[thatonenoob]

Gonna spend some time with these two.

 

[up late]

PM sent. The vast majority call the Z1Rs an easy listen (including yourself) and that was why I picked them over other closed headphones. Typically a peak at 10kHz is not an issue as there isn't much happening in region.

got that the first time. seriously tho, if some folks are sensitive to the 10khz peak then it's a real issue for them.

 

[up late]

No kidding!

Just mindboggling that so many here are so obsessed with measurements. Do they need to have the recipe in their hands before they can enjoy a gourmet meal and truly believe that it actually tastes good?

no

 

[nanaholic]

Almost three and a half thousand for a DAP that sounds SLIGHTLY better than a Smartphone (V10, HTC 10, G5). Over two thousand bucks for a headphone that sounds like a SLIGHTLY more refined than a hundred fifty dollar B&O H6.

If you are a measurement's guy, then you would know that any TOTL DAPs on the market now are only slightly better than a smartphone, which is about what can be said about TOTL headphones being better than mid-fi headphones as well. So there is nothing strange or weird about this in the grand scheme of this hobby.

But if you look at the engineering that goes into the Walkmans, there're numerous technology that simply cannot be found elsewhere at all. Again Sony is the only company that makes their chips (which gets trickled into their other audio products), they are the only DAP company that makes a Class D implementation which results in a device that can play 24bit/96kHz FLACs for 40 hours on a 1800mAH battery while NOT even heating up a single bit - you can't do that on ANY smartphone or DAPs on the market which only uses the same Class A design. There's TRUE engineering marvel and results in Sony's DAP development compared to other devices on the market. These are easily measurable, repeatable and verifiable results which doesn't even require any gear, and if you are a measurement's guy as well as someone even with a bit of interest in engineering, then Sony's path should be encouraged, rather than constantly criticized without understanding that they actually contribute a very different path for DAP products which has very little variations elsewhere (same off the shelf DAC chips, same OS etc).

 

[canali]

If you are a measurement's guy, then you would know that any TOTL DAPs on the market now are only slightly better than a smartphone, which is about what can be said about TOTL headphones being better than mid-fi headphones as well. So there is nothing strange or weird about this in the grand scheme of this hobby.

But if you look at the engineering that goes into the Walkmans, there're numerous technology that simply cannot be found elsewhere at all. Again Sony is the only company that makes their chips (which gets trickled into their other audio products), they are the only DAP company that makes a Class D implementation which results in a device that can play 24bit/96kHz FLACs for 40 hours on a 1800mAH battery while NOT even heating up a single bit - you can't do that on ANY smartphone or DAPs on the market which only uses the same Class A design. There's TRUE engineering marvel and results in Sony's DAP development compared to other devices on the market. These are easily measurable, repeatable and verifiable results which doesn't even require any gear, and if you are a measurement's guy as well as someone even with a bit of interest in engineering, then Sony's path should be encouraged, rather than constantly criticized without understanding that they actually contribute a very different path for DAP products which has very little variations elsewhere (same off the shelf DAC chips, same OS etc).

Boom! TKO!

 

[Rchandra]

In this hobby you pay for slightly better and continue enjoying that as time passes through its all about how your music is presented to you. When you have the volume at a 100 percent on these instead of painful faitiuge you get crisp sound with bass that will not interfeir with vocals. Sony has acomplished a ton with the z1r and they deserve praise for that.

 

[Asspirin]

If you are a measurement's guy, then you would know that any TOTL DAPs on the market now are only slightly better than a smartphone, which is about what can be said about TOTL headphones being better than mid-fi headphones as well. So there is nothing strange or weird about this in the grand scheme of this hobby.

But if you look at the engineering that goes into the Walkmans, there're numerous technology that simply cannot be found elsewhere at all. Again Sony is the only company that makes their chips (which gets trickled into their other audio products), they are the only DAP company that makes a Class D implementation which results in a device that can play 24bit/96kHz FLACs for 40 hours on a 1800mAH battery while NOT even heating up a single bit - you can't do that on ANY smartphone or DAPs on the market which only uses the same Class A design. There's TRUE engineering marvel and results in Sony's DAP development compared to other devices on the market. These are easily measurable, repeatable and verifiable results which doesn't even require any gear, and if you are a measurement's guy as well as someone even with a bit of interest in engineering, then Sony's path should be encouraged, rather than constantly criticized without understanding that they actually contribute a very different path for DAP products which has very little variations elsewhere (same off the shelf DAC chips, same OS etc).

You made some very good points there!

 

[WillB]

As always with this forum, this is a question that is most certainly asked and answered but who has the time to go through almost 700 pages of posts. Wish there was an easier way. Anyway, I own the MDR-Z1R and as I said to Sony, the presentation case it come with is very nice and elegant but isn't very practical. Most of us are probably hang our headphones on nice headphone stands (I'm partial to the Woo Audio stands for $80) and not using the behemoth presentation case. Despite the size, I do in fact plan on taking these headphones with me on vacation and such. So the question is, has anyone found a good hard shell carry case that fits "just right"? I mean, it's real easy to find an over-sized case that will fill half your air place carry on. I've even seen pictures of people using Seahorse cases that are otherwise used for pistols and such. They're quite large. But what about a case that fits "just right" despite the protruding ear cups. That's the challenge. Any ideas? Anyone found something that fits nicely, snug but without damaging the ear cups?

 

[Kramer01]

Here is another positive impression of the Z1R by HiFi+ writer Chris Martens

http://www.hifiplus.com/articles/chris-martens-best-of-ces-2017-personal-audio/?page=3

Finally, there is the MDR-Z1R headphone—a product that might be easy to overlook simply because so many think of Sony primarily as an electronics company (rather than as a transducer specialist. Even so, the MDR-Z1R commands our full attention with a remarkable 70mm magnesium diaphragm equipped driver whose edges are supported by a ‘liquid crystal polymer edge’ element. The upshot is a driver with claimed frequency response all the way up to 120kHz (!). The back side of the driver is equipped with a distinctive almost conical shaped acoustic filter said to control “the air resistance and eliminates any reverberations produced by driver movement.” The headphone does many things very well, but perhaps its best quality of all is an almost shockingly pure, clear, and expressive midrange that is truly something to behold."


http://www.hifiplus.com/articles/hi-fi-visits-canjam-nyc-part-3/?page=2

As has been the company’s practice at the last several headphone shows I have attended, Sony focused its demos on three specific products: the TA-ZH1ES balanced output headphone amp/DAC ($2,200), the NW-WM1Z ‘Super Walkman’ DAP ($3,000), and the MDR-Z1R dynamic driver-equipped headphone ($2,200).

In my opinion, all three of these products deserve much wider recognition and coverage than they have received thus far, as all three are excellent. However, perhaps the true ‘unsung hero’ of the bunch might well be the MDR-Z1R headphone, which offers a completely disarming degree of midrange openness and transparency, coupled with beautifully saturated tonal colours that must be heard to be appreciated

 

[stenog]

As always with this forum, this is a question that is most certainly asked and answered but who has the time to go through almost 700 pages of posts. Wish there was an easier way. Anyway, I own the MDR-Z1R and as I said to Sony, the presentation case it come with is very nice and elegant but isn't very practical. Most of us are probably hang our headphones on nice headphone stands (I'm partial to the Woo Audio stands for $80) and not using the behemoth presentation case. Despite the size, I do in fact plan on taking these headphones with me on vacation and such. So the question is, has anyone found a good hard shell carry case that fits "just right"? I mean, it's real easy to find an over-sized case that will fill half your air place carry on. I've even seen pictures of people using Seahorse cases that are otherwise used for pistols and such. They're quite large. But what about a case that fits "just right" despite the protruding ear cups. That's the challenge. Any ideas? Anyone found something that fits nicely, snug but without damaging the ear cups?

As always with this forum, this is a question that is most certainly asked and answered but who has the time to go through almost 700 pages of posts. Wish there was an easier way. Anyway, I own the MDR-Z1R and as I said to Sony, the presentation case it come with is very nice and elegant but isn't very practical. Most of us are probably hang our headphones on nice headphone stands (I'm partial to the Woo Audio stands for $80) and not using the behemoth presentation case. Despite the size, I do in fact plan on taking these headphones with me on vacation and such. So the question is, has anyone found a good hard shell carry case that fits "just right"? I mean, it's real easy to find an over-sized case that will fill half your air place carry on. I've even seen pictures of people using Seahorse cases that are otherwise used for pistols and such. They're quite large. But what about a case that fits "just right" despite the protruding ear cups. That's the challenge. Any ideas? Anyone found something that fits nicely, snug but without damaging the ear cups?

https://www.head-fi.org/f/threads/t...one-thread-live-from-ifa-2016.818846/page-645

Post #9668 and #9678

And there are others, use the search function

 

[Kramer01]

https://www.innerfidelity.com/content/survey-digital-audio-players-part-3-sony-nw-zx2 (by @project86 )
Here is a review of the ZX2, I know its not the gold one but going by what I read here it's hard for me to think Sony would take a step back in terms of SQ on their new walkmans.
AFAIAConcerned I've always found the idea of driving full size headphones with a portable player a bit weird, if you are at home use a desktop amp, if you are outside why would you want to use a full size headphone, hey but thats just me. I judge a DAP with IEM's and portable headphones if its good with IEMS and portable headphones it's a winner in my book. I've listened to the ZX2 with a JH audio Roxanne and I was mighty impressed. The ZX2 had more than enough headroom with IEM's

 

[stenog]

Here is another positive impression of the Z1R by HiFi+ writer Chris Martens

http://www.hifiplus.com/articles/chris-martens-best-of-ces-2017-personal-audio/?page=3

Finally, there is the MDR-Z1R headphone—a product that might be easy to overlook simply because so many think of Sony primarily as an electronics company (rather than as a transducer specialist. Even so, the MDR-Z1R commands our full attention with a remarkable 70mm magnesium diaphragm equipped driver whose edges are supported by a ‘liquid crystal polymer edge’ element. The upshot is a driver with claimed frequency response all the way up to 120kHz (!). The back side of the driver is equipped with a distinctive almost conical shaped acoustic filter said to control “the air resistance and eliminates any reverberations produced by driver movement.” The headphone does many things very well, but perhaps its best quality of all is an almost shockingly pure, clear, and expressive midrange that is truly something to behold."


http://www.hifiplus.com/articles/hi-fi-visits-canjam-nyc-part-3/?page=2

As has been the company’s practice at the last several headphone shows I have attended, Sony focused its demos on three specific products: the TA-ZH1ES balanced output headphone amp/DAC ($2,200), the NW-WM1Z ‘Super Walkman’ DAP ($3,000), and the MDR-Z1R dynamic driver-equipped headphone ($2,200).

In my opinion, all three of these products deserve much wider recognition and coverage than they have received thus far, as all three are excellent. However, perhaps the true ‘unsung hero’ of the bunch might well be the MDR-Z1R headphone, which offers a completely disarming degree of midrange openness and transparency, coupled with beautifully saturated tonal colours that must be heard to be appreciated

At least one person disagree with you... But yeah the Z1R has a beautiful natural tone.

 

[Rchandra]

I have been having a ton of fun compairing the z1r to a bunch of mid level headphones I found my x2 in my stash and I wanted to talk a bit about the two. The first thing I want to make clear is that the z1r owns the x2 in just about every category the first thing I realized is that the z1r has way more control over the overall presentation of music at near max volumes where the x2 just simply falls apart the bass begins to just ruin the x2s sound. I used both headphones on my ifi ican nano dac and the z1r is very special in high volume listening. Vocals all sound amazing on the z1r the x2 in all honesty was such a waste of money I honestly would recommend if you are seeing yourself purchasing a bunch of mid 300-$500 headphones that you just save that and put it down on a better option. The x2 wasnt terrible but man the x2 has a great sound stage but the sony for me beat it out in that department z1r all the way.. Next I'll compare it with the pm3 when I dont get lazy my ears are having more fun with the th900 and z1r.

 

[Sonic Defender]

... disarming degree of midrange openness and transparency, coupled with beautifully saturated tonal colours that must be heard to be appreciated

I actually agree, in particular with the notion of saturated tonal colours which is of course a difficult concept to articulate and one better experienced. That I think is at the crux of why I respond so favourably to the Z1R; yes it is undeniably coloured, but it is so well done that rather than simply randomly colouring elements of sound in a way that works, for my preferences and subjective experience the Z1R is a special voicing, a relationship with the sound that it defends. It won't be for everybody, but for those of us that respond to the Z1R, we shouldn't worry about anything else. If it works for you, then it just does. There are objective beauty standards for physical appearance, yet despite this, there is such a wide range of what people actually will find beautiful, sometimes making others wonder why and how they have that perception. Sound is like that as well, so it shouldn't be a surprise that some love and some hate the Z1R, cool with me.

Some people actually don't find the 009 that impressive, some hate the TH900, others love it. The Z1R is no different. I love it, and that is good enough for me and for those who also enjoy the Z1R be happy that Sony crafted a voicing we enjoy. Yes, in time I will eventually try something new, I always do as I like to try new signatures, but man I am very happy with the Z1R so if my ears are wooden, or I just don't know good midrange from bad midrange, well ignorance is bliss as they say.

 

[up late]

congrats!