Sony MDR-Z1R High-Resolution Audio Premium Over-Ear Headphones - Black

Product Information

The driver is a mammoth 70mm Aluminum covered liquid crystal polymer (LCP) with a magnesium dome. It self the driver had a new magnet which is developed by sony. Staging and separation: Staging is pretty wide, notes come from everywhere, very enveloping and immersive. They are the most open closed headphones i've ever tried, even the stageis bigger than that of the MDR-Z7 MDR-Z1R housing exploded with housing frame at left, acoustic filter at center, and housing protector at right.

When I start my headphone hobby, music listening has been a very rewarding experience for me and has helped me in many aspects of life other than music enjoyment, although, with the booming price of high end headphones/IEM atm, it has become a bit of a heavy hit on my wallet >_<. Using the Harman 2013 target curve as a reference, we can see that the sound of the MDR-Z1R exhibits a slight V-shaped curve. However, the transition from the low frequencies to the mid frequencies is relatively smooth. The overall attenuation in the mid frequencies can be controlled within a reasonable 6dB range. There are some variable high-frequency peaks that change with the fit of the headphones, mainly distributed in the airy frequency range. Additionally, there is an interesting peak around 3-4kHz that seems to closely resemble the human auditory peak, but with a relatively large Q value, This makes the "V-shaped" sound of the MDR-Z1R sound interesting and unique. It is a pair of headphones that keeps the instruments slightly distant from the listener but still within a natural range. In fact, this sound direction is quite clever. It easily pleases the ears of many curious first-time listeners, while also having a reasonably preferred range for serious audiophiles. It can be distinguished well from other flagship headphones with different tuning styles, such as the HD800 and T1, as they have their own distinct characteristics.

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The sumptuous curved housing delivers more then just good looks, it's designed to reduce resonances behind the driver. The housing frame establishes the shape of the housing; the housing protector is a contoured stainless steel wire mesh coated with a chromium compound, which Sony claims to be highly resistant to scratches or marking; the acoustic filter is the magic bit. If you could directly attach the files (txt, csv, etc. any human readable format really) that would be great... What I like: the mid spectrum, vocal, lower trebles density and resolutions, warmer sound signature, airy, design, comfort ability, build quality, the flows and fluidity, the musicality, engaging, darker but very detailed and meaty trebles with great extensions that is not fatiguing.

The pricing in Australia is 2499 AUD (1900 USD using google), so the review will be made using that as the value.

winner: depends on your preference, I like the Z1R more, I listen to Metal so brightness is not my thing. For other Music, EF wins, Ether C is again thin and not enjoyable. The 6dB attenuation in the mid frequencies reduces the volume and creates a slightly distant feeling for the main instruments and vocals. The high frequencies, such as airiness and high-frequency percussion, have increased volume, but the amplitude is well-controlled. In terms of left and right consistency, the MDR-Z1R performs well among over-ear headphones, providing a solid center imaging. Apart from testing the internal assembly stability, the quality control and durability of the large ear cups are also put to the test. Thanks to its low distortion and neutral sound, the Z1R delivers a clean and transparent sound without introducing any additional coloration or smearing. Good pairing, but this is desktop(not quite but intended to function like one) amp we're talking about here, only excellent results will suffice as this is supposed to be your best equipment to drive your headphone.