[beowulf]

Q: Is Z1R on the same level as the legendary Qualia 010?
A: Yes. 
 
Interviewer's note: I couldn't believe this so I double checked. Z1R is on the SAME RANK with Qualia 010.
 
Q: Which is better, Z1R or Qualia 010?
A: Well, although I designed Qualia 010, and Z1R is designed by my protégé, I think Z1R is the better headphone. This headphone has Sony's latest and best research and technology put into it. You can't compare the tools and research environment nowadays to 20 years ago.

 
Whoa. I'm drooling here. But it's time to quote Carl Sagan; "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence".
In other words, hurry up Amazon, my ears are waiting!
 

 

[Whitigir]

The tools can not be compared to 20 years ago, however the headphones....the R10 and Q10 is legendary. Why Sony did not use or make Bio-cell or nano composite diaphragm 70mm is beyond me.

Let's see how the market will take this Z1R. Now, what is the cables inside the housing . Virtually, to modify or upgrade this cables inside a $2,200 headphones would be insane thing for modification lol...

 

[thanatosguan]

The tools can not be compared to 20 years ago, however the headphones....the R10 and Q10 is legendary. Why Sony did not use or make Bio-cell or nano composite diaphragm 70mm is beyond me.

Let's see how the market will take this Z1R. Now, what is the cables inside the housing

. Virtually, to modify or upgrade this cables inside a $2,200 headphones would be insane thing for modification lol...

 
Curiously, how's the cable inside HD800s or LCD-3?
 
Although I don't believe in cabling at all. SE846's stock cable is of horrible quality and switching to silver indeed helped with the sound. However I still vastly prefer EX1000, which has a 7N-OFC cable with incredible build quality.
 
And of course there's the 1000$+ Kimber Kable Axios options available for various headphones...
 
Also, from Sony's marketing material (so take this with some grains of salt), they say this is coming out of Sony/Taiyo manufacturing facility which also produces the legendary C800G. And they specifically said they are using high quality solder and wiring, at the same level of Sony professional audio gear like the aforementioned C800G.
 
Mind, that professional range manufactured in this facility also includes MDR-CD800ST. Sure, of legendary status, designed by Mr. Nageno Koji, but not exactly a pricey one.

 

[beowulf]

   
Curiously, how's the cable inside HD800s or LCD-3?

 

[Simon T]

  ......However I still vastly prefer EX1000, which has a 7N-OFC cable with incredible build quality.

 
+1000 

 
 
My first love in high-end IEMs. 
 
Still often go back to them (nostalgia), even though, I own Spiral Ear and Noble Audio TOTL custom IEMs, Sony H3 and Z5 and many other...
 
Thus, wishing Mr. Tsunoda to quickly pass his notebook mentioned below to Sony HQ. And for Sony to release the EX1000 true successor... (the Z5 are pretty good, with a wide sound stage for IEMs and tuned with the current Sony house sound, but, the EX1000 combination of transparency and sound stage in unequaled within the current offerings from Sony)    
 
Quote:

 
Q: Do you know Tomohiro Matsuo's MDR-EX1000 is extremely popular?
A: Yes.
 
Q: A lot of manufacturers are pushing high-end dynamic IEMs. A lot of people are expecting Sony to enter this market.
A: Noted. I'll try to rush the related researches. (Mr. Tsunoda whipped out his notebook and wrote down this information)

 
Cheers

 

[Whitigir]

The only thing that held me back from the 10000 was the micky mouse design....one can not lay on in bed with it

 

[Gibraltar]

 
Quote:

Q: Is Z1R on the same level as the legendary Qualia 010?
A: Yes. 
 
Interviewer's note: I couldn't believe this so I double checked. Z1R is on the SAME RANK with Qualia 010.
 
Q: Which is better, Z1R or Qualia 010?
A: Well, although I designed Qualia 010, and Z1R is designed by my protégé, I think Z1R is the better headphone. This headphone has Sony's latest and best research and technology put into it. You can't compare the tools and research environment nowadays to 20 years ago.
 
Originally Posted by beowulf /img/forum/go_quote.gif
   
Whoa. I'm drooling here. But it's time to quote Carl Sagan; "Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence".
In other words, hurry up Amazon, my ears are waiting!
 

 
I wouldn't set any expectations based on these responses. No matter what his personal opinion is there is only one answer he could give to questions like these at a marketing event.
 
Based on the impressions we've heard so far these will sound very different to the Qualias, with a laid back character and more bass emphasis. I'm certainly not suggesting they won't be excellent, but it sounding more and more like they will not be a successor to the R10 or Qualia in terms of character.

 

[thanatosguan]

   
I wouldn't set any expectations based on these responses. No matter what his personal opinion is there is only one answer he could give to questions like these at a marketing event.
 
Based on the impressions we've heard so far these will sound very different to the Qualias, with a laid back character and more bass emphasis. I'm certainly not suggesting they won't be excellent, but it sounding more and more like they will not be a successor to the R10 or Qualia in terms of character.

Yes. Most we can get out of this is that this product is set in a similar price range.

 

[ToroFiestaSol]

http://www.ebay.es/itm/152230313114?rmvSB=true
 
Headphones offer way better price-quality ratio than speakers, for example, to get a sound quality similar to a big Stax setup (10k aprox) you need speakers like YG Sonja 1.2 (72K), and amps like Gryphon, Accuphase, Pass Labs, etc ($$$$). 
I know this because the only thing that sounded equally or better than 007 MK1 and KGSSHV was a pair of YG Sonjas 1.2 in a custom room, with Accuphase A-200 amps and C-3850 preamp.
 
So, why "voice" the headphones to sound like a 23 year old speaker, that can be bought in mint condition for under 4k usd?
Not a very smart move, of course, room is perfect, yes, but speakers are far from perfect...

 

[Whitigir]

http://www.ebay.es/itm/152230313114?rmvSB=true

Headphones offer way better price-quality ratio than speakers, for example, to get a sound quality similar to a big Stax setup (10k aprox) you need speakers like YG Sonja 1.2 (72K), and amps like Gryphon, Accuphase, Pass Labs, etc ($$$$). 
I know this because the only thing that sounded equally or better than 007 MK1 and KGSSHV was a pair of YG Sonjas 1.2 in a custom room, with Accuphase A-200 amps and C-3850 preamp.

So, why "voice" the headphones to sound like a 23 year old speaker, that can be bought in mint condition for under 4k usd?
Not a very smart move, of course, room is perfect, yes, but speakers are far from perfect...

You forgot how headphones impact our hearings ? Headphones destroys our hearings much faster than speakers, period

 

[ToroFiestaSol]

You forgot how headphones impact our hearings ? Headphones destroys our hearings much faster than speakers, period

 
Alcohol destroys organism, families, relationships and is socially accepted...so I don't care about that statement

 

[Whitigir]

Alcohol destroys organism, families, relationships and is socially accepted...so I don't care about that statement

Well, that is up to you, but living while Deaft and having a hobby as audiophile is horrible. Alcohol can be controled, and so for many other things. Organ damages can be treatable....deafness is not, and unless you want hearing aids.

 

[purk]

   
I wouldn't set any expectations based on these responses. No matter what his personal opinion is there is only one answer he could give to questions like these at a marketing event.
 
Based on the impressions we've heard so far these will sound very different to the Qualias, with a laid back character and more bass emphasis. I'm certainly not suggesting they won't be excellent, but it sounding more and more like they will not be a successor to the R10 or Qualia in terms of character.

 
Based on some initial impressions.  I doubt the Z1R will sound similar to the Qualia.  We will have to wait and see. The Qualia isn't known for bass but rather for sheer resolution, tight-tight bass response, to-die-for treble, imaging, and width & depth of soundstaging.  If you think the HD800 is good soundstage wise, it has nothing on the Qualia.  Just like the Z1R, the Qualia can  sound better by simply upgrading the cable as well.  I wish the Z1R is available for us to audition already.  You really have to strike the iron while it is hot.  Hurry up Sony.

  http://www.ebay.es/itm/152230313114?rmvSB=true
 
Headphones offer way better price-quality ratio than speakers, for example, to get a sound quality similar to a big Stax setup (10k aprox) you need speakers like YG Sonja 1.2 (72K), and amps like Gryphon, Accuphase, Pass Labs, etc ($$$$). 
I know this because the only thing that sounded equally or better than 007 MK1 and KGSSHV was a pair of YG Sonjas 1.2 in a custom room, with Accuphase A-200 amps and C-3850 preamp.
 
So, why "voice" the headphones to sound like a 23 year old speaker, that can be bought in mint condition for under 4k usd?
Not a very smart move, of course, room is perfect, yes, but speakers are far from perfect...

 
In a way, this is quite true.  A very highend electrostatic headphones are just that good.  My friend also rates his Stax setup as high as his 70-80K speaker setup.

 

[ToroFiestaSol]

Well, that is up to you, but living while Deaft and having a hobby as audiophile is horrible. Alcohol can be controled, and so for many other things. Organ damages can be treatable....deafness is not, and unless you want hearing aids.

 
You can cause very serious damage to your ears hearing speakers at 110db over 2 hours.
It depends at which volume you listen, and the quantity of hours per day.
In fact, ears are sensitive to everything, even if you don't listen to headphones or speakers, your hearing will be much worse at 50 years old than 25.
It depends on a lot of factors and of course is not that plain simple.

 

[conquerator2]

Chiming in. These were fairly brief impressions. I think I spent about 15 minutes with the prototype? Impressions paste follows:
I by luck, got to hear the upcoming Sony MDR-Z1R, what by many [Sony included] was somewhat touted as the successor to the legendary R10. It even shares many aesthetic features with it, such as the cone like driver enclosure. I was very excited to hear it at it's current prototype stage [which should be almost identical to the final product as the release date is like a month away]. I was let down. It sounded fine. Spacious, good punchy bass, well detailed and also well isolating, but the treble was just way too smooth. I have not heard the Z7 but from what I've read the sound does have a lot of similarity. Now, to be fair, I haven't heard the R10 either but I am sure, going by what I read, it did not sound like the Z7, while the Z1R very much does to a large degree. It does look marvelous and I can see many people enjoying it, even despite the treble deficiency [even funnier with a headphone that claims to extend to 100Khz and beyond ]. But at 2199$, no. The closed Ether Flow is a much better preposition [and it beats it in every way anyway. IMO.]

I am a big Sony fan. I have their phone, their Tv, their gaming console and I love the brand, but this one was not for me unfortunately