Sony MDR-Z1R Headphone Review

[PenguinMusic]

As described in the Headphone EQ Help section, oratory's PDF must be converted to a .txt file, before you can import it into the tool:

Headphone EQ

Headphone EQ helps to detect and compensate for the unwanted resonances in high-end headphones and earphones.

mathaudio.com

Attached below is the correctly converted .txt file.

As described in oratory's PDF, you can manually tune the gain of certain bands to preference:
View attachment 365546

Or leave them as-is for stock Harman.

Hi,

I think Maiky76 also gave his own PEQ settings and I found them to be slightly better than those from Oratory.
Of course that is a matter of tastes

But it has to be stressed that those PEQ settings will reduce the amount of bass.
The Z1-R is indeed a bass heavy headphone...
So I am not sure n0thing will like those settings :-(
They will all reduce the amount of bass to give something more balanced...
So n0thing, you will have to adjust band 1 quite heavily I think...

Me, I find the Z1-R too heavy on the bass, and that is why I need those PEQ settings...

Regards.

 

[staticV3]

Hi,

I think Maiky76 also gave his own PEQ settings and I found them to be slightly better than those from Oratory.
Of course that is a matter of tastes

But it has to be stressed that those PEQ settings will reduce the amount of bass.
The Z1-R is indeed a bass heavy headphone...
So I am not sure n0thing will like those settings :-(
They will all reduce the amount of bass to give something more balanced...
So n0thing, you will have to adjust band 1 quite heavily I think...

Me, I find the Z1-R too heavy on the bass, and that is why I need those PEQ settings...

Regards.

It's very possible that the bloated, bloomy midbass response of the Z1R simply spoils the definition and "tightness" of bass, compared to n0thing's IEMs.

Removing that midbass emphasis using EQ can fix that.

 

[PenguinMusic]

It's very possible that the bloated, bloomy midbass response of the Z1R simply spoils the definition and "tightness" of bass, compared to n0thing's IEMs.

Removing that midbass emphasis using EQ can fix that.

Indeed...

 

[n0thing]

Ok guys, thanks for suggestions. I tried everything suggested. It's mostly the same. Only eq helps little. I think that contact of in ear buds with ear wall makes sound better. Naturally, if headphone sits deep enough and tight. If you pull it out just a little bit, or it falls out.... audio quality diminishes.
What do you use for as audio source? Like i said i have laptop - hegel amp - headphones
Has someone tried external dac with bass boosting effect? Something like FiiO Q3....

 

[staticV3]

Has someone tried external dac with bass boosting effect? Something like FiiO Q3....

The bass boost that they can do, can be done in software and better.

If you mimic their boost using EQ and it doesn't satisfy, buying the hardware won't change that.

 

[n0thing]

Okay, i just have find solution. Peters EQ APO, but without asio output, otherwise naturally don't work.

 

[n0thing]

I'm glad it's only software problem.....

 

[staticV3]

Okay, i just have find solution. Peters EQ APO, but without asio output, otherwise naturally don't work.

All EQApo PEQ presets can also be imported into Mathaudio to preserve ASIO output.

Though you may need to change HSC to HS and LSC to LS in the txt file.

 

[srkbear]

The bass boost that they can do, can be done in software and better.

If you mimic their boost using EQ and it doesn't satisfy, buying the hardware won't change that.

I’m inclined to agree, but with some exceptions, when it comes to pure bass boost in the absence of tuning other frequencies. I have Roon’s DSP engine at my disposal, along with an ASP “xBass” four-setting analog bass enhancement on my iFi Pro iCAN Signature amp (which I bought primarily for the bass boost). Among all the popular consumer grade “audiophile” outfits out there, both FiiO and iFI are two I’m aware of that offer well-executed bass boosts, and I keep the one on my iFi amp engaged in full at all times. For the rock and similar modern genres I prefer, it adds just the right amount of fullness and punch that I find lacking in standard Harman tuning.

For pure bass emphasis, I prefer this analog boost on my amp over adding a low shelf via the software DSP option in Roon. Whenever I engage the Roon PEQ engine, even if I only add a minor tweak on one band, if I don’t attenuate the global gain by quite a bit (at minimum 2dB), the headroom management indicator shows constant clipping, and it’s audible. I don’t know if this is an inherent phenomenon with Roon’s DSP engine itself, or a global aspect of DSP PEQ adjustments, but either way it’s there without exception. And that 2+dB drop is equally audible—it requires me to drive my amp harder, and I find the resulting sound signature to be ever so slightly more distorted.

I’m willing to entertain the possibility that I’m imagining it. But the bottom line is that using the xBASS provides me with a very smooth, unobtrusive oomph to the sub and mid bass frequencies without any hint of clipping or need to attenuate the global gain, and I love how it sounds (it’s a bit reminiscent of the “loudness” toggles of the analog era). I’ve made countless attempts to achieve it via my software option but haven’t succeeded—and I’ve been equally pleased by FiiO’s implementation of this.

I admittedly have 54 year old ears, so I rarely find myself needing to mess with retuning the high end (unless it’s muted, as is the case with my Meze Elites). But for every other headphone I own (which includes these Sonys along with a DCA E3, Hifiman HEKse and HEK Stealth, and 2020 Utopias), with the xBass engaged I’m perfectly pleased with their sound signatures as is, without any need for additional PEQ at all!