Sony MDR-Z1R Headphone Review

[ObjectiveSubjectivist]

What is musicality of headphones?

 

[davidmthekidd]

What is musicality of headphones?

I listen to a ton of Jazz, some instruments are rendered terribly on my 'reference' headphone the HD650, just flat and boring. However, on the Z1RS, I get a very warm and acoustic sounding presentation, main reason why I've learn to listen first and consider measurements later. The main objective of this headphone was to re-create the atmosphere, you can read about it in the included booklet.

 

[IAtaman]

Ahh, The Z1R's! My all time favorite, not because of accuracy, but rather their Musicality. I have own close to 12 headphones and these are the best for music enjoyment & comfort.

What is musicality of headphones?

I think more interesting question is what do you mean close to 12. 11?

 

[davidmthekidd]

I think more interesting question is what do you mean close to 12. 11?

I meant I have owned a ton of headphones, over the years.

 

[IAtaman]

I listen to a ton of Jazz, some instruments are rendered terribly on my 'reference' headphone the HD650, just flat and boring. However, on the Z1RS, I get a very warm and acoustic sounding presentation, main reason why I've learn to listen first and consider measurements later. The main objective of this headphone was to re-create the atmosphere, you can read about it in the included booklet.

View attachment 325640

You realize that that booklet is not a scientific paper but just marketing material yes? And a ****** one at that - what the eff is atmospheric musical nuance.

Please do not get me wrong, I am not opposing your enjoyment of it. However the bullshit marketing, and from Sony of all the companies, really irritates me. Real goal is tap into juicy high end market of course, but magnesium and fibonacci sound sexier. Meaningless, but sexier.

Well, I remembered I saw their special SD card for Premium Sound a few days ago, so maybe I should not be surprised with ****** marketing of Sony.

Snake Oil Department, Top This

I've said it before. For a long time Duelund was responsible for keeping my national pride at bay, but then I discovered Ansuz. A whole new level of embarrassment :facepalm: I like the stitching around the logo. It's like that found on the steering wheel covers on expensive sports cars.

audiosciencereview.com

 

[cheapmessiah]

I listen to a ton of Jazz, some instruments are rendered terribly on my 'reference' headphone the HD650, just flat and boring. However, on the Z1RS, I get a very warm and acoustic sounding presentation, main reason why I've learn to listen first and consider measurements later. The main objective of this headphone was to re-create the atmosphere, you can read about it in the included booklet.

View attachment 325640

But how does that translate to musicality? In fact, what does musicality even mean?

That booklet tries in a very poorly way to tell customers that they tried to replicate some in-room effects, which are, if you look at the FR chart:
-Very present sub-bass.
-Slightly boomy bass bump.
-Slightly bloated low mids.
-Good tracking from 500 to 2500hz
-Just pain from 3khz onwards.

So your ideal of "musicality" is to be on a boomy room with a lot of treeble reflections?

And dont get me wrong, you like the headphones and thats all that matters really, I just have an issue with the wording.

 

[PenguinMusic]

I think more interesting question is what do you mean close to 12. 11?

Yeah... Really interesting question

 

[PenguinMusic]

Hi,

As David, I must say that the Sony MDR-Z1R is my all time favourite headphone.
And I could compare it directly, because I own them also and still have those, to follwoing headphones :
- Sony MDR-Z7 ;
- Oppo PM-1 ;
- Oppo PM-2 ;
- Dan Clark Aeon Closed ;
- Dan Clark Aeon X Open back ;
- AudioQuest NightHawk ;
- Hi-Fi Man Deva.

And I could compare listening to a lot of different kind of music : Classical, Jazz, Rock, Metal, World, Electro/lounge... Not Dance and Rap though as I do not like those :-( Sorry :-(

First opinion : in terms of COMFORT, the Sony MDR-Z1R beats everything mentioned above. >You can wear those headphone litterally for hours. Even in hot summer days.

Second opinion : the Sony is NOT the most "neutral" headphone of the bunch. It is, indeed, on the bass emphasized side of sound. You can of course enjoy it as is... But if you listen to music with some heavy bass, it might be boomy. At least it somewhat is to my ears.

Third opinion : once slightly EQ with PEQ or MorphIt (probably a PEQ derivative from ToneBoosters and used in UAPP), the Sony is the most detailed headphone of the bunch. But despite being super detailed, it provides a lot of "musical emotion" (purely subjective probably) that does not come with other headphones. In other words, other headphones offer magnificient sound reproduction abilities, but they do not provide that purely subjective "goose bump" the Z1R does.

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY : those are SUBJECTIVE OPINIONS. They are NOT OBJECTIVE STATEMENTS.
I have no intention of trying to force my views upon any member of this community.

P.S. : As I type this, I am listening to the latest "Cat Power sings Dylan" album. You want a superbly recorded voice with a single guitar and some harmonica ? Give it an ear Of course listening to that on the MDR-Z1R. It is not perfect... But that is an example of that "Goose Bump" effect

 

[Axo1989]

You realize that that booklet is not a scientific paper but just marketing material yes? And a ****** one at that - what the eff is atmospheric musical nuance.

Please do not get me wrong, I am not opposing your enjoyment of it. However the bullshit marketing, and from Sony of all the companies, really irritates me. Real goal is tap into juicy high end market of course, but magnesium and fibonacci sound sexier. Meaningless, but sexier.

Well, I remembered I saw their special SD card for Premium Sound a few days ago, so maybe I should not be surprised with ****** marketing of Sony.

Snake Oil Department, Top This

I've said it before. For a long time Duelund was responsible for keeping my national pride at bay, but then I discovered Ansuz. A whole new level of embarrassment :facepalm: I like the stitching around the logo. It's like that found on the steering wheel covers on expensive sports cars.

audiosciencereview.com

Ok, but why would describing their objective (per @davidmthekidd's observation that triggered your response) require a scientific paper?

 

[ObjectiveSubjectivist]

I listen to a ton of Jazz, some instruments are rendered terribly on my 'reference' headphone the HD650, just flat and boring. However, on the Z1RS, I get a very warm and acoustic sounding presentation, main reason why I've learn to listen first and consider measurements later. The main objective of this headphone was to re-create the atmosphere, you can read about it in the included booklet.

View attachment 325640

You are aware that when you are listening recorded music you are listening to the RECORDING not actual instrument?
If you agree on that I'll have a super tool for you to make a lot headphones MUSICAL.
Use EQ to your taste, depending on recording genre or EVEN your mood that is changing every day.

 

[IAtaman]

Ok, but why would describing their objective (per @davidmthekidd's observation that triggered your response) require a scientific paper?

Sorry, who said describing their objective requires a scientific paper?

 

[solderdude]

Ahh, The Z1R's! My all time favorite, not because of accuracy, but rather their Musicality

When you change the words 'musicality' for 'sound signature' I am sure people won't be all over you.

 

[IAtaman]

When you change the words 'musicality' for 'sound signature' I am sure people won't be all over you.

When kids like the U-Shape tuning, they are bassheads. When audiophiles do that, it is musicality.

 

[solderdude]

Perhaps everyone that really enjoys their headphone(s) or speakers will probably find it 'musical'.

That said... the descriptor 'musical' is not really a well defined one and can mean many things to many different people so best to avoid that word even when one thinks it describes what they hear best... at least on ASR.

 

[Soria Moria]

Musical basically means good tonality.

 

[ObjectiveSubjectivist]

Perhaps everyone that really enjoys their headphone(s) or speakers will probably find it 'musical'.

That said... the descriptor 'musical' is not really a well defined one and can mean many things to many different people so best to avoid that word even when one thinks it describes what they hear best... at least on ASR.

Musical or musicality is one of the worst descriptor in our audio community.
It is completely useless.

 

[IAtaman]

Musical or musicality is one of the worst descriptor in our audio community.
It is completely useless.

More than useless, it has been abused beyond recognition in audio community. You might as well call it magical. Not everybody uses in that sense of course, but hard to say who means what, so best to use more descriptive and unloaded words I reckon.

 

[davidmthekidd]

Musical or musicality is one of the worst descriptor in our audio community.
It is completely useless.

you're taking this way too serious my friend.

 

[ObjectiveSubjectivist]

you're taking this way too serious my friend.

Completely the opposite.
My friend.

 

[davidmthekidd]

Perhaps everyone that really enjoys their headphone(s) or speakers will probably find it 'musical'.

That said... the descriptor 'musical' is not really a well defined one and can mean many things to many different people so best to avoid that word even when one thinks it describes what they hear best... at least on ASR.

To me this is very simple, I cant listen to my HD650's for more than two hours, let alone my old HD700, those were piercing to my ears. Some people love reference headphones such as HD600 or LCD-X, I cant listen to two records back to back without taking a break. On the other hand, I can listen to the Z1R's for hours, they are warm and relaxing, so called laid-back; hence my term musical. I would never mix or record on the Z1R's, but I preffer this headphone for music enjoyment.