So much effort went into this "special" review. I feel like I just have to thank and congratulate you for it :) Awesome work Bert (& the rest of the crew ;) )
Dude please do more of these reviews if you have other headphones, this was straight up special. I will send this to DMS and Zeos, etc, to see if they can give you a shoutout. Maybe even get on their podcast or something cuz you put a lot into this review and I think anyone in this hobby can appreciate what you made here.
Wow thanks very much! Yes I have so many headphones, lol, and the collection keeps growing. Really love this hobby! Appreciate your comments, means a lot!! I'm working hard on the next video and will have it out as soon as possible. Thanks!
Stumbled upon your video today for the koss porta pro and I'm currently watching all your other videos. Honestly, at first I thought it was weird but then became uniquely perfect! Using Bert's character to talk about headphone is ingenious! I'm hooked! Just sad that there's not a lot of videos, hopefully you can upload more and more often.
Great review, mixing professionalism and humour. I agree that this is a great headphone, expensive but totally worth it. Using the Kimber cable improves the imaging and soundstage even further.
This cat uses the Kimber as well. You reviewed these very fairly and IMHO accurately. You describe the character of the cans perfectly. About the only bit you did not discuss is whether your hear the mid bass bleed into the mids at all. Would love a straight up review comparing the LCD-4Z with these.
Wow. I didn't know what to expect but this channel takes the cake. Where's Ernie btw? Great job man, subscribed and also posted in the head-fi forum to gain you more followers and support. Keep it up man.
simply an amazing presentation :) I watched a lot of reviews.. and I always ask myself - when checking or getting anything - IS IT FUN? DOES IT ACTUALLY BRING JOY? or it's just stuff n ntn more..? now THIS is fun, inforamtive and enjoyable. Thank you for doing this. ingenius indeed, and covering basiclly everything needs to be known about this set .)
Wow thank you! Yes, after all the testing, analysis, comparison and discussion we do with headphones, the most important question that it all comes down to is: Does it actually bring joy? Very well said!
Thanks, I hope you are enjoying the fabulous Z1R! I would love to review the Sony amp. I love the great versatility of connections but have only read reviews about the sound. Unfortunately, I don't have a unit to review. I have read that it does pair well with the Z1R, but have not heard for myself. Thanks for your comment.
Sorry about that, there has been a serious illness in my family since June that has taken up most of my spare time. But I am working on more videos! Will have them posted as soon as they are done. Thanks for your patience and support of this channel!
Really enjoyed your review, they are drop-dead gorgeous! I would love to give them a listen if I ever get the opportunity. The company formally known as Massdrop’s HD-6XX is my after work “sit back and relax” headphone. Uber-comfortable and fatigue free with a smooth frequency response. Sounds like the opposite signature to these though, with forward mids and the upper and lower frequencies trailing off in both directions.
Thanks very much! Yes, the 580/600/650/6XX are excellent and so smooth, with wonderful, slightly warm mids and I agree they are fatigue free. They have really stood the test of time. The Z1R is different, being closed back with more bass and sub-bass (missing from the 6XX) as well as greater treble extension. It is mostly in the upper mids and treble that opinions are divided on the Z1R. To me, the Z1R is not exciting; it’s refined and relaxed, with a slightly “soft” (rather than “smooth” like the 6XX) sound that makes them a soothing listen. What I think greatly contributes to this is how the Sony engineers implemented the damping, which softens the sound and adds a dimension and quality that I have not heard before. People that don’t like the 6XX’s smooth relaxed quality call it “veiled,” while those that don’t like the Z1R’s soft relaxed quality call it “boring.” An interesting difference.
Damn. I want to hang out with Bert and crew and have a mini headphone meet! I had missed this video, thank you again for all your effort Bert. I can't wait for new videos! What is up next? :)
Great video, wasn't sure what I was expecting but thankfully there is substance to your channel! :) Keep up the good work! P.s My kids love your videos! :D
Thank you Bert. You have convinced me to give these Sony’s a listen. Warmth and space is king. I miss my old Mirage M1 Si loudspeakers which I had to let go because of space constraints. Sounds like these could bring back the beauty of music without taking up much real estate:)
Hi Ricardo, sure! Working on a few other videos before that but I will get to it! It's a great amplifier, with a true and full "tube" sound, super smooth. Thanks for your comment and the suggestion!
I am considering these for 2 purposes... one is to mix and master music and two, back to your point, use them to relax after a long day in the office. Thoughts?
For listening after a long day in the office, yes absolutely. It's almost like they were made for that! I wouldn't use them for mixing/mastering, just because they aren't neutral and as listening headphones, they color the sound. They have a bass boost for example that makes for pleasant listening, but may make you attenuate bass frequencies in your mix. It's like doing video editing with sunglasses on, ideally you want clear glasses. Personally, I prefer a good studio monitor for mixing and mastering, & set level to 85 dB. Just my two cents
Bert Reviews Thanks for your comments, I think I need to reconsider the iconic Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro for mastering and later on down the road get these. Cheers Bert! Subscribing to your channel!
Thanks for subscribing, I really appreciate it! More videos coming soon. DT 770 is a really great headphone, comfortable with easy to replace pads & headband (so it will last you forever) and great sound. I think you will also enjoy listening to them after you have mastered! A great closed-back headphone, well worth their price brand new, but easy to find cheaper used. For me, you can't go wrong with the DT 770. All the best to you!
I hope you start making videos again. In a sea of ho hum, you have something engaging and I learn a lot. Just a great way to spend a few minutes of my day. Hope to see you again soon…
I originally watched this over a yr. ago when it first came out as I was interested in getting these cans at some point... well, that point is now here & I just re-watched this just to refresh my memory. Still a lot of dough for a freaking pair of headphones, but at under $1100 brand new, I'm treating myself to a set for my collection! I'll be back to watch a third time when I finally break out those babies to use for the 1st time!!LoL!!
Hi Joe, hope you enjoy your Z1Rs! Thanks for watching :) If you want to hear a sound demo of the Z1R, you can go to 13:36 of this video: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-DB-hqBt92bk.html All the best - hope to hear your thoughts on the Z1R!
Great reviews. I found out about your channel from metal571. But apart from your channel I really have no idea who Bert is. Do you have any social media account? Any forum where you are active?
Thanks man. No I don’t! I’m just a huge fan of audio who has been into enjoying and collecting headphones since before it was a hobby, since the early 90s (and before, if you count listening to Walkmans) I have always done puppets and voices, and I love RU-vid. So I decided to combine all three interests, and this insanity is the result, lol.
Wow man that means a lot to me! Thanks :) About the wrassle thing. My friends and I used to play WWE and you could literally create any character you wanted. It started getting really out of hand and we would make some of the most abstract, esoteric characters in the context of wrestling. Hank Hill, Ronald McDonald, Chuckie the Murderdoll, and like pretty much anything you can think of. I even made a Travis Bickle that looked exactly like the character from the movie Taxi Driver. We would also wrestle for fake belts. Yeah it was ridiculous. One time I even made some out of cardboard and brought them to his house for the big Pay Per View matches. Well it got so out of control that he started playing as Bert. Bert was this drugged out PCP looking bro and completely destroyed like anyone he wrestled. We started doing these ladder matches and the character of Ronald McDonald always tried to challenge Bert but would lose in the most heartbreaking ways. Bert was unstoppable, and at one point it was scary how many titles he was winning. We even had like entrance themes with some crazy rap music like MF DOOM and stuff. It was bonkers. The arena was decked out like you were literally on a mushroom trip, and this little bro Bert would walk out like he owned everything. Lol I hope my friend sees this. I was telling him about you and your reviews. Bert retired from Wrassling and now he's owning the audio review game. XD Anything he touches turns to Gold.
That is hilarious, Bert dominating all of wrestling, lol! Thanks for the story! Actually as a kid as my dad took me to wrestling shows, I saw Andre the Giant up close and Macho Man. Met Mick Foley too, nice guy! Hm, this gets me thinking about maybe including a reference in a future video about Bert's "former" wrestling career....
Thanks! I haven't tried the T5p but I'm very curious, as I have several of the top closed-backs and wonder how the T5p compares. WOuld love to get it one day
Upfront: Outstanding production quality, you should definitely reach a greater audience. Now a little nit-picking: making great walkmans doesn't translate well to headphones necessarily. The R10 being the greatest headphones of all times is a bit subjective. Using materials with cultural relevance to the Japanese is a nice concept in theory, but in practice using natural materials means high variation in the levels of "Sound Resistance". Finally, there is a reason nobody else uses dynamic drivers this large. It's very heavy and prone to partial vibrations. The result is really bad Dynamics, which isn't offensive in the way a treble spike would be, but still a mark of subpar sound reproduction unfortunately. It was apparent that you really like the headphones, and for good reason: build quality, packaging and product story are the best on the market, but especially then it's a service to your viewers to go into more detail with the weaknesses this headphone sadly has. Nonetheless, keep it up!
Thanks Marcel, indeed, very good points. This was my first review. Didn’t mean to imply that that good Walkman = good headphones, just that Sony sure can innovate when they want to. It was nice to see Sony really try hard with the Z1R in a way they haven’t done in a long time with headphones. Sony’s R10 is still the best headphone I’ve heard, and that’s all that I meant. Modal breakup is a big issue/concern with large drivers, but Sony has told me they have solved that with these. Certainly the Z1R is not without its issues. I like their sound, despite the issues, and it’s a headphone that will not appeal to all. Thank you for your support and honest feedback, I appreciate it.
Hi Bert, I have the Sony Z7 and love the comfort. Moving my head did not cause the Z7 to move out of place. I am considering the Z1R and wanted to ask you if I will get the same comfort level as the Z7? Will the Z1R stays in place on the head when I move around? Thanks
the one important question is... what is santas favorite headphone (also if you want headphones to relax to the LCD-1 from audeze are cheap compared to most and very comfortable)
Man, I wish I had my old Walkmen and boomboxes and stuff I've owned through the years. I've looked into rebuying some through the years and unless I'd stumble across them at a thrift store or something it's just not happening. I wish our old, used, consumer electronics and media market was more like Japan's...
Yes I do, mids sound a little recessed to me but that’s part of their relaxed sound signature; vocals are clear but are not in your face.It’s like an old-school speaker sound. I can understand though that, depending on the song or recording (or even what mood you are in!) people may at times want more up-front vocals. That’s why I think these are the ideal “relax after a long day at the office” headphones. I haven’t tried it, but I suspect they may pair well with an amp that has slightly more midrange emphasis.
R10 is a different beast altogether, I have only heard the bass light R10 (which is supposed to be the best sounding R10) and these are very different from one another. The R10 has the best midrange I have ever listened to in a headphone, so clear and present and lovely, and it sounds like you are right in the studio or right on stage with the performer. For example, I heard the Beatles with the R10 and it's like you are in the studio with them, it was just incredible, difficult to describe really. The Z1R sounds like the performers are more distant and the Z1R has more and better bass. Neither headphone is sibilant to my ears. If I ever get my hands on an R10, I will do a sound comparison for you! Thanks for your comments!
That’s a really tough one! I think the price/performance value of the Eikon/Atticus is better than the Z1R, which is a little overpriced at suggested retail. Atticus and Z1R are laid back while Eikon is more energetic - so this is a big factor to consider. Some people like more laid back headphones for long listening sessions. But the Eikon is more “alive.” The ZMF headphones are super well made, but the Sony is ultra high tech and significantly more comfortable. The Sony has near perfect ergonomics. I can tell you that the Z1R is a little more “controversial” than the ZMF headphones, which are more universally liked. Both the ZMFs and the Sony deal with resonance magnificently - not all closed headphones do. The Z1R is for when you want to relax and fall into the music, the Eikon is for when you want to feel the soul of the music. Very hard to choose!
Bert Reviews thanks a lot for your precious input ! I saw after writing this that you answered a similar question already but now the picture becomes more complete. I am thinking Z1R because to me comfort is everything first and foremost. Also I like a relaxing sound and being able to focus on other things than the ultra sharp detail of the music I listen to. And finally, having found an opportunity to buy a 3 month old Z1R at a great price 900€ I think I will bite the bullet. The Atticus seems like a great HP too though. I heard that it would be the next review on Metal571’s channel 🤗
Bert Reviews just one more thing, which isolates you the most from the outside world ? I believe ZMF closed designs appart from the new verite are actually semi open ? Though the Z1R also has a vent up top... hmm 🤔
Then Eikon/Atticus have better noise isolation than the Z1R. Measurements taken by Tyll at inner fidelity show this (you can Google it). The Eikon is rated at 25 dB of noise reduction, and I confirmed this at home with a sound test using tones at different frequencies and a decibel meter. I was really impressed by the Eikon’s isolation. The Z1R is a closed headphone but not totally sealed.
11:38 "like the SONY HD800" _Several people are typing_ I dunno, I though the z1r had a more forward vocal than the HD800. Maybe it's because the huge sound stage of HD800 gave me an illusion of laid-back vocals. Regardless, this was how I felt.
Nice review but just one correction - the Pentconn connector is not Sony's nor is it proprietary, it's created by a company call NDICS and is officially an open standard adopted by the Japanese standards body JEITA, and the plug is already used by Sennheiser, iBasso, Fiio just to name a few on the source side, while cables are already widely available.
Thank you for that! I was under the impression Sony had first introduced it. Was glad to see it in Sennheiser's HDV 820 amp. Hope you keep watching and please, keep correcting me! Thanks.
Sony engineers provided feedback during the development of the Signature Series which NDICS took in and put back into the design, but NDICS still owns the design which they opened it. www.ndics.com/products/pentaconn/ 開発から設計、生産まで日本ディックスが手がけた「Pentaconn」。 Currawong I know you live in Japan so you should be able to read that I hope? The misconception that 4.4mm is Sony's "thing" has to stop because it really isn't theirs.
@@TheFbiFilesRepeat thanks, that really means a lot. Yes I do plan to return as soon as I can. Yes still liking the Z1R, though one of the cables broke and need to replace it. A great headphone from Sony!
Hmmmm.......this cat was listening to Pioneer Closed cans back in the mid-60's along with factory pre-recorded reel to reels. Huge fan of the Sony Zeds. Heard them referred to as "Hip" as in hippy headphones and they are superb with Classic Rock. Utopia lovers stay far far away from these cans.
This was my very first review, I didn’t have the microphone yet. There is a Z1R sound demo on my Z7M2 unboxing video, and I am planning on more Z1R demos in future videos!
@@kenny41846 Thanks, but I could never sell a Sony R10, there is simply nothing like it. It sounds so “alive” in the mid range. With the R10 you aren’t just listening to voices singing, you are in the same room with the singer. An uncanny experience. But even having one, you cannot listen to it all the time, it is quite delicate and therefore only for special occasions. It’s hard to put into words. I should make a video explaining this!
That’s cool, as a collector, I completely understand. My only advice there is make sure you like BOTH warm AND analytical headphones, as these two are quite different in that sense. The R10 is very warm and smooth while the Qualia 010 is quite analytical and detailed. Qualia has a little bit of brightness/sibilance to my taste, but the right source & amp can improve that. R10 mids are lifelike and unparalleled. For both, but especially the R10, the bass quantity is not the same as modern audiophile headphones.
The Fostex is nice, and many say the same thing about the Z7 - amped properly. I suppose there's some truth to that. But to me the Z1R is just superior sonically to the X00, & perhaps not quite as V-shaped. It also has near-perfect ergonomics; Z1R is insanely well-built and comfortable. For many people it will be an "end-game" headphone, not sure we can quite say that about the X00.
@@bertreviews I wonder if the E-MU Teak would provide a similar relaxing sound signature as the Z1R for a fraction of the money...I've been on the fence for the Z1R for sometime now and I just recently pulled the trigger on the Teak...I also own the Z7 M2 so maybe I can just hold out until I find a nice pair of Z1R on the used market for under $950 ish... @Bert Reviews since you own all three of these headphones I would appreciate any personal perspective regarding the Z1R in comparison to the Teak and Z7 M2. I've heard the sound comparison on your other video but the Teak really sounded less lively in comparison to the other two headphones. Since the sound on the comparison changes with every different headphone I use I would appreciate your personal perspective. Thank you for your unique reviews btw!
