The Official Sony MDR-Z1R Flagship Headphone Thread (Live From IFA 2016)
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Nov 17, 2016 at 12:27 AM Post #2,686 of 11,341
  I did it :) Pre-ordered from Amazon UK from US.
 
For some reason, during checkout the price fell from the displayed £1,334.30 to £1,110.02. I couldn't figure out why the price dropped and when I checked the product page after purchasing, it was still at £1,334.30. So my total checkout (+ shipping, import fees) came to £1,172.56 ... which comes to around $1460 US.
I am not going to complain about that.
 
Now the waiting starts.
It's probably going to take at least a few month for the price to go that low in the US once it starts selling here :/

 
I thought it was because amazon.co.uk pre-order price warranty charges you the lowest price the item has ever reached, which in this case is £1,111.92 or £1,110.02 now... but it's VAT, apparently
 
Nov 17, 2016 at 12:27 AM Post #2,687 of 11,341
Amazon algorithm really throws the value on these phones. Crazy Sony lets them get away with that. This is the lowest price I've seen them.

However if $1500-2k is major investment for you, i suggest getting it from an authorized vendor for the comfort of warranty. What's the warranty on these btw? Surely more than 1 year. Right?

I think Sony is fine with it, they make the same money regardless of who sells the unit so Sony doesn't lose. The price is supposed to be a special, time limited price so I will be very curious f it does go to the suggested retail, and stay there. I also think that as has happened in the past, it is possible they will pre-sell too many units and have to cancel some. I'm not sure how realistic that is or not mind you, but I do know that it has happened before.
 
Nov 17, 2016 at 12:28 AM Post #2,688 of 11,341
What's the warranty on these btw? Surely more than 1 year. Right?


In the USA, I believe it's 90 days on labor and 1 year on parts. 
 
Nov 17, 2016 at 12:34 AM Post #2,689 of 11,341
I did it :) Pre-ordered from Amazon UK from US.

For some reason, during checkout the price fell from the displayed £1,334.30 to £1,110.02. I couldn't figure out why the price dropped and when I checked the product page after purchasing, it was still at £1,334.30. So my total checkout (+ shipping, import fees) came to £1,172.56 ... which comes to around $1460 US.
I am not going to complain about that.

Now the waiting starts.
It's probably going to take at least a few month for the price to go that low in the US once it starts selling here :/


The price drops in checkout because VAT get's taken out if you are not in the EU.
 
Nov 17, 2016 at 12:42 AM Post #2,690 of 11,341
Amazon algorithm really throws the value on these phones. Crazy Sony lets them get away with that. This is the lowest price I've seen them.

However if $1500-2k is major investment for you, i suggest getting it from an authorized vendor for the comfort of warranty. What's the warranty on these btw? Surely more than 1 year. Right?
As I undetstand it the Sony Signature Series is a 2 year warranty p&l program.
 
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Nov 17, 2016 at 3:20 AM Post #2,691 of 11,341
I did already order from Amazon UK myself as well considering Amazon are listed retailers shown on the Sony website it seems fairly sure that it isn't a fake which is a laughable suggestion really... Also a cable is so much easier to copy than an entire headphone and it isn't like these are moulded plastic crap like Beats which are constantly copied so it is a rather inappropriate comparison.

In addition, if you order from the UK, Amazon cover you just the same and will pay for your return shipping as experienced when ordering from Amazon US several times before myself. It might take longer but if it is a third of the price on such a costly item why the hell wouldn't you? In fact several people in this thread have already said they did, you know, money talks!

I do find your attitude somewhat frustrating, it seems every time anyone says something that differs to your opinion you charge head first into discrediting everything they say even if it was the truth! I noticed the exact same thing in the Focal thread and it is aggravating to say the least... Even more so as my original comment was in fact a joke but you know I forgot that Americans don't understand sarcasm, my bad...
 
Nov 17, 2016 at 4:04 AM Post #2,692 of 11,341
I do find your attitude somewhat frustrating, it seems every time anyone says something that differs to your opinion you charge head first into discrediting everything they say even if it was the truth! I noticed the exact same thing in the Focal thread and it is aggravating to say the least... Even more so as my original comment was in fact a joke but you know I forgot that Americans don't understand sarcasm, my bad...


We should probably also keep in mind how frustrating it must be for the authorized dealers that have to compete with international Internet retailers that get stock earlier and can charge lower prices due to local market positioning, VAT, etc.

This is especially true with Sony, which doesn't seem to restrict distributers from selling outside their region.
 
Nov 17, 2016 at 6:34 AM Post #2,693 of 11,341
I did it :) Pre-ordered from Amazon UK from US.

For some reason, during checkout the price fell from the displayed £1,334.30 to £1,110.02. I couldn't figure out why the price dropped and when I checked the product page after purchasing, it was still at £1,334.30. So my total checkout (+ shipping, import fees) came to £1,172.56 ... which comes to around $1460 US.
I am not going to complain about that.

Now the waiting starts.
It's probably going to take at least a few month for the price to go that low in the US once it starts selling here :/


That is likely the deduction of VAT @20%(GST) if delivery is outside the UK.

Also, while it is great getting the best price for a product, I do not know what the fuss is all about. What's happening is capitalism. Even a company like Apple cannot ensure that all prices and availability of their phones are exactly the same around the world... Deal with it guys.
 
Nov 17, 2016 at 9:49 AM Post #2,694 of 11,341
I do find your attitude somewhat frustrating, it seems every time anyone says something that differs to your opinion you charge head first into discrediting everything they say even if it was the truth! I noticed the exact same thing in the Focal thread and it is aggravating to say the least... Even more so as my original comment was in fact a joke but you know I forgot that Americans don't understand sarcasm, my bad...

 
Agreed. It's clearly a desperate ploy to try to steer more sales towards his own store. 
 
Nov 17, 2016 at 10:03 AM Post #2,695 of 11,341
Agreed. It's clearly a desperate ploy to try to steer more sales towards his own store. 
Exactly! Hahahaha! That's why I'm giving you all the stores that are going to be providing you access and audition time on the product.
 
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Nov 17, 2016 at 10:34 AM Post #2,696 of 11,341
Exactly! Hahahaha! That's why I'm giving you all the stores that are going to be providing you access and audition time on the product.


I must have missed where you did that. Where is it?
 
Nov 17, 2016 at 11:11 AM Post #2,697 of 11,341
With all due respects, There is nothing wrong with trying to gain more business for your business. About pricing control, the customers have to blame the manufacturers and not the business owner.


Back onto the Z1R, I have to say that regarding the bass. The bass only get slow, and soft on the places that it was needed, and called out for. Many people talking in general that the bass is slow, and soft....this is not the case. I am sorry, but I disagree with this. This is the case to me where the bass is being so controlled, not overly sped up or restrained back where it couldn't even do anything and distort.

Regarding the ringing in the mid, I do not hear it. I have no ability to hear it, and while I have no problem distinct the differences between cables, equipments and even digital cables and plugs....for the life of me, I can not tell if there is any ringing in this headphones. Believe me, I tried so hard to tell and I looked everywhere for it, because I do not support the idea of having Magnesium dome in the headphones. I rather have Nano-composite dome.

Really, I can not hear this ringing. However, I can tell you that in the lower trebles regions and specifically in some track, the trebles has more metallic tonal body, and speedy with great resolution. I do love the Z1R magical mid spectrum from Lower mid and to upper mid transcended into lower trebles. It is so dang good.

The lower trebles is so good that from th900 and my modified balanced SA5000 do not carry this tonal body in the trebles as the Z1R. It played out, with it own resolution, but it lacks the metallic and thick tonal body like in Z1R.

I admit that this is the first pair of headphones I ever owned to be in this piece region. However, I had been loving music and live concert my entire life, and I had attended many and many of them, from raw live performances to large scale stadium like concert. There is a place in me where I could tell the real quality from bad quality.

If I can sum up the Z1R: authenticity on bass, sub bass, decay, speed, timbres....it carries emotions. The same thing for trebles, and then that oh so smooth, lush, and magical mid range that is so full and mouth drooling good.


If there is anything strange about the Z1R, I would say that in some tracks, there are specific regions that got amplified and they are mainly Sub-bass and Lower trebles. However, it is good, it feel good, and it is musical. I am confused, whether this is what I was supposed to hear from the studio engineers intentions toward the consumers ends like me ? Or should I be hearing things like other people had been saying from SA5000, to HD800 ? I do know one thing is that I rather enjoy Z1R for musical experiences than be picking at separated layers, plays, and notes. I rather enjoy the symphonic details as a whole....than separated plays that are so far a part to be enjoyable.


Now, I had been asking myself, why had Sony produced such headphones ? Musical headphones and is so good at it ? Why did they not stick to references like many others ? The only reason I found out myself is that the market now is "primed, ripened" that the typical and casual consumers are made aware of "high quality" is possible from portable gears for enjoyments. They do not have to keep on sticking with stereo home systems anymore. In the past, the typical consumers and the market was dominated by MP3 and IPods.....which was pushed and controlled by Apples....and Sony almost died out. Luckily they are still here, and we couldn't blame the market though, because back then everyone just started out with internet, and dial-up....a 320kbps MP3 took minutes to upload or download ....

Now, it is primed, and Sony saw the chance, they jumped right on it. The heart of Sony had not changed....Z1R is the product where Sony yet proved again, Music shall be enjoyable and not only critically clinical anymore.

One may ask, why had headphones manufacturers stocked to "references only" in the pass ? Because the typical consumer market was not primed for it, and they would not sell it. However, to those who do find uses for headphones, it gotta be "references" and to be used in "studio". Hardcore enthusiasts and or audiophiles stuck around and adapted into it, and believe it or not....these were small market....hence a "niche" market. Not anymore, now the typical consumers is made aware and is willing to spend on it. I have no doubt that Z1R will be not the only First of it kind, but also be the top of the line for years as (closed back, and musicality with high fidelity playback)

So, that means Sony is leaving the references market ? I doubt it, Sony is just not there yet, and if Z1R is so welcomed by the typical market, then Sony will work on this "niche market". Because eventually the high demand of the typical markets will be evolved into higher standard, and that will need more critical details from the studio and engineers.....that mean the references products will see a surge of demand from both the engineers and the audiophiles. So rest assure, Sony will get right back into references lines




To those hardcore audiophiles that found themselves being so disappointed by Sony ? Do not despair, Sony never advertised Z1R to be references, but rather being musical, and the ability to feel the music. This is Sony statement that Z1R is musical products for the typical consumers.

In conclusion and my personal point of view, this is a huge success from what Sony is aiming for. I am glad Sony did so, and proudly be an owner that love his Z1R
 
Nov 17, 2016 at 11:21 AM Post #2,698 of 11,341
I must have missed where you did that. Where is it?
Here, I'll save you the time on your search for it.

The Source AV - SoCal
Music Lovers - NorCal
Music to my Ear - PA
Natural Sound - MA
LMC Home Entertainment - AZ
Paragon Sight & Sound - MI

These are what I know as of today. Later this afternoon I should have a couple more to announce for you and next week the 2 online store should be something I can announce.
 
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Nov 17, 2016 at 1:03 PM Post #2,700 of 11,341
So, that means Sony is leaving the references market ? I doubt it, Sony is just not there yet,

 
Chiming in here regarding this. If you define "reference" as in studio use, then Sony has that market locked down in many regions(M50X is probably the only competitor in terms of quantity). CD900ST and their MDR-7xxx series are legendary. The 7520 has a cult following here on Head-fi and some engineers swear by it.
 
Of course, headphones are usually not used for mixing.
 
And isn't it a little bit curious that all studio reference cans are considered "mid-fi"?
 
And as a fellow frequent concert-goer I must say live music experience is important if one wants to be critical with their listening. And remember to wear some earplugs when going to loud venues... it improves the listening quality and protects your eardrums at the same time!
 
Now the only headphone I'm really interested in is the Focal Utopia (probably with Elear pads). It's nice to have a sudden influx of great manufacturers coming into the headphone game... 
 
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