[rgs9200m]

   But burn in will hopefully (and most likely from my experience with other phones) take the sharp edges off. Nothing bad, I'm just rather sensitive to highs.

You should really get the Hifiman HE1000(V2) if this is how you feel.
I'm also really sensitive to highs. (And this is exacerbated by my DACs and CD player).
I often could only listen to the Beatles and such via my Senn 650 because of this, but the HEKv2 really keeps the highs in check nicely, sweet and not piercing or painful,
even with my Moon Silver Dragon cable (and the highs are even mellower with the stock cable). But there is definitely more resolution and definition and speed than the Sennheiser.
 
Don't judge the HEKv2 by the v1, which could be brittle in the treble and elsewhere. To my ears, the v2 is a big step up.
[It seems like you gravitate to traditional driver headphones like the SEM1, TH900, and HD650, rather than planars, so the Hifiman may not be something you would consider, but I still would recommend it.]

 

[palchiu]

By the looks of it those are the switchcraft connectors. I think I might just go for a Forza AudioWorks Claire Hybrid HPC, look nice and can get it with a 4 pin xlr for not insane money ~€259 for 2.5m.

I have Claire MK2, sound is good and much better than sony/kimber. recommand.

 

[palchiu]

my then new Z7 stock had a soldering issue and i attempted to reterminate it

only to realise that the wiring within the stock cable is thinner than most iem cables i have, and seriously if i or anyone here could afford a z1R or even a z7, why not shell out for a better built cable even if it's psychological bias?

Affordability went out the window a thousand bucks ago

http://www.head-fi.org/t/728006/sonys-new-flagship-2014-mdr-z7/3550_50#post_11102540

 
Get any upgrade cable to reterminate.
 

 
Found this on ebay, perfect fit.

 

[deafdoorknob]

   
Get any upgrade cable to reterminate.
 

 
Found this on ebay, perfect fit.

thx I ended up selling them all... if my LCD-X finds a nice buyer, I would definitely consider the z1R, although recently, with so much work related travelling, I'm on an IEM fix.

 

[ShinRA88]

Get any upgrade cable to reterminate.




Found this on ebay, perfect fit.

Got any links?

 

[Smileyko]

Hey guys and gals and friends of Sony. I just caved in. Said I would wait till after the Chinese new year but Noooooooooooo. Just went to the Sony store here in Saigon and in and out in less then 10 minutes flat. Heck, it's Christmas coming up why not. It's light but huge in size now burning in this new baby. Hope all goes well after 200 hours. Cheers. Happy to joint the club.

 

[Whitigir]

Hey guys and gals and friends of Sony. I just caved in. Said I would wait till after the Chinese new year but Noooooooooooo. Just went to the Sony store here in Saigon and in and out in less then 10 minutes flat. Heck, it's Christmas coming up why not. It's light but huge in size now burning in this new baby. Hope all goes well after 200 hours. Cheers. Happy to joint the club.

Congratulations! You will love it

 

[xba3]

  Hey guys and gals and friends of Sony. I just caved in. Said I would wait till after the Chinese new year but Noooooooooooo. Just went to the Sony store here in Saigon and in and out in less then 10 minutes flat. Heck, it's Christmas coming up why not. It's light but huge in size now burning in this new baby. Hope all goes well after 200 hours. Cheers. Happy to joint the club.

congrattulations. I guess you must buy it from a Sony Center. May I ask which Sony center you buy it from?

 

[xba3]

Ohh, does anyone try this Sony MDR Z1R with the balance from sony PHA 3. I have tried for a few days and find out they are a pretty good pair.

 

[Smileyko]

In Saigon here in Q1. Dong Du street. I paid in VND 38.6 million which is $1697 USD. Now burning in. Cheers.

 

[sosrah]

Ohh, does anyone try this Sony MDR Z1R with the balance from sony PHA 3. I have tried for a few days and find out they are a pretty good pair.

I'm still waiting for Neutrik connectors to make a balanced cable: where did you find improvements compared to SE?

 

[goyete]

Someone can comment some impressions between differences trough XBA-Z5 and Z1R in sound quality terms please??? Thank you!

 

[deafdoorknob]

Someone can comment some impressions between differences trough XBA-Z5 and Z1R in sound quality terms please??? Thank you!

apples and iems yadda, yadda.... fwiw Z5 is a little better than the z7 when it comes to overall performance bar ergonomics which is polarising ... z1R is a good deal better than both in all aspects aside from cost... z5 and z7 are like caricatures of the z1R ... in some ways z1R is more like a much improved version of the MA900 soundwise than the z7

was just in jaben hk to audition it... someone buy my lcdx STAT

against z7 > more of everything except colouration, it gets acoustic space right, the bass is big but not ill defined or boomy like the z7 and to an extent z5, much better bass details esp in the subbass

better resolution and one of a few headphones that doesn't sound "off" compared to really good 2ch setups imho

z5 might have a bigger but more diffused soundstage which is a plus to some but again much lower resolution overall

 

[AppleheadMay]

Why do you guys even need different cables?

 
1) Need 4m length for this one,
2) stock cable looks and feels pretty flimsy, I expected soething better for cans at this pricepoint,
3) I hate 1/8 plugs and I hate a chain of connectors and adpters.

 

[goyete]

apples and iems yadda, yadda.... fwiw Z5 is a little better than the z7 when it comes to overall performance bar ergonomics which is polarising ... z1R is a good deal better than both in all aspects aside from cost... z5 and z7 are like caricatures of the z1R ... in some ways z1R is more like a much improved version of the MA900 soundwise than the z7

was just in jaben hk to audition it... someone buy my lcdx STAT

against z7 > more of everything except colouration, it gets acoustic space right, the bass is big but not ill defined or boomy like the z7 and to an extent z5, much better bass details esp in the subbass

better resolution and one of a few headphones that doesn't sound "off" compared to really good 2ch setups imho

z5 might have a bigger but more diffused soundstage which is a plus to some but again much lower resolution overall

Thank you! After one year hearing Z7, and now have 2 Z5 (in PhA-3 and other in MUC-M2BT1) y think Z5 is much better than Z7. The micro details of Z5 are incredible, nor in Z7.

I would buy Z1R is they sound at least as Z5 (becouse it must be as confortable as the Z7). For me, the only problem that has the Z5 is that they aren't as confortable as Z7 (in this terms they are incredible to hearing music hours and hours when I work).