[dnnaudio]

Stock cable. The Hugo is quite neutral, some even call it slightly bright, but definitely not warm nor rolled off highs. It should have been a synergistic match for the Z1R. I also think there is some variability in terms on what I feel as dark as against what others may feel. I am a primarily two channel guy and my speakers are Harbeth, Spendor and Dynaudio. These speakers to me are very slightly dark (as opposed to speakers like Focal and B&W), however in contrast the Z1R w/ stock cable to me is even darker to the point where the natural sharpness and bite in notes is blunted a bit.
 
Quote:

   
What cables were you using out of the question? The standard stock cable? The reason I'm asking is because a few weeks back, I wrote the same to a fellow Z1R colleague that I felt it was a little dark with a treble spike off my WM1Z and comparing against the Elear back then.

This past weekend at the Fujiya show, I was at the tried out these other cables off their balanced amp and now that you've talked about a dark signature, I'm thinking back I didn't get that feeling with the Z1R. It prompts me to want to try more cable variety with the Z1R to see if that darkness is due to standard/stock cables. Naturally I'm wary as the cables were almost to the cost of the Z1Rs themselves. But if it proves to be the cable, then at least in my eyes, it demonstrates the Z1R is somewhat noticeably scalable, and it's not just pure grunt power that it needs to get the most out of it, but maybe more clean/consistent power drive. Again this is almost pure speculation with a brief 10 min actual listen.

 

[ubs28]

I owned P9 prior to Z1R, in some degree they have similar characteristic, P9 has a nice soundstage (semi-open), a bit more bass heavy. Z1R is more resolve. I enjoyed both. But Z1R is definitely less sound leaking which is the main reason i opt for it for office use.

That is what I don't like about the P9 also, it leaks too much. How does the B&W P7 wireless compare to the Z1R?

 

[kefs]

Another morning waking up on the sofa 6.00am with headphones still on !
Damn you Sony, damn you Miles Davis

 

[HiFiGuy528]

Got the official MDR-Z1R headphone stand from Japan. The top and base is covered in leather. 
 

 

[TokenGesture]

I dunno I started to think the Z1R balance out of my Violectric V280 with silver cable is too dark. Went back to the Metrum Aurix singles ended and stock cable, sounded clearer / more like the WM1A. Now wondering more seriously about the Sony Desktop amp.

 

[ShinRA88]

  Got the official MDR-Z1R headphone stand from Japan. The top and base is covered in leather. 
 

Got links?

 

[Drumonron]

I like the newton faulkner and the george ezra songs - good stuff, thanks.  Nothing but live stuff on itunes for Newton Faulkner, though.  Will find him somewhere.
 
The Z1R is mystical, enjoying it very much.  Now, need more music.

 

[Sonic Defender]

While I can get the tonality of the Z1R being skewed toward dark, for me it doesn't cross over into being dark. I am a former neutral/treble lover (although it has been a while) and while I know how nice the fully revealed edge or bite can be, I found that more often than not it was less than ideal. So the Z1R for me is an excellent compromise, but I do get that for some it may feel less focused and offer a more diffused presentation (if that makes any sense) due to less emphasis of the sharper edges in conjunction with the spatial field.
 
I like this approach very much and recently I have been using a slight parametric EQ cut of about 3db centred at I think 3.2kHz and spanning about .8 of an octave. Now I only rarely had any issue with the well documented 3kHz spike, and even then not enough of an issue to really feel it needed correction, maybe I'm less sensitive in that region, but I experimented simply to see what would happen. I find it improves the signature a little and worth running with.
 
You can't ask a headphone design to be everything, for everybody, not at any price. There will always be a design decision that somebody finds less than ideal, sometimes they will hate it. Look at the TH 900, at one time it was heralded as the best dynamic, or at least pretty darn close, eventually people started to complain about sucked out midrange and sharp highs. There is even the odd voice of dissent about the Utopia with some being underwhelmed by it and feeling it can be too bright. My point remains that the Z1R or any headphone need not please everybody to still be a brilliant contribution to the hobby. For those that mesh with the sound signature, well they are in for a treat of course, a big engaging sound; for those less thrilled they are lucky we have so many fantastic headphones currently in the marketplace, and surely more to come.
 
First world problems for sure deciding how to spend disposable income on premium headphones.

 

[beowulf]

You can't ask a headphone design to be everything, for everybody, not at any price. There will always be a design decision that somebody finds less than ideal, sometimes they will hate it. Look at the TH 900, at one time it was heralded as the best dynamic, or at least pretty darn close, eventually people started to complain about sucked out midrange and sharp highs. There is even the odd voice of dissent about the Utopia with some being underwhelmed by it and feeling it can be too bright.

 
Very true. Some strengths automatically imply certain weaknesses (as for example better isolation > usually worse soundstage/air) and it's also interesting to see how certain models do evolve from being perfect and later start getting more criticism, or - surprisingly - vice versa. Talking about Utopia, Katz wasn't all that amazed.
 
Still, certainly first world problems, well put.

 

[Sonic Defender]

   
Very true. Some strengths automatically imply certain weaknesses (as for example better isolation > usually worse soundstage/air) and it's also interesting to see how certain models do evolve from being perfect and later start getting more criticism, or - surprisingly - vice versa. Talking about Utopia, Katz wasn't all that amazed.
 
Still, certainly first world problems, well put.

Indeed, look at the Nighthawk, there are some who absolutely adore the signature, and many who do not. I have no illusions that the Z1R are perfect, but right now for my current preference (audio tastes change over time for me) the Z1R is very, very, good. Certainly as good as I can afford. The Utopia for instance is an insane $5300 Canadian before the 13% sales tax I would have to pay so I am quite content. A year from now I may sell it to try a new signature, who knows, I rarely keep a headphone for even a year as I love trying new signatures out. For now this baby isn't going anywhere, maybe never I might just keep it and not sell it. It is a great sounding headphone and so well made, a pleasure to hold.

 

[cloud_c]

  Indeed, look at the Nighthawk, there are some who absolutely adore the signature, and many who do not. I have no illusions that the Z1R are perfect, but right now for my current preference (audio tastes change over time for me) the Z1R is very, very, good. Certainly as good as I can afford. The Utopia for instance is an insane $5300 Canadian before the 13% sales tax I would have to pay so I am quite content. A year from now I may sell it to try a new signature, who knows, I rarely keep a headphone for even a year as I love trying new signatures out. For now this baby isn't going anywhere, maybe never I might just keep it and not sell it. It is a great sounding headphone and so well made, a pleasure to hold.

Maybe I'll do the same and check out the Nighthawk, but more for fun than seriously consider replacing the Z1R.
I haven't finished my a/b testing against the SZ2000 and T1, but I can already tell that it will replace those two without hesitation.
My eq parameters always seem to produce a final frequency response that seems closest to the Nighthawks, so I'll have to try them out.

 

[Sonic Defender]

 
Maybe I'll do the same and check out the Nighthawk, but more for fun than seriously consider replacing the Z1R.
I haven't finished my a/b testing against the SZ2000 and T1, but I can already tell that it will replace those two without hesitation.
My eq parameters always seem to produce a final frequency response that seems closest to the Nighthawks, so I'll have to try them out.

I take it has a warmer tonality and it goes for a very reasonable sum these days. It isn't there any longer, but I'm sure on canuckaudiomart I saw a used Nighthawk for $350 Canadian. New I think the price has dropped quite a bit as well so for those with the financial means to have a few options on hand it is worth considering. I almost did myself, but currently not an option or needed as the Z1R are giving me exactly what I want at this point so as I said, I'm pretty content. Do you have a first gen T1 with a later serial number? Apparently T1 fans suggest that the later, first gen T1 is the best iteration.

 

[HiFiGuy528]

  Got links?

 
http://www.sony.jp/walkman/store/special/signature/
 

 

 

[cloud_c]

  I take it has a warmer tonality and it goes for a very reasonable sum these days. It isn't there any longer, but I'm sure on canuckaudiomart I saw a used Nighthawk for $350 Canadian. New I think the price has dropped quite a bit as well so for those with the financial means to have a few options on hand it is worth considering. I almost did myself, but currently not an option or needed as the Z1R are giving me exactly what I want at this point so as I said, I'm pretty content. Do you have a first gen T1 with a later serial number? Apparently T1 fans suggest that the later, first gen T1 is the best iteration.

Yes, exactly; just a few hundred numbers before the baffle change.
Off hand the thought came to mind that maybe I'll sell whatever gear I have lying around including all phones except the Z1R to get another pair... that has never happened before.
Now I'm seriously considering if I can live without the T1. The SZ2000 will certainly go if I do decide to finance a second pair. Then again, if I can find an inexpensive Nighthawk as you noted, then maybe it'll me the headphone that I use at home instead of the 1R.

 

[Earbones]

Amazon Prime (US) opened with these at $1999 just under a month ago, now they are $1899. Same seller (Buywise) fulfilled by Amazon. I'm calling it now... I think these will settle at or below $1500 in the next couple of years. Barring anything spectacular in the pipeline that beats them for that money (doubtful, imo) , I think these will be as much a go-to recommendation as the HD800 was.