal regarding bass, to my ears the whole sonic signature of the cans couldn't be more different. 
To put it plain simple: I was planning to save me a buck or two and only keep one closed pair of cans but after testing I found that the LA-900 (which I had first) can't be replaced by the Z1R (which I had last). But it goes vice versa as well, I can't let go of the Z1R in favor of the LA-900 as well. Both are wonderful cans and they deserve their place along my M1 and HD650.
Looking at the price though a new (full) LA-900 will set you back enough over 2k while a Z1R will cost you about 1.4-1.6k if you search a bit and can wait.
But I'd definitely get the Z1R over the TH-900 if you don't want to do the mods, they do make quite a difference, also in the bass region.

I know you own some vintage amps so I'll ask you directly - have you listened to the Z1R from one of the vintage pieces? 

 

[227qed]

IMO, Z1R bass signature is more engaging and the whole spectrum is more linear with great dynamic. The Z1R wins every time for Gaming and Movie entertaining

You just made my day, thanks! I was so close to pulling the trigger on a th900, but I am liking what I'm reading here and elsewhere on the thread. So I'm going to give these guys a go and jump in headfirst in a month or two when I get some extra scratch.

Is it safe to say that with the thx00 being the best thing I've ever heard to date, that I'm in for a mind blowing experience all over again?

 

[Sonic Defender]

Just got the message, that my Z1r got dispatched from A......... UK.

When did you place your order?

 

[Sil3nce]

  When did you place your order?

 
PM him please.
Note also he's in Europe

 

[pietcux]

  When did you place your order?

pm sent

 

[AppleheadMay]

 
Thanks for the insights, much appreciated.  I guess at the end of the day, the big question is--can you make impactful, visceral bass by amping and eqing the z1r?  You certainly can with the th900, but whether or not the z1r responds similarly is what I really need to know.
 
Thanks!

 
I'm pretty confident that with a nice amp and the EQ you have in mind you'll be able to play the driver's screws loose on these.

 

[AppleheadMay]

 
I know you own some vintage amps so I'll ask you directly - have you listened to the Z1R from one of the vintage pieces? 

 
Nope. All my vintage gear had been sold before I got the Z1R.