[phonomat]

  Can we get this fight started already ? Like... Th900 you suck lol. Just kidding. 

 
No need to fight. In the end, we're all enthusiasts sharing a wonderful hobby. In this spirit:
Happy World Hearing Day, everyone!* Please play it safe, kids! Especially all you fellow TH-900 owners out there.
(Just kidding, of course.)
 
 
 
 
 
*Not to be confused with World Listening Day on July 18.

 

[MacedonianHero]

i didn't say that you did

 
It's all perspective. If you remember when the TH-900s were released, the "best" closed headphones were not at the same caliber as they are today. The D7000s were considered one of the very best, but the TH-900s did in fact improve upon them by tightening up the bass and bringing out the really recessed treble a bit further (though I would still classify it as "recessed" on the TH-900s). The treble was one area that the TH-900s took a step back back as; to my ears, became even harsher and more strident. As mentioned, initially I could live with this, but as the months passed, this became more and more problematic for me to the point where they literally sat in a drawer for 9 months completely unused. 
 
Back to perspective, since then the new 2016 version of the LCD-XC, Ether C and Ether C Flow and now the Z1Rs where released that all moved the bar higher to my ears. So based on these newly released headphones that all made listening to closed-back headphones pretty much as pleasurable as the very best open-backed headphones, my thoughts of the TH-900s were re-adjusted on where they stood in the larger scheme of things. 

 

[0072kk]

The bass out of the Z1R smokes the Xb950. It's no comparison. The Z1R has clean sub bass. It sounds amazing in fact. And it doesn't distort the highs, mids. No comparison from my own judgement. 

thank you so much man !!!!! now am going tu buy sony mdr z1r !!! i have lots of money like stacked in 100 doller bill !!yeeeeeeeeaaaahhhhhhhhh ""!! Like i have packed money in treasure chest !!!!!!

 

[LaCuffia]

thank you so much man !!!!! now am going tu buy sony mdr z1r !!! i have lots of money like stacked in 100 doller bill !!yeeeeeeeeaaaahhhhhhhhh ""!! Like i have packed money in treasure chest !!!!!!

Yeah!!   While you are at it, buy a Utopia, Stax 009, and Sennheiser HE-1!   Be careful going to the store with that treasure chest! 

 

[Sonic Defender]

thank you so much man !!!!! now am going tu buy sony mdr z1r !!! i have lots of money like stacked in 100 doller bill !!yeeeeeeeeaaaahhhhhhhhh ""!! Like i have packed money in treasure chest !!!!!!

I would like a few of those bills seeing as how you have so many, hook a brother up

.

 

[PeteSTRADAMUS]

  I would like a few of those bills seeing as how you have so many, hook a brother up

.

Yeah i wan't all those thousands in one 100 dollar bill. All included in one note lmao

 

[up late]

   
It's all perspective. If you remember when the TH-900s were released, the "best" closed headphones were not at the same caliber as they are today. The D7000s were considered one of the very best, but the TH-900s did in fact improve upon them by tightening up the bass and bringing out the really recessed treble a bit further (though I would still classify it as "recessed" on the TH-900s). The treble was one area that the TH-900s took a step back back as; to my ears, became even harsher and more strident. As mentioned, initially I could live with this, but as the months passed, this became more and more problematic for me to the point where they literally sat in a drawer for 9 months completely unused. 
 
Back to perspective, since then the new 2016 version of the LCD-XC, Ether C and Ether C Flow and now the Z1Rs where released that all moved the bar higher to my ears. So based on these newly released headphones that all made listening to closed-back headphones pretty much as pleasurable as the very best open-backed headphones, my thoughts of the TH-900s were re-adjusted on where they stood in the larger scheme of things. 

 
it was just an observation. i understand that technology progresses, tastes change and our hearing diminishes with age - unfortunately.
 
i didn't have the impression that the th900 was shown-up by the z1r on a technical level when i compared them. i tend to agree with @thatonenoob's comparative assessment that the z1r is more of an all-rounder due to its more present mid-range and softer treble. its darker and warmer presentation most probably makes it an easier listen for most than the th900. however, the th900 had the edge in clarity, "soundstage" and instrument separation with the music that i was listening to. resolution was on par. i didn't perceive that the z1r was retrieving any more detail than the th900. i think that both cans do what they do very well, but they do it quite differently.  

 

[cloud_c]

Was just listening to Why So Serious? The Joker Theme The from the Dark Knight Soundtrack and at 3:27 or so when the super duper sub-bass kicks in there are what sound like steel drums clearly playing in the background.
I just noticed that for the first time so I thought to share. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zyhQjJ5UgY
 
I'll have to listen to it with the T1 and SZ2K to see how they compare.

 

[makan]

it was just an observation. i understand that technology progresses, tastes change and our hearing diminishes with age - unfortunately.

i didn't have the impression that the th900 was shown-up by the z1r on a technical level when i compared them. i tend to agree with @thatonenoob's comparative assessment that the z1r is more of an all-rounder due to its more present mid-range and softer treble. its darker and warmer presentation most probably makes it an easier listen for most than the th900. however, the th900 had the edge in clarity, "soundstage" and instrument separation with the music that i was listening to. resolution was on par. i didn't perceive that the z1r was retrieving any more detail than the th900. i think that both cans do what they do very well, but they do it quite differently.  

One thing to also consider is that the th900 is also probably classified as a semi-open and would Have that advantage for soundstage but disadvantage of sound and noise isolation. Really, to each their own.

 

[Kukua]

As anyone observed that the only so called TOTL pair of headphones that has held its value in the last 4yrs or approximately is the OPPO pm1..
Now that's amazing, don't you think!!

 

[WNBC]

I posted the copied text below in the TA-ZH1ES thread, but since there has been some differing opinions about this headphone I thought it was worth sharing.  Mainly, I wanted to give some praise to the TA-ZH1ES after poo-pooing on it yesterday.  Hopefully, I learned my lesson about making quick judgements, but probably not since they are so fun to make after a cup of coffee.  One day I can be on the fence about the Z1R and another day love it.  Seems to me this headphone can really be influenced by one's rig.  I guess we all know this, but for me it has been a really wild ride and I am glad I stuck with it.  If I had let my first impression dictate my decision then it would have been sold pretty quickly.  Now, I'm really squeezing the good stuff out of it with different rigs.
 
Since most of us have different rigs, our opinions are going to wildly fluctuate.  I borrowed a friend's TH900 for two weeks a couple years ago and I preferred my TH600 to it for many reasons, mainly the midrange scoop was not for me.  I did think it hit fairly hard in regards to bass, but the recessed mids made it not so suitable for the jazz that I like.  I could live with it for specific genres, but it would get very little head time if I ever bought one.        
 
Day 1:  Mac > Amarra > iFi iUSB3.0 > USB > TA > ZR1 (unbalanced)
Day 2:  Mac > Amarra > Intona > SU-1 > Coaxial RCA > TA > ZR1 (unbalanced) and HD800S (balanced)
 
Wow, what a difference a day makes.  With the Day 1 setup I was not hearing the magic everyone was talking about with the Z1R + TA-Z combo.  I had good success with the iUSB3.0 + iMicro iDSD BL + Z1R so I figured it would be fine using the iUSB3.0 with the TA-Z.  The end result was a warm, laid back presentation.  Bass was elevated and mids pushed back.  
 
However, with the SU-1 DDC in play and using the Coaxial input, the TA-Z really shined.  It wasn't giving me extra warmth and the body was back into the music, mids no longer pushed back.  Plenty of detail and transparency.  No warm blanket any more.  I really like the SU-1 with my other DACs so I think it will have it's place with the Sony DAC/amp.    
 
The TA-Z does in fact sound great with the HD 800 S.     
 
Before all of this I had used the outstanding MicroZOTL2 + Z1R and for my tastes I did not like the pairing.  After that I used the iDSD BL + Z1R and loved it.  I think it's all good from here on out.  

 

[0072kk]

thank you so much man !!!!! now am going tu buy sony mdr z1r !!! i have lots of money like stacked in 100 doller bill !!yeeeeeeeeaaaahhhhhhhhh ""!!

I would like a few of those bills seeing as how you have so many, hook a brother up .

wellll let that my stacked money !!!! Now let me buy subwoofer king and royal highnes Lord of the whole worldwide headphone king sony MDR z1r !!!!!

 

[ubs28]

I wonder why you don't have 5 dollar bills. I bet it involves some kind of dancing on some stimulating music.

 

[up late]

One thing to also consider is that the th900 is also probably classified as a semi-open and would Have that advantage for soundstage but disadvantage of sound and noise isolation. Really, to each their own.

 
the z1r behaves more like a closed can than the th900 in that it provides better noise attenuation, which i regard as a tick for the z1r. i assume that the th900's v-shaped fr would also enhance "soundstage". 

 

[zolkis]

To the TH900 vs Z1R discussion there is one more point. I have disliked the stock TH900 quite much. But I've found out that the sound of the TH900 is quite easy to "fix", both in treble and mids (and bass as well), and improve on the sound stage as well. We don't know the tweaking headroom about the Z1R yet, but I expect similar levels. So, the Z1R may be a better buy since it has less problems.
 
Here is the FR of my TH900 with different pads. None of them sound bright nor thin, the difference is in openness wrt bass level.
I am listening to the red line now. It's worlds apart from my Stax phones, but fun to listen to in the office. 
 
  
 
 
And here is the Z1R FR from @thatonenoob
http://www.head-fi.org/products/sony-mdr-z1r/reviews/17324
 
The FR implies some advantages for the Z1R. However, if you check the CSD, bot have issues, but IMHO the Z1R does have bigger problems than the TH900. Also, it seems it's more bass-heavy but on the other hand more coherent with the mids and faster in treble - except that 3 kHz ringing (which doesn't actually sound that bad as it looks, other than a livelier midrange and some possible overshoot with bright piano recordings). The ringing very likely comes from the cups (the TH900 also shows traces of ringing at that frequency) and it's well possible to damp (Fostex does it with sheets of polyester filling). The 9 kHz ringing of the TH900 is not dangerous, it's not peaky and dies quick. It sounds much better than it looks.