Black Sony Hybrids were my first tip with the Z1R. But I found the included silicone to be actually more mid-centric so....that’s what I use. The surprise is maybe the IER is heavy, if I haven’t used it in a long time? But....I am able to wear it as long as I want. But you may be surprised after a long while that your ears totally adapt, we have seen that and don’t know how or why? Like after 3 months they will become your most comfortable IEM. I don’t know how long you have had them?
can't believe I might be considering it now, but is IER M9 good? I do hear its a good side grade on par with the ever popular Andromeda but I've never heard of them either, heck or any high/summit end IEM model even.
my point of reference is Sony A3, EX800ST, and others in my sig, mostly mid-fi. I planned to save up to an IER Z1R but theres a good deal for a new M9 that I might be able to sell off at about the same price. in a couple months/years. I do love the accessories included and its form factor as right now the only IEM I can comfortably sleep in is only my couple years old IM04 and I'm not always that jazz about its sound tho it's competent.
my question is, is it good enough IEM that I can comfortably sell off a couple of IEM in my collection to replace? the thought of consolidating it to a smaller pieces does sound appealing to me lately.
I know it won't replace the A3 as that sound's pretty unique and probably only the Z1R can replace, but, is, dare I say, owning a Z1R AND an M9 a good idea? does the two complement each other well?
I have both. I think they are very good in very different ways. Obviously it's an expensive combo, but if you have the money for it, I can say that I at least enjoy owning that combo.
can't believe I might be considering it now, but is IER M9 good? I do hear its a good side grade on par with the ever popular Andromeda but I've never heard of them either, heck or any high/summit end IEM model even.
my point of reference is Sony A3, EX800ST, and others in my sig, mostly mid-fi. I planned to save up to an IER Z1R but theres a good deal for a new M9 that I might be able to sell off at about the same price. in a couple months/years. I do love the accessories included and its form factor as right now the only IEM I can comfortably sleep in is only my couple years old IM04 and I'm not always that jazz about its sound tho it's competent.
my question is, is it good enough IEM that I can comfortably sell off a couple of IEM in my collection to replace? the thought of consolidating it to a smaller pieces does sound appealing to me lately.
I know it won't replace the A3 as that sound's pretty unique and probably only the Z1R can replace, but, is, dare I say, owning a Z1R AND an M9 a good idea? does the two complement each other well?
I was sitting where you're sitting right now. In my case, I sold my Etymotic ER4s and my Sony EX-1000 to get the M9 and I never regretted it one day! The M9 are a clear step up, IMO I'd even venture they'll become a Sony classic on the grounds of how they strike a balance between well-roundedness and fidelity. While they sound like an upgrade even from my FiiO BTR3, anything from a Mojo up will truly make them sing.
Opposite to common perception, I even find their bass to be perfectly competent, albeit true to source: Billie Eilish's Happier than Ever (Qobuz 24-44.1) sounds like the bloated compressed digital bass that it is and even hurts my ears, while the sub-bass rumble in Brahms's Ein Deutsches Requiem (Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra - Daniel harding / Qobuz 24-48) sounds as natural as it should sound in the concert hall. Granted, I've experienced more rumble from, say, the Meze Rai Penta, but that tuning was way off overall compared to the Sony M9. Source might also play a part on how low the M9 can actually go (I find them rather transparent in this regard), so keep in mind that I generally consider my Mojo a good reference for my IEM comments.
With regards to the Sony Z1R, I've never had the chance to audition them but I read they're rather heavy and uncomfortable to the ear. On the opposite side, the M9 are small and surprisingly ergonomic, sitting quite comfortably in my ear while achieving great seal right off the bat.
I say consider it a graduation to the 1K tier, mid-fi be gone!
How do these stack up with the ie900? BA Vs DD, but same price bracket. Plus I've read the M9's have DD sounding low end. I loved the 800s, never owned a full BA iem
i finally buckled and bought the M9.. i had heard them before in a Sony store in my town, so i know what i'm getting.
the surprise is when i auditioned them before at the store, i only tried them using my measly phone output, which is not exactly optimal source (even though i was still impressed back then). Listening to them again on a proper DAC amp really put a smile on me.
this is a relaxed tuning, i bet some oeople won't be wowed when listening to this.
the amount of details it provides in that relaxed signature however, is extraordinary. it really reminds me of the old EX1000 tuning, but without the grating treble
I love my HA-2. Awhile back I resurrected mine with a new battery. I've been pondering a sony iem for many months. Your picture sealed the deal with that Paganini track playing (I was a violinist). M7 incoming!
I love my HA-2. Awhile back I resurrected mine with a new battery. I've been pondering a sony iem for many months. Your picture sealed the deal with that Paganini track playing (I was a violinist). M7 incoming!
Just got my m7 in yesterday. A bit of context before I share some initial impressions. I've been a long-time fan of the a3's and had the z5 for a week before both were stolen. I didn't have enough time on the z5 to remember in detail how they sounded, so my comparison will be with the A3 (from memory). I've been saving up for the z1r for a while but haven't pulled the trigger as I've been sidetracked with headphones and earbuds for some time. My listening tastes are almost exclusively classical music (mostly piano and violin concerti and the occasional orchestra piece. The m7's were an impulse buy and sort of a sub-conscience decision to fill the hole left by my a3 and z5. @gerelmx1986 pushed me over the edge with his picture showing the oppo ha2 with his m7's plugged in, listening to Paganini. (I love the ha2 and Paganini.)
Some quick observations after a couple of hours on them.
The m7's are really light. I wasn't expecting them to be so light in weight. They are really comfortable, more so than the a3 or z5.
The bass is stronger on the A3 than the M7. But the bass is much more controlled with the M7.
both have the typical slight treble roll off I associate with the sony house sound.
the drop off in the lower brilliance range (6k to 8k) is slightly more pronounced with the m7, and because of this, I have a really hard time hearing the concert hall ambiance. This also makes for a warmer, almost darker, sound with the m7 compared to the a3.
the m7 is much stronger with technicality. no contest compared to the a3.
I like the m7 a lot, but can't really recommend them broadly. The main reason is the price. The m7 price point is flooded with competitors I'd recommend over the m7 -- the lz a7 and isn est50 are clear winners in the $300 to $500 market.
Just got my m7 in yesterday. A bit of context before I share some initial impressions. I've been a long-time fan of the a3's and had the z5 for a week before both were stolen. I didn't have enough time on the z5 to remember in detail how they sounded, so my comparison will be with the A3 (from memory). I've been saving up for the z1r for a while but haven't pulled the trigger as I've been sidetracked with headphones and earbuds for some time. My listening tastes are almost exclusively classical music (mostly piano and violin concerti and the occasional orchestra piece. The m7's were an impulse buy and sort of a sub-conscience decision to fill the hole left by my a3 and z5. @gerelmx1986 pushed me over the edge with his picture showing the oppo ha2 with his m7's plugged in, listening to Paganini. (I love the ha2 and Paganini.)
Some quick observations after a couple of hours on them.
The m7's are really light. I wasn't expecting them to be so light in weight. They are really comfortable, more so than the a3 or z5.
The bass is stronger on the A3 than the M7. But the bass is much more controlled with the M7.
both have the typical slight treble roll off I associate with the sony house sound.
the drop off in the lower brilliance range (6k to 8k) is slightly more pronounced with the m7, and because of this, I have a really hard time hearing the concert hall ambiance. This also makes for a warmer, almost darker, sound with the m7 compared to the a3.
the m7 is much stronger with technicality. no contest compared to the a3.
I like the m7 a lot, but can't really recommend them broadly. The main reason is the price. The m7 price point is flooded with competitors I'd recommend over the m7 -- the lz a7 and isn est50 are clear winners in the $300 to $500 market.
Thanks for sharing!
What source and tips are you using with the M7?
When I received the M9 I just had the DUNU Luna tour unit, and next to the super dynamic Luna, the M9 didn’t immediately wow me. But it kept growing on me and I started to appreciate the refinement, detail and natural tonal balance more and more.
With the M9, I found that the source plays a bigger role than with my other IEMs. They need much more power than I‘d expected, and they are capable of delivering resolution and definition of the source. I am using the Chord Hugo 2 now, and the results are excellent. The H2 has very accurate note definition from sub bass to treble, and the M9 delivers most of it. Rumble is limited and tip dependent, but can be quite good.
Tips are also tricky and important, I ended up with the Spiral Dot ++ but maybe the M7 needs other tips. Small tips and deep fit are best for the M9.
I also changed the cable to the CEMA PS from AliExpress, and it gave the mids some more energy, added even more definition and clarity and made the stage wider.
I have only heard the M7 very briefly some years ago because the M9 sounded more energetic and alive. I heard the XBA-3 at that time too, and it was more energetic and powerful. But the refinement of M9 (and M7) is the best I have heard so far. IMO the M9 is really worth being used with a source that costs more than the IEM itself. In some ways better than the Z1R, more refined.
So keep us updated about your impressions after some time, curious to hear how you feel after listening more!
Just got my m7 in yesterday. A bit of context before I share some initial impressions. I've been a long-time fan of the a3's and had the z5 for a week before both were stolen. I didn't have enough time on the z5 to remember in detail how they sounded, so my comparison will be with the A3 (from memory). I've been saving up for the z1r for a while but haven't pulled the trigger as I've been sidetracked with headphones and earbuds for some time. My listening tastes are almost exclusively classical music (mostly piano and violin concerti and the occasional orchestra piece. The m7's were an impulse buy and sort of a sub-conscience decision to fill the hole left by my a3 and z5. @gerelmx1986 pushed me over the edge with his picture showing the oppo ha2 with his m7's plugged in, listening to Paganini. (I love the ha2 and Paganini.)
Some quick observations after a couple of hours on them.
The m7's are really light. I wasn't expecting them to be so light in weight. They are really comfortable, more so than the a3 or z5.
The bass is stronger on the A3 than the M7. But the bass is much more controlled with the M7.
both have the typical slight treble roll off I associate with the sony house sound.
the drop off in the lower brilliance range (6k to 8k) is slightly more pronounced with the m7, and because of this, I have a really hard time hearing the concert hall ambiance. This also makes for a warmer, almost darker, sound with the m7 compared to the a3.
the m7 is much stronger with technicality. no contest compared to the a3.
I like the m7 a lot, but can't really recommend them broadly. The main reason is the price. The m7 price point is flooded with competitors I'd recommend over the m7 -- the lz a7 and isn est50 are clear winners in the $300 to $500 market.
I like the m7 a lot, but can't really recommend them broadly. The main reason is the price. The m7 price point is flooded with competitors I'd recommend over the m7 -- the lz a7 and isn est50 are clear winners in the $300 to $500 market.
I agree with your view on the M7. it's a good IEM for the price, but sadly the price bracket is so fierce and some (like the A7 you mentioned, or the Blessing 2, etc) are better bang for the buck.
that's why i jumped to the M9. compared to the other IEMs in that price bracket that i have tried, for me personally it's really worth its price
Sources: headamp Pico dac/amp, btr3k, qudelix 5k, meridian explorer, macbook pro, lg g7, oppo ha2. No shortage of tips. I'm waiting for some smaller xelatics to come in, currently alternating between spinfits and sedna earfit lights. I'll have to give the spiral dots a try.
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I've been saving up for the z1r for a while but haven't pulled the trigger as I've been sidetracked with headphones and earbuds for some time. My listening tastes are almost exclusively classical music (mostly piano and violin concerti and the occasional orchestra piece. The m7's were an impulse buy and sort of a sub-conscience decision to fill the hole left by my a3 and z5. 
