[s82223]

  i know this is to open a can of worms but...
i just can't see how a reputable audio firm like sony (or hifi man or audeze,
heck anyone selling a $2-3k set of cans), will put a mediocre stock cable on it that
could lessen it's sound sig from what the R&D/marketing/engineers had in mind.

That also makes me confused.
 
My friend cut stock cable and try to replace 6.3mm jack with a 4pin XLR.
 
He told me that there is no shielding inside the cable, and the wires are extremely thin.
 
I also compare the stock cable with T1's stock cable, the latter one is the clear winner.
 
For me, the stock cable lacks of treble extension,and it's too dark which make Z1R an overprice HP.

 

[BunnyNamedCraig]

Schiit yggy and kevin gilmore dynahi.

What I really like about Z1R is the powerful bass, it's more enjoyable and fun.

As for T1, it perform pretty well in all genre, but it lacks of characteristics(ilke soundstage of HD800, bass of Z1R)

Both HP are great, but Z1R is more fit for my taste

I hear ya on the comparisons and agree.... I really like the T1 second gen and think that everything abojt it is quality, but the Z1R's sound just fits the bill for me. They both have excellent detail retrieval but their house flavor of sound is different. Some people only like "dark cans" or brighter ect, which is why I was curious about why the Z1R did it for you. Enjoy it!

 

[canali]

Originally Posted by canali 
 
i know this is to open a can of worms but...
i just can't see how a reputable audio firm like sony (or hifi man or audeze,
heck anyone selling a $2-3k set of cans), will put a mediocre stock cable on it that
could lessen it's sound sig from what the R&D/marketing/engineers had in mind.
 

  That also makes me confused.
 
My friend cut stock cable and try to replace 6.3mm jack with a 4pin XLR.
 
He told me that there is no shielding inside the cable, and the wires are extremely thin.
 
I also compare the stock cable with T1's stock cable, the latter one is the clear winner.
 
For me, the stock cable lacks of treble extension,and it's too dark which make Z1R an overprice HP.

 
i'm going to try to track down Naotaka Tsunoda (see below) for his imput about this stock Z1R cable being supposedly unshielded.
 
 believe he was behind the Z1R and with whom Ty was talking to at the RMAF back in Oct
here he is below in video with Ty (wonder when Ty is going to review the Z1R, too...)
Naotaka Tsunoda, Deputy General Manager, Acoustic Technologies, Headphones, at Sony
http://www.innerfidelity.com/content/canjam-rmaf2016-sony-signature-series-mdr-z1r-headphones-nw-wm1z-portable-player-and-ta
 

 
would like his imput on this supposedly non shielded cable.
 
i'll email him both this thread as well as the Sony Z1R specific one.

 

[joseph69]

   
If you think stock cables suffice, and will optimise the performance of your cans, then so be it. I'm sure those free earbuds from Apple must be the best for your DAPs/Phones too eh?

You can probably question the sanity of the guys who will even be silly enough to mod their Ferraris, Ducatis etc

Lighten up and don't take it so personally. No one is here to insult you. I'm just surprised with the price of the Utopia that the cable isn't sufficient enough for many owners from what I've been reading, that's all.

 

[canali]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Toolman View Post
 
 
If you think stock cables suffice, and will optimise the performance of your cans, then so be it. I'm sure those free earbuds from Apple must be the best for your DAPs/Phones too eh?
You can probably question the sanity of the guys who will even be silly enough to mod their Ferraris, Ducatis etc
 
Quote:

 
Lighten up and don't take it so personally. No one is here to insult you. I'm just surprised with the price of the Utopia that the cable isn't sufficient enough for many owners from what I've been reading, that's all.

 
and we're asking legit questions...i mean we all want premium sound...and of course we're all willing to pay for it, too
(heck just look at all those non audiophiles around us who think we're nuts for spending $1-4k on cans)...
just that some tweaks and aftermarket accessories raise the question
of how much diff or improvement can we really hear...and how much is placebo and wanting to convince ourselves that we hear a significant difference given the $$$ we just spent....
esp tough in the more subjective area of audio.

 

[Toolman]

 

   
If you think stock cables suffice, and will optimise the performance of your cans, then so be it. I'm sure those free earbuds from Apple must be the best for your DAPs/Phones too eh?

You can probably question the sanity of the guys who will even be silly enough to mod their Ferraris, Ducatis etc

Lighten up and don't take it so personally. No one is here to insult you. I'm just surprised with the price of the Utopia that the cable isn't sufficient enough for many owners from what I've been reading, that's all.

Why do you think that I take it personally or that I felt insulted? 

It's just that you mentioned it yourself that... "you don't understand" and that "it don't make sense to you" so by me replying to you is...wrong? geez talk about lightening up? but don't worry we are cool 

 
In fact we are on the same side...trust me I hate spending on cables like the next guy but until you give "some" of these aftermarket cables a try then you can judge for yourself whether the stock cables are up to par. Just because you buy a car it doesn't mean that you can upgrade to a better tyres than factory installed ones, that's all I am saying

 

[joseph69]

 
Why do you think that I take it personally or that I felt insulted? 

It's just that you mentioned it yourself that... "you don't understand" and that "it don't make sense to you" so by me replying to you is...wrong? geez talk about lightening up? but don't worry we are cool 

 
In fact we are on the same side...trust me I hate spending on cables like the next guy but until you give "some" of these aftermarket cables a try then you can judge for yourself whether the stock cables are up to par. Just because you buy a car it doesn't mean that you can upgrade to a better tyres than factory installed ones, that's all I am saying

I thought you were taking it personally, sorry.
I don't at all doubt that cables have different sound-signatures which is why I can't understand why Focal wouldn't have offered a different "stock" cable to push the Utopia further being most are changing them.

 

 

[TimeLord]

I would like to humbly request that this thread not devolve into yet another cable discussion thread.
 
Can we focus on the headphones themselves? @Currawong, what do you think?

 

[canali]

  I would like to humbly request that this thread not devolve into yet another cable discussion thread.
 
Can we focus on the headphones themselves? @Currawong, what do you think?

you see that tone of yours? polite and civil...that is what makes headfi such a cool place to hang.

 
   but if i do find out from my post on the cable from sony, hopefully you won't mind if i do add it it.
not trying to sidetrack from this wonderful thread (even the debate is civil but equally constructive)
hope you don't mind if i do sneak it in...but will try to keep that my comments on it going forward to the sony z1r specific thread at hand.

 

[Currawong]

  i know this is to open a can of worms but...
i just can't see how a reputable audio firm like sony (or hifi man or audeze,
heck anyone selling a $2-3k set of cans), will put a mediocre stock cable on it that
could lessen it's sound sig from what the R&D/marketing/engineers had in mind.

 
Looking at the stock cable of the HD800, Utopia and Z1R, I'm guessing that the priorty was robustness more than anything. Customer service and warranty claims eat heavily into a company's costs, so anything to avoid that is welcome. 
 

  i'm going to try to track down Naotaka Tsunoda (see below) for his imput about this stock Z1R cable being supposedly unshielded.

 
[...]
 
would like his imput on this supposedly non shielded cable.
 
i'll email him both this thread as well as the Sony Z1R specific one.

 
I'll try and remember to ask him about it at the Tokyo show at the end of this month.
 
I reckon someone should start a cable company called "The Can of Worms" and send their products rolled up in a tin. 

 

[BillOhio]

Am I misinterpreting this or does Tyll basically say at 5:20 that the Z1Rs are nice so long as you don't turn the volume up...?
 
Quote:

 

 
 

 

[nordkapp]

Subbed. New MDR Z1R arriving this week. These new phones should complete my wheelhouse for the foreseeable future.

 

[BillOhio]

Subbed. New MDR Z1R arriving this week. These new phones should complete my wheelhouse for the foreseeable future.

 
How do you like the Elears? Are they comfortable?

 

[nordkapp]

How do you like the Elears? Are they comfortable?

The Elears are great. Super fast, detailed and plenty of visceral impact. Comfort wise not too bad, but not great either.

 

[canali]

   
Looking at the stock cable of the HD800, Utopia and Z1R, I'm guessing that the priorty was robustness more than anything. Customer service and warranty claims eat heavily into a company's costs, so anything to avoid that is welcome. 
 
 
I'll try and remember to ask him about it at the Tokyo show at the end of this month.
 
I reckon someone should start a cable company called "The Can of Worms" and send their products rolled up in a tin. 

 
hey i'm a sucker as much as anyone for wanting to spend on accessories for better sound..so i'm not knocking anyone trying for such.
 
for example, I just bought these Auralex ''isolation'' Mopads for my Focal Alpha 50 monitors... but they were only cdn$45.
Looking at them I'm sure they're just left over styrofoam packaging in the last shipmen of speakers...the saavy owner, who one day was too lazy
to take to the landfill, decided to spray paint 'em and then slap a label on them.
yells over his partner, ''hey charlie time to make us some easy cashola''

https://www.google.ca/search?q=auralex+mopads&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwix7tW6hYfTAhUhHGMKHYBbCjgQ_AUICCgB&biw=1366&bih=638