I used to listen to those headphones, Sony MDR-Z1R myself when I visited Bay Bloor Radio in Toronto Downtown. For me, they are SIMPLY THE BEST HEADPHONES I EVER TRIED. They effortlessly deliver the very soulfullness of the music - and this is exactly what true music admirer is looking for.
A great review. I was a Sony Main dealer back in the 1970s / 80s and I bought one of the first professional headphones made by Sony. I was always a big fan of the Brand and I'm pleased to see that they are still making some products in Japan.
Hi Peter, two very different headphones. I would say the Z1R is definitely better for me. The bass response, while boosted, is also more satisfying. The level of detail retrieval on the Z1R is better, and general technicals like soundstage and imaging are excellent without sacrificing bass to create perceived sonic improvements.
What a great video, easy to understand and thoughtful. I wonder why you didn't do any more reviews in the past 4 years. But without reviewing things, you might have more time for your favorite gears.
You did hook me up there. I have the th900 and love it so far but that excellent review just got me curious. I just put the Z1R in my wishlist. Gonna save up I think. But still, I'll definitely keep my th900 and just have both in my collection. Love the th900 bass :)
I am 580 sub and proud to be sub 600. I see this channel being great, especially with a video like this which will propell your channel. Great quality here
The Sony Zed is one of the biggest bargains in the audiophile marketplace and just might remain so for awhile. With the right gear, these babies take one to Analogue Heaven when listening to digital.
That padding on the headband worries me a bit. I am sure if you use it for a long time it is going to flat out and from what I see we can't replace it ourselves besides cutting it up and stitching a new headband into the headphone.
Hi, the landscape has changed quite a bit over the last 4 years. Sony product cycle is longer than other brands, so the headphone is still relevant to day. Care to make a quick update video to talk about how it stacks up against the competition today.
well done on getting this video out. I'm sure many people were eager to hear impressions. I would like to ask what are your thoughts on the presentation of the Z1R compared to HD650?
Well, I don't personally own the 650, but I have heard it a good number of times -generally speaking, the Z1R performs better at detail retrieval, extension on both ends, imaging, and the like. It's a bit unfair because we're looking at two very different price ranges, and two different classes of cans. However, 650 lower mids are better imo - the Z1R doesn't really shine in this area.
Thanks for your reply. Would you say synergy is more important than individual components being of the best technical calibre. I ask as I am buying a Eddie Current ZDS amplifier and I am wondering if the Z1R will be a more suitable pairing as it is like you say in a different class. The ZDS and the Sennheiser HD650 are often regarded to be a perfect match. Have you heard that pairing?
Just about to jump into my first high end headphones and get the z1rs and have the signature portable player, so this has been on my radar to check out. Realise it will be great with the Sonys but appreciate you pointing out it might not be so future proof. So now steering towards an RME adi2 does that sound more sensible to you?
Sony essentially perfected headphones in the late 80s and 90s. The V6/7506 and R10 are legendary cans in their respective class and then they saw no room for improvement so they stoped development of headphones. Then they decided to get back into the high end game and came out with these. All you have to do is ask the experts, the professional movie editors, audio engineers, and people who work with audio for a living and they will tell you Sony is essentially the industry standard. The 7506 is most likely the headphones your favorite movie or album was edited with by the audio engineer.
Thanks for the great review! I am looking for high end headphones, only requirement is that they have to be closed back. Which are your favorites? Have you tested the Beyer T5p 2nd Gen vs the Z1R?
I've not had the chance to listen extensively to the T5P Gen 2 yet. Having heard the Gen 1, I'd say it's two different sounding headphones. T5P sounds thinner, a bit more airy, where as Z1R had more body and slam! I don't feel the T5P is quite as nice as the T1.
That was a really good review, dude. Make moar plz. Probably by end of summer I'm thinking of upgrading from my LCD-2s (which I do love dearly but I do feel like instruments--especially acoustic strings are not quite forward enough), to something in the 2k or under range. Given that I have no specific need for a closed headphone, should this be on my list? I'm also considering HD800S, LCD-3, and Ether Flows.
Not comparable. Listened to both within an hour of each other at CanJam 2017. HD800 is in another league... Which isn't hard compared to the Z1R, which is I'd say as good as (Read: As bad as) headphones 1/10th of it's price.
stevenswall maybe it’s your reference. I found the z1r right my type - the one to get after a hard day work. Tried the lcd4, lcd-x, hd800, hd800s, hd820, T1 gen 1, T1 gen 2,... and while z1r is not the standard for soundstage, imaging, treble mid or anything like that, it has a vibe of comfort and relaxing that IMO a key point for enjoying music.
@@vnrays3775 are they good for edm and hip hop? Are they tough to drive? Going for endgame, I'm trying to figure out if my Fostex HPA4L will run them on balanced...
@@buster7618 Yes, good bass and quite forgiving sound signature (for not exposing too much fault in bad remastering song). So they're great for EDM/hip hop... and frankly any genre. It's actually quite easy to drive, but to make it sound it best is quite tricky. Absolutely recommend going balanced for this pair of headphone. And remember the cable matters alot to this headphone also. The Kimber Kable Sony selling it with is a great choice, but it is 4.4 pentacon balance, so maybe try a DIY cable with balance XLR for it?
Hi and thanks for writing! Z1R is better on all accounts -better defined bass, stronger mid range, clearer and more articulate highs. It is also much more expensive, so we're dealing with two different classes of headphones here.
what AMP do you use?.....What is the source of your music...." Compressed Bloated downloaded files" ?? headphone ONLY reproduce what is Feed into them!!!
Thanks for the video. Just a question here, have you ever had a chance to listen to NAD HP-50? That's the sound signature that I love and die for. Owned an LCD-3 and sold it, because wouldn't satisfy me with the sound signature, never liked it. I'm wondering whether Z1R could upscale HP-50 to the full extent?
Super helpful review, thanks man! I am currently running a pair of HD 800s headphones. Finding them a little bit too analytical and deficient in musicality. I'm torn between the z1rs and th900s. What would you recommend between the two for someone who wants a good all-rounder with a slight preference to electronica music and home theatre enjoyment?
Awesome review and detailed on sony MDR Z1R headphone. Thank you for the review! If you dont mind can you remind me the amps you use with Z1R or you use it with the walkman?
Thanks for writing, I used it on a ton of amps...ifi Micro, CMA600i, CMA800i, Hugo TT, Teac UD-501/ UD-503 etc. I also used it with the walkman - I like the WM1A better.
Hi thanks for your feedback so what headphones would you go for the t1 are 600 ohms are they hard to drive how about sony mdr z7 are much cheaper than the mdr z1r or the t1 are they fun headphones currently using fostex X00 mahogany by mass drop or the fostex th900 or should I save up for the sony mdr z1r what headphones wold be end game please please let me know your the audio pro thankyou
Hi I watch alot of movies on my xbox one and play games which headphones sound the best for audio fostex th900 or hd800s sony mdr z1r are 2300 hundred way way too pricey please let me no which headphones to purchase thankyou
I'm sitting here with my FIdelio X2s dreaming of these. What can I get for the $500-600 range that is a good step up. Not in the market for a can like the Z1R yet. Great video!
Hmm, first priority is to upgrade the headphone. Personally I hate doing small leaps to endgame. If you enjoy audio, just save till you can afford the flagship of your choice. Then, upgrade source gear. Schiit is a great way to start. Bimby makes a great dac and amp is up to you really. Cheers!
Zimba's Doom Corner it's a hard question. Personally I don't have the luxury of owning a huge speaker room with associated gear, so headphones are my go to. I'd say if you are considering cheaper speakers vs high end headphones, headphones, easily.
Tough call, I think technically the HE-1000 would draw ahead, but personally I'd hold off till the Edition 6 i.e. updated HE-6 makes its way out. For the record I like HE-6 more than HEK.
man you have great experience ,, that you heard all these great cans .. i have TH900 and i love it, for its sound stage and airiness ,, which headphone is the closest to the fostex in that regard with better mids ? Thanks for the review :)
Hassab Saeed Thanks for writing and glad that you enjoyed the video. I would say you might want to look into the Fostex TH00 or maybe the TH610 (though I am not particularly impressed by the 610). Apart from that , I can't think of any headphones with the same bass as the TH900. The Z1R is different but nice as well.
Ahh this review is so awesome. I was actually thinking of the TH-900 as being a direct competitor. There's no way I can justify the price tag right now, but perhaps my end-game in 5 years or so. Would be really interesting to hear though, want to know what sub bass you can draw from these new and improved drivers vs the XB-1000s I have which distort a little too easily.
hi I don't know which headphones to get hd800s or fostex 900 or sony mdr z1 for video games and watching movies which is the best fun sounding headphones
The hangers and sliders are aluminum, the headband is beta titanium, and the cup housings are stainless steel mesh. There are a few plastic parts on the inside.
Yes, it's quite a different headphone. The two make great complements in my opinion. The T1 focuses on clear, linear mids with liquid highs. Z1R focuses on bass extension and impact with sweet upper mids.
is the T1 is 2nd gen? if you had to choose? both?... which cans are your favorite for daily use these days? which would you recommend? I like clarity, but also feel of bass present (dont like analytical and flat sounding where you can hardly feel the bass)
Mine is 21,000+ S/N T1 gen 1. These are honestly my favorite drivers, and toss a tube amp in there you have something quite miraculous. As far as possible upgrade headphones go -> Kennerton Odin, Focal Utopia, Hifiman HE-6, Stax SR-009 for me. The HE-6 is great and I've had my eye on that for a while now. If I needed a primary driver, I would still take the T1.1. Z1R would be a complement. But it is arguably one of the best closed headphones too. So it's going to be a matter of preference.
I'm curious about this myself, but that stupid hinge design is enough to not even consider it. I know that your comment was from a couple years back... Did you decide on 1 of the 2?
@@chunkylover5367 did you decide? I had the Fostex Ebony which i had to pay premium for it on ebay and one day the bump one of the ear cups on the doorway while walking in my home and shortly after the cup fell off. That's when I discovered the tiny single screw holding that giant cup. Though I loved that sound and finish of the Ebony I reached for it less and less until I sold it. Right now I'm really enjoying the Sony MDR Z7 M2, no they are not exactly like the Ebony but the build quality is worlds ahead of Fostex and the sound is very enjoyable.
Yes, you need an amplifier for those headphones. More than, that, you need really good sound card, CD, or turntable to get the most out of Sony MDR-Z1R. The sound of those headphones will never justify their value, unless you hook them up to the serious, yes I am not kidding professional audio equipment.
hemidesign not in my opinion. Not sure which field the professionals are coming from , but if it's for sound recording and the like i would look into the Beyer, Sonys recording products ex800st etc. or audio tech. These are popular choices that are also budget friendly. Z1r is audiophile and not monitoring btw. Would never use a grado for anything purpose close to professional. Not neutral and way too bright. Also uncomfortable. Just my 2c
This was one of the worst headphones I heard at CanJam 2017... If you have a massive dip in your hearing at 10k, you might like these, provided you also have an ear canal that makes a dip at 12.1k, preceeded by a peak just before that. www.innerfidelity.com/images/SonyMDRZ1Rsn3922.pdf
Oh, and try blowing your nose first next time. So we dont have to listen to you struggle to breathe. You sound like my 3 yr old nephew. Okay Mr. Boogies. Thx Sport
